Firstly, we looked at God. What we think of Him doesn’t change Him, but it has a huge effect on how we relate to Him. My emphasis in that first sermon was that God can be trusted in every situation, and for everything.
Then we looked at ourselves, made in the image of God. God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In that image we are a family of missionary servants (Father→family; Son→servant; Holy Spirit→sends us out).
Now we are looking at Churches of Christ and some of our heritage and distinctives. We started out as the Restoration Movement, calling on all churches to unite under the authority of the New Testament.
So I ask again: How do we see ourselves? In prayer this week, Jill received a picture of this church as an army, a mighty army, like the one we used to sing about:
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe.
Forward into battle, see his banners go!
Like a mighty army moves the Church of God.
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.
God's got an army marching thru this land,
Deliverance is their song and healing in their hand,
With everlasting joy and gladness in their hearts,
And in this army, I have a part.
Maybe not many of us march in the infantry with a 25 kg backpack these days, but there are many other crucial roles in the army. If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, then be assured He has a role for you in His body, in His Church. We can all be prayer warriors. We are all called to be witnesses. We are His disciples – learning, growing, being sent out as His representatives. We can all love and support those around us – or maybe that one person God has given us to care for. Wherever we go, we are called to make more disciples and to pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done.
Do you see yourself as God sees you? Let us arise together with our armour on, and move as the mighty army God says we are!
Pastor Lyall Muller