How was your Thanksgiving? I am most grateful this year because of what God is doing among us. Last Sunday (all day) was precious. In thinking about the last 40 days, there are a couple of things I want to say.
First, I was reminded that this “true religion” stuff, it is not something we do. It is something we are. Each of our 40 Days campaigns have been about things that we are, not things that we do. We are our purpose. We are living in community. We are living the Bible. And now, we are about true/pure religion. Justice. Mercy. Humility. This has been a journey of who we are and not simply what we do. Therefore, we need to continue to pray and repent and beg God to open our eyes to fresh opportunities to be who He has told us to be.
I am excited to unleash your creativity and your passion so that you can help us be a place of true religion. What is God going to do in the months ahead if you listen to Him? The answer to that question is: I do not know. But I do know that you will respond. You have learned something of the character of God through this series and now as you seek God, you will share how He is leading. I can’t wait to hear those stories and support that moving of God in your life. And in all our lives.
Second, I must thank the staff for all the hard work they put in to making these 40 Days unique. I told them I wanted to make sure everyone knew this was important, that this was not just another ho-hum sermon series. So, they created daily posts for social media. They created a daily Bible reading. They encouraged home groups to learn about hospitality. They came up with the 100 Tables idea. They created a space on campus that said, “something special is happening.” And in the middle of it all, we had the Harvest Festival, an important outreach evening which brings exhaustion to us all.
But through it all they served you and worked hard to fulfill the vision of what this 40 days campaign was all about. And now? Everything needs to get turned around for Christmas. With the pandemic behind us, there are many opportunities for in-person celebrations of the birth of Jesus. So no, the load doesn’t lighten. Not at all.
We are about to explore “The Lights Before Christmas,” hints of who this Messiah would be for us when He came. Should be a fun journey. And by next Sunday, you won’t wonder about what’s next.