Lutherans for Life
Life Thoughts in the Church Year
(Based on appointed readings from Lutheran Service Book)
April 2nd – Palm Sunday – Every tongue must and shall confess Jesus and not ourselves as Lord over death and life (Philippians 2:11). When offered gall to accelerate His own dying, the Savior declined, even in His terminal condition (Matthew 27:34). We also may commend ourselves and our neighbors into the Heavenly Father’s loving hands as days draw to their ends.
April 9th – Easter -- “Do not be afraid,” both the Easter angels and the risen Savior assure us (Matthew 28:4, 10). His everlasting and overcoming love (Jeremiah 31:3) means our whole being, body and soul, may rest secure (Psalm 16:9). We need fear neither surprise pregnancy nor terminal diagnosis, suffering nor death, because Christ Jesus mysteriously but mightily safeguards every human life (Colossians 3:3).
April 16th -- Easter II -- Personal choice, public opinion, and political controversy cannot stifle our Gospel-motivated voices For Life. With the first Christians, we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). He has commanded every human life into its existence, and we work to preserve them all until He permits them to pass away (Psalm 148:5-6). If this means discomfort or suffering, we will rejoice at the privilege of suffering together with Jesus Christ (Acts 5:41).
April 23 – Easter III – The resurrected and compassionate Jesus made Himself present in His loved ones’ sadnesses (Luke 24:16-17). Our Lord is not absent but all the more active in difficulties like surprise pregnancy or terminal diagnosis. He redeems us and our sufferings to usher us into His exceeding glory (Luke 24:26). Not only do His words and ways deliver souls from death, but He also undertakes to relieve all tears from their eyes (Psalm 116:8).
April 30 – Easter IV – The earliest Church found great delight in not giving themselves over to radical autonomy. Instead they invested in fellowship and community that accompany each other rather than abandoning in time of need (Acts 2:44). May we likewise proclaim and put into practice our Lord’s promise that the abundant life is the one that is shared especially in adversity (John 10:10).
