Urgent Prayer Requests
* Bill Sugar, friends of the Diamonds, has Lymphoma
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Pete & Brenda, grieving over loss of her father; their health
* Dan, health concerns
* Mueller family, Alicia’s pregnancy & Jeff’s need for work
* Marilynn Norvell
* Aaron Wordlaw and his arthritis
* Dennis and Pam on their trip to Texas & return home
* Gene & Lois Schulze at home
* Mark & Julie Johnson and the situation with their Illinois home
* Julie away at school at Mizzou
* Our church and need for revival
Upcoming Activities
1. Bible Study (Brief Books) & Prayer
Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
2. Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
3. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
4. Discipleship Training, Sunday, 5 p.m.
Deacon Elections
Nominations for deacon are now closed. Over the next few weeks, the pastor and deacons will be talking with those who were nominated. The election will be held on the first Sunday of October at the conclusion of the morning worship service.
Please be much in prayer over this upcoming election.
Sermon Extras
1. For those of you with a keen interest in the second coming of our Lord and the various theories surrounding that event, take a moment and consider verse 13:
“… at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”
Throughout the New Testament, “saints” refers to those who have been redeemed by Christ: the saved, the born again, the true believers. Paul is obviously teaching the Lord’s second coming will be accompanied by saints.
But Paul makes it clear the coming will be with ALL his saints, not just some. It will include those from the Old Testament era as well as the 1st century. It will include the believers who have died since the time of Christ. It will include those who are alive at the time of his coming.
So, this coming (“parousia”) can NOT be a coming prior to the tribulation for those who hold such a position teach there will be people saved during the tribulation.
Furthermore, this coming must close the door on salvation for how could people be saved after the coming (e.g., during the Millennium) and yet “all the saints” be at Christ’s coming?
Stand by! There is more to coming in this epistle.
2. Verse 11 is quite fascinating on its teaching concerning the nature of God. Remember, Paul is NOT writing a theology or a discourse on God’s nature. He is merely expressing his heart in a blessing upon the Thessalonians. Yet, Paul is so firmly entrenched in the Bible that he cannot prevent the Biblical teaching of the nature of God from being expressed.
a. God is more than one person. This is clearly shown by:
(1) the word “the” appearing before both “God and Father” and “our Lord Jesus”.
(2) the “and” connecting these two persons.
God is, therefore, a being who is at least 2 distinct persons: God the Father and the Lord Jesus. Of course, the Bible teaches us He is actually 3 persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).
b. God is one united being, each person having the same mission and purpose. He declares this truth by:
(1) the “himself” appearing at the beginning of the verse before both names.
(2) the singular verb (“direct”) following this compound subject (“God and Father… and our Lord Jesus”).
God is one being consisting of 3 co-equal, co-eternal persons who are united in their mission and purpose in all things.
“Unless love prevails, selfish motives inhibit ethical development by turning us toward ourselves and away from God and blameless living. The holiness that belongs to God is the ideals we must seek.”
Robert L. Thomas
Statement of Faith
Bethesda’s statement of faith is “The 1963 Baptist Faith and Message” and may be read at http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfmcomparison.asp.
Here is the final article of that confession.
XVII. Religious Liberty
God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. Church and state should be separate. The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be favored by the state more than others. Civil government being ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God. The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work. The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of its ends. The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power.
Pastor’s Postscripts
We have a full newsletter so I will simply say “See you Sunday with my Bible at my side.”