Therefore,
there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through
Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law
of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened
by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to
be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the
righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live
according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
It is
amazing to me that the parking lot was the only part that looked familiar to me.
It seems like the hexagon shape of the impressive sanctuary, the great wooden
cross, comfortable chairs, and vibrant stained glass, even the good signage
would have been memorable. Our visit comes at the tail end of some remodeling
so everything seemed fresh and new.
We
were welcomed by the pastor.
The
praise team had delightful harmony and the volume was excellent for me. I appreciated
that the children were blessed before leaving the sanctuary.
The
message was the first of a series on the Promises of Grace. I think the pastor
is right, we sometimes try to sell people on Christ with big promises. We
cannot make promises for others or ourselves.
The pastor
talked of how he once had to jump backward off a cliff when learning to rappel…sort
of a great leap of faith backwards and the reassurance metaphor of God in the
safety line.
We
all still suffer from “I’m no good” and find it hard to forgive ourselves. We
are no good, but God took away that guilt and we have no right to deny His cleansing
sacrifice on the Cross. God’s grace is larger than all our sins.
Was
pleased that their Kingdom Week program of ministry to the community stresses
prayer, the most important part.
Our
last visit here was almost seven years ago, and it looks like since then this
church has left the Presbyterian Church (USA) and joined the Evangelical Presbyterian
Church.
The
corner location is well-suited with plenty of parking. A gentleman welcomed us
and handed us a bulletin immediately upon entering and several folks extended
brief greetings.
We
guessed the interior had recently been painted as the walls were bare, but clear
directional signage was helpful. We arrived too late to check out the coffee,
unfortunately.
The
sanctuary is striking: large enough for a couple hundred or so people,
attractively designed with a large, backlit wooden cross flanked by two stunning
stained glass windows behind the roomy platform.
The
music was led by a guitarist and keyboardist who harmonized beautifully, along with
a second guitar and drums. We sang several of my favorite songs, including In
Christ Alone, Great is Thy Faithfulness, and the offertory, Be Thou My Vision.
The volume was perfect.
All
the children were called forward and I anticipated a message designed for them.
Instead, the pastor led the congregation in prayer over the children, which I
thought was exceptional.
“Promises
of Grace” is the title of the new series beginning today and the message was “Grace
for Change.” The topic was the battle against our knowledge of and guilt over
our own sins, what the pastor referred to as the “storm of self-blame” when we
find ourselves thinking we are no good. The antidote for this attack is found
in Romans 8:1 which states there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.
He emphasized that we are not told to ignore our sins, but to leave them at the
foot of the Cross.
The
Minute for Mission focused on Kingdom Week, which is a week of mission performed
for neighbors of the church instead of traveling farther away. Support for this
mission seems strong and in the past has produced amazing results with the
community.
Lord, we lift up to You this upcoming Kingdom Week, asking that Your power is felt by both the neighborhood and the church. We pray for Your gift of courage as the members of this church boldly take their witness to Your people outside the doors. Amen.
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