July 16, 2023: Seventh Sunday after Pentecost (10:45a)

DEFINE CHRISTIAN Ask ten different people to define Christian and you may get ten different answers. One might say, “A Christian is someone who believes in Jesus.” Okay. But the demons believe that Jesus exists and is the Son of God. So is that definition adequate? Another person might have a more negative view. He says, “A Christian is someone who believes he is better than others.” Is that completely false? And if you aren’t humble, does that mean you aren’t Christian? In our worship series Christ himself defines the term Christian and describes what Christians do. We will be struck by how often we do not do all those things. There likely are times when people could look at our behavior and assume we were unbelievers. Yet throughout this series Jesus will demonstrate that ultimately a Christian is one who runs to Christ for forgiveness precisely because he has failed to live like what he is—a Christian. As we receive the mercy of Christ, it moves us to strive with all our being to better fit Christ’s beautiful definition, doing all the things Jesus says that Christians do. Our worship follows this path: The Christian Loves God above All The Christian Finds Rest in Jesus The Christian Is Planted by the Word The Christian Lives as Wheat among Weeds The Christian Seeks Spiritual Wealth The Christian Trusts God to Provide The Christian Answers Doubt with Faith THE CHRISTIAN IS PLANTED BY THE WORD Planting seed by hand can seem magical. In your hand the seed looks insignificant and lifeless. Yet you put the seed into the soil, and the natural process of life begins. All by itself, the seed germinates and sprouts and reaches to the sun. Except when it doesn’t! Plant multiple seeds and often only some, perhaps just a small amount, will sprout. As these few sprouts grow, birds and pests and weeds and weather attack. The reality is that once the seed leaves your hand, you are at the mercy of forces beyond your control. Today, God uses that experience from nature to explain the supernatural process by which God calls humans to faith through the gospel. The Christian is planted by the Word. The Christian can plant the seed of the gospel into the soil of another’s heart. What happens after that is completely beyond our control. Yet God promises us that his Word always accomplishes his good purposes. God’s Word is powerful, all on its own, without our help. God bless your worship. Vicar Micah Otto will preach on Matthew 13:1–9,18–23, “Dirty Hearts & Super Seeds” View or download this week's service folder from our website under "sermons" https://redeemertucson.com/sermons