CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF RESURRECTION

Have you ever looked  -really looked-  at the men and women we're introduced to in the Bible?  When I was younger I had this mistaken impression that the people in the Bible were spiritual superheroes. 

Name them off  -Abram, Sarai, Moses, Rachel, David, Jeremiah, Simon Peter, Euodia, Paul-  and I would immediately assume that they had all the answers, never struggled with life or relationships or faith, and they had it all together.  Then, when you open the Bible, you discover these people were all...people.  They were a mix of faith and doubt, loyalty and betrayal, gratitude and selfishness.

The other day I came across a line where the author said that one of the truths of life is that we are all children.  Children don't know that.  Children look at adults and think that the adults around them are confident, have the answers, and know what's next.  But the truth is, the author said, we're all children inside and often we are making up life as we go along.

This coming Sunday we begin a Lenten series of messages titled Characters in Search of Resurrection.  We'll be looking at people like Pontius Pilate (this week), Barabbas (3/16), Joseph of Arimathea (3/23), Mrs. Pilate (3/30), Mary Magdalene (4/13), Judas Iscariot (4/17), the unnamed centurion (4/18), and on Easter Sunday we'll address the mystery of the soldiers at the cross (4/20).

Invite your friends to join you in worship.  As you come to worship we challenge you to be in prayer for all those who lead and serve, and we also hope you'll be praying for our Fruitful Congregations Journey team, The Open Door community, and those who gather in the sanctuary to be the sent-out people of God.

Characters in search of resurrection begins this weekend.  I suspect there are more than a few of us who are also characters in search of resurrection.

In Christ and for Christ,

Mark