Good Morning, Bethesda!
A BIG thank you to everyone who helped out with our work day on Saturday. Even the rain couldn’t prevent us from completing several work items including changing light bulbs, repairing doors, cleaning various rooms, replacing filters, and painting the adult Sunday school room. Thanks also for those who prepared our breakfast buffet dishes! We not only made some repairs and had a good breakfast but we also enjoyed some fun fellowship time.
Urgent Prayer Requests
* Pete & Brenda, their health, especially Brenda’s back
* Brenda’s father who is very ill
* Brazel family and especially baby Willow
* Debbie, recovering from foot surgery
* Marilynn Norvell
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Aaron Wordlaw and his arthritis
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Gene & Lois Schulze at home.
* Caroline, Anne Overton’s sister-in-law, and family – terminal brain cancer
* Our church and need for revival
“These are not all of Jesus’ signs. But they are enough. For countless multitudes reading them have believed, and have found life through His name.”
Herschel Hobbs
Upcoming Activities
1. Bible Study (Brief Books) and Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
2. Deacons’ Meeting, Wednesday, 7:45 p.m.
3. Sunday School, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
4. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
5. Discipleship Training, Sunday, 5 p.m.
6. Business Meeting, Wednesday, May 8, 7 p.m.
Sermon Extras
1. In John 20:30-31, John teaches the sufficiency of Scripture. He notes that his work does not contain everything Jesus did (or said) but what he did write was “written so that you may believe...” John firmly believed the words of his Gospel (and, in fact, of the Scripture in general) were sufficient for salvation. As Paul writes in Romans 10:17, so faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
2. In each of these two verses, John uses the word “written”. Many translations render this word as “are written”. The New American Standard version, though, provides us with a little more information by translating the word in verse 31 “have been written”. The word construction in both verses inform us that John wanted to communicate the “signs” were written down in the past but the effect of this recording would go on forever. In other words, God’s Word never changes, endures forever, and is always effective in any and every generation.
Wednesday Evenings
Beginning this Wednesday, we start a new Bible study series before our weekly prayer meetings. Titled “Brief Books”, we will examine the five shortest books in the entire Bible. We’re going to look at them in chronological order by moving through the text of one book verse by verse. When we complete that book we’ll move to the next one.
Although these five books contain only one chapter each, those chapters are the very Word of God like the rest of Scripture. Their brevity makes them no less important or inspired than the longer books of the Bible.
Come join us Wednesday for a brief 15 minute study (we begin with Obadiah) and then join us for our weekly prayer meeting. Bible study begins at 7 p.m.
Statement of Faith
Our church constitution indicates we use the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message (BF&M) as our statement of faith. We understand there are some who are unfamiliar with that document, so we’ll share portions of it over the coming weeks. The entire statement may be found at http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfmcomparison.asp.
Since the pastor’s message yesterday discussed the Word of God, here is the first article of the 1963 on the topic of the Scriptures.
I. The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the record of God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. It reveals the principles by which God judges us; and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.
Pastor’s Postscripts
In case you are unable to join us for prayer meetings on Wednesdays, we do have some copies of our prayer list (albeit a week out of date) on the table by the front door. You are always welcome to take one.
If the Lord wills, our exposition of the Gospel of John will conclude on Sunday, May 26. Although we will have taken over 3 years to make the journey through this wonderful book, there is so much more in it which we either had to pass over or only brief touch upon. Just because we have listened to John’s words for 3 years, do not let that keep you from returning to, reading, and studying this terrific book!
May Christ richly bless you this week!
Pastor Bruce
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