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GROUP LIFE
We are in this together. No one is fully self-sufficient. We need God. We need one another.
Over the last few weeks I have seen a number of people helped in a “natural” ways through the body of Christ at St. Luke. That help has come through natural relations that were developed in various small group settings.
For us to be able to care for one another we need to be connected with one another BEFORE a situation arises where we need Christian support. Let’s make sure that everyone in the congregation is connected in some way to some group: home group, musical group, Bible class, work project, activity/social group, etc. We need to know and be connected to one another. NOTE: Everyone doesn’t need to know everyone. But everyone needs to know someone.
I say “let’s” as in let US. This is something that we need to do together:
As Pastor I pledge myself to do all I can to make sure that there are lots of group opportunities.
If you are not involved in any group, please take it upon your self to get involved somewhere. Feel free to contact me if you are not sure how or where to plug in.
If you are involved in group life, keep your eyes out for those who are unconnected and invite them to join you.
Congregational life must be lived out with group involvement!
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WORSHIP LIFE
Make sure that you get your weekly boost through worship. In last week’s note I wrote about an article that studied the increased “happiness” of those who worshipped weekly and exercised regularly.
Got me to thinking… what would happen if all of us really went to worship every week. Not normally. Not mostly. But every week—whether at St. Luke or wherever you happen to be for the weekend
Worship:
Meet with the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth
Receive the assurance of God’s grace through Jesus
Experience the unseen power of the Holy Spirit at work in Word and Sacrament
What’s not to like—even if there is a clunker of a hymn!
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ETERNAL LIFE
Remember, eternal life with God has already started through Jesus. While you are not in heaven yet, you already have eternal life with God here, now. Take a moment and think on that: eternal life has begun, already.
Sure life in heaven will be better by far because you will not have the troubles of this world, but the God that you will one day see face to face is already now, day by day, watching, helping, protecting and leading.
Your eternal life with God has already begun.
So lift up your head. Lift up your heart. Lift up your spirit
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EVIL ON THE LOOSE
Coming against our eternal life is our eternal enemy: Satan. He has impacted the created world and our corner of it by bringing on sin and death. (This did not start in the nature of God!) While in this world, watch out!
All that crummy stuff in life? Blame it on Satan. Blame it on Adam and Eve. Blame it on our own sinfulness. Evil at work.
But Jesus gives us victory, cleansing and relief. In the face of evil remember the following:
Evil is real—it is a result of rebellion against God.
Evil is a real problem—unchecked it leads to eternal death and lots of consternation in life.
Evil is really defeated—cling to Jesus. He resisted it. He expelled it. He defeated it. He declaws it.
Evil is to be intentionally resisted. That’s where group life and worship life can help!