Jesus and Friend
Caring and Loving People To Christ
Palm Sunday (March 16) 9:00 AM Service Maundy Thursday (March 20) 6:00 PM Service with Passover Dinner Good Friday (March 21) 7:00 PM Tenebrae Drama (Service of Darkness) Saturday (March 22) 5:00-7:00 PM Journey to the Cross Easter Sunday (March 23) 6:59 AM Sunrise Service 7:30 AM Easter Breakfast 9:00 AM Traditional Service with Cantata "Praise the God of Resurrection" 10:00 AM Sunday School
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| Centennial Lutheran Church |
| 3595 W. Belleview Ave. |
| Englewood, Colorado 80110 |
| Pastor: William Mantei |
| 303-798-1424 |
Two people were discussing the relevancy of Christianity in the world, when one of them remarked: "I don't get it. The life of Christ has been called, 'The greatest story ever told,' but after supposedly performing some amazing miracles, healing sick people, giving sight to the blind, and even raising the dead, He dies on a cross like a common criminal less than one week after people proclaim Him King. His life may be classified as one of the greatest tragedies in human history, but I'd hardly call it a great story."
To which the other person responded: "Well, for one thing, the story doesn't end with Jesus's death, but I'll get back to that in a minute. True, up to the cross, His life, by worldly standards, would be considered a horrible tragedy. In reality, His was the most fantastic life ever lived and His death on the cross, which he submitted to voluntarily, was the best thing that could ever have happened for the sake of humankind. You see, according to the Bible, when God created humans, He wanted them to live forever in communion with Him, working in harmony with one another as caretakers of His world. But, from the beginning, people have rejected God's plans in pursuit of selfish interests. In the process of putting money, power, fame, status, and material things ahead of God, they have treated one another shamefully. Historically, we have seen the aftermath of man's plans in the form of wars, persecutions, deceptions, and the like. Recent examples include the bombings and loss of life at the World Trade Center, murder of innocents at schools and other public places, the disappropriation of wealth from the breakdown of mortgage loan companies and banks, and the effects on personal esteem and relationships from addiction to drugs, ellicit sex, and alcohol. The penalty for rejecting God and His love is total separation from Him and death, not only of the physical body but of the soul in hell. Furthermore, no one is guiltless, and, on our own, we are all powerless to make ourselves right with God. But what we cannot do, God already did. As John 3:16 says, 'God so loved the (people of the) world that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in Him (Jesus) should not perish but have eternal life (with God).' God sent Jesus into the world to show us how we ought to live, but also to take our sins and rebellion upon Himself and die on a cross. By this very act of obedience, humankind became reconciled to God. Jesus willingly paid the price for our transgressions against God and for our shabby treatment of one another.
"But the story doesn't end there. Jesus died and went to hell on account of our sins, but on the third day of His death, He arose from the grave, showing that He has power over both hell and death. Many people find His resurrection hard to believe, but, in addition to His immediate followers, the resurrected Christ appeared to over 500 people before He ascended into heaven to be with God. They became His witnesses and began to spread the wonderful news of God's love and forgiveness to people around the world.
"So, you see, what appears to be to some as an insignificant tale about the life of an itinerant preacher who meets an unfortunate end is, for those of us who believe in Christ, the most enriching story of all time."
If you live in or are visiting the Denver area, we invite you to visit Centennial and accept the free gift of God in Jesus Christ.
Centennial Lutheran Church is an affiliate of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). We believe that God endows each person with special talents and abilities and that life in Christ is a celebration of our unique qualities.
Search through our web pages to get an idea of the services we offer and the activities available. The next page is an overview of upcoming events.
