Home Worship Services Sermons Location Contacts Bulletins Links |
DUE to the COVID-19 pandemic FAMILY NEWSSPECIAL DAY on MAY 26: We need 20 workers to be here on the 26th for a community food give away. Everyone can help with this, but we need the workers to greet and hand out the food. Save the date. We need you! HIGHWAY CLEAN UP: The state has canceled the highway clean up for this month. FACE MASKS are being made by Tina Hoyt and Pauline Mathis. If you need one call Tina at 269-605-9050 or Pauline at 269-683-7122. SERMONS, ETC.: The sermon outline in TODAY'S LESSON below is a sermon I was going to give in March before the quarantine was put in place. We are using sections of it in our Sunday devotionals on Skype. If you are interested in joining us on Skype call Karl, we are now using Zoom (as of April 16). There are numerous congregations that are having Sunday services online at YouTube, Facebook, or can be Googled. If you need help in finding them, contact Karl Marcussen (574-514-1400). OUR REGULAR SERVICES will resume when social distancing requirements are lifted. See THE BACK PAGE below for more on this. TODAY'S LESSON
INTRODUCTION
A. We are in a global pandemic — the coronavirus.
I. JESUS IS IN THE BOAT WITH US!
B. What has been your response? 1. Ignore it? No social distancing, an example — Florida beaches.
C. Do you remember the polio pandemic? Iron lungs.2. Diminish it? “Just another flu bug?” — Listen to the health experts. D. What should be the Christian's response? A. Mark 4:35-41
II. THE OLD TESTAMENT CALLED GOD'S PEOPLE NOT TO BE FEARFUL.
B. Did Jesus know the storm was coming? Previous teaching was “mustard seed.”
C. Jesus knows our struggles (Hebrews 4:15.)D. Jesus is asleep as the boat sinks (Mark 4:37). 1. God does not act when we can solve the problem.
E. The lesson:
2. Jesus just commands a solution (Mark 4:39). 1. Why were you fearful?
2. How is it that you have no faith? 3. What are you afraid of in the corona virus? A. Deuteronomy 31:6
III. JESUS CALLS US NOT TO BE FEARFUL.
B. Joshua 1:9 C. Psalm 23:4; 27:1.
A. Matthew 6:19-34
III. HOW DO WE HANDLE THE CORONAVIRUS?
B. Philippians 4:11 C. Hebrews 13:5 D. John 14:27. A. We are designed to live, survival instinct — Romans 13.
B. Our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit — 1 Corinthians 3:16. Take care of it for that reason. Like leprosy.
C. Believe Philippians 1:21-30.
1. Do not worry about dying — it is a good thing.
D. 1 John 4:18 — GROW in our relationship with God.
2. Bearing fruit is part of Christian living. 3. The longer we live, the more fruit we produce. Perfect love comes as we grow.
THE BACK PAGETHE CORONAVIRUS AND US“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:7). When Jesus spoke these words, his listeners faced a world of disease and corruption. Because the world of his day had not followed God's laws for many years, a variety of diseases were running wild. History tells us that in 430 BC a virus in Athens killed 67% of the city's population. In the 14th century 75 million people died from the “Black Death” and the Spanish Flu in 1918 killed 100 million people. In modern times we have seen HIV, MERS, SARS, EBOLA, H5N1 NIPAH and ZIKA kill huge numbers of people. This is NOT God punishing man, nor is it a failure of God's design in the creation. All of these viruses have come to us from animals. HIV originated in chimpanzees, MERS came from camels, SARS from bats and civet cats, and COVID-19 apparently from bats and soldier fish. In most cases the entiy of the disease has been when the animals were used for immoral purposes or improperly for food. So how do we cope with the fact that we are living in a pandemic in which health experts are telling us to avoid crowds, avoid contact with each other, and engage in repeated washing and sanitizing? Romans 13 instructs us as Christians to “submit to governing authorities.” It goes on to tell us that God instituted those authorities to help us and protect us. We need to obey what we are told to do. That means staying in our homes as much as possible, keeping space between ourselves and the outside world. We do not have to be together at the building to worship. Some of us are using electronics to keep together, but Jesus said “where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them” (Matthew 18:20). We can use the phone, the computer, Skype, Zoom, etc., to do that, or we can simply meet in our home and have our communion service, our singing, and our prayer with those who live with us. The church is people, not places. Our ministries continue on with the food bank, the prison work, the card ministry, and the calling of one another still going strong. This past Monday we had one of our best food bank distributions ever. We also are ready to help those who need help. Food is always available. If we need to talk to one another the phones still work. If you need help let us know. Times like these make it easier to serve one another and Matthew 25:31-46 is worth reading again. — John Clayton Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. Unhighlighted scriptures can be looked up at their website. www.dowagiaccoc.org |
