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DUE to the COVID-19 pandemic FAMILY NEWSWELCOME TO OUR VISITORS: Like everyone else, we are trying to avoid COVID-19 among all of us. Some of us are more vulnerable than others. We ask everyone to keep six feet from others and wear a mask so that no one becomes ill by attending worship. Some of us will be participating virtually through Zoom at home and others will be in the building. If in the future you wish to participate on Zoom at home contact Karl Marcussen and he will help you join us. MY BAD: In last Sundays lesson I said that the young man at the feeding of the 5,000 had six loaves of bread. The actual number according to the Bible was five. Richard Hoyt caught my goof and corrected me. It is nice to know that people are listening and fact-checking me. It would be even nicer if that happened in other parts of our lives. John WINTER IS COMING: This is a reminder that we have a “weather call list” that all of us need to remember and know who will contact us. The call of whether we will have services at the building or not will be made by Bill Gibson who will be supported by Richard Hoyt and Karl Marcussen. The problem is that we are so scattered that the weather can be very different where we are compared to what M 51 is like, what the parking lot is like, or what the current weather conditions in Dowagiac are. We will continue ZOOM no matter what the weather. TODAY'S LESSON
INTRODUCTION — Two qualities make Hebrews stand out:
A. Reveals the humanity of Christ as well as his deity.
I. HEBREWS IS A 5TH GOSPEL — Not a story of ministry.
B. Connects the Old and New Testaments. A. A gospel is a revealed picture of Jesus Christ.
II. HEBREWS WAS GIVEN TO US TO ENCOURAGE US.
1. Matthew — Reveals the one who fulfills the prophecies of the O.T. and completes the law of Moses.
2. Mark — Jesus announces coming of the Kingdom.
3. Luke — Jesus, the one who brings salvation. 4. John — Reveals Jesus through miracles. B. Hebrews shows Jesus as the great high priest of God for all his people. A. Hebrews 13:22 — Encourage is “paraklesis.”
III. HEBREWS 10:19 — TO CLOSE. Exhortations, warnings, advice.
B. Hebrews 1:1 to 4:13 — The Superiority of Christ: 1. To prophets: Hebrews 1:1-3
C. Hebrews 4:14 to 10:18 — The work of Jesus as a priest.
2. To angels: Hebrews 1:5 to 2:18 3. To Moses: Hebrews 3:1-19 4. To Joshua: Hebrews 4:1-13 1. Divinely appointed — Hebrews 4:14 to 5:10
2. After the order of Melchizedek — Hebrews 5:11 to 7:28 3. The New Covenant — Hebrews 8:1 to 9:10 4. Work centered in perfect atonement — Hebrews 9:11 to 10:18 A. Exhortations to hold fast — Hebrews 10:19-25
IV. MESSAGE OF HEBREWS TO YOU AND ME:
B. Warning against apostasy — Hebrews 10:26-31 C. Encouragement based on past experience — Hebrews 10:32-37 D. Based on examples from the past — Hebrews 11:1-40 E. Advice on suffering — Hebrews 12:1-29 F. Christian responsibilities — Hebrews 13:1-25 A. Christianity is valid and superior to all other beliefs.
B. Christ is superior to every O.T. character. C. Christ fulfills every aspect of the High Priest. D. Be encouraged by what Christ has done for us. 1. Do not let suffering get you down.
At the close of the sermon John referred to our invitation SONG: “Come to Jesus.”
2. What you cannot do Christ will do for you. THE BACK PAGEWATCHING AMERICA BURNThis discussion is not about wildfires. What we are watching right now is something far more tragic than watching woods and homes be destroyed by fire. For all of the year 2020 we have seen scientific experts tell us about the COVID-19 virus and what it can do to us and how we can avoid getting sick from it. Because our society has rejected God and the Bible and has decided that pleasure is the most important thing in our existence, we are watching America as we knew it go down in flames of self-gratification. The Bible is very clear about what really matters in life. Romans 1:18-32 did not just describe what was happening in the world at the time of Paul, it also describes what is happening in America today. Romans 1:20 tells us that there is no excuse for not believing in God because the evidence is so strong. Romans 1:21 tells us that they became vain and while they professed to be wise they changed the beautiful things God created into objects of worship. Romans 1:24 tells us that they became obsessed with lust and the next eight verses describe where that lust led them. As you read those verses ask yourself, “How much that is a picture of America today?” When the Roman culture was challenged they were unable to defend themselves and Rome eventually collapsed. When Americans have been faced with a virus that said that going to a bar and attending venues of entertainment needed to be given up, they have been unwilling to do so. The result of that is that millions of us have become infected and have spread the virus to others, causing enormous numbers of deaths, especially among those who have preexisting conditions. God has called his followers to follow wisdom. Read Proverbs 8 and listen to what wisdom says. Jesus told his followers to learn from the created world. Read Matthew 6:25-33 and notice what Jesus called them to do. This pandemic has touched all of us and done so in many ways. Many of us have friends and/or family members who have contracted the virus. The virus has caused our classes and worship services to be changed for a time. There has never been a modern time when Christianity has shined any brighter than now. Let us hope America will watch our response and change. — John Clayton Our sign by the street! Sign saying from www.sayingsforchurchsigns. Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. Unhighlighted scriptures can be looked up at their website. www.dowagiaccoc.org |
