Pastor’s Message for April 2021

I Do

A few years back, I was visiting a happily married couple who happened to be friends.  As we were laughing and joking together, he said after 57 years of marriage, he would do it all over again and ask her to marry him.  Keeping in the joking mood, she said he probably assumed the answer would still be yes.  I knew of the love they shared, a love that was evident when they spoke about one another.  Regardless of who was talking, their spouse would look at them with a smile and a twinkle in their eye.  It was then I thought about another love we are fortunate to receive every day.  I speak of the love of our Heavenly Parent. As we come to the end of this Lenten season and you remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, remember the love that was shown by Jesus’ death on the cross.  Jesus died for all; He died for you, He died for me.

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

John 15:13

Christ died for everyone, friend or foe.  But why would Jesus die for all? So that those who live through faith in Christ should live no longer for themselves, but for Him.  Christ Jesus did not die for us so that we can continue to live our lives according to our own selfish plans and goals. Jesus died for us so that we might turn over our lives to Him willingly and with joyful devotion.  The love given to us is unconditional and cannot be earned by us.  Jesus has given us a new life, our own resurrection if you will, through this love.

“He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves.  Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them…This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

2 Corinthians 5:15,17

This gift of love given to us, with no strings attached, makes Easter a heavenly time of year.  We’ve been given a direct link to God through the resurrection of Christ.  Just like the married couple, when God looks at us, there is a smile on God’s face and a twinkle in His eye.  On Resurrection Sunday, we will look to the heavens and take notice of the covenant we made with God.  God showed His love for us by “renewing His vows” and giving Christ to die for all.  Through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, we gained victory over sin and death, giving us direct access to the Creator.  This was not only a marriage made in heaven, but a marriage solidified here on earth. 

God’s Blessings in all we do,
Pastor Ross