Grace and love of God has set me free, loved me to new and abundant life, restored me
Set me free from the voice in my head and the voices outside myself that would tell me I’m no good, not good enough, can’t hack it, useless, hopeless. Set me free from my own selfishness. From the desire to bend others to my will and think the world would be better if only everyone was just like me. Restored me when I am broken, at my wit’s end. Filled me up when I am empty. Carried my burdens when I have been nearly crushed. Put to death in me that which is evil and opposes Christ – hatred and racism and sexism and thinking I’m superior; to bring a more full and abundant life than I ever imagined.
This is what Jesus does. The living Christ, crucified, risen, and alive does this. In our gospel text: restoration, new life in my life: freedom, life, restoration in Word and Sacrament: by the witness of scripture and by the very presence of Christ in water and bread and wine
In Community: through one another as we live in Christian community, one body in Christ, rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn, confess and repent and forgive for the restoration of relationship; experience healing,
And we give thanks:
Worship, generosity, fruit of the spirit
And we tell the story:
Whose job is it to proclaim the good news? All of ours.
This is why we invite, this is the gift we have been freely given and the gift we get to share with the world.
Experience the risen and living Christ among you now. Know the gift of God’s grace and love. Respond with thanksgiving to God. Respond by telling the story of the life-giving work of God in your life. Invite others to come and see. To come and feel. To come and hear. To come and know. Give the gift that you have received – help people see God has given it to them and for them, too.
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