Our Identity Is Greater Than Our Experience + This Sunday
Good morning Immanuel. Our Christian identity is more fundamental to our joy than our Christian experience.
“Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3)
Our Christian identity is more fundamental to our joy than our Christian experience. The Bible wants us to stagger at the amazing reality that, in Christ, we have become something far more amazing than our experience may tell us. Our experience may tell us that we are distant from God, but the gospel tells us that we have been adopted into the family of God. We have a new identity, which is more real than what our feelings tell us. Our feelings may tell us that we are not loved, but the gospel says that our identity right now is “children of God.” Slow down and allow that reality to soak in. On a good day, God is my Father. On a bad day, God is my Father. When I’m “doing great,” I’m a child of God. When I’m not doing great, "I’m a child of God. No matter what our present experience tells us, we are beloved children in Christ. One day the fullness of our adoption will be revealed when we see God face to face. That is our hope and our longing. Until then, we are becoming more of who we are, little by little.
February 5, 2023 - This Sunday At Immanuel
Sunday Morning
SERMON - Pastoral candidate and Student Ministry Director Vince Greenwald will preach this upcoming Sunday! We are eager to hear the message he’s preparing for us from Psalm 16.
Seminars
9 am: Studying the Bible Together led by Tom Cox in the Staff Lounge (ongoing)
9 am: First Word Seminar led by Russell Moore in the Cafe
9 am: Student Seminar led by Vince Greenwald in the gymnasium (ongoing for grades 5-12)
10:45 am: Next Steps 1, led by Tony Shepherd in the Staff Lounge (ongoing)
College Lunch immediately following the 10:45 am service in the Cafe.
The next Discover Luncheon is on February 12. Please make sure to RSVP!
Engage
WOMEN’S RETREAT - There’s still time to register for the Immanuel Women’s retreat! The retreat is from March 3rd to 4th at Deer Run Camps & Retreats. The cost is $85 per person. You can learn more and register here.
ONLINE PRAYER MEETINGS - Every week, Jenn Ross, an Immanuel Discipleship Group leader, facilitates two online prayer meetings that everyone is welcome to join. The Zoom meeting times and links are below:
Every Thursday afternoon from 12:00-12:45 pm
Every Sunday morning from 7:30-8:00 am
Yes. Yes!