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 - September 22, 2019
Jesus is the Touch of God
Jesus is God come to man—“God with us” (1:23). He commands creation (8:23-27), damns demons (28-34), and saves sinners (9:1-13). Sin has separated man from God, but God comes to us in Jesus to save us from what separates (1:21). Our uncleanness does not hinder Him. Though He is perfectly pure and cannot look upon sin without holy wrath (Habakkuk 1:13), He is perfectly gracious and comes to touch us in holy love, to take away our sin and reconcile us to Himself. In this message, we see how Jesus is the glory of a new dawn that touches us in the depth of our uncleanness. Matthew points us to an immediate application of the previous passage, showing that Jesus is the light that brings an end to the darkness of affliction and raises the radiance of resurrection life. Jesus’ touch is the touch of God and is wonderfully demonstrated in this passage.
Scripture References: Matthew 9:18-26
