December '24

"But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth" (2 Th 2:13).

I'm grateful for you Redeemer Church. I'm grateful for the year that has been 2024 and I'm grateful that we got to be Christian in it together.

Like Paul, I'm grateful that God has chosen you to be saved. I hope it never gets lost on me that the very fact you all gather each week to sing to the Lord and hear from his word is only because God chose you from the foundation of the world to be saved. I get to see the results of God's gracious and merciful decree each Sunday.

I'm grateful that you are sanctified by the Spirit. Paul used language like "put to death" to describe our struggle against sin. If this communicates anything, it is that the Christian life can feel like a tiring, discouraging, never ending brawl with our old natures. This is anything but easy, and the continuous process of increasing awareness of your sinfulness and the ways it comes at you from all sides can feel overwhelming. I'm grateful to be in the trenches with you, and look forward to doing more of the same in 2025.

I'm grateful that you believe the truth. From my perspective, membership It is honestly one of the best things about being in ministry. It warms my heart that you aren't neutral to the truth, or keep the truth at arms' length, but you embrace it, saying with your mouths and with your lives, "I'm on team Jesus! He's my only hope in life and death!" It is a highlight of my month to hear you all recite the creeds. I love hearing you quote Scripture and wrestle with its contents in your CGs.

Redeemer Whanau, thank you to each of you who have made Redeemer what it was this year. By the grace of God, you have brought so much to the table. All glory to King Jesus.

Ps Phil Brown