NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, JULY 9, 2017

Since July 4th came on Tuesday this year, I suppose either or both the Sundays before and after can emphasize freedom. The truth is that every Sunday sermon should be about the real freedom to be found in our personal relationship with God.

Unfortunately, what most of us learned growing up in Church does not lead to “real freedom” in this relationship with God. I’m convinced the biggest stumbling block to this real freedom resulted from the insecurity of church leaders that were threatened by questions. The strategy of such church leaders throughout the history of the Christian Church has been to have Christ followers check their brains at the door of the church and just accept whatever the leaders say. Again, this does NOT lead to “Real Freedom.”

A website called “Question for Jesus: Conversational Prayer Around Your Deepest Desires,” has profound questions most of us were never encouraged to ask. Questions like: “Jesus, what have you done this week to show me how valuable I am to You? What do You want to do together today? Jesus all these demands are really weighing on me. How did You deal with it when everyone around You was trying to get something from You? What were You thinking when You looked at me this morning?”

I’m convinced God welcomes our questions as they help us experience real freedom. John the Baptist “prepared the way for Jesus” and baptized Him. Yet, in Matthew 11, John is in prison and he hears about the things Jesus is doing and he sends some of his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are You The One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus is not threatened by John’s question. He responds by sending John the answers that those seeking relief from their struggles find in Him, real freedom. Later, Jesus invites all present to experience this real freedom in following Him and receiving the rest He gives.

Join us for worship at Covenant this Sunday after July 4th as we explore doing the same. I will be preaching on how “Real Freedom Has Room for Questions!” from “Matthew 11:2-6, 28-30.”

JOIN US AFTERWARDS IN CELEBRATING

MAMA DOROTHY SWIMS’ 82TH BIRTHDAY!

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