Pastor’s Message

Dear Siblings in Christ,
When I first entered seminary, one of my professors highlighted the popular verse John 3:16: “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.” As a lifelong Christian, this verse didn’t stand out to me. My professor mentioned seeing “John 3:16” signs at sporting events, which seemed odd to me—why highlight that verse to “recruit” Christians? I wondered how it might come across to someone who wasn’t already a believer, and it didn’t seem to offer good news for them. It appeared to me that the Christians who shared this message were in a way dangling the carrot of “eternal life” in front of those who are non-believers in an effort to get them to believe. Having faith in Jesus is about much more than eternal life. It is a gift and an invitation to lead a new life. A full and abundant life.

It wasn’t until I started preaching regularly on John Chapter 3 that I realized the true good news is in John 3:17: “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” This changes our perspective. We often become self-centered, focusing on protecting ourselves and separating from “the world.” But John 3:17 reminds us that Jesus was sent to save the world, not just individuals.

Notice that John’s gospel doesn’t mention saving any particular nation or group. It is not only the “chosen people.” The circle of salvation is meant to widen, not narrow. It makes me reflect: where in our lives should we widen our own circles? My prayer for you in this season is that you seek to broaden your perspective. Step out of your comfort zone: while we are to focus on growing our own faith, we are also invited to listen to others for their perspective. You might just find you are encouraged and you might see how Jesus is indeed saving the world.

With that in mind, I hope you’ll consider taking part in one of our “Connection Groups” that will begin to meet during Lent. Last year, these groups helped us get to know one another a little better and encouraged us in our faith lives. Watch the weekly bulletin for more information.
May God bless us all as we celebrate that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to save.

Alleluia and Amen,
Pastor Cassie