Zetland Park Methodist Church Pastoral Letters
May 2013
"See how they love"
The month of May marks the end of the season of Easter at the festival of Pentecost - which some refer to as the birth-day of the church. Pentecost marks the point where God moved from using one person in one place at one time - Jesus - to potentially using all followers of Christ in all places for all time.
Having led his disciples for three years, showing them the power of Love (as expressed in Greek word agape or the self-giving love) to change lives and thus the world, which culminated in the laying down of his own life so that the failures to Love like him in the lives of those who believed in him could be forgiven, he continued to appear to them in his risen form for six weeks. During this time they realised that far from his way of Love having been defeated on the cross, his death had sealed the victory of the way of Love.
Then at Pentecost God pored down His power to equip the disciples to continue the work of Jesus in the world. That same power is provided for followers of Jesus today to actively show Love as Jesus did but in our world and at our time.
In so many ways the power of the lifestyle of self-giving Love can be seen to bring about transformation and wholeness - the Redcar Area Foodbank being but one. So may the church, starting with us, rise up and by God's power of Love seek to eradicate poverty, injustice, and all that is bad in our communities and the world, and, life by life, bring in the Kingdom of God, which is the reign of God in people's hearts casing them to live and Love like Jesus but in our time. And where by our own efforts we struggle, God has provided not only the example of Jesus but the power of His Spirit.