We Are Surrounded
Patuxent Presbyterian
Church, California, Maryland
Sunday 3 November 2019
Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor
ALL SAINTS’ SUNDAY
What is a saint? Someone
who belongs to Jesus:
“To all the saints in
Christ Jesus at Philippi…”
Philippians 1:1
Hebrews 12:1-3
“…we are surrounded by a
great cloud of witnesses (marturon)…”
I believe in the Holy
Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the
body,
and the life everlasting.
The Apostles’ Creed: The
Book of Confessions of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
“We are surrounded by a great cloud of
witnesses”
We are surrounded by those who have gone on before us
Yet she on earth hath
union, with God the Three in One
And mystic, sweet
communion with those whose rest is
won:
Q: For whom are you
thankful who has influenced your
faith
but is now with the Lord?
________________
We are surrounded by those who are still with us around the world
in Christ’s body.
Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth,
her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses, with every hope endued.
Q: For whom are you thankful who has influenced your faith
and is still living?
________________
We are surrounded by Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith.”
“’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God,
‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’”
Revelation 1:8
Q: How the should we live in this context of being surrounded?
1. “… let us throw off (lay down) everything that hinders (weight, encumbrance)…”
2. “… let us throw off (lay down) the sin that so easily entangles (encircles) …”
The sin which so easily entangles us is the sin
we don’t want to give up.
3. “… let us run with perseverance (patience) the race marked out for us.”
4. “Let us fix our eyes (to look away from all else) on Jesus, …”
God creates out of nothing. Wonderful, you say.
Yes, to be sure, but he does what is still more wonderful:
he makes saints out of sinners.
Soren Kierkegaard, Danish existential theologian 1813-1855
Monday Morning
As you reflect on the lives of those who have influenced your faith, what characteristics or qualities in them that influenced your faith can you identify that you would like to emulate?
Make this a part of your prayer time with the Lord this week.
but is now with the Lord?
________________
We are surrounded by those who are still with us around the world
in Christ’s body.
Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth,
her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses, with every hope endued.
Q: For whom are you thankful who has influenced your faith
and is still living?
________________
We are surrounded by Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith.”
“’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God,
‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’”
Revelation 1:8
Q: How the should we live in this context of being surrounded?
1. “… let us throw off (lay down) everything that hinders (weight, encumbrance)…”
2. “… let us throw off (lay down) the sin that so easily entangles (encircles) …”
The sin which so easily entangles us is the sin
we don’t want to give up.
3. “… let us run with perseverance (patience) the race marked out for us.”
4. “Let us fix our eyes (to look away from all else) on Jesus, …”
God creates out of nothing. Wonderful, you say.
Yes, to be sure, but he does what is still more wonderful:
he makes saints out of sinners.
Soren Kierkegaard, Danish existential theologian 1813-1855
Monday Morning
As you reflect on the lives of those who have influenced your faith, what characteristics or qualities in them that influenced your faith can you identify that you would like to emulate?
Make this a part of your prayer time with the Lord this week.
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