Thank you for joining us for our corporate worship gathering this Sunday! Corporate worship is designed to hold before you Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is living and reigning victoriously. We gather to not only look back at what Jesus did during his earthly ministry, but we also look forward to that day when He will return to reclaim His bride (the church)! Today, we open our Bibles to John’s First Epistle where we will consider the Christian’s greatest hope: that one day our faith becomes sight when we behold the glory of God.

Today is also special as we recognize the achievements of our graduates. They have worked hard to reach this point. We want to honor them for labors and pray over them as they enter this season of life. Church, pray for them this week.

The 2022 Baccalaureate Ceremony is this Wednesday at 7pm. The Baccalaureate is organized by the Tonganoxie Ministerial Alliance. I was recently selected to serve as President of the alliance for a 2 year term. The alliance meets regularly to pray for and encourage one another so that we may all be “rooted and built up in [Christ] and established in the faith” (Col 2:7). It’s a joy to serve with the other churches at Baccalaureate. I hope you will consider attending the ceremony in support of our students.

One of my greatest honors is watching our students serve this church. There is a common misconception in the church that children and students are the church of tomorrow. However, once an individual makes a profession of faith, they are baptized into the church! As such, these children and students who believe in Jesus and have baptized are not the church of tomorrow, they are the church today! It is an absolute joy watching these students be involved in Bible Fellowship Classes, lead Bible Studies, serve in the media and music ministries, and in so many other areas of our church!

There is no better time than we gather together. Our gatherings are a foretaste of the gathering we will experience in glory. Prepare your hearts for worship this morning, by reflecting on Psalm 115:16-18

The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, But the earth He has given to the sons of men. The dead do not praise the Lord, Nor do any who go down into silence; But as for us, we will bless the Lord From this time forth and forever. Praise the Lord!