"For God has not destined us for wrath" (1 Thess. 5:9).
To the dear people of Faith:
Today (Nov. 15) is the second-last Sunday of the Church Year. These last days of the Church Year remind us that we are living in the last days. And as Christians, we are looking forward to the Last Day - yes, longing for it to come! Longing for Him to come: our dear Lord Jesus Christ!
We express this longing when we say in the Creed, "From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead." And when we exclaim in the Communion liturgy, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"
But because we are sinful and weak and have only a little faith, thoughts of the Last Day, or Judgment Day, can easily frighten us. When that happens, remember that the Judge on that Day will be Jesus, in whose righteousness you are dressed!
Luther preached it this way: "None other will hold court on the Day of Judgment than He who gave Himself for us. He will certainly not deny Himself but will declare that He gave Himself for your sins, as you believe. What, then, will sin do when the Judge declares that He Himself has taken it away? Who will accuse you? Who will judge the Judge? Who will overcome Him? He avails more than innumerable worlds with all their sins. Had He not given Himself, but something else, for you, one would still expect much of Him. But now, since He has given Himself for you, what can terrify you? He Himself would have to be condemned before sin could condemn you for whom He gave Himself. Oh, here is great, sure security!"
I would put it this way: On the Last Day He will say to you one last time what He says to you every day and every hour, "Take heart, child, your sins are forgiven!"
God bless you today, tonight, and this week! I can't wait to be back with you this Wednesday and then Sunday! I can't wait to say, "As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until He comes."
And I can't wait to hear you say, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"
With love and prayers,
Pastor Matt
