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February
26, 2012The family of God here at the Dowagiac Church of Christ wishes to extend to you a warm welcome. If you have questions about our worship services and why we do what we do, we will be glad to give you a biblical answer. The uniqueness of the Church of Christ is that we are trying to restore to the best of our ability those things that we see the first century church doing. We are also working hard at building the spirit, unity, and love that Jesus taught and prayed for. We have no clergy, but are working together as equal co-workers trying to serve one another and the area in which we live. Come study with us, grow with us, and serve with us as we strive to do God's will in all things.
FAMILY
NEWS
THE SPEAKER SYSTEM. We have individual audio units that a person can wear if they need something special to hear clearly what is said. See Karl Marcussen for your unit if you have any trouble hearing.
LITERATURE. The tract rack and table in lobby have all kinds of Christian literature. Take some home and read it. Leave it out for your guests and family to read a positive spiritual message.
WOMEN'S CLASS PROPOSAL. We have said many times in this bulletin and from the pulpit that we cannot be content to just keep house. We need to reach out to the community and to our friends and neighbors with the message of Christ. We are proposing a Woman's Bible Study starting as school is out which would be held on a weekday morning. It would be a study that would focus on the gospel message and the needs of women. We are researching materials, but want to encourage prayer and discussion of this idea. Cynthia Clayton is coordinating this proposal, so ladies see her if you would be willing to participate.
TODAY'S LESSON
WHY DOES THE M 51 CONGREGATION EXIST?
Why does this congregation exist? Is it because we cannot get along with anyone else, so all of us misfits are in one place? Are we the result of a split that happened years ago because of personalities? Are we the extension of some other congregation in another city that had some extra money and decided to plant another church? Quite frankly, all of those reasons are in fact why some congregations exist. In our case however this is not what happened. I keep a record of where I have spoken over the years and what I was doing in my visit. I have a note that shows that in 1966 I was asked to come to a home in Dowagiac to meet with a group of people who wanted to preach the gospel to this city. This congregation began to preach the good news.
When you look up the word "preach" in a lexicon you find there are several words used. "Kataggello" is used in passages like Acts 4:2; 13:5, 38; Philippians 1:16, 18, but is not in the gospels. The word means "to tell thoroughly" according to the lexicon. "Euaggelizo" means "to tell good news" and is used in Luke 3:18; 4:18, 43; 7:22; 9:6; 16:16; 20:1; and Matthew 11:5, but not in the other gospels, although it is in Acts 5:42; 8:4, 12, 35, 40; and 5 New Testament letters. The word that dominates the gospels is "kerusso" meaning "to cry or proclaim as a herald" (See Matthew 3:1; 4:17, 23; 9:35; Mark 1:4, 14; 38, 39; Luke 3:3; 4:18, 19, 44; 8:1; 9:2).
This last word implies importance, emotional appeal, significance, and urgency. We do not exist to maintain a building, to provide social activities, or even to operate a food bank. We do these things as a part of what our mission is. That mission is to "herald" the news that God has provided a way for man to overcome death, sickness, and all of the bad things that are in the world. There is an old joke about the Christian who gave a beggar a tract telling him how to be saved, and then was astounded when the beggar ate the tract. We do what we do to enable us to herald the good news. Evangelism is hard because Satan rules in the lives of so many people--even among those who claim to be believers in God. We are proposing a class to reach out through our ladies to the community by personal invitation. We need to pray about this and ask God to help us know how to bring people to the knowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord and has conquered death--that eternal life is possible and that we want to help them find Jesus and obey Him.
WHY
DID GOD KILL UZZAH?
2 Samuel
6:1-8
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
A. The
story
B. Key words--"All," "Anger"
C. Question--Is God an angry unreasonable figure?
D. The Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh
GOD
HAD TOLD ISRAEL HOW TO CARRY THE ARK.B. Key words--"All," "Anger"
C. Question--Is God an angry unreasonable figure?
D. The Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh
1.
Numbers 10:33; 14:44; Deuteronomy
10:8; 31:9; Joshua 3:3; 1 Samuel
4:3-5; 1 Kings 3:15; 6:19;
Jeremiah 3:16
2. Contained the 10 Commandments--Deuteronomy 10:1-5
3. Pivotal to their relationship to God
2. Contained the 10 Commandments--Deuteronomy 10:1-5
3. Pivotal to their relationship to God
A.
Exodus 25:10-15; Numbers 7:7-9;
Deuteronomy 10:8
B. They had been told--touch it and you die--Numbers 4:15.
C. They had always carried it the right way--Deuteronomy 31:9, 25; Joshua 3:3, 15, 17; 4:9, 10, 18; 6:6; 8:33.
D. Handling the Ark was inherently dangerous
F. So who cares about how it is carried?
CARRYING
REFLECTED IMPORTANCE B. They had been told--touch it and you die--Numbers 4:15.
C. They had always carried it the right way--Deuteronomy 31:9, 25; Joshua 3:3, 15, 17; 4:9, 10, 18; 6:6; 8:33.
D. Handling the Ark was inherently dangerous
1.
How do we transport nuclear
materials--Nuclear Regulatory
Commission rules
2. Mishandling affects the handlers first.
E. 1 Chronicles 15:11-13--David
spells it out--2 Sam 6:13 2. Mishandling affects the handlers first.
F. So who cares about how it is carried?
A.
Royalty was honored by the way it
was carried.
D. It was disobedience that had caused the Ark to be lost--1 Samuel 4:10--the Philistines.
E. Would you put your date in a dirt trailer behind the car?
F. Israel insulted God by carrying the ark this way.
HOW
DO YOU CARRY YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO
GOD? 1.
Litters were for rulers, carts for
baggage
2. Song of Solomon 3:7; Numbers 7:3, 7-8; Amos 2:13
B. The Ark represented the presence
of God. 2. Song of Solomon 3:7; Numbers 7:3, 7-8; Amos 2:13
1.
Exodus 25:22; Leviticus 16:2; 1
Samuel 4:4
2. Was something Israel should have treasured
C. The timing of this event is
important--ALL of Israel is
present--2 Sam 6:1, 2, 5--30,000. 2. Was something Israel should have treasured
D. It was disobedience that had caused the Ark to be lost--1 Samuel 4:10--the Philistines.
E. Would you put your date in a dirt trailer behind the car?
F. Israel insulted God by carrying the ark this way.
A. Is
God royalty or baggage in your life?
B. Matthew 22:37
B. Matthew 22:37
1.
Revelation 3:15-18
C. What does our obedience to God
say about our love?WHY DOES THE M 51 CONGREGATION EXIST?
Why does this congregation exist? Is it because we cannot get along with anyone else, so all of us misfits are in one place? Are we the result of a split that happened years ago because of personalities? Are we the extension of some other congregation in another city that had some extra money and decided to plant another church? Quite frankly, all of those reasons are in fact why some congregations exist. In our case however this is not what happened. I keep a record of where I have spoken over the years and what I was doing in my visit. I have a note that shows that in 1966 I was asked to come to a home in Dowagiac to meet with a group of people who wanted to preach the gospel to this city. This congregation began to preach the good news.
When you look up the word "preach" in a lexicon you find there are several words used. "Kataggello" is used in passages like Acts 4:2; 13:5, 38; Philippians 1:16, 18, but is not in the gospels. The word means "to tell thoroughly" according to the lexicon. "Euaggelizo" means "to tell good news" and is used in Luke 3:18; 4:18, 43; 7:22; 9:6; 16:16; 20:1; and Matthew 11:5, but not in the other gospels, although it is in Acts 5:42; 8:4, 12, 35, 40; and 5 New Testament letters. The word that dominates the gospels is "kerusso" meaning "to cry or proclaim as a herald" (See Matthew 3:1; 4:17, 23; 9:35; Mark 1:4, 14; 38, 39; Luke 3:3; 4:18, 19, 44; 8:1; 9:2).
This last word implies importance, emotional appeal, significance, and urgency. We do not exist to maintain a building, to provide social activities, or even to operate a food bank. We do these things as a part of what our mission is. That mission is to "herald" the news that God has provided a way for man to overcome death, sickness, and all of the bad things that are in the world. There is an old joke about the Christian who gave a beggar a tract telling him how to be saved, and then was astounded when the beggar ate the tract. We do what we do to enable us to herald the good news. Evangelism is hard because Satan rules in the lives of so many people--even among those who claim to be believers in God. We are proposing a class to reach out through our ladies to the community by personal invitation. We need to pray about this and ask God to help us know how to bring people to the knowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord and has conquered death--that eternal life is possible and that we want to help them find Jesus and obey Him.