Communion This Sunday
As we gather this Sunday, we will hold the Lord’s Supper. Let us open our hearts to revere and rejoice over the name of Jesus, who pays for our sin! Where we wrestle with sin, let us refasten our grip upon our Victor – Jesus – who saves sinners! We come to repent and to rejoice.
Billy Holbrook and our team will be facilitating corporate worship. Julie Jordan will share a devotion centered upon Communion. I will be then host us throughout our partaking of Communion.
Agape Feast Following Our Service
Following our service, we will hold our Agape Feast. Compelled from our love for the Lord, this meal allows us to impart our love to another. The Jordan family has so generously committed to orchestrating this feast. This means we are all going to eat real good! Jordan Family, thank you for your extreme hospitality in providing this feast.
Throughout the Month of November
Looking a little further down the road, we did not complete our Shepherding Session Agenda last Sunday. I will be picking that agenda back up later this month. Also, we will begin working through the book Jude as a church. We will cover this book of the Bible in just a few short weeks. Please go ahead and begin to read this short but impactful piece of Scripture.
our biblical role in this election
“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor” (1st Peter 2:13-17).
Our nation is a human institution. Flawed and marked by her own sins, America is a republic that forges citizens into a democratic society empowered to select its leaders. Highland, this precedent of deciding our own leaders is precious and is to be handled with dignity and respect.
Looking at Peter’s first directive here, those who love the Lord are commanded to adhere to every human institution. How are we to do so? By being good citizens. Knowing that our chief identity is that we are citizens of a holy nation (which Peter addresses earlier in his letter) informs us as to how we conduct ourselves, as men and women who are holy.
The outwork of holiness then leads us to engaging proper responsibilities that good citizens are to maintain. When there is an election, that means we are to vote! Perhaps, therein lies our issue. Considering our current candidates and our current political-theater, how do we make a wise choice?
Let’s realize that we are voting, adhering to the voting process for the Lord’s sake, not for the sake of any political candidate. Now, realizing that we have people who are on the ballot and will certainly occupy the elected office for which we’re voting, we must do our best to become an informed voter.
First, Peter tells us that by being members of the “holy nation” established in the name of King Jesus, that, through our holy conduct, we exercise our duty as citizens. Here’s what’s special about America – that our goodwill as citizens includes our right to vote for our own leaders; thereby “silencing the ignorance of foolish people.”
In this day and age, the saturation of information is excessive, so it’s hard to know exactly which source from which to gain information. Furthermore, due to sinful and power-hungry agendas, news sources are often pushing their own political views, which means the balanced and unbiased source of information is not able to be located.
Highland, I ask all of us to look beyond and beneath the candidates before us. I ask us to step away from social media platforms and news sources. Let’s do our part and vote, allowing the Holy Spirit to direct our hearts, navigated by His Word.
Peter tells us exactly how to navigate the current political theater we’re facing, including how to form an opinion according to the holy nature of our Lord. He says, as those who know freedom in Christ, let us not entangle nor enslave ourselves to human-institutions, like the news-institutions or political institutions. Rather, as participants in human affairs, serve the Lord, who is the maker of heaven and earth.
Peter then tells us exactly what’s taking place in our political arena. Peter instructs us not to use our freedom in Christ as a cover up for evil – meaning that we should not live a double life; that we are to avoid twisting truths. The abuse of the American freedoms we are afforded are so warped through the evil-one manifesting within those who do not know the Lord, Highland. They will put Christian words in their rhetoric. They will use Bible verses to persuade people to vote for them.
The challenge for us is to be able to hold to Biblical truths, not simply be duped by someone advertising Christian views. So, with all of this political mayhem, how do Believers maintain a Biblical Framework housing Biblical Truths within our hearts so we can enter the voting booth with a clear conscience and vote? Peter tells us how to do so: “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”
Thanks, everyone, who made this happen.
Fall classes have concluded
To all who played a role in our Fall Sunday School Sessions, thank you! I very much appreciate your willingness to serve one another! As we look forward to the upcoming Spring Session, if you are interested in leading a class, please let me know. We will discuss. Again, thank you to all who’ve made this semester possible.
Sunday Morning Schedule
8am: Doors open
8:30–10:00: Coffee & Conversation & Devotion in our Dining Facility
10am: Sunday Morning Service in our sanctuary (which is our gym). We hold Communion this Sunday during our service. Following our sermon, we will hold our Agape Feast. All are welcome to attend.
Highland Cafe's Door's Open Wide — 8:30—11:30, Monday Through Friday mornings.
highland cafe update
Highland Cafe’ continues to offer the love of Christ to our sidewalks Monday thru Friday, 8:30am-11:30am. To those who serve, thank you for opening your hearts in such a committed fashion! Prayer meeting is held in cafe’ Wednesdays, at 9am. If you want to help collect socks for those who need them, please let us know. We need some for those who are cold, thanks!
I love you, Highland.
Rob