This Astonishing Claim

Greetings in the name of Jesus!

At last, the weather is beginning to change. By the time you read this, temperatures may be in the 60s—a welcome reminder that seasons never stand still. Life is much the same. Change comes whether we welcome it or resist it, sometimes bringing joy and sometimes bringing heartache.

Yet amid all the changes of life, our God remains faithful and unchanging. The God who created all things loves us more deeply than we can imagine. The God who came to us in Jesus is the God who keeps every promise.

This Sunday, we continue our sermon series, Believe It or Not!, with the message “We Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus.” Because Jesus lives, we too shall live. As John 3:16 declares, “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.” This is the heart of the gospel and the greatest of God’s promises.

The Resurrection is not a footnote to our faith; it is its center, its foundation, and its turning point. Without the Resurrection of Jesus, Christianity would be only another ancient path of spirituality and morality. Everything rests on this astonishing claim: God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

Together, we will explore Paul’s powerful words in 1 Corinthians 15: “If Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.… If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 19–20)

Paul does not avoid the difficult question. If the Resurrection is not true, our faith is empty. But the disciples encountered the risen Jesus, and Paul tells us that more than five hundred others witnessed him alive. Their testimony transformed fearful followers into courageous witnesses—and it continues to give us hope today.

Through the saving grace of God revealed in Jesus, death does not have the final word. The Resurrection promises more than simply “what comes next.” It is God’s ultimate healing of all that is broken. Even in the face of death, we are held by a living hope because Christ is alive.

Change will always be part of this present life, but the promises of God will never change. That is the solid ground beneath our feet and the hope that carries us forward.

I invite you to make Sunday worship a priority. Come ready to honor God, encourage one another, and fill our worship spaces with joyful praise for all God has done. Every Sunday at Stonebridge UMC is special, and this Sunday will be especially meaningful as we celebrate the baptism of one of our newest members.

Who might need this word of hope? Invite a friend, neighbor, or family member to join you as we celebrate the new life God gives us through Jesus. There is a place for them—and for you—among us.

Blessings,

Pastor John Allen