A Call to Obey

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A Call to Obey

The book of Joshua opens with these words from the Lord, “Moses My servant is dead. Now you and all the people prepare to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving the Israelites. I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised Moses.” For the first time in more than forty years, this new nation was without their God-appointed leader. Yet, according to the Lord’s plan, this was the exact moment when He was prepared to fulfill His promise and give this land to His people. The key to their success would not be who was leading them but whether the people would obey the commands that the Lord had already given them (Joshua 1:7-8). If they would be careful to obey everything He told them, then the Lord would provide the victory. If not… well, just read chapter 7.

As a church, I believe our best days are still before us. Over the past century and a half, God has brought our congregation over many mountains and through many valleys. In all things, His faithfulness has never wavered and His mercy has remained clear. As we stand together looking ahead at new territory, my prayer is that we will continue demonstrating our love for God and our trust in His goodness and providence by seeking to carefully obey His Word.

With this objective in mind, we will begin a new sermon series on Sunday that focuses on three simple commands relevant for every church but especially significant for one experiencing change and uncertainty. Our text over the next three weeks will come from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, which was written to a church who had also recently lost their pastor. As with the people of Israel all those millennia ago, now is not a time to retreat or to stand still but to press on in pursuit of the goal God has already given to us as a church: to be a God-centered, Bible-directed, people-focused, caring body of baptized believers in Jesus Christ; led by the Holy Spirit in worshiping, serving, and sharing Christ, and in equipping believers to carry out the Great Commission in the community and throughout the world.

See you Sunday!

Josh Hall