Because Christ Lives, We Also Live!

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Let us never forget that since Christ rose from the dead, we, who believe in Him will rise! Because He lives, we also live!

No one would have predicted what we have gone through so far in 2020. The only One who knew was God Himself. That is the good news! 

Although, we do not know what tomorrow brings, God already knows. But we do know one thing: all who believe in Jesus as Lord have received eternal life!

To catch everyone up on the Easter season, below is a “Cliff’s Notes-style” version of the Easter season:

• April 12 (The Resurrection of Our Lord): Easter morning. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and the other women. Peter and John arrive at the empty tomb.
  
  
• April 19 (Second Sunday of Easter): Easter evening and following Sunday. Jesus appears to the apostles and later to Thomas.
  
  
• April 26 (Third Sunday of Easter): Easter afternoon. Jesus appears to two of His followers on the road to Emmaus.
  
  
• May 3 (Fourth Sunday of Easter): Jesus reveals that He is the Good Shepherd who has laid His life for the sheep, so that He may take up His life again. Jesus also reveals that He is the Door to everlasting life.
  
  
• May 10 (Fifth Sunday of Easter): Jesus reveals that He alone is the way, and the truth, and the life. He says that no person comes to the Father, except through Him. Christ alone is the way to everlasting life.
  
  
• May 17 (Sixth Sunday of Easter): Jesus reveals to His disciples – you and me – that He will give us a Helper, the Holy Spirit, so we can love Him and keep His commandments.
  
  
• May 24 (Seventh Sunday of Easter): Jesus prays for His disciples – you and me – that we would faithfully continue to follow Jesus even after He ascends into heaven.

Two other major holidays are on the way: The Ascension of Our Lord (May 21) and the Day of Pentecost (May 31).

On Ascension Day, we look forward to Christ’s return. We are told that when Christ returns, He will return in the same way He was taken up into heaven. So, there will be no doubting when Christ returns, for every knee shall bow when He is seen descending from the clouds!

On Pentecost Day, we remember how the mighty works of God were revealed to the visiting Jews in Jerusalem for the Pentecost festival, since the promised Holy Spirit came upon the apostles.

On the Sixth Sunday of Easter, the closing hymn is “Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me.” This hymn is by Lutheran pastor Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676). Gerhardt lived through the Thirty Years’ War that ravaged Europe (1618-1648). (This war began as a conflict between Lutheran, Calvinist [Presbyterian] and Roman Catholic states in the Holy Roman Empire, but eventually it became less about religion and more about politics.) More than eight million people died, but not all because of military engagements. Millions of people died due to the plague.

Despite all these hardships, Gerhardt remained positive and his Christian faith was never shaken. During those deadly thirty years, he wrote many hymns of comfort. One of those hymns was “Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me.”

The Lord bless you and keep you always!

In Christ,
Pastor Adelsen

683 Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me

1 Jesus, Thy boundless love to me
    No thought can reach, no tongue declare;
Unite my thankful heart to Thee,
    And reign without a rival there!
Thine wholly, Thine alone I am;
Be Thou alone my constant flame.

2 O grant that nothing in my soul
    May dwell, but Thy pure love alone;
Oh, may Thy love possess me whole,
    My joy, my treasure, and my crown!
All coldness from my heart remove;
My ev’ry act, word, thought be love.

3 This love unwearied I pursue
    And dauntlessly to Thee aspire.
Oh, may Thy love my hope renew,
    Burn in my soul like heav’nly fire!
And day and night, be all my care
To guard this sacred treasure there.

4 In suff’ring be Thy love my peace,
    In weakness be Thy love my pow’r;
And when the storms of life shall cease,
    O Jesus, in that final hour,
Be Thou my rod and staff and guide,
And draw me safely to Thy side!

Text: Public domain