Scriptures: Revelation 21:1-6; John 13:31-35
Key Verse: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)
<music>
<Intro:>
Hello, This is Jade.
Welcome to Yi.kigai
A space for all to explore the intersection between faith and daily life.
<music>
<Message:>
Easter Blessings. It is the 5th Easter Sunday.
Have you thought of your own Easter Story? What is your narrative hook? As we are halfway through Easter Season, it might be a good idea to write one if you haven’t. Being Easter people in 2022 certainly is very different from those living in the first century. Back then, people had a chance to meet and know Jesus in person and experience the dramatic changes in their personal and communal lives in terms of learning to value their relationships with each other and the high cost that Jesus had to pay for them.
Let me practice telling you my Easter story first. It might go like this. It wasn’t as if I didn’t want to love the unlovable or forgive the unforgivable. Was I taught or guided to do so before I knew about Jesus? No, I wasn’t. And I learned it the hard way like many of you probably did. One day, I realized that I wasn’t always lovable to everyone from the way I was being treated and that I could be unforgivable when I hurt the feelings of others either intentionally or unintentionally. Very soon, I acted the same way toward others. After getting to know Jesus, I asked him, “Why are our relationships so fragile? Can anyone escape from this imperfect world where retribution and revenge are all around?” Jesus answered, “Yes, Easter people can. Because they have died fully and live each day through my cross, my love and my forgiveness.” Then I asked again, “How can I tell if they are Easter people?” He answered, “Just observe the way of their life; you should see them loving one another.”
I began to understand Jesus’ message slowly. He asks me to love back and forgive since I have received God’s love and forgiveness more than enough. My old self preferred to be loved and forgiven, but not so much as loving and forgiving others, especially those who were unlovable and unforgivable. The interactions or any responses from my old self mainly were driven by lack of trust or fear, ignorance, bias, prejudice, anger, or fear. It was like I wanted to live a new changed life fully after playing death or just semi-death through the same cross that Jesus had conquered. This is my Easter story, my confession to the Lord and to the people of God.
Jesus instructed us to treat others the same way we want them to treat us in Luke 6:31 and Matthew 7:12. With the power of the Holy Spirit, may we continue living a new changed life and practice our interactions with everyone driven by God’s love.
<Music>
<Closing Prayer:>
May your coming week be blessed by God’s grace
As together we explore the intersection between faith and daily life
<Outro:>
Thank you for listening. Please subscribe and follow yi.kigai.
<music>
Opmerkingen