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March 30, 2014

WELCOME!
WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE

We 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 for which we have a Bible basis. 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 and 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: Next Sunday is the first Sunday in April, so we will enjoy a fellowship meal together. Bring a dish and enjoy good food, good folks, and time to visit and enjoy the prospect of spring after such a long winter. We also need to be talking about our plans for this year. There are some more opportunities that are available to us, and some decisions that need to be made. Come and be a part of the planning for the future.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Our next highway clean up will be April 19 (a Saturday). Please plan to be part of it — the road will be a mess after this winter's weather. We need as many hands as possible to clean up our neighborhood.

DON'T FORGET THE LITERATURE: We have several copies if Power for Today for the next quarter available, and the lobby has a wealth of good Christian periodicals for you to take home, enjoy, and have available for your family and friends. Help yourself from all of those in the tract rack and the table near the question box. All of this is free and has good messages and an opportunity to teach us.

TODAY'S LESSON

ARE YOU A GROWING DISCIPLE?

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John Clayton
INTRODUCTION
A. Since February 16 we have been studying Satan.
1. His methods, his church, and our struggle
B. If you do not want to follow Satan, what next?
I. WE ARE ALL DISCIPLES OF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING.
A. Disciple — “A trained one” a “groupie”
1. Politics, sports, personality, job
B. Jesus says “follow me” — be my disciple — Luke 9:57 – 62.
1. Verses 57 – 58 — Being a disciple can be uncomfortable.
2. Verses 59 – 60 — Priorities — “Wait until my father is gone.”
3. Verses 61– 62 — “Let me break my relationships.”
C. You have to grow into discipleship.
1. Peter — from denial to power
2. Thomas — from doubt to mission (Matt 20)
3. Paul — 3 years — Galatians 3:15 –18
II. SOME WANT TO BE CAUTIOUS DISCIPLES.
A. Matthew 26:57 – 58 — We want to follow at a distance.
B. Romans 1:16 — Are you uncomfortable?
1. Telling people you go to church?
2. Telling people you believe in God?
3. Taking a stand on political correctness issues?
C. We cannot be one issue wonders — issue hobbies.
III. WE NEED TO BE COMMITTED DISCIPLES TO GROW.
A. Where is God in your family planning?
B. Do you plan for your death? — John 19:25 – 27
C. Luke 9:57 – 62 — Our starting scripture — count the cost
1. Give God a tithe of your time — 16 hours/week.
2. Make Christian works a priority.
D. You will grow.
IV. SOME WANT TO BE CASUAL DISCIPLES.
A. Christianity does not work in spasms — Acts 2:46.
1. Hebrews 10:25 — How do you survive on 60minutes/week?
2. 1 Corinthians 11:28 – 30 — Communion is not a ritual.
V. SOME WANT TO BE CALCULATING, CALLOUS DISCIPLES.
A. Judas is the classic example — Luke 22:5.
B. Religious scams are everywhere — Acts 8:9 – 24.
1. Do not buy religion from TV, tabloids.
2. Some preach because it is an easy out.
C. Church can be a social crutch — Acts 5:1– 4.
1. Matthew 6:1
2. 1 Timothy 3:1– 7

THE BACK PAGE

HOW OLD AM I?

I was born before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, Frisbees, and the pill. There was no radar, credit cards, laser beams, or ball point pens. Man had not invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers (clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air), and man had not yet walked on the moon. I got married first — and then we lived together. Every family had a father and a mother. Until I was 25, I called every man older than I “Sir,” and after I turned 25 I still called every policeman and every man with a title “Sir.”

Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins. “Time Sharing” meant family spending time together in the evenings and weekends. The term “making out” referred to how you did on your school exam. We had 5 and 10 cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5 or 10 cents. Ice cream cones, phone calls, and a Pepsi were all a nickel. You could also spend that nickel on enough stamps to mail a letter and 2 post cards. You could get a new Chevy Coupe for $600, but who could afford one? Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.

“Grass” was mowed, “coke” was a cold drink, “pot” was something your mother cooked in, and “rock music” was a lullaby to put a baby to sleep. “Aids” were helpers in the Principal's office, “chip” meant a piece of wood, “hardware” was found in a hardware store, and software was not even a word. How old am I, and who am I?

Here is a big question — Does any of this have any effect on the message of God's Word or make the message of the Bible irrelevant? We have seen incredible change in one human lifetime, but the basic needs of mankind morally and spiritually have not changed. What we are doing as a church is just as relevent now as it ever was.

— John Clayton