This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another. If any one of you has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.  1 John 3:16-18

 

The Journey Begins…

We are embarking on a new year together.  Who knows what lies down the path for us?  We have had a great summer and I have watched as God has been stirring our hearts and drawing us closer to Himself and His mission in our town.  Paul wrote this to the church in Ephesus:  “In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.  You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness”. – Ephesians 4:1-6 The Message.  God is calling us down a path together.  There is so much He has in store for us and Paul’s encouragement for this church and for us is to stay together both outwardly and inwardly.  As we come together this year, God is going to do some incredible things in our lives as He draws us closer to Himself and to each other and shows us what it looks like to follow Jesus, to be shaped into the likeness of His Son.  There are going to be incredible opportunities to serve, to love people, to take action in the world and join God in bringing His Kingdom here.  And the best part of this is we get to do it together.  The Journey has begun, let’s run the path that God is calling us to travel together!

 

Sunday School Readings