December 4, 2012

The headlines read, “Pro-abortion protesters storm church chanting, ‘If Mary had aborted, we wouldn’t have this nonsense.’” The protesters interrupted a pro-life conference in Grandby, Quebec, Canada held on October 12.

The protesters spoke the truth if they referred to Christians gathering to uphold the sanctity of human life. Had Mary aborted there would be no Christians and no one, including the protestors, would have any value whatsoever. There would be no sense to life. Everything would be nonsense.

But Mary did not abort! Now everything makes perfect sense! The message to the shepherds makes perfect sense.

“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord’” (Luke 2:10-11 ESV).

A child conceived in a womb by the power of the Holy Spirit makes perfect sense. Our sinfulness from the moment of conception required a Savior from that moment (Psalm 51:5). A child born of a virgin as “the Lord” makes perfect sense. We needed a Savior, a God-Man, who had hands and feet so He could suffer under Pontius Pilate and be crucified. We needed a Savior with a beating heart that could be stilled in death. We needed a Savior with a body that could be buried and then raised again!

It all makes perfect sense! No scenario other than a God-embryo, a God-baby, and a God-man could deal with the nonsense of sin and death. But Jesus did! Once and for all! Once and for YOU! That was the perfect-sense message of the angel. It was universal—“for all people.” It was a personal—“unto you.” Only the perfect-sense message of the angel’s “Good News” can make sense out of the nonsense in which so many find themselves. This Good News touches and changes hearts. This Good News changes and saves lives.

Our ability to keep applying the Good News of Christmas to the life issues depends upon gifts from individuals just like you. We do not receive funds from any church body. Because of the urgency of what we do, I am bold to ask for your help. Would you help bring some “perfect sense” into people’s lives with a special Christmas gift to Lutherans For Life? Please read on to see some of the things your gifts have helped do.

The Nonsense of Abortion
It makes no sense to solve human problems by killing tiny, vulnerable human beings in wombs. And yet we do, 3,200 times every day. LFL continues to produce resources to help educate people on the nonsense of abortion. All are based on the perfect sense of the Good News of Christmas! We teach at all age levels the personal value this gives to every life because each life is created by God, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, and someone God desires to call into an eternal relationship with Him. A teacher using our Teaching For Life® curriculum stated, “When the children understand the sacredness of every life, it will stick with them the rest of their lives.”

The Nonsense that Abortion Helps Women
It makes no sense that the best way to help a woman in a crisis pregnancy is to help her choose to have her child murdered through abortion. LFLers all across the country put their words into action as they walk beside such women, love them, and provide what is best for them and their babies. They take the perfect sense of the Good News of Christmas and help make it personal.

Douglas, a Minnesota LFL leader, was able to reach out to a young man whose girlfriend was contemplating abortion. The young man contacted Douglas after a presentation at a Lutheran church and told him that his girlfriend was going to drive to Iowa for an abortion. He did not want her to do it but didn’t know how to convince her not to. Douglas gave the young man advice on what to say to her. Through this advice, the young man was able to convince his girlfriend to keep the baby. The couple even named their son Douglas, in honor of the man who helped them make the choice for Life.

The Nonsense that Abortion does not Hurt Women
It makes no sense to think that participating in a choice that results in the death your own child will not have lifelong consequences for the women and men involved in that choice. LFL operates a post-abortion hotline called Word of Hope. We receive nearly 300 calls per month. The perfect sense of the forgiveness and healing the Good News of Christmas gives is the only message that can bring true hope into broken hearts. Hundreds of women and men hear this hope applied to them personally through Word of Hope (888.217.8679; www.word-of-hope.org).

The Nonsense that Killing is a Means of Caring
It makes no sense to treat human suffering by killing the sufferer and call it compassionate. LFL produces a wide variety of end-of-life resources to equip and encourage God’s people to show true compassion—to “suffer with” those who suffer and help “bear” their burdens (Galatians 6:2). We share the perfect-sense message of Christmas—God was born so He could demonstrate His love for us on the cross—nothing can separate us from that love.

The Nonsense about Young People
It makes no sense to treat our Christian young people as if they cannot make God-pleasing decisions. LFL is devoting significant resources to our Y4Life initiative that equips youth and young men and women to know that they can take the perfect-sense message of Christmas personally. It tells them Whose they are and enables them to make good choices based on this—and influence the culture.

One young person who joined fellow LFLers in Washington D.C. last January said, “The March for Life changed my life … My eyes were really opened to the situation and I saw what we were fighting for and the difference we were making. I think it’s important to fight for all those lives that God wonderfully made. I’m looking forward to going back to learn, help, and save lives.”

We need to be sharing the perfect-sense message of Christmas. That is what LFL does, and we strive to help people take it personally. But we need your help. So please, prayerfully consider a special Christmas gift to Lutherans For Life. You can help us make “perfect sense”!

However you are able to help, we wish you a blessed Christmas and pray you will take it personally! (My family supports a mission project each Christmas rather than give gifts to each other. Maybe you could try it! And, of course, I would suggest LFL as a great mission project! Whatever you decide, please keep LFL in your prayers.)