To the saints of Faith Lutheran Church:
Grace, mercy, and peace as you near the celebration of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, where you find all has been accomplished for you.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This is going to sound weird, but: God loves to kill things. He likes seeing death. It appeases Him. Don't think I'm right? Then I have two words for you: The Cross. We find at the Cross God taking the innocent blood of Jesus and shedding it. We see at the Cross God taking Jesus body and destroying it. We see the Father slaying His one and only Son.

But why does He enjoying destroying things, killing them beyond recognition? This doesn't seem to make any sense!

He likes to kill things so He can make it alive again.

This is the reality of the Cross of Golgotha. This is the reality of Jesus death and resurrection. On Good Friday we will see our Lord Christ put to death. God is killing for the specific purpose for Jesus to be risen from the grave, displaying and giving us the promise of our own resurrection from death.

As Lent comes to a close during the Passion Week, and as you celebrate Easter, remember this is your new reality in Christ. At your baptism you were drowned and killed: the old man in you was destroyed. All this done in order to give you the true life, the eternal life that finds comfort in the forgiveness of your sins and your righteousness before the Father.

The reality is you can now live free from the fear and guilt your conscience seems to always place upon your shoulders, burdened with sin and death. The reality is you are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit's adopted child. You are no longer in bondage, for the chains of sin were ripped off of you and placed on Christ on the Cross, where he then destroyed those chains completely, all for your benefit.

Your Brother in Christ,
Rev. Jonathan Holmes

The full newsletter can be found here:
http://www.faithmoorpark.com/files/pdf/2017/2017-04-Newsletter.pdf