Speaking from Paul’s introduction to the letter to the Ephesians, he reminded us that our true identity as Christians is that WE ARE BLESSED.

We have the Father’s blessings: we are chosen, we are adopted into the family of God, and we are accepted (not based on our performance, but on our standing in the Beloved).

We have the Son’s blessings: redemption (redeemed with the currency of Christ’s blood), forgiveness, revelation of mystery (that all things are summed up in Jesus and we walk as people who know that truth), and inheritance.

We have the Spirit’s blessings: We are sealed (we bear the mark of the Spirit as we travel through life) and we have the guarantee of the Spirit.

And, the recurring theme is that all of these blessings are to the praise of his glory. We are children of the King who are blessed in order that we might be a blessing to others, that His glory may be revealed.

What encouragement to live out the gospel! This sermon resonated even further with me, as I listened just a short time after chapel to Pastor Joe Novenson speak at the service for Michael Mooney, father of Emma Kate, a student here at Covenant. Mr. Mooney passed away suddenly on Sunday night and we are mourning with Emma Kate and her family. Pastor Novenson mentioned that Michael was always surprised by how much God had blessed him. He lived in wonder of how much God had given.

I am challenged to live in light of the blessings I have been given–the rich blessing of being chosen and placed into the family of God, the blessing of true forgiveness, the seal that marks me as one of Christ’s own.

What blessings are surprising you today?

Next week, we’ll have the second of our Monthly Missions Meetings. We will gather for a time of worship, fellowship, and prayer for missions. This month we will be hearing more about opportunities and challenges in East Asia. Several students and guests will share from their own experiences of working in China and Vietnam.

The Economist just published an article about the growth of Christianity in China. The number mentioned is 130,000,000 (YES, 130 MILLION), more active Christians than any other country in the world. The article also mentions the ongoing need for training and education of church leaders in the Chinese churches.

Continuing on the East Asia theme, later this semester, at our Global Gospel Advancement week, we’ll be welcoming Dr. Michael Oh, president of Christ Bible Seminary in Nagoya, Japan. In hsi evening lectures, he’s going to share more information about what God is doing in Asia and in the global church.

Dr. Green will speak in Chapel on Monday and Tuesday, and also give an evening lecture Monday evening. Anyone who can even begin to explain either the religious right or the religious left in 30 minutes has my attention.

Monday at 10 and 11 am: Understanding the Religious Left

Monday Evening (7:30-9:00pm) The Faith Factor: Religion & the 2008 Presidential Election

Tuesday at 11am: Understanding the Religious Right.

Everyone in the water of sin, in the kingdom of darkness needs to be saved, but only those who acknowledge their sin, have grief over their sin, and turn from it can be saved. And, the true fruit of that repentance and belief is our following Jesus. And, part of that following is becoming, like Jesus, fishers of men. Jesus pursued sinners in order to rescue them. Chaplain Messner asked us: Are we sinner-seeking people? Are we looking for opportunities to reach out with the truth of the gospel?

How can you, where you are, make an effort to seek out the lost?

He encouraged the first group to recognize that in attending Covenant, there is something added to their experience, not something missing. They have the freedom to pursue questions that might be pushed aside or derided at another institution. In a Covenant classroom, for example, someone could bring up what the Bible says about debt and lending, or bring up the question of caring for the poor according to Isaiah. Here, students begin the integration of life and faith, instead of waiting until after college. He also encouraged them that the small size of Covenant is an added benefit as well in creating a sense of community and belonging. On a side note, Dr. Elzinga’s Microeconomics course at UVA is larger than our student body.

The second group of students he termed the “doubters,” those who are not sure they believe the gospel or are drifting from belief. Of any place, Covenant should be a community that welcomes these students in the midst of their doubts, is open to their questions, and is living and speaking in a way that gives a defense of our faith to those who live with us. Those who doubt test our own faithfulness and our own readiness to give a reason for the hope that is within us, in gentleness.

Dr. Elzinga reminded students to question not just “What will I do with my Covenant experience?” but also  “What will my experience at Covenant do to me?”

For those who wanted to read the short story Professor Elzinga mentioned, here’s a link.

Please pray for our students who are learning and growing in grace. We hope to hear from more of them this year in chapel.

When we think about the coming of the Kingdom, the perfect righteous reign and rule of God, embraced and submitted to with perfect fidelity so that the character of God molds and shapes everything, we are left with two realities. One, we look all around us and see that the kingdom has not come in its fullness: the effects of the curse are all around us. Two, we know that all is not lost. When the king comes again he will redeem not just us but the whole of what he has made. Jesus did that work when he came to earth. On the cross he went to heart of the problem, and dealt with our sin, bearing its full curse unto death. Then in his resurrection, he showed his complete and total victory over sin. So, what does this mean for us now?

We are to repent and confess our sin and rebellion, and turn in faith to believe the gospel. We also are called to a full-orbed witness to the kingdom, in our kingdom prayer, our evangelism, but also in our relationships, our work, our communities as we taste the blessings of the kingdom now and declare its future glory.

How can we remind each other about the kingdom as we go about our daily lives?

What does it look like for you to bring a kingdom witness into your spheres of life?

Having Fernando Ortega here to lead us in song during chapel on Tuesday and then to share his music again in the packed out auditorium on Tuesday evening was a great joy. His selections were, as usual, full of the good news of the gospel, grounded in Scripture, and beautifully arranged and performed. He did say that he wished he was 18 again so he could come to Covenant College, which we took as a high compliment.

Yesterday, our keynote speaker Rev. John Smed began his series on How God Shapes a Kingdom Conscience. He began Wednesday morning talking about living in the tension of the two great commandments–loving God and loving our neighbors. He talked about the necessity of moving from orphan fear to gospel freedom. He gave the example of Joshua, who in many ways was orphaned at the death of Moses, but who God encouraged with his promise to never leave or forsake him. When we live in fear, as Joshua could have, we live life in retreat, we are unable to lead others, and we begin to face the wrong enemies. Pastor Smed challenged us to acknowledge our fears and bring them to Christ, remembering that we live in the “age of Joshua,” the gospel age where we have the promises of Christ to cling to and live in.

Today in chapel, he provided a great picture for us! He compared the conveyor belt (from the movie Wall-E) of technology and ultimate isolation to the river of grace that the Bible talks of. This river calls us to step in and participate. We must be with God and with others, and that oneness is the deepest, richest unity we will experience on earth.

He talked about our relationships as co-extensive–like weaving which needs both the warp for structure and durability and the weft (or woof) for texture, warmth, reality. Our fellowship falls short if it is not with both God and each other. We fall apart unless we are loving Jesus by loving each other.

He also talked about our relationships as symbiotic, feeling with and for each other. Taking the time to feel pain and joy with those around us, working out our relationships through personal conversation and prayer.

Pastor Smed encouraged us to drink deeply of fellowship, to step into relationships. “We do and must have time to cultivate those relationships.” For those alone and hurting, sound the alarm. Ask someone to help you! And for those who are socially more adept, do NOT be ashamed to associate with someone different. You must seek out and find that lonely lost person. He challenged us that there should be no lonely person at Covenant if we are truly living out our Kingdom callings.

Talking after chapel, a question Anne (our chapel administrative assistant) articulated well: Let me ask myself before every activity or task, is this pushing me further along the conveyor belt or is it propelling me into the river of grace?

Pastor Smed continues his series tonight at 7:30pm and gives his final talk Friday at 10 and 11 am chapel services.

John Smed is the pastor at Grace Vancouver in Vancouver, British Columbia. The church’s vision is “to see a city, country and world where the message and ministry of Jesus Christ penetrates and transforms the spiritual life, social dignity, and cultural heart of its peoples.” We’re looking forward to hearing from him in the coming days.

Here is our schedule for the week ahead:

Monday
Student Led Chapel at 10am & 11am

Tuesday
Special Chapel featuring Fernando Ortega at 11am
Evening Concert with Lanae Hale and Fernando Ortega at 8pm

Wednesday
Rev. John Smed 10am, 11am and special evening chapel at 7:30pm

Thursday
Rev. John Smed in chapel at 11am and evening chapel at 7:30pm

Friday
Rev. John Smed speaks in chapel at 10am and 11am
Outdoor Dessert and Celebration on the Chapel lawn at 7:30pm to end the week!

He preached from Psalm 23, reminding us of Christ’s shepherding care of us as He walks with us through times of refreshment, difficulty, and honor. The section on going through difficult times without fear reminded me of some reading I’ve been doing recently. In his book Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest, CCEF’s Ed Welch notes that the command most repeated in Scripture is “Do not FEAR.” We are prone to fear so many things, but God calls to us in the midst of that fear,  offering the hope of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the promises of Scripture. I’m only a little way through the book, but it was helpful and encouraging to hear Ron speak about some of the same topics and remind me of the hope that we have in our Good Shepherd.