A Word From the Pastor (April-May 2008)

"Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful people, be crucified, and on the third day be raised again!'"
(Luke 24:5b-8)

Dear Friends in Christ,

Memory is a tricky thing, frail and fleeting. The messengers who greeted the women at the empty tomb called on them to remember, to remember Jesus' words, to remember the plan Jesus himself foretold. The fearfulness of the disciples, following the crucifixion, was really a consequence of simple memory loss. Over and over Jesus had sought to prepare his followers for what lay ahead. Over and over he told them of the suffering, death, and resurrection that was to come. Yet Jesus' followers were caught offguard. They were thrown for a loop when things turned out just the way Jesus had said they would. When you think about it, it's really amazing how short the disciples' memories were.

Yes, think about it. Had they been listening, the disciples would have known that Jesus' death was part of God's plan. Had they been listening, they would have received confirmation of the sovereign power of the Almighty God. Had they been listening, they would have known that death was destined to be overcome by life, that defeat would ultimately be transformed into victory. Had they been listening, they would have known that Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, would rise to eternal life with the Father. They would have known that Jesus had a plan for each one of his faithful followers.

The fifty days of Easter, from Easter Sunday to Pentecost, provide a wonderful occasion for the people of God to remember and celebrate God's gracious promises made known in Jesus Christ. In this holy season, I urge you to sharpen your own memory. I urge you to remember that Christ suffered and died that you might have the forgiveness of sins which leads to salvation. I urge you to remember Jesus' promise, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Remember that Jesus rose from the dead as a sign of God's triumph over evil and death. Remember that Jesus rose from the dead so that you and I might share with Christ in the joy of new and eternal life. Remember that Jesus has gone before us to prepare for us a place, an eternal home for the faithful. Remember the good news proclaimed by the apostle Paul and fully revealed in the resurrection, that "all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to God's purposes."

In this holy season of Easter, may the remembrance of God's promises banish all fear from your heart, all hopelessness from your spirit. May the remembrance of God's promises fill you with joy and thanksgiving, a sense of expectation and of boundless possibilities. In this holy season, remember God's promises revealed in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and experience the fullness of God's blessings.

In Christ's love,
Rev. Peggy Ann Sauerhoff