2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Relationships can get pretty messy. Even people who seem like they've got a strong relationship can end up with a shattered one. But our relationship with God is secure. Jesus has reconciled us to God. He has restored our good relationship. And now we get to be new creations with new identities. We get to be ambassadors of God's amazing reconciliation.

Isaiah 43:16-25

God says, "forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing!" The blessings God gave us in the past are amazing. He sent his only Son to rescue us from sin. He worked faith in our hearts through hearing his Word. But God is always doing something new. He says, "You ain't seen nothin' yet!"

Revelation 21:1-6

Maybe Christians don't spend enough time talking about heaven. It's easy to get wrapped up in the things going on in this world and to lose focus on what's waiting for us. Let's talk about heaven. We have a new and better home being prepared for us. We might even find that our hope for a future gives us current confidence too.

John 10:22-30

Today is Mother's Day. It's a day we all have to admit that mother knows best. She always did what was best for us.

Today we also recognize as Good Shepherd Sunday. You also have a shepherd that knows best. You've really got it made!

Acts 9:1-19

Saul the Persecutor seemed like the last person on earth to become a believer in Jesus. But the risen Jesus appeared to him, turning Saul the Persecutor into Paul the Proclaimer. God gave Saul a new calling and a new purpose in life - to spread the good news of salvation to the world.

Because Jesus rose from the dead we too have a new calling. We are called out of blindness and called as God's chosen instruments. The grace God has given us makes us great candidates to share grace with other and lead them to the light of Christ.

Romans 6:1-11

Dead to sin but alive to God. This is our new Easter identity thanks to Jesus’ death and resurrection on our behalf. Our old way of life is over. Through faith and the waters of baptism we rise to new life. We experience a new life when we are eventually resurrected to be with Jesus in heaven but new life is also something we get to live right now.

John 20:1-18 - Easter

New starts are exciting. New starts give endless opportunities and the promise of a better future. But for every new start in this life there are also endings. Every new thing gets old. Every good thing must eventually come to an end in this world. And we all have one common ending to face. The end called death.

But Easter changes everything. Jesus gives us a new start - a story that doesn't end. Because of the resurrection, death will not be the end of your story.

Matthew 21:1-11

Palm Sunday is full of paradoxes. A paradox is something that seems self-contradictory or logically unacceptable. A paradox means two opposites can be true at the same time.

Ponder the many paradoxes surrounding Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem.

Numbers 21:4-9

During the exodus the people of Israel grumbled...a lot. They always had a complaint to bring against Moses and God. We find it pretty easy to scold the Israelites for their negative attitude. Unfortunately, we have a lot in common with the Israelites. We love to grumble against God when we think he's holding out on us. We need the cure for our poisonous grumbling. A cure only God can provide.

Philippians 3:17-4:1

We live as friends of the cross of Christ and gather together with other friends of the cross. This is how we want to run the race laid out before us.