The Almighty God Makes Us Blameless
This Weeks Announcements and Events
If you have not already done so, you may take the poinsettias that you paid for.
Next Sunday, following service, we will take down the Christmas decorations and put them away.
Council will meet on January 11 @ 6:30 pm.
On Tuesday @ 10 am, a new Bible Information Course will be starting. You are welcome to join us in the fellowship hall.
The District Grow Conference is scheduled for February 3-4. If you would like to attend you may register at https://sc.wels.net/grow-home.
Prayer Requests for this Week:
Ted Johnson – health issues
Sarah Sauer – health issues
Mike Knicker – health issues
Evie Schroeder – Recovering from stroke
Amy Pauers
Mel Murray – Fractured Vertebrae
Walt Zimmerman – Health Issues
Brianna (Mike and Alexis Wolosz’ granddaughter) – dealing with health issue
On Our Calendar this week
Sunday January 2
9:30 am – Worship
11 am –Sunday School
Tuesday January 4
10 am – BIC
Sunday January 9
9:30 am – Worship
11 am – Christmas Takedown
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless. (Genesis 17:1)
Abram had been in the land of Canaan for twenty-four years. Ishmael was thirteen years old. Abram believed that Ishmael would be his heir and carry on his line, giving him many descendants. But that was not what God had promised Abram. God had promised Abram a son through Sarai. This was the second time that God made a covenant with Abram. This time God gave Abram some reminders of his covenant. He changed his name to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah. And he instituted circumcision in this covenant.
Abram was to walk before God and be blameless. But Abram was a sinful man. He could not be blameless before God. But God was not asking Abram to be sinless. He was asking Abram to walk before him in faith, to trust in the promises that God had made to Abram. God wanted Abram to trust in the promise of a son, and the promised son that God had promised to his fathers before him. He wanted Abram to trust in the promised son who would deliver all people from their sin and make them blameless before God.
That promised son is Jesus. He is the one that came to this earth, at the appointed time, to make us blameless. He fulfilled the covenant that God had made with Abraham, walking before God perfectly, obeying God’s law. He gave his life so that his perfection could be attributed to you and I. When God looks at us and sees our faith, he sees Jesus’ blood that was poured out so that we might be righteous and blameless. And now the covenant with God is one-sided. God gives us the blessings of his children, freely and abundantly. How blessed we are! Amen.
Today’s song is “El Shaddai” By Amy Grant