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October 30,
2011We are a group of believers who simply try to follow the Bible as a guide for all we do. Everything done in our worship service is something we have a Bible basis for. You are welcome to participate as much or as little as you wish. We will sing hymns together and we will observe the Lord's Supper or Communion together. We will also have an opportunity to give to the work of God in this area. This collection is for the members here, and if you are visiting you should not feel any pressure to give. Our lesson time will be divided into two groups. The young children will go to our classroom area in the basement where they will be taught the Bible at a level they can understand. The adults will stay in the auditorium for a lesson at an adult level. We do try to serve the community, and if you have some needs that we can help you with, mention it to one of the members. Thank you for worshipping with us.
FAMILY NEWS
POTLUCK NEXT SUNDAY. Our monthly potluck will be next Sunday. Please plan to stay and enjoy a meal with brothers and sisters in Christ. It is always a good time and is an important thing for all of us to do. You cannot fulfill Jesus' plea to love one another if you are never with your brothers and sisters in Christ.
M 5l CHURCH OF CHRIST CARE-O-GRAM. We are working on the idea of having a card that can be used to send greetings, encouragement, sympathy, and/or praise to fellow Christians. These would be in the back of the pews and could be filled out and placed in the collection or given to an usher. We would then make sure they get to the people for whom they were intended. This can be done fairly inexpensively and would make our message more personal. The use of a congregational card that we have been trying for several years now has been spotty at best, and not as personal as we would like. Let Donna Pickens, Karl Marcussen, John Clayton, or Bill Gibson know what you think about this idea.
TODAY'S
LESSON
INTRODUCTION
WORKING
TOGETHER
DEMONS,
SATAN AND EXORCISM
INTRODUCTION
A.
Definition by Romans Catholic Priest
John J. Nicola: "In the case of demonic
possession, the use of free will and
intellect has been suspended. The person
is no longer responsible for their
actions."
B. Tobiah 6:1-9 (Apocryphal book in Catholic Bible).
SATAN IS
REAL B. Tobiah 6:1-9 (Apocryphal book in Catholic Bible).
A.
Colossian 1:16-17--God created all
beings including Satan.
B. Sentient beings can choose between good and evil.
D. There is a war going on between good and evil--Ephesians 6:12; Job 1 & 2.
DEMONS
B. Sentient beings can choose between good and evil.
1.
Necessary for love to exist
C. Angels chose evil--1 Timothy 3:6; 2
Peter 2:4; Jude 6.D. There is a war going on between good and evil--Ephesians 6:12; Job 1 & 2.
A. From
the Greek word "deimonion"
EXORCISM
IN THE EARLY CHURCH 1. Not
seen in Old Testament--Hebrew"shaidim"
2. Refers to idols--Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:37
B. Possessed those incapable of sin 2. Refers to idols--Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:37
1.
Matthew 17:18--"Pais" refers to child
2. Mark 9:24--"Paidon" refers to small child
C. Symptoms: Matthew 12:22; Mark
1:23-26; Matthew 17:14-18; Acts
19:13-16; Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1-5; Acts
16:16-19; Luke 8:26-33--Satan has a very
free hand. 2. Mark 9:24--"Paidon" refers to small child
A. Luke
9:1--Power given by Christ.
B. Mark 16:17--A Sign to unbelievers
C. Acts 16:18--Did not involve ritual or long periods
D. Acts 19:13--16 Not everyone could do it
THIS DOES
NOT HAPPEN TODAY AND IS NOT A THREATB. Mark 16:17--A Sign to unbelievers
C. Acts 16:18--Did not involve ritual or long periods
D. Acts 19:13--16 Not everyone could do it
A. It was
prophesied these things would
end--Zechariah 13:1-4; 1 John 3:8;
Colossians 2:15.
B. It violated the cardinal rule of free moral choice--Philippians 2:12; James 2:14.
C. No warnings--Acts 20:31; 1 Corinthians 4:14; Colossians 1:28; Acts 20:27
D. Methodology is different--Acts 16:18.
E. All judgement pictures reject demons.
F. Jesus was not demon possessed--Hebrews 4:15.
G. God promises escapes from Satan--1 Corinthians 10:13.
H. God promises to restrict Satan--Revekation 20:1-3; Romans 8:28; 1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7.
IF YOU
ARE LOST, IT IS BY YOUR OWN CHOICE!B. It violated the cardinal rule of free moral choice--Philippians 2:12; James 2:14.
C. No warnings--Acts 20:31; 1 Corinthians 4:14; Colossians 1:28; Acts 20:27
D. Methodology is different--Acts 16:18.
E. All judgement pictures reject demons.
F. Jesus was not demon possessed--Hebrews 4:15.
G. God promises escapes from Satan--1 Corinthians 10:13.
H. God promises to restrict Satan--Revekation 20:1-3; Romans 8:28; 1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7.
Did you see the
wonderful story about Brandon Wright, a
21-year-old Utah State University student who was
driving his motorcycle to his school's computer
lab when a BMW pulled out of a parking lot and
collided with him. Both vehicles immediately burst
into flames. The driver of the car quickly
escaped, but Wright was trapped under a 4,000
pound sedan.
As you might imagine this horrific accident quickly drew a crowd of onlookers. One person who happened upon the burning vehicles surveyed the situation and the motionless body beneath the BMW. Another individual attempted to lift the car, but it was too heavy to budge. A handful of others joined the effort but they could not move the car. The flames were growing intense at the front of the car, and at this point a dozen members of the growing crowd joined shoulder to shoulder at the side of the car, lifted in unison, and tilted it high enough to allow another rescuer to pull Wright to safety.
Wright was transported to Intermountain Medical Center where he was treated for two broken legs and a fractured pelvis. What one person could not accomplish alone, a team of people did. As I read that story I could not help but think about the church and our work in Dowagiac. We are a group of men and women who work shoulder to shoulder, often sacrificially so that the life saving and soul saving gospel message is preached at home and abroad. What we do together really matters. Jude:22-23 tells us "Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them." Every day we need to remember we join together in important soul saving work, and what one of us could not lift along, we can lift when we are supported by brothers and sisters who sincerely care about the Lord's work and about blessing the lives of others.
As you might imagine this horrific accident quickly drew a crowd of onlookers. One person who happened upon the burning vehicles surveyed the situation and the motionless body beneath the BMW. Another individual attempted to lift the car, but it was too heavy to budge. A handful of others joined the effort but they could not move the car. The flames were growing intense at the front of the car, and at this point a dozen members of the growing crowd joined shoulder to shoulder at the side of the car, lifted in unison, and tilted it high enough to allow another rescuer to pull Wright to safety.
Wright was transported to Intermountain Medical Center where he was treated for two broken legs and a fractured pelvis. What one person could not accomplish alone, a team of people did. As I read that story I could not help but think about the church and our work in Dowagiac. We are a group of men and women who work shoulder to shoulder, often sacrificially so that the life saving and soul saving gospel message is preached at home and abroad. What we do together really matters. Jude:22-23 tells us "Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them." Every day we need to remember we join together in important soul saving work, and what one of us could not lift along, we can lift when we are supported by brothers and sisters who sincerely care about the Lord's work and about blessing the lives of others.