The Gathering 2016
8 Days of Consecration
8 Days of Consecration for The Gathering 2016 By Claude V. King
The Purpose of Consecration God has always known that His people would have a tendency to depart from Him. He prescribed seven days a year for solemn (or sacred) assemblies where His people Israel would come together to stand before their holy God in a holy convocation. They would remember His mercies and blessings, renew their covenant commitments to Him, confess and repent of all known sin, and get right with Him. Because God is holy, we dare not rush into His presence without preparing ourselves. In Exodus 19 God explained to Moses that He was coming down on Mount Sinai to enter into a covenant with Israel. “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them’ ” (Exodus 19:10, NIV). The people were going to meet with a holy God and they needed to prepare themselves. They had three days to get ready. Consecrating God’s people is an important action for a spiritual leader to undertake when preparing them to meet with God or to renew their covenant relationship with Him. When a crisis occurred in Israel during the days of Joel, he knew the people needed to come together and stand before God to discover why this tragedy had come upon them. They had no time to wait for a prescribed solemn assembly; this was an emergency. Joel knew the people needed to get ready to meet with God; so He commanded, “Consecrate the assembly” (Joel 2:16, NIV). In both Joel and Exodus, the Hebrew word for consecrate means to make clean; to purify; to sanctify or to set apart from the common, profane, or unholy. Our day is no different. When God’s people join together in solemn assembly, they need to be prepared. I’ve written Consecrate the People to help individuals and churches to understand their need for preparation and then to prepare themselves for a time of solemn assembly. A Tool to Help You Consecrate the People Consecrate the People is an 8-day devotional guide designed to help Christian individuals, churches, and groups prepare themselves for a solemn assembly before their holy God. Though it can be used at other times, it is designed so a pastor can preach on a Sunday to issue a call to a solemn assembly. The booklet helps members prepare (consecrate) themselves during the week. Then the congregation gathers the following Sunday to renew their covenant commitments to Jesus Christ in a time of solemn assembly. The contents include: Day 1: Call a Sacred Assembly Day 2: Prepare Yourself Day 3: Return to Your First Love Day 4: Remove the Idols in Your Heart Day 5: Humble Yourself and Put Away Pride Day 6: Be Holy as God Is Holy Day 7: Restore Your Broken Relationships Day 8: Renew Your Covenant with God 1
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1. Provide Copies of the Consecrate the People Booklet You may download a PDF file of Consecrate the People: Renewing Our Covenant Commitments to Jesus Christ at http://thegathering2016.com/resources/. You have copyright permission to print, translate, and distribute the file (in print and electronically) for personal or church use. The copyright notice permits denominations and other Christian ministries to reproduce and/or translate the booklet for personal or church use. Print copies and/or email copies to your people. 2. If Desired, Order or Download Other Tools to Guide Your Preparation and Preaching If you sense a need for additional helps for preaching and teaching on revival or solemn assembly order them. Many resources are available for free on the Internet. A significant one that impacted me and my denomination in 1989 is an article on Solemn Assembly [click the link] by Richard Owen Roberts. Henry and Richard Blackaby and I wrote Fresh Encounter: God’s Pattern for Spiritual Awakening (and the related curriculum resources) to guide you in understanding revival and leading God’s people in returning to Him. For a tool to help your church prepare for and celebrate the Lord’s Supper as a solemn assembly, see Come to the Lord’s Table. You can download a free sample at http://www.lifeway.com/Product/P001315091 and learn more about solemn assemblies. 3. Study and Apply the Message in Consecrate the People for Yourself Your solemn assembly leadership team should work through the 8 daily devotionals in Consecrate the People. Pray about how God would have you guide your people in their return to Him. Both godly sorrow and grief over sin (2 Corinthians 7:10) and God’s kindnesses (Romans 2:4) can lead people to repentance. I’ve incorporated both in the devotionals, but you may choose to emphasize one over the other in your call to solemn assembly. Watch this brief video about Consecrate the People. Consecrate the People http://vimeo.com/13367310
4. Determine Your Church Schedule for the Eight Days Decide what you want to ask your people to do during the week and communicate the schedule to your congregation. Clear your church calendar of conflicting events so people can keep their focus on the consecration and solemn assembly emphasis. As you introduce the biblical model of solemn assemblies, point out that often multiple days and meetings were involved like: the first and seventh days of Unleavened Bread or the first and eighth days of Tabernacles. In the seventh 2
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month, Israel celebrated Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the two solemn assemblies of Tabernacles all in the same month. Consider one of these options for your 8-day emphasis: a. Sunday, September 4 through Sunday, September 11. This schedule will coincide with holding a solemn assembly on Patriot Day. Cry Out America promotes this annual emphasis and has additional free resources available at http://awakeningamerica.us/. If you choose this schedule you could add some special times between the Sunday services: Preach and call for preparation on Sunday, September 4. Labor Day Family Solemn Assembly. Encourage families to build a special time of sharing into their Labor Day festivities—picnic, outing, dinner, campfire, etc.). Include such things as: o Recall God’s blessings. o Remember how he saved you, share your personal testimonies. o Recall the valleys He has brought you through, times of protection, healing, deliverance from trouble. o Recall special family times: how Mom and Dad met, special vacations, special events. o Take time to thank Him for all these blessings, His provisions, and for your work. o Pray for those who do not have jobs or who are going through severe financial trials. Mid-week Service: “The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength.” Based on the example of the revival under Ezra and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 8–9) guide people to share with one another the ways God has demonstrated His love and faithfulness to them through the years. Use the list at the bottom of page 7 in Consecrate the People for suggestions for sharing. This should be a joyous service. Sunday, September 11 Solemn Assembly to renew your covenant commitments to Jesus Christ. b. Sunday, September 11 through Sunday, September 18. This schedule would allow you to complete the 8 days of preparation and have a day to renew your covenant commitments to Jesus Christ prior to The Gathering Simulcast on Wednesday, September 21. c. Wednesday, September 14 through Wednesday, September 21. This schedule would allow you to complete the 8 days of consecration and join The Gathering Simulcast as your solemn assembly. 5. Issue the Call to Solemn Assembly—Day 1. If you sense a great emergency, preach from Joel 1–2. Otherwise, I would preach a message from the Ezra and Nehemiah revival in Nehemiah 8–9. Explain the need to prepare for your special time of meeting with God. Provide copies of Consecrate the People to every adult member and even older students. Ask them to take seriously the need to prepare and study the messages daily (starting today—Day 1). 6. Renew Your Covenant Commitments to Jesus Christ—Day 8. One purpose in consecration is to be made holy, clean, pure, and set apart from the unholy. A second purpose for consecration is to make a fresh commitment of one’s life to Jesus Christ as Lord. Develop a message and the service around Romans 12:1 and the Scriptures listed on page 16 in Consecrate the People. Enlist at least 6 readers to prepare to read the Scriptures in the 3
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responsive reading on page 16. I’m including the text for those Scriptures in both King James Version and Holman Christian Standard Version at the end of this file. The second term in the Old Testament frequently translated “consecrate” is made up of two Hebrew words. One means “an open hand.” It is not a closed hand but an open one. The other word means “to fill up.” Together these words combine to literally mean “to fill up the open hands.” Imagine a priest standing by the altar to receive the offerings and sacrifices brought to the temple or tabernacle. When the offering is placed into the hands of the priest, it is consecrated to God. But this particular term is almost always used to describe people (especially priests and Levites) being consecrated to God. Once I came to understand the meaning of that term for consecrate, I thought immediately of Romans 12:1—“Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship” (HCSB). Though Paul didn’t use the word consecrate, the meaning is the same: Give yourself fully to God for His purposes. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth: “Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:19-20, HCSB). Then later he wrote: “He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised” (2 Cor. 5:15, HCSB). As God’s people, we need to understand we have been bought at the price of the life of God’s One and Only Son, Jesus Christ. We belong to Him. Because of His mercies we should present (consecrate) ourselves to Him to serve the One who died for us. All these thoughts got me to thinking about a ceremony that took place during the Middle Ages. It was called an homage ceremony. Here’s a drawing of the ceremony: Medieval Homage Ceremony
Clipart courtesy FCIT. http://etc.usf.edu/clipart
During the homage ceremony a king would sit on his throne and bring his vassals (people who lived on his land) before him to pledge their loyalty and obedience to him. The vassal would get 4
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on both knees, place his palms together, place his hands inside the hands of his king, and say these words: “I am your man.” Though it was a simple pledge, it meant that the vassal would obey the king, fight for him, and if necessary die for him. Christians who had to participate in this ceremony realized they had a King in heaven that deserved their loyalty and obedience far more than this earthly king. As a physical reminder, they developed a new posture for prayer. Do you recognize it? This posture of kneeling with head bowed and palms together did not originate in biblical days. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia it did not appear in church worship practices until the 12th Century. ("Liturgical Gestures." New Catholic Encyclopedia. 2nd ed. Vol. 8. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 646-650.) Christians would kneel to pray and spiritually enter the throne room of heaven where King Jesus is seated on His throne in all His splendor and glory. There Jesus is holding out nailscarred hands with the desire that we present to Him our bodies as living sacrifices. But He doesn’t want just a part of us, He wants ALL of us. So the Christian would pray (I’ guessing) something like this: “King Jesus, today, I’m Your man (woman). My time is Yours. My possessions and finances are Yours. My work and plans and dreams for my future belong to You. My health and family belong to You. My reputation and job are Yours. My very life belongs to You. Command me today, and I will obey You.” Would that change your prayer life? Jesus has purchased us for Himself. We belong to Him. Our service belongs to Him, but not out of duty—out of love. What do you suppose would happen if all God’s people began each day in full surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and King? What would happen if we lived lives of holiness and purity? What fruit could come from our witness if we were filled with His Holy Spirit’s power? How would His Kingdom expand, if we obeyed Him completely because of our love? We owe all that to Him! As part of your service, consider sharing about the homage ceremony and how it became a model for our modern posture for prayer. Invite your congregation to “bend the knee” to their Lord and pledge to Him their bodies and lives as a living sacrifice. Prepare an invitation for people to respond by surrendering their lives anew to be living sacrifices to Jesus Christ their Lord. Consider songs like: “Take My Life and Let It Be” by Frances Havergal, “I’ll Live for Him” by Ralph Hudson, “Draw Me Nearer” by Frances Crosby, “Is Your All on the Altar” by Elisha Hoffman (see lyrics on this site), or a more contemporary song calling for full surrender. 7. Call Your Congregation to The Gathering Solemn Assembly on Wednesday evening, September 21, 2016. In the Old Testament solemn assemblies, everyone who could understand was expected to attend. In desperate times like the days of Joel, no excuses were acceptable. We’ve lost that sense of corporate (church) responsibility before our Sovereign Lord who calls us to meet with Him. Let’s prepare ourselves and respond to God’s call!
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Consecrate the People Scriptures (KJV) (for the responsive reading on page 16) Reader 1: 1 Peter 1:13‐16; 2 Peter 3:10‐14; Colossians 3:1‐14 1 Peter 1:13‐16 (KJV) 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 2 Peter 3:10‐14 (KJV) 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. Colossians 3:1‐14 (KJV) 1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, 6
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and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. Reader 2: 1 John 4:19; Romans 5:8; Ezekiel 36:25‐27 1 John 4:19 (KJV) 19We love him, because he first loved us. Romans 5:8 (KJV) 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Ezekiel 36:25‐27 (KJV) 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
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Reader 3: 1 John 2:15‐17; Matthew 6:25,32‐33 1 John 2:15‐17 (KJV) 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Matthew 6:25, 32‐33 (KJV) 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Reader 4: Malachi 3:6‐10; Matthew 23:23; Matthew 6:19‐21 Malachi 3:6‐10 (KJV) 6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 7Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 8Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Matthew 23:23 (KJV) 23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of 8
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mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Matthew 6:19‐21 (KJV) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Reader 5: Matthew 28:19‐20; John 14:15,21,23‐24 Matthew 28:19‐20 (KJV) 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. John 14:15, 21, 23‐24 (KJV) 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 19
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Reader 6: 2 Corinthians 5:14‐21; Acts 1:8 2 Corinthians 5:14‐21 (KJV) 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Acts 1:8 (KJV) 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
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Consecrate the People Scriptures (HCSB) (for the responsive reading on page 16) Reader 1: 1 Peter 1:13‐16; 2 Peter 3:10‐14; Colossians 3:1‐14 1 Peter 1:13‐16 (HCSB) 13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. 2 Peter 3:10‐14 (HCSB) 10 But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that ہdayۂ the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. 11Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, ہit is clearۂ what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God. The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with the heat. 13But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell. 14Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found at peace with Him without spot or blemish. Colossians 3:1‐14 (HCSB) 1 So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. 3For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. 4When the Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is 11
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idolatry. 6Because of these, God’s wrath comes on the disobedient, 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. 8But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. 11In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. 12Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also ہforgiveۂ. 14Above all, ہput onۂ love—the perfect bond of unity. Reader 2: 1 John 4:19; Romans 5:8; Ezekiel 36:25‐27 1 John 4:19 (HCSB) 19 We love because He first loved us. Romans 5:8 (HCSB) 8 God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! Ezekiel 36:25‐27 (HCSB) 25 I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. 26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27I will place My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes and carefully observe My ordinances.
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Reader 3: 1 John 2:15‐17; Matthew 6:25,32‐33 1 John 2:15‐17 (HCSB) 15 Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever. Matthew 6:25, 32‐33 (HCSB) “This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? …32For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Reader 4: Malachi 3:6‐10; Matthew 23:23; Matthew 6:19‐21 Malachi 3:6‐10 (HCSB) 6 “Because I, Yahweh, have not changed, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed. 7“Since the days of your fathers, you have turned from My statutes; you have not kept ہthemۂ. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Hosts. But you ask: “How can we return?” 8“Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me!” You ask: “How do we rob You?” “ہBy not making the paymentsۂ of the tenth and the contributions. 9You are suffering under a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are ہstillۂ robbing Me. 10Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this way,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure. Matthew 23:23 (HCSB) 23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important 13
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matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. Matthew 6:19‐21 (HCSB) “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
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Reader 5: Matthew 28:19‐20; John 14:15,21,23‐24 Matthew 28:19‐20 (HCSB) 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” John 14:15 (HCSB) 15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commands…. 21The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” … 23Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
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Reader 6: 2 Corinthians 5:14‐21; Acts 1:8 2 Corinthians 5:14‐21 (HCSB) 14 For Christ’s love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. 15And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised. 16From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know ہHim in this wayۂ. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, ہhe isۂ a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 18Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Acts 1:8 (HCSB) 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
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