Hey Centennial,
There has been some energy in our past few worship gatherings.
I’m not saying there isn’t normally energy, just that there has been something that stands out. We’ve asked some hard question, “What are the masks we wear?” and “are we willing to be humble and vulnerable enough to ask God to help us take them off?” We’ve made some strong affirmations, “We are a church committed to formation.” And “Formation is the starting point and power source of our mission.”
That energy is going to continue this Sunday.
At the same time, things are also going to take a little turn here. Rebecka Sutton is continuing our series in the gospel of Matthew and this Sunday is the fifth and final “sermon” of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel. And it’s a dozy. I encourage you to read it in advance of Sunday worship. Here is what Rebecka says about her sermon:
What are you focusing on? What are you paying attention to? When you think about your life and the future, what are you hoping for? Christians live asking a unique question: how should I live until Christ returns? Every generation of Christians has to figure out how to live their lives in a meaningful and God-honoring way while awaiting the return of Christ. In chapter 23, we saw Jesus confronting the religious leaders of Jerusalem on their hypocrisy. As Jesus is walking away from that confrontation he predicts the destruction of the Temple. These are alarming words! The disciples, naturally, want to know WHEN all of this will happen, but Jesus does not tell them when, he focuses on what will happen and how they are to respond. For the last 2000 years, there has been a lot of focus on the WHEN of Christ’s return. This has led to denominational wars, fear-inducing predictions, New York Times bestsellers and bizarre cults. How should we stay faithful to Jesus’ message on the end times without going to extremes? Jesus did not want to leave us unprepared for the challenges and difficulties that lie ahead. So, until Christ returns, what should we do? We may not know WHEN the end will come, but we are warned and advised to be ready. Join us this Sunday as Rebecka Sutton walks us through Jesus’ end times signs and warnings.
Eager to worship with you this Sunday!
Grace and peace,
Karl