An Incomprehensible Death.

As he contemplated the path which lay before him, Jesus once said to his disciples:

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (John 12:23-24)

Tomorrow is Good Friday, when followers of Jesus all across this earth - those from every tribe, tongue, nation and creed who call and hope upon his name - will pause together and contemplate the cross of Christ. We will contemplate his death, prayerfully considering the sheer miracle of a Creator God who COULD die, and WOULD die, compelled by a holy love for His own creation. Why would Jesus do such a thing? Why would he submit himself to the horrors of the cross and the darkness of the grave? What was the hope that would compel him into - and through - that great desolation? It was that, by doing so, he would bear much fruit: HIS death, becomes YOUR life. My life.

Like a grain of wheat, dead and buried. Left in darkness for a time only to emerge in season as a whole NEW manner of life; not merely a reborn SEED, but a SEED-BEARER, lifting up toward to light thousands upon thousands of new seeds, each with the potential to follow that same path of life and fruitfulness, themselves, unto the untold billions. Children of life, "Like the sand on the seashore", God promised Abraham, "Like the stars in the night sky." But this, only as these newly-born seeds should submit to follow the path of the one who went before them. We are baptized into the death of Jesus - laid low in surrender, Lordship and worship - that we might be raised again WITH Jesus into inconceivable abundance of life.

This Friday: We will mark the death of Jesus in worship alongside our brothers and sisters of the First Congregational Church of Barrington ( fccbnh.org , 710 Franklin Pierce Highway ) at 6:30pm.

This Sunday: We will celebrate the RESURRECTION of Jesus at our worship Gathering; Rochester Performance & Arts Center ( 32 North Main St. ) at 10:00am.

On the cross, Jesus died the death we were already dying that, by the resurrection, He might give to us that life we could never live on our own. This weekend, we celebrate BOTH of these profound miracles, together.

Come, and see.

In Christ, with You,
Pastor Chris