Pastor Dan Smyth
Associate Pastor
THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION
Change is in the air! Cooler weather, kids are back in school and all of us are wondering - What Will the Fall Season be Like in 2020 during a Pandemic? In times of uncertainty and change there is ONE THING we should remember - ONE THING that is certain -THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION.
"Brothers and sister, as I said, I know I have not arrived, but There's One Thing I Am Doing: I'm leaving my old life behind, putting everything on the line for this mission. 14 I AM SPRINTING TOWARD THE ONLY GOAL THAT COUNTS: to cross the line, to win the prize, and to Hear God's Call To Resurrection Life Found Exclusively in Jesus the Anointed." Philippians 3:13-14 (VOICE)
We are to live by faith - to focus our lives on - not the temporary things we see - like BEAUTY OR YOUTHFULNESS - PERFORMANCE or PROFIT - instead - God calls us to focus on eternal things - things we cannot see - what God has done through Christ - to focus on the resurrection - It's What Sunday is All About.
Listen to Paul talking about the resurrection in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 - He says:
"All this is from God. Through Christ, God Made Peace Between Himself and Us. And God Gave Us The Work Of Bringing People Into Peace With Him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself."
And then Paul tells us in verse 21:
"Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin - so that In Christ We Could Be Right With God." (VOICE)
This is our statement of faith - IT'S ABOUT AN UNSEEN WORLD - it's a message that is eternal - God's hope for the world - IT'S THE RESURRECTION.
THIS FALL let's be a church that - Worships Together, Prays Together & Plans Together - to NOT LIVE LIFE IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR. Instead, to 'SPRINT FORWARD' as the Apostle Paul says, 'TOWARD THE ONLY GOAL THAT COUNTS' - To Hear God's call to Resurrection Life and Share That Hope With Everyone.
A Pastor in San Diego, Dr. Lockridge, expressed OUR HOPE IN UNCERTAIN TIMES very well in a sermon titled, IT'S FRIDAY AND SUNDAY'S A-COMIN'. He ended his message with important words to remember:
"No matter how dark and hopeless things seem, hold on, there's a Sunday coming and there's hope in that resurrection."
This Fall Hold On To The HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION.
See you in Church,
Pastor Dan
