Week of August 14

Waiting on God

Sowing our Prayer… Reaping the Spirit

 

Last week our focus dwelt on the marks of the Church, on themes describing who the Church is for those within the Church. 

“The real question should not be, ‘Who is the Church?’, but should be, ‘What is the Church’s task?’  What is the Church’s purpose outside of itself in the world?  The Church is not supposed to just be ‘there’.  The Church is on a Mission.  The Church has a purpose.  The Church has its being in being sent.  The Church’s sentness is its identity.”

-John Drury

Monday	Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20
Tuesday	Acts 1:1-11
Wednesday	John 20:19-22
Thursday	Luke 4:16-21
Friday	Ephesians 3:7-12
Saturday	Ephesians 6:10-20

Mon., Tue., & Wed.  – The task commanded to Jesus’ followers in these verses is the most important task of the Church.  The Church, the body of Christ is sent into the world in order to proclaim that Christ is alive and their only salvation.  By now, these two passages may be very familiar to you.  Read the passages as if you had not ever seen them before.  On the back of this sheet, make observations on what Christ is commanding his followers to do.

Thu., Fri., & Sat.  – These verses show another, yet related, task of the Church.  Jesus proclaimed the task in Luke 4, Paul discusses the same task and states that it happens through the Church in Eph. 3, and gives more understanding to how it is done in Eph. 6.  The Church proclaims that through Christ, the poor and oppressed can have freedom from these ‘powers’ and can live freely in Christ’s body through the Holy Spirit in the armor of God.

Remember to pray for the Spirit to clarify the mission for Oak Chapel and for the Spirit to give us the power to work in this mission.