Good News Weekly Message

Usually the more powerful something is, the harder it is to control. Not so with God. After Jesus returned to heaven, God unleashed his power in the world through his Holy Spirit. At the same time, he tied up that power to his Word so that we would always know where we can find it and how we can use it. This week we see the Word of Christ has the power to forgive our sins. Though this forgiveness and the changed status before God that results from it are invisible realities, Christ ties his powerful, forgiving Word to things that are visible. In baptism, his Word is joined to water to wash away our sins. That forgiveness then shows itself as Christ’s Word produces fruit in our lives as we seek to honor him with our words and actions.

Usually the more powerful something is, the harder it is to control. Not so with God. After Jesus returned to heaven, God unleashed his power in the world through his Holy Spirit. At the same time, he tied up that power to his Word so that we would always know where we can find it and how we can use it. This week we see how the ultimate future deliverance Christ has secured for us by his resurrection is delivered to us now through his Word. Even though death remains a future inevitability for all who live on earth, the victory over death is a present reality for all who hear and heed the voice of Jesus. When death collides with Jesus – including in his Word – death must always back down.

Usually the more powerful something is, the harder it is to control. Not so with God. After Jesus returned to heaven, God unleashed his power in the world through his Holy Spirit. At the same time, he tied up that power to his Word so that we would always know where we can find it and how we can use it. This week we see how God doesn’t just deliver his power through his Word, he delivers his very presence. Though by nature he dwells in majesty and mystery, far beyond our ability to comprehend, he comes to bless us whenever his triune name is proclaimed among us. Though we cannot fathom him, we can be certain we have his presence and blessing.

Usually the more powerful something is, the harder it is to control. Not so with God. After Jesus returned to heaven, God unleashed his power in the world through his Holy Spirit. At the same time, he tied up that power to his Word so that we would always know where we can find it and how we can use it. All of this began on the day known as Pentecost. Ten days after his Ascension, Jesus kept his promise to pour out his Holy Spirit on his church. On Pentecost, the Spirit arrived just as Jesus promised and in the specific way Jesus had promised. The Spirit demonstrated how he would work on earth during earth’s last age: through the written and spoken words of Jesus.

On Easter Sunday, the stone that had been rolled away revealed that Jesus’ tomb was empty. He had gotten out of his grave. And when he did, the blessings he had won got out with him. These blessings are now ours forever. The stone keeping his victory in can never be put back. This week we see how joy got out with him. Normally our level of joy changes when our circumstances change. Our joy, or lack thereof, is a product of what is going on in our life in the moment. In Jesus, however, joy is not a product of circumstance. Easter is more than a happy ending to an otherwise sad story. Instead, it turns the details of the story that were the saddest into sources of joy. In the same way, the struggles and sadnesses of this live will not just be replaced by joy in the life to come. They will actually contribute to it.

On Easter Sunday, the stone that had been rolled away revealed that Jesus’ tomb was empty. He had gotten out of his grave. And when he did, the blessings he had won got out with him. These blessings are now ours forever. The stone keeping his victory in can never be put back. This week we see how life got out with him. Jesus’ exaltation included him being entrusted with all rule and authority by his Father. The Lamb who was slain has now become the Shepherd who leads and protects the members of his flock. He holds our lives in time and for eternity in his hand, and no one will take them from his hand until we graze in heaven’s pastures.

On Easter Sunday, the stone that had been rolled away revealed that Jesus’ tomb was empty. He had gotten out of his grave. And when he did, the blessings he had won got out with him. These blessings are now ours forever. The stone keeping his victory in can never be put back. This week we see how love got out with him. With his death on the cross, Jesus had demonstrated a new kind of love unique and foreign in our world: a love that sacrifices for one’s enemies and repays evil with good. Though it appeared this love had been defeated when Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb, Jesus’ resurrection proved what the apostle would later write: Love never fails.

On Easter Sunday, the stone that had been rolled away revealed that Jesus’ tomb was empty. He had gotten out of his grave. And when he did, the blessings he had won got out with him. These blessings are now ours forever. The stone keeping his victory in can never be put back. This week we see how praise got out with Jesus. In our world we hear all kinds of praise for all kinds of things. We’re told who or what is worth our time, our respect, our trust, and our money. But Easter leaves no doubt about whether Jesus is worth receiving those things. The heavenly chorus is already singing what one day will be obvious to all: Worthy is the Lamb who sits on the throne!

On Easter Sunday, the stone that had been rolled away revealed that Jesus’ tomb was empty. He had gotten out of his grave. And when he did, the blessings he had won got out with him. These blessings are now ours forever. The stone keeping his victory in can never be put back. This week we see how peace got out with Jesus. There are plenty of reasons for fear in this life. Jesus and his people continue to face opposition just as they always have. Even though we don’t see Jesus with our eyes anymore, he is among us as surely as he was among his disciples the night of his resurrection. Though we have not seen him, others have. Therefore, we can believe that he lives and that his words to us are true: “Peace be with you!”

On Easter Sunday, the stone that had been rolled away revealed that Jesus’ tomb was empty. He had gotten out of his grave. And when he did, the blessings he had won got out with him. These blessings include life, love, joy, power, and peace. Now that these blessings are out, they are ours forever. The stone keeping his victory in can never be put back. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

In order for a world full of sinners to have a Father and a home to return to, God’s Son had to journey far from home. He had to enter the last place the Prince of Life belonged - the grave. But thankfully, when he entered his tomb, he didn’t go alone. He buried all our baggage with him. Today we remember with both sorrow and solemn joy the crucifixion and death of our Lord. Though the events of this day fill us with horror, the implications of those events give us every reason for praise. Jesus’ death had significance. Once and for all, it paid for the guilt of all of us and for all time. Jesus was forsaken by his Father on the cross so that we could be reconciled to our Father and have a place in heaven with him.

In order for a world full of sinners to have a Father and a home to return to, God’s Son had to journey far from home. He had to enter the last place the Prince of Life belonged - the grave. But thankfully, when he entered his tomb, he didn’t go alone. He buried all our baggage with him. Today we remember the night when Jesus began to execute the terms of the new covenant and instituted the meal of the new covenant. This new covenant replaced an old one and was fundamentally different from it in every way. While the old covenant was more like a contract, the new covenant is more like a will. One offers rewards in return for work; the other makes unconditional and lasting promises. One will always leave us starving in our relationship with God; the other satisfies the deepest hungers of our soul.

In order for a world full of sinners to have a Father and a home to return to, God’s Son had journey far from home. He had to enter the last place the Prince of Life belonged - the grave. But thankfully, when he entered his tomb, he didn’t go alone. He buried all our baggage with him. Today we see Jesus bury humanity’s endless attempts at seizing power. In our world, power dynamics are almost always in play. Those who don’t have power want it. Those who do have power want to keep it. In contrast, Jesus – who possesses all power as Lord – willingly surrendered his power and placed himself in the hands of his enemies. He willingly laid down his life and, as a result, has now been exalted.

When a wayward child wanders far from home, how does a loving parent continue to pursue them without driving them farther away? When we wander from God, he always keeps his door open for us. Not only that, he lovingly pursues sinners in ways that make them long for home. Today we see how our Father makes the treasures of his house available to any and all by placing them in the last place we’d expect – the trash. In God’s family, the things the world prizes and pursues are counted as worthless. Meanwhile, what the world rejects and discards is considered priceless and worth pursuing. In fact, Christ himself is the cornerstone God salvaged from the discard pile and used to build his house.

When a wayward child wanders far from home, how does a loving parent continue to pursue them without driving them farther away? When we wander from God, he always keeps his door open for us. Not only that, he lovingly pursues sinners in ways that make them long for home. Today we see how our loving Father will always keep his door open for us. Whether we wander by rebelling against his rules or by resenting his compassion toward others, he will always long for our return. When we do, he will welcome us back, not as servants, but as daughters and sons.

When a wayward child wanders far from home, how does a loving parent continue to pursue them without driving them farther away? When we wander from God, he always keeps his door open for us. Not only that, he lovingly pursues sinners in ways that make them long for home. Today we see how our Father is always present in the lives of his children. He sees every sin we commit and every sorrow we endure. At the same time, he is always patient with us. He doesn’t snap at us the second we turn from him but gives us time to see the error of our ways. By giving us room to share our struggles and shortcomings, he works in us the very repentance he desires and saves us from the judgment that would otherwise be ours.

When a wayward child wanders far from home, how does a loving parent continue to pursue them without driving them farther away? When we wander from God, he always keeps his door open for us. Not only that, he lovingly pursues sinners in ways that make them long for home. Today we see how God has mapped out a very specific route for getting his children to the glory prepared for them. As it did with Jesus, that route takes us through opposition, suffering, and death. While our human nature may cause us to want to take a detour around these things, Jesus’ own life shows us that no detour is allowed. His cross came before his crown. The same path lies ahead of us.

When a wayward child wanders far from home, how does a loving parent continue to pursue them without driving them farther away? When we wander from God, he always keeps his door open for us. Not only that, he lovingly pursues sinners in ways that make them long for home. Today we see how assigns – and accepts – the work of one on behalf of all. Normally in a family everyone must “do their part.” In God’s family, however, God’s Son – our brother – stands alone on the field of battle against our enemies in our place. He fights vicariously. He fights victoriously.

When a wayward child wanders far from home, how does a loving parent continue to pursue them without driving them farther away? When we wander from God, he always keeps his door open for us. Not only that, he lovingly pursues sinners in ways that make them long for home. Today we see how God helps us see – and repent of – our sin. Whenever someone accuses us of doing wrong, it’s easy to get defensive. God, however, demonstrates his ability to lower our defenses. By sending ambassadors and by inviting us to put ourselves in the shoes of other characters, God disarms our objections and gently helps us see the error of our ways. Then, when we do, he is always quick to forgive.

When someone has an epiphany, it's not that reality changed. The way they see that reality did. In the same way, having Jesus in our lives doesn't always mean our reality changes. It simply means we see that reality differently (and better). Today we get an “Epiphany Orientation” about how God reveals his glory. In order to carry out his glorious work of salvation, Jesus hid is glory and went to the cross. In order to allow sinners to stare at his glory unafraid, God hides it in the gospel. Both in Jesus himself and in the gospel, when God’s glory is hidden it is most on display.