Can you believe that another year has passed? 2021 is now ours to live. What shall we do? Our sermon title this Sunday morning (3rd) “Counting Your Blessings One by One in 2021” says a lot about where I want to focus my attention in this new year. The world has its view of blessings, but God has a different view of what it means to be blessed. There are natural blessings that we all receive from God, our Creator regardless of who we are or what we have done or what we are doing; life and death, day and night, sunshine and rain, change of seasons, gravity, opportunities, challenges, and eternity to name a few. In addition to these blessings and promises, God has also given us blessings that are reserved only for those who meet certain conditions. You can read about a few of these blessings and promises in Romans 8:28, Psalm 1, Psalm 23, Mark 16:15-16, Ephesians 6:1-4, Luke 6:38, and Galatians 6:7-10. I plan on speaking about these blessings today.
Sunday evening at 5:00 we will ask ourselves this question: “2021 – What Shall We Do?” There are six very important things we must do as we enter this new year. I hope you will come back to learn and grow.
I am so very thankful for life, good health, my family, friends, and especially my name and place in Christ’s kingdom, His church, the church of Christ specifically at Harding Street. We are the church; you, me, and all who have believed in Jesus as the Son of God, repented of our sins, confessed Him, and put Christ on in baptism. When we came up from the waters of baptism, Christ Himself added us to His church (Acts 2:27). We belong to Christ. He is the Savior, the Head and we are the saved, His body. That is the reason we call ourselves the church of Christ: the church that belongs to Christ. It is beautiful when we also look in the Bible (Romans 16:16) and find that congregations of the Lord’s church are called “churches of Christ.” We are Christians. We do not choose that name by vote or because it sounds good or because it suits us. We are Christians because God calls the followers of Jesus Christ this name. In Acts 11:26 we find that the disciples of Christ wore this name. The king used the name “Christian” when he was almost persuaded to become one (Acts 26:28). Simon Peter wrote to us about suffering in 1 Peter 4:16, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” Yes, I am so very thankful to be a Christian, a member of God’s family, the church that Jesus established, purchased, provides for, and is coming from heaven to receive to Himself (John 14:1-6). If you have not yet obeyed the gospel of Christ, consider making that decision today. I am here to help you. Questions? Just ask.
Leave a Reply