Some of you are asking this very question. It may be formed in other ways but the basic, nuts and bolts of it, are the same.
Why would we give an entire service to one family?
The reasoning is very simple: We didn’t. I want to share three specific ways in whichever this is true.
Every week we look to do the same basic thing: Bring glory and praise to God and lead others to do the same. Several months ago, I stepped up to the pulpit and spoke on “work“. At least that was the hook, or what most people would say it was about. But let’s be clear, it is always focused on God being lifted up and God being at the center. This is important because too often we think it is about us. We can think coming to church is about us. We can think reading the bible is about us. But the focus is not on us. It is always focused on God because it is in Him alone we find the proper perspective for life.
In just over a month we will be having our annual meeting, something of a “State of the Heritage Union“. Look for it. Start paying attention. This will be entirely about God, even as we speak about some specific things around Heritage.
This past Sunday was about one family in the same sense that Genesis is about one family. There are hundreds of lines given to the patriarchs, but if you think the story is about Abraham you are missing the point. Genesis is a God story. Looking at the life of Abraham is looking at a story of what God has done.
Every story is a God story and our God is a missional God.
“If you take missions out of the Bible, you won’t have anything left but the covers” — Nina Gunter
We like to compartmentalize our lives into neat categories which insulate us from things that may be uncomfortable. As pastors, our job is to lead you to the throne of grace, to the only one who can heal and redeem. This Lord Jesus has called us to take His Good News to the world. Marty quoted Hudson Taylor on Sunday, but let me throw one more in for good measure.
“The Great Commission is NOT AN OPTION to be considered; it is a COMMAND to be obeyed” — Hudson Taylor
Finally, we, the people of Heritage, are a family. We weep together as our people hurt. Over the past few years we have done this with specific stories of sickness, death, and loss. There are times we celebrate as a family. Recently we rejoiced with a family over their adoption. Let us always be a body who praises God for the great things He has done and is doing in lives around us. Let us be people who rally to the hurting and gather to send out those beautiful feet of those of this larger family going to the uttermost.
