April 7, 2019

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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 AND TIMBERS TODAY: Please stay for the potluck dinner and share with everyone great food and good fellowship. We need you to sing at the nursing home and spend a few minutes encouraging the staff and residents. The service starts at 2:30 P.M. and lasts 30 minutes at the most.

THANKS to everyone who helped with the road cleanup yesterday, and a special thanks to Richard Hoyt who set it up. Richard has spent a great deal of time and effort on this project, and people in the community know that we are here to serve and help.

THANKS to Julie and Karl for the information sheet they prepare for us each Sunday that tells us what is going on with our members and their families. Having the addresses on the back of the sheet is a special help. Take a few minutes every day to call or to send a card or note to someone on the list. Just let them know you care. You do not have to be sending anything eloquent, just be a friend and follow the example of Jesus and the apostles as you reach out to people around you. Thank God for everything you have and each day you are strong enough to get out of bed!

TODAY'S LESSON

DO WE CARE ENOUGH TO WEEP?
John Clayton

INTRODUCTION

A. “Big Boys Don't Cry” is a myth.

Any weakling can turn their back on need.

B. Why do we have tears come from our eyes?

1. Tears clean and lubricate our eyes.
2. Only humans have aesthetic tears. No one knows why.
3. Stress inducing chemicals are removed.

C. Can be caused by sorrow or joy, a song, a sunset.

1. Women weep more than men. Why?
2. May be related to life expectancy.

I. STRONG MEN CRY — DAVID AND ABSALOM

A. Second Samuel 18:16 to 19:10 and 18:28-33.
B. A sign of strength and honor, of real caring.

II. JESUS AND JERUSALEM — LUKE 13:34

A. How can Jesus weep over a cold, sinful city (Luke 19:41-44)?
B. Can the evil around you make you weep?
C. Are we concerned about America?

Are we concerned about Dowagiac, of M-51?

III. JESUS AND YOU AND ME — The story of Lazarus.

A. Luke 11:4 — Jesus knows what he is going to do.

Knows that Lazarus is dead. Luke 11:11-15

B. John 11:32-39. Why does Jesus weep?

1. Jesus knows how much it hurts to lose what you love.
2. Our God cares.

C. How much does the pain of others move you?
D. Death brings tears — Jesus hates death.

1 Corinthians 15:24-27 and Revelation 12:2-5.

IV. DOES SIN IN YOUR LIFE MOVE YOU TO TEARS?

A. Luke 7:36-50
B. Do we justify sin? How much sin do we admit?

1. Look at Luke 7:47.
2. The Pharisee and the Publican Luke 17:10-14
3. How do we approach the sin in our lives?

C. Romans 7:19-24 and 1 John 1:5-10

THE BACK PAGE

THE TEARS OF A FATHER

Our lesson today revolves around how our mind and spirit handle dealing with someone you love having a dangerous illness or disorder. In Mark 9:17-27 we read about a man who had a son who had what appears to be a severe form of epilepsy. I had a student at Riley High School who had an epileptic convulsion every morning at 11:12 A.M. You could set your watch by his seizures, and since no one told me about his condition, my class and I had to learn the hard way how to deal with it. Mark 9:20 tells us perfectly what it was like — “he fell on the ground and rolled about foaming at the mouth.” The father of the boy goes on and explained that his son had been cast into a fire, into pools of water, and was in danger of being killed. My student's seizures would last about three minutes and then he would get up, return to his seat, and we would go on with the class.

Jesus tells the father that all things are possible if you believe, and the father responds in tears, Lord, “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!” Have you ever been on the verge of giving up on a child's chances to survive? When my son was having convulsions we were told that there was a new drug that might stop the convulsions. I begged the doctors to prescribe it, and my wife and I prayed desperately for an answer. The doctors refused and since Tim was a chosen child (adopted), we were told to just return him to the welfare agency because he would most likely not see more than another year of life.

We are celebrating Tim's 57th birthday on April 25, and we have seen in action the promise of Romans 8:28 that tells us “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” How often through all of those have I said, Lord, “I believe, help me overcome my unbelief!” Some of the richest experiences of my life and some of the most wonderful human beings in the world have been brought into my life because of Tim. And yet with tears I continue to say, God “help me overcome my unbelief.”

— John Clayton

Our sign by the street!

An apology is the best way to have the last word!

Sign saying from www.sayingsforchurchsigns.com

Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. Unhighlighted scriptures can be looked up at their website.