GDLC Audio

As we start this “God’s Light” sermon series, we have to begin at the beginning! We have to go back to the Garden of Eden to truly be amazed by the way that God loves us even though we brought darkness into His world. We know He loves us in that He created us and in fact, made us the pinnacle of His creation. We know He loves us in that He breathed the breath of life into our lungs and set us on our way on this earth. But His love is far more amazing than that. The moment Adam and Eve chose darkness by disobeying God’s one command in the Garden...He showed them, showed us, the true extent of His love. He loved us in spite of our sin and disobedience and darkness and promised, in the Garden, to send His Son, the Light of the World. In other words, He loved us in the Garden and all the way to Bethlehem and beyond. And so today we will explore “God’s Light Promised” in the midst of our sin!

This week’s topic and parable in our “From God—For Others” sermon series may be a little confusing for us. Church is definitely “from God”...He is the Giver and Sustainer of our congregation and all Christian congregations as well. But what about “for others”? What does that mean? How is “Church” “From God—For Others”, after all...Church is “For ME.” Or is it? The truth about the Body of Christ, known as “The Church”, is that the Lord gave it as the outlet for His grace and mercy and love and Word and Sacraments...for ALL. What does that look like? When God’s people, assembled in the Church, take seriously His charge to reach out in Jesus name and bring others into the Church through His Word and Gospel...then Church is being the Church and being what God wanted it to be all along. A “club” for certain people? An enclave of friends who huddle-up and keep others out? A closed circle where no one else can get in? Nope. The Church, this church, Gloria Dei, is to be a place where we bring people who need Jesus and all are welcomed. We will look in the mirror of our parable today, recognize where we need to change, and grow in our understanding that even Church is “From God—For Others”

This week’s topic and parable in our “From God—For Others” sermon series may be a little confusing for us. Church is definitely “from God”...He is the Giver and Sustainer of our congregation and all Christian congregations as well. But what about “for others”? What does that mean? How is “Church” “From God—For Others”, after all...Church is “For ME.” Or is it? The truth about the Body of Christ, known as “The Church”, is that the Lord gave it as the outlet for His grace and mercy and love and Word and Sacraments...for ALL. What does that look like? When God’s people, assembled in the Church, take seriously His charge to reach out in Jesus name and bring others into the Church through His Word and Gospel...then Church is being the Church and being what God wanted it to be all along. A “club” for certain people? An enclave of friends who huddle-up and keep others out? A closed circle where no one else can get in? Nope. The Church, this church, Gloria Dei, is to be a place where we bring people who need Jesus and all are welcomed. We will look in the mirror of our parable today, recognize where we need to change, and grow in our understanding that even Church is “From God—For Others”

Now this week’s focus is generally what folks expect us to speak into when it comes to stewardship. After all, we typically talk about the stewardship of our time, talents and treasures. And this week, we will. But we will be reminded that the things that God gives us, our time, talents and treasures, are to be used for God’s glory by using it for others. God gives us time...so we spend that time with others. God gives us talents...so we use our gifts, skills and abilities for the sake of and building up of others. God gives us treasures...so we use the financial resources to not only further the Gospel but to help those in need around us. Resources...From God—For Others.