Worship Preview, Sunday Oct 10,2010

Dear Saints,

It’s important to know the purpose of a thing. Try to hammer a nail with an alarm clock and it won’t work very well. Try to paint a portrait with a hammer and you’ll soon discover that their purpose is very different. As human beings we learn from the Westminster Catechism that the primary purpose of humankind is to “glorify God and enjoy him forever.”

It’s important to know the purpose of clocks, hammers and especially our own lives. But what about the Church? What exactly is the Church here for? We know we are Christ’s body on earth, but how are we to live that out? Our denomination has identified six primary purposes that it calls “The Six Great Ends of the Church.”   Over the next six weeks we will be taking a closer look at each of these purposes one at a time. This Sunday’s “Great End” will be “The Proclamation of the Gospel for the Salvation of Humankind.”

In preparation for worship this Sunday, please read Matthew 8:26-39. Spend some time reflecting on the following questions.

·         How is your life different because Christ has intervened on your behalf?

·         How is that difference manifest in your life? How does it “show”?

·         Are there people in your life right now who need to see that difference and hear your story?

We will also be dedicating six beautiful new banners on Sunday, which were hand made by Grace Morgan and Bevis Richardson. Each of these banners depicts one of the Great Ends of the Church. Please be sure to join us for this special occasion.

The apostle Paul once said asked for the prayers of the Ephesian church saying, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador” (Ephesians 6:19). As we focus this Sunday on the Proclamation of the Gospel, let that be our our prayer for one another.


-- Bryan