Rebecca Sack returned to give possibly her final talk to us before she graduates from Regent College. She spoke on John 16, the continuation of the so-called 'farewell discourses'. Jesus told his followers, "I tell you truly, you will weep and mourn [after I am killed], but the world will rejoice" But then Jesus added that we will later rejoice, and no one will be able to take that joy away from us. (The next day he was killed.) John's gospel emphasizes that we only know people, and God, if we are in relationships with them. To this end, we can relate to God's Spirit. This same Spirit also "convicts us of sin" (through our consciences). Rebecca noted that faith in wealth leads to greed, faith in military might leads to war. She then spoke about her inner struggles of faith resulting from America's invasion of Iraq. Ultimately, she finds she needs to remind herself that there is judgement, but that judgement is not her responsibility, it is God's. "Judgement is Christ hanging on the cross for Hussein, for Bush, for the coalition forces, for the drug lords in Columbia, for our economic injustices, for each of us." The greatest sin we can commit is to imagine that evil is only outside ourselves and in others." How can we deal with the contradictions we now face? Rebecca reminded us that God's Spirit will help us, if we let it do so. As Jesus said, "I have told you these things so that you may have peace . . . take heart . . . I have overcome the world." [JEK]

Passage: John 16
Communion: No
Ecumenical or Event: Lent IV
Potluck Lunch: No
Congregational Meeting: No

Speaker: Rebecca Sack
Worship Leader: Don Teichroeb
Song Leader: Nubia Martens
Pianist: Ruth Enns
Usher:
Zoom Coordinator:
Children's Feature Leader: Mark Greenstreet

Bring Flowers: Ed & Frieda Epp
Coffee Helper:
Sound Helper:

Child Care Volunteer: Charmaine Wiens and RIchard Stobbe