Hebrews 13:8-16 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

1. As Christians, we are always sort of living in three eras: the __________, the __________, and the __________.

2. Whatever it is that we think of when it comes to this church, there is only one thing that has remained the same and that is __________.

3. Jesus has been at __________, He is __________, and He will continue to __________ in this gracious way among us here at Faith.

Scripture Readings
Revelation 14:6-7
Romans 3:19-28
John 8:31-36
Hebrews 13:8-16

Take It With You!

Here we will offer thoughts and meditations on the message to help us as we contemplate and discuss and wrestle with what we are hearing.

...So evil and danger wait around the corner, whispering to each other to get their courage up, thinking things over like bullies always do when they're not sure if they can beat up the obviously littler one.

And while they wait to figure things out, we bring our lives to the church, our steps slow and a little uncertain because of the trembling in our knees, to tell Christ how afraid we are of those who are pursuing us and to show Christ how we have already been wounded.

Once inside, we look around the room and notice that we're not the only ones struggling, trembling, not the only ones afraid. There are other here, too. We know a little about some of them and what they've been through, and we say, "If she can still come here and sing the songs and whisper the prayers after all the misery she's endured, then I can be at least a little bit as brave." We say, "If he hasn't given up on his Lord after all he's lost, then surely I can trust in God another day."

In seeing them, we see our fathers and mothers, too (and if not them exactly, then somebody like them) who were not put to confusion about faith, although they endured times as hard as these and beating at the world's hands just as thorough as the ones we receive. Generation after generation of victims have made their way down dirt roads across parking lots to the church to feel safe for a while...

For the Lord enters the room of the church and says, "Well, it's good you thought to come here and be safe. Stay a while, and then I'll just get my coat and walk with you out to your car. In fact, I'll even ride home with you and stay in your house tonight. I'll be no bother to you. And then I'll go to work with you tomorrow. That way, there will always be two of us against them. And neither of us will be afraid."

Rev. James H. Nelesen, "Down in the Weeds", pg. 164-165.