From the Pastor

Our testing and trials may not be as severe as those faced in this letter of 1 Peter, yet we all face testing and trials. First, we live in a world that counters the way of Christ, for example, our society places pride over humility; greed over sharing; self-concern over concern for others; warfare and bullying over consensus; power over fairness; injustice over justice, and hatred over love and concern. The way of Christ is vastly different from the ways of the world.

Second, things happen in life that make us wonder if God is faithful: Job loss, family issues, health issues, and so forth. Anything that makes living our faith and life more difficult, and in difficult times may we lean more upon Christ and our fellow Christians. In difficult times, we find out what we really believe to be true in life and who our friends are. When trials test the authenticity of your faith, do not give up, and know that your brothers and sisters in Christ stand with you.

It is a historical statement that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate, however, the statement that Jesus rose from the dead is much more complex because it entails a not-so-common experience: Resurrection. The humiliation, tragedy, and scandal of crucifixion were swallowed up in the victory of life over death. The resurrection tells us that in the unfolding of time, God’s love conquers all, even human hatred and malice. Evil cannot overcome good in the unfolding of time.

The resurrection is more than about tomorrow: It is also about today, and how our lives can make a difference for the good because we have been raised to a new life in Christ (Colossians 3:1-4). God not only resurrects and transforms us at the future resurrection, but God also resurrects and transforms us in the present by having Christ formed within us and among us. Resurrection is the transformation of life into a better life for us and those around us. May we live our lives in light of the resurrection with Christ as our “hidden resource” who through the Holy Spirit gives us guidance so that we live as we were destined to live.