5/21/2023: Seventh Sunday of Easter/ Confirmation Sunday
HE LIVES!
Life is full of either/or moments where you face an unavoidable choice between two alternatives. Some of those moments are relatively insignificant. Either I have the chicken, or I have the fish. Other times, they shape the course of your life. Either I accept this new job offer, or I keep my current job for the remainder of my career. Either I accept his marriage proposal, or.… Some either/or moments are bigger than others.
Here is the biggest either/or of them all. Either Jesus is still dead, or Jesus rose. One might ask, “How does that either/or affect me?” Because Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and Savior from sin. He said the proof is that he would rise from the dead. “The Son of Man must suffer many things … be killed and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31). Thus, if Jesus remains dead, he is both failure and fraud. However, if Jesus rose from the dead, he proves he is who he claimed to be—the Messiah. And he did what he came to do—save us.
Either Jesus is still dead, or Jesus rose. That means, either Jesus is a complete waste of your time, or he is your only hope for salvation. If Jesus is still dead, it is completely logical that you should want nothing to do with him. If Jesus rose, it is only logical that he becomes the center and greatest priority of your life. Either Jesus is still dead, or Jesus rose. This season of Easter is a 50-day-long celebration of the fact that the Holy Spirit has answered that either/or for us. We believe this life-changing truth. Christ is risen! He lives! Throughout this season, we explore what that means.
HE LIVES TO GIVE ME EAGER EXPECTATION OF GLORY
The Church waits. The Church in Jerusalem waited for ten days between Christ’s ascension and the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost. The Church today waits through the millennia between Pentecost and Christ’s second coming. We are waiting for the gifts that Jesus promised. We live in eager expectation of glory!
That glory is not dimmed by early suffering. Rather, our current sufferings only remind us of the glory that awaits us. We are simply following in Christ’s footsteps. First comes the cross, and then comes the crown. Knowing what is coming lets us view our current troubles are light and momentary. They cannot mute the joy of living in eager expectation of glory.
While we wait in the time between Christ’s ascension and return, we live knowing that we will suffer persecution for our faith in Christ, but God will work it for glory.
God bless your worship.
CONFIRMATION SUNDAY
In our second service, Lydia Weinstein will publicly confirm her faith in Jesus Christ. She will be welcomed to partake of Holy Communion. All of us who are members of Redeemer went through a rite of confirmation either as children or adults. Let us use the service this morning to reaffirm our dedication to our Savior and our use of God’s word and sacraments.
Pastor Adam Mueller will preach on Psalm 121:1,2, “Help!”
View or download the service folder.
Watch the livestream.