Sermon for September 22nd, 2019

John 5:25-29 (NT page 96)

25 “Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; 27 and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and will come out—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

John 20:21-23 (NT page 115)

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

The Apostles’ Creed – I Believe in the Holy Spirit, Part II

I believe in the Holy Spirit . . . the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Putting it All Together

"You don’t have to be defined by the worst things you’ve ever done. And you don’t have to be tomorrow who you were yesterday. God wants to forgive you. God is the God of the Second Chance. Jesus suffered and died to redeem you. Ours is a gospel of redemption. God offers new life for old, grace and redemption for guilt and shame. And we can, and likely must, claim this every day." --Adam Hamilton