“This Is Your Hand”
“Let them know that this is your hand; you, O Yahweh, have done it!”
As we come to the last couple of days of the Rooted initiative, Psalm 109:27 has become my prayer. It’s my eager expectation to report great news to you on Sunday about our $5,000,000 goal, and when I do — in that moment and in all moments to follow — I want it to be clear that God has done this. It has been his hand. His work. His grace.
A year ago as we approached the Rooted halfway mark, I preached a sermon about God’s particular grace in our church’s story. I tried to call special attention to the reality that our church exists because Jesus made it happen. In his kindness, we began as a new church in 2015, planted from a church that was started in 1871, planted from a church that was started in 1853, planted from a church that was started in 1849, planted by English-speaking missionaries who had traveled to Minnesota from a very long ways away. …
And if we keep going back, like way back, eventually we end up in the year 33, when the risen and ascended Lord Jesus poured out his Holy Spirit on a church plant in Jerusalem. Acts 2 is where it really all started, and any historical account of our church that does not include that day in Jerusalem is too shallow.
The church as the mystery of God “hidden for ages” was first revealed in Jerusalem, and that church is part of our story — which means (and I want to be clear about this) we have the right and necessity to say that Jesus Christ himself is behind the existence of our local church. Jesus knows about us because Jesus made us happen.
And whenever we think about our church having been a church planted, this is what I want us to think mainly: I want you to know that Jesus did this.
And now, we must say the same thing about our church becoming rooted. Jesus has done this — is doing this — and it is marvelous in our eyes.
I’ll have hard numbers to give you on Sunday morning, but it’s looking really really good. You might be wondering “Is it too late to get in on Rooted?” It’s not. We want everyone to be part of this. You can give here or bring a check on Sunday morning!
Is anything too hard for the Lord? (Jeremiah 32:27)
