Life

“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.”              -David Frost

 “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”                                             -Mae West

 “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”                        -Oscar Wilde

 “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”                -Mark Twain 

 Those are just a few quotes to get you thinking about LIFE. I would like you to think for a few moments about the fact that your life is a gift from God. His intention is that my life and your life would also be lived out as gift from us to others. None of us live our lives in isolation; so what is the impact our lives have on others?

 This question brings me to the Commandment that is the theme for our message this upcoming Sunday: Do not Murder!

 Most of us read those words and quickly decide “Awesome, I have easily kept that Commandment.” Then along comes Jesus and tells us that if we are inappropriately angry or if we belittle people with our words - we are guilty of breaking this command. We are murdering someone’s character or harming their wellbeing and Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that we are on very dangerous ground before our God – We are guilty of “murder”.

 God desires that the impact we leave throughout our life is that we are “givers of life”. Are we actively seeking to deliver life to others? Are we aggressively seeking to destroy hopelessness, meaninglessness and loneliness in the lives of others as we walk through our day?

 Far too often, people leave a trail of destruction, pain and even murder. Maybe there is no actual dead body that is visible but people have been torn apart through our words, our actions or our apathy that communicate to them “you are insignificant” or “you just don’t measure up”.

 As followers of Jesus we are carriers of eternal life and a love that brings new life. We are proclaimers of a truth that sets people free from drifting through life on their way to death. We are believers that every life matters to God and therefore should matter to us as well. We are firm believers that no matter the mess, the failures or the lies that have been believed the power of the resurrection can bring life today just as it did to Jesus 2000 years ago. So, in a world filled with “murdering” attitudes, words and actions; we bring LIFE!

 Serving the Lord of Life together,
Pastor Nick