Readings for Sunday, May 3

May 3, 2009 Communion Sunday

Call to Repentance
Jeremiah 13:15-17 (page 1194)

Call to Worship
Psalm 19 (page 858)

OT Reading
Zechariah 7:8-14 (page 1478)

NT Reading
Mark 12:28-34 (page 1575)

Message
What's So Great About Freedom?
Galatians 5:1-6 (page 1815)

When you read in the New Testament what the Apostles have to say about freedom you can't help feeling that they are more excited about the idea of freedom than most of the Christians you know. A great deal more excited.

There is some disconnect between the experience of the Apostles and our experience today. It could be that we have never felt the weight of the law in the same way that they did, and so can not feel the same degree of intense relief that they felt when the law was satisfied. Or it could be that we take our liberty for granted.

In any case, it seems safe to say that we have never been either as impressed with the law or as at liberty in regard to it as the Apostles were.

And this will always effect our evangelism until we get it sorted out, because we can't preach good news to the world that is only kind of nice news to us. We have to face the fact that God could have sent us a great legislator, but sent instead an Emancipator.