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FAMILY NEWSPOTLUCK TODAY: Today is the first Sunday of the month, and we traditionally enjoy a potluck dinner together on the first Sunday of the month. Please plan to stay and be a part of good food, and good fellowship. After the potluck we will assemble at Timbers to conduct a worship service with the staff and patients there. Come at 2:30 and help with singing, helping patients, and sharing quality time with people who need you. SENIORS: Remember the brunch at Golden Corral on Tuesday at 11:00. This is a grerat time to be with other seniors from all over Michiana. EXPLANATION: The blacked-out section of our cover is due to the fact that brother Bill Salmons is having some health issues and we want to relieve him of phone calls; and John Clayton will be out of town frequently this summer. We have about 1,800 of these bulletin covers pre-printed, so we are using them up first. Our phone system is being fixed and will allow people to leave messages when it is totally operative. We will be able to receive those messages daily, so callers' inquiries will be heard. TODAY'S LESSON
I. WHEN GOD HAS BROUGHT A SOLUTION — Mark 5:1 – 13 A. People witnessed the result of the actions of Christ.
II. WE ARE COMMANDED BY JESUS TO TESTIFY.
B. Natural reaction is to bury the past. Jesus says “No.” A. Luke 12:8 – 9; Matthew 10:32
III. TESTIMONY WORKS IN EVERY CULTURE.
B. Romans 10:9 – 10 — What saves us? Not a one time thing reflects our repentance A. John 4:4 – 42; verse 9 — Jews did not associate with Samaritans and a woman (verse 27).
IV. WE HAVE A MANDATE TO TESTIFY.
B. She testifies — verses 28 – 30, see verse 39. Others build their own testimony (verse 42). C. Testimony breaks down barriers.
1. They would never have listened to a Jew.
D. Who would you listen to about breast cancer? Me or Maelene?2. Diversity in the church has a purpose. A. Acts 4:18 – 20 B. Acts 26:12 – 23, Agrippa replies in verse 28. C. Acts 22:1 – 21 — Paul's testimony was not always accepted. He sets an example for us. D. What is your testimony? Evangelism is giving your testimony. THE BACK PAGEDEFINING ROLESThe Bible clearly defines the roles of men and women. In Genesis 2:21 – 25 the relationship is defined in terms of marriage, and this is repeated in 1 Corinthians 7. In Romans 1:21 – 32 the consequences of rejecting what God established for man are spelled out in very specific terms. Man's use of chemicals and surgical manipulation of the body have raised new issues of a biological nature, but the spiritual and psychological consequences of our careless altering of God's plan have gotten very complex. Our society continues to allow any kind of behavior to be accepted, and this is done in the names of tolerance, equal rights, and personal freedom. The problem is that preserving personal rights sometimes means violating someone else's personal rights. In Citizen magazine (June/ July 2017, page 11), there is a story about a “progressive” by the name of Kristen Quintrall (this article is from the original report) who had an experience that apparently has made her have concerns about the atmosphere of acceptance of transgender people. Apparently Ms. Quintrall was at the Disney theme park and went into a women's restroom to find a “big burly guy” who walked into the women's room. The room was full of a dozen women with kids, and in her words, “Everyone was visibly uncomfortable.” The man simply hung around watching, but he knew no one would say anything because they knew the man would identify himself as a woman. “We had been culturally bullied into silence” Ms. Quintrall says. The Bible clearly defines what being a man and being a woman is about. When those definitions and roles are destroyed, the result is abuse and chaos. Quintrall, who calls herself a progressive, says “I am totally cool with transgender people. Gender just can't be a feeling. Gender must be clearly defined to keep women safe. We cannot tell women they don't know what a man is anymore.” As Christians we need to stand for God's plan for men and women, and our children need to hear in clear terms what their gender is and what their role in life is. — John Clayton Our sign by the street!
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