Life Through Christ (Easter 2026)

As I reflect on the events of last week, I am in awe of what God is doing in the life of our church. It was a joy to be able to worship together as one body, to see the sanctuary packed and in need of extra chairs, and to see the connections taking place during the “carry-in” luncheon. Since people often fall into one service or the other, it’s good for everyone to see the new faces and get to know each other’s names and stories. My prayer is that God will continue to grow us in our love for God and our love for each other.It was also good that we came together at the start of Holy Week to remind us of how we have gained access to God through the grace and peace of Jesus. Because of Jesus, we now have peace with God! However, each of us knows that we can be “hosanna hailers” on Sunday and “hypocrites” by Thursday. As we will see this week, this sin brought death. Not just physical death, but spiritual death as well in our separation from God.That’s what makes Maundy Thursday so powerful. On the night Jesus was betrayed, He didn’t distance Himself from sinners – He drew near. He broke bread, poured the cup, and told His disciples that this was His body and blood given for them. Jesus stepped into our mess.But where Adam disobeyed, Jesus submitted – which leads to Good Friday and the text of Romans 5. Paul tells us that sin reigned in death; but at the cross, Jesus breaks its power. While the cross may seem like a tragic moment, for us it is a decisive victory! If the first Adam brought death, the second Adam brought life!And then comes Easter Morning! The empty tomb is God’s declaration that grace now reigns through righteousness, leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. “But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” We no longer live in the shadow of Adam; we live under the reign of Christ!As we consider the events of this week, I pray that Christ may speak into your hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. Don’t forget to invite a friend, neighbor, or co-worker to be your guest at any of our services this week. I look forward to seeing you Thursday evening at 7 PM for our Maundy Thursday service or Sunday morning at 8:30 or 11 AM.Grace & Peace,Pastor Aaron