Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends ! This is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us continue to believe, to follow, and to trust our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.

It is Sunday January 03RD 2021. We finally made it into a new year. It’s a new beginning. It’s a new thing. I’m not into New Year’s resolutions. I used to be, but that’s such a secular thing that the world does. I have a simple goal that’s not confined to a new year. That goal is to get closer to God with each new day – closer than yesterday.

How do I get closer to God ? I spend more time in His Word – reading and studying and writing about His Good News. This past weekend I finished writing the second-half of my current sermon titled “Kingdom & World”. I had the first-half written. I just needed to continue it and close it. I was able to do that this past New Year’s Day. Now I have a full sermon that’s almost ready to preach when I’m called upon to do so.

It’s based on John 16:16 to 17:26. Here’s an excerpt:

… Christ continues His final prayer to the Father:

I pray that they will all be one – just as You and I are One – as You are in Me – Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent Me. “I have given them the glory You gave Me, so they may be one as We are One. I am in them, and You are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me, and that You love them as much as You love Me. (John 17:21-23)

God wants us to be one – one church body – just as the Father and the Son are One. As a church body we represent Jesus – out there in the world. Nobody’s gonna listen to us out there if we’re not one – if we’re not unified in our message. If we’re sad – if we’re miserable – if we show no joy – if we’re combative – if we’re intolerant – if we’re hateful – the world won’t see God in us.

We must not be judges out there in the world. We must be witnesses of the Kingdom.

When we’re the hands and the feet and the mouthpiece of God – and we act like it – and our walk verifies our talk – that’s when the world takes notice. That’s when the world sees a new thing going on. That’s when there may be one or two or more people of the world who want to check-in to the Kingdom we’re in.

This Just In: Our God rescues and saves lost souls all around the world every moment of every day. God’s Kingdom continues to expand. You won’t ever see that on the Evening News, but God is at work via His disciples who have the power of the Holy Spirit living within. And that’s God’s Good News ! …