Redeemer Lutheran Church, DeSoto, MO

“This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Dear Redeemer Family
The saying goes “April showers bring May flowers.” Well, we had a fair number of showers in April and May. That is good since most of last year we were in a minor drought! I haven’t checked lately, but I don’t think that we are in a drought anymore. June looks to be a very nice month. And I’m sure, “we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Now that we are technically in summer. Yes, I know, summer doesn’t really start until towards the end of June. But most people think that summer starts when the kids get out of school, and often we hear, “Memorial Day weekend is “the unofficial start of summer.” So, we will call this summer.

It is a time when life slows down, usually. Although, some people really speed their life up to take advantage of summer. Summer becomes synonymous with “vacation.” I time that we feel of a well-deserved rest. That is good. But a lot of people, for some reason, come back from their vacations exhausted. I think they just can’t get rid of the need to “go, go, go” that has been drilled into their heads, even when they are trying to rest. People can be strange.

Having said that, God has made all of the days. And so, we should rejoice and be glad in all of the days which God has given to us. God even worked a day into our weeks for rest. It is called the Sabbath. And it is precisely a planned day of rest. But, of course, many people do far too much work on the Sabbath. Contrary to common belief, the Sabbath is actually Saturday (well technically Friday night until Saturday night). It is amazing how many people that I see working themselves to death on Saturday. Yes, it is often the only day people have to catch up at home. But it would be nice to see them kickback and get some rest. Together with the Lord’s Day (Sunday), the Sabbath forms something else, the weekend.

We kind of see the weekend as a mini holiday. And that too is fine. But as we enter into the sweet days of summer, maybe we can see this weekly holiday of Sabbath and Lord’s Day as times of rest, prayer, and contemplation, as well as the other things which we pile into these days. Besides our times of frantic work and play on these days, perhaps we can also find some rest. Then, truly we will live the scripture’s, “we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Just a thought.

In Christ,
Pastor Rose

“But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said.” Matthew 28:5-6a

Dear Redeemer Family:
We now celebrate the season, which is central to our faith, Easter. Christ is raised victorious from the dead by the glory of the Father. It is the most glorious event in all of history. But it cannot really be explained. It can only be proclaimed. The angel in the lesson above just tells the women very matter of factly, “He has been raised.” But that is really all that needs to be said.

Years ago, I heard the story of a pastor who got up to preach on Easter Sunday to his congregation. He walked up to the pulpit, jumped as high as he could with his arms outstretched over his head, and cried out as loud as he could, “He is risen!” He then turned around and went back to his seat. Some people in his congregation were shocked. They expected more. But he delivered what is considered by many to be the best, and most succinct, sermon on the Resurrection. He said it all. He said it well. He said what needed to be said.

Again, the traditional exchange of greetings on Easter Sunday is like it. “He is risen.” “He is risen, indeed.” That says it all.

We are saved. He has won the victory. And so, rejoice. Alleluia! Have a blessed Easter, day and season!

He is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Pastor Rose