God Answers a Confused Prophet
TGP A Nation Divided • Sermon • Submitted
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· 63 viewsThe Overarching truth of Habakkuk is that God's people can live with faith and joy even during challenging and confusing times.
Notes
Transcript
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to Friendship Church “online”. Most all of you probably know who I am, but if not my name is Dan Norman and I am the Senior Pastor here at Friendship Church in Mondovi, WI . Let me say to all of you welcome, and thanks for tuning in…I suppose is the right way to say that as we are gathering as a Church today in very different way.
I am not used to this anymore than you are…but I am doing my best to remember that as I sit here in the fireside room at the Church building staring into this little bitty lens on a camera that it is really a widow into all of your living rooms. But don’t worry, you can see us but we can’t see you so we won’t make fun of Nick’s dinosaur pajama’s or anything like that.
We are just glad that you are joining us and we think there is something valuable in knowing that at this very moment many of us are joining together in worship, prayer and in learning from God’s Word together. There may be geographical distance that seperates us but from a spiritual perspective we can gather and I believe God and we will be blessed in that.
So with that long and awkward introduction, let’s lift our voices together to make a really big deal of our mighty, majestic and mysterious God!
So with that, let’s lift our voices together to make a really big deal of our mighty, majestic and mysterious God!
Worship Songs
This is Amazing Grace
Blessed Be Tour Name
You Never Let Go
Broken Vessels
Prayer
Peace and hope
Hospitals, Doctors, Nurses, Clinics
Stores, Staff and restocking
That God would put and end to this pandemic and that we would be made stronger and more like Christ through it all.
Introduction
I know that this past couple of weeks have been challenging for so many of us as we look to make sense of, and try and implement the many changes that our world is facing right now in light of the COVID-19 virus. One of the things that has helped me as I have been trying to prepare for this unfamiliar way of connecting with you all is to remember that we have brothers and sisters in Christ around the world that every week have to struggle to find some way to meet because of the challenges in their part of the world. They go to great lengths because of the value that they place on connecting together in whatever way their particular situation will allow to connect with their brothers and sisters in Christ. This has brought a level of conviction to me. I have had to reassess some of my frustrations as I realize how blatantly I have taken our freedom to meet together in the form that we for granted. Among other things, I hope that this experience will help re-align me in this.
know that most of us who are watching this right now are from Friendship Church here in Mondovi, WI, but in case someone else is listening in my name is Dan and I am the Senior Pastsor
I firmly believe that this is the kind of response that we as Christians should have to these new challenges. It is not just about a world wide virus. It is not just about social distancing. It is not just about government control. In this, and every challenge and trial that we face, to whatever degree we may be facing it, Christians are called to see our trials as opportunities to grow to be more like Christ. We never see trials as pointless or meaningless, but we meet each one knowing that God is looking to use them to grow us in both our conduct (what we do) and character (who we are).
I know that this past couple of weeks have been challenging for so many of us as we look to make sense of many changes that our world is facing right now in light of the COVID-19 virus but
A couple of familiar verses to remind us of these things this morning
but what I am most excited about is that God promises that for His children every challenge also brings opportunity. That we are never going through trials with no purpose, but that God allows trials in our lives to continue to grow us in both our conduct and our character
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Do you hear the words of growth and process here - working toward being more and more complete in what God designed us to be. Or we see this same idea in
James 1
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:
We never meet any trial or any suffering in a hopeless manner, but we rejoice knowing that as we conduct ourselves in perseverance God will be growing our character therough the working of Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives. This and any and all trials that God has allowed in our lives are given to us to make us better and stronger reflections of His Son Jesus.
There is a wonderful example of how this works in the human body. I remember back in high school when we had a unit on weight lifting and the teacher taught us how it worked in human body. He told us how lifting weights causes damage to our muscles. It actually breaks them down, or more accurately breaks down the proteins in them, but to combat this our bodies make new muscle protein to repair the damage. And that is how our muscles get bigger and stronger. So when these guys (or girls) sit under the struggle of a great weight it is for the purpose of breaking down what was there in order to grow something that is even stronger and more healthy than it was before.
Lifting weights causes damage to your muscles that breaks down the proteins; to combat this, your body makes new muscle protein to repair the damage. If your weightlifting program consists of applying increasingly heavier loads, your body attempts to adapt by creating even more muscle protein
The same idea happens in our Spiritual lives. There are times when God allows greater weight on our lives, that does bring pain and cause us to struggle, but we don’t have to fear this or run from it. The pain and struggle is not without meaning or purpose. The struggle is to break down things that were there in order to build something even stronger and more effective that it was before. And for the follower of Jesus Christ, “stronger and more effective’ means that our lives shiner even brighter into this dark world as we live in a deeply rooted hope and joy that is only found in Jesus Christ.
Tension
As I began to prepare for this message, even last week, I was so blessed to see how God has led us into such a timely book for this week. I know that Habakkuk is your favorite book of the Bible, just as it is mine. Ok, maybe not. You might have not even known that there was a book of the Bible called Habakkuk, let alone know what it says - but guys I would not have looked for it here, but I couldn’t find a better place for us to be learning from than this short 3 chapter book of Habakkuk.
So much so, that everything that I have said so far is just as true for us as it is for those who are sitting in the hospital right now struggling to overcome the effects of the corona virus. Just because your struggle is not medical in nature does not mean that it is any less real. Your struggle against the responses of media, government, your neighbors or even the church in this time is something that God wants to use to grow you too. He uses these kinds of experiences to point us to things in our lives that we wouldn’t pay attention to otherwise. More than that, the world is watching us right now. How are we as Christians going to respond? What of that hope and joy in Jesus Christ that we keep talking about? Is it only there when life is going smoothly, or is there when things get rough? Because that is when people need our message the most!
As I began to prepare for this message, even last week, I was so blessed to see how God has led us into such a timely book for this week. I know that Habakkuk is your favorite book of the Bible, just as it is mine. Ok, maybe not. You might have not even known that there was a book of the Bible called Habakkuk, let alone know what it says - but guys I would not have looked for it here, but I couldn’t find a better place for us to be learning from than this short 3 chapter book of Habakkuk.
Habakkuk (which is fun to say) was one of the prophets of the Old Testament, but what is so curious about his book is that it stands as a conversation only between Him and the LORD. Typically, we have found prophets to be people who God gave a message to share directly with the people, but the prophetic book of Habakkuk is just him talking back and forth with the LORD. And it shows Habakkuk doing something that each one of us has probably done over the past couple of weeks. Habakkuk’s main contribution to the conversation is a series of complaints. Tell me that isn’t a timely message for us as so much of our daily life and routine has been interrupted with new variables that we never saw coming.
So the summary statement that is offered for us from the Gospel Project on this book is this: The Overarching truth of Habakkuk is that God's people can live with faith and joy even during challenging and confusing times. I think we are exactly where we need to be, don’t you.
The Overarching truth of Habakkuk is that God's people can live with faith and joy even during challenging and confusing times.
17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Hebrews
Heb 10:
You know God’s time is perfect. You might be facing something in your life right now
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Some of us want to respond like the Zealots
So if you haven’t already, grab your Bible from the shelf or coffee table and open up to Habakkuk. It is towards the very end of the Old Testament, 5 small books from the end, and we will pray and then take a look at this timely book together.
I think we are exactly where we need to be, don’t you.
Some of us want to respond like the Sadducee
But we should all want to respond like Jesus (Habakkuk?)
Truth
Truth
Truth
God’s authority over injustice enables His people to live with patience ()
God’s authority over injustice enables His people to live with patience ()
1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. 2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? 3 Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. 4 So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.
So Habakkuk’s first complaint is that the people of God, the Israelites, are not living justly. This is not the first time we have heard a prophet declare that the people are living in rebellion against the LORD, it is just that typically the prophet is telling the people this. In this case, Habakkuk is complaining to God about this. He is telling God how unjust it is that He has allowed His people to continue to live in their rebellion against Him. It is as if Habakkuk is saying: “Don’t you see us? Don’t you see what is happening down here? Why aren’t you acting? These are your people who are acting so horribly, why aren’t you setting things right and getting things back on track again?
This is very kind of thing that we cry out when we suffer under injustice, when we see that something is not right and we feel powerless to do anything about it but we know that God is never powerless, so why doesn’t He act? Why doesn’t He step in and do something?
Habakkuk asked, The LORD answered:
5 “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.
Lets just stop here for a moment, and reflect on this verse. If you write in your Bible this would be a great verse to underline or star or highlight in some way. There are things that God does and ways that He opperates that even if He did tell us about them - we would not believe Him. It is part of the Majesty and Mystery of our God that He operates in ways that we cannot understand.
Did you know this to be true about our God? Are you willing to submit your life to this God - or is your understanding and acceptance of His ways a prerequisite for you submitting to Him as God?
5 “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. 6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. 7 They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves.
Habakkuk 1:5-
???
5 “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. 6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. 7 They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. 9 They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. 10 At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. 11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”
Habakkuk accused God of not responding, but God’s response is that He has heard and He has responded, but that Habakkuk needs to be patient and wait on the perfect timing of the LORD. Our first them for this week is that
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? 3 Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. 4 So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. 5 “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. 6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. 7 They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. 9 They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. 10 At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. 11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”
God’s authority over injustice enables His people to live with patience ()
God’s authority over injustice enables His people to live with patience ()
I like to say that I wouldn’t mind being patient if it didn’t take so long. There is a lot of truth to that statement isn’t there. Our time table rarely works in line with the perfect timing of the LORD. In our requests of the LORD, we pretty much have only one time reference don’t we - now.
Hab 1:2-
Our time table rarely works in line with the perfect timing of the LORD. In our requests of the LORD, we pretty much have only one time reference don’t we - now.
We would like our answer…now.
We would like our justice…now.
We would like the healing…now.
We would like the new job…now.
We would like to
We would like our plans to be work out…now.
We would like…whatever it is…now.
And if it can’t happen now…then how about …now!
But God sees our world from such a different vantage point than we do. We are so limited and He is unlimited! He has so much more to work with in making his decisions than we do. He knows more purely. Sees more clearly. He acts more rightly. And more often than not, He is after something entirely different than we are. We are typically interested in God quickly removing whatever we see to be in the way of our present happiness, and God is most interested in using all of those things to grow us in our holiness. He wants to shape our conduct and character to be a better reflection of Him.
So in response to Habakkuk’s compliant, God reassures Habakkuk that in His own perfect time and will He is acting…but when Habakkuk heard how God was going to correct His people He had a whole new kind of complaint. Surely, God would not use the Chaldeans! They were even more evil than Israel! God goes on in the next verses to described these war hungry people! They were fast, fierce and fearless. They just swallowed up other nations and saw each conquest as an act of worship to the god of their own might. They were a whole new level of evil, so this brings Habakkuk to a whole new kind of complaint.
What
So God answers Habakkuk’s complaint, but I bet he wished he had never asked! God does see is sending these Chaldeans, which was a common way to say the army of Babylon that will be coming in and consuming Israel in ways that they never saw coming. It will be a swift and brutal
show Israel how evil they had become he probably wished he had never asked. These Chaldeans, or Babylonians, ;common way to say the army of Babylon that will be coming in and consuming Israel in ways that they never saw coming. It will be a swift and brutal
Habakkuk 1:12-1
12 Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. 13 You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?
12 Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. 13 You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he? 14 You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler. 15 He brings all of them up with a hook; he drags them out with his net; he gathers them in his dragnet; so he rejoices and is glad. 16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury, and his food is rich. 17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever?
Habakkuk appeals to the righteousness of God, wondering How God could ever use such evil people to execute His Justice. It is a good question, and so Habakkuk determines that he will stand watching and waiting for the LORD’s answer.
Hab 1:12-
2 And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. 3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. 4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.
Hab 2:2-4
This reveals our second theme for the week,
God’s authority over evil enables His people to live by faith (; )
God’s authority over evil enables His people to live by faith (; )
Let me recap the story up to this point...
let me recap real quick.
Habakkuk complains about the injustice of God’s people that he sees all around him, and asks God why He isn’t doing anything
God responds by saying, I am doing something just be patient, I have the fierce and merciless army of Chaldeans on it’s way
Habakkuk then complains again, How can you use the Chaldeans! They are even more evil than we are
God responds: I understand your concerns for my holiness Habakkuk, but don’t worry, in my perfect timing I will also judge the Chaldeans for their evil.
It is a bit of a crazy interchange between this ancient prophet and God, but what we can take away from Habakkuk’s experience is this: There is a God, Habakkuk and it’s not you! There is a God and you and I are not Him. He will work out His purposes, in his perfect timing according to His version of what is good, and we have but the opportunity to trust Him in it all. This is what faith is. We trust and believe that that our God is good, even when we are a confused over the things happeing around us. He knows more, sees more and is more than we ever will be and we can find great comfort in that because He is our salvation. That is certainly Habakkuk’s story as it is layed out for us, and this brings us to our final and probably most timely theme
God’s authority over difficulties enables His people to live with joy ()
God’s authority over difficulties enables His people to live with joy ()
I would like to encourage you all to take time to read all of Habakkuk this week. It’s only three short chapters, and here in the third chapter Habakkuk speaks prayerfully and poetically on the amazing strength and might of our God. That His authority is without question. He power without equal. His plans are threatened by no one or no thing. It is powerful imagery that Habakkuk uses to give us a small glimpse into how mighty our God is. What the Chaldeans are bringing is nothing compared to the strength of our God. What this virus has brought is nothing compared to the strength of our God. Habakkuk has seen this and this is his response:
Habakkuk 3:16-18
God’s justice is coming against the injustice in Habakkuk’s world, he just has to be patient.
Habakkuk knows that God’s justice is coming against the injustice in Habakkuk’s world. He knows that there are ugly things that will happen to people He knows. People He loves. But none of these things are without meaning or purpose. So he says... Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.
Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.
Though the instrument of God’s judgement against His own people is an evil empire, that does not mean that they are off the hook. They too will suffer the consequences of their rebellion against the LORD. So what is Habakkuk left with? The same thing you and I are. And let me encourage you guys to take special note of these next two verses because they are powerful for our day and time:
So what is Habakkuk left with? The same thing you and I are:
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Hab 3:17-
16 I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.
16 I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Hab 3:16-19
No matter what is happening around him, Habakkuk has determined to hold fast to the absolute authority of the God of His salvation. This is how he and we can find joy even through difficult trials. We don’t look to our circumstances for the source of our hope and our joy, we look to Jesus. We look to... Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb 12:2)
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Gospel Application
The Overarching truth of the book of Habakkuk is that God's people can live with faith and joy even during challenging and confusing times. This hits us right we are living right now doesn’t it. I have heard over and over again how were are living in unprecedented times of confusion and challenge - but for the people of God we don’t put much stock in precedence. We meet every challenge and trial with the same faith. A faith that see’s every day as an opportunity to be grown in conduct and character to be more like our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.
The Authority of God is so different than every other place where we encounter authority. God’s authority is never under threat. He never has to defend it or protect it because it is absolute. He calls us to be patient in suffering and trials because He is so patient. He is not in a hurry, He is moving everything forward at His perfect pace to accomplish his ultimate plan.
This is where we are living right now. I have heard over and over again how were are living in unprecedented times of confusion and challenge - but I wonder if we just haven’t gone back further enough.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Repentance, as we have said, is turning from the way we were doing things and going in a whole new direction. What is it that God is trying to get your attention on right now in this challenging season? What part of your conduct or character could God we wanting to strengthen by allowing more weight to be placed on it? This is a time when our faith is being tested, what is that looking like for you?
This Generation will judge the effectiveness of the Church of Jesus Christ in this time - so what message are we going to send them?
Is it fear over the virus itself? Is it fear over the response of our government authorities? Is it fear over what lies on the other side of this pandemic? The economic and/or political implications of something like this? God is already there and He is working in ways that we probably would not believe even if He told us.
I am sure that if He were to tell us we would not even be able to Sure we are all trying to pull together now, but what happens when things swing closer to normal. How far will things bounce back? We want to know all of these things…now.
What is it that God is calling you to repentance in right now? Many of us have more time on our hands than we thought we would have a few weeks ago, what part of your conduct or character could God we pointing out to you in this time. How is your faith being tested? Is it fear over the virus itself? Is it fear over the response of our government authorities? If it fear over what lies on the other side of this pandemic? Sure we are all trying to pull together now, but what happens when things swing closer to normal. How far will things bounce back? We want to know all of these things…now.
Or maybe your fear is in your lack of faith. Maybe you know of Jesus, you even go to Church but something like this…a world wide pandemic is making you feel very small. And you realize that you have never really trusted yourself to anything more than your own daily decisions. You need something bigger. You need something stronger. You need Jesus.
Or maybe your fear is more of an eternal nature. Maybe you know of Jesus, you even go to Church but something like this…a world wide pandemic is making you feel very small. And you realize that you have never really trusted youreself to anything more than your own daily decisions. You need something bigger. You need something stronger. You need Jesus. You need the one that Habakkuk described as
You need the one that Habakkuk described as
Over dependence on a large group setting - smaller groups are better for discipleship anyway
Prayer into
3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 4 His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. 5 Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels. 6 He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways.
Hab 3:
In times of difficulty and fear we all need to be trusting in the one and only mighty, majestic and mysterious God who has ultimate authority.
If you have not placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ then today would be a great day. You simply need to admit to the LORD that you need his forgiveness for your rebellion against him, believe in faith that He has done every thing needed by sending his son Jesus to die and rise again and then commit to life your life to faithfully live for Him.
If you have questions about this, or anything else I have said today please call us or message us here on our facebook page and we would love to walk through those things with you.
Let’s pray and we will end with a time of worship to our great and mighty king.
Closing
So where do we go from here? Well, says
17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.
The idea is that the government has a particular role in our lives and can and should follow their leadership as long as it does not lead us to abandon role that God has over our lives. The Apostle Paul made the relationship between God and government even clearer when He said in
Mark
17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
In light of this, we are going to be following the prohibition of gathering together in groups of more than 10 this coming week, but we will continue to reach out to each of you by phone, email, our website and right here on our facebook page.
I have said this before, but it seems to be even more real in our present situation. Friendship Church is not this almost empty building that I am sitting in right now. Friendship Church is the people. We are the Church! And we need to remember that God’s church is not dependant on four walls and a Sunday morning time slot. We need to be the Church this next week, maybe even more than we have been before. Sometimes I think we have relied too much on our large group gathering, and now we have a chance to check in on each other one on one.
So in this coming week, please consider who you might connect with in creative and law abiding ways in order to be the Church to them. Send a letter, card, email, phone call to a neighbor, friend, family member. Maybe consider who typically comes home to an empty house every night, they could be especially lonely right now. The Overseers are meeting tomorrow night and we will be discussing options on how we can keep our life groups connected during this time.
Let me close us with this Scripture:
The Overseers are meeting tomorrow night and we will be discussing how small groups or Bible studies will be able to stay connected in this time.
I want to close with this just
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Closing
Well, there is coffee and snacks…somewhere in your kitchen, God bless and we will see you again soon.
Let’s close in prayer.
Prayer into
