Katelyn Aguayo 6/9/21 Katelyn Aguayo 6/9/21

Gathering Preview | Genesis 4:1-16 | Cain and Abel

CALL TO WORSHIP -

Oh, the joys of those who do not

follow the advice of the wicked,

or stand around with sinners,

or join in with mockers.

But they delight in the law of the Lord,

meditating on it day and night.

They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither,

and they prosper in all they do.

Psalm 1:1-3

Prayer

SONG | You Make Me Brave

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -

Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

James 4:7-10

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk-in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

SONG | Lord I Need You

PRAYER OF ASSURANCE

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:1-2

PRAYER

SONG | Psalm 23 (I Am Not Alone)

SCRIPTURE READING - Genesis 4:1-16

The man was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.” She also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?” Then he said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear! Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And he placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.

COMMUNION

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11.23-26)

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”

(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

SONG | I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

SONG | Amazing Grace

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING

BENEDICTION

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

Jude 24-25

PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you

New Circle Church 6/4/21 New Circle Church 6/4/21

Genesis 2:4-7: Creation (Shane Mosby)

In Christian circles particularly, Genesis is often debated regarding its level of literalness and congruence with modern thought. To have a honest discussion surrounding it, we must acknowledge that it is not a textbook of science nor history. The creation account in Genesis does not provide inherent structures or principles to govern ourselves by, but reads closer to a story, which when read in the cultural context of its writer (Moses), is made absolutely clear.

Among different schools of thought arise the question whether God created all of this from nothing (Greek) or from water (Jewish). We don’t understand the true answer, but either school of thought agree that God is the Creator and the Father of the universe. In fact, in the ancient world they were largely unconcerned with how things came to be and were far more concerned with what was.

Another way we view the created world through God’s hands is the establishment to order amongst chaos. In Genesis 1 there is a depiction of God establishing light over dark, watery depths that would have been paralleled in the language of the Near East as establishing order to chaos. The creation account of Genesis stood in stark opposition to commonly held ideals at the time of how the created world came into being. It was common amongst religions at the time that the created world was born out of chaos, but the Jewish people posited that God simply spoke to create the world, and that this simple spoken word was an evidence of his power and worthiness of praise.

In Genesis 2 the language that is used to describe God’s creation of man shows that it was very intentional and particular. God set man into his creation with intent, purpose and with care. We also see his love on display because he created man in his own image. This was a display of love because at the time this was written, image bearing was done by kings to declare their presence and dominion over their kingdom in its remote areas as an evidence of their reign. What does it say that the God who created the universe cared enough to create man and put his own image into man such that we declare his presence with our very beings? God sought to remind us of his presence with every image bearer he places among us.

The groundwork that is laid in Genesis is essential for the redeeming purposes of God coming to fruition throughout the bible, both in the Old and New Testament. For the Jewish people, this book served as a reminder of their origin and God’s purpose for their lives, and that they were loved. Even when they were exiled, they could recall and remember their beginnings and know that they were loved. This of course remains true for us today. Echoes of God’s care and design are declared by Jesus in Matthew 6:25-34 where he shows, citing creation as an example, how God cares for his loved ones and as a reason not to worry or be anxious.

We were created with a purpose, with intent, care and love. If we stumble over the specifics of Genesis and focus on those non-eternal factors as truth, and cling to those rather than the truths which we really can draw from the account, then we are missing the point and missing the opportunity to be encouraged by and amazed at the God who created us. Contemplating the reality that we were created by a God who loves us, and created us with a purpose should inspire us to marvel and worship. More than any specific details regarding the exact nature or means by which the created world came to be, may we be enamored by that truth that the one who did the creating cared enough to create us.

Katelyn Aguayo 6/2/21 Katelyn Aguayo 6/2/21

Gathering Preview | Genesis 3:1-7 | Temptation and Fall

CALL TO WORSHIP - Annalie Brooks

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

Psalm 16:5-6

Prayer

SONG | Great is the Lord

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

Psalm 103:8-12 (NLT)

SONG | Take My Life

PRAYER OF ASSURANCE

The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!

Psalm 103:13-18 (NLT)

PRAYER

SONG | Living Hope

SCRIPTURE READING - Genesis 3:1-7

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’” “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman.“In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.

COMMUNION

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”

(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

SONG | Jesus Paid it All

SONG | Is He Worthy

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING

BENEDICTION

There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love. We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:18-19

PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you

Katelyn Aguayo 5/26/21 Katelyn Aguayo 5/26/21

Gathering Preview | Genesis 2:4-7 | The Creation

Trinity Sunday

CALL TO WORSHIP

The Word became flesh and blood,

and moved into the neighborhood.

We saw the glory with our own eyes,

the one-of-a-kind glory,

like Father, like Son,

Generous inside and out,

true from start to finish.

John 1:14

Prayer

SONG | The Lion And The Lamb

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -

God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

1 John 1:5-10

SONG | All Creatures of Our God

PRAYER OF ASSURANCE

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Romans 8:14-17

PRAYER

SONG | So I Will (100 Billion X)

SCRIPTURE READING - Genesis 2:4-7

This is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, neither wild plants nor grains were growing on the earth. For the Lord God had not yet sent rain to water the earth, and there were no people to cultivate the soil. Instead, springs came up from the ground and watered all the land. Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.

COMMUNION

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”

(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

SONG | When I Survey The Wonderful Cross

SONG | Beautiful Things

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING

BENEDICTION

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you

Katelyn Aguayo 5/18/21 Katelyn Aguayo 5/18/21

Gathering Preview | Acts 2:1-13 | The Holy Spirit and the Church

Pentecost Sunday

CALL TO WORSHIP

When the Counselor comes, the one I will send to you from the Father —the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me. You also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

But I have told you these things so that when their time comes you will remember I told them to you. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going away to him who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Yet, because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: About sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you.

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

Prayer

SONG | You Reign

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his faithful love endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord proclaim

that he has redeemed them from the power of the foe

and has gathered them from the lands—

from the east and the west,

from the north and the south.

Some wandered in the desolate wilderness,

finding no way to a city where they could live.

They were hungry and thirsty;

their spirits failed within them.

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;

he rescued them from their distress.

He led them by the right path

to go to a city where they could live.

Let them give thanks to the Lord

for his faithful love

and his wondrous works for all humanity.

For he has satisfied the thirsty

and filled the hungry with good things.

Psalm 107: 1-9

SONG | Come Ye Sinners

PRAYER OF ASSURANCE

Therefore, as a witness of the Lord, I insist on this: that you no longer walk in the outsiders’ ways—with minds devoted to worthless pursuits. They are blind to true understanding. They are strangers and aliens to the kind of life God has for them because they live in ignorance and immorality and because their hearts are cold, hard stones. And now, since they’ve lost all natural feelings, they have given themselves over to sensual, greedy, and reckless living. They stop at nothing to satisfy their impure appetites.

But this is not the path of the Anointed One, which you have learned. If you have heard Jesus and have been taught by Him according to the truth that is in Him, then you know to take off your former way of life, your crumpled old self—that dark blot of a soul corrupted by deceitful desire and lust—to take a fresh breath and to let God renew your attitude and spirit. Then you are ready to put on your new self, modeled after the very likeness of God: truthful, righteous, and holy.

It’s time to stop bringing grief to God’s Holy Spirit; you have been sealed with the Spirit, marked as His own for the day of rescue. Banish bitterness, rage and anger, shouting and slander, and any and all malicious thoughts—these are poison. Instead, be kind and compassionate. Graciously forgive one another just as God has forgiven you through the Anointed, our Liberating King.

So imitate God. Follow Him like adored children, and live in love as the Anointed One loved you—so much that He gave Himself as a fragrant sacrifice, pleasing God.

Ephesians 4:17-24; 30-32; 5:1-2 (The Voice)

PRAYER

SONG | Holy Ghost

SCRIPTURE READING - Acts 2:1-13

When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, devout people from every nation under heaven. When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts), Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.” They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But some sneered and said, “They’re drunk on new wine.”

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.

COMMUNION

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”

(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

SONG | Forever

SONG | Holy Spirit

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING

BENEDICTION

And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. —Jeremiah 32:38-41 (ESV)

PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you

New Circle Church 5/11/21 New Circle Church 5/11/21

Finding the Right Therapist

Acknowledging that you need help in the area of mental health is a huge step. Yet after that realization, many people do not know how to take the first step in finding the right kind of aid.

Just as there are many doctors, there are varieties of therapists that specialize in various areas. To help make sense of this, we wanted to recommend “The Savvy Psychologist” podcast by Dr. Jade Wu. Dr. Wu helps us answer these important questions:

Where do I start looking?
How do I narrow down my list?
How can I evaluate if someone is a good match?
How can I find affordable options?
What do all of those letters after the names of therapists mean?

We hope this is helpful to you! If you need more assistance, please reach out to us.

Katelyn Aguayo 5/11/21 Katelyn Aguayo 5/11/21

Gathering Preview | Romans 8:12-16, 26-27 | Praying in the Spirit

7th Sunday of Easter - Focus on the coming of the Holy Spirit—a week of anticipation and expectance.

CALL TO WORSHIP

How happy is the one who does not

walk in the advice of the wicked

or stand in the pathway with sinners

or sit in the company of mockers!

Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,

and he meditates on it day and night.

He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams

that bears its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers.

The wicked are not like this;

instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment,

nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

Psalm 1

Prayer

SONG | Freedom

PRAYER OF CONFESSION -

If we accept the testimonies of people, then we must realize the testimony of God is greater than that of any person. God certified the truth about His own Son. Anyone who trusts the Son of God has this truthful testimony at the core of his being. Anyone who does not trust God calls God a liar because he ignores God’s truthful testimony regarding His own Son. And this is the truth: God has given us the gift of eternal life, and this life is in His Son. If you have the Son, you have eternal life. If you do not have the Son of God, you are not acquainted with true life. I am writing all of this to you who have entrusted your lives to the Son of God—so you will realize eternal life already is yours.

1 John 5:9-13 (The Voice)

SONG | You Never Change

PRAYER OF ASSURANCE

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

Isaiah 61:1-2 (ESV)

Make us share in Jesus’s prayer. He is the great worshiper of God in spirit and in truth, he is the mediator through whom alone our prayer can reach to the throne of grace. We wish to pray in him, united with his prayer. May he, with whom we are united in his Spirit, teach us to pray. May he teach us to pray as he himself prayed, to pray at all times and not to slacken, to pray perseveringly, confidently, humbly, in spirit and in truth, with true love of our neighbor without which no prayer is pleasing to you. May he teach us to pray for what he prayed: that your name may be hallowed, your will be done, your kingdom come to us, for only if we first pray in that way for your honor will you also hear us if we pray for ourselves, our Earthly well-being and Earthly cares. Give us the spirit of prayer, of recollection, of union with God. Lord accept my poor heart. It is often so far from you. It is like a wasteland without water, lost in the innumerable things and trifles that fill my everyday life. Only you, Lord can focus my heart on you, who are the center of all hearts and the Lord of every soul. Only you can give the spirit of prayer, only your grace is capable of granting me to find you through the multiplicity of things and the distraction of mind of everyday routine, you the one thing necessary, the one thing in which my heart can rest. May your Spirit come to the help of my weakness, and when we do not know what we should ask, may he intercede for us with inexpressible sighs, and you who know men’s hearts will hear what your Spirit interceding for us desires in us.

-Karl Rahner

PRAYER

SONG | Great Is Thy Faithfulness

SCRIPTURE READING - Romans 8:12-16, 26-27

So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children. In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.

COMMUNION

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”

(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

SONG | In Christ Alone

SONG | How He Loves

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING

BENEDICTION

Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure. Greet one another with a holy embrace. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

2 Corinthians 13:11-13 (Message/CSB)

PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you

New Circle Church 5/5/21 New Circle Church 5/5/21

Sermon Recap | Walking By The Spirit | Shane Mosby

The presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians is a mark of the New Covenant God established through the sacrificial atonement carried out by Jesus. Those who are of God’s family are indwelt with the Holy Spirit. But what does it mean to walk by the Spirit, and how can one know whether or not they are engaged in that action? To walk by the Spirit is to experience the abundance of God.

Galatians 5:16-26 gives a rather clear answer to the question of what signs/actions are carried out by those walking by the Spirit and by those who are not. Some examples of signs of the flesh include sexual immorality, idolatry, hatred, strife, outbursts of anger, and envy (the full list is more exhaustive). This is sharply contrasted with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We can all look into our own lives now or in the past and put clear examples of ways we have exhibited both sides of these lists. Understanding the practical effects of one versus the other doesn’t seem particularly difficult. The question remains, though, of what it actually means to walk by the Spirit.

Old Testament prophetic texts that spoke of the New Covenant were rich with language that spoke of God’s active role of putting his Spirit upon his people (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Joel 2:28-29, Ezekiel 11:19). The language here is certainly different than the Old Covenant Law, but not necessarily at odds with it. In Galatians 3:24-26, Paul writes “The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for through faith you are all sons (and daughters) of God in Christ Jesus.” The word “guardian” in this text referred to a common role held by slaves whose job it was to watch over children going to and from school and to supervise their conduct. The purpose was to draw lines, provide limits, and enforce those limitations. Once those children were more well developed and understood those boundaries, they would become more and more free to move outward and thus negate the need for that direct supervision. It’s not meant to be a perfect analogy, but the point Paul is making is that the Old Covenant had its place and is in no way expired, but serves the purpose of laying the foundational work and boundaries that paved the way for freedom through Christ and the Spirit. We now rely on the Spirit in our daily lives and listen for his word on how to live.

While we rely on the Spirit for daily guidance, we must be wary of conflicting voices. We are human and thus imperfect. If we are seeking to rely on the guidance of the Spirit and not be led astray by the world or even our own flesh, we must constantly test what is good and true and consider: does what I am seeking look more like a fruit of the Spirit or a work of the flesh? In Galatians 5:17-18 Paul makes the case that the Spirit and the flesh are at eternal odds with one another. A few sentences later he also writes that those who belong to Christ have had the desires and passions of the flesh crucified with Jesus. This paradoxical claim speaks to the complexity of what it means to live a redeemed life. We are freed from our flesh before God, yet we must contend with it. These two parallel realities give us the freedom to walk by the Spirit in putting to death the works of the flesh without having to fear and become destitute over our shortcomings if indeed we belong to God’s family.

So the question we must ask ourselves: what fruit are we producing? Are we living lives of peace, love, joy, and goodness, anchored in our trust of God and seeking to love him and others above all else? Or do our lives look more like the works of the flesh described in Galatians 5? Are we living lives in such a way to better ourselves for the sake of God and others, or are we seeking after our fleshly desires? These are important questions worthy of careful prayer and consideration before God.