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 - February 16, 2020
The Drawing Light
Pride is a darkness. It blinds the soul to true greatness. The great hindrance to knowing God is pride. We were created to boast in God, not self. The self-righteous, self-sufficient, self-wise, and self-strong will never perceive Christ as God and Savior though they see Him and His powers. Jesus has just denounced those who were give the greatest light of His presence yet were too proud to perceive Him. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Immediately following some of the hardest judgments from Jesus, this passage shines some of the most tender and appealing words of invitation that Jesus ever uttered. He has just opposed the proud, now He gives grace to the humble. There are heights and depths here which are beyond us—glories which shine with divine warmth. It is about revelation and renewal. It is about the proud being humbled and the humble being drawn. It emphatically and wonderfully makes much of Christ. He alone is the light of the world—the light that draws with beams of gentle love.
Scripture References: Matthew 11:25-28
