In this picture above you see one of our Christmas decoration additions for this year. Thank you, Hobby Lobby.  Though not as impressive as my inflatable leg lamp; it is a simple sign that hangs near our front door. Perhaps you have something similar decking the halls or walls of your home as well. Walking around my neighborhood a couple of nights ago, I noticed at least three other homes that have the word ‘JOY’ somehow displayed in their outdoor, yuletide adornments.  A short word with a huge message. Such decorations are a necessary reminder of what this season is supposed to be about.  This time of year, it is a word that brings us back to the unlikely first guests of the baby Jesus in that Bethlehem stable—the shepherds. Remember them? Minding their own business and tending to their flocks, suddenly the heavens opened, and the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Cutting through the darkness of night and booming over the bleating of sheep, the angel declared how from this point forward the shepherds' lives would never be the same. No one’s life would ever be the same.  That is definitely good news. Yes indeed, the Advent season, which culminates in Christmas, is not to be filled with fear or stress, chaos or sorrow. The angel speaks to us also today, “Fret not!” This is a season intended to generate joy as we peer into the dusty manger and see that God dwells among us. The unfailing Word is now clothed in flesh. He is with us. God Himself takes up residence in our midst and promises to never leave our side. Just like He invited the dirty shepherds, God continues to welcome the dirty and sinful into His presence.
 
We know this. We believe this. We find comfort in this. But sometimes our Advent weeks leading up to Christmas rarely feel like they are filled with ‘JOY.’  We may emblazon the word on all kinds of decorations and doorways; but if you peek behind the blinds, you will find most of our homes are lacking it. A couple of weeks ago, a dear friend of mine, posted this picture of her beautiful family Christmas tree.  Did you notice the top of the tree?  After the garland was strung. After the ornaments were hung. After the candy canes were meticulously placed. After the star punctuated the point.  After all that work, and only a few days of being able to sit back and enjoy the glow, a whole portion of lights burns out.  Have you been there before?  A wonderful tradition that is supposed to bring happiness is now a source of exasperation.  Time to start all over.  Oh how frustrating! But there’s a valuable lesson here. For all our faithful efforts and careful preparation, there are still so many things that are outside of our control. Without any warning, the lights in the many proverbial arenas of our lives will flicker, fade, and often go out.  Or to say it another way, the brokenness of this world and deviousness of the devil will stop at nothing to rob our joy. The devil is the stealer of joy; and he loves to pollute our Advent minds. He loves to turn the calm and contemplative season of Advent, into one that is chaotic and cringeworthy. Like the cheesy plot of most Hallmark Christmas movies… just as we try to sit back and enjoy the glow of a good work done or a beautiful memory in the making, the lights go out.  Conflict arises. Where there was light, now we sit in a frustrating, disheartening darkness. 
 
But we endure. We recalibrate our gaze back to the creche. We still sing, “Praise the One who breaks the darkness with a liberating light…” LSB 849.  (Listen to it here, it’s one of my favorites.) We sing for joy and gladness because of what HE has done for us. The incredible gift of ‘JOY’ that comes to us in Jesus, cannot be messed with. It cannot be stolen. Our joy is not dependent on our circumstances.  Even if we lose the job. Even if we receive the scary diagnosis. Even if we feel alone. Even if we struggle with addictions. Even if we cave into temptation. Even if we soil a relationship. Even if we screw up. Even if the half the lights on our Christmas tree burn out, our songs rooted in Advent and Christmas ‘JOY’ can still erupt from our hearts and mouths because it is not found in our situations but in our Savior. Advent and Christmas ‘JOY’ is not tied up in fluctuating conditions; it is not a shifting emotion.  This ‘JOY’ is the confidence of knowing that Jesus is Immanuel. God with us!  At all times. In all circumstances. With no boundaries. No exceptions.  
 
My friends, rejoice in these coming weeks.  Rejoice because Jesus, who came, is coming again. For you.  Rejoice because God welcomes us into His enteral kingdom. Rejoice because Jesus is our Light, and not only does this mean we will never again stumble in the darkness, but it is a light that will never dim or go out!
 
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12

Several weeks ago, I woke up on a Monday morning to discover my front, driver side tire was flat. Never a great way to start a new week. Especially when I had to get to the airport as quickly as possible. Apparently, I had driven somewhere the day before and went over three little nails. After throwing $30 away on an ill-fated attempt to patch the holes, it became clear that I needed a new tire. No big deal. Easy enough to fix. It’s only one tire. Except that, according to the local tire dealer, the tires I had were discontinued and hard to find.  There were only a few of them left in the entire state of New Jersey, so it would be about a week before I could get it fixed. In the meantime, since it was a slow leak, they told me to just keep airing up my tires each morning.  Not ideal or something I wanted to do, but only a minor inconvenience. I did that for about a week and a half.  Each morning, before driving off to work, I would fill up my own tire with air.  Then, at some point in the afternoon, the indicator light would come on again reminding me of the waning tire pressure issue that wouldn’t go away.  I would then have a decision to make—either take my chances on making it home with a deflating tire or pull out the air compressor that was now a regular passenger in my backseat.  After about 9 days of waiting for the tire people to call me back (which to this day, I still haven’t heard from them), I took my car back to the original dealership where they replaced my tire within a couple of hours and at a cheaper rate.  So why am I sharing this with you? Remember, God provides teachable moments all the time and in all things!
 
Advent is a season of preparation and waiting. It is a season in the church year designed to fix our eyes on the coming of the Lord, the return of our Savior Jesus. Why?  Because life is hard.  Trying to meander through this broken creation alone, is like driving around with a tire you keep filling up yourself. It is not sustainable. It doesn’t solve the problem; it just prolongs it.  No matter what self-help methods we use, our proverbial tires will still lose air. We will still go flat.  At some point, the leaks will get larger, or the tire will burst.  We will burst. With all the hustle and bustle of the pending month of December, it is important to safeguard our hearts and lives to prevent moments and feelings of deflation. Advent reminds us that the Savior who came before, will come again.  The only way to find peace and hope, while we wait in a world of sin and evil, is to gaze upon Jesus, to peer into the abundance of mangers we find this time of the year and to confidently declare that He is coming again. We need to resist the temptations of trying to do things on our own, and simply rest in the arms of Jesus. Allow Him be the one to put air back in your tire.  Spending time in prayer and devotion, grounds us in a right perspective to engage and endure a sinful world.  Jesus promises to make all things new. He promises to replace all the parts of our lives that have gone flat and long stopped working. We know this will happen when He comes back, therefore we wait with eager hope for His return. In the meantime He promises to be present with us—refilling the leaking tires of our lives, to breathe life and strength back into where it is lacking. Whatever the flat tire is that you face today, stand strong in faith knowing it cannot separate you from the love and providence of our God. He is with you today. Now. And you don't even have to wait 9 days for a call back!
 
“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” (Job 33:4)

The Christmas Hallmark movies have started in our home.  As much as I make fun of them—the predictable and cheesy storylines—there is something nice about a feel-good story. Truth be told, it is nice to sit down with my wife at the end of the day and consume something that is feel-good.  In a world where vitriol, harshness, and criticism abound… these positive movies provide a bit of a respite from all the brokenness of reality.   In an entertainment world of shootouts, raunchy sexcapades, and embarrassing “reality” television… these movies offer overwhelmingly noncontroversial means of smile-producing entertainment.
 
However, one thing I have observed in the first few movies we’ve watched this season, is how every actor/actress always comes down to the kitchen each morning for breakfast in unblemished form.  The local maple farmer. The big-city real estate mogul. The quaint coffee shop owners. There have been no exceptions.  Did they just wake up or are they fresh from the groomer and ready for a night on the town?  You would never be able to guess by looking at them!  No one looks disheveled or half asleep.  No jammies; they’re all fully dressed and ready for the day.  No crusty eyes or bedhead; they don’t have a hair out of place and the makeup is already on. No eating cereal out of the box or grabbing a quick granola bar; they all have an impressive spread of eggs, meats, pastries, and fruit. And most remarkable is that in spite of that bountiful breakfast spread, there is not a single dirty pan or plate in sight.  By early morning, they already have food made, dishes washed, plus every Christmas decoration turned on and every candle lit.  Impressive indeed!
 
Maybe this is why we like such movies. It is fun to see a place and people that seem to have it “all together” when we know this is far from the reality that we face each day. Our lives are chaotic. Our hair is a mess. Our storylines are far from predictable. Our problems don’t always end with a delightful kiss as the snow begins to fall.  Hallmark actors and actresses may be unblemished, but not us.  Real life is not a Hallmark movie. But this is nothing new; and it should not surprise us.  “Take heart!” Jesus says, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Jesus clearly wants His followers to have peace in the midst of not-all-together lives. The Greek word for peace (εἰρήνην, eirenen) contains an idea of, not the absence of conflict or difficult times, but peace right in the middle of them. Consider the initial context of these words.  With Jesus pending, arrest, mock trials, beatings and crucifixion, the disciples’ faith would be tested and weakened over the events that would soon be taking place with Jesus.  They themselves would be overcome and threatened by evil. They will be filled fear and doubt. Though they were going to enjoy a nice last supper with Him, in the days that followed everything would turn south. Yet Jesus urges His disciples, then and now, to cling to Him even—and especially—when the world is crazy, and their faith is fleeting.  They can still find solace and peace in Him.  Jesus gives His disciples a stronghold and hope in Him before the storm arises.
 
He gives us hope too. Hopes of peace in the midst of whatever it is we may have to go through or even be going through right now. Jesus did say we will have tribulation; there is no heartache-free plotline.  But He also says, "in me you may have peace.”  So, fill up your hot cocoa mug, put on your comfy clothes, and enjoy those Hallmark Christmas movies. But when the credits start to roll, know that you have something better than a happy, cliché-filled ending. You have something that is real. You have Jesus and His “peace which surpasses all understanding, and it will guard your hearts and your minds” in Him. (Philippians 4:7)

 “And they will know we are Christian by our love, by our love…”
 
This is the hymn we sang in church this past Sunday. It is a favorite of many.  But what if we sang this song, “And they will know we are Christians by our social media feed…”  Would this be true of you?  Would you loudly and proudly sing this refrain also, or would you sheepishly slink back into the pew?  In the highlight reels of your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, is your faith and devotion to God obvious? Whether it be blatant or subtle, such modern-day outlets provide an easy platform to “…always give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15) No doubt, a quick glance through anyone's social media accounts will tell you all sorts of things about them—whether you want to know them or not. Their favorite football team. Their political preferences. The organizations they support. Their most recent Wordle score. How they spend their weekends. Probably even where some of their favorite places are to eat. We have no problem, and often given no second thought, to posting our personal opinions on current events and a whole slew of other items. But can you do me a favor? Imagine a world where we, followers of Jesus, spoke as freely and bravely about our faith and the Gospel of Jesus as we do about politics and sports.  How awesome would that be?!
 
Sadly, there is often a big disconnect. We go through the motions of church on Sunday mornings, but our hearts are still bitter and untrusting. We are combative and cynical in how we deal with others that don't agree with us. Intentionally or not, we display that we are angrier and more disgusted in the world than we are steadfast and trusting in the God who reigns and rules over it.  The prophet Isaiah warned about this, and it was then quoted by Jesus Himself, “And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” (NLT Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 15:8) Throughout history, the people of God have become so entrenched and distracted by worldly things that they no longer look to the Creator, they no longer mimic His heart of mercy and compassion. Far too often, we do the Christian thing--occasionally and when it is convenient--but we lack consistency. We lambaste all the foolish stances and opinions of others. We stand on our secular soap boxes over a whole variety of topics, but we keep silent about the eternal truth which truly matters. We shut up and do nothing about the mission our God invites us into, to seek and save lost souls for Him. This has ailed the church for years. Looking deeper into our own social media diaries will provide a humbling diagnostic. Are your posts filled with love or vitriol? Kindness or contempt?  Sympathy or sarcasm? Do you offer compassionate words of unity or polarizing words of division? Are the memes and images you share going to sow discord or bring people together? Do they seek to build people up, or tear down all those that disagree with you?
 
This is the conversation I had yesterday morning with a former member and friend of mine. He is a great, insightful man with solid integrity. His concern stemmed out of seeing so many of his “church friends” act in very un-Christlike ways.  I echo those concerns—especially when so many in my feed are former or current church members.  To be sure, we’ve all been guilty of this. I’m sure if we scroll back through our history and past memories, we will find posts that would embarrass us if Jesus now stood by our side. Our feeds are far from flattering. We know full well that we have shared and sent things that our Savior would never retweet. This is true of me. I’m guilty. I’ve taken my mind off godly things to obsess over worldly things and ridicule or demonize people. Thank you, Jesus, for the patience and mercy you show to me. Thanks be to God, there is grace for every time we misstep and every time we fail to accurately represent the Jesus we follow.

But this is also a relevant time to recall the impact our witness can have—good or bad. Let us be love-bringing, walking-billboards for our God. Let us be different than the unbelievers or the non-church goers in our midst. Especially during this yearly time of election cycles, it is a helpful reminder to stand out and be better than the mud-slinger commentators around us. Let the world know you are Christians by your love, whether that be in-person or on-line!
 
“The Christians needs to walk in peace, so no matter what happens they will be able to bear witness to a watching world.” (Henry Blackaby)
“A Christian who doesn’t give good witness is a contradiction in terms.” (Adrian Rogers)
“The greatest way to witness is through the life you live. Let the radiance of your Christian life be such that it will make others ask questions about the beauty of your faith.” (Billy Graham)

The Israeli settlement of Netzarim in the heart of the Gaza Strip was a point of much conflict with militant Palestinians for several years. The conflict was so great that the settlement was evacuated in 2005. Those who lived in Netzarim did so at great personal risk because they felt it was an important part of keeping their land free. A schoolteacher, Shlomit Ziv, who lived in Netzarim in 2001 said, “I don’t live where it’s comfortable; I live where it’s important to live.”
 
These are powerful words. Consider the application to our lives as Christians when it comes to serving others and giving a bold witness to the Jesus we follow.  What would happen if Christians quit worrying about being comfortable and started doing what was important to God? What would happen if we started to see our homes and neighborhoods as important places to live for the sake of our Lord’s mission—leading lost souls to Him?  Thanks be to God we don’t live in a country where we must regularly worry about militant takedowns and fleeing our homes. That being said, the people around us, and our own lives as well, are constantly under assault by many worldly distractions and expectations.
 
It is an unfortunate truth that people are often self-centered and form habits that serve themselves, sometimes even at the cost of others. This is due to our sinful nature that convinces us that serving ourselves is what is best and will make us happiest. However, as Christians, we are called to live differently, not like the rest of the world. This past Sunday, we heard these red-letter words of Jesus, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) Instead of looking to serve ourselves, we should look to serve Jesus Christ foremost. And how do we do that? By serving others with no strings attached, by shining the gospel light of Jesus into the hurting hearts and broken lives of those around us. Jesus is the perfect example of service towards others. He came to the world and rather than be served by others, He himself served others with kindness and humility. From healing those who were sick or possessed and washing the disciple’s feet to dying a gruesome death on the cross, Jesus shows us what real love and the heart of a servant truly looks like.
 
There’s a good book Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. He makes an important distinction between true service—as shown by Jesus—and ‘self-service’.  He writes: “Self-service is about choosing who and when we will serve. (Often with much consideration to how it might be repaid or how it could benefit us later down the road.) It’s about serving to make ourselves feel better. But true service means putting yourself out, not for personal glory. In God’s eyes all people are worth serving. It means acting wherever and whenever it is needed.”  Seeing a need and getting to work; putting faith into action.  The Bible uses these kinds of phrases 58 times: “Love one another.” “Care for one another.” “Pray for one another.” “Encourage one another.” “Help one another.” “Counsel one another.” “Support one another.” And on and on the list goes. It is the mutual ministry of every believer in the family of God to every other believer in the family of God. That’s the way God meant for it to be. We are to be difference-makers. The late American evangelist, D. L. Moody wrote the following words next to Isaiah 6:8 in his Bible: “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do, and what I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do.”  This was a reflection of Isaiah’s call into ministry--“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”  May our church be filled with eager, faithful, and willing servants… here we are Lord, send us! Use us!
 
“Jesus is calling us to put ourselves last and not first. We serve because we want to be more like Jesus.” RLC
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” (M. Gandhi)

​As you likely know, if you've been reading through these posts over the past several months, I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to coach my son’s baseball team and my daughter’s softball team. While coaching baseball or softball, you are inevitably going to watch a few mishaps. This is especially true when you are coaching young children who are just learning how to play the game; but it is also true when you are watching the professionals play. Even the best of players will have an error. Even the most impressive hitters will strike out.  However, what is most important when such miscues happen is how quickly the player moves on. They can’t sit and sulk after a swing-and-a-miss. They can’t beat themselves up over a botched play. They have to move on. They must turn the page. Quickly.  They must leave the miscues in the past so they can focus on the next pitch or the next play. And they certainly cannot allow themselves to be defined by their misfortune. 
 
That truth about baseball is the truth about life: Errors are part of the rigorous truth of being human. But they do not define or distort who we are as baptized children of God. This is the heart of our Red Letter theme for the week—forgiveness. We all know that we are bound to make a mistake from time-to-time. This is the reality of sin. We all fall short of the glory of God—no matter how many seasons we’ve been in the league. Errors are part of life. No one can follow the rules perfectly. So, the question then becomes how do we respond when people – when we – commit errors? We cherish the incredible promises of scripture—that we have a God who is “faithful and just, and promises to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) God tells us that we are not defined by our sins, but by His grace. We are not defined by our failures, but by His faithfulness. We are not defined by our errors, but by His redeeming love.  No dropped shoulders or hanging heads—our posture is one of thanksgiving and praise. We can wipe off the dirt and the shame or embarrassment of our mistakes and move on—because we are loved and treasured by our God.  This is a great quote from our Red Letter reading, “THERE IS NO SIN TOO BIG THAT GOD DID NOT DIE FOR ON THE CROSS.”  What wonderful words those are!  Jesus died on the cross for ALL our sins!  Not just some.  He didn’t die for just the “little” sins.  Or, for that matter, the BIG sins.  He died for ALL of them!  Every fielding error. Every dropped flyball. Every overthrow. Every strikeout. 
 
“No matter what I do on the baseball field, no matter how hard I try to be a good player, or a good husband, or a good father… I can never do enough. I can never be perfect in this world. But God is there to tell me that it’s not what you do, it is whom you believe in, and I believe in Him who loves me.” (Mark Teixeira, former Yankee first baseman)
 
“Every time I pray, I ask for forgiveness. I’m a sinner. I sin every single day. But I do know that God loves me. I do know that God forgives me. It helps me in life because there’s nothing anyone can do to me that I can’t forgive them for.” (Mark Teixeira, former Yankee first baseman)
 
“Baseball is simply my platform to elevate Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.” (Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals)
 
“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)

The New York Football Giants are undefeated.  Granted, it is only one game. But nevertheless—after over five and half years of not being a single game over .500—my favorite football team finally has a winning record. Long-suffering Big Blue fans have to enjoy this while it lasts!
 
What I appreciated most about the news stories in the aftermath of their first win of the season, were the pictures and the videos that showed the camaraderie and unity in the locker room. As they relished in the shocking victory, they were cheering and dancing together. Players and coaches together were bouncing around with enthusiasm and exhilaration. They were excited and having fun. They were celebrating together. They won and it felt so good. After the debacle of a putrid last season, and a decade-long embarrassing swoon, this team is starting to set itself up for success. They are starting to build a winning culture. (I hope!)
 
As we enter the fall season and begin our churchwide Red Letter Challenge, my hope and prayer is that we will see everyone in our church come together likewise. That we will start dreaming big about how bright our future will be. That we will look to our coach, Jesus Himself, and embrace His mission-minded, winning culture. One of our members recently shared with me the worship numbers from when King of Kings started, when two churches (Parsippany and Boonton) merged together 65 years ago. Can you believe they were worshiping close to 275 each Sunday?  Wow!  How awesome is that!  But these “glory days” are not just behind us, they can be our future as well.  Much like any football team, you need everyone to be present and everyone to buy in. It is time to be excited about getting together.  It is time to be a church that is proud of who we are and what we believe. It is time for us to start singing and dancing in the locker room. To be a place where people are excited to come be a part of it, where we are proud to invite others to join us! 
 
“Finding good players is easy. Getting them to play together is another story.” (Casey Stengel)
“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” (Psalm 122:1)

There is a common misnomer out there, that for a church to be healthy, it has to be huge. If a church is bigger, it must be better. This pitfall is one I often struggle with as a pastor, comparing the numbers and ministries of one church to another. I do it here. I did it in the Midwest. Bigger is better. The larger the church, the better the pastor.  The more ministry "programs" they provide, the more impressive they are. Consequently, the smaller the church, the lazier and more incapable the pastor must be. Making use of this faulty logic, a small church must be an unhealthy church.  But this is not necessarily the case!  Such misguided commentary is a deceptive lie of the devil to destroy and demoralize faithful believers. The size of a church has no direct correlation to the effectiveness of a church. To be sure, a church of any size, that has no desire or plan to grow has lost sight of their mission. They've begun a decline that is inevitable, whether it is evident in the numbers or not. If a church, of any size, abandons the Word of God its days are numbered. If it slips into a self-serving or a survival mode and cares nothing about reaching people in its community, then it has become unhealthy.  Numbers do matter of course, especially when they are indicative of Kingdom growth. But just because a church does not draw thousands to weekly worship services and upon a sprawling, college-like campus, does not mean they are unhealthy.  This is especially relevant and encouraging news for our church—and for most congregations in the Northeast. 
 
The reality is that most churches in America are not mega-churches. According to a study done in 2018, the average size of an American Christian congregation was 75 people.  Four years later, and post-pandemic, I wouldn’t think that number has changed. If anything, it has probably shrunk a little.  Over 90% of churches in the US have a total membership of 350 or less. We are not alone. We are not unique. The good news is that we can be both a small church and a healthy church. More importantly, our viability and long-term health is not exclusively tied up in our roster role call. We can be healthy. We can be a mission-driven, difference-making church.  During the first next several months, our church leadership is going to wrestle with what it looks like for our church to be a healthy church. Then we are going to fine tune our mission, unique to us here at King of Kings Lutheran Church & Preschool.  What is the mission and identity of our church? What is God calling us to do and be in our community? What is our potential in Christ? Please pray for our church leadership as we begin these intentional dialogues; pray that the Holy Spirit will enlighten and inspire us. And if you have some thoughts of your own and would like to be involved in the conversation, please reach out. I’d love to get together and talk!   
 
We may be small, in comparison to the nearby Catholic or non-denominational churches around us. But thankfully that doesn’t matter. We are mighty and we'll continue to be faithful! 
 
“It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.” (Mark Twain)
“It's not the size of the dreamer, it's the size of the dream.” (Josh Ryan Evans)

During our final Wednesday evening “I Am a Church Member” conversation, we talked about two great topics. The first was the role we have to unite our own families in love and activity for the church. Yet for today, I will only focus on the second topic—the “gift” of being a church member.  Have you ever thought about that before?  Whether it be here at King of Kings or other congregations of the past, have you ever considered being a member of a local church as a GIFT—something to be treasured?  Too many times, we see participation in the church as just one more thing to do, one more organization to be a part of.  Far too many nominal believers are at content by keeping their name on a church membership role, thinking that by doing this, they do right by God and appease their conscience. They rarely show up. They seldom volunteer. Investment in the congregation is not something they have interest in or make time for. God wants more for us than that!  There is something unique and special about what takes place within the walls of a church’s sanctuary.  After all, the church is really the only place where the scriptures are extended and God’s grace is personally given.  It is the only place where the teachings and sacrificial work of Jesus predominate all other things. Throughout the Bible, we see verse after verse that speaks of the gift of salvation, the gift of Christ’s work for us, and the truth that we cannot earn salvation or peace on our own. And finally, the gift of becoming a part of the body of Christ… the church.  The message you hear from the pews within a church is not like anything else you’ll hear on TV or radio. The church is where God unequivocally and uniquely delivers these Gospel gifts to you.
 
Church membership is a gift. A gift must be treasured. It should not be taken for granted or considered lightly. Because it is a gift, we live a thankful life for it. We celebrate it. We embrace it. We use it. How?  We do this, not by sending thank you notes, but by living and engaging in the life of the congregation, and by sharing the joy of this gift with others.  As we are a week away from the official “back-to-school” start of fall, it is my hope that you will come back to church and celebrate the gift of our church together!
 
“Church participation is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man.” (Dwight L. Moody)
“A church that looks and sounds just like the world, has nothing to offer the world.” (John MacArthur)