We have all seen television shows where a doctor says. “Well, all we can do now is hope.”
It is as if hope is a weak, unstable thing that we cannot fully count on.
Hope is hard to define yet it is a critical foundation of the Christian faith. Our hope is found in the Risen Christ. The Resurrection of Christ is a central foundation of the Christian faith. In fact, Dr. Leander Keck wrote, “Without the Resurrection there is no Christian faith.”
But what happens when we feel caught in a storm and threatening skies seem to overwhelm us? During this season of our lives we find ourselves reaching for hope:
In the spring of 2020 we hoped for a return to work and school
In the summer of 2020 we hoped for an end to the isolation, longing for community
In the fall of 2020 we prayed and hoped for vaccines that would end this global pandemic
During Thanksgiving and Christmas, we hoped for a way to see our families
In the winter and early spring of 2021, we longed and hoped for a return to in-person worship with our church community
It has been a season of deep loss: loved ones have died, become ill, or been isolated from us. Our grief is real, deep, and complex.
This Sunday we will examine what it means to live with “Deep Hope.” It is the kind of hope that weathers a storm, stands up to the wind, and holds us firm no matter what comes.
Please read 1 John 2:28 – 3:3 to prepare your heart for Sunday’s sermon. This is a great week to invite a friend who is discouraged to connect online or to join you for in-person worship.
I look forward to celebrating our God with you, the One who is both our help in the past and our hope for all the days ahead.
Peace,
Pastor Cathy