If you haven’t yet said it today, say it now “Lord, it is good for us to be here”
On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of good news in our Matthew reading today. Everyone is gathering to prepare for Passover, Jesus predicts his death and resurrection for the second time, and Jesus and Peter have a strange conversation about the Temple Tax.
It doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of good news in the world today either. We don’t know when we are going to see each other, people have lost their jobs (at least temporarily), and pantry staples have disappeared from store shelves at alarming rates. However, communities have come together. Grace is finding new ways to be in community with one another. As I sit here typing, I’m Snapchatting one of our young families and I received a call from Barb Steinmetz because we are taking the time to check in with one another. I’ve been Snapchatting more often than usual lately; it seems we all have been communicating more. Let’s not get rid of those practices when this time is over.
There’s good news in the text and in the world…Jesus died for us and rose from the dead. His body broken and blood shed for us. No matter how dark things will get we can hold onto our faith, the oh so beautiful mystery that Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
I’ll leave you this morning with the Nicene Creed- a reminder of our faith and hope in the storm[1].
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
From sundaysandseasons.com.
Copyright © 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
[1] For those of you that would like a longer read The Athanasian Creed
gracelutheranchurch.com 