Here is a great description of what we’re aiming to be at DSC.

I’m excited to get back to our study of Luke’s gospel account this Sunday. Luke 16:1-15 will be our passage. Let me encourage you to take the time to read it and perhaps pray through it before Sunday AM.

I believe verses 1-9 contain one of the most complicated parables Jesus gave. To be honest, I’ve had some trepidation about preaching this passage for a while now. But there’s no avoiding it. Preaching through books of the Bible forces a preacher to deal with passages that he wouldn’t go out of his way to preach — either because they’re hard to understand, or hard to hear, or seem unspectacular, or redundant. I believe God has purposes for us this Sunday in this passage. He sends His Word out and it will accomplish exactly what He intends for it to accomplish (Isa. 55). So let’s assemble on Sunday with eagerness to wrestle with a tough parable and be changed by it.

Josh Harris:

Acts 20:28 tells us that Jesus obtained the church with his own blood. Is this what your love for the church is based on? If it’s anything less than it won’t last.

• Don’t love the church because of what it does for you. Because sooner or later it won’t do enough.
• Don’t love the church because of a leader. Because human leaders are fallible and will let you down.
• Don’t love the church because of a program or a building or activities because all those things get old.
• Don’t love the church because of a certain group of friends because friendships change and people move.

Love the church because of who shed his blood to obtain the church. Love the church because of who the church belongs to. Love the church because of who the church worships. Love the church because you love Jesus Christ and his glory. Love the church because Jesus is worthy and faithful and true. Love the church because Jesus loves the church.

(HT:  Pure Church)

If you want to study more about suffering and how God’s good but mysterious purposes intertwine with it, here are four great books to check out.

• Trusting God, by Jerry Bridges

• If God is Good, by Randy Alcorn

• How Long, O Lord?, by D.A. Carson

• Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor.  You can also download it for free online.

On Sunday we gathered over $2,000 to assist with the relief operations in Haiti!  As we looked into different options for how to send this money to Haiti, the following organizations stood out:

1. Water Missions International

2. World Relief

These two organizations are already on the ground in Haiti distributing water and food.  Please pray that their efforts would glorify God and that many people would trust in Jesus Christ, who also suffered.