This week we read about Jonah running from God on a boat to Tarshish. In the next paragraph, Jonah is asleep in the hull of the boat running from the “presence of the Lord.” At this point, God intervenes, graciously confronting his prophet’s distortion. The opening of verse three focuses on this divine intervention, “But the LORD.” This divine intervention is an act of God’s covenant faithfulness to Jonah (and Israel). Often the storms we experience are just that, moment’s of divine intervention that force us to confront what’s going on in our hearts.

It’s an interesting setting, the sailors are quite afraid and call out to their gods. Jonah, sound asleep, is awakened by the captain who urges Jonah to call out to his god. He says, “Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.” If we remember that the target audience is Israel the intent comes to light. Israel is steeped in idolatry, worshiping the gods of their neighbors. God is addressing their idolatry in essence saying, “Maybe the gods you are worshiping will save you.” 

The storm creates the crisis that challenges their distorted view of God and the gods in which they trust. God often sends storms to address our idolatry. Come Sunday, and let’s consider what this means for us.

This Sunday we’ll begin moving through the text of Jonah, starting in chapter one. Several things stand out. First, God knew Jonah, and knew exactly how to get his attention. Second, God was well aware of Nineveh’s evil as the text says, “their evil has come up before me.” Third, twice the text says that Jonah was trying to flee from God’s “presence.” The book opens with the idea that God is actively overseeing his creation, whether Israel or Israel’s enemies, the Assyrians.

Scripture isn’t just recounting the story of Jonah, it’s communicating to Israel that God is well aware of what their enemies are doing to them. God is telling Israel that he sees them, knows them, and loves them. He’s also confronting Israel with his mission of grace for “others.”

So, come Sunday and let’s consider God’s message of his gracious presiding over his creation.

Sunday we will start a new series in the Old Testament studying the book of Jonah. You probably know the story, but it might surprise you that Jonah represents the people of God. The lessons Jonah learns are the same lessons that God wants to teach Israel.

This Sunday we’ll begin by considering a central verse of the little book, Jonah 4:2. In this text, Jonah is angry that God isn’t destroying Nineveh and he prays, saying, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” Jonah knows that God is gracious and counts on it for himself, but can’t imagine extending that grace to the Assyrians. God confronts Jonah with his grace throughout this book and subsequently confronts the nation of Israel.

Grace is not earned or deserved; it isn’t reciprocal and we can’t demand it; it’s grace!

Come Sunday and let’s study this familiar story!

Sunday, Pastor Andrew Harwell is preaching while Pastor Tim is in India with Chuck Emerson. Andrew is a church planter for Perimeter Church who is making plans to start a church in Alpharetta. 

Andrew will take us to Psalm 126, one of the 15 Psalms of Ascent. This group of psalms was sung as God’s people made their annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem, ascending to the holy city. These psalms are full of encouragement at every stage of the journey, anticipating entering the presence of God at the temple. Psalm 126 captures the contrast between the fear and difficulty of life with the hope and confidence that the presence of God will make things right.

Andrew writes, “I hope our study of the Psalm 126 will offer you the good news of hope, that even in the bleakest situations, joy will come. God’s faithful mercy promises us a stream of water in the midst of the desert of life. God is the giver of joy, the restorer of hope.”

So, join us Sunday as we hear from God’s word and worship our faithful Father.

Sunday we’ll finish our Mission Emphasis Month, hearing from Nate Benard, the Atlanta Director for Christian Medical and Dental Association. His emphasis will be the command to make disciples and the equipping that Scripture provides for us. 
 
Nate writes, “Being missional is a frame of mind, not an event. We are called to live on mission like Christ. Being a Christian is not a spectator sport.” Jesus launched his three year ministry by caring for people where they were. He loved them and declared to them the good news of His Kingdom. 
 
Just like Jesus, you have the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the equipping ministry of the Scriptures to enable you to care for people and love them well. So, join us Sunday as we consider our calling and the equipping God provides for the mission!

Sunday we’ll continue our Mission Emphasis Month by considering the diversity of the body of Christ and the confidence diversity gives us in the gospel. Dr Bruce Lowe will be bringing the message on our sending missionaries. The text will be from 2 Corinthians 2:12-3:6 where Paul says the believers are his letter of recommendation. Letters of recommendation would add weight to Paul’s ministry. Instead of providing those letters, he argues that the universal work of the gospel, evidenced by the diverse population brought to salvation, gives more weight than any letter could ever provide. The Corinthians believers, a diverse group to be sure, were Paul’s letters of recommendation and the source of his confidence in Christ.
 
For generations the prophets foretold the New Covenant which God would enact that would fulfill the Abrahamic covenant of “blessing the nations.” Jesus, Abraham’s greatest descendant, blesses the nations through the grace of the gospel. So, come Sunday as we continue our series.

One of those remarkable yet ordinary places where Jesus is on mission engaging folks is the common table where people young and old are gathered together to eat, drink, laugh, talk, and learn.  Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, we find Him breaking bread with sinners, tax collectors, the marginalized, the lost - ALL. THE. TIME.

Where and how Jesus chose to spend his time should inform us that the rhythms of our day to be hungry and be satisfied create opportunities for us to engage missionally as the church sent and scattered.  In Mark’s account of the feeding of the five-thousand, how does Jesus show up? What is God up to? How does this popular Gospel story frame our own stories around need, dependence, finances, and provisions, and furthermore, how does God call us to be on mission with Him? As we read this story, our hope is that we become more aware that missions has less to do with elaborate programs or traveling to distant places, but more about inhabiting more fully and readily the places to which Jesus calls us and is found.    

Sunday we begin our Mission Emphasis Month series, “That The Earth May Hear His Voice.” For the next four weeks we will highlight our missionaries in weekly videos or live presentations from those we support on the field. This week Rev. Chuck Emerson will be ministering to us from Psalm 67. 

Notice the petition of the psalm, “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us.” Next the psalmist gives the purpose of receiving God’s blessing, saying, “that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.” The purpose of receiving from God is that the world will know the grace of God. We don’t hoard God’s blessings: we function as channels for others to receive and know the Lord. 

In his book, Free of Charge, Miroslav Volf says, “God gives so that we can help others exist and flourish as well as flourish ourselves. God gives to make us generous givers.” What happens when the flow of God’s love reaches us? Does it pool or does it flow out into the lives of others?

Join us Sunday was we consider our participation in God’s mission to bless the world.

Sunday we will conclude our series, Whiter Than Snow, as we ask how to move out of exclusion (purity culture) and into embrace (grace culture). I’ve divided this into two sections: grace and sacrifice. Focusing on grace means considering that who we are is defined not by our performance but on the overflow of God’s goodness. In addition, it means imagining grace for others.

The humility of being recipients of grace leads us to sacrifices that make room for others within our lives - sacrifices like hospitality. This Sunday we’ll consider two final points of sacrifice: rethinking our pursuit of justice and practicing forgiveness. 

As you prepare for Sunday, consider what James says, “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13) In addition consider Jesus’ statement, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

See you Sunday.

Sunday, our founding pastor, Randy Pope, will be ministering to us. Each year, many of us set New Year’s resolutions, resolving to make important changes in our lives for the future. These resolutions express our desire to be different, to grow, to develop into what we desire to be. The challenge we all face is the power, the ability to become what we desire to be is not innate within us. Part of our humanity as image-bearers is our dependence upon God. As his creation, we were created to do life with him, not independent from him.   

Randy writes, “Have you ever tried to change something about yourself by sheer willpower? Thinking if you just try harder, you will succeed. And you do for a while but then can’t sustain the change? We, as believers, have a power source available to help us every moment of the day. As we dig into Romans 6:1-13, we’ll discover three simple words that will help us appropriate the power of the God's Holy Spirit.”  

So come Sunday to consider your need for God as you become what he desires you to be for his glory.