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Matthew 28:5-6
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
Those words, “He is not here; He is Risen!” speak to the foundation of our faith and hope. We are assured that just as death didn’t hold the final answer for Jesus; that it likewise does not hold the final answer for us. God has promised us eternal life in his presence because of the sacrifice of his son so that we are considered clean in God’s eyes regardless of what we think we can do to distance ourselves from God’s love. We look to the future with hope. It is the hope that comes from the Good News of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. It is the hope and joy that we see and celebrate as we prepare to see six of our young people make public affirmation of their faith on Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. As they and their families prepare for what is sometimes viewed as the end of confirmation, I see six young people preparing for their calling as confirmed members in the active and vibrant community of faith that is the Body of Christ which meets at Soapcreek Lutheran Church.
When I see our congregation step up and host our Nebraska Synod Council the same weekend as we have the benefit for Mel and Wanda, I see something of the depth, width and height of the faith we have in our Lord, the hope we find in God’s love for us and others and the care we have for one another and those around us. When we see the response of the communities around us to the benefit and just how successful it turned out to be on a rainy, dreary afternoon, I am humbled by the care we share with those we are in community with. When I meet with our OWLs (Older, Wiser Lutherans), I feel blessed beyond measure as I hear of faith that passes all understanding and I see that God always has a purpose for us in this life and in the life to come.
As we approach Easter, the single most Holy Day of our church year, we come to a renewed understanding of both who and whose we are as children of the Risen and Living God. This is something we can celebrate in the midst of our daily lives. We all too frequently do not find the kind of answers we seek, but we can take assurance from the fact that we know the outcome. We do know how the big picture will look at the last because our Lord has indeed stood upon the earth. Jesus experienced the same frustrations and questions that we find ourselves asking and so God understands us and our point of view. The question for us this Easter season is have we given time and prayer to help us as Christians who worship the perfect God while living in this imperfect world? While we live as part of the world around us, do we invite God into our lives and hearts each day to guide us in our call to serve our Lord, our communities and each other? Those who have come before us certainly did and my prayer is that we will continue to pray for God’s presence and guidance as we live in service to our Lord, our communities and one another.
Shalom
Pastor Rick
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