It's been just over a month since my last post and this is because I've been working diligently on a few other family things. However I'm here to day and will be posting a few things so hopefully this will make up for that lost month.
In one of my last post, I finished my detailed post on my first "conversation with our congregation this summer while our senior pastor was on his renewal leave. This post was called "Embrace Little Reminders". Today I will begin to share the details of my second "conversation" with our congregation called "The Offering".
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"The Offering" was not a message about an offering of money or an offering of our talents per-say, it was a message about "The Offering" that God offered us through his only son and "The Offering" that God asks us to "offer" him through out our lives.
To present this "offering" to our congregation I used several different characters in scripture, Micah, Phillip, Jeremiah, Onesimus, Philemon, Peter and of course Jesus. I began with sharing about the work that Onesimus did with Paul while he was on the run.
Philemon 1:11-16, Shows us an example of the relationship God wants to have with us, it reveals one of Gods deepest desires for us and reminds us that sometimes we let our fears and struggles keep us from GODS GLORY, but through GODS AMAZING LOVE we are able to find GODS GLORY again.
“Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.”Even though Onesimus fled Philemon he became useful to Paul and his Ministry. We too can be useful to Gods Ministry if though we may have also fled from HIM. It was ultimately this work that brought Onesimus back to Philemon.
Onesimus' example in this instance gives us a wonderful example of "The Offering" God asks of us in our journey with him. The interesting fact here is that Onesimus is the one that delivered this letter to Philemon upon the request of Paul. In essence, Onesimus is "offering" himself back to Philemon through delivering this letter from Paul.
Regardless of the things of the past Onesimus comes back to his master, just as we can come back to God when we flee from paths of righteousness. It is only through Gods amazing love that we are able to do this.
Thanks again for visiting "The Gathering Room"
Stand Strong and continue to believe the teachings given to you... (2 Thes. 2:15b NCV),
M.E.
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