While people are scrambling to cancel everything to avoid spreading this damned disease, pastors and laypeople are debating whether or not cancelling an in-person church service is wise or even faithful.  First of all, and most wonderfully, no one, no disease, no calamity, no Devil or demons can cancel Jesus or His Church. He reigns just as powerfully and affectively as ever!

So, He clearly promises, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” That does not mean His Church is just standing still, it means she is moving forward with the gifts of God and crashing through illnesses, sins, guilt and shame, fear and Hell itself. Just look at the history of the world and witness it. We see it today! Through one-on-one visits, letters and emails, podcasts and vlogs, and creative ways to meet in Christ.

The Church is not a building. She is not a particular service. She is the people of God centered on and surrounded by His teachings and sacraments. God will find a way to serve His people with HIs Word of life and works of love.

Nothing has changed today as we deal with this temporary disaster. Nothing will change tomorrow.

Saint Paul writes in Romans, chapter 8,

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul is not talking about an abstract concept of love; he is talking about God’s active love for us in our present trials!  This promise is for you as individuals as well as His Church as a whole.

There are many things we cannot be so confident in these days. And maybe we never should have placed such confidence in so many things and people in the first place. But we can be completely confident in God’s Providence and His ministry of freeing sinners from bondage and the fear of even death itself.  We believe this because the One who promises us is the same One who buried our sins in His death and rose again 3 days later never to die again!

So, let us watch Christ and His ministry do amazing things in the next couple of months. You will not be disappointed!