Guest Preacher Charisma Clarke

Jesus commissioned his apostles (sent ones) to bring his testimony to us — who who haven’t seen the Risen Jesus. Our faith does not come by sight, then, but by hearing. As we hear and receive Scripture’s testimony about who God is and what he’s done for us, we are receiving the very word of Christ, and thereby offered the gift of eternal life. Not by our righteousness, but by his grace; our mere faith is counted by him as righteousness.

Jesus Christ was no victim. The Gospel-writer, John, makes certain we know that. Though Jesus is arrested in John 18, there’s no doubt who’s in charge: he picks the spot, he initiates the confrontation, and he commands the troops to release his friends.

Though he had the power to evade capture (and more), he chose the way of the cross. He chose the way of love. He knew how bad it would be, and he went through with it anyway — for love of the Father, and love of you.

Jesus prayed for us, that we might be one — unified in the same way that God the Father and God the Son are unified. That’s a tall order! For that humanly-impossible calling, God provides the power of the gospel through the Holy Spirit, to help us bear witness to the world through our unity and love.