City Of Light Anglican Churchaurora, Illinois

JUNE 28: Scarecrows in a Cucumber Patch (10:1-18) “But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.” SUMMARY: The “way of the nations” which seem secure and powerful are actually pathetic. That’s the truth behind Jeremiah’s image of a scarecrow in a cucumber patch. These ungodly ways are not to be feared or imitated. In comparison, the Living God is to be feared, adored, and obeyed. DISCUSSION: This passage addresses our fears by contrasting God and idols. What fears do you imagine the people of Israel had in their day (see 10:2, 5)? What differences does Jeremiah highlight between the idols and the God of Israel? Compare the “way of the nations” of Jeremiah’s time with our day: When have you seen our cultural idols and worthless practices on display? What implications do you see that God’s kingship has on our idols, habits, and practices? What encouragement does God give us to not fear? How can we respond to God’s kingship over our

JUNE 21: A Broken Cistern (2:1-13) “They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” SUMMARY: Our spiritual adultery with God is more serious than we care to admit. From God’s perspective, we are attempting to drink water out of a broken cistern which can never satisfy. Meanwhile, we are neglecting the True Fountain of Living Water. God wants us back. DISCUSSION: Verses 2-3 begin with an affirmation of God’s remembrance of us. What do verses 5-8 teach us about the relationship between idolatry and our remembrance of God? What are some ways that you have forgotten God or his past mercies to you? What habits or practices can remind you of who God is and what he has done? In verses 9-11 we learn that “[God’s] people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols” (2:11). Do you find God glorious? When have you experienced the glory and beauty of God in your life? How did it affect you? Are there things in your life that you fi

June 14 — “A Small Kid Gets a Big Job” (1:1-12) God’s calling on our life exceeds our human capacities. He gives us assignments that are more difficult, adventurous & tedious than we expect at first. Living faithfully and courageously through this crisis is one calling we all share. The power to fulfill his calling on us comes directly from him.

Genesis 1:1 - 2:3 John 14:15-21 "We were made for loving union because the Father, Son, and Spirit are loving union and we are made in God's image We can take the light of Christ, and shine it like a beacon into our history and unearth the darkness of division and cast it out so we can be reformed in loving union. We have been deformed in division; now we are being reformed into reunion by the holy trinity, Father, Son, and Spirit, the three who are one.

Genesis 11:1-9 Psalm 104:24-30 Acts 2:1-21 John 14:8-17

Prayer's of Lament and Repentance for our divisions from the Pentecost service yesterday. A Letter Concerning the Death of George Floyd and So Many Others https://www.churchrez.org/a-letter-concerning-the-death-of-george-floyd-and-so-many-others A PRAYER OF LAMENT FOR DIVISION O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth, Have mercy upon us. Oh Dios el Hijo, Redentor del mundo/God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Ten piedad de nosotros/Have mercy upon us. O God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful, Have mercy upon us. Oh santo, bendito, y gloriosa Trinidad, un Dios/holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God, Ten piedad de nosotros. Remember not, Lord Jesus, our sins, nor the sins of our fathers and mothers; neither reward us according to our sins. Deliver us, good Lord, deliver your people, whom you have redeemed with your most precious blood, and by your mercy preserve us for ever. Have mercy upon us.

Acts 1 Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Ephesians 1:15-23 Psalm 47 Luke 24:44-53 Almighty God, whose only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven: May our hearts and minds also there ascend, and with him continually dwell; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

"The sufferings we experience in this life are not unique to us. Jesus endured them. They don't have to dominate our life and rule how we react. Look to Jesus; he responded in love. They aren't pointless. Jesus himself was refined by them and they were a place where God revealed his glory in the midst of them. And they aren't the last word. God raised Jesus, and he will raise us as well."

John 15 "Our God is a master gardener, and he does not call it quits when there's a garden in disarray! He rolls up his sleeves and gets his hands dirty. He prunes and he weeds and waters and he sweats and he stays. He stays until the garden is healthy and begins producing the fruit that it was made to produce. He simply asks that we stay close. He will nurture and heal." "Yes, there may be days when the pruning hurts. There may come a time when it feels impossible to hold out hope that fruit will ever come, that the flower will ever blossom. But our gardener does not despair."

John 10:1-18 Good Shepherd Sunday We can embrace our identity as sheep when we embrace our Good Shepherd. As sheep we are vulnerable, but our shepherd cares for us!

I was so encouraged by the story last Sunday from Luke 24 of Jesus joining us on our weary walk. He spent his Easter Sunday, his first day back, teaching us how to recognize and abide in his resurrection presence in our daily lives. I want to invite you to intentionally arrange your day to abide in Jesus using a Rule of Life. It's not a rule like, “You’re in trouble you broke a rule." The idea of the word rule actually comes from the word trellis—something that helps the vine grow up and bear fruit. It’s a rhythm of intentionality in abiding in Jesus. We have another month of sheltering at home. Let's not just get by; let's grow in the Lord. We need him and there are people around us who need him. Let's arrange our lives to abide in him. Download the Rule of Life. You can go through it on your own, but it's even better to go through with others who can encourage and pray for you. Our groups will be going through it next week (see the schedule) and I'll be leading an extra group session on crafting a Rule

Luke 24:13-35 Jesus spends his Easter day, his first day back to life, showing us where to find the resurrection in our lives. He shows us what will sustain us. He shows us where our food for the journey is. He shows us how to see him and recognize that he is with us on the weary walk, in our grief, fear, and uncertainty, in our homes, and at our tables.

One week later, the Resurrection is still real! And because Jesus has risen, there is power and authority for those who believe. John 20:19-31 1 Peter 1:3-9

"For so long I thought I was totally alone. Never have I been so thankful that I was wrong...that God is real!" — Karime

If Jesus is alive, then there is God, God loves me, and God offers his saving help as a free gift. This Easter Sunday as we celebrate in our homes, let Jesus' resurrection change everything! Do not go back to normal. Make your lives about the resurrection of Jesus! Obey all that he has commanded. Go and tell others that he is alive. In the last three weeks we have all become experts on the spread of viruses. Go become an expert on how to spread the gospel!

John 19 "If you stay long enough at the cross, you will see that it is Jesus who bears your sin not you. You will see that it is Jesus who heals and forgives, not your addictions and compulsions. You will see that it is Jesus who has loved you to the bitter end."

Psalm 78:15-26 Luke 22:7-19 John 13:1-15 Tonight we name the things in our world that have been shaken so we can take hold of a kingdom that is unshakable! We grieve what we have lost so we can hold fast to what can never be taken away: the family Jesus has placed us in, the feast he has prepared for us, the future he has planned for us!

Isaiah 45:18-25 We cry, "Hosanna, God help us." And God's promises to do so are public And their fulfillment is sure. He secured his promises to redeem all things with the most dramatic evidence. He entered into our suffering and death and ultimately the resurrection that we ourselves will one day experience. Our hope is in the Lord and we will not be disappointed.

Sickness and death in our world are scary—they are our enemy. But Jesus our friend loves us, grieves what grieves us, hates what hurts us, and fights to free us. Do not be afraid. In this world we will have trouble. But take heart! Jesus has overcome the world!