Reasons for grief are everywhere! Sad events occur every day in our world. You have experienced tragedy and sorrow in your life. Add in our own personal failures and the guilt they bring and we have many reasons to hang our heads.

Jesus said in John 16:20–22:
I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

These words of Jesus were spoken as he was concluding his time with his disciples in the Upper Room on Maundy Thursday. His cross was near at hand. The disciples would be filled with grief.

But that grief would be crushed by Jesus’ resurrection. They would see him again! The joy of the resurrection would overshadow any grief that they knew. Sin and death would be utterly defeated, and God’s people would know his eternal love.

View your world through Jesus’ resurrection. You have reason to be filled with joy too! By faith, you see your Savior as he comes to you in the Word and the Sacraments. Tragedy and reasons to be sad will not last; the glory of heaven will. Sorrow for sin is washed away in the promise of forgiveness through faith in Jesus.

Today is another day to know the joy of Jesus Christ and to live in the great hope that is yours through faith in him.

 

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling