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Friday, May 28, 2010

Announcements, Scripture and Questions for Sunday (5/30/10)

Announcements

Jodi and Sean Murphy are anticipating the arrival of their daughter, Sara, today at 1:00pm at the Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.

A note from Brittany Whitworth:
Family and Friends,
As you know, we're in the adoption process and let's just say things are moving as things move for Dwight and I - FAST! We completed our Home Study three weeks ago and we got a call just over a week ago about a birth mom. We had a "Match Meeting" on Monday with her (Amy) and we all seemed to get a long. She's expecting a girl on 18 August. If things continue, we'll be parents sometime in August. She thinks she might deliver a week early and if this is the case, then our daughter would be here on my birthday. :)

We, of course, would love continued prayers for Amy's health and emotions as well as the baby's health. We will let you know if this adoption goes through in August and will hopefully have pictures to send your way. Until then, we'll not clog your inbox but did want to give you an update.

Much love,
Dwight and Brittany

Scripture
Romans 3:21-28 (ESV)
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it [22] the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, [25] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. [26] It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

[27] Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. [28] For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Questions for Reflection
1. What makes it difficult for many of us to believe that we can gain God’s forgiveness by faith in Christ alone?
2. Why would God offer His righteousness free to every person?
3. What does it mean to believe and put your faith in Jesus Christ?
4. How should our boasting and bragging about our relationship to God be different when we realize it is by faith alone?

Friday, May 21, 2010

Announcement, Scripture & Questions for Sunday (5/23/10)

Following morning worship, we will honor our two graduates, Christian Stewart and William Whitworth, with a luncheon.  Meat and drinks will be provided by the church.  Please bring a side dish to share.


Scripture
2 Tim. 3:14-4:4 (ESV)

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it [15] and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. [16] All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.  [4:1] I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: [2] preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. [3] For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, [4] and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

"Back to the Bible" was one of the major cries of the reformers. Where does authority and truth come from? Does it come from natural reason, the traditions of the church, the decisions and statements of church councils, or only from the Bible? The consistent belief of all the Reformers was that ultimate authority comes only from the Word of God, i.e. Holy Scripture. "Don't tell me what natural reason, the traditions of the church, church councils say," they claimed. "Tell me what the Bible says!"

After their careful study of the statements of Scripture, they concluded that Scripture is organic and has produced an infallible source of truth for us. But they also went another step and insisted that the believer not only profess confidence in the authority of the Bible but also use it to guide thinking and living. 2 Kings 22 tells us the story of how Josiah put the Bible to work. Nehemiah 8-9 also tells us of another such instance.

Questions for Reflection
1. How long had Timothy known the holy Scriptures?
2. What are the holy Scriptures able to do?
3. What is true of all Scripture?
4. For what is Scripture useful?
5. For what good work does the Scripture equip the person of God?
6. What does it mean that the Bible is God-breathed?
7. In what sorts of ways should we use the Bible?
8. How equipped are you to do every good work?
9. How can you use the Bible in your own spiritual growth this week?

Friday, May 14, 2010

Announcements; Scripture & Questions for Sunday (5/16/2010)

Announcements

The "fun bunch" Sunday school class invites the younger couples and younger adults and your children to come for breakfast Sunday May 16. We are fixing a light breakfast, serving around 9:30, in the hopes that all the younger couples and younger adults in our church family will come. We hope to prepare a breakfast for you once a month to help you get to Sunday school and enjoy fellowship with each other.

We have been there and know it is difficult to be everywhere everyday! So, in order to show you how much we love you and understand, we want to make it a little easier once a month!

Scripture
Ephes. 1:3-14 (ESV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, [4] even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. [7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, [8] which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight [9] making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ [10] as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. [11] In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, [12] so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. [13] In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Questions for Reflection
1. When did God choose us as belonging to him? We call this election.
2. What is the purpose of God’s election?
3. What has Christ done on our behalf?
4. What is redemption?
5. How should knowing that you were chosen to be in the family of God affect your involvement in evangelism?
6. Why did God do this amazing work for us?

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

May 2010 Schedule of Events

Saturday, May 1st
  • Men of the Church Breakfast, 8 AM
Sunday, May 2nd
  • COMMUNION
Thursday, May 6th
  • Community Prayer Meeting @ City Hall, 12:20-12:40 PM
  • Peaches Savages' Students' Recital, 6:30 PM at the Methodist Fellowship Hall
Friday, May 7th - Sunday, May 9th
  • Jim & Laurie will be gone to Fly Fishing Camp
Sunday, May 9th
  • MOTHER'S DAY!!
Tuesday, May 11th
  • PW Circle, 9:45 AM
  • Session, 6 PM
Sunday, May 23rd
  • Luncheon Honoring JHS Graduates (following morning worship)
Friday, May 28th
  • JHS Graduation
Sunday, May 30th
  • Care Center Worship, 4 PM

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (5/9/10)

Scriptures for Sunday

Mark 8:27-38 (ESV)
And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" [28] And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." [29] And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." [30] And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. [31] And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. [32] And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. [33] But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." [34] And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. [35] For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. [36] For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? [37] For what can a man give in return for his life? [38] For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

Questions for Reflection
1. How do unrealistic expectations block people from following Christ?
2. How was what Jesus predicted different from what Peter expected?
3. In what way did Peter have in mind the “things of man” as opposed to the “things of God”?
4. Why did Jesus say, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”?
5. What does it mean to deny yourself?
6. What does it mean to take up your cross?
7. What does it mean to follow Christ?
8. What do you think Christ wants you to give up for the sake of the gospel?