The Church’s Calling

I wanted to share some things from yesterday’s sermon on Jeremiah 29 for you to take some more time with, if you wish. I mentioned that Jesus famously said of his followers, they are to be in the world, but not of the world. I then gave a quote from a book I’m reading by Michael Goheen titled The Church and Its Vocation. He asks the question there: “What is the relationship of the church to culture?. . .” He then answers, “A true encounter with culture demands identification and rejection, yes and no, participation and withdrawal. Loss of either one is a recipe for unfaithfulness,” (pp. 6-7).

Even as Jeremiah encouraged the exiles in Babylon, we are to pray for the nation in which we live. We also cannot isolate ourselves from culture, but we additionally cannot blindly accept everything that our culture says is good. To be faithful followers of Christ, led by his Word, we must evaluate what our culture tells us by holding it up against the truth revealed in Scripture. And speaking of exiles, the book I mentioned in the beginning of the sermon is Faith for Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon by David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock.

Thanks for all of the well wishes on the state of my back. It still hurts today, but is getting a bit better. I think some rest and other treatment will take care of it. Again, thank you all for your concern.

Can you believe it’s November? This year seems to have flown by, and Thanksgiving and Advent will be here before you know it. There will be lots of opportunities to share with those in need during this year-end, so pay attention to the bulletin and the E-Gram for details about the ways we are helping. The Outreach Team has started a coat drive already.

 We had a good number in worship again yesterday. Continue to think about who you might invite to the worship service. The Christmas season is a great time to invite someone!

God bless, Brian

Scripture readings for next Sunday

Jeremiah 31—How does God describe his “new covenant”?

Hebrews 9:11-15—How does the Hebrew writer understand the “new covenant”?

Ezekiel 36:24-32—What is the relationship between Jeremiah and Ezekiel?

Luke 22:14-23—What did Jesus say about the “new covenant” here?