In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. - Hebrews 8:13 (ESV)

Jeremiah the prophet speaks astounding words to those in exile - there will come a day when God will make a new covenant with his beloved people. When something new comes, the old is obsolete. It is no longer valid or effective. The newness of the new covenant is so astounding and final that it gives us an unwavering hope in the faithfulness of God to save, redeem, transform, and usher us into his eternal presence at the end of this age.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. - Ephesians 6:11-12 (ESV)

As we continue in our study of the EFCA Statement of Faith, Article 8 tells us, "With God's Word, the Spirit's power, and fervent prayer in Christ's name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil."

...conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. - 1 Peter 1:17 b-21 (ESV)

Have you ever felt lost or alone? Have you ever been in despair because you just can’t seem to fit in or find a place where you can belong? Unfortunately, those emotions have plagued many of us. Living in our sinful and broken world is difficult. But Peter wants to offer hope. While we live as strangers and aliens in this world, he points us to a place where we can find rest and a place to belong.

So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God. - Philippians 1 : 9-10 (MSG)

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. - Philippians 1 : 9-10 (ESV)
 
The poet Robert Browning once wrote, “Take away love and our earth is a tomb.” That is true, for if you take away love, you take away the presence of the very life of God. Jesus said that loving God and loving our neighbor was the fulfillment of the law of God, for it is the perfect expression of the character of God. And love is the essence of that new life to which we are called. John says, “We love, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19 ), and he has demonstrated that love supremely in the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Evangelical Convictions: A Theological Exposition of the Statement of Faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America).

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. - Matthew 16:18 (ESV)

“In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.”

This Sunday we will be looking at the last phrase of our statement of faith and concluding our series on the church.  It is about what has been called, “the great commission”.  I like to call it “the great task” because it is what our Lord has called us to do.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. - Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

When you were a kid, did you have parents who would let you go see movies with friends that other kids weren’t allowed to see? Or did you think your Mom and Dad were “overly protective”? The kind who wouldn’t let you have a computer because it had a ‘cursor’ . . . or who wouldn’t buy a certain kind of vacuum cleaner because it was a Dirt Devil.