Sixth Sunday of Easter

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Today is a day of overlapping identities and deep emotions. In the secular calendar, we celebrate Mother’s Day … a day of gratitude for the gift of life, nurture, and the hands that held us when we were small. In the Church’s calendar, we stand in the bright, lingering light of the Resurrection, observing the Sixth Sunday of Easter. At first glance, these two might seem to pull us in different directions. One is about domestic love and biological or adoptive bonds; the other is about the cosmic victory of Christ over the grave and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Yet, in our Gospel text from John 14, Jesus speaks a word that bridges these two worlds perfectly. He says… "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

Fifth Sunday of Easter

The Rite of Confirmation, while not commanded in Scripture, is a special custom in the church.  Confirmation is not a “graduation” or “completion,” rather it is a day that celebrates God’s gift and work in the life of the student publicly confessing his faith. This day looks back to the promise made in Baptism and looks ahead to a whole life lived in faith. “We rejoice with thankful hearts that you have been baptized and have received the teaching of the Lord.  You have confessed the faith and have been absolved of your sins.  As you continue to hear the Lord’s Word and receive His blessed Sacrament, He who has begun this good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (LSB Agenda, p. 30).

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Our Bible Reading of the Day is 1 Samuel 8:4–9:2; 10:17–27; 11:12–15. Desiring to be like all the other nations, the elders come to Samuel asking him to appoint a king over Israel. Samuel vainly tries to warn against their plan, telling the consequences the people face. God reveals to Samuel that he will encounter the handsome Saul, whom he anoints as king over Israel. God expected His people to trust Him as their true leader. In Christ, we not only have our divine true leader, we also have the true King, who has conquered the powers of sin, death, and hell for us.

Third Sunday of Easter

AS WE GATHER:  Consider a time in your life when someone showed you mercy. When was that, and what was it like?  Perhaps it was for a late homework assignment in school, forgiveness when you dropped the ball on a project at work, or maybe even forgiving a loan of some sort. Mercy is compassion and forgiveness    toward someone who either doesn’t deserve it or actually deserves punishment. In the Book of Ruth we     consider what it means to be shown undeserved mercy. Boaz had mercy on Ruth and Naomi. God works through Ruth and Boaz to selflessly provide for others’ needs. This narrative demonstrates God’s heart toward the lowly and helps set the context for David’s reign.  Christ has had greater mercy on us by providing        forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation for His people. God works through Christ and His Means of Grace to provide His gifts. He also works through others who work His mercy in the world.

Second Sunday of Easter

On Easter evening and again the following Sunday, because the disciples saw Jesus alive, they knew the resurrection was real, and they believed in Him. They were then able to witness to their faith in spite of opposition and persecution from the Jewish council. Though grieved by various traits, it was the “living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:3) that enabled the Early Church to      rejoice. The reality of the resurrection becomes evident to people around us as we live out our faith, confessing Jesus as Lord and offering peace and forgiveness in His name. As they come to faith, they join us and “have life in His name” (John 20:31).