From the Pastor's Desk
Reverend David Kaul
“Do not be afraid... He has been raised!”
- Matthew 28:5, 6
“Easter - Amazing Grace”
Dear friends in Christ,
The grace of God swept over the women as they came to Jesus' tomb early on that Easter Sunday morning. An angel never spoke more precious words, "Do not be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here for he has been raised." It is the divine passive form of the verb. God has done it. Jesus told the disciples twice that the person who loses their life will find it. Jesus held fast to God in a trust that cost him his life. God raised him from the dead.
My prayer this Lenten season was to help all of us heal from hurt and conflict. We bear the scars of others words and actions. We have hurt feelings. We've been cheated in business dealings. Too many have born the pain of divorce or another's abuse. We have also hurt others. My desire was that we could learn another way to deal with the sinful actions of others and ourselves. That we might learn from God how to forgive, to have peace, to live in love. For hatred will not win, it will only cause more hate. Wounds inflicted by another will not be healed by more wounds, bullets, bombs or pain. Gandhi said that if we follow an eye for an eye and tooth for tooth the world will be blind and toothless.
God chose another way. He chose to love. He chose to forgive.
CS. Lewis said, "There is one person to whom I have been extending grace my whole life. Myself. However much I might dislike my own cowardice or conceit or greed, I went on loving myself. There has never been the slightest difficulty about it. In fact the very reason why I hate the things was that I loved the man. Just because I loved myself, I was sorry to find that I was the sort of man who did those things." Could we ask God to help us learn to love others as we love ourselves?
God's raising of Jesus tells us that Jesus is God's only Son. There is another force at loose in the universe. Forgiving love. Darkness shall never defeat light.
Hate is not stronger than love.
Revenge and anger shall never triumph over healing forgiveness.
Death will not conquer life.
One persons foolish act should not mean a life time of bitterness, pain and anger. Forgiving love. Would you extend God's forgiving grace and love the next time you want to hate or nurse a grudge or live in "My way or the highway" kind of anger!
We are loved by God without conditions. Let God's love fill you. This is God's unique gift to the church in Jesus Christ. Would you bring his love to the world. If we don't. No one else shall! This is our commission. To share God's amazing grace!
Thanks for a very special Easter.
See you at worship,
P. Dave