God wants his people to be sure of his promises, to be sure of his love, to be sure of his rule. He has repeatedly given them signs so that they might be sure. That has always been the case. He left Noah a sign of the covenant in the sky, a rainbow to assure him and all people after him that God would never again destroy the world with a flood. God left Abraham and his descendants a sign in their flesh, circumcision to assure them that they were God’s people, and they were set apart to him and for him. He gave his people a sign of his presence as they left Egypt, a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God offered to give Ahaz a sign that his Word was true and that their enemies would not destroy his people. Ahaz refused, but God in mercy gave a sign for us, a son born to a virgin. Repeatedly God has given his people signs so that they might be sure of his promises, sure of his love, sure of his rule.
God still wants that for us. He wants us to be sure of his promises, sure of his love, sure of his rule. He has left signs for us too. He has left us a sign in the manger, a boy born to a virgin, Immanuel! He has left us other signs of his love. They are quite ordinary, yet they are signs nonetheless. He has left us water together with the word as a sign and a declaration of sure promises that belong to us, a sign and a declaration of sins forgiven and love given. He has left us bread and wine together with his body and blood as a sign over the doorframes of our bodies so that death will pass us over. He has left us this holy meal so that we might have a sign and a declaration from him of sins forgiven and love given. We are not without signs of his love. We are not without signs of sure promises.
Tomorrow as we open up God’s Word, we will be once again assured that God’s Word is true, that God’s love is ours, and that his rule is certain. We’ll be looking at Isaiah 7:1-17. Take a look.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU WORSHIP WITH US THIS WEEKEND
Saturday at 5:30 pm.
Sunday at 9:30 am.
You can also worship with us online on Sundays at 9:30 am. (YouTube.com/c/MtLebanonChurch)
For all other news and notes, check out “The Mount Weekly.”
S-O-A-P Journals
One of our prayers is that every member of Mount Lebanon would be active in reading, studying, and meditating on God's Word daily. With that in mind, we introduced you to the S-O-A-P method of Bible journaling. Now, we want to continue to encourage a more profound habit of personal devotions and Bible study. We have prepared a professionally produced S-O-A-P journal for your personal use. It will include a three-year reading plan. Please contact the church office to get your copy or talk to one of the pastor’s after the service. These devotional journals can be purchased for $10.00. They make great gifts and are an excellent tool.
#FrontlineTeachers
Our teachers have been tirelessly working to create an excellent educational environment for students BOTH in the building and at home. They have boldly accepted this challenge, putting the welfare of the children and families ahead of their own. To say thank you, we want to liven up their classrooms by completing a room makeover: fresh paint, new carpet, and modern, flexible student seating. We want to make sure they have all of the technology they need for their students’ learning. Thanks to generous donors, including the family of Joseph Crema, all donations up to $15K will be matched if given before the end of the year. Every $3K means another classroom gets a makeover. Let's make sure that all 10 classrooms are included! You can give to this fundraiser at www.TheMountMKE.com/give