The Gospel
Jesus said, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”
The Offering
From Faye Knopf
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus performed miracles, no probs. He turned a few fish into thousands; water, into wine. He brought the dead back to life; he made the blind see. He walked on water. A man could not do these things unless he was more than the men we know, unless he was the Son of God.
We are living in the wilderness; it’s also called a pandemic. We are isolated; many of us are hunger-impaired. Many of us are afraid. Death lurks. Let’s think before we leave the wilderness and move into Lent and on to Easter.
I never felt closer to God than at communion. I felt a part of Jesus then; it was the most real part of the service to me. Communion was not, to me, a mere symbol of Christ. Communion WAS Christ. I didn’t receive a wafer and wine; I received Christ. I believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. I believe God is the source of life. I believe in his mercy, and I believe in his love. I have hope for the life to come after this one.
Thanks be to God for giving us his Son and, through him, life everlasting.