Do You Believe This?
There was a small town that had been selected to be the site of a hydroelectric plant. The plan was to set up a dam across the river which would result in the submerging of the small town. The announcement of the plan was made with ample time to give all the residents there the opportunity to get their affairs in order and relocate, but in the intervening months, something strange took place. People stopped tending to their homes and property. Community improvements ceased. Maintaining infrastructure and community common space came to an end. The town looked abandoned long before any of the residents had moved away. One resident explained the phenomenon in these terms: “Where there is no hope for the future, there is no power in the present.” Do you believe this? Neuroscientist Tali Sharot argues hope is so essential to our survival that it is hardwired into our brains, arguing it can be the difference between living a healthier life versus one trapped by despair. But even if you live a healthier life, such a life still won’t keep you from dying. And when that time comes, what hope will you have? I can reasonably hope for a bit of a tax return each year because the nature of my finances typically results in one. I can hope that my grass turns green this spring because each year this reliably happens. But there is no pattern of life experience in this world that tells you what will happen to you after you die. So, what hope is there? As the resident of the town with an underwater future said, “Where there is no hope for the future, there is no power in the present.” Is there hope for your future after you die? What if there was power in the present that gave you hope for a future after you die? And not just any future, but the best possible future?!
We invite you to come join us this Sunday morning for our in-person worship service at Leptondale Bible Church in Newburgh, starting at 10:55 AM. For those unable to attend, our service can be viewed live on the church’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/leptondalebiblechurch. This Sunday will be our Easter service with a message from John 11:17-27 titled “Do You Believe This?”
God bless!
Pastor Mike
