What is the hope we have because of the death and resurrection of Jesus? Certainly we know that Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection justifies us sinners. That is, through this Jesus has forgiven our sins, washed us in His blood, and God has declared us to be His righteous children! What a marvelous work that God has accomplished for us! To think that all of our sins have been washed away in the blood of Christ, drowned in baptism, and we have been raised to a new life with Him all because He is so wondrously gracious, well, that changes everything. Literally!

We tend to think that the resurrection of Jesus is all about going to heaven. Our hope is that, since Jesus is alive, we will be in heaven with him forever. And this is true. The resurrection of Jesus prepares a place for us in the new creation when He will come again. Never should we downplay such marvelous truths. The problem is that we tend to reduce Easter to being all about heaven. But, what Christ has accomplished for us doesn't just change our eternity, it changes how we live now! In baptism you are united to Christ in His crucifixion and raised to a new life with Him, right now ! (Read Romans 6-8)

The resurrection had an incredible impact on the followers of Jesus in the first century. After Jesus ascended, He sent the Holy Spirit to the church to guide them in living out the resurrection reality created by God in Christ. This is all recorded in the book of Acts. So, this Easter season (remember, Easter is not just one Sunday a year, but a seven week season) we are going to look at some highlights from the book of Acts to see what this Spirit-filled, resurrection reality looks like. We are going to be asking the questions: What is happening in our church that demonstrates that we live in this reality? Where do we need to grow? Where do we need to repent for not living as though we are new creations in Christ? What does such a reality look like in Moorpark?

Please join us this season as we grow further in this marvelous justified life. Might I suggest you make reading the book of Acts a daily activity during this season? Read it alone and/or with your family. As you do, pray that the Lord would give our church direction to be the baptized, forgiven, justified, Spirit-filled believers He has created us to be and that we are, by grace alone, through Jesus Christ.

Pastor Bob