Pastor Clayton ~ April
“Furthermore, it is taught that we cannot obtain forgiveness of sin and righteousness before God through our merit, work, or satisfactions, but that we receive forgiveness of sin and become righteous before God out of grace for Christ’s sake through faith when we believe that Christ has suffered for us and that for his sake our sin is forgiven and righteousness and eternal life are given to us.”
Augsburg Confession, Article IV on Justification
“Charlie, my boy. You won! You did it! You did it!” These words are joyfully shouted by Willy Wonka at the end of 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. This final scene comes after the long tour of the factory, during which several children give in to the temptations around them by falling into the chocolate river and trash chute, just to name a few. At the end of it all, only one child remains having stood strong in the face of most temptations, and is given the great gift of a new life. As silly as it may seem, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is almost a great reflection of the season of Lent.
Almost. The parallels are great until it runs into a problem right in this final scene. The great gift Charlie is given, the Chocolate Factory and a new life moved out of poverty, is not a gift freely given but rather is earned by what he has done. It is only because Charlie does what is right in the end that Wonka tells him, “You’ve won!”
During the 1500s and the Reformation, the question at the center of it all was one of how we are saved. What is written above comes from that first group of Lutherans, summarizing what God’s Word and Christians had been teaching since the beginning. The reason your sins are forgiven is not because you’ve done everything right, but because God Himself took on your punishment and died in your place.
As we come to Good Friday, you’ll hear all that Christ went through on the cross but you must not forget why all of this took place! All that He faced was done so for you and for those around you. The suffering that Jesus endured was for your sake, so that you are freely and fully forgiven for his sake.
On that Easter morning, before you’ve eaten all of your chocolate, you’ll get to hear that in the face of death, “You’ve won!” But not because of what you did, but rather because of what Christ did for you and for us. You’ll hear how He took your sins upon Himself, suffered, died, and was buried, leaving your sins in the tomb and rising again, so that you too will rise on the Last Day. I look forward to seeing you as we join together, hearing and joyfully sharing what Christ has done for us.
Blessings,
Pastor Bryce Clayton
April Youth Group Schedule
Apr. 2 | Activity: Lent Worship Service | Location: Immanuel Lutheran Church
Apr. 9 | Activity: Lent Worship Service | Location: Immanuel Lutheran Church
Apr. 13 | Activity: Palm Sunday Brunch | Location: Mission Center
Apr. 30 | Activity: Spring Eph4 | Location: Immanuel Lutheran School