How are you? How is your week going? These are such unprecedented and uncertain times.
However, we need to remind ourselves that these are unprecedented and uncertain times for us. It is not the case for our all-knowing and all-sovereign God.
Throughout history, the church has persevered through and grown in persecution, loss, hardship, famine, illnesses, pandemics, and death. That is all by the grace and power of God. Scripture is true when we see Jesus saying that even “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
We may not know the immediate future, but we do know the eternal future. The church will be the sanctified and perfected bride of Christ in glory. All our sorrows and tears will be wiped away. Sin, shame, guilt, and death will be no more. Christ will make everything right. This will happen in the eternal future on the Last Day.
Our immediate future may be uncertain, but our ultimate destination is absolutely certain if we are in Christ. Do we believe in Jesus as our Savior? Do we trust in Jesus as our Lord? Have we submitted our lives unto Him? Then, no matter what happens in our immediate future, our eternal future will not be shaken.
This is because Jesus lived the life we failed to live, and He died the death that was for us. By his wounds, we are healed. By his death, we have life. By his condemnation, we are declared righteous. Our place in eternity has been secured by Christ taking our place on the cross.
That is how we can have peace during this pandemic. That is why we can have comfort in the midst of sorrow. That is why we can profess such a unique hope and faith. That is why we can be holy as God is holy.
Pastor Dan beautifully preached on the topic of holiness this past Sunday. Holiness is part of the reason why we pursue the spiritual disciplines. We want to grow in our holiness, because God has made us holy through the blood of Christ.
Our lives look so different today than it did a few months ago. Some of us are busier than before. Others of us have more time than ever. Either way, God is calling us to take this opportunity and grow in Christ. Growing in Christ means that we grow in holiness.
Christianity is all about the call to salvation. But that call to salvation is a call that encompasses our whole lives. As we start this new sermon series, “Disciplines of Grace,” I pray that that it may encourage and bless you. I pray that it may challenge and humble you. I pray that we may be more like Christ as His church.
I will do another Facebook Live video tomorrow @5:30pm. Hope to see you there, or at least hope you can view it later. If not, see you on Sunday for Lord’s Day Livestream Worship!
In Christ,
Pastor Tim
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