Easter Confession - John 20

Holy God,

We sometimes miss the signs and wonders that point us to you

We look for you in the wrong places

We look for you in a fortress instead of on the beach

We look for you on a throne instead of on a cross

Who are we looking for?

We seek the Jesus who defies expectations.

We struggle against becoming

so attached to our expectations of who you are

that we miss the blessing of your presence

we miss the work you are doing in our world

The work of making all things new.

Who are we looking for?

We seek the Jesus who defies expectations.

We overestimate how much we need to do to live in your promise

We hold fast to our work, our time, and our resources

as measures of worth – our worth and the worth of others.

We rely on our own understanding

We rely on the things we do and don’t do to make us holy.

You are our righteousness O God.

Who are we looking for?

We seek the Jesus who defies expectations.

When we don’t believe that change is possible,

When we can’t imagine ourselves as good,

When we get distracted by immediacy

When we don’t know what we want

When we forget or haven’t yet found our purpose,

Remind us,

Who are we looking for?

We seek the Jesus who defies expectations.

Shatter our expectations O God,

Lead us to the savior you sent,

Don’t let us settle for the one we expect. Alleluia.

Alleluia.

Assurance of Salvation

Hear the Good News,

God has shattered the expectations of our world over and over again.

Jesus is risen.

We are free to be who God created us to be. We are free to be Good.

This is the Good News.

Amen.