Closer
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Today is special. Today we celebrate communion. We begin again with a fresh understanding of God’s grace. With the week in between Christmas and the new year, I am hopeful we have had some time of peace. That we have had some time of rest, and we have new joy in our lives.
And that is an incredible thing. A time to slow down and just enjoy some things.
Each year as we come to this first Sunday, I come back to Philippians 3:12-15
12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,
14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
15 Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you.
And the word that I believe the Lord has for us as a church this year, is Closer.
Jesus, is closer, and we want to be closer to him.
Our walk with Jesus is relational. And that relationship can fluxuate. But it only fluxuates on our end.
Jesus is the same. His love for us does not change. He is steadfast and secure. His mercy for us is new, daily. And as we consider that - as believers - we want to be closer to him.
We have a lot of babies here, and one of the most wonderful things we can experience on this side of heaven, is baby snuggles. babies have a tendency to just snuggle in, and be as close as they can be. And then, try to be closer. That is a wonderful picture of the way that our relationship with Jesus aught to be. Constantly working to be closer.
Closer means to draw near - to become intimate - to tighten your vacinity. Which is a funny way to say that.
Jesus is closer.
12 “Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work.
With every Passing hour, day, week, year, we are closer than ever to the return of our Lord. The time when the bible describes that He will call His people up.
If we look at the world around us, we can see that. Things that were written about 2 thousand years ago, suddenly seem not only possible, but likely to unfold.
Jesus is closer.
By just the nature of the passing of time he is closer.
By the evidence of what was prophesied, he is closer.
Throughout the year people will come to me and say “did you see this??” prophecy coming true. “Did you see this” and its miracles or judgement happening in real time in our world around.
We should work to be closer to Him.
7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer.
8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.
9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining.
10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.
11 If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
First thing we have to know - is that what causes sepereration between us and the Lord is first foremost and only - sin in our lives.
Mourne that - hate that - repent from that.
Ask for forgiveness. And move on.
As the church
Glorify God
Equip the Saints
Share the Gospel
We derived our mission as a church from passages of scripture like this one. We prioritize here that God is Glorified, first.
We do that through excellence in corporate worship, as much as we can.
We do that by filtering everything that we do through this thought process - does this Glorify God?
We aren’t spending money to spend money, we aren’t doing things that waste time or energy. We know we exist to Glorify our God.
And Jesus is closer.
And we want to be closer to him.
So we Glorify Him.
We make his name great. We give him glory. We sing of all he has done.
And we continue in that.
We equip the Saints - The structure of our preaching ministry, our youth and children's ministry, and our adult bible studies are set to a point that they cover entire books of the bible before moving on, covering every aspect of christian living in an in depth way.
28 We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
And we share the gospel.
We look at the way that Jesus shared the gospel, the way that he expressed himself and the father, and we imitate that. Through the development of relationships with individuals - more than broadcasting seeds - we plant them very intentionally.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
As individuals:
Prayer / Personal Discipleship
one of the most important things you can do - it seems overly simple, but one of the most important things we can do to grow closer to the lord, is just more time with him.
Time in prayer.
2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.
Time in worship.
Time in bible study.
Our walk with Jesus is relational. If we want to be closer to him, we have to spend time with him.
This next season - 21 days of prayer and fasting - is a jump start for that.
Loving one another - love covers a multitude of sins.
A wonderful thing about our relationship with Jesus - is that it doesn’t really matter where you are right now. You can get closer.
We are starting our year here - in church - surrounded by wonderful, sinful, Jesus people. Going forward with this same desire, to be closer to Jesus than we have been.
We are going into Communion. If you aren’t where you want to be, this time is for you.
If you think you are doing pretty good - you can get closer.
Communion:
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord.
28 Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup.
29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.