Memorial Moment: The Triumph of Mercy

	Job 42:1-6
Job answered the Lord and said: "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 'Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.' I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (ESV)

The Triumph of Mercy

Jonah

22 September 2015

In the face of the increased clarity about the meaning of abortion caused by the Planned Parenthood videos, many people have said to me, "Pastor, I am frustrated by the wickedness of abortion, but what I can I do about it?"

What can you do? Tell your friends to watch the videos showing Planned Parenthood's callous disregard for the children being dismembered for body parts.

What can you do? Use social media to get the truth out into the public. The old line media won't do it. We have to. The old line media are just the publicity arm for Planned Parenthood and the greater sexual revolution that gives rise to the murder and dismemberment of babies in PP clinics. The old line media no longer think of themselves as objective reporters. However, the average American still vaguely believes that they are objective. So when the old line media don't report on the devastating videos of PP employees hawking baby parts, average people are ether in the dark, or if they are vaguely aware that "something is going on" the non-reporting of this genocide leads them to conclude that there is nothing going on. "Just move on, people, there is nothing to look at here!" Let's not let this culpable silence keep us ignorant and quiet. Speak for those who can't speak for themselves! Let's be sheep only to the Good Shepherd, not sheep for the media wolves!

What can you do? Call or write your representative or senator. Tell him or her that you don't want your tax dollars supporting Planned Parenthood, but rather legitimate health clinics giving women real health care. If he is courageously supporting life, thank him or her.

What can you do? Collect diapers and take them to the local Crisis Pregnancy Center.

What can you do? Join a pro-life organization and volunteer to help their work. There are lots. Choose one: Lutherans for Life, National Right to Life, etc.

What can you do? Tell your children and grandchildren and love them enough to tell them how valuable life is. Teach them how much God loves every person that He offered His only begotten Son into death on the cross to redeem them.

What can you do? Direct a woman who is pregnant, alone, and afraid, to resources so that she can safely have her baby in a loving environment and give the child up for adoption, if she should so choose. Tell her that her life is precious and so is the life of the child. Help her keep the child God has given her.

What can you do? Tell your children and grandchildren that sex is a gift that God has granted to a husband and wife alone in holy marriage.

What can you do? Don't despair. But live and act like you know the end of the story. Christ promises us that He will triumph in the end. The story ends with Christ as victor. We can go to war against the powers of darkness, because we know how it will come out. Job says it so well: "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted" (Job 42:2).

What can you do? Pray! Job prayed and the Lord heard his cry. He still called him to repentance, as He does us. But those who repent also have the gift of Christ's blood-bought mercy. Let's repent, joyously, hopefully, confidently, knowing that the Lord Jesus will have mercy.

Martin Luther

"When you feel in your conscience that you are guilty, guard with your utmost effort against striving with God or with men by defending and excusing your sin. Rather do the following: Do not flee from God when He is pointing His spear at you, but flee to Him with a humble confession of your guilt and a request for forgiveness. Then God will draw back His spear and spare you. On the other hand, the farther you try to flee from God by denying and excusing your sin, the more closely and aggressively God pursues you and harasses you. Therefore there is nothing better and safer than to come with a confession of your guilt. The outcome of this is that while God triumphs, we also triumph through Him."

Martin Luther, Lectures on Genesis, 4.9

Prayer

Jesus, compassionate Lord, we feel the spear of Your law pointed at our quivering heart. Give us boldness to confess truly, that we might speak to You of our guilt. Send us pastors who are willing to grant us holy absolution that we might be relieved of all our burdens. And freed by You, help us to help others by serving them and the needs of unborn children, through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

For the people who have joined the adult instruction course at Memorial Lutheran Church, that they might be led into the truth of the gospel and be freed from their sins

For Leslie Roch, who is undergoing chemotherapy, that the Lord would grant her strength of body and soul

For the pastors of the LCMS, that the Lord would grant them the grace to be faithful to the divine Word and to practice in accordance with it

Art: D ürer, Albrecht The Adoration of the Trinity (1515)