Fourth Sunday in Lent

e-Connector
Keeping the members of CALC connected.

March 14, 2021

"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:14-16)

John 3:16 is one of the most beloved verses in all of Scripture. According to several sites on the internet, it is hands down the most quoted and most memorized verse in the Holy Bible. The two verses that precede John 3:16 are almost never repeated or memorized with such glee and enthusiasm. They are difficult verses. They speak of Moses and bronze serpents. What does all this mean?

Jesus referred to an obscure account found in Numbers 21:4-9. The event occurred during the time the Israelites wandered in the desert. The people began murmuring against Moses and God. They said: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food! [Manna]” (Numbers 21:5). Their attitude aroused God’s wrath. He sent serpents among the Israelites. The serpents stung many people and many people died as a result. God’s punishment caused the people to run to Moses and ask him to intervene and ask God to destroy the serpents. Moses prayed to God. God answered Moses' prayer, but not in the way the people expected.

God instructed Moses to fashion a bronze serpent and affix the serpent to a pole. God directed him to lift the pole up high and instruct the people to look at the serpent. God promised that all those bitten by a serpent who looked at the serpent on the pole would live. That is exactly what happened. Thanks to God’s intervention, the people lived and were able to continue their journey.

Jesus declared that the bronze serpent Moses had lifted up pointed to him. The bronze serpent held up to the Israelites in the desert thousands of years before was a symbol of their own plague which was visited upon them through God’s just wrath. God called them to have faith, to believe that looking at the serpent would heal them. God blessed their obedient gazing upon the serpent and gave them the grace to acknowledge their own sin, and God’s just wrath, in true repentance.

Jesus declared that when he will be lifted up on the cross, some of those who gazed upon his suffering would see the Lamb of God, beaten, pierced, humiliated, scourged, bleeding and dying. God would give some of those who looked upon the suffering Jesus the grace to see: a substitute whose suffering and death atoned for their sin and the consequences of their sin, and the blood of the Lamb of God that satisfied the wrath of God for the sin of the world. Jesus declared that many would come to see that Jesus’ crucifixion, death and resurrection pointed to God’s love for them, that He sacrificed Jesus so that they could have eternal life.

The Holy Scriptures reveal Jesus promises took on flesh on Good Friday. God gave these insights to a man who was crucified with Jesus. When another man, who crucified with them scoffed at Jesus, this man declared that Jesus was innocent. He declared that he and that other man deserved their suffering and death. He declared Jesus did not deserve his suffering. He acknowledged that Jesus was King of the Jews. He declared that Jesus’ kingdom was not of this world and that death was a gateway to that kingdom. He believed that Jesus would enter that kingdom. He dared not ask Jesus for citizenship in that kingdom. He asked Jesus only to remember him when he came into his kingdom. (Luke 23:39-43)

This man was a smoldering wick. The light of his life was about to be snuffed out. He was a bent reed that death was about to snap in two. Jesus would fulfill Isaiah’s words: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.” (Matthew 12:20). He promised that man that he would be in paradise with Jesus that very day. At that moment Jesus kindled the flame of hope and strengthened his will so he could die with the assurance of eternal life. Praise God!

During Lent we are called to remember that the beautiful words of John 3:16 point to the ugly cross. They remind us that love hurts. The eternal life promised comes at a great cost. It cost Jesus his life. We will never grasp the true meaning of these words, the enormity of God's love and the priceless gift given  until God lets us see our sin piled on  Jesus hanging on the cross. Humbled, unburdened, yet driven to our knees, Jesus opens for us the gateway to eternal life. Holy Father during Lent, Holy Week and Easter drive us to our knees, open our eyes so that, like the thief on the cross, we see who we really are and who Jesus is. Give us the grace to repent and restore to us the joy of your salvation.

In Christ
Pastor Ed Skutshek, President

Our congregations are asked to vote in a referendum to approve amendment to CALC’s constitution approved by delegates to the 2020 Annual General Convention (AGC). The amendments would allow the delegates to a convention to vote to hold the next convention as wholly online convention, or a hybrid convention with some delegates participating in person at a meeting and some participating by ZOOM or other video conferencing service. Another amendment affirms National Council’s authority to form and appoint ad hoc committees. Congregations have until Wednesday May 12th to return ballots to the CALC’s Secretary. New ballots have been mailed out. A congregation votes on the amendments at an annual or special congregational meeting. An amendment is passed if a simple majority of those present and voting at the congregational meeting approve the amendment.

Members of the Reformed Lutheran Church of Rwanda are especially hard hit by their country’s strict COVID-9 lockdown. They have appealed for funds. Victory congregation is asking other members of CALC to help them make Easter 2021 better for our brothers and sisters in Rwanda. You can donate by:

The Evangelical Church of Bremen (BEK), a church body whose congregations are located in the city/province of Bremen, Germany, has suspended Pastor Latzel following his conviction for "inciting hatred" in the criminal court of Bremen. He was the Pastor of St. Martini Church in downtown Bremen. His crime was using harsh language that condemned same gender marriage and transgenderism as against God's created order. He spoke at CALC's 2016 Annual General Convention. St. Martini congregation has over 1,200 members and more than 20,000 follow Pastor Latzel on Youtube. He is barred from preaching, teaching and ministering to his congregation. He cannot preach on the internet. His lawyer, who is appealing his criminal conviction, has asked our church body to stand in solidarity with Pastor Latzel.

On Thursday March 4th a special e-Connector was published that linked readers to an online petition that can be signed electronically. Click here to access the March 4th special edition. We hope to garner 200 signatures in two weeks and present them to the BEK along with the petition. We have 54 signatures. Please forward the March 4th special edition to your friends who you believe would be willing to stand with Pastor Olaf!

CALC’s 2021 Annual General Convention will be convened on Saturday June 12th as a one-day in-person event beginning at 9:00 AM and concluding at 5:00 PM (MDT). It will include the annual business meeting and an address by a keynote speaker. Delegates will also be able to participate in the event by ZOOM. CALC is in final negotiations with the Coast Nisku Inn which is conveniently located a 5 minute drive from the Edmonton International Airport. They have committed their Grand Ballroom for our event which will seat at least 50 (following COVID-19 protocols).

Register For The April 10, 2021 ZOOM Educational Event Bill C-6 - Ban on Conversion Therapy.
CALC will hold an online educational event on April 10th from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM (MDT). It will be a presentation by Jose (Jojo) Ruba. The presentation will focus on Bill C-6, the federal government’s proposed ban on conversion therapy. It is open to all members of CALC at no cost.

Click the button below. You will be re-directed to CALC's website. Click on "CALC ONLINE" in the navigation pane at the top of the Homepage and you will be directed to an alphabetical list of congregation's with online worship services. Click and enjoy!!!

A Prayer for the Fourth Sunday in Lent

God of all mercy,
by your power to heal and to forgive, graciously cleanse us from all sin and make us strong,
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Fourth Sunday in Lent

Congregational Referendum – Extension of Time to Return Ballots:

Rwandan Appeal.

Pastor Olaf Latzel Suspended by the BEK - Call to Stand in Solidarity With Him

CALC's Annual General Convention - Saturday June 12th, 2021

Spring Educational Event