For denominations that follow the church year, we are early to the end of the festival portion. It begins with Advent, generally around the beginning of December and ends with Pentecost. The church year is “built” on and around the life, death and resurrection of Christ.
The church year is somewhat of a formality practiced by some Christians and not by others, and that is not of extreme importance; but what is of extreme importance is what the church year and what Christianity is all about, Jesus Christ. He is the sum and substance of the Christian faith and without Him there would be no Christian faith; and truth be told, without Him there would be no hope of forgiveness and salvation.
Peter put it this way in 1 Peter 1:18: “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or defect.” Our minds imagine, and the world offers, multitudes of “empty ways” and the problem is that is exactly what they are, empty both in time, and worse yet, in eternity.
Thanks be to God that He has given us His Son and that His Son has given us His blood that the Spirit might speak to us the words that are truly good news, the message of the blood. God’s proclamation to the world is that Christ has not died for some of our sins, but that He has shed His blood for all of them, and to you and to me, that is of extreme importance.
Loren D. Cooper, Pastor Zion Lutheran-LCMS, Hampton
originally published in the Aurora NewsRegister, 5-19-2010
