Dear Church of the Open Door family,
Are one of these desires at the forefront of your thought life today?
- I need money. I need a certain level of income. Once I receive this amount we can get on with our lives. We can get the things that will make our life complete. We can finally be the family I always envisioned.
- I need my health to work out. Once I feel better, once I’m back to “normal”, my life can turn the corner.
- I need to know that my family will be okay, that they stay safe. I need to know that my children will make wise decisions and not do something that they will be paying for the rest of their lives.
- I need success or at least the feeling of significance. Once I receive the promotion that I need, I will get the respect I deserve and my ideas will finally prevail.
Many, including us Christians, can readily identify with these needs and desires, but for the disciple of Jesus Christ, satisfaction, fulfillment and happiness arrive in very paradoxical, counter-intuitive forms. In the Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17), Jesus defines satisfaction, fulfillment,and happiness in radical terms for His disciples.
This month we are beginning a new sub-series in the book of John that we have entitled: The Heart of Jesus: Lessons from the Upper Room. During our time together in John 13-17, we want to answer these questions:
- What is the unfolding plan of Jesus?
- How do we play our role well as we trust His love?
- How do we give our life away to others for Christ’s sake?
The Apostle John’s declaration at the beginning of John 13 that Jesus “loved his own to the very end” is the perfect opening to this discussion. John describes what supreme love looks like in action.
This series unpacks the unbridled love of our Savior as He launches us into the high calling as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I invite you to pray and prepare your hearts as we seek the heart of our Savior.
In His love,
David Anderson
Lead Pastor
P.S. Starting Sunday, September 24, we are offering a class called COD 101 . It’s a series of seven classes to get to know our heart as a church and give us a chance to hear yours too. If you are ready to take another step in getting to know us, please come. Meet at 9:00am on the back patio of the Worship Center. One of our teachers will be there to welcome you.
