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

I'm sure I've shared this before, but it is one of my favorite passages in Scripture. Jesus had fed the 5000 the night before, so on this day they come to find him and begin asking him questions. But after he has taught them for a while, they all leave, including some who had called themselves his disciples.

All that is left are the 12, those that Jesus had chosen. He turns to them and says 'Do you want to go away as well?' Simon Peter answers, of course, and gives an incredible answer. 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.' Where else are we going to go? Realistically, what other options are there that could possibly speak to the issues of life the way that Jesus does?

My hope and prayer for us is that we never leave Jesus. No matter how hard life gets, that we never give serious thought to turning away from Jesus, thinking that He just isn't worth the effort. Or that we turn away because our pride leads us to thinking that somehow Jesus doesn't meet our expectations.

No matter what life gives you, remember what Jesus has done for you - paying for your sins, sharing his righteousness, adopting you as children of God - and that no other thing in life can give you those things.

Prayer

Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.

Father, thank you for the hope of salvation that you give us through Christ. Because of his work on the cross, because of his righteousness, we can know salvation from sin. Because of what Jesus has done, our hope of salvation does not rest on our efforts.

Thank you for the hope of eternal life. The salvation that comes through Jesus will last forever because you have said so and because Jesus completed all of the work of salvation that you gave him.

Thank you for the hope of perseverance that you provide. You give us your Spirit who helps us to remember the promises made in your word, helps us to remember all that Christ has done, helps us to remember that this life is not all that there is.

Thank you for the hope of the inheritance we have in Christ. One day, we will be free from sin. One day, we will be perfected. One day, we will stand in your presence with Christ's righteousness covering us. One day, we will more fully know what it means to be a child of God.

Give us wisdom today to remember and apply your word correctly, so that when difficulties and discouragements come, we are not tempted to turn away, not tempted to stop walking with you.

Amen