On one of our early trips working in the Former Soviet Union, Jane and I had an evening off and were out exploring the streets of the old part of Riga Latvia. As we rounded narrow streets we started to hear the sound of a concert being given somewhere seeping out into the streets. It was a beautiful and “ancient” sound, and we quickly decided it must be coming from a church building. As we got closer to the source it was indeed a stately old cathedral. We eagerly paid the small admittance fee and found seats near the back. The actual concert had yet to begin, what we had heard was the “warm up”. We were surprised to see that the organ and choir were all in the balcony in the rear of the Church (I later learned many older cathedrals are thus designed).  When the music started again, this time in earnest, it was simply mesmerizing. I am no devote of classical music, but the quality of the music, the place, the performers were all of a level I had never before experienced. But more than simply being a pleasing experience, something that you remember when you wear your commemorative t-shirt, it spoke to me of truths about God that I had never encountered before.

In a very real way we, as Grace Church, are called to do the same thing. We are called, through the way we come together and “perform,” to lead people to encounter the love of God in new ways. Now don’t worry, I am not suggesting we buy an organ and bust out a balcony and form a choir. But I am suggesting that we need to seriously examine what it is going to take for us to “get in tune” so that people can encounter the Love of God through us. But that takes work. Love takes effort. Hitting the “right notes” takes practice. And that is what we are going to talk about this week.

For your personal prep, take time to read 2 Peter 1: 3-11. Consider the progression of thought that Peter offers, from knowledge of God and His promises, to the effort it takes to establish them in us, to the result of our efforts.