Why does this matter today? Because God is our: Creator Provider Protector Redeemer Let’s read all of Isaiah 43. God is speaking in a time of difficulty. “In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God,...

“One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: ‘Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus replied, ‘What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?’ The man answered, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘Right!’ Jesus told him. ‘Do this and you will live!’” – Luke 10:25-27 Matthew 22:36-40 Mark 12:28-31

“Your sins are forgiven.” – Luke 5:20 Reading Luke 5:18-20 “Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?” – Luke 5:23 Mark 2:5, 9

Luke 22:20-27 “I am among you as one who serves.”

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” – James 4:6 1 Peter 5:5 Proverbs 3:34

“Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and...

Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” – Mark 2:27-28

God’s love story includes all people

God’s love story includes creativity

God’s love story includes unity.

God shows love first, giving us life and offering us salvation.

God provides us a great mercy in a sure salvation.

Jesus gives a first impression with the words we read in Luke 4:16-21, quoting from Isaiah 61.

Learning about Jesus. Learning about the value system of God. “Love God, love your neighbor,” – Luke 10:25-37  Jesus flips the script on “Who is my neighbor?” to focus on helping others, with his story set in a racialized setting. “Love your enemies. Do good to those...

Let’s listen to what Jesus said was most important. “Love God (with the best of your energy)…love your neighbor in the same way that you take care of yourself,” – Luke 10:25-37 Matthew 22:37-40

Since early March we have been asked to be physically distant from other people to protect us from a highly contagious virus. We are giving time and effort to be as relationally connected as possible.

Waiting – next Sunday Pentecost 50 days from Easter commemorating the day recorded, in Acts 2.

“Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ Jesus said, “This is how you should pray.