Aiden Gleason

Aiden Gleason was truly a free spirit, with a unique ability to see into people's souls. He made it his personal mission to treat everyone with respect and love, and he greatly valued receiving those things in return. He had a playful and joking nature, always aiming to make people smile and laugh. When it came to expressing himself, Aiden turned to writing, music, and drawing. He was incredibly generous, often giving gifts, and if he didn't have money, he would show his affection by cooking or creating something homemade. Aiden cherished his family and friends deeply. He loved playing video games and was quite skilled at them. When gaming wasn't an option, he was always up for activities like hiking, wrestling, playing pool, or card games. He is loved and missed by all who have had the pleasure of really knowing him.

Let’s take a moment and see how Aiden’s life can speak to ours. He knew Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. This is so important in a situation like this because we all have thought about what happens to us when we die. Right? We typically don't think about things like this unless a situation comes up that puts it in front of our face.

I was thinking about this recently while imagining a day out on Lake Chelan. Now, if you've ever been there, you know it's a beautiful place with all sorts of activity on the water. Let's say I'm standing on the shore with just my regular vision. I see some boats out there – a few recreational boats cruising around, maybe a distant waterski boat zipping across the lake. A couple of fishing boats drifting along. Some smaller watercraft further out, but it all seems kind of far away and not that detailed.

But then, i get on a powerful spotting scope. Suddenly, everything changes! Those recreational boats I saw? Now I can see the families enjoying the sunshine. That distant waterski boat? I can almost hear the laughter and the roar of the engine. Those fishing boats aren't just blobs in the distance anymore; I can see the fishermen carefully attending to their lines. And those smaller watercraft? I realize there's a whole flotilla of kayaks and paddleboards exploring the shoreline that I completely missed before. That spotting scope has brought the whole lake to life, revealing details and activity I never knew were there.

This scene reminds me of what the Bible is talking about. You see, the Bible is filled with the theme of 'power'. And why wouldn't it be? Just like Lake Chelan is a hub of activity, the world today, is a powerhouse of its own. It was a center of political power, a hub of military strategy, and money and economic forces. It’s also a melting pot of different beliefs and practices, many of which are focused on 'power' – magic, influence, control. People are all about the 'principalities and powers' of the world.

But the Bible wants to point us to a different kind of power. A power so much greater than anything the world can offer. In fact, he says the greatest demonstration of power ever seen took place when God raised Jesus from the dead. I want to stress that point: He wasn't just 'exalted to heaven' as some might think. No, the Bible says Jesus was raised bodily from the dead. That is an extraordinary act of power! And here's the thing: this same resurrection power is available to us, right here, right now! But often, like me only seeing the basics on Lake Chelan, we're missing it. We don't realize what's really out there. We need a clearer vision.

So today, we're going to dive into the Bible for a few minutes and explore what it means to have our 'eyes opened' to God's power. It's not about magic tricks or flashy displays, but something deeper, something transformative. And ultimately, it's about recognizing that Jesus is the ultimate authority, and His body, operating according to the Bible, has the power to impact us in a way that we often overlook.

First what does it say about us as people?

1] We were born in sin

Psalm 51:5 (NLT)

For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 

2] we all like sheep have gone astray

Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

3] we cannot save ourselves in any way: we are saved only by grace through faith

Ephesians 2:8–9 (NLT)

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 

Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Next what does it say about God, Jesus and heaven?

4] God gave His only Son so that those who believe in Him may have eternal life.

John 3:16–17 (NLT)

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

5] We are forgiven, justified, and cleared of all guilt and condemnation by faith in Jesus Christ

Romans 10:9–13 (NLT)

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 

As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 

Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

6] Here’s some thoughts about heaven, where believers go when we die

Revelation 21:5–6 (NLT)

5And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 

New Living Translation Chapter 21

4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

to conclude. When we admit (humble) that we need Him, and turn to Him … Jesus will respond to us by saving us and drawing close to us. at this point we all are learning and growing in God’s ways. If we stay humble, we know that we need him every moment of every day. If we get prideful and think we can do it on our own, we get ourselves in trouble. We can always get humble and turn back to God. the word for this is repentance and Jesus is faithful to respond to us every time we turn or turn back to Him. Lets get closer to God and stay closer to God so each of can have a better life here and an amazing eternity with Him. Aiden is there —— how about you?

let’s have a song