Greetings Christ Church Missoula!
Grace to you and Peace!
This week I had thought that, given the importance of worship from last week, I would begin a thorough explanation of our mode of worship at CCM: Covenant Renewal Worship. But I’m going to postpone that until next week. This week I thought it would be good for us to simply meditate on question and answer number one of the Heidelberg Catechism. If you aren’t familiar with it then this will be an introduction to a wonderful expression of our faith. If you already know it, many having memorized it, then this will be a good reminder of the comfort we have in Christ. Comfort and peace in the midst of the storms of life is the topic of the sermon for this Sunday and this will be a good preview of that. I put some Scripture references in parentheses that teach, what the catechism declares.
Heidelberg Catechism Question 1:
What is thy only comfort in life and death?
Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ(1 Corinthians 6:19-20); who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, (Isaiah 53:4-6) and delivered me from all the power of the devil (Hebrews 2:14-15); and so preserves me (I Thessalonians 5:23-24) that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head (Matthew 10:29-31); yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation (Romans 8:28), and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life (Romans 8:15-17), and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him. ( Galatians 2:20)
Think about what happened in your life this week in the light of these truths.
His mercy endures forever!
Pastor Flynn