Episode 323: What Gives Life, Part One--Jesus, Resurrection, New Creation

Easter celebrates the good news that Jesus' resurrection somehow gives life and hope for us all, but... what exactly do we mean by that?  In a new series for this Eastertide, pastors Erica, Sarah, and Steve take a look at what we mean when we talk about Jesus giving us life.  And starting with what might seem obvious, we start with the way the early Christian community made the startling claim that Jesus' resurrection means something for everyone, not just Jesus.  Unlike Greek and Roman stories of gods, demigods, or heroes who die and come back to life, the Christian story from the beginning claimed that Jesus' resurrection didn't just apply to him, but meant something for all of humanity through Christ.  And beyond the thought of life AFTER death, the Gospels show us Jesus bringing people more fully to life in other ways--healing them from illness, restoring them to community when they had been ostracized, offering forgiveness for those who couldn't see a way forward, and more. So in this first episode, we'll explore how Jesus' life, death, and resurrection give us life, and how they point us also toward hope for the universe itself in new creation.   Check it out here on Crazy Faith Talk.