Called to Reconcile

Hope-Full Living

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Called to Reconcile

September 14, 2024 • Dan Kohn • 2 Corinthians 5:19, Romans 3:23–24, Romans 6:23

Give

God’s love for us calls for a response. God’s great gift of forgiveness anticipates action on our part.

The apostle Paul makes a case for this in his second letter to the Corinthians. His theme is reconciliation. Paul begins by outlining God’s love action on our behalf. “... God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (v.18-19). The apostle then lays out our mission — “Therefore,

we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (v.20a).

Our lives are to reflect Christ. We, like Christ, are to do our part to restore the love relationship through

reconciliation.

The God We Know

November 8, 2024 • Katherine Klemp • Luke 8:24–25, Luke 8:22–25, Psalm 23

A valid question. The disciples knew Jesus well. They had listened as he opened scripture to them. They had seen him heal great numbers of people. They stood witness as he cast out demons. He raised a widow’s son from the dead. What part of his limitless and loving care for people didn’t they get? Whenever you’re faced with new fears and challenges, look back. How many years have you walked with Jesus? How many blessings has he bestowed on your life? When has he let you down? This simple review will show his obvious presence and care over the years and upholds our faith in the One who always loves and cares.

To Remember or Forget

November 7, 2024 • Ken Holdorf • Job 17:11, 1 Peter 2:10, Ephesians 2:1–10

No doubt there are times in your past that you would like to forget. But what does God want you to remember about the past? Job had a lot of things in his past that he wanted to forget. God wanted Job to remember these words recorded in Job 19:25, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.” God wants you to remember what he did in the past — that he sent Jesus to be your Redeemer through his death on the cross as the sacrifice for your sin, and to remember that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day to give you the assurance of life everlasting. That’s the good news of the past that is still the good news of the present.

My Church ...

November 6, 2024 • Jerry Groth • Ephesians 2:20, Ephesians 4:1–5, Hebrews 10:19–25

When I was a seminary student, we were assigned to a local congregation where we did what was called “field work.” Often, as the pastor preached, he would look off into the distance, and say the words, “My church, my church, my dear old church, my Father’s and my own! On prophets and apostles built. And Christ our cornerstone. All else beside, by storm or tide, may yet be overthrown. But not my church, my dear old church, my Fathers’ and my own” (American Lutheran Hymnal). If you are a member of a church, give whatever you can give to the work and life of your congregation. Regularly hear the preached Word. Talk honestly. Be merciful. Worship faithfully. We spend precious few days on earth. Make them people-centered, not me-centered.