8-24-2017

Good Morning All,

              Matthew 1:21; “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

     I was watching a video news clip on the internet the other day.  It was a clip from an outside security camera system at a bank.  I couldn’t tell if it was even in the United States but it showed a man, walking down the street looking intently at his phone.  As he walked along he headed out into the street.  Suddenly, a man, running from the opposite direction leaps and tackles the man.  Just as they hit the ground, a car goes speeding by; narrowly missing both men.  Had the second man not saved the first one; he would have been a bloody spot on the highway.

   This man was saved, by a total stranger who risked his own life in order to save the life of another.  Perhaps you remember the story of a few years ago when a plane crashed into an icy river and one man, who was driving along and saw it happened, jumped in the river and started pulling people to safety until he himself died in the icy river.  Those people whom he saved, what do you do, what do you say?  What do you say to the family of that man?  “Gee thanks” sounds a little weak.

    Maybe you feel that way when you think about Jesus.  Many Christians in the world deal with faith from a guilt driven motive.  They feel guilty about Jesus having to die so that they could live.  They respond to feeling the need to punish or deprive themselves.  Within church history, a group called the “flagellants” would whip themselves as punishment for their sins in order to alleviate their guilt.  This truly misses the whole point.

    Jesus came to save us from our sins.  He dove into the icy waters to save us even as he himself died.  Yet it goes beyond this event.  Jesus died but he didn’t stay dead; this was all part of the plan.  He died to save us and lives to change us.  His resurrection changes everything.  Millions of people have died for you in one way, shape, or form.  Think of the servicemen who died fighting in war to protect your freedom.  Think of police officers or firemen or other rescue personal who died keeping someone else alive; only one person rose from the dead for you and that is Jesus.  Yes he died to save you; but he lives that our life is different; it is new.  Our life is different in that we now can live a life more closely to the way it was designed to be lived.  We were designed to live in God’s presence, love one another and take care of creation.  Now, we are made new again to go back to this existence.  Luther wrote that we are to “thank and praise, serve and obey him”  That is the way we say thank you; by loving one another, caring for what God has given us and singing His praises daily.

Father, we give you great thanks and praise for our salvation.  Strengthen me so that I may live my life in service to you.  Lead me to show love to those who you place in my life.  Lead me to show mercy in all that I do.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Lord and King we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret