September 7 – 17th 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 – 18th 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 – 19th 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 – 20th 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 – 21st 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 – 22nd 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 – 23rd 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 – 24th 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 – 25th 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 – 26th 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 – 27th 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 – 1st 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 – 2nd 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 – 3rd 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 – 4th 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.
December 28 – The Holy Innocents, Martyrs –
Matthew 2:13-18 appropriately provides an opportunity to address the
issue of abortion. Often overlooked, however, is "Rachel weeping"
and the depth of those Bethlehem mothers’ grief. (2:18) Modern day "Rachels"—mothers
of aborted children—sink to even greater grief. They participate in
the choice that kills their child. But the Child who escaped Herod’s
wrath brings hope to weeping hearts. (See Jeremiah 31:16-17.) This
text provides opportunity to proclaim such hope.