Readings for Sunday, September 11, 2011

This Sunday I will be preaching on the matter of joy.  I like to think that joy is a characteristic of our church.  But, whether or not our church is joyful, the believer is not only entitled to joy but is obliged to look for it, enjoy it, and demonstrate it as God is pleased to dispense it.  And so, if we are not disposed to joy and if those around us would not describe us as being "joyful" (without being prompted) we have to ask ourselves why not.  Why wouldn't we want this to be true of us?

A closely related matter is the matter of taking ourselves lightly.  Chesterton quipped that the reason that angels can fly is because they take themselves so lightly.  I actually believe that that has been true of our church for a long time.  We take a lot of things seriously, but we manage to take ourselves lightly.   

I think that it's important that that not change.

Call to Repentance

Acts 5:30-31 (page 1699)

Call to Worship

Psalm 16  (page 853)

OT Reading

Habakkuk 3:16-19  (page 1460)

NT Reading

Philippians 4:4-9  (page 1830)

Message

Armed with Joy

Romans 14:17-18  (page 1766)