Director’s Letter
Alive Under the Lord’s Grace
With salvation assured, members of the Body of Christ take the Gospel message to the ends of the earth.
Jesus is the subject matter expert on you. He knows your flesh like the palm of His nail-scarred hand. Rather than saying, “To hell with you” unto death, He came. He intentionally subjected Himself to a broken world in order that the world — including you — might be saved through Him (John 3:17).
The members of Christ’s Body, His church, resolutely step forward on that firm foundation. The Word of the Lord endures forever; those who are baptized take it to the ends of the earth. Along the way, the energy of our youth and the wisdom of our elders unite in ways that surprise and delight. It’s a sweet symphony of movement and speech, compassion and joy. It can be loud — have you ever joined the 20,000-plus crowd at an LCMS Youth Gathering mass event? — or quiet — as when one human being in silent humility ministers to another in the midst of their suffering. It can look like final-year seminarians sweating over essays and exams before graduation or a team of folks cleaning up someone’s yard and painting their house.
People need nourishment to live; who will feed them? Jesus said: “You give them something to eat” (Matt. 14:16). The long, lively tradition of the faith thus engages the contemporary culture, and things happen. The love of Jesus — in the genuine proclamation of the Gospel and in mercy work toward our neighbor — cannot be contained or marginalized.
If you think the church is on the verge of collapse these days, think again. As we are encouraged by the truth that the coming of the Lord draws near (Rev. 22:20), we are most assuredly alive under His grace. And then we thankfully live toward the goal of making His disciples for life.
In Christ,
Rev. Kevin D. Robson
Chief Mission Officer, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
