Respond

The Easter season is upon us. When I reflect on Christ’s finished work on the cross, there are two compelling themes that come out - Love and Forgiveness.

In the most recent issue of The Recorder, we are blessed to have the writings of three of our EMMC pastors.

In Pastor Jesse Doell’s article “What’s so good about God’s Love?”, he helps us explore God’s active, proven and ultimately sacrificial love, even while we were at our worst!

“But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (CSB)

Then Pastor Quentin Unger’s article “Forgiveness Through Christ” explores God’s gift of forgiveness and salvation from our sins through faith is Jesus Christ’s work on the cross. Truly an amazing gift.

Then our Pastor of Care and Mission, Kelly Lesser asks us “what is our response?” in his article “Respond to the Invitation”

John 3:16 (NIV) says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – How do we respond?

Mark 1:16-18 (NIV), “As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." At once they left their nets and followed him.” – How do we respond?

Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) Jesus says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." – How do we respond?

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NIV) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

We live in a broken world. A world that needs to come to know God’s love. A world that needs to know God’s forgiveness. A world that needs to respond to God’s invitation. A world that needs to understand the reality of Easter. Yet we are called to be Christ’s ambassadors and ministers of reconciliation.

May we respond by reflecting God’s love and forgiveness to the world around us!

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This article was originally published in The Recorder, Vol 59 no. 2