5th Sunday Q & A Fellowship
Our next “5th Sunday Q & A” Fellowship is scheduled for this Sunday evening at 6 p.m. following our Discipleship Training hour. Bring a snack to share and a drink plus any questions you may have and join us for an hour of Q & A and fellowship!
This is a very informal time but if you have a question but do not wish to ask it publically, jot it down and place it in the container on the table in the church foyer Sunday morning.
Urgent Prayer Requests
* Tom, significant storm damage
* Pete & Brenda, their health
* Brazel family
* Mueller family
* Marilynn Norvell
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Aaron Wordlaw and his arthritis
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Gene & Lois Schulze at home.
* Anne Overton’s family
* Rachelle in California
* Our church and need for revival
“Free will is a mere empty term, whose reality is lost.”
Martin Luther
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.
including the Lord’s Supper.
4. Discipleship Training, Sunday, 5 p.m.
5. 5th Sunday Q & A Fellowship, Sunday,
6 p.m.
Outreach Effort
We do have a few bags of energy bars remaining to distribute on the table in the foyer. Please feel free to take them and give them to those who may have a need.
If you would like to donate additional bars, please place the on the table in the foyer. We will attach Bible verses to them and bag them for future distribution.
Thank you to every one who has participated in this effort. May the Lord bless our labors!
“When immoral men and women who live constantly in sin, prate about being God’s children, we discern them at once. ... If Divine Grace does not make us holy, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, it is not worth the having! Brothers and Sisters, if we are God’s elect we must have some substantial evidence to attest it!”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
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 article VII on the two ordinances of the local church.
VII. Baptism and the Lord's Supper
Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper.
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.
Sermon Extras
My second fact in my message yesterday concerning those who make up the local church was that we are beloved. I noted that it is God who loves us and He does so sacrificially as demonstrated by the death of His only Son. I also mentioned this love God pours upon us is an eternal love. I based this on the form of the word translated “loved” in the ESV.
In the original, this word is actual a participle from the word “agapao”, the verb form of “agape” (love). I believe I would translate the beginning of this verse as “knowing brothers HAVING BEEN LOVED by God”. The form of this participle indicates the love God gives to us is a love given in the past and the results of that love continues forever.
In other words, God, from all eternity, place His love upon those who would be His children (the elect) and that love will never, ever be removed. Here again we have evidence of the perseverance of the saints (or security of the believer). For how could a true child of God ever lose his eternal salvation if the love of His heavenly Father is always upon Him?
Pastor’s Postscripts
During a brief conversation this weekend, someone mentioned to me, with some concern, the low attendance we have been seeing. There are some legitimate reasons why we are down somewhat. It is summertime and folks are taking vacation. We also have some members battling illnesses which keep them at home. Here are some brief thoughts on addressing our low attendance.
1. If you are a member, do your best to be here every Sunday. The Lord wants you in the local church and in public worship.
2. If you have friends, family, co-workers, etc., who are not attending a church, invite them to attend ours.
3. Make an effort to share the Gospel with those lost souls you encounter during the week. Whether they receive Christ or not, invite them to join you Sunday here at Bethesda.
See you Sunday if not sooner!
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Showing posts with label Martin Luther. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Martin Luther. Show all posts
Monday, June 24, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Stirrings at Bethesda - May 13, 2013
Good Morning, Bethesda!
What a beautiful day the Lord gave us yesterday not only with the weather but also with the spirit of our service! Those who were absent missed a blessing from the Brandels when Rachelle and Julie presented special music via their flutes! May the Lord continue to bless our church as we share the Gospel with those we meet.
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, recovering from low blood pressue in the hospital; 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
Upcoming Activities
1. Bible Study (Brief Books) and Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, 7pm.
2. Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
3. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
4. Discipleship Training, Sunday, 5:00 p.m.
Ladies Fellowship!
All ladies are invited to a special ladies fellowship at the church on Tuesday, May 21. Activities will begin at 6:30 p.m. are you are invited.
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 2nd part of the article on God.
2. God the Son
Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself the demands and necessities of human nature and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, partaking of the nature of God and of man, and in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord.
Mothers!
The following are the comments on mothers from Martin Luther (1483-1546) which the pastor shared with those at worship yesterday.
Our natural reason looks at marriage and turns up its nose and says, "Alas! Must I rock the baby? Wash its diapers? Make its bed? Smell its stench? Stay at nights with it? Take care of it when it cries? Heal its rashes and sores? And on top of that care for my spouse, provide labor at my trade, take care of this and take care of that? Do this and do that? And endure this and endure that? Why should I make such a prisoner of myself?"
What then does Christian faith say to this? It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful and despised duties in the spirit, and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest gold and jewels.
It says, "O God, I confess I am not worthy to rock that little babe or wash its diapers, to be entrusted with the care of a child … How is it that I without any merit have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving thy creature and thy most precious will? Oh, how godly will I do so. Though the duty should be even more insignificant and despised, neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labor will distress me for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in thy sight."
Sermon Extras
The message yesterday hinged so much on the original Greek words I thought it may be of value to share the ESV text and note the various words I referenced in yesterday’s message. Here is John 21:15-17:
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapao) me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know (oida) that I love (phileo) you.” He said to him, “Feed (bosko) my lambs. (arnion)” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapao) me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know (oida) that I love (phileo) you.” He said to him, “Tend (poimaino) my sheep.(probaton)” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (phileo) me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love (phileo) me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know (oida) everything; you know (ginosko) that I love (phileo) you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed (bosko) my sheep. probaton)
agapao – sacrificial love; cross-like love
phileo – friendship love
oida – perceived, intellectual knowledge
ginosko – knowledge gained via experience
bosko – feed
poimaino – shepherd (care, counsel, guide)
arnion – lamb (infant sheep)
probaton – sheep (mature sheep)
What a beautiful day the Lord gave us yesterday not only with the weather but also with the spirit of our service! Those who were absent missed a blessing from the Brandels when Rachelle and Julie presented special music via their flutes! May the Lord continue to bless our church as we share the Gospel with those we meet.
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, recovering from low blood pressue in the hospital; 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
Upcoming Activities
1. Bible Study (Brief Books) and Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, 7pm.
2. Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
3. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
4. Discipleship Training, Sunday, 5:00 p.m.
Ladies Fellowship!
All ladies are invited to a special ladies fellowship at the church on Tuesday, May 21. Activities will begin at 6:30 p.m. are you are invited.
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 2nd part of the article on God.
2. God the Son
Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself the demands and necessities of human nature and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, partaking of the nature of God and of man, and in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord.
Mothers!
The following are the comments on mothers from Martin Luther (1483-1546) which the pastor shared with those at worship yesterday.
Our natural reason looks at marriage and turns up its nose and says, "Alas! Must I rock the baby? Wash its diapers? Make its bed? Smell its stench? Stay at nights with it? Take care of it when it cries? Heal its rashes and sores? And on top of that care for my spouse, provide labor at my trade, take care of this and take care of that? Do this and do that? And endure this and endure that? Why should I make such a prisoner of myself?"
What then does Christian faith say to this? It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful and despised duties in the spirit, and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest gold and jewels.
It says, "O God, I confess I am not worthy to rock that little babe or wash its diapers, to be entrusted with the care of a child … How is it that I without any merit have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving thy creature and thy most precious will? Oh, how godly will I do so. Though the duty should be even more insignificant and despised, neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labor will distress me for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in thy sight."
Sermon Extras
The message yesterday hinged so much on the original Greek words I thought it may be of value to share the ESV text and note the various words I referenced in yesterday’s message. Here is John 21:15-17:
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapao) me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know (oida) that I love (phileo) you.” He said to him, “Feed (bosko) my lambs. (arnion)” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapao) me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know (oida) that I love (phileo) you.” He said to him, “Tend (poimaino) my sheep.(probaton)” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (phileo) me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love (phileo) me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know (oida) everything; you know (ginosko) that I love (phileo) you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed (bosko) my sheep. probaton)
agapao – sacrificial love; cross-like love
phileo – friendship love
oida – perceived, intellectual knowledge
ginosko – knowledge gained via experience
bosko – feed
poimaino – shepherd (care, counsel, guide)
arnion – lamb (infant sheep)
probaton – sheep (mature sheep)
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