The Awakening of a new identity for all

Albert Bogle April 04, 2021 0 7

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Acts 10: 34-43 (NIVUK)

34 Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached – 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

39 ‘We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen – by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’

This month we begin our Easter celebrations with the theme: ‘The Awakening’ because that is exactly what Easter is all about. It’s about a new realisation that God has been at work in our world and continues to be at work reconciling all manner of people to himself. In our reading this morning we find ourselves listening to Peter preaching to Cornelius the Roman soldier about the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is a very brief summary of what Peter said that day, but it will help us this Easter Sunday morning to come to realise the significance of the resurrection for all of humanity. It is an awakening to a new perspective on the purpose and meaning of life itself. Notice what Peter said about Jesus:

1. Jesus is God’s gift of love to reconcile all the nations of the world to God
2. Jesus brings healing and hope into the world 
3. Jesus bore our sorrow and pain and shame and has freed us from our sins
4. Jesus’s resurrection conquers death 
5. Jesus is God’s new Adam, we are his brothers and sisters
6. Jesus is here present now by the power of the Holy Spirit

PRAYER:

Thank you 
For this amazing Easter awakening 
To the person of Jesus Christ our Risen Lord
You are the Son of the Father
Giver of life through the Holy Spirit
Your resurrection story moves on down through the ages 
Your resurrection story moves us beyond the present
From time into eternity
From the earth to the heavens
From a cross to an empty tomb
From Mary to Peter to Cornelius
From Jerusalem to Caesarea to Rome to the world
From the world to the Moon 
Your love knows no bounds
From AD33 to AD 2021
Your resurrection has awakened the universe
To a new destiny
Defeated evil 
Banished the power of death
Given us a new hope

Father your love has awakened our eternal consciousness 
Lord Jesus your resurrection has awakened faith in the future
Holy Spirit flowing from the Father and the Son your gifts have awakened our love for the present
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
We rejoice in our awakening to new life this Easter morning.