Reformed from the Inside Out – Festival of Faith II (2022)

This semester, the Festival of Faith, also known as FOF, was themed “Shaping & Reshaping: Reformed from the Inside Out.” Here is a summary of all the topics covered. Which topics were most relevant to you?

On the first day, we took a closer look at the Bible and learned how Jesus was the leader of the great reformation before the world’s other great leaders. We looked at how God reshapes our lives with an example from Jeremiah 18:1-6. In the evening, we covered how salvation comes by grace alone. When we look at Romans 1:17, we see God’s righteousness revealed.

On day two, we looked at Jesus being the center with a fascinating illustration of the sun and how the planets orbit around it. From this example, we learn that God should be the center of our lives and the one thing we should orbit around. We are also told about the priesthood of all believers and how it relates to each of us individually.

The mid-week lesson talked about “communion = community”. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, we see an illustration from paul where he uses the human body to explain community. The body is one entity but so many different systems within. From this, we learn how we should live as a community. The evening service taught us about sin guilt-and free forgiveness. Why do you think forgiveness is so hard for humans? The Bible tells us forgiveness is full and free; all we have to do is ask God. An important lesson is learned from the parable in Matthew 18:25. The promise in 1 John 1:9 is fulfilled if we learn to forgive others first.

On day four, we looked at baptism into a new covenant. The story of Paul from Acts 16 when he was imprisoned and the prison shook. Even though they were let loose and free because the chains broke, Paul and his friends did not leave their cell. How many of you would be like Paul? He showed an outward expression of an inward work of the Holy Spirit. Baptism A new covenant with Jesus. We see God making different covenants with man through the Old Testament, to name a few, Abraham, Noah, Jacob. The example of Paul showing the Holy Spirit’s work outward is what we do when we get baptized. We show the world our inner faith and beliefs.

The last day of our Festival of Faith discussed Jesus’ second coming. He showed his love to people around him by performing miracles even as great as raising the dead, yet his story ended on the cross, or did it?

The story of Johannes Stoffler, who predicted that the world’s end would be 2/02/1524, showed the world that no matter how brilliant you are, you cannot predict gods return. Christ is returning to bring salvation and judgment. But none of us know when, so we are told in Matthew 24:42-44 always to stay prepared and never let our guard down.