We are a forgetful people in a land of distractions. Our minds are easily captivated by trivial and temporary inducements. New things quickly become old. In our mind’s eye even glory tends to fade and warnings tend to wane. It is no wonder that we who are invisibly united to Christ and visibly in and not of this world live in constant need of renewal. And what is true for the Christian is true for the church. This is a series that seeks to renew the mind of the church. Not so much by reviewing what she is called to do as much as what she is called. As with the Christian so with church, her God-given identity defines her. We who are the church are a people for God and none other.
Before we return to the book of Romans, we will be looking at the what scripture says about the Church, in its nature, how she expresses herself in song, and how the church cares and equips for its members.
The messages from this series can be found here:
Manny Pereira - November 1, 2020
Like the Son in Forgiving
In the likeness of Christ, greatness is answered by humility (18:1-5), temptation by holiness (18:6-9), straying by shepherding (18:10-14), and breaching by peacemaking (18:15-20). But true peacemaking depends on a remedy for sin that separates. Though they do not yet understand it, Christ has come as that remedy. Jesus is training His lead representatives, and forgiveness is His final theme in this series of ethics for His embassy. Forgiveness is said to be the virtue we profess to believe, fail to practice, and neglect to explain. Forgiveness is an overloaded, undervalued, and largely misunderstood Christ-only grace. Simply stated, it is only possible in Christ. Forgiveness is fundamentally Christian. It is not merely done better or made easier with Christ; it cannot exist apart from Christ. Here, the richness of His mercy is put on display as He illustrates with a shocking parable. It is a call for us to be like the Son in forgiving.
Scripture References: Matthew 18:21-35
