Happy New Year!  As we look back on the past year, we marvel and give thanks to the Lord for the many blessings He gave to us.  So much happened in 2017.  There were highs and lows for us, both individually and corporately, but through it all, the Lord remained faithful and steadfast to meet us in our need.  As I look back on my own 2017, I am grateful for all of you.  You all stood by us through so much at the start of last year, and you all have rejoiced with us as the year went by and Nathaniel grew healthy and strong.  But most of all, I’m grateful that my house was built upon the Rock of Jesus Christ.  What a strong and sure foundation we have in Him!

This Sunday, we’re hopping back into our series on 1 Corinthians.  As you might remember, we left off right after Thanksgiving at 1 Corinthians 8 where Paul admonishes the Corinthians to give up their rights for the sake of their weak brothers and sisters in Christ on the issue of eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols.  This week, we pick up in 1 Corinthians 9, and Paul continues on the line of giving up rights for the sake of the Gospel.  In our passage, Paul shows them that he is literally putting his money where his mouth is as he talks about surrendering his rights lest he put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.  What better way to start our year than to think about how far we would go for the sake of the Gospel?  We often say that we want to put Christ above all else, but what does that look like?  Come Sunday to think through this idea with me.