God’s peace to you all.

Luke 23:39-46 ³⁹ One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"  ⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  ⁴¹ And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong."  ⁴² Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  ⁴³ He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."  ⁴⁴ It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,  ⁴⁵ while the sun's light failed;  and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  ⁴⁶ Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Having said this, he breathed his last.

This week we are focusing on the second article of the Creed.  Last week we focused on the first article, which was about creation.  The second article is about redemption, more specifically about Jesus Christ and how God was at work in his ministry.  Through this article we are able to see that the actions of God have allowed each of us to be saved.  Below is the second article from the creed along with Martin Luther’s explanation.

II. The Second Article: On Redemption

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, descended to Hell, on the third day rose again from the dead, ascended to Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Almighty Father. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.

Q. What does this mean?

A. I believe that Jesus Christ is truly God, born of the Father in eternity and also truly man, born of the Virgin Mary. He is my Lord! He redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, bought and won me from all sins, death and the authority of the Devil. It did not cost Him gold or silver, but His holy, precious blood, His innocent body -- His death! Because of this, I am His very own, will live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him righteously, innocently and blessedly forever, just as He is risen from death, lives and reigns forever. Yes, this is most certainly true! 

In our prayers this week: Alma, Linwood, Gail, Ruth Brown (Gail’s mother), The family of Francis Cassam, Deborah Steed, Michael, and Brenten.

God's Peace,

 Pastor Judson