Posted on

January 27, 2014

 STIRRINGS at BETHESDA, the weekly newsletter of Bethesda Baptist Church

January 27, 2014

Recent Prayer Requests

* Pam and her family in the death of her father
* Brenda Koelling
* Meghan Bartner
* Zachary Mueller
* Alicia Mueller’s mother
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Marilynn Norvell
* Debbie Walker, recovering from foot surgery
* Steve Brook and meeting with ordination council
* Our church and need for revival

Upcoming Activities

1.  Bible Study (Brief Books) & Prayer  Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
2.  Men’s Breakfast & Book Study, Saturday, 8 a.m.
3.  Church Council, Saturday, 9 a.m.
4.  Deacon Ordination Council, Saturday, 10:30 a.m.
5.  Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
6. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
7. Discipleship Training, January Bible Study,  Sunday, 5 p.m.

January Bible Study

Our January Bible Study of the book of Colossians is now in chapter 2.  Plenty of time for you to join us this Sunday evening at 5 p.m. as we continue our examination of “Christ is All You Need”.

This Saturday …

Several activities are taking place at our church this Saturday which need special attention.

1.  The men will meet at 8 a.m. for our monthly breakfast and book study.  We were snowed out last month and will, therefore, discuss the last 2 chapters of Dr. Whitney’s book this weekend.  Bring your breakfast and any suggestions/interests you may have for a new study and enjoy some fellowship.

2.  Our church council meets at 9 a.m.  If you are on the council please plan on attending our first quarterly meeting of the year.  If you are unable to do so please arrange for someone else to represent you.  All church members are welcome to attend.

The primary mission of the church council is to plan upcoming events so one group’s schedule does not impact another’s schedule.  This coming quarter will involve the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (NAMB activities) and Easter weekend observances.

3.  The deacons will meet with brother Steve at 10:30 a.m. concerning his election to serve our church as a deacon.  Please be in prayer for Steve and this group that the Lord’s will be faithfully accomplished.

“We exist by His grace, we continue to live by His grace, we are redeemed by His grace, we are regenerated by His grace, we are justified by His grace, we are sanctified by His grace, we are preserved by His grace.”

Sermon Extras & Pastor’s Postscript

Our text yesterday was fairly straightforward.  There are no unusual words in the original text nor verbs used in some special way.  As I shared with you, I had thought of “jumping over” these verses to 3 & 4 but was then convicted by the Lord to preach on them instead.  The Lord used the word “church” to grab my attention and draw me back to this part of the text.  Many people no longer see a value in the local church.  They choose not to unite to one.  Others divert all their Christian efforts to “para-church” organizations, essentially making them their church.

Here are a few words from the great Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon on joining a local church.

It seems to have been the custom in the earliest times for persons who had been converted to Christ to join themselves with the church of Jesus Christ.

From that fact, I feel persuaded that they did not conceal their convictions. It is a strong temptation with many to say, “I have believed in Jesus, but that is a matter between God and my own soul, there is no need that I should tell this to others. Can’t I quietly go to heaven and be a Nicodemus, or a Joseph of Arimathea?” To which I reply, Yes, you can quietly go to heaven, and we hope you will do so, but that is a different thing from being cowardly and ashamed of Christ. We will not object to your being a Nicodemus if you will go with him when he carries spices to the grave of Jesus; and you may be a Joseph of Arimathea if you will attend him when he goes boldly to Pilate and begs for the body of Jesus. Neither of these two brethren were cowards after the cross had been set up before their eyes, neither were they ashamed to identify themselves with the crucified Christ. Follow them, not in the infancy of their love, but in its more mature days. Remember, dear friends, the promise of the gospel runs like this, “He that believes in his heart, and confesses Christ with his mouth, will be saved.” Do not, I charge you, neglect half of the command!

It is quite clear, too, that believers in those days did not try to go to heaven alone. However, there has been a great deal said in these days about simply being a Christian and not joining any particular church, this is clearly a piece of hypocrisy, and in all cases a mistake.

This idea of not joining any one particular church, and instead simply belonging to the “church at large” is often advocated in the name of unity, and yet it is clear to everyone that it is just the opposite of unity, and is intended to put an end to all visible church fellowship. The good people mentioned in our text immediately join the church of the Living God in Jerusalem. I dare say that even in those days, had they criticized the church, they would have found faults in her, certainly within a few weeks there were great faults that had to be remedied; but these converts felt that the group of Christians at Jerusalem was indeed the true church of Jesus Christ, and, therefore, they joined it. All of you can find true churches of Jesus Christ if you choose to look for them. If you wait for a perfect church, you must wait until you get to heaven; and even if you could find a perfect church on earth, I am sure they would not admit you to their fellowship, for you yourself are not perfect. Find those people who are nearest to the Scriptures, who hold the truth in doctrine and in practice, and are most like the apostolic church, and then join them, and you will be blessed for it. Consider the matter, and reflect that if it would be right for you to remain out of church fellowship, it must be right for every other believer to remain in the same condition, and then there would be no visible church on earth at all, and no body of people banded together to maintain and teach Christian commands and practices. Christian fellowship, especially the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, and the maintenance of an evangelistic ministry, would become an impossibility, if no one openly declared the Savior’s cause. Act then according to your duty, and if you are a Christian, join with Christians; if you love the Master, love the servants; if you love the Captain, unite with the army, and join that regiment of it which you think adheres the closest to the Master’s word.”

The full text of this message, “Additions to the Church”, may be read here if you have further interest:
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols19-21/chs1167.pdf .

May the Lord grant you a terrific week!

Posted on

October 28, 2013

Urgent Prayer Requests

* Petra Lau and her family, friends of Karla – her father was murdered
* Bill Sugar, friends of the Diamonds, Lymphoma
* Pete Koelling, health concerns and special request for prayer.
* Special prayer for Zachary
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Sandy & Rachelle, working many hours (plus Rachelle is under the weather) & Julie at Mizzou
* Dan, health concerns
* Mueller family, Alicia’s pregnancy
* Marilynn Norvell
* Gene & Lois Schulze at home
* Mark & Julie Johnson and the situation with their Illinois home
* Our church and need for revival

Upcoming Activities

1. Ladies Book Study, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
2. Bible Study (Brief Books) and Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
3.  Men’s Breakfast and Book Study, Saturday, 8 a.m.
4.  Church Council Meeting, Saturday, 9 a.m.
5. Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
6. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
7. Discipleship Training (Elisha), Sunday, 5 p.m.

”If God has thus wondrously provided for the fulfillment of His own gracious appointment … then surely we need not, we must not, we dare not, doubt His ability ‘to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.’”
John Lillie

Operation Christmas Child

This Sunday is the last one available for you to contribute to this year’s Operation Christmas Child.  All shoeboxes need to be returned on Sunday.  Any donations you wish to be made (gifts and/or cash) must be turned in on Sunday.

Monday evening you are invited to the Walker’s home for a Packing Party.  The event begins at 6:30 p.m.   If you want to participate but do not have directions, please talk with the pastor in person or call him at 636-233-0645.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

Daylight Savings Time ends this coming Sunday morning at 2 a.m.  Please make certain you set your clocks BACK 1 hour before going to bed on Saturday evening.

We are “falling back” this weekend which gives you an extra hour of sleep Saturday evening into Sunday morning.  Everyone will be well rested for morning worship (and Bible Study at 9:15!).

Reformation Sunday

Yesterday we briefly recognized Reformation Sunday which is always the Sunday before October 31.  Many Baptists, to their loss, are unaware of this day or the importance of October 31.  Allow me briefly to recap the events which we remember at this time of the year.

Martin Luther was born in Germany in 1483.  His father wanted him to become a lawyer and he was attending a university working to achieve that objective.  However, when he was caught outside in a violent thunderstorm in 1505 and almost struck by lightning, he vowed to become a monk if the Lord spared his life.  Later that year he entered the monastery.

Luther was always under conviction of his sins.  He would confess his sins to a priest, walk away, and then return to confess some more.  He punished his own body and was fearful of God.  Nothing in his religion brought him any peace to his soul.

In 1510 he was sent by his superiors to Rome, the home of the pope.  While there he relized something was terribly amiss with the practices of the church.

In 1511 he was sent to teach at a new university in Wittenberg, Germany.  While studying for his lectures on the book of Romans in 1515, Luther realized that a right relationship with God was not possible by works, confessions,  money, or the Pope.  Rather, one need only trust Christ by faith to be saved.

Pope Leo was a great lover of the arts and exhausted the Vatican’s wealth on the purchase of art and the creation of new works.  He desired to leave Rome more glorious than he had found her and one way he intended to do so was by the building of St. Peter’s Cathedral.  This, of course, required money which was borrowed from European financiers.  In order to repay the loan, Leo began selling various new indulgencies.  One of these indulgences promised that those who purchased it would be totally forgiven of all their sins and avoid purgatory (the place where a dead soul must go until all his sins were paid according to the Catholic Church).  In fact, one could purchase an indulgence for a deceased relative.

Johann Tetzel, a Catholic preacher, was sent into Germany to preach this indulgence and collect the revenue.  He was very, very good at his job and the Vatican treasury was receiving a strong income.

Luther was greatly concerned about the false hope indulgences gave to people, upset at Tetzel stealing the money of his countrymen, and certain the Pope, if he knew what Tetzel was doing, would stop the Catholic preacher.  On October 31, 1517, Luther posted 95 theses against indulgences on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.  The theses were written in Latin and this was the typical method for publicizing a request to debate.  Luther never intended to split from his church.  He was sure, however, his arguments against indulgences and other current Catholic teachings would be heard and agreed to by the church leaders.

Needless to say, Luther underestimated the impact of his action.  The theses were translated into German and spread rapidly throughout the land.  The Pope and other church officials saw a drop in the sale of indulgences and began efforts to quiet Luther.  Ultimately, he was excommunicated from the church and declared an outlaw of the Holy Roman Empire in 1521.

Many in Germany, Switzerland, and other European countries followed Luther in his attempts at reform.  These protesting reformers (hence, Protestant Reformation) preached that salvation was by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to the glory of God alone according to the Word of God alone.  As a result, new churches came into existence across Europe and England opposed to the Roman Catholic Church.  Included among these reformers were men who taught that baptism is only for those who are true believers in Christ and that the local church is to be a body of gathered believers evidenced by their baptism.  These men are the spiritual ancestors of Southern Baptists today.

So, October 31 marks the anniversary of Luther nailing his 95 theses, the match which ignited the Reformation.  We thank those who have gone on before us for their courage, their commitment to the Word of God, and their devotion to Jesus Christ!  Reformation Sunday provides us with an opportunity to remember all they accomplished for us and for the glory of God.

Pastor’s Postscripts

This week’s edition is a bit longer than usual but I thought the brief explanation on the Reformation would be worthwhile.  If you are unfamiliar with this period of church history, I strongly encourage you to do some reading on the period and/or some of the personalities involved.  There are many biographies on Martin Luther alone.  If you have an interest, talk with me and I will point you to some good works on the subject.

A reminder of our Church Council meeting this Saturday at 9 a.m.   This is an important meeting because, among other things, we need to discuss our plans for Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays.  Also, we will get an update on our church sign plus I have some news to share with you about some musical instruments.

Men, we will meet at 8 a.m for breakfast and our book study.  Bring your breakfast and join us for this time of fellowship.  Sometimes I think we spend more time sharing than we do examining the book but that’s an important part of fellowship as well!  Even if you have not been a part of our study in the past, come out anyway and join in the fun.

May the Lord grant you a wonderful week!  See you Sunday morning (remember, set your clock back an hour!).