As the Father has loved me, so also I have loved you. Remain in my love. John 15:9 

Love is truly a fascinating thing. Love weaves together our words, our emotions, and our actions. Love has levels of expression. I love my students and would be willing to lay down my life for them. But I love my family to an even greater depth and intimacy. Love can be expressed in differing forms: speaking words of affirmation, performing acts of service, giving gifts, spending quality time, or providing physical touch. And for love to be appreciated to its fullest, love must be reciprocal. The beloved must also love the lover. 

This is what makes the love of God in Christ Jesus so astounding. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. When we were unlovable and enemies of God, the Holy Spirit reached out to our stony hearts and revived them with the Gospel. When we could not and would not seek God, He sought us as a shepherd seeks the wandering lamb. We did not choose Him, but He chose us and appointed us for work in His vineyard (John 15:16). Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13). But Christ exceeded this love. He laid down His life even for His enemies. 

How then are we to reciprocate this great love which exceeds all human love? Christ Himself tells how we are to love Him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. If you hold on to my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have held on to my Father’s commands and remain in his love. (John 15:10) We remain in His commands when we remain in His word. We do not 

despise hearing His word as if it were some burden or obligation on our lives. We gladly hear it, inwardly digest it, and apply it to our lives. God’s word becomes for us a great source of joy and confidence and comfort. 

We can also reciprocate God’s love by remaining productive. We have been called out of death’s darkness for a purpose. That purpose is not to simply hold the gospel joy in our hearts, treasuring only its benefits in our lives. That is not productive. It would be like a branch of a grapevine withholding the water and nutrients from a cluster of grapes. Yes, the vine would survive. But the cluster would languish and die. 

There is a world out there that needs us to be productive. There are clusters of grapes drying and dying each day because no branch connected to the vine of Christ ever bothered to share with them just what Christ has done for them. Let us then resolve to be productive. Let us resolve to share the good news with others in every opportunity God gives us. We have been appointed to bear fruit that will endure. Let us then reciprocate our love to our God by taking up the Great Commission. 

Frank Van Brocklin 

Principal/Teacher 

Coming up in the near future for Immanuel Lutheran School: 

❖ Mrs. Routhieaux’s class will be going on their Discover America trip May 1-3.

❖ On Friday, May 3, the Pre-K through 4th grade classes will spend the morning at the Habermeyer farm. 

❖ Mrs. Routhieaux’s class will be participating in the NLHS Track Meet on Tuesday, May 14. 

❖ Our next School Board meeting will be 6 PM on Tuesday, May 14.

❖ There will be an early release day with bus service on Tuesday, May 15. The monthly faculty meeting will follow early release. 

❖ There is a Culver’s Share Night, May 16, 4-8 PM, Proceeds will go to funding for the WELS International Youth Rally. 

❖ If anyone is interested in possibly volunteering to help drive Immanuel students to Wausau for class at St. Peter or Our Savior in the 2024-2025 school year, please contact me (Mr. V) or Kelsey Sova. We are looking for volunteers that would be able to drive for the whole school year.