With Authority

Hi COTC Family! 

It was rich to worship together this past Sunday in both English and Spanish. There was such vitality and joy as the Gospel was proclaimed in Word and Sacrament and we shared, even in a small way, in a taste of God's multiethnic and multilingual kingdom. 

I'm so looking forward to this weekend and David Bailey's ministry among us. In a world of estrangement and violence, separated from God and His good purposes, we delight in how Jesus has reconciled us to the Father, is now reconciling all things in Himself (despite all we see playing out on the global stage), and has given us the Holy Spirit to be ministers of reconciliation in the world. Beyond the teaching I'm looking forward to corn hole, trivia, good food, and time for extended conversation!  

In whatever circumstances you find yourself my hope and prayers is that you have the knowledge of being reconciled in Christ, and, through his Holy Spirit, are strengthened to minister that reconciliation to others wherever you might be. May God grant us boldness in sharing the name and goodness of Jesus.  

I've been slowly reading Richard Lovelace's classic Dynamics of Spiritual Life. He describes one of the basic elements of the Good News as,  "you have been given authority." Among other things, that authority has been given to make you and I agents of the Gospel, empowered to make known God's reconciling power in Jesus Christ. What a wondrous thing! You and I are accepted, delivered, healed, and empowered for such glorious participation. That's worth rejoicing over, in any and every language. 

Grace and peace, 

Peter+