Does human life matter? Death is an unavoidable reality that casts its shadow over every aspect of human existence. From sickness to violence, from scarcity to existential doubts, the fear of death looms over us all. In Acts 18, the Apostle Paul grapples with this fear while facing threats and rejection for his faith.
In Corinth, Paul confronts a community paralyzed by the fear of death, unable to accept Jesus as the solution. Despite facing persecution and abandonment, Paul receives a divine reassurance: he need not fear because Jesus, who conquered death, is with him.
This encounter offers a profound message: Jesus, in his resurrection, validates the value of human life beyond death. Paul's confidence stems from the belief that his life matters eternally because of Jesus' victory over death.
This assurance extends to all: because Jesus rose, our lives hold significance beyond the grave. Suffering and death do not define our existence; rather, they are pathways to a life united with the resurrected Jesus.
In a world overshadowed by fear and uncertainty, the message of Acts 18 remains relevant: our lives matter beyond death because Jesus rose. Let this truth anchor your confidence and dispel the fear of mortality.
Catch the full message from this past Sunday: Because Jesus rose, be confident your life matters.
Below you will find other CCC updates and resources for participating in the body of Christ over the coming weeks.
See you Sunday if not before then!
This Sunday: 1 Corinthians 1:1-17
This Sunday, April 7th, we begin a new series of messages reflecting in 1 Corinthians, focusing on following God's Spirit to become the sanctified (holy) and united (wholly) body of Christ. May God prepare us to hear his voice and respond in obedience, as we reflect on the wisdom he revealed to the Corinthian church, through the Apostle Paul, many years ago.
Merge One day: From Jesus, we learn the value of every life and the mission to seek out lost individuals. This is the essence of the "One" activities of the CCC Merge youth group, which invites 6-12th graders to introduce a friend to experience a community of students and caring adults striving to follow Jesus. Bring one to One. The next "One" day is this Friday, April 5th, at Get Air in Cheektowaga, from 1 pm to 3 pm. Regular attendees are asked to bring $20 for expenses. Expensenses will be covered for any friends who join. Contact Mitch Knight for further information.
Image: BenMoses M on Unsplash
New!!!! This past Sunday, the Little (PreK-1st*) and Big (1st*-5th) Impact programming got a refresh. Thanks to Mitch Knight’s planning and content curation, we are able to utilize a different curriculum that offers new interactive components for kids as they engage in the Bible stories and lessons presented. You can see what they are like by watching the videos below. Families are encouraged to subscribe to the channel, as we hope the CCC Impact Kids Youtube channel allows parents and kids to revisit and guide kids in further conversation and thought about the activities, songs, stories, and lessons between Sundays.
An outreach of CCC mission partners in Mexico (Hector and Joy Rodriguez)
That was fun!!! This past Sunday, following our Easter worship gathering, we got to indulge in CHURROS!!! - as we shared in the exciting news about the classes and story time that have been started and running through the English institute in Pachuca, Mexico, which Hector and Joy Rodriguez have been diligently getting established. These classes allow Hector and Joy — to foster opportunities to share the hope of Christ to those coming to learn and practice English. Please continue to pray for them to have opportunities to openly share the hope of Christ we hold with English students and participants.
The Chosen group resumes this Sunday, April 7th, with the second half of episode 2 of season 4. Anyone is welcome to jump in and join this casual group experience.