Welcome to Living Hope CRC

 “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”
Psalm 62:1-2
In worship we hear the gospel of Jesus Christ which assures us that we can rest in his work done for us. In a frantic world where people often worry about what they cannot control, it is good to be reminded that all things are under the providence of God. God is in control. We believe Jesus Christ who was crucified is also now risen from the dead, and he reigns as Lord over the whole world. By grace, through faith in him, we rest in New Life in a New Creation.

This Week:

Today we hear two parables from Jesus which appear to have very different perspectives on life in the Kingdom of God. The “Parable of the Talents” will appeal to the heart of the capitalist while the “Parable of the Sheep and the Goats” will appeal to the socialist. The first one (“Talents”) declares a blessing and reward for industry, hard work, and the creation of wealth, while condemning laziness. The second one (“Sheep and Goats”) declares blessing and reward for those who feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and show hospitality to the stranger, while condemning those who fail to help “one of the least of these”. However, these parables are not necessarily the opposite of each other. Both of them are speaking to God’s will for our lives in the Eighth Commandment where God says in Exodus 20:15, “You shall not steal”. That’s the commandment stated in the negative. In Ephesians 4:28 we hear it stated positively when the apostle writes, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.” In the Law given on Mount Sinai, the Lord said, “Do not steal.” Jesus now says to us, “Give of yourself.”