A Message from our Pastor
“He is not here, for He is risen, as He said!” Alleluia!(Matthew 28)
Aside from Jesus’ cry “It is finished!”
there exist no words quite equal to these: “He is risen!” From death, from hell, from the tomb,
indeed, to life and it everlasting. “Alleluia!”
Think of it. Since His ministry began, Jesus knew that Calvary awaited Him. Calvary was why He had come to Bethlehem’s manger in the first place. Calvary was the goal of His earthly journey. Calvary’s cross was preordained. So He “set His face toward Jerusalem.” There, He knew, the greatest miscarriage of justice in human history would take place. There, He knew, the only Perfect Man ever born to woman would be sacrificed. There, He knew God would die! His presence in Jerusalem would lead to the Cross on the Day of Preparation, just before that most solemn and celebrated of Jewish feasts: the Passover.
Three times on that journey to the cross, Jesus had told Peter and Andrew, James and John, and the other disciples that this would happen: He would be slain. Yet, they were completely unprepared for the reality, for the horror, for the awful bloodthirsty and bloody truth of it all.
Yes, and three times He also told them that the ultimate, unbelievable, rectifying Resurrection would follow. But they failed to understand what He was talking about: that He would rise again!
Peter finally got it at Pentecost. In his sermons following that auspicious event and recorded in chapters 2,3,4, and 5 of Acts, the Spirit-transformed fisherman, the Christian church’s first evangelist, boldly attests to the “foolishness” of the resurrected Christ.
Paul, the missionary without equal, wrote to the church at Corinth that these are of “first importance”: Jesus died for our sins; He was raised; and, He appeared to others (1 Corinthians 15). To emphasize the reality of Jesus’ rising and subsequent appearances, Paul lists the witnesses: first Peter, then the twelve, then more than five hundred at one time, James who was Jesus’ earthly half-brother and the first bishop of Jerusalem; all the apostles at once, and, lastly, Paul himself.
Why are these post-Easter appearances of “first importance?” Well, Paul tells us in the last verses of Romans, chapter 4. Here he writes of “… Jesus, our Lord. Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” There it is: our justification!
The Lutheran Study Bible states that Justification is the “… dominant theological truth in Paul’s letters and the Scriptures” (p.1903). It means that the believer (the “justified” person) raised up with Christ in baptism, is declared righteous! That, dear friends, is the verdict, the final legal act completed by God for us in Christ’s Resurrection! Not only are your sins and mine paid for by Jesus’ death, we are declared righteous by His Resurrection. Justified: “just as if we never sinned.” “Right before God!” “Righteous!” Alleluia!
Happy Resurrection Day … now … every day!
Happy Easter! God bless you … you righteous one!
Book Fair!
First Lutheran School will be holding our first annual book fair this school year. We will have our “Dino”Mite Readers enjoying a read-a-thon and winning prizes during the weeks of May 18-29. We will end this excitement with our Book Fair!!
We would like to welcome you to come to our book fair on May 29 (from 9-4) & May 30 (from 9-12) to purchase some pretty fun and incredibly cool books. However, if you are unable to come in person, you can check out our website.
Any purchases that you make on the website will give us a percentage back to get free books for our school. Any purchases that you make at the book fair will raise funds for our school. Thank you for your support as we have our first book fair. Did I mention that there will be fun activities for the kids? There will.
If you are looking for a church home, we encourage you to consider First Lutheran! We love to share the Good News of our Savior and the help that God’s Word gives to our everyday lives! Our congregation consists of people like you from every part of our nation. People seeking a sense of belonging and an opportunity for worship, growth and fellowship. May you find grace and blessing in the time we spend together. We would love to tell you more about our congregation.
First Lutheran School provides a Christian education that nurtures the spiritual, intellectual, and personal growth of each child. The school provides another means for First Lutheran Church to bring the Word and love of God in Christ Jesus to more families.
Special thanks to those in the Armed Forces! We welcome our military and others far from home. We pray for you.