When all of Jesus’
disciples, men and women, experienced His resurrection, their lives were
changed. Why? They witnessed Jesus’ resurrection! They knew their sin of
denying, betraying, and deserting Him was NOT held against them. Their sin did
NOT lead to spiritual death. They were forgiven, forever (Jeremiah 31:31-34;
Luke 23:34). They also knew “physical” death was not the end! Jesus was alive
again!
Knowing their two greatest fears of “spiritual” and “physical” deaths were defeated, they were given new life. They, then, allowed God to equip and empower them to be witnesses for the Risen Christ; helping their world know God’s unconditional love, for all!
With all that is going on in our world: war, hunger, and poverty; all the social, racial, political, and religious inequalities and unrest in our world, what the world needs is the “presence” of the resurrected Christ in their lives.
That real “presence” comes to us in the hearing of God’s Word and in the sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism. Every time we gather together to hear God’s Word, have communion, and remember our baptisms, the real “presence” of God’s forgiveness and love comes alive in us; giving us hope and peace.
God’s “presence” created the world in love (every-person and every-thing); Jesus’ pre-and-post-resurrection “presence” redeemed the world (every-person and every-thing). Jesus promised the real “presence” of God’s love for all (every-person and every-thing) when He returns one day.
In the meantime, what could our world look like as we allow God’s Holy Spirit to equip and empower us to witness the real “presence” of God’s love in all, for all? How much more peace would we all have?
We at St. John’s Lutheran Church believe and are striving to live and share God’s real “presence” that is in all, and for all, through all we do. You are invited to join us wherever you are in the world, for the sake of the world in need of more hope and peace. www.stjohnsnashville.org
#stjohnsnashville #stjohnsdonelson
I love this sentence in the blog: "Every time we gather together to hear God’s Word, have communion, and remember our baptisms, the real “presence” of God’s forgiveness and love comes alive in us; giving us hope and peace."
ReplyDeleteThanks Steve.
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