Sermon - 2015-05-17

Each week when we gather together, we begin and end our worship service in very similar ways.  We declare that we gather and go forth in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We speak these words as a declaration of what is happening in our lives and what will happen in our life.  We declare that we are in the loving relationship of our God.  We are reminded of the way in which God has been a part of our life, is in our life, and is going to be in our life.  This is our relationship with God that we experience every day.  We experience God, our creator, and sustainer.  We experience God as our Redeemer.  We experience God as the one who leads us, guides us, and protects us.

As we begin and end our worship service in this way, we are reminded of God’s love for us and God’s promise for us.   Yet, what are these promises and how do we live out that love?  This is truly the heart of our relationship with God.  It is our ongoing conversation with God as a part of our life.  Through the joys and sorrows of life, we experience that God is with us during some very difficult times in which we are wondering what the purpose of this life is.  We experience that God is with us during joys that we are simply amazed at all that is happening within our life.  This is life, the ups, and the downs.  Now, part of life is our greatest fear that we are so often afraid to face, our death.

We should be reminded that in the journey of Jesus Christ, he faced and overcame that death that we fear.  While death is our greatest fear, we need to understand that death is not the end of us, but rather a gathering of all people into the presence of God.  The fear often comes when we do not see that person any longer or understand how God is doing this.  This unknown part becomes our fear.  However, the promise is still there. That because of the gift of Jesus Christ, death has been overcome so that we may have new life.  Now, this new life does not end because it is an eternal life.

However, this promise, this good news is not something that comes to us only at the end of our days here on earth.  This promise can be realized and lived out even in this world.  This is why we call ourselves Christians.  This is why we continue to gather, hear and know about this promise and relationship with God to be true.  We need this reminder in the midst of the roller coaster journey that is life and faith.

Now for many of you, you know this message.  You have heard this message from the time that you were in Sunday School and were this high.  You have gathered together to be the People of God for years, for generations.  Now that you have heard and lived that message, it is time to share that message with others.  Inviting and welcoming them into that same journey and awareness of the relationship that they have with God at this time and for all eternity.  So go, share the good news and live in the promise of God, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.