A Note from Pastor

April begins with Holy Week and the celebration of Easter. Throughout the month we will be focusing on the resurrection of our Lord and His victory over sin, death and the power of the devil.   In his essay “On the Fruit and Power of the Resurrection of Christ” (Day by Day We Magnify Thee, Fortress Press, 1982, p.170.) Luther wrote, 
    “When I look at my sins, they slay me. Therefore, I must look upon Christ, who drew my sins upon Himself and has become a blessing. Now they no longer lie on my conscience but on Christ, and they seek to slay Him. They cast Him down and kill Him. 
    O Lord God where is now my Christ and my Redeemer? Then God comes and brings Christ forth and makes Him alive, but He sets Him in heaven and lets Him rule over all things. Now where is sin? It is on the cross. And when I hold on to this and believe it, I have a joyful conscience, like Christ, for I am without sin.
    Now I dare death, the devil, sin and hell to do me harm. Inasmuch as I am a descendant of Adam, they can harm me; I must shortly die. But now that Christ has laid upon Himself my sin, and has died for it, and been slain for it, they can do me no harm, for Christ is too strong for them. 
    Therefore, I have a good conscience, I am joyful and blessed, and fear those tyrants no longer, for Christ has taken my sin away from me and laid it on Himself.”