You are Invited Into a New Life with God –
A Resurrection Life…..
Beginnings are an important time to learn about things. Often the way someone
begins a task or a ministry tells you a lot about the values and goals
of the people involved. This is true when you are learning about
Jesus as well. For example Jesus’ first miracle in the Gospel of
John was changing water into wine at the wedding in Cana. This was
not a big important occasion; there were not crowds of kings or nobles
gathered around. No one had even invited the press to cover the beginning
of the career of this new Galilean miracle worker. He didn’t even perform
this miracle where all of the invited guests could see how wonderful he
was. The absence of those things or their first century equivalents tells
us a great deal about Jesus. He was not interested in fame or fortune,
he didn’t care to impress people so he could feel important or take the
central role at the party. All he did was serve.
Why did he do it if it didn’t gather attention or serve to promote his
primary mission? What did this miracle accomplish? First of all it made
a lot of people happy. It brought joy into the lives of everyone around
him. Joy is a big part of the ministry of Jesus. Later in the Gospel of
John, Jesus tells us this bluntly. He said, “I have said these things that
my Joy might be in you, and that your Joy may be complete.” ( John 15:11
NRSV ) Jesus brought us Good News and God’s intent in that good news
was that our lives might be filled with Joy! This was an act of love pure
and simple. His first miracle not only established this as a primary value
in his ministry but it showed us that this love was not just for the rich
and famous or to accomplish a higher purpose, it was for simple people
everywhere. It also tells us that God’s Joy is intended for us while we
live out our daily lives. Celebrating together, loving one another even
as Jesus loved us.
The Gospel of Mark begins in a similar way Jesus begins his ministry
in Galilee “proclaiming the good news of God and saying, “The time is fulfilled
and the Kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good News.”
( Mark 1:14-15 NRSV )
This emphasis upon Jesus and his message as GOOD NEWS is truly the central
theme of the whole Gospel of Mark. God is close to us. Jesus tells us that
God is at hand which is a way of saying we can reach out from where we
are and touch the presence of God. It is an invitation into a new life
with God, a Resurrection life.
In this time of new beginnings I would like to lift up the same things
Jesus did as he began his ministry in Galilee. I believe God, through Jesus
Christ, invites us into a new life. A Resurrection Life lived in the presence
of God our creator where we are loved and cherished as the children of
God we were created to be. I also believe that our new life is a life filled
with joy. This is a joy that can only be found in the presence of God.
I am looking forward to meeting you all and finding my place in the
ongoing ministry you have created by God’s grace here at RLC. Everywhere
I turn I see exciting things going on and wonderful ministry taking place.
I feel privileged to be asked to take a part in this ministry. My prayer
is that God will richly bless us all minister together as Resurrection
Lutheran Church. Like Jesus I wish that the joy and love that we can find
together in God’s presence would be that hallmark of our ministry here.
Jesus truly is Good News and even as we are invited through him into God’s
presence let us follow him by inviting others to share our joy even as
Jesus invited us.
Pastor Jim Bliss
February
2001
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