God commanded Abraham to leave his homeland, his relatives, and his father's house and go to the land that He would show him. This command meant that Abraham was called to leave behind everything he had relied on and live a life depending solely on God. Abraham's calling was not just for his own personal blessing but was part of God's plan to bless his descendants and all nations.

Today's message focuses on Jesus' intercessory prayer recorded in John 17. Jesus prayed that His disciples would enter into the world and remain in it, yet not be of it. This is the identity of the disciples. The Lord desired that they reflect Christ's image, revealing God's will in the world through their lives.  

When God calls us to do His work, it’s not about our abilities; it's about His power working through us. As 1 Corinthians 1:27 states, God chooses the foolish and weak things of the world to shame the wise and the strong. He does not leave us alone but provides help along the way, just as He sent Moses' brother, Aaron, to assist him. God has placed people in our lives and in this church who are here to help us fulfill our calling.

Many Christians in the early church, especially those Gentiles who were scattered as a diaspora, were a minority in society. Living in the Roman Empire and under Hellenistic culture, maintaining their Christian faith was not an easy task. However, Peter uses terms like "chosen people," which had been used to describe Jews, and applies them to these believers, declaring that they are a special people called by God. Though they were a minority, they were called to reveal God's glory.

In Jeremiah 4:1, God says to Israel, “If you, Israel, will return, then return to me,” The call to return to God in the Bible demands a deeper repentance, which is different from simple reflection. Reflection is an important human ability, allowing us to look back on our wrong actions and correct them. However, true repentance goes beyond merely changing one’s behavior; it is a deep spiritual transformation that restores our relationship with God.

Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast your cares on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." We can cast our burdens, worries, and concerns on God. The essence of faith lies in understanding who God is and how we regard Him. It’s about looking beyond the injustices and hardships of the world to God, who is sovereign over them. It is not about ignoring or denying the problems of reality, but about bringing them to God and confessing our trust in Him.

Paul encourages the strong in faith to bear the weaknesses of the weak and not to please themselves. This means that true Christian maturity lies not in criticizing or judging others, but in supporting and serving them in their weaknesses. Those who are strong in faith should not boast in their belief but rather help and care for those who are weaker in faith with patience and love.

Apostle John rejoices greatly upon hearing that Gaius is "walking in the truth." The "truth" that John refers to here is the truth of the Gospel, specifically the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Accepting the Gospel is not merely an emotional response, but an important process of decision made with our will and reason. To accept the truth is not simply to agree with it intellectually, but for our lives to be transformed and for our actions to reflect that truth.

 Jesus' instruction to "sell everything you have and give to the poor" was not merely about his wealth but an invitation to relinquish whatever had become an idol in his life and fully trust in God. The call to follow Jesus is a call to give all of ourselves to Him. The Lord's invitation is open to everyone, but it is a serious invitation. While we cannot enter God's Kingdom through our goodness, we enter it by giving our whole selves to God.

In Philippians 4:2, Paul urges Euodia and Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. The church is a gathering of diverse people, and it's natural for differences in background and decision-making processes to exist. However, Paul stresses that if the church is a community following Jesus, they must be of one mind. If we have experienced the marvelous grace of the Lord and exalt Him as our Savior, then following Christ's example of humility and lowliness should be a significant practice in our lives.

Jesus spread the Gospel through those who approached Him with faith, as seen in the stories of the woman with the issue of bleeding and Jairus’ daughter in Mark 5, and the healing of the demon-possessed man in the region of Gerasenes. On the other hand, the people of Jesus’ hometown, despite thinking they knew Him well, could not truly accept His message. Knowing about the Gospel and truly accepting it in our lives are two different matters.

Blessed are not those who are without faults, but those who have their faults forgiven. We are all beings with human weaknesses. We have faults, make mistakes, and sometimes commit significant sins. However, God loves us as we are, forgiving our faults and sins. Because of this, we experience the joy and freedom of being forgiven.

The core purpose of a Christian's life is to grow in likeness to Christ. Since humans were created in the image of God, becoming more like Christ is the essential purpose of human existence, and this should be the goal of every Christian's life. The work of Christ’s redemption in us is to restore us to the original image of God, reflecting His character and nature.

In the midst of despair, God offers the Israelites a new hope. His promise, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" became a beacon of hope, assuring them that God would continue His work of creation and bring about renewal.

Jesus calls us to be His disciples, and to be a disciple means to follow His character, His footsteps, and His work. We are called to resemble the One we follow, and this call is a deeper invitation to live a life that reflects Jesus in every aspect.

Through David and his warriors, we see how God's chosen ones can change the world through their faith. They did not waver in the face of circumstances but lived with determination, grounded in their faith in God. Just as Jesus called a few disciples and worked with them, David fulfilled God's mission with his warriors.

The book of Hebrews presents a multifaceted defense of Jesus Christ as our Savior by comparing and contrasting Him with the Old Testament sacrificial system, scriptures, and key figures. It emphasizes that our response to Jesus must be one of faith, a faith that endures through the trials of the last days as well as through the challenges of daily life. This faith arises from the assurance of Jesus Christ as our Savior.

The book of James emphasizes that faith should not merely be a confession of the lips but should manifest in actions across all areas of life. The faith that professes Jesus as Lord must naturally be reflected in our words and deeds. James particularly addresses how we should live in times of suffering, the importance of our speech and language habits, and the significance of prayer.

The underlying idea in Proverbs is that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." This statement is found in Proverbs 1:7 and serves as the central verse that runs throughout the entire book. The core of wisdom is the spiritual insight that comes from knowing God. God is personal, good, and the source of life. Trusting in Him and believing in His goodness and power should be the foundation of our faith values.

The Book of Job addresses the profound suffering of humanity and God's justice within it. It particularly explores how God's righteousness manifests amidst the unfair realities of human suffering, the suffering of the righteous, and the prosperity of the wicked.