Posted on

November 25, 2013

Prayer Requests

* Pete Koelling, health concerns
* Brida’s daughter-in-law, Dawn
* Special prayer for Zachary
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Health of Cynthia’s father, mother, and mother-in-law
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Sandy & Rachelle, working many hours
* Dan, health concerns
* Marilynn Norvell
* Gene Schulze
* Mark & Julie Johnson and the situation with their Illinois home
* Our church and need for revival

“Every new act of mercy calls forth a new song of gratitude and praise.”
William Mounce

Upcoming Activities

1.  NO Prayer Meeting this Wednesday
2.  Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
3. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m. .
4. Discipleship Training, Sunday, 5 p.m..

Ministry to Soldiers

The women’s ministry is doing a project involving sending items to American soldiers in Afghanistan.  The ladies will meet on Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m. to pack the boxes.  If you would like to contribute in some way (e.g., bake cookies, letters, cards, financial gift), please contact Debbie Walker.

New Instruments

THANK YOU to Midwest Music and to Harry and Audrey Crosby for their generous gift to the church of an organ and piano!  Also, thank you to the men who helped in getting them here and removing the older instruments!

Bethesda Church Directory

Although it has no family pictures, we do have a new church directory containing names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses (plus birthdays and anniversaries).  Copies are located on the table in the foyer.

If you see any mistakes or some information changes, please contact the pastor.  We’ll send out a temporary update to everyone via the newsletter and then, from time to time, print updated directories.
Christmas Eve Service

Beginning at 6pm on Tuesday, December 24, we’ll join together for 30-45 minutes and reflect on Christmas Day with a time of worship.  Please plan on attending this brief but inspiring service.

Nominating Committee

Our Nominating Committee will bring their list of nominations to our church business meeting on December 11.  If you believe the Lord would have you serve Him through our church in 2014 through a specific position, please contact Sandy Brandel or Debbie Walker and let them know.

Christmas Party

Saturday, December 21 is our Christmas Party this year.  We’ll meet at 5 p.m., enjoy some snacks, play some games, and fellowship with one another.  We’ll round out the evening with some Christmas Caroling.  So, mark your calendars.

Harps and songs forever sounding,
Worthy the Lamb;
Mighty grace o’er sin abounding,
Worthy the Lamb.
By His blood He dearly bought us;
Wand’ring from the fold He sought us,
And to glory safely brought us;
Worthy the Lamb.

Sermon Extras

Spurgeon, examining verse 6, said “To have Christ standing between God and man is the joy of every believing heart.”  What a beautiful observation from this great preacher!

As I noted in the message, these two chapters have always grabbed me when I read them.  There is so much here that is hard to understand.  Yet there is also much for us to gain.

Verse 8 refers to the 24 elders holding a harp and a golden bowl.  The text explains the bowls full of incense represent the prayers of the saints.  This maintains the understanding we receive from the Old Testament on the subject of the priests burning incense (think of the Altar of Incense in the Tabernacle).  But what of the harp?

Actually, the Old Testament does have certain references to harps which are interesting.  “David and the chief of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Juduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals” (1 Chronicles 25:1).  Elisha, one of the great prophets in Israel, said, “But now bring me a musician.  And when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him” (2 Kings 3:15).  So, the ministry of prophecy, preaching the word of God, was connected to music, including the harp.  Therefore, perhaps the vision of John reveals that believers are priests offering up the prayers of the saints as well as those who proclaim the very Word of God.

“If you spurn the atoning blood of Jesus Christ in this life, you will never sing about it over there.”

Pastor’s Postscripts

Praise the Lord for all of our visitors yesterday.  It was a joy having them as well as a blessing to our heart!

By the way, as you leave the auditorium following a worship service, please look around and make certain you have all of your belongings.  This includes any containers, scrap paper, bulletins, etc.  By taking these items with you, it makes the cleaning of the auditorium an easier task as well as demonstrates good stewardship on our part.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a blessed week!  See you Sunday.

Posted on

November 18, 2013

Urgent Prayer Requests

* Pete Koelling, health concerns
* Brida’s daughter-in-law, Dawn
* Special prayer for Zachary
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Health of Cynthia’s mother and mother-in-law
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Sandy & Rachelle, working many hours (plus Rachelle is under the weather)
* Julie at Mizzou plus problems with ex-boyfriend.
* Dan, health concerns
* 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.  Bible Study (Brief Books) and Prayer
Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
2.  Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
3. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
including the Lord’s Supper.
4. NO Discipleship Training this Sunday.

Concerning the sanctification and preservation of believers, John Owen wrote the following:

“If He (God) doth it not, none other can do it. … He doth it of Himself, from His own grace; by Himself, of His own power; for Himself, of His own glory.”

Ministry to Afghan Soldiers

The women’s ministry is doing a project involving sending items to Afghan soldiers.  Since there will be more than one box, we expect the postage to be costly.  We wanted to give everyone an opportunity to participate in the mailing of these boxes.  If you wish to contribute, please write “postage” on your check or envelope and drop it into the offering during the next two Sundays.  Thank you for helping us bless these soldiers.

Also, we will be including homemade cookies.  If you would like to bake some cookies (any kind) to include in these boxes, give them to Debbie by December 1st.  We will also be including letters, cards, and pictures drawn by the children to thank them for their service!

Upcoming Facility Changes

In case you did not notice, our church sign is gone!  Several of our members spent their Sunday afternoon a week ago removing the sign in preparation for our new sign scheduled to arrive at the end of the month.  We thank those who took the time to remove the old sign.

Also, Harry and Audrey are donating an organ and piano to the church.  Some of the men are working on moving these new instruments from their present home in Chesterfield to our auditorium.  Thank you, Harry and Audrey, for your gift.  And thank you to all the men involved in moving these instruments!
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification. … For God has not called us for impurity but in holiness.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3,7

Sermon Extras

“… may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

For centuries this verse has played a significant role in the discussion of man’s being.  Is man a two part being composed of a body and soul (or spirit)?  Is man a three part being composed of a body, soul, and spirit?  The theological term for stating man is a two part being is “dichotomy”.  Similarly, “trichotomy” views man as a three part being.  Obviously, verse 23 appears to teach a trichotomous nature for man.

Without getting into a lengthy debate in our newsletter, there are other possible interpretations of Paul’s words in this verse.  Here are three of the more popular ones.

1.  Man is, indeed, a trichotomy.
2.  Paul is describing the nature of a believer in v. 23, men who have a body & soul (like all men).  But believers also have the spirit of God.
3.  Paul is making a general statement to refer to the entire nature of man.  It would be like you and me describing something about ourselves by saying “from the top of our head to the bottom of our feet”.  Hopefully we are more than head and feet!

In the context of 1 Thessalonians, I believe view 3 above is the more reasonable understanding of the phrase.  Paul is telling us that his request is for those believers, in every part of their being, be sanctified and preserved by God.

Ultimately, whether you are a dichotomous or trichotomous supporter on the nature of man, we can agree man has a material part and an immaterial part.  When God sanctifies and preserves us, he preserves both parts completely!

Hallelujah!

Nominating Committee

Let each of us use the gifts and abilities the Lord has given us to serve Him through our church next year!  How would the Lord have you serve Him?  Contact the Nominating Committee (Sandy Brandel and Debbie Walker) and let them know.

Thanksgiving Fellowship

Join us this Sunday morning after worship for our  Thanksgiving Fellowship potluck dinner!  The church is providing all the meat so, bring a side and dessert (and yourself) and enjoy a time of giving thanks to our God for all of His man blessings!

Pastor’s Postscripts

We’ve completed 1 Thessalonians and will begin 2 Thessalonians in January.  In the meantime, Sunday will find us in the book of Revelation.  Please pray for me as I prepare for a message I have entitled “Worthy are You!”  God is indeed worthy of all our praise and thanksgiving!

May Christ be glorified in your life and ministry this week!

Posted on

November 4, 2013

Urgent Prayer Requests

* Pete Koelling, health concerns and special request for prayer.
* Test results for Jimmy’s knee.
* Brida’s daughter-in-law, Dawn
* Glenda Averett, stress test
* Special prayer for Zachary
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Health of Cynthia’s mother and mother-in-law
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Sandy & Rachelle, working many hours (plus Rachelle is under the weather)
* Julie at Mizzou plus problems with ex-boyfriend.
* Dan, health concerns
* Mueller family, illness plus 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.  Operation Christmas Child Packing Party,
Monday, 6:30 p.m. at the Walkers
2. Ladies Book Study, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
3. Bible Study (Brief Books) and Prayer
Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
4.  Deacons’ Meeting, Wednesday, 7:45 p.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.

“… happy is the church family in which pastors and people recognize that God calls different believers to different ministries, exercise their own ministries with diligence and humility, and give to others the respect and love which their God appointed labour demands!  They will live in peace with each other.”
John R. W. Stott

Operation Christmas Child

The Packing Party is this evening (Monday) beginning at 6:30 p.m.  The party will be at the Walkers (233 Cole Blvd.; St. Charles).

Call the pastor if you need directions (636-233-0645).

Sermon Extras

1.  It is interesting how the various translators render the second description of the leader in verse 12.  Here are just a few:

ESV:  “and are over you in the Lord”
KJV:  “and are over you in the Lord”
NAS:  “and have charge over you in the
Lord”
NIV:  “who care for you in the Lord”
HCSB:  “and lead you in the Lord”
AMP:  “your leaders who are over you in
the Lord”

In the message yesterday, I mentioned the original word behind these translations meant (1) “rule over” as a government office (church government does include the office of pastor) and (2) to care for, have sincere interest in the welfare of those who are ruled.

When you look at these 6 translations, the NAS clearly emphasizes the government perspective.  However, the NIV emphasizes the watch care element.  The other translations are not as precise, leaving the door open for either definition.

In reality, there is always an element of “ruling” (authority) when it comes to leadership.  I believe Paul is teaching us that the pastor is the God-ordained authoritative leader of a local congregation and that he is to lead in a sincere, caring way.

2.  Notice also that Paul strictly limits the domain of the pastor’s “rule”.  He writes, “and are over YOU IN THE LORD”.  First, “you” implies the pastor’s rule is applicable only to “brothers”, fellow Christians and, I believe, Christians of a specific local flock.  Second, “in the Lord” clearly specifies the extent of the pastor’s rule.  His authority is valid only within the sphere of the Lord, in other words, in matters taught in God’s Word.

“Such ruling (that of a pastor) is not with an iron hand but with a humble heart.”

Nominating Committee

The function of our church Nominating Committee is to seek out the Lord’s will for the coming year in terms of the various offices we have in our church and who should fill these positions.  The function of the church membership (that’s you and me) is to seek the Lord’s will as to which positions we could best serve the Lord in through our church next year.

Therefore, if you believe you know the specific ministry (or ministries) in which the Lord would have you serve in 2014, contact the Nominating Committee (Sandy Brandel and Debbie Walker) and let them know.  If you are uncertain as to your 2014 role in our church then consider the position mentioned to you by the Committee if they contact you.

The New Testament knows nothing of an inactive Christian/church member except to correct them concerning their idleness.  Join with the other members of Bethesda in preparing to step in and serve the Lord through our church in 2014!

“Those who have weak faith need to know there are brothers who will cleave to them during spiritually tough times.”

Pastor’s Postscripts

The holiday season is, once again, knocking at our door.  Thanksgiving is only 3+ weeks away.  In fact, our Thanksgiving potluck fellowship is 2 weeks from next Sunday (November 24)!

This year Christmas is separated from Thanksgiving by the fewest number of days possible (27, I believe).  About the time you manage to digest your turkey it will be time to celebrate the birth of our Lord!  So, just a couple of “heads up” concerning December this year.

We will have a Christmas party (not program) on Saturday, December 21.  Please update your calendar and reserve the date.  Specifics, including time, will follow.  We do plan on caroling as part of this fellowship.

We will also have a Christmas Eve service again this year on December 24 (a good date for one since it is Christmas Eve!).  Again, mark your calendar and plan on attending.  It will be a brief service but hopefully an uplifting one.

I do pray our gracious God gives each of you a wonderful week!