God is not just a starter, God is a finisher.

Look around at this church. It is easy to look at it and think that all the great things have happened. But God is not finished with us, and he is not finished with this church.

We bring the light out to those living in the darkness. That’s the power of the church.

Philippians 1:3-11

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We don’t like to wait, do we? We trust that God keeps his promises, but it is difficult to be patient.

But that’s how faith works. We are given just enough light to illuminate our next step.

We want to push away all of the darkness ourselves. But if we could, we wouldn’t have to rely on God.

We push back the darkness until Christ returns.

Let us be people who push back the darkness together.

By the way, pretty good Tigger impression in the sermon today!

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

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Lance wraps up the sermon series by remembering an old SNL sketch, “A Thanksgiving Miracle,” of a bickering holiday family brought together by the power of song. “Sometimes we need to sing the same song.”

There are so many things that separate us into “us and them,” but what divides us pales in comparison to what unites us.

We have been clothed in Christ - when people see us, they should see Jesus.

Galatians 3:23-29

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To show the ways that faith and works are intertwined, Lance tells the stories of churches that stepped out in faith, preparing for a future that was not yet fulfilled - doing the work to bring about the promises of God.

Faith without works is like a beautiful sailboat without wind, and we cannot just wait for the wind to come upon us.

We have work to do. Let’s go forth.

James 2:14-26

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On social media this week, it has been tough to see how Christians have been treating friends and neighbors. It’s the antithesis of what Jesus desired when he took the sins of the world upon him on the cross.

God seeks to be the savior of all people, despite their worst behavior, and we are to show God’s will and God’s way in a divided society.

And together, we work towards healing a world that is divided with God’s love. We cannot do this hard work on our own.

Matthew 5:43-48

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Tuesday is Election Day. Some things may change, but our mission as Christians will not. We will still be called to “a more perfect union.”

No matter what happens, we are going to get up the next day and feed the hungry, clothe the naked, bring comfort to those who need it.

We’re going to wake up and keep loving God with everything we’ve got.

Mark 12:28-34

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As we reach the summation of our stewardship series, Lance takes the story of salvation and turns it around and asks us to pray first and foremost that we can be found in Christ… so that Christ can be found in us.

Together, we are the Jesus that an unbelieving world can see. And we have the opportunity to experience abundantly more.

We’re gonna experience the power of love, and we’re gonna do it together.

Poured into, and poured out.

Ephesians 3:14-21

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What does it mean for us to be grounded in God through Christ?

The writer of today’s scripture highlights this three different times, to let us know that being grounded is not just important, it is intrinsic to our being, it is the foundation of all things.

1 Corinthians 3:5-23

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God has called us to be about the work. He gives us the seeds and sends us to go sow them.

Our instincts are to look for the trees that are already grown and rest underneath them. But God calls us out of that rest, to take the seeds from those trees and spread them further out.

We may not be ever see the fully grown tree, but that is okay. We are called to sow.

We disagree sometimes. We find ourselves divided. But God has called us all to be about the work.

So we must remember: we’re on the same team. So our call is to get together to do the work - and do it together.

1 Corinthians 3:5-23

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God has blessed us all to be a blessing for the world, and we are ready for God to accomplish far more than we could ever ask or imagine. But we only truly become ready by being rooted in love

Where are you rooted today? In the love of Christ? In generosity? Or are you withering?

It’s hard to look past what has been into what will be. But we can move into the future unafraid… as long as we remain rooted together in Christ’s love.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

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