Stirrings at Bethesda – December 30, 2013
Recent Prayer Requests
* Pete Koelling, in hospital with pneumonia
* Bounds family, fighting illness
* Audrey Crosby, ill
* Brenda Koelling, relationship with her daughters plus their salvation
* Special prayer for Zachary
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Marilynn Norvell
* Steve Brook and meeting with ordination council
* Our church and need for revival
Upcoming Activities
1. NO Wednesday service
2. Men’s Breakfast & Book Study, Saturday, 8 a.m.
3. Deacon ordination council, Saturday, 9:15 a.m.
4. Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
5. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
6. Discipleship Training, January Bible Study, Sunday, 5 p.m.
“The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.”
The 1963 Baptist Faith and Message
Sermon Extras
Part of my message yesterday on the Supper focused on the words “unworthy manner” in verse 27. I noted the original word behind this translation (“unworthily” in the King James) was an adverb which actually modifies the verbs in the verse (“eats” and “drinks”) and not the word “Whoever”. Paul is not discussing an “unworthy” person but an “unworthy” observance of the Supper. The original adverb (anaxios in the Greek) may be rendered “in an improper way” further noting our need to make certain we observe this ordinance in the manner the Lord intends.
I challenge each of us to make certain we follow the prescribed method for worshiping our great God as noted in His Word. Let the Word of God not only regulate our life but also our worship!
Questions to Ponder: (1) Are you able to remember what the Lord has done in your life or do you not know Him? (2) What is your reaction when you enter the auditorium on a Sunday morning and see the table prepared for the observance of the Lord’s Supper?
“The Lord ends the need for the Passover, a meal looking forward to Him and His future sacrifice; He begins the Lord’s Supper, a meal looking backward to Him and His completed sacrifice.”
Some Important Items
First, the 12 boxes sent to our soldiers in Afghanistan all arrived! They were received with great gladness and thanksgiving!
Second, our church surpassed its Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal of $1200. Thanks to each of you who gave for your generosity!
Third, I want to thank Audrey, Julie, and Steve for their assistance in making our Christmas Eve worship service so meaningful. I truly appreciate all your help!
“We are unworthy of this sacred feast, and if unworthiness could shut us out, who would dare to be here?”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
January Bible Study
Yes, our annual January Bible Study begins next Sunday evening at 5 p.m. during our Discipleship Training hour. Brother Dennis will lead us in this study of the book of Colossians.
Please do your best to attend all the January Bible study sessions in the coming weeks. You will be blessed through the Word of God!
Pastor’s Postscripts
Happy New Year! May our Lord grow you spiritually in 2014 as well as bless you abundantly.
In two weeks (January 12) we will observe the ordinance of baptism with the baptism of Nolan Brook. Also, my message that morning will be on this ordinance. Yesterday morning I shared with you on the Lord’s Supper, a feast which has been argued and debated throughout the centuries since the institution of this ordinance. These debates have not only taken place between various religious denominations but also within denominations including Southern Baptist ranks. This is especially true when it comes to who may take the supper. As I read 1 Corinthians 11, I see Paul attempting to correct the incorrect practice of the supper by the Corinthians. What are they doing? They are, essentially, doing their own thing (see v. 21 – “own meal”). Paul then explains the supper and how it is to be observed. He closes his statement with verses 33 & 34 where he says the church is to “come together” (used twice) to celebrate the Supper. Nowhere in Scripture is any individual commanded to observe the Supper on their own (as they are their baptism).
Actually, if you reflect for a moment on what most churches call the Lord’s Supper, this truth becomes apparent. The most frequent word used by Protestant churches for the Lord’s Supper is “communion”. Why? Because the Supper is intended to be a time of fellowship of believers remembering the Lord and His sacrifice at Calvary. The Lord did not design the ordinance to be observed individually.
May the Lord bless your week. May He bring healing to those in our fellowship who are ill at this time.