Why did Jesus come into this world? Why did he rise from death to new life?
God sent his Beloved into this world so that we might know life in all its fullness. The Prince of Peace defeated death so that we would know without doubt that God’s intention is for goodness to triumph over sin and death.
I pray that the Easter’s promise gives you personal peace. If God would go to such lengths with Jesus, to show God’s love, there is no challenge or hardship or heart break which you should fear. God is with you. God is offering you a path to abundant life, now and after death. Trust in the hope which Easter reveals to you.
But Easter isn’t just for you and me. You and I are called to be Easter people in service to this world—Easter gives us a purpose in this life. We are to be the hands, voice, feet and heart of the Living Christ. This hurting and still broken world needs healthy, whole human beings whose faith compels them to stand up for what is good and right. Sure, we are far from perfect. But God works through imperfect people through-out scripture and through-out history.
Over the past few months, attackers have targeted places of worship around the world. In California a gunman opened fire on Chabad Poway synagogue on the last day of Passover, one of the holiest holidays in the Jewish calendar. The person wielding terror in this horrible act of violence also was involved in a fire at a nearby Mosque. His family attended a Presbyterian Church (though not our same denomination). This breaks my heart. This violence followed a series of bombings on Christian churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday; mass shootings at New Zealand mosques last month; and a shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh six months ago.
Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), offer us these words: “As Christians, we are called to renew our own commitment to Him who is The Prince of Peace, and to demonstrate His love toward all of God’s children, regardless of their commitment to other faiths or to none. Let us all renew our response to Him, seeking peace and justice for all, and demonstrating vigilance against every sign of prejudice and potential violence against others.”
Let us seek to be God’s Easter people.
Your Pastor,
Stefanie