To all our sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Alleluia! Christ is risen!  So we begin another day in this season of Easter, separated physically but united in faith and hope and love. As we have experienced new and challenging ways to be the church in this time of the COVID-19 viral pandemic, we may hearken back to the new and challenging times the early disciples of Jesus faced in  the days, weeks, and months following Jesus' death and resurrection. How were they to speak of the resurrection and its impact on their faith? How to speak of present circumstances and long-term implications? 

The writer of Acts, the same as the author of Luke's Gospel, provided examples of such speech. Careful not to sever the reality of Jesus' crucifixion and the actions that led up to it from a new and challenging perspective of resurrected life, the writer of Acts conveys these words from the mouth of Peter: "And now, brothers and sisters, I know that you (pl.) acted in ignorance, as did your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer" (Acts 3:17-18). Ignorance can and often does lead to dire circumstances. But thanks be to God that God doesn't leave us in a state of ignorance or keep us forever chained to the consequences of such ignorance. God desires not to leave us perpetually in the shadow of the cross.

Peter continues his speech: "Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the time of UNIVERSAL RESTORATION that God announced long age through his holy prophets" (3:19-21). As such, the counsel offered is to turn away from the destructiveness that can come about through ignorance and turn once again in the direction of God's heavenly promise in Christ manifested in his resurrection and given heavenly activation for the restoration of all things under Christ's eternal Lordship. In the risen Jesus we find our hope and our empowerment to overcome ignorance and cling to the faith.

Blessings and peace to you!  Pastor John