Dear Church Family, Have you ever tripped over something on the ground? It’s frustrating when it’s right in the middle of the hallway or you have to go completely out of your way to avoid it. That’s how it was with the Jews and righteousness. As I was reading through Romans 9, I came upon this section: Romans 9:30-33 (ESV)
What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
How could the Jews miss out so completely on God’s righteousness when it was right in front of them? They have God’s Word right in front of them, but completely missed out on what He was trying to teach them through it. According to verse 32, the reason they stumbled over this truth is because, “they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works.” God wanted them to pursue Him through obeying the Law and trusting that He would save them. Instead, they thought of the Law as a way to earn salvation through their good works. The truth was right in front of them, but instead of seeing it, they tripped over it. It’s easy for us to do the same thing with the Word of God. When we treat the Bible as something to pursue “based on works” then we trip over it. It’s only when we see it as a way to pursue God through faith, that we experience it as the life-giving Word of God. It’s vital that we don’t reduce it to a list of rules to make ourselves better. God wants us to know Him through His Word and please Him by submitting to it. In the end, it’s about relationship instead of works. It’s about faith instead of Law. It’s about walking instead of stumbling. What’s Happening at Gospel Life:Challenge for the New Year: As we approach 2023, one goal I have for our church body is to grow deeper in God’s Word. The Bible is one of God’s greatest tools for growing us in our relationship with Him and also helps protect us from swerving from the truth. One specific way you can do this is to read through the Bible in a year. There are several different ways to do this, but one specific plan will be available at the Welcome Table on Sunday. One tool is the plan of reading through the Bible in a year. I found a website that allows you to customize a Bible reading plan: https://biblereadingplangenerator.com
We will have a special celebration dinner at the end of the year for anyone who completes this challenge. Donation Reports for 2022: We are so incredibly grateful for how God has provided for the needs of the church this past year. We will soon be sending out donation reports, but want to make you aware that you might receive two different reports. Our conference, the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches, has graciously helped us with our bookkeeping this year. Because of this, if you made any cash or check donations, you will receive a report from FEC. You will also receive a report from Gospel Life Bible Church for any electronic donations that you have made. Communion: We will next be celebrating the Lord’s Supper together as part of our Sunday morning service on Sunday, January 8th. Through the ordinance of communion, we remember Jesus’ body that was broken and His blood that was shed for us. Life Groups: Life Groups are an important way to connect and grow at Gospel Life. If you’re looking for a group to join, we have several different options to choose from, with more coming soon. You can sign up below or stop by the Welcome Table on Sunday.
https://gospellifebiblechurch.churchcenter.com/groups/small-groups Watch Previous Worship Services
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW5IMNeRoI99I-QNoGMnuWDy6Y5svTt_c | 
