The grave is empty. Love has won. Christ is risen! Jesus’ resurrection changes everything, and it can change everything for you.
What Jesus says and does in the final week of his life tell us what he values most. And his words and actions toward those he encounters consistently show us that when everyone around you says, “You’re out,” God says, “You’re in!”
After healing and teaching in Galilee, Jesus began his journey toward Jerusalem and the cross, but his journey wasn't just about the destination. It was about compassion for the people he met along the way.
Jesus came to help and save the outsiders, outcasts, and outlaws. During the season of Lent, we’ll be reading the Gospel of Luke together, and we’ll see that whether you’ve been poor, rich, rejected, dejected, sick or humiliated, God wants to use you to lift up the lowly.
Each of us has to deal with difficult people, but they don't have to wreak havoc in our lives. And when we follow Jesus' teaching and example for dealing with difficult people, it can transform the world.
Good relationships keep us healthier and happier. One of the best investments we can make is growing in our relationships, and this is certainly true for parents. Parenting is a lifetime job that doesn’t end when children are grown, and the best gift we can give to our children is our presence.
Humility is not natural to anyone, but it is the lifestyle Jesus models for us. And when we learn to be humble, not only does it open us up to the possibility of wisdom, it also makes others feel encouraged, accepted, and valued in our presence.
Kindness is not a weakness. In fact, it can actually lower blood pressure, improve sleep, and strengthen immune systems. We are made for loving kindness, and when we choose to be kind, we bless others and create a kinder world.
On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, the prophet Micah reminds us what God requires of us: to do justice. The long fight for economic justice, racial justice, and any other kind of justice takes intentional planning. Justice doesn’t “just happen.” According to Micah, it is something we do.
When we are baptized, Jesus invites us into a new life. As a new year begins, we invite you to experience newness of life by remembering your baptism or saying yes to Jesus and being baptized for the first time.
