This Summer, we spent our Sunday mornings looking at key themes in the letters by the Apostle Paul. The series “13 Letters” gave us a chance to look at the astounding wisdom, experience, and hope Paul shared with his friends, churches, and, even now, with today’s followers of Jesus. These invaluable letters make up half of the Bible’s New Testament.
At the highest level, the letters provide us a compelling picture of what the early church looked like, what the first followers of Jesus wrestled with in their own lives, and how they lived in light of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Majors themes of faith, hope, and love are apparent. But as we listened on Sunday mornings, we also heard of the freedom, unity, and encouragement given to us through Jesus. Through our generosity, by living the Spirit, and in our relationships with one another, we can actually bring pleasure to God. We were challenged to embraced the mystery, to see Jesus throughout the entire story of the Bible, and to “honor the emperor” while remaining faithful to the true and better King.
A great resource to help you continue walking through the 13 Letters, and even the rest of the New Testament, is the “New Testament for Everyone” series of books from N.T. Wright (you can buy them individually or as a set). Also check out the great Bible Plans from the Bible App to help you make the Bible a daily priority. And of course, you can always go back and listen to these messages below or any past messages in our Series Archive.
Matt Carder - January 4, 2015
About Time (Searching For Wisdom, Pt. 1)
The quality of most every area of our lives - our health, our relationships, our careers, and our spiritual lives - are not determined by one given action (or inaction) on one particular day. For example, if you workout for just one day, you’re not likely to see immediate gains in your physique. Or if you skip reading scripture for a day or two, your relationship with God isn’t going to dissipate overnight. Rather, real gains in our lives are made from decisions and commitments that have a cumulative value only in consistency and persistence.
From Series: "Searching for Wisdom"
At the end of each passing year, it seems like time is flying by faster and faster. This serves as a sobering reminder that our time is our life - our one true limited resource. When it runs out, so do we. Thus, how we spend it and who we spend it with ultimately are the most critical decisions we make. As you seek spend your time wisely, we hope this series inspires you to equally consider the sources of wisdom you use to do so.
