What might happen?

What might happen if every church issue we faced, we faced with a missionary attitude?  What might happen if for every church decision we made we first asked the question, “How will this help make my neighbors part of Christ’s chosen family?”

What might happen?  I think we’d come alive with purpose.

There’s an exciting feeling of belonging to a group with purpose.  It’s not that life gets any easier, but each decision made has a sense of destiny.  It’s not that hardships vanish, but they are borne with a sense of destination.  Character is formed into the image of God’s character.  Hearts are changed and reflect Christ’s heart.  Lives are slowly changed to look more and more like Christ’s life.  Every step has meaning.  Every challenge is an obstacle waiting to be overcome.

When a church group lives with purpose, the stories they tell start to reflect that purpose.  Stories like the new member here at Our Saviour thanking and praising God for finding her a church to call home.  Stories like the man who heard about Christ here at Our Saviour and wanted to know more about the difference He could make in a person’s life.  Stories like the family that brought ALL of their children to the waters of baptism, desiring the Spirit’s work of calling and enlightening through the Gospel to be visible in their lives.

When a church group lives with purpose, it spends far less time worrying about what it doesn’t have and can’t do and more time looking for opportunities to go where God is leading and use what He is giving.  Like having a 2-day “VBS” at the Bean Creek Heritage Festival instead of a week-long summer program.  Like tackling the effects of raging unemployment by instructing families on how to have true financial peace.

What might happen if every church issue we faced, we faced with a missionary attitude?

We’d become the church that we already are.  A church where Christ is active.  A church that knows His forgiveness and His redemption.  A church that looks to the community’s needs and looks to God and says, “Use us for your purpose.  Use us to make our neighbors family.”

And let me tell you, it is exciting to belong to a group with purpose. 

PT

Follow-up to Sunday's message

Readying and studying through Luther's commentary on Galatians today and came across this gem.  I thought it accented Sunday's message beautifully.


"But blessed is the man who knows this properly amid a conflict of conscience, who, when sin attacks him and the Law accuses and terrifies him, can say: 'Law, what is it to me if you make me guilty and convict me of having committed many sins?  In fact, I am still committing many sins every day.  This does not affect me; I am deaf and do not hear you.  Therefore you are telling your story to a deaf man, for I am deaf to you.  But if you really want to argue with me about sins, then go over to my flesh and my limbs, which are my servants.  Teach them; discipline and crucify them.  But do not trouble my conscience, which is lord and king; for I have nothing to do with you.  For I am dead to you; I now live to Christ, where I am under another Law, namely, the Law of grace, which rules over sin and the Law.'  By what means?  Through faith in Christ."


--Martin Luther, 1535 commentary on Galatians

Keep that Bible open!

We're right at the halfway mark in our commitment to read through the Bible together in one year, so it's time to take a quick moment and refocus on why we're reading the Bible in the first place.

1. The Bible is God's Word.  In the Bible, He speaks to you, giving us comfort, direction, hope, and the knowledge that leads to salvation.  Almighty God, speaking to you!  
2. The Holy Spirit works through the Bible.  When you read the Bible, you have God's promise that His Holy Spirit will be enlightening you, encouraging you, and shaping you into the image of Christ.  
3. The Bible is God's salvation story.  In the Bible, you read the entire history of how God has been working to save and redeem mankind.  It's awesome to see how God has been at His work for thousands and thousands of years.
4. The Bible points us to Christ.  Both Old and New Testaments.  Every word, every person, every action recorded in some way points us to Jesus Christ, Who He is, and what He has done for us.  You read the Bible and you know Jesus Christ better.

The Bible gives us things we just can't get anywhere else!  So stick with us as we read through it together.  And if you've missed a few days here and there, make today the day you start fresh.  You won't be disappointed!

Youth group garage sale this weekend!

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday the OSL youth group are having a garage sale in order to raise the last bit of money they'll need to get to the National Youth Gathering in New Orleans this summer.

So 1) C'mon out and see if there's something that you need!  You'll save money buying it here over buying it new, and you'll help them in the process.

And 2) If you are one of the people that donated items for the sale, THANK YOU!!  You've helped the youth as they work hard for the opportunity to gather together with LCMS youth from all over the nation.  God bless you for your help!