Easter Sermon: Part Two

Part Two of my Easter Sermon - Keith F. (Nelmes URC)
12th April 2020

Seen in a Church’s visitors book: “ Cold and comfortless like the religion” contrast this with Augustine of Hippo “ A Christian should be an Alleluia from head to foot” The sheer joy of those first witnesses was authentic and infectious. Christians from some other cultures have much to teach us about joy. Joy is not about getting a religious fix; rather it is about fixing your eyes upon the risen Christ. We are transformed by the one we encounter, with the one who we worship.                                                  

I don’t recognise that “Cold and Comfortless like the religion” in fact for me it’s the total opposite even if I go all the way back to my time in the Old Vine Church in Ilford, I only have fond memories of my time growing up in that church, even then lots of my “friends” didn’t understand the pleasure I got from being in the body of the Church, yes we were all fairly naughty in that 40’s & 50’s style, not heavy duty bad. But that church was my second family and fast forward to now and I consider Nelmes my second family, they have been there for me and I hope in some small way I have been there for them, we have over this period for me sixty plus years of attending church had lots of bad times, along with a lot of good, good deeds are not exclusively  carried out by Christians in fact we see more and more acts of Kindness being carried out as all those that work on our behalf are supported by us in so many different ways, we are both in self isolation ( me partial because I have to go out once a week to do food shopping) we were both delighted to receive a hand written card from one of our neighbours eight year old daughter with her parents mobile & land line numbers in case needed help. I am sure we have all seen many similar actions. So we as Christians with our wider faith family must continue to extend the hands of friendship in as many ways as possible! To follow Jesus’s example in reaching out to ALL not just our immediate Church family but into the wider community.
 
So, I don’t know if anyone will read this blog, if you do maybe consider this:
 
Make an invitation to invite some of your friends to a virtual Easter tea.
 
Design a small act of Easter worship (possibly by lighting a single candle)
 
Read through and discuss with others Mathew 28: 1-10
 
If you had visited Jesus’s tomb and found him gone, how would you have told your friends, convinced them of the truth?

Inspiration taken from ©ROOTS for Churches Ltd (www.rootsontheweb.com) 2002-2020. Reproduced with permission.