Gated Communities

Good Wednesday to you,

Are you living in a "Gated Community?" Some gates are designed to keep people out. Some gates are designed to keep people in. Some are simply designed to monitor who goes in or out. As I mentioned on Sunday, the Bible talks about two "gated communities": Heaven and Hell. Jesus identifies Himself as the "Gate" by which we enter salvation. Then we are free to go in and out, being in the world, but not of the world. Jesus also declares Himself to be our Good Shepherd. Our responsibility is to recognize and hear His voice. Do we?

As followers of Jesus, we are to be His ambassadors, representatives of His kingdom, and brokers of reconciliation. We also have the responsibility to speak Truth to power, but to speak it in Love. Truth without love is crushing. Love without Truth is deceptive. Today, our culture is embracing "ideas" that would have been rejected out of hand a generation ago. Yet, to challenge this orthodoxy can mean social isolation, rejection, even the loss of employment. How did we get here?

While we need to pray for courage to speak Truth in Love, we also need to understand our times, and how we got here. To that end, I will be leading a book study using Carl Trueman’s book “"Strange New World." We will start the study on Saturday, November 12, at 3:30pm in the Parish Hall. I have ordered 15 books. If you would like "in", they are $12 each. However, do not let the cost keep you from joining this study. If you are interested in joining this study or purchasing one of these books, simply reply to this email and let me know!

We also have mid-term elections around the corner. If you would like to discuss the ballot and the candidates, especially for our local school board, please join me this coming Saturday afternoon, October 29, at 3:30m, also in the Parish Hall.

This coming Sunday we will commemorate the Reformation.

Finally, here is the link for the Steve Currey update. Thank you, Lord!

I hope to see you all soon.

Grace and peace,
Pastor David

If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!