Theme: The Resurrection is the answer to Fear

But what if we weren’t afraid? What if we had nothing to lose because we had nothing to fear? What if we knew that everything had already been bought and paid for, that we were free to be creative, loving, and risky with our generosity and true love toward others because we knew all our needs would be met? 

What if we knew that any pain that we faced was temporary and could be handled with joy and hope, so we had nothing truly to fear? What if the future world to which we were traveling was so divine, that the suffering, trials, mistakes, sin, guilt, and stupidity of our lives would someday be lost to our memories because they would be engulfed by the joy and true peace of the lives we would be living in harmony with others? What would a life like this look like?

From our Old Testament Reading today:

Is. 65:17 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.

 The followers of the gentle and dangerous King have eternal life. 

Why are we so afraid to be vulnerable and intimate with other people?

God converts us through faith and baptism

 The body and blood of Christ sustains us and unifies the New Covenant people of God 

 A faith in Christ is very personal

 We must desire the praise of God, above the praise of mankind. 

In our commitment to and worship of God, ceremony and faith can never be separated.

   Through Jesus, the Father continually reaches down to those who reject the light