ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH
(The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod)
Alma, Kansas
A family united by faith in Christ gathering around God's Word and Sacraments.
To reach out in Christ-like concern and Christ-borne love to each other and to those without Christ!
In This Month's
St. John Witness
MARCH WITNESS
Pastor's Message
“Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’
For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Jesus in Matthew 9:13
What is mercy? And how does it affect us? Dr. Henry Ironside tells a story in his book “In the Heavenlies” about an attempt on the life of the first Queen Elizabeth of England.
The woman who sought to assassinate the queen dressed herself as a male page. She found access to the queen’s bedroom and hid in the boudoir, awaiting a convenient moment to stab her to death.
She did not realize the queen’s attendants would be very careful to search the rooms before her majesty retried, and they found the woman hidden there among the gowns and brought her into the presence of the queen. They brought with them the poniard they confiscated from her, with which she had hoped to plunge into the heart of the queen.
The would-be assassin realized that her case, humanly speaking, was hopeless. She threw herself down on her knees and pleaded and begged the queen to have compassion on her, a woman, and to show her mercy.
Queen Elizabeth looked at her coldly and quietly said, “If I show you grace, what promise will you make for the future?”
The woman replied, “Grace that has conditions, grace that is fettered by precautions, is not grace at all.”
Queen Elizabeth caught the idea in a moment and said, “You are right. I pardon you and offer my grace.” And they led her away, a free woman.
History tells us that from that moment Queen Elizabeth had no more faithful, devoted, servant than the woman who intended to take her life.
That is how God’s grace works in the lives of His saints on earth. The children of Adam have denied the rights of God, and have every intent to violate His good name, His impeachable character, and His being, and they have been caught in their sin. But God offers mercy, and seeing that mercy is real, and their life has been restored, they honor Him with all they are and have.
Psalm 116:1 – “I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.”
Make known His mercy! Pastor GrimmA Voter’s Meeting to extend a call to a principal/teacher has been set for March 3, after church.
We are a family united by faith in Christ, gathering around God's Word and Sacraments,
to reach out in Christ-like concern and Christ-borne love to each other and to those without Christ!
“Return to the LORD your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you.”
Deuteronomy 30:2-3
