September 7 – 17^th Sunday after Pentecost – The greatest are the weakest. That’s Jesus’ message to His disciples in Matthew 18:1-6. To enter the kingdom of heaven, one must become like a little child—weak, vulnerable, unable to help himself. To welcome a child is to welcome the most vulnerable. To welcome the most vulnerable is to welcome Jesus. (18:5) To fail to do so brings eternal consequences. (18:6-9) We oppose abortion, not just because those vulnerable children are precious, but because they are precious to Jesus!

September 14 – 18^th Sunday after Pentecost – God would have us forgive each other "from your heart" (Matthew 18:35). When terrible sins are involved such as abuse or incest, it is no easy manner to forgive, maybe it even seems impossible. The same is true when trying to forgive ourselves when we have committed some horrible sin like abortion for example. The starting point for forgiveness in all situations is not what we should do but what God in Christ has done for us. Only His complete forgiveness can give us peace as we strive to forgive others.

September 21 – 19^th Sunday after Pentecost – From Paul’s perspective, it was "far better" to depart and be with Christ. (Philippians 1:23) From God’s perspective it was "more necessary" that he remain in the flesh. (1:24) It is okay to join Paul and desire to be with Christ. But we must never hasten that departure. As long as God gives life, God gives that life meaning and purpose. Christ is honored, not because of what we are able to do, but because of what He does through us.

September 28 – 20^th Sunday after Pentecost – Christians have a responsibility as cleansed children of God to "shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15c). We live "in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation" (2:15b). The devaluing of life and the demeaning of marriage stand out as particularly twisted. We can make a difference because the light we shine does not emanate from us but from the "word of life" (2:16).

October 5 – 21^st Sunday after Pentecost – The thought is tangent to the text, but one does wonder how many of God’s servants that He would send into His vineyard today are killed through abortion. To uphold the value and God-given purpose of every life is a worthy fruit of Christ’s kingdom today.

October 12 – 22^nd Sunday after Pentecost – "He will swallow up death forever." (Isaiah 25:8a) This prophecy found fulfillment in Christ. Death is a defeated enemy, not a friend we turn to for help. Our help comes from the Conqueror, not the conquered.

October 19 – 23^rd Sunday after Pentecost – Today’s Gospel reminds us that we live in two kingdoms—God’s and "Caesar’s." (Matthew 22:15-22) Christians relate to "Caesar" based on their relationship to God in Christ. We live as Christian citizens subject to "Caesar’s" authority for it is from God. We vote as Christian citizens subject to Christ’s authority reflecting our faith in the decisions we make.

October 26 – 24^th Sunday after Pentecost – Those who see abortion as just "another issue" and would support or encourage a woman to make such a choice, fail to understand the Scriptural concept of "neighbor" and have a false sense of what it means to love. Those who see both mother and unborn child as "neighbor" and take action to bring help and hope, fulfill the second greatest commandment in the Law and reflect the love of Christ. (Matthew 22:34-40)

November 2 – 25^th Sunday after Pentecost – "I have a right to control my own body!" Paul associates control of your body with abstaining from sexual immorality. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4) Pregnancy resulting from sexual immorality means you lost control of your body and that another body is now present. Forgiveness, strength, and hope come from Him who gave His body to purchase our bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

November 8 – 26^th Sunday after Pentecost – In the face of death, we have hope in Jesus who "died and rose again." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14) We do not grieve as does a hopeless world. We face death in the same hope. We do not use death as our hope as does a hopeless world.

November 16 – 27^th Sunday after Pentecost – "The day of the LORD is near" (Zephaniah 1:7). I suppose this could be used to rail against the faithless who will "get what’s coming to them." But perhaps a better focus is to celebrate those "good and faithful servant[s]" (Matthew 25:14-23) who do not fear being known as the Master’s servants and get what is not coming to them.

November 23 – Last Sunday of the Church Year – The most vulnerable among us are Christ. (Matthew 25:45) Embryos, the unborn, pregnant teens, post-abortive women and men, the sick and dying—all these give us opportunity to serve Christ.

November 30 – 1^st Sunday in Advent – We all deserve to "melt in the hand of our iniquities" (Isaiah 64:7b). But we are the work of God’s hands. (64:8b) His hands shaped us in the womb, and He entered a womb so He could have hands to stretch out on a cross on our behalf. Because of Christ, we need not quake in the presence of God. Because of Christ, we call Him Father. (64:8a)

December 7 – 2^nd Sunday in Advent – "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem" (Isaiah 40:2a) literally reads, "Speak to the heart of Jerusalem." The message directed to sin-burdened hearts comforts as no other. "Her warfare is ended … her iniquity is pardoned" (40:2b). All sinners receive comfort from this message. Those who have sinned against life particularly need it spoken to their hearts and applied to their sin. Such preaching does not offend; it frees.

December 14 – 3^rd Sunday in Advent – In such a dark wilderness of a world, the voice of the Church has constant opportunity to witness to the Light. Wrong things need to be called wrong. John the Baptist boldly proclaimed the truth and called for repentance. He also humbly prepared the way for The Truth and pointed to Jesus as Savior.

December 21 – 4^th Sunday in Advent – "And behold you will conceive in your womb …" (Luke 1:31). What an opportunity to point out during Advent that the coming of our Savior and His journey to the cross did not begin in a manger, but in a womb! What an opportunity to point out the value that gives to all who reside there.