Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. - Acts 20:26 –28 (ESV)

How many churches did you pass in your travel yesterday or today? I bet for most of us we would have a hard time counting or remembering. In some places they seem to be around every corner with different names and stripes of Christianity. That wasn't the case in the early years of Christianity. One city meant one church. It meant one mission - the spread of the gospel and the encouragement of the faith. This week we want to pause and think about our place and our mission in God's greater story.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. - Romans 8:15 –17 (ESV)

Adoption is a concept that is personal to me. I'm a second generation product of adoption. My mother was adopted. I can't imagine what her life would have been like without the kindness, love, and sacrifices my grandparents made.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Say also: “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!” Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD. - 1 Chronicles 16:34 –36 (ESV)

As we have been going through the monumental description of salvation in Romans, I have been overwhelmed with what God has done for us. Because of this, gratitude should be a default of every Christian. Remember God has loved us in our rebellion. He has called us to Himself. He has sent Christ. He came and lived a perfect life. He died a sinners death even though He was sinless. Then He justified us by His grace. He made us holy and sanctified. He will glorify us. Because of all of this, let's give thanks!

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” - Matthew 11:19 (ESV)

It's instructive to me the people that Jesus counted as friends. They were a motley crew. Most of the religious people didn't want to be associated with them. They were from the bad parts of town and had major problems. But Jesus called them friends.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. - Romans 8:18 –19 (ESV)

One of the biggest obstacles for many when considering Christianity is the pain and suffering that we see around us. Globally we see and read about famines, wars, or worse.  But most of us identify with this painful world in much more personal ways. Our lives seem like a trail of suffering and pain punctuated with only brief, fleeting moments of joy. So when Christians describe God as good and filled with love for us, I can understand the discontinuity this presents.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. - Romans 8:9 –10 (ESV)

Most Christians don't really know what to do with the Holy Spirit. We believe that the supernatural exists, but most of the time we sequester this supernatural to the spectacular (or spooky) either in the pursuit or denial of it. The work of the Spirit is greater and more regular then we realize.