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We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister (1 John 4:19-21). Love is God's instrument for binding the world together. There are other attempts to accomplish this task. Some will try hate to unite people. Some will use fear. Both will work for a season or two. So will suffering and need. But love has enduring power. Sooner or later hate becomes self-destructive. And the causes of fear, suffering, and need eventually resolve themselves or fragment into self-interest. But love never ends. The ranch lands in Australia are so arid that it takes many acres to supply each cow with enough food to survive. In that far flung environment, fences are impractical. So how does the rancher keep track of the cows? The answer is water wells. As long as fresh water keeps rising from the wells, they do not worry about where the cows are. Sooner or later, they'll come back to the well because the well gives life. In this little letter, John returns repeatedly to the subject of God's love to us and our response to love as we have been loved. This love wells up from God's inexhaustible core. Sometimes we reduce God to the character of a ranch hand whose main interest is setting and maintaining fences that determine who's right and who's wrong, good and bad, in or out. But in John's letter, God's activities are not fence-tending. Rather, John shows us how God's love draws us together. God's love is the agent that gives us life, pays for our rebellion, intimately abides within us, perfects us, stirs up a spirit of boldness within us, releases us from fear, and sends us out as missionaries of love. The more we love as God loves, the more tightly we are bound to each other. Binding agents hold things together: eggs in cooking, cement and rebar in concrete, wax in paint, straw in clay bricks, and many binding agents in pills. But the greatest of these is love. Love is God's supreme binding agent. Love in any quantity counts. Even if we can't love a lot, at least love a little, and little by little God will free us from fear and hatred and even death. When fear and hatred rise in our hearts, we should turn to God asking to be set free. When selfishness impedes our capacity to love, we need to recall God's love for us. Daily, we must drink deeply from the well of God's love. As Jesus said, "Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34). So, as you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it! The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you! (1 Thessalonians 5:23,24,28 The Message).

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is 2 Samuel 9. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube.  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca Dive In 2 Samuel 8:15 give us two words that describe how David reigns. What are they? What does David do now that he is secure as king? One of the large questions being asked in the books of Samuel is: Who can ________ as ___________ of Israel? Jonathan's son is introduced as ______________, ____________ from __________. David is demonstrating the ______________ kindness. David shows us some of the colours of God's kindness. He calls Mephibosheth by ___________. Then he says, "Do not be ___________." Then he makes two promises: What are some of the English words used to translate "HESED": How does HESED use power? Name some of the ways that this story illustrates God's relationship (covenant) with us.

I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law (Romans 7:7). Someone once said, "The trouble is that we do not know the trouble that we are in. Therefore, the solutions do not work." When we have trouble with our car we take it to the mechanic, we tell her what the symptoms are, and we expect her to tell us what the problem is and how to fix it; she's the expert. The same process happens when we go to our doctor. We describe the symptoms and the doctor checks us out. Hopefully, he makes a diagnosis and offers a course of treatment that will restore our health. If the diagnosis and prescription are correct things look good for our car and for ourselves. But if the wrong assessment is made, the trouble multiplies. In the early 1900s, there was hope that humanity would overcome disease and war and poverty. We have learned to heal some diseases but are far less capable in reducing war and poverty. Many fear we are in deep trouble. But what is the problem? Prescribing a cure before the illness has been diagnosed is the height of foolishness. Yet this is what we humans often do. But who can make a diagnosis? How do we know what is wrong with us? Or, as the Heidelberg Catechism asks, "How do we come to know our misery?" Oh, we can describe our misery. Writers and filmmakers frequently and eloquently depict our misery. The daily news and real-life TV shows give us haunting stories of human bondage.  But we, of ourselves, cannot find the source of our misery. The Catechism says simply, "the law of God tells me." We do not realize our problem comes from hearts rebellious towards God. Unless the Holy Spirit convicts us of our waywardness, we will keep looking for our own solutions and keep failing. Why? Mostly because, sin almost always tastes and feels great in the moment. But it later settles and poisons us. We all know this: food, alcohol and sex are all enjoyed by many. But in the wrong places and in the wrong amounts then begin to control us and destroy us. God puts it this way, "But am I the one they are provoking? Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame?" (Jeremiah 7:19). Sin is certainly against God. It is often against others. And even against creation. But, very often, sin is best understood as us doing self-harm, undermining our own flourishing, and doing great damage to the image that God has given to us. Above all, sin is self-subversion. It takes create humility to admit our failure. Only when the law of God is accepted do we come to understand our problem. It shows us how much help we need. And when we begin to look for help, we discover that the law giver is right here, ready to help. The law induces guilt, true. But then it urges us on to Jesus, who is the solution to the human problem. As you journey on, receive Jesus' invitation: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander (1 Peter 3:15-16). Peter tells us to be prepared, suggesting we ought to expect having spiritual conversations with people who interact with us. These happen because people observe how we live, not so much because we initiate them. Last Monday, I began to reflect on "getting prepared" for such conversations. The key is in the opening sentence, "in your hearts revere Christ as Lord." I mentioned two ways to prepare: prayer and knowing that we belong to God's kingdom and deliberately, under the power of the Holy Spirit, aligning our lives with the values of this kingdom as we abandon the values of the world. This leads to a third way we can prepare: listening and hearing. Many people around us do not feel heard. Deep problems arise when people do not feel as though anyone is listening to them. It has stirred up anger in many which some politicians are rather adroit at manipulating. Many of us love listening to ourselves talk, enamored as we are by our own ideas. We often approach people as if we know the answer to their problem. However, not having listened we do not even know what the issue is. We all do well to learn the art of "active listening". This is the practice of giving our full attention to someone talking. Only after we are sure that we know what they have said do we formulate a response. Many of us only hear half of what is told us because we begin to compose a response before the speaker has finished. Listening well, honours people as image bearers of God. Everyone is worthy of being paid attention to. Along with listening, we 'don't need to fix the problem.' When people come to us with a difficulty our default is to find a solution. The Bible does not demand that we have all the answers or remedy every problem. Having no answer does not mean that we have failed. Often, we miss opportunities to love our neighbours because we are fixated on fixing and solving. There is much to be said about walking along someone in their distress when that is all we can do. Admitting our limitations is truthful, but it also puts us on equal footing with our neighbour. We help each other simply by holding each other up under the strain of life. Many people really do walk alone in our society. Find out how many in your neighbourhood live along. Having someone to lean on can be very significant and attractive. It can open doors to good conversations, especially if we allow time for God to do his work.   As you journey on, go with his blessing: Wherever God takes you today, may He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you may live carefully—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Psalm 91. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube.  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca Dive In! The first Sunday of November is: What 4 titles for God are used in the opening verses of this Psalm: Where is this Psalm quoted in the New Testament: What question is this Psalm answering? Romans 8:37-39 also speaks of dangers. What can these dangers not do? On what occasion does the Eastern Church use this Psalm? Why did the early Christians pray this Psalm at noon? Why did Jesus respond to the devil with Deuteronomy 6? How does Psalm 91 shape your faith in God?

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-9). As the story goes, Walt Disney went to an amusement park he didn't like. It was a mess - litter all over the ground, dirty bathrooms. Disgusting. He made up his mind that when he built his park, it would never be a mess. I'm told that is what he got, never having been there myself. There is a simple strategy that makes Disney parks clean places. Take care of a mess right away. They stay clean because they just won't let a mess get started. This plan is a good one for keeping a life clean - don't let a mess get started. When we mess up, clean it up fast. All of us have things we wish we hadn't done or things we wish we had done. We've got things that make us feel dirty, ashamed, guilty, or unworthy. It's the stuff God calls sin. Too often when we mess up, we give up, so we just keep giving in to more mistakes; and the darkness grows. The garbage starts piling up. But God has given us the recovery plan in clear, simple terms. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Heartfelt confession. That's the way to keep mess from accumulating. When we've sinned, we should not run from God. Run to him. Confess it to Him. Confession is more than just feeling guilty or even feeling sorry for what you did. It's agreeing with God about it. We see it for how ugly and wrong it is. It's seeing the agony of the Son of God, dying for our sin. Confession is followed by forgiveness and cleansing. A spiritual shower washing away the dirt. As the Bible says, "His compassions never fail. They are new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23-24). Imagine a clean start each new day. We don't need to carry yesterday's garbage into today. And the beauty of the thing is that we don't do the garbage removal. God does. We don't have to clean our mess; Jesus does it for us. Our text is followed by these words, "If anyone does sin, we have One who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins." Confession means looking to the cross of Jesus, he carries our sin, he crucified it to the cross. It has no more control over us. He carries the guilt and the shame of things we've done, so that we are clean. We can stand up tall. We can dance. We can delight in the grace of God. "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). So, as you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it! The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you! (1 Thessalonians 5:23,24,28 The Message).

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord (Ephesians 5:8-10). The Heidelberg Catechism is concerned with comfort. The sort of comfort that reaches deep into our hearts offering us the peace of God which guards are hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7). Having introduced this comfort, the Catechism then asks, "What must we know to live and die in the joy of this comfort?" (Q 2). The authors then offer a three-part answer. These three serve as the table of contents for the catechism: the depths of our sin, the even deeper depth of God's grace and our joyful response of thanksgiving to him. Each can be found in our text. This is not the knowledge of how to become a Christian. Rather, it's about how to fully benefit from the blessings of God through Christ. It might be helpful to use an analogy. Many of us can enjoy watching a sporting team win the trophy. We can be impressed with the skill of the athletes and marvel at the chemistry between the players. There is a very different sort of joy that belongs to the players who win the trophy. They have spent months, even years honing their skills and working through tensions between each other to build a winning team. Theirs is the joy of hard work having paid the greatest dividends. God's grace to us in Christ is free. There is nothing we can do to earn it. But to enjoy that grace fully does take effort. We need to take hold of that grace and study it like a jeweler studies a diamond, like a musician studies a new piece of music and learns to play it, like a teacher studies their students to determine how best to educate them. This is not the knowledge that can be accumulated by books alone. Books can be helpful and the Book of God is essential. This is the knowledge that the Spirit of God gives as we walk in step with him. It is the knowledge that comes through both the head and the heart, it includes both thinking and feeling. Only experience can gain us this kind of knowledge. Both the Biblical testimony and Christian history reveal that it often comes as we wrestle with God through the hardships of life. These are not three steps to personal fulfillment nor three destinations on a journey. In this life, we never leave one behind. Our knowledge of sin, salvation and service grow fuller as we walk along. This is not bad news. It is good news. Our increased knowledge of our sinfulness should not lead self-depreciating thoughts, rather to a deeper wonder of the riches of God's grace and an increasing desire to live for God's glory. So, join me, as we explore the fullness of the Christian comfort offered us in Christ. As you journey on, receive Jesus' invitation: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander (1 Peter 3:15-16). Peter tells us to be prepared. This suggests that we ought to expect to have spiritual conversations with people who interact with us. These happen because people observe how we live, not so much because we initiate them. Today and next Monday, I want to reflect with you on 'being prepared". How do we prepare ourselves for these kinds of conversations? The key, really, is in the opening sentence, "in your hearts revere Christ as Lord." Such reverence will naturally lead us to prayer. This must be near the top of the list in getting prepared. In this context, there are at least two things that we would pray for. We will ask Jesus to help us live lives that reflect his Lordship. If he is our Lord, we want to honour him in all that we do, as Paul writes, 'whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God' (1 Corinthians 10:31). We would also ask the Holy Spirit to lead the way. If we are not the main initiators of spiritual conversations, then the Spirit must nudge people around us to ask questions. This is good news for all of us who tend towards shyness or hesitancy of self-disclosure. When such conversations happen, we can engage with the confidence that God himself is at work. Further, we may recall that the outcome or fruitfulness is not up to us. God is the harvester; we are workers in his field. A second way of being prepared is to meditate on our citizenship. Christians are citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Here too, there are two things worth mentioning. On the one hand, the resurrection of Jesus brought the kingdom of God into this present world. Not fully, of course, but through the Holy Spirit, we are already brought into this kingdom which will be the only kingdom that remains when Jesus returns. On the other hand, if we believe that this is true, that the kingdom of Jesus will survive all the kingdoms of this world, then we will desire to shape our lives according to this kingdom. Who wants to be aligned with a kingdom that is disintegrating? We want to know the ways of this new kingdom. How do citizens of Jesus' kingdom behave? What do they believe? What are their motivations? What do they desire? By the power of the Holy Spirit we change, behaving like Jesus and desiring the things that motivate him. Being prepared does not begin when we interact with others. It begins with our hearts, in our hearts. It starts by revering Christ as Lord and desiring to do everything we do for his glory As you journey on, go with his blessing: Wherever God takes you today, may He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you may live carefully—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is 2 Samuel 8. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube.  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca How do you read the Bible? Do you ever read large sections? Do you wonder how different parts of the Bible fit together? David's story is split into two sections: a.    1 Samuel 16 – 2 Samuel 5 deal with David's _____________. b.    2 Samul 9-1 Kings 2 deal with David's ______________. c.    What three stories are stuck in between?  3.    The first part of the ointment is captured with the phrase: "The _____________ gave David _____________ ______________ he went (8:6,14). 4.  David's victories show us that God ______________ his _____________. 5.  The second part of the ointment is captured in the phrase, "King David __________ these articles to the ___________" (8:11). 6.  The fly is the ointment is in the phrase "And David become ___________" (8:13). 7.   What does this chapter not promise? 8.  What does it promise? 9.  What does Matthew 5:38-45 teach us about the Christian life?

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7). Less than a minute! What can you do in less then a minute? How many hotdogs could you eat? It takes less then 60 seconds for your blood to pump through your body. As it travels, it delivers oxygen and nutrients to all your cells and carries away the impurities.  Mind-blowing! That's what it takes to keep us going. We need that oxygen delivered regularly. And we need to have the garbage in our cells taken out regularly, and our blood gets it done. In the amazing ways of the God who made us, it's the blood that cleanses our body from the garbage that could kill us. And it is blood that is our only hope of cleansing us of the spiritual poison that could cost us our life. My blood can't clean my soul. It takes blood that has never been poisoned by human sin. It takes the blood of Jesus Christ. Our text makes it absolutely clear what it takes to get rid of the guilt and the penalty of the sin that keeps us separated from God. "The blood of Jesus, God's Son, purifies us from all sin." That blood of Jesus Christ shed on that horrific cross has the power - the only power - to remove your sin - to remove my sin. As surely as our blood removes impurities from our bodies, so the blood of Jesus removes the impurities of our sin. From the first sin in the Garden of Eden to the lie you told, God says, "You will surely die" (Genesis 2:17). The devil's lie goes like this: "You will not surely die" (Genesis 3:4). He's been trying to get us to believe that lie ever since. He wants us to think we can escape the death penalty God invoked. But "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22). But in His love, God set in motion how the death penalty we deserve would be paid without our death. Someone with no sin of His own would die in our stead. The only one someone who meets that qualification is the Son of God. He came "to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Hebrews 9:26). Why would we risk one more day carrying the guilt of our sin and its awful death penalty? Why, when Jesus carried it for us on the cross so we would never have to carry it again! Forgiveness and freedom are here for the asking. Ask and then thank God for his indescribable gift! So, as you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it! The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you! (1 Thessalonians 5:23,24,28 The Message).

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you (Romans 8:11). We have been exploring the comfort Christians have because of the salvation God gives us in and through Jesus Christ. The Heidelberg Catechism ends its first answer about this comfort with this declaration, "Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him" (Answer #1). It echoes our text. This is extraordinary! The same Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead dwells in everyone who belongs to Christ. Let us pay attention to a few things. First, the power of God is at work in us. The resurrection of Jesus was no small miracle. God overcame the power of sin and death and raised his Son to new life. The power that raised Jesus from death to life is the Spirit of God, whom we often name the Holy Spirit. This same Spirit now lives in believers. We may feel weak, discouraged, or even spiritually lifeless at times, but our hope does not rest on the strength of our faith. It rests on the mighty power of God, who has made his home in us through the Holy Spirit. Amazing! Second, the Spirit is already giving us new life. Romans 8 responds to our struggle against sin as Paul personalized it in the previous chapter. The Christian life is not a matter of trying harder in our own strength. The Holy Spirit is at work within us, renewing our hearts, helping us put sin to death, and shaping us into the likeness of Christ. We will not be perfect in this life, but we are not left to fight our battles alone. God himself is at work in us. Amazing! Third, Paul speaks of giving life to our mortal bodies. Our bodies remain subject to weakness, sickness, aging, and death. Yet death will not have the final word. The God who raised Jesus will also raise those who belong to him. Our hope is not simply that our souls will survive death. It is that God will redeem us completely, body and soul, in the resurrection. What a wonderful comfort this is! The Spirit who dwells in us today is the guarantee of the life God will give us tomorrow. And he is the same Spirit working to make us willing and ready to live for Jesus today. The Holy Spirit provides peace and comfort by reminding us that we no longer stand under the power of Satan but belong to Christ, who freed us with the incalculably high cost of his blood. His Spirit now moves us to genuine, ordinary Christian faith and life. So, whether we face the struggle against sin, the burdens of daily life, or the prospect of death itself, we can live in hope. Our future is secure because the Spirit of the risen Christ lives in us. Let us therefore walk by the Spirit, trusting not in our own strength, but in the God who raises the dead. As you journey on, receive Jesus' invitation: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander (1 Peter 3:15-16). There are two stereotypical Christians in the workplace. There are those who rarely, if ever, give evidence of their faith. When attending their funeral, some co-workers will observe, "I didn't know she went to church." The other sort of Christian rarely talks about anything except his faith. Each Monday, he regals his co-workers with a blow-by-blow account of Sunday's magnificent worship service and spectacular sermon. He regularly speaks about the 'word from God' he received that morning on his drive into work. Co-workers avoid him whenever possible because they feel harassed by the constant evangelism. Thankfully, most of us fall somewhere between these two extremes. But what does the Bible say about the expression of our faith in the workplace? Our text for today is a good place to begin. It addresses both extremes. The first thing to note is that Peter encourages us to be prepared. We ought to expect to have spiritual conversations with others. These are to be rooted in hope. The hope that we have in Christ gives us joy and enables us to act out of love rather than fear. In a culture with very little hope, this attitude will attract curiosity. People will ask us about these things. Secondly, Peter tells us that our spiritual conversations need to have gentleness and respect. There is no room for brash badgering. Respecting people means that if they don't want to hear about our Sunday church experience, we ought to be silent. The old word, 'winsome,' comes to mind. It means charming, attractive, or pleasing in a simple, innocent, and delightful way. When people start avoiding us because of our spiritual talk, we are missing part of the gospel. Peter ends by suggesting that handling spiritual conversations well can change people's attitudes about us and about Christianity. We are not responsible for their response, but we can be careful not to give offense. When at work, some Christians appear more interested in evangelizing than in offering their best effort. This is not good. Doing an honest day's work cheerfully is a great way to create the curiosity that can lead to spiritual conversations. Some of us avoid spiritual conversations at all costs while others see their co-workers as projects to convert. Each person is as an image bearer of God in whom the Holy Spirit will awaken faith at the right time. Trust him! And who knows, he might just use you. As you journey on, go with his blessing: Wherever God takes you today, may He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you may live carefully—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). Out of baseball's history comes this story: the game was tied with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The batter stepped into the batting box and made the sign of the cross on home plate with his bat. Yogi Berra was behind the plate; he wiped it off with his glove and said to the pious batter, "Why don't we let God just watch this game?" Many Christians live according to this theology: God just watches us. Many envision God with a frown because we do not measure up. But Paul ends his letters with a blessing, not a wish. He writes these from a deep belief in God's faithfulness. Thus, he concludes, "The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this." This theme of God's faithfulness runs through the Bible. We see it clearly in Joshua 1. Moses is dead, the desert lies behind God's people, and the strong walls of Jericho stand before them. Naturally, Israel is in crisis. Joshua is to lead. But he is so young. So inexperienced. If only Moses was still alive. But God says, "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you…Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (1:7-9). Moses is dead; but God's promises are not. There's no loss of momentum because it was never about the faithfulness of Moses nor the nation. It was always about the faithfulness of God and his promises to his people. Israel's story is primarily about God's purposes and his promises. First Thessalonians is primarily about the gospel and the church. The church proclaims the gospel, and the gospel forms the church. But as we know, the world, the devil and our own flesh are arrayed against us. Often, we flounder more than we flourish. Our enemies are strong. But our God is stronger. And he is faithful. He will build his church. He died for us, infused us with his Holy Spirit and grafted us into himself. He will sanctify us through and through. He will keep us in good working order, set apart for his service. Thank God that our sanctification is not dependent on our feeble efforts but on his strong faithful work. When God calls, he always provides. We can rely on his steadfast love, which never fails. God does not sit in heaven watching and wandering if we will make it. He is actively at work in our lives, making us holy for his own glory. So, as you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it! The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you! (1 Thessalonians 5:23,24,28 The Message).

And do everything you can to live a quiet life. You should mind your own business. And work with your hands, just as we told you to. Then unbelievers will have respect for your everyday life. And you won't have to depend on anyone (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). Christian charity always includes practical stuff like providing meals and offering transportation. Paul recognizes that this practice could be taken advantage of—some deciding to live off the largess of others. Folks among the lower social classes might take up residence on the estate of a wealthy Christian, expecting the well healed to provide for their wellbeing. That is one issue Paul addresses here. There is also another. Since Christians expected Jesus to return real soon, some had decided to abandon the normal pursuits of life, such as paid employment, and were camped on a hillside. With their noses turned up to the sky, they spent the day singing Kumbaya and Swing Low Sweet Chariot. They were creating a bit of a disturbance in the neighbourhood, expecting to be supplied with provisions and suggesting other Christians didn't have enough faith. As we might imagine, those who followed other gods, thought these Jesus followers had lost touch with reality. As a result, Christ's name was being discredited. Whether one was camped on the hillside or illegally on some estate, without the normal pursuits of life these folks had too much time on their hands. As a result, they had begun to gossip and contribute their opinions into situations to which they had not been invited. Paul recognizes that if the rule of love is to be effective, the rule of work must also be practiced. Christians must learn to live peaceably, not creating social disturbances. They must mind their own business not prying into what other people are doing under the guise of 'family' interest. And they ought to have paid employment or do something that will benefit society. Outsiders, looking at a movement that claims Jesus is Lord of the world, will be interested to see what effect this claim has on behaviour. Healthy financial behaviour is one telling indicator of the fitness and integrity of a community. Of course, within the fellowship, those in need should be provided for. Recipients should make themselves useful in other ways. These are not side issues, away from the real theological heart of the Christian gospel. If God has created a family in Christ, and if that family is based on and characterized by nothing less than self-giving love, these things are vital. Happy the church that discovers what love in practice looks and feels like. Equally blessed is the Christian community that contributes to the wellbeing of the society in which they live. So that our daily living may win the respect of outsiders and that we will not be unnecessarily dependent on anybody (4:12). As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it! The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you! (1 Thessalonians 5:23,24,28 The Message)

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Psalm 92. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube.  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca DIVE IN How do you begin your day? What does God's love refer to? How do you end your day? What does God's faithfulness refer to? Who are the foolish ones? Who are the righteous ones? Thanksgiving is an act of _____________ in an _______________ story.