Please find below the notes from the Elder's Prayer this past Sunday.

"[35] Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. [36] But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. [37] All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. [38] For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. [39] And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. [40] For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:35-40)

(Prayer)

You are the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. You declare the end from the beginning. You carry out your will according to your pleasure. You receive counsel from no one; whatever is in your heart to do, you do.

When we see promises in your word, we can know for certain that you will keep them. There is nothing in all of heaven and earth that will cause any of your promises to fail.

You have called us and chosen us – we who used to be your enemies - to be your children. 

You have freed us from our sins – providing the payment for our sins and redeeming us from our slavery to sin.

You have declared us righteous – we who were dead in our sins - by uniting us with Christ, raising us with him to new life.

So when evil comes into our lives or we see evil all around us, but we turn to you, your word reminds us that Jesus said you would never cast us out.

When trials come and test our faith, and maybe we fear that our faith will fail, your word reminds us that Jesus will lose none of those that you gave to him.

And when persecution comes because we are yours, your word reminds us that all who believe in Christ will have eternal life.

Our understanding of you is so small. Our faith, our joy, is too often affected by the circumstances of life. That is why our hope ultimately has to be in you – and in your son and in your word and in your promises. 

There is no greater security we can have in life – either for this life or more for the life to come – than what we find in what you tell us in your word.

Amen.