Let me begin by offering you all, the joy of the Easter Resurrection in all its fullness, hope, and peace.

Alleluia he is risen

I have been so encouraged this Lent by seeing God at work in our lives and community.

As a group we have been exploring in the Lent Course the words “Come and See” what they mean for us in our community here and for each other. As always, I find it such a deep privilege to hear your stories and to be part of them too.

The words from Scripture that have spoken into my heart are found in John Ch 12 as Jesus is making his way slowly but surely to Jerusalem. They have been part of our Sunday readings, part of the Lent Course, and part of the story I have heard.

John ch12 20-24 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”  Philip went to tell Andrew;  Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Two weeks ago, the Diocesan Synod met in a Church in Weston, there as we gathered at the beginning with worship, James shared his story with us all. He was nervous to begin with, but as he got into the narrative, he became bolder and his words flowed with a mixture of surprise, enthusiasm, and conviction. He had to begin to tell out his story for it to take on life, he had to find an inner courage to sit there

in front of so many folk and speak out what had happened in his life. And it was powerful, he spoke about years of addiction to alcohol, living on the street and thinking himself worthless in the world. But someone had spoken to him and suggested he come and see, Jesus, who spoke into his heart, lifted him from the pit of despair and gave him new life. He hasn’t touched alcohol for a year now, (which earned him applause for his determination)

He is keeping his eyes fixed on Jesus as his Saviour, that doesn’t mean the struggles have miraculously disappeared, it means he gets to walk the way with Jesus by his side, in and through the Spirit.

I though I would tell you his story today, because for me, in his face, his voice, the way he held himself, he has seen Jesus, he knows his Lord and he is living in the resurrection of Jesus Christ who dies for us all.

How absolutely amazing, and mind blowing is it, that 2000 and more years later, the one who died for us and rose to new life, can still call us and bring us into new life with him.

Let’s be the people of the Resurrection and call others to come and see who Jesus is, like the one who invited James to come and see. Let’s continue to hold and nurture each other in our Faith journeys as God continues to hold us in that Love which knows no bound.

Be blessed and challenged and comforted in your joy this Easter.

 Rev Georgina