Last Sunday afternoon, we welcomed new members, witnessed a baptism, and heard from Psalm 103 together. This psalm especially encourages us to stop and remember all of God’s countless gifts to us. We especially thought about how God has given so many gifts to us as individuals and as a church family, we remembered God’s immeasurable love and forgiveness to us in Jesus Christ, and we rejoiced in God’s covenant faithfulness to us and to our children. This week, take some time to re-read Psalm 103. Then, talk with your family or friends about some of the ways God has been gracious to you and thank God for His gifts together.

Last Sunday afternoon, we looked at the topic of miracles from Acts 5:12-16. We saw that miracles in the Bible always have the technical sense of being special signs that point to and confirm the truth of Jesus Christ. As special signs that point to Jesus, miracles in the Bible are always connected to specially appointed messengers like the OT prophets or the NT apostles. Now that the apostolic foundation of the church has been laid (Eph 2:20) and now that we have the completed Bible testifying to Jesus Christ, we do not need miracles in this technical, Biblical sense anymore. Yet, we also saw that we often speak of miracles in a much looser sense as anything that we cannot explain scientifically, or even more loosely, as something unexpected. In these looser, more general senses, miracles are no longer tied to specific individuals, they do not serve to directly confirm the truth of Jesus, and they are not necessary for our faith. Significantly, we saw that we should never allow the possibility of God working a miracle to make us neglect our God-given responsibilities to work faithfully and take care of our bodies. Even more, we should not let a desire for the miraculous blind us to God’s normal, ordinary providential care in our lives. Indeed, even now, God is still calling spiritually dead sinners to new life in Jesus, a far greater miracle than merely physical healing. This week, take some time to thank God for all the ways that He is at work in your life, whether they seem unexpected and “miraculous,” or whether they seem ordinary and quiet.

Last Sunday afternoon, we heard from Acts 4:32-37 together. This passage gives us a picture of a healthy church. In particular, it highlights the importance of ministering in both word and deed. First, Luke shows us that the church should be a place where we show practical love, care, and generosity to one another. How can we learn to be generous to others? Only when we recognize that we are all sinners saved by Jesus, and all that we have ultimately belongs to God. Second, Luke shows us that the church faithfully proclaimed the message of Jesus Christ and His resurrection. We saw that while it is important to love and serve others, we also need to be hear and proclaim the message of Jesus, for He is the only hope for sinners. This week, take some time to pray about how you can use what God has given you to serve others in practical ways and to consider how you can speak to people around you about Jesus this week. Then, empowered by God’s Spirit, seek to serve in word and in deed.