Easter (April 4, 2021)
Sermon Text: John 20:1-18
That we will see Jesus in the faces of those he identified with most fully
Jesus, we rejoice in You! We rejoice that God has raised You from death and given You the name that is above every name.* We rejoice that You are our Advocate** who continuously intercedes on our behalf.+
We trust in You! We hope in You! But we confess that the new life You received from God has often caused us much confusion, doubt, and fear. At no point of your life, death, or resurrection, have You matched our personal preferences and expectations. You have constantly challenged our assumptions and our beliefs, in order to draw us more completely to the place where You could reveal God’s compassion, forgiveness, liberation, justice, and peace to us.
We rejoice that creation is new in You. We rejoice that in You, God’s reign has come on earth, as in heaven. We rejoice that You represent a new way of being human and that You have called and enabled us to follow You.
Because we have seen You in the faces of those with whom You most closely identified, and in our sisters and brothers in faith, we declare, with joy, “I have seen the Lord!” Amen.
*Philippians 2:9 **1 John 2:1 +Romans 8:34
Amen
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