Fellowship "Elbow Bump" for May 19

Peggy responded to yesterday’s Elbow Bump with some of her sister’s flowers, to cheer our day. Spring is a great annual reminder of God’s redemptive work.

"Our World Belongs to God" 19

It was great being together on Sunday to worship God. Unfortunately we did have some technical glitches (not unique to us, it turns out; Zoom users around the world reported issues.).  These problems kept at least two of our congregation from being able to join for worship, and several of you from being able to join for Online Coffee Hour. The issues may be related to the upgrade to version 5 of Zoom.  Since Zoom has made this a mandatory upgrade, we strongly encourage you to do the following: first, upgrade the software on your computer; and second, test your Zoom connection. (A good way to test it is by joining my online office hours!)  Please do both of these before Sunday, as Fellowship Church plans to share the Lord’s Supper via Zoom on Sunday and to do so, we need for everyone’s Zoom to be working.

Another way we will be using Zoom is for our first online lecture discussion.  Join us as we explore the wonders of the galaxy!  Click here for details.

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This week "Our World Belongs to God: A Contemporary Testimony”  turns from sin and the Fall, to God's loving plan to deal with it: Jesus, the one who crushed the serpent’s head.

Paragraphs 1-6: Preamble (April 11-29)
Paragraphs 7-12: Creation (April 30-May 8)
Paragraphs 13-17: Fall (May 11-15)
Paragraphs 18-22: Redemption (May 18-22)

Paragraph 19 (Today)
Although Adam and Eve were expelled
from the garden
and their days burdened
by the weight of sin,
the Lord held on to them in love
and promised to crush
the evil forces
they had unleashed.

[For God’s kindness to Adam and Eve, see Genesis 3:15-19.]

The writers of this Contempory Testimony point us today to Genesis 3:15-19. OK, let me be honest, these are the verses we usually refer to as “the curse,” so it seems odd to speak of “God’s kindness to Adam and Eve.”  Where I see kindness is in verse 21, when God clothes them, instead of berating them, for their feelings of shame.

But the point of this week is redemption, and God hints at that redemption in verse 15. And what do Adam and Eve receive? They receive a promise. They would not live to see the serpent’s head struck, but they received the promise that their generations would continue, that life would go on despite what they had done.

So the epic story begins. Along the way the tug-of-war between the hold of God and the grip of sin continues, with the continuity of God’s promise forming a line that passes right to Jesus and on to us today. Along the way, we are given glimpses great and small of God’s redemptive love.

To yesterday’s question, of where do you see signs of redemption, Hank responded with these encouraging words: “I am still amazed how some tough things in my life turned out to be the things that showed that 'he leadeth me'".  Amen!  I can’t think of a song more appropriate than that! (Click here—“He Leadeth Me”—to hear the song. This version is the way I learned it as a child, a cappella, shape notes and all.)

Let's pray: "Lord, we don't live in the Garden, but we still see your redemption at work in our lives and the world around us, even during this pandemic.  Open our eyes to your work and wonders, we pray.  Lead on and help us to follow you!"

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.

Our blessing for today is the same song as yesterday, "The Blessing." 

Pastor Mark

PS – My online office hours Wednesday are 11-noon and 1-2pm.  Drop in if you'd like to chat, or just say hi! 

PSS - Please pray for the Council Executive as they meet this evening.