Para Vista Lutheran Church

In today’s world people have all sorts of ideas about who God is and what he’s like.  Our confession of God as the Triune God (as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) clearly identifies which God we worship and believe in as Christians.  However, the Church’s confession about the Triune God tells us not only who God is but also the story about what our God has done to save us.

It is also a call for us to reflect in our relationships with each other the same unity of love and peace that characterizes the relationships within the Trinity: the same love and peace that Jesus has so abundantly and graciously poured over our lives, through the power of the Spirit, to the glory of God the Father.

 

A friend emailed this quote to me recently: “There are so many ways to move forward, but only one to stand still.”

Sinful selfishness will have us standing still, full of hurt and bitterness, wondering why others aren’t more accommodating of us.

The fruit of the Spirit shows us many ways to advance and live free. You can move forward with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Paul also shows us more inventive ways through which we can soar: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all this put-on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:12-15)

This is the work of Holy Spirit in us. We ask him to apply the freedom Jesus won for us on the cross and in his resurrection. And the result? Instead of standing still, we move forward and help others advance with us.

Pastor Peter Steicke

Bible Readings: Galatians 5: 16 - 26 (NSRV)

A friend emailed this quote to me recently: “There are so many ways to move forward, but only one to stand still.”

Sinful selfishness will have us standing still, full of hurt and bitterness, wondering why others aren’t more accommodating of us.

The fruit of the Spirit shows us many ways to advance and live free. You can move forward with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Paul also shows us more inventive ways through which we can soar: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all this put-on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:12-15)

This is the work of Holy Spirit in us. We ask him to apply the freedom Jesus won for us on the cross and in his resurrection. And the result? Instead of standing still, we move forward and help others advance with us.

Pastor Peter Steicke

Bible Readings: Galatians 5: 16 - 26 (NSRV)

Have we put up walls around the church, or do we offer the water of life? Is our life one that shares the source of living water, or do we put up fences to protect our faith?

Do we trust that God is still active?

Pastor Fin Klein unpacks the apostle Peters first interaction with the Gentiles in a powerful sermon that challenges us to examine how we share the gospel with the world around us.

Reading: Acts 11: 1-17

 

Have we put up walls around the church, or do we offer the water of life? Is our life one that shares the source of living water, or do we put up fences to protect our faith?

Do we trust that God is still active?

Pastor Fin Klein unpacks the apostle Peters first interaction with the Gentiles in a powerful sermon that challenges us to examine how we share the gospel with the world around us.

Reading: Acts 11: 1-17

 

While Paul waited for them at Athens… he saw… he was provoked… he discussed… he debated… he proclaimed Jesus and the resurrection… he called people to a radical life change… (Acts 17-34)

What do you do while you are waiting?

I was waiting at the KL airport on my way to Vietnam. I met a Vietnamese woman who spoke fair English. We talked about Jesus as we waited to catch our flight. We kept in touch via email, always talking about Jesus. Now she and her family live in Adelaide…

Today I was waiting at the supermarket checkout in Littlehampton. I engaged a young woman in discussion, and after the checkout the discussion went on until it led to God. She went on her way saying it had made her day…

Make the most of the time… Colossians 4:5-6.

Pastor David Christian
Bible Readings: Acts 17:16-34, 1 Peter 3:13-22 (NRSV)

While Paul waited for them at Athens… he saw… he was provoked… he discussed… he debated… he proclaimed Jesus and the resurrection… he called people to a radical life change… (Acts 17-34)

What do you do while you are waiting?

I was waiting at the KL airport on my way to Vietnam. I met a Vietnamese woman who spoke fair English. We talked about Jesus as we waited to catch our flight. We kept in touch via email, always talking about Jesus. Now she and her family live in Adelaide…

Today I was waiting at the supermarket checkout in Littlehampton. I engaged a young woman in discussion, and after the checkout the discussion went on until it led to God. She went on her way saying it had made her day…

Make the most of the time… Colossians 4:5-6.

Pastor David Christian
Bible Readings: Acts 17:16-34, 1 Peter 3:13-22 (NRSV)

My Identity is in Christ, however, sometimes I still struggle with my brokenness and how I perceive myself. How can I reconcile that, is there hope for more freedom in this life?

My Identity is in Christ, however, sometimes I still struggle with my brokenness and how I perceive myself. How can I reconcile that, is there hope for more freedom in this life?

These days we are very conscious of our mental health and also body conscious, but do you ever give much thought to your “soul”?

On this “Good Shepherd” Sunday we reflect on verse 3 of the 23rd Psalm: “He restores my soul.”

Pray that our Good Shepherd might do that for you and for those around you in worship this morning.

Bishop David

Bible Readings: Psalm 23, 1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10 (NLT)