Grace and Peace to you!
ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN!
As we turn the calendar page to April, we will have already gathered and celebrated and proclaimed that Jesus has indeed risen! For in our celebration and in our proclamation, we know that our God is greater than death, that we have been redeemed, and that we – in Christ – have been granted eternal life!
We will continue to celebrate the love of God in Christ Jesus that is absolute. The fundamental quality of absolute love is self-denial to the point of death for others. Jesus denied himself but not for a principle or a cause. Jesus denied himself for us!
In response to the great love that is shown to us, we are to live in that love and share that love. By living in the kind of love that Christ has, we can know the new life that Jesus brings. Doing so we must be willing and ready to deny ourselves. We must be ready to witness to the good news of the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Many things drift into the center of one’s life, and they are mostly about self: needs, pride, fear of getting involved. But faithful living means laying down our arrogance and our hesitations and returning God to the center of our life. Faithfulness means that God is at the center of our lives and when God is at the center of our lives God loves through us.
And what does God ask in return for the love shown to us? Well, nothing pertaining to our salvation. It is done. Christ’s death and resurrection has done it all for us.
This might well be beyond our full comprehension. But even in our limited understanding of the love of God, demonstrated in and through Christ’s cross, we should be inspired to give of ourselves to the world around us. In doing so, by the grace of God, others might be saved!
Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples; if you have love one another.” (John 13:35 NRSV)
Do we want to give something back to our God for the great love that has been and continues for us? Jesus made it simple, love one another.
ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!
In Christ!
Pastor Bakker
16We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. 17How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? 18Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. 1 John 3:16-18 (NRSV)
ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN!
As we turn the calendar page to April, we will have already gathered and celebrated and proclaimed that Jesus has indeed risen! For in our celebration and in our proclamation, we know that our God is greater than death, that we have been redeemed, and that we – in Christ – have been granted eternal life!
We will continue to celebrate the love of God in Christ Jesus that is absolute. The fundamental quality of absolute love is self-denial to the point of death for others. Jesus denied himself but not for a principle or a cause. Jesus denied himself for us!
In response to the great love that is shown to us, we are to live in that love and share that love. By living in the kind of love that Christ has, we can know the new life that Jesus brings. Doing so we must be willing and ready to deny ourselves. We must be ready to witness to the good news of the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Many things drift into the center of one’s life, and they are mostly about self: needs, pride, fear of getting involved. But faithful living means laying down our arrogance and our hesitations and returning God to the center of our life. Faithfulness means that God is at the center of our lives and when God is at the center of our lives God loves through us.
And what does God ask in return for the love shown to us? Well, nothing pertaining to our salvation. It is done. Christ’s death and resurrection has done it all for us.
This might well be beyond our full comprehension. But even in our limited understanding of the love of God, demonstrated in and through Christ’s cross, we should be inspired to give of ourselves to the world around us. In doing so, by the grace of God, others might be saved!
Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples; if you have love one another.” (John 13:35 NRSV)
Do we want to give something back to our God for the great love that has been and continues for us? Jesus made it simple, love one another.
ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!
In Christ!
Pastor Bakker
16We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. 17How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? 18Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. 1 John 3:16-18 (NRSV)