Isaiah can seem to be an overwhelmingly complex book. Yet, Isaiah 12 provides a simple key that will enhance our comprehension of the message of the entire prophecy. And with that we will discover a number of very practical takeaways for us to joyfully apply this week. We want to invite you to pray over and ponder Isaiah 12 before Sunday morning. It is a short chapter. You can read it in a matter of moments. Yet, the challenge to you is to prayerfully meditate on our text in advance. We invite you as well to purpose to attend on Sunday. Come on purpose to worship and commune with the Lord and with your Walnut Park church family. Come ready to rejoice in the salvation Christ provides for every believer and come ready to marvel at the revelation of God’s eternal purposes for us and for His nation Israel.

The crank is spun, which pushes the stop sign, which propels the green foot, which kicks the bucket, spilling a ball down the blue track and onto a red track where it then strikes a skinny blue pole that lifts a mini hand, nudging a ball forward and into a red tub and then through a hole in the tub, landing on a teeter-totter, which sends a strange-looking man flying up and into a cup, which jolts the trap, which descends on the “unsuspecting” mouse. Maybe you’ve played the game Mouse Trap before, and you’ve enjoyed watching the chain reaction sequence. But not all chain reactions are enjoyable to watch. Have you ever stopped to consider what contributed to your own sinful responses in life? Or what about the things that contributed to those who have sinned against you? What action by a great-grandparent contributed to an action by a grandparent, which contributed to an action by a parent, which you now engage with? As we study 1 John 4, we’ll find that at the center of just about all of our sinful responses is fear. We’re all fearful, whether we admit it or not. And fear perpetuates itself in an endless cycle that spirals down to hell. What will break the cycle? What will enable us to choose love instead of continuing the cycle of fear? God’s Word has the answer. The love of God conquers fear and frees us to choose love one another.

“Come here! You need to see this!” Have you ever had that said to you? Someone is excited for you to see something impressive or memorable. When you hear that statement what do you do? Well, you drop what you are doing and come over to see what it is that you need to see. The Apostle Paul, in his own way, is saying that to us in Colossians 2:8-15, “Come, see this! You have to see this!” In preparation for our service together on Sunday at Walnut Park, take a few minutes to read our text, Colossians 2:8-15. Mark the word “you” throughout the passage. Note all the things Christ has done for you. Come see what the Apostle Paul wants us to see of what it means by “you have been filled in Christ” and “made alive together with him!”

We’re in Isaiah for our communion Sundays, focusing on the prophecies of the Messiah, the Christ. Isaiah has so much to say about Jesus! Read these verses in Isaiah 12.

“And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 12:4-6.

What has motivated Isaiah’s overwhelming joy and praise and thanksgiving? That’s a great question. As we study Isaiah 11 together on Sunday morning we will be led to heartfelt praise to God when we comprehend His glorious plan for the Messiah.

The first several verses of Colossians 2 serve as the "hinge" of Paul's letter. In these verses, Paul swings the door from who Jesus is in all his preeminence to what that means for daily living. The Colossians were facing a deceptive philosophy in their culture. What will protect them against those deceptions? A deep and intimate knowledge of Christ strengthens the believer and equips him to live a life pleasing to God, protected from the deceptive arguments of this World.

Have you ever wondered why life is so hard? Why is there so much suffering? Why do so many “bad things” seem to happen to me? Why is there so much hatred in our world toward Christians? What am I here for? What will actually help me make a difference in life? This Sunday in our study of Colossians 1:24-29 we will be led to Biblical answers regarding those kinds of questions. Life begins to make sense when, even though we face many obstacles along the way, we realize we have a great opportunity to proclaim the mystery of Christ in us, the hope of glory. That’s when we realize we can make a difference in life through our objective of presenting everyone mature in Christ.

“If I only had a little more each month, life would be much more comfortable.” “If my parents would just let me do this, I’d be much happier.” “If I could understand what was going on in her heart, things would make sense.” “If our culture wasn’t so backward, I wouldn’t complain about it.” “If he would show affection; if she would stop arguing; if the boss would just notice; if they would just let me in.” The human heart, stained by sin, is always seeking something more. That one thing that will prove to be the answer. The one solution that solves all problems. The key that unlocks all doors. When Paul wrote to the Colossian church, he pointed them to that one solution that stands above all others: Jesus. He’s enough. He’s all we need. And how do we know that Jesus is enough? In Colossians 1:15-23, Paul asserts that Jesus is the Most High King of Creation and the Most Humble Lord of Salvation, and therefore He is all I need.

Often we get discouraged and give up praying. Often we don’t even know how to pray or what to pray for people for whom we are concerned. In addition to that, we struggle to even know what to pray for ourselves. Paul prays an interesting prayer in Colossians 1:9-14, our text we will consider this coming Sunday morning. Take a few minutes to read the text and pray along with Paul. We will be challenged by the Word to continue in prayer, praying that “you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him." Prayer changes things. Prayer changes us!

You do have good reason to an outlook today that is filled with thankfulness. We have the Good News! Certainly, our world bombards us with concerns. It is a sin sick world! Yet, we are commanded to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). How is that even possible? Colossians 1:3 begins with these words: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Take a few minutes to read Colossians 1:3-8. On Sunday morning we will carefully look at the text, meditating on the realities of the Good News that gives us constant reason for a genuinely thankful heart.

Is change possible? Can our lives really change in such a way that God is glorified? So often Christians go through life constantly defeated, often discouraged by our present world culture, and living no differently than the unbelieving world around them. Why is that? What will enable each believer to experience the differences inspired by our new life in Christ? On Sunday we open a new sermon series at Walnut Park—Colossians. We will begin with an introduction and overview of book of Colossians with an aim to identify what God reveals about how we can change and how we can comprehend living a new life for His glory.