“Now these Jews from Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Acts 17:11

Big kudos to Alex Juarez who caught my TYPO in the Sunday Sheet this week! Apparently, I was in a big hurry to send it in to Candace and my fat fingers made a mistake…have you caught it yet? Go turn to the Scriptures and tell me what you see! (Hint: Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome was NOT that long!) Yep…that was supposed to be Romans 12:4-5!

I know it’s not really a big deal…I wasn’t trying to re-write Scripture or teach a “New Gospel”…I just made a typing error. But I’ve pondered about it for a couple of days now. Alex practiced an ancient tradition that the Bereans were COMMENDED for doing: EXAMINING THE WORDS! We often say we are a “Bible Believing and Bible USING” Church…we want our Bibles OPEN and looking at what the writers said in context so that we can follow the Teachings of Jesus as completely and correctly as possible. DON’T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT…we ALL need to look and make our understanding complete!
Thank you for practicing grace to me because Almighty God knows that I do NOT know it all! We really are learning TOGETHER!!

As we continue to dive into this word and theme for our year: ANOTHERING, I’m challenged at how MUCH we need to be “People of the Word” (Last year’s theme) and how we need to show that GRACE to others! Charles Spurgeon was once having a tough day-he said he came home discouraged, weary & depressed…when a verse flashed in his mind: “My Grace is sufficient for thee!” (2 Cor. 12:8) He said he started laughing and said out loud, “Of COURSE, it IS sufficient for me!” He went on to share this: “His Grace is so strong that it shall never run out! It was as though some little fish, being very thirsty, was troubled about drinking the river dry, and the Father of the River said; “Drink away, little fish, my stream is sufficient for you!” Or as if a little mouse in the granaries of Egypt, after 7 years of plenty, feared he would eat it all up, and Joseph came in to say, “Cheer up, little mouse-my granaries are sufficient for you!”

Part of ANOTHERING is going to be diving DEEP into the GRACE that Yahweh gives to us! And because that VAST OCEAN OF GRACE has been opened to you and me…then we need to SHARE that grace with one another!We are going to look at another passage this week: “Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2) SPOILER ALERT…it’s not as easy as just “saying” I care…it’s being Jesus to someone! Even KidZone will be looking at “Carrying each other” this week…and Kidzone will be in action on SATURDAY AND SUNDAY!

THERE’S A PLACE FOR YOU HERE AT CENTRAL! Maybe you are here every week…maybe you haven’t been in a while-doesn’t matter, you are WELCOME and WANTED here! And you are valuable to God! May we look to Jesus as the one that perfects our faith, and may we link arms with one another as this new year continues!

God Bless You All- May HIS PEACE Be Upon Your Home and Heart!
(And keep your Bible and your Sunday Sheet OPEN!)
Don