After that day, everything was different. The first disciples witnessed a dead man walking. Their lives would be forever changed, defined by “life before Easter” and life “life after Easter.” On numerous occasions, Jesus showed up in resurrected form before he ascended. In the season of Easter we will examine six “after Easter” encounters with Jesus. What did he say and do? In what practical ways does resurrection change my daily life? Nothing will ever be the same.
Invocation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation
Lord Jesus, you once came to humanity in a rustic barn and a messy manger. Do not be distant from the rough places of our lives. We often find ourselves far from you. In mercy, come near to us, our Lord, Emmanuel; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Confession
Forgive my sins, O Lord – forgive me the sins of my present and the sins of my past, the sins of my soul and the sins of my body; the sins which I have done to please myself, and the sins which I have done to please others. Forgive me my wasted and idle sins, forgive me my serious and deliberate sins, forgive me those sins which I know and those sins which I know not, the sins which I have labored so to hide from others that I have hid them from my own memory. Forgive them, O Lord, forgive them all.
Word
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19
Meditation
Today’s meditation is by Grace Herzog
I participated in the first Loved + Sent Servant Event when I was 8. I spent the entire morning making (and mostly eating) delicious cookies to deliver to the fire station down the street. I remember thinking that this service event was great, but what would I do—or rather what would the entire congregation do for the other 364 days of the year? I couldn’t make cookies every morning. I had school, homework, meals to eat, family events…the list goes on.
At our church the words “loved and sent” are uttered a lot in the span of an hour on Sunday. It’s on the banners. It’s on our bulletins—“Loved by God and sent out into the world.”
Yet I think the first phrase of that saying is forgotten by many—loved.
We are loved by God, even though we are all terrible sinners. So is every person we witness to and every person we secretly can’t stand. Every human ever is loved by God unconditionally.
I’ve noticed that we sometimes glance over God’s love for everyone when we’re witnessing to people or just going about our everyday lives. Nowadays, the world views many Christians as judgemental towards certain groups or people of certain identities when in reality that’s not what Christianity is all about. Christianity is about loving others as Christ first loved us and spreading Christ’s love to the world.
Going on a mission trip across the globe, knocking from door to door, or even making cookies for the community can be great at times. But those are only temporary moments of being “sent.” What about the mediocre moments in life? When we’re in line at a store or working at our jobs? Are we being active missionaries for Christ then?
We don’t have to recite John 3:16 perfectly when we share the good news of Christ. We can demonstrate Christ’s love for the world by showing grace to others regardless of who the person is. I think that loving others as Christ loved us is one of the most powerful sendings we as Christians can have. In a world so full of sadness and despair, loving all people is one of the most spectacular ways to show God’s glory.
Dear Lord, humble me this week and remind me of how much you love me, regardless of my sin. Help me carry out that same attitude to my friends, family, and strangers as I walk through my life. I pray that your true glory would be revealed through my actions and that your mercy would radiate through me. Amen.
Benediction
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7)