Your church is a place in time … I’m always intrigued by movies that have time travel in them and the ability to travel through time. It is also interesting to see shows that include a person doing something in one period of time that affects everything else that follows. That is why I’m amazed by our present sermon series on the book of Ephesians. It could not have come at a better time. 

 

When I say “your church is a place in time” I’m not talking about you inserting here ___________ the appropriate joke about the length of the sermons. I’m talking about our eternal God and His planning, that in His own time and in His way, He chose the when, the where, and the who of Abiding Shepherd. It is no accident that almost 12 years ago God decided the time was right to start a mission church in this fast-growing village. Other attempts had been tried before, and other attempts have been tried since, but Abiding Shepherd is a reality today because it was God’s plan.

 

Your being at Abiding Shepherd is no accident – that is according to God’s plan too. Because just as He decided on the “when and the where”, He also decided on “the who” – YOU. I’ve heard various reasons why people have visited and joined this congregation, but they all lead back to one place, to one God. You might think you decided to join, but I would argue God decided long before you did that you would be part of this church family. That is not to say you do not make use of your Christian free will, but you do so within the parameters of God’s will. That is just one of the many things that reveal Him as God to us.

 

I have to keep reminding myself of these amazing truths about God and His control of time because I’m right at the verge of whining to myself that summer is over too quickly and I don’t have enough time. God thinks otherwise. God plans otherwise. And so I’m just glad, for whatever time God has planned, that I get to spend some of my time with you – at your church.