The Paraclete
An E-mail Update for Life Advocates
April 2010
Resurrection Greetings Life Advocates!
Join me in a memory from childhood— a trip to Grandma’s house. For us that meant a two and a half hour road trip in a 1953 red and white Chevy with my brother and me in the back seat. That led to a variety of scenes. “When will we get there?” “How much longer?” “I’m bored.” “Jimmy’s on my side of the seat.” “Am not!” “Yes you are!” “Mom he poked me!” “Did not.” You perhaps can identify!
My mom had a trump card she pulled when all other negotiations failed. “Remember, when we get there, Grandma will have cookies. I bet she’s baking them right now.” Now what you have to realize is that we are not talking about just any old cookies, but Grandma Lamb’s molasses cookies, not the crunchy and crummy kind, but the soft and chewy kind. And we are not talking about any old grandma, but Grandma Lamb who let us get the cookies out of the cookie jar ourselves. She had this tall kitchen stool with rungs that held the legs together. To a kid, of course, this was not a stool at all but a ladder. She would push this “ladder” over next to the counter so we could climb up and reach the cookie jar, which wasn’t just any old cookie jar. It was a cookie jar shaped like a little chick with a beak and funny glasses and wearing a cap. That cap was the lid. We would take the cap off and reach in and get a cookie all by ourselves.
Mom’s strategy was brilliant. When she said, “Remember, Grandma will have cookies,” our minds went to work. You could almost smell them. We could see ourselves running into the house and as the screen door slammed we’d hear Grandma say, “You’ve had a long trip. How about a cookie?” We could hear the ladder/stool slide across the old, faded linoleum, imagine our ascent, and coming eye to eye with that silly bird. We’d lift the cap and claim the prize, Grandma’s molasses cookie! We may have had miles of boring driving left, but that hope sustained us.
“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
The primary hope of the resurrection Paul emphasizes in this section of Corinthians is the certainty it gives to our own resurrection. This fact of history that Jesus was the first to rise from the dead never to die again would not be the last. Our own resurrection is assured and grounded in this fact of history. This certainty is our hope. That’s why Paul says in the verse before this, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” Easter hope is bigger than life. It is more than just hope for tomorrow or hope for next week. It is hope made secure in the conviction of our resurrection from the dead.
When we connect our hope to the things of this life, it can be disappointing. We play the “Why?” game. “If Jesus is alive, then why this or why that?” That can lead to doubting. The disciples are a good example. They were fearfully hiding behind locked doors undoubtedly playing the “Why?” game. When the women came with the news, “Christ is risen!” they did not respond, “He is risen indeed.” It was more like, “Yeah, right, what nonsense.”
But when we connect our hope to the certainty of our own bodily resurrection, then it is grounded in an objective reality. Our hope in the new that is to come brings new hope to the now in which we live. The certainty of that promise coming true gives certainty to all God’s promises.
What a way to live! What a hope to share! The reason so many people are hurting is because our society deceives them into thinking our source of hope is actually death, that death—abortion, the destruction of embryos for stem cells, euthanasia—can rescue us from our problems. We offer the certain hope of the Lord of Life risen from the dead!
Thank you for helping share that hope and giving people a true source of rescue from their struggles. When we bring Good News to life, when we connect the Gospel to the life issues, it brings the light of resurrection hope into some of the darkest corners of people’s lives. Such hope lifts people up from fear and despair and restores confidence and joy.
CPH Transition
As we have shared with you, Concordia Publishing House in St. Louis now handles our inventory and order fulfillment. A truck from CPH (actually two trucks!) loaded everything on March 24-25 and transported materials to St. Louis. By Monday, March 29 our materials were in their bins and on their website ready to fill orders. Of course, much work was done in the background before all of this, but it has been an amazingly smooth transition. Our materials will now be available to a much, much wider range of people and Lutheran congregations. Take a look by clicking Sanctity of Life Resources in the left side of the CPH home page. Just having that heading there is remarkable and a great enhancement of the site
Starting to Plan Part 3
Starting to Plan Parts 1 and 2 can be found on the RFL website. Just click “Life Advocate Training” in the navigation menu. Dr. David Adams’ booklet is available here as well.
Again, if you have not watched the DVD on Practical Applications, I urge you do so. You can find this DVD under “Media Downloads.” This can be an outline for you as you plan to do more within your congregation to connect the Word of Life to the life issues.
As you enter into this planning process, please remember it is planning. No one expects you to DO everything at once! But you can start planning to do them this year, next year, in two years. Look ahead. Work with other educators, teachers, DCE’s, etc. and see how you might coordinate some of your ideas into the congregation’s educational ministry.
Plan to Teach the Youth
Dr. Adams writes, “We must teach our youth to understand the temptations of their sexuality in order to care for their own bodies. We must teach our young adults how to respond to one another so they will learn not to view the members of the opposite sex as a means to the fulfillment of their own pleasure. We must teach them about God’s gift of marriage and how we may live in this holy estate in a God-pleasing way.”
Getting Ready
If you have an organized youth group with regular meetings and/or a youth Bible study, these are the ideal settings. Get them where they already are gathering rather than having special “life” events. You may want to enlist some youth leaders to go over materials. Get their input and ideas on what the “hot topics” are in this area.
Checking Resources
Chastity - Check the resources under the Chastity section on the RFL web site. Most are under Articles and Essays. Be sure to use the link LCMS Life Ministries library as there are several items there of interest.
Biotechnology - As with the older children, check out the resources under Biotechnology as well. This seems to be an area of interest. Our stem cell DVD “Stem Cell Research and Cloning 101: A Primer” could be used with this age group as well.
There are two films that would be a good resource to lead to discussion on biotech issues. You should be able to rent them at a local video store.
Gattaca – This film is about genetic engineering. Set in the future, there are two classes of people, those who have been genetically engineered and those who have not. The plot revolves around a young man who is in the latter class who tries to conceal his true self to qualify for space travel.
*Rated PG-13. Christian Spotlight Movie Review to view content go to: http://christiananswers.net/spotlight/movies/pre2000/i-gattaca.html?zoom_highlight=gattaca
The Island – The Island is about cloning. People living in an underground world believe the world above has been destroyed by war. The fact is, they are clones of people living in the world above and have been cloned to be used as spare parts. When their “parts” are needed, they win a supposed trip to “The Island” a paradise that survived the destruction. Except, there is no island!
Rated PG-13. For content review go to: http://www.pluggedin.com/videos/2005/Q3/Island.aspx
Marriage and Co-habitation – Living together before marriage is becoming more and more accepted. If you follow this link Marriage Statement you will get to LFL’s marriage statement and also on the same page a brochure about living together. Also, when you go to the LCMS Life Ministries library from our Chastity/Essays and Articles section you can click on “Marriage” on their menu and find more information.
Guest Speakers – Guest speakers on these various topics can often be effective. Check with your district or regional church body officials for suggestions. You can also check our Speakers Bureau, there are several speakers who specialize in youth ministry. You may want to consider going in with other congregations in your area or community to sponsor a speaker.
Service Events – Young people like to DO things. Some suggestions:
· Organize a diaper drive for a local CPC
· Visit a CPC for a tour and explanation of what they do
· Have a prayer vigil outside an abortion mill or Planned Parenthood Clinic
· Participate in a Life Chain during the first weekend in October. This link will take you to the national Life Chain website for events in your area.
· Organize a trip to Washington D.C. for the annual March for Life on January 22
· Visit homebound members of the congregation or members in care centers
· Put up a cross display on your church lawn or other strategic place. Some of LFL’s state affiliates have displays that can be used. Give us a call.
· Organize an essay contest on life issues. We can put you in touch with others who have done this.
· Have your group put together a You Tube or Face Book video focusing on one of the life issues.
AND LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!!!
Life Quotes May 2 – May 30
May 2 "Are you pregnant? Maybe you are struggling with a decision about what to do. Remember there is hope and help! Abortion is not the easy solution. Choose life for your baby. God will walk with you. He can bring Christian friends to support you. But, you need to reach out for help. Call and let someone know you need assistance … You can also call Word of Hope at 888-217-8679. And remember LFL is here to serve and help too." Kay L. Meyer, director of development for Lutherans For Life This "Life Quote" is from Lutherans For Life – www.lutheransforlife.org.
May 9 "Who has more influence on the Church: the Word or the world? Theories of evolution don’t mix with the Truth of Creation (Genesis 1:1; 27). Arousing love before its time (Song of Solomon 3:5b) is contrary to love that is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4), pure (1 Thessalonians 4:7; 1 Timothy 4:12), and procreative. Although Satan wanted woman to be the mother of death, God directed man to name his wife Eve because she would become the mother of all the living." Linda Bartlett, founder of Titus 2 for Life (www.titus2-4life.org) This "Life Quote" is from Lutherans For Life – www.lutheransforlife.org.
May 16 "When faced with an unplanned pregnancy, teens need to realize the decisions they make are permanent and will affect them for the rest of their lives. Abortion may seem like the only choice, and the easiest way out, but abortion is permanent. There is no bringing back a dead baby." Grace Kern, director of Word of Hope (888-217-8679) This "Life Quote" is from Lutherans For Life – www.lutheransforlife.org.
May 23 "We fight abortion knowing that the eternal fight for human life is won. We fight assisted suicide knowing that the eternal fight for human life is won. We fight against everything that tempts us to pride or despair, everything that tempts us to sin and idolatry, everything that tempts us to be disobedient, murderous, unchaste, stealing, lying, covetous rebels. We fight not with the weapons of this world, but with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God." Rev. Christopher S. Esget, Pastor, Immanuel Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Alexandria, Virginia This "Life Quote" is from Lutherans For Life – www.lutheransforlife.org.
May 30 "God has not promised to spare us from all pain and suffering. We see that as our loved ones lie in hospitals and hospices awaiting death. However, they do not wait alone, for God has promised us grace to endure until the end of our earthly journey, and then a home in heaven. All this can be ours, because Christ has died for our sins and given us a promise that, if we trust Him, all is well. We are in our Father’s hands." Rev. Homer Larson, speaker on the Christian Crusaders radio program This "Life Quote" is from Lutherans For Life – www.lutheransforlife.org.
Life Thoughts – May 2 – May 30
May 2 – Fifth Sunday of Easter The joy that comes from the risen Christ cannot be taken away (John 16:22). This is not a feel good happiness dependent upon circumstances. It is a fruit of Christ’s Spirit, the joy of our salvation in Christ that circumstances cannot change or diminish. Many of the life issues we deal with today are "joy robbers" and present opportunities to share the joy of the resurrection.
May 9 – Sixth Sunday of Easter (Mother’s Day) "What is the world coming to?" we ask when we observe so much evil, so much perversion of the truth, and so many atrocities of nation against nation and man against man. Our hope in the midst of all of this is that Jesus came into this world. He overcame the root cause of it all—sin (John 16:33). In the victory of the resurrected Christ we find peace and the strength to endure and bring our influence to bear in this world as His people.