March 31, 2014

LADIES Book Study

LADIES:  your book study resumes this Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m.  Even if you missed last week’s meeting, you are more than welcome to join the group tomorrow evening.

 

Recent Prayer Requests

* Michael Mason, Sali’s brother, in Barnes St. Peters
* Joe & Jessey’s newborn son – in NICU
* Elijah Mueller – recovering at home
* Alicia’s mother
* Meghan Bartner
* Zachary Mueller
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Marilynn Norvell
* Debbie, recovering from foot surgery
* Prayer for the conversions of the lost, especially those in our community
* Prayer for those involved in North American missions.
* Praise to the Lord for our visitors
* Our church and need for revival

 

The Bethesda Academy

We meet again this evening to discuss future events.  Tonight we will begin our closer examination of some of the Scripture which addresses the future.  Even if you have missed our first two meetings, you will have no difficulty joining in.  Our meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and everyone is welcome.

 

“The word of the Lord is glorified when it is accepted by true faith, so that it begins to adorn the lives of believers.”
William Hendriksen

 

North American Missions

Thank you to everyone who has given to date.  We will continue to collect towards the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering through the month of April.  If you have yet to give, please seek the Lord to see what, if anything, He would have you give to support our missionaries and their work.

 

Julie’s Mission Trip

About 2 months remain before Julie begins her 10 week mission trip in San Diego.  Keep praying for her and give financially as the Lord leads to help her make this trip.

 

Upcoming Activities

1.  Bethesda Academy, Monday, 6:30 p.m.
2.  Ladies Book Study, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
3.  Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
4.  Deacons’ Meeting, Wednesday, 7:45 p.m.
5.  Men’s Breakfast & Book Study, Saturday, 8 a.m.
6.  Sunday School, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
7. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
8. Discipleship Training (Ruth), Sunday,
    5 p.m.

“If Baptists truly believed in the necessity of prayer, our prayer meetings would see a packed house.”
Coming in April…

Sunday, April 13 at 12:15 p.m. – Soup, Salad, and Sandwich Fellowship after the morning service.  Bring one or more of the above to share and some plastic Easter eggs for our children to hunt.

Friday, April 18 at 6:30 p.m. – Tenebrae Service (Good Friday service).  Pastor Bill Savage of St. Clair will bring the message.

Sunday, April 20 at 10:30 a.m. – Our Easter morning service as we celebrate our Lord’s resurrection.

 

Sermon Extras

Paul writes in verse 3, “And we have confidence in the Lord about you”.  It is important to note that Paul’s confidence resides in Christ, not in men.  He is confident that the Thessalonians will continue to obey the Word of God but that confidence is routed in the fact that God has done a work in them and will continue working in them.

In the text, “have confidence” appears first in the verse meaning Paul is emphasizing it.  The word means “to be convinced, to be persuaded”.  Paul constructs the word in such a way as to imply his confidence in Christ is something he reached a long time ago and that it is now a settled fact.  Paul knows the Lord is faithful and he is fully persuaded Christ will accomplish all He has planned for the Thessalonians.

May you and I always be convinced that Christ will complete the work He has for each of us in this life.  Even when we stumble and falter, the Lord is faithful.  He has promised to be with us to the end and He will fulfill that promise.
Pastor’s Postscript

Those who missed our “Q & A” fellowship last night missed a good discussion.  The question asked of me was, “When does a person become chosen/elected or condemned?  (Before conception, at conception, at physical birth or some time later?)”

Any question on the subject of election results in lively discussion since most of us have our own understanding of this doctrine.  Essentially I answered this question by saying election is an eternal decree, a choice made by God in eternity.  In that sense it was made before those chosen existed.

What I say is unimportant unless supported by the Word.  One reference I mentioned is Ephesians chapter 1:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.”

Clearly it is God, not us, doing the choosing.  The object of His choice is “us”, those who believe on the Lord.  Election is grounded “in Christ”, in other words, in the person and work of Christ without whom there would be no need for election.  This election took place before creation (“the foundation of the world”).  And this election had a purpose, namely, “that we should be holy and blameless before him”.

Election has been debated by very good men for centuries.  It is still debated today.  If God had not intended for the doctrine to be discussed He would have either omitted it from the revealed Word or more specifically declared it.  Yet, the doctrine is in the Scripture and I doubt any of our puny minds can ever comprehend all that is involved in the matter.

Since it is in God’s Word, we, as believers, have a responsibility to do our best to understand what God has said about it.  Our lives and our ministries should be lived in accordance with that understanding.  In other words, as your pastor I must preach and teach the doctrine in accordance to my understanding of it. 

I fully recognize other views on election.  That’s ok.  I formerly held other positions as well.  While I believe each of us is responsible to understand election as best we can, what is important to me are your answers to the following questions:

1.  Do you agree that man is, by nature, a sinner and will commit acts of sin?

2.  Do you agree that the punishment for sin is death, ultimately eternal death in a place called Hell?

3.  Do you agree that God sent His Son to earth to live a perfect life and provide an atoning sacrifice for sin?

4.  Do you agree that to receive this God-provided salvation, a person must repent of their sins and trust Christ alone for their salvation?

5.  Do you agree that salvation is by grace through faith and not of works?

6.  Do you agree that once redeemed by Christ and converted by the Spirit you are forever a believer, never losing your salvation?

7.  Do you agree it is the responsibility of Christians to take the Gospel message to everyone so they may hear the Good News of Jesus?

If you agree with me on these 7 statements, then let us make certain any differences we have in our understanding of election do not interfere with either our fellowship or our mission!

May our Lord and Savior give you a blessed week!

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