4-25-2018

Good Morning All,

       2 Corinthians 1:20; “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory”.

     I think, for many of us, the most exciting word is “yes”!  This word is so full of potential and so full of promise.  Think back to your dating years.  You would agonize over calling; what if they say no?  Do you remember the relief and excitement when they said, “Yes, I would love to go.”  Do you remember later when the marriage proposal was there, would I get asked, would they accept?  The thrill of hearing “yes” sent you into ecstasy. 

    When you applied for your job or tried to rent or buy some land, being told “yes” gave you a lift and a joy.  Maybe even more to the point; remember when you looked at the doctor questioning and he said, “Yes, she will be fine in a couple of days.”  You breathed a sigh of relief and the world suddenly looked brighter.  We love being told “yes”.

    When I was in high school, one of my favorite Christian song was called “And God said YES”.  It spoke of God saying ‘yes’ to his people whom he had redeemed and saved from the reign of sin.  This is what our verse today tells us; God says “yes” to you and to me.

    You and I were nothing more that lost people with no hope, no future and with nothing to offer anyone else.  Yet in the depth of our despair, God saw us.  He sent His Son Jesus to pay the price that we owe.  In doing so, he picked us up, cleaned us off, fed us, gave us new clothes, held us tightly in his arms and said “YES”.  “Yes, I will keep this one as my dear child.”  There is no better way for you and me to hear the word “YES”.

    This is what Easter is all about.  God looked at you and said “yes, I will save him (or her)”.  Easter is God’s ultimate YES.  It means to you and to me life eternal.  God’s YES at Easter means those who have died in their faith will have their Easter as well.  God’s looks at you and says “YES, you are my child!”

   Yes, you are redeemed.  Yes, you are saved.  Yes, you are valued by the Father as a dearly loved child of God.  Yes, He means this.  Yes, he has forgiven all of your sins, even the really, really bad ones.  Yes, He wants you to take comfort and to have hope because God looked at you and said “YES.”  We have all the comfort and hope we can ever need.  God, through Jesus, says “YES” to us every day.  His love, his grace and his mercy say “Yes” to us each day.  No matter how often the world tells you “no”; God’s love is always “YES!!”

 Dear Father, through Jesus you tell me “yes.”  I am loved and treasured by you and I receive your wonderful grace and mercy.  You sustain and give me hope.  Help me to share this wonderful news with those around us.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret