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November
13, 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
IMPORTANT! We are putting a sound system in our auditorium. One part of that will be to have a wireless system for those who have hearing problems. This will involve a personal receiver and ear buds so you can hear even a quiet speaker. We need to figure out how many of those personal receivers we need to get. Sometimes people who have a hearing loss will, for a variety of reasons, refuse to use a personal receiver. We do not want to buy a receiver for you and then have you refuse to use it. If you have some hearing problems, please talk to Karl Marcussen about what kind of personal receiver you would be willing to use. We need this information right away, because we should have prices and a system design submitted to us this week. Please see Karl today or call him at 574-514-1400!
PRAYER LIST: Be sure to get the latest "Prayer List" from Julie an Karl. Do not just look at it--use it! Send a card or a letter to the people listed there. The addresses are on the back, and we can encourage others easily with this tool.
TODAY'S
LESSON
INTRODUCTION: This is a battle we all have.
THE HOLIDAY SEASON
OVERCOMING
MATERIALISM
INTRODUCTION: This is a battle we all have.
Lottery
winners lives nearly always collapse.
Wealthiest people on earth have miserable histories.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
Fiddler on the Roof ("If I were a rich man) song is a myth.
It is hard for all of us--we live in a materialistic world.
UNDERSTAND
THAT GREAT WEALTH DOES NOT SATISFY.Wealthiest people on earth have miserable histories.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
Fiddler on the Roof ("If I were a rich man) song is a myth.
It is hard for all of us--we live in a materialistic world.
Ecclesiastes
2:2 and 5:10
You cannot buy love, friendship, security.
REALIZE
THAT NICE THINGS DO NOT LAST..You cannot buy love, friendship, security.
Isaiah
51:6
Remember when ______ was new? How is it now?
What does last?--Love, friendship, family.
UNDERSTAND
THAT POSSESSIONS ARE TOOLS OF GOD.Remember when ______ was new? How is it now?
What does last?--Love, friendship, family.
Mark
15:43-47 and Luke 23:50-53--What did
Joseph do with his wealth?
John 12:1-8 and Mark 14:1-9
FAITHFUL
USE OF"THINGS"BRINGS MORE.John 12:1-8 and Mark 14:1-9
What did
Mary do with her savings?
What did Simon do with his house?
Matthew 21:2-3What did Simon do with his house?
What
purpose did the donkey serve?
Look around. What possessions do you see?
When you buy, consider how it can be
used for God. Look around. What possessions do you see?
Proverbs
11:25
Matthew 25:14-30--Parable of the Talents.
HOW DO WE
HANDLE MATERIALISM?Matthew 25:14-30--Parable of the Talents.
Look at
Verse 29.
This not an excuse for greed, but is a
heart problem.Ministry
grows when money is used properly.
James 4:1-4--Again the issue is shaping
our heart.Understand
where our blessings have come from.
Look at our priorities.
Consider what is really important in life.
Make sure our relationship to God is real.
Look at our priorities.
Consider what is really important in life.
Make sure our relationship to God is real.
THE HOLIDAY SEASON
The leaves have
pretty well fallen from the trees, the summer
items have been put away, and we are all listening
to predictions that a rough winter is coming our
way--so what else is new? What happens now is that
the holiday season occupies everyone's attention
for the next two months.
It is always interesting to hear what the emphasis for the holiday season is in the media. Discussions revolve around the fact that unemployment goes down because stores have to hire extra personnel for the Christmas rush. Charities gear up to provide for families and especially children who do not have resources to buy presents or have a holiday meal. Religious groups push the meaning of the season whether it be the Jewish holidays, the emphasis on the birth of Christ, or African celebrations. It is enjoyable to see all of these cultural celebrations and to enjoy the music and stories associated with the holiday season. It is a relief to see people talking about the importance of loving our fellow man and giving to others which is so often relegated to the back burner in our world of politics and secularism.
For Christians perhaps the most significant holiday is Thanksgiving, because the teachings of Christ and of the whole New Testament are so strongly supportive of our need to be thankful for all we have been blessed with. We are called to prayer in passages like Philippians 4:6 where we are told "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." First Timothy 2:1 tells us, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men." Colossians 4:2 tells us "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." For our country to engage in being thankful for the good things in our lives is a good thing, and is relatively free of the economic and materialistic concerns of the rest of the holiday season.
Let us be known as Christians for our dedication and service to God, but let us also be known for our cheerful positive, thankful attitude towards life and all God has blessed us with. Enjoy the cultural things we see around us, but focus on the spiritual blessings we have. I thank God for this congregation and for the work that is done to bless this community and serve those who are in need.
It is always interesting to hear what the emphasis for the holiday season is in the media. Discussions revolve around the fact that unemployment goes down because stores have to hire extra personnel for the Christmas rush. Charities gear up to provide for families and especially children who do not have resources to buy presents or have a holiday meal. Religious groups push the meaning of the season whether it be the Jewish holidays, the emphasis on the birth of Christ, or African celebrations. It is enjoyable to see all of these cultural celebrations and to enjoy the music and stories associated with the holiday season. It is a relief to see people talking about the importance of loving our fellow man and giving to others which is so often relegated to the back burner in our world of politics and secularism.
For Christians perhaps the most significant holiday is Thanksgiving, because the teachings of Christ and of the whole New Testament are so strongly supportive of our need to be thankful for all we have been blessed with. We are called to prayer in passages like Philippians 4:6 where we are told "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." First Timothy 2:1 tells us, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men." Colossians 4:2 tells us "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." For our country to engage in being thankful for the good things in our lives is a good thing, and is relatively free of the economic and materialistic concerns of the rest of the holiday season.
Let us be known as Christians for our dedication and service to God, but let us also be known for our cheerful positive, thankful attitude towards life and all God has blessed us with. Enjoy the cultural things we see around us, but focus on the spiritual blessings we have. I thank God for this congregation and for the work that is done to bless this community and serve those who are in need.