God bless you! Gesuntite! As you hand the person the hanky, the word you say is a custom because at one time people thought that you could sneeze out your soul. The blessing of God is not just a meaningless polite phrase. God’s blessing was given to his people.
Should we stay or go? That is the question the people of the world wrestled with shortly after the flood. They settled on staying, against God’s wishes for the purpose of making a name for themselves. Our love God confused their languages and they scattered across the world. This language barrier was undone on that first Pentecost that started the New Testament church. That harvest festival continues today as we share God’s word with anyone who will listen.
We close out the Easter season with a plea. We’re back in St John’s Revelation to hear the two-fold cry of the saints in glory! First they direct the church to her Victorious Lord. Finally they call on Jesus to return and end the world. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Jesus is our VICTORIOUS King, but he doesn’t always look that way. Ascension is a unique holiday because as one of the three great historical festivals of the ancient church it was a highlight of year. Ascension is the coronation of our VICTORIOUS King!
VICTORIOUS Love might sound a little over-the-top, right? I mean, it fits the Easter sermon series theme of VICTORIOUS, doesn’t it? I think that this phrase is a good start, but doesn’t quite touch the meaning.
Our Good Shepherd is the VICTORIOUS Shepherd. And on this Good Shepherd Sunday as we consider all that our God provides for us.