February 13, 2022

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THE CHURCH OF CHRIST ON M 51 S

We welcome you to our worship services this morning. We hope that you will be encouraged and uplifted by our time together. We have no creed or set of rules to force on you. We simply rely on the Bible to tell us what to do and try to copy what we read the church in the first century did. We meet here every Sunday, but we also have Zoom available for those who are interested. Just ask and we will include you in our Zoom services. Call Karl Marcussen at 574-514-1400 for information.

FAMILY NEWS

TIMBERS: Last Sunday Bill and Patty made soup for us and we conducted services at Timbers nursing home. Our thanks to all who showed up and helped. One of the residents was in tears at being able to participate in the Lord's Supper, and we had a good crowd. Mark March 6 as our next service at Timbers. Please join us.

FOOD PANTRY: We had twice as many families come for food this past Monday as we had last month. There were 14 families, 59 individuals, this month that were served. Our thanks to everyone working with that ministry.

NEW OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE: Last week we shared with you that Della Bundle has opened another door for us. Look at last Sunday's bulletin for more on this project. Julie Marcussen is heading up this project because of her experience in making blankets in the past. If you are willing to help, please let her know.

REMEMBER OUR CLASSES: Old Testament history on Wednesday night at 7:00 P.M. Sunday morning at 10:00 A.M. we are having a survey of the New Testament. On Sunday night at 6:00 P.M., we are studying skepticism, atheism, and how to answer the challenges people raise about our faith in Christ. These classes help us grow in our knowledge of God’s word and help with our faith questions!

TODAY'S LESSON

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, Part 3
John Clayton

JESUS DEALS WITH THE REAL STRUGGLES IN LIFE.

Help in knowing what to pray for.

INTRODUCTION — Matthew 7:1-29

A. Managing life — instructions from God
B. A continuation of last week

I. JUDGING — MATTHEW 7:1-5

A. 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 — Look at 1 Corinthians 5:12

What kind of judging do we have to do?

B. John 8:1-11 — What must Christians always do?
C. Matthew 7:15-20 — How do we judge a preacher?
D. What kind of judging is in Matthew 7:1-5?

II. ASKING GIFTS FROM GOD — Matthew 7:6-11

A. Who is talking and to whom?
B. What does Matthew 7:6 say is the topic?

1. Who are the swine and the dogs?
2. What are the pearls?

C. What kind of gifts is Jesus talking about?

1. Recall Matthew 5:16 — Read Matthew 9:36
2. What is true of material gifts?
3. Why is a kid's wish list not a good guide?
4. Why do we pray for anything if not material?

5. Re-read Matthew 6:7-13 — Pray for the Kingdom, forgiveness, protection from Satan, praise to God.

D. See THE BACK PAGE below.

III. BEWARE OF THE RELIGIOUS GUY — Matthew 7:21-23

A. 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 — Satan can be an “angel of light.”
B. Jesus says many will make claims (Matthew 7:22-23).

1. What does “you who work iniquity” mean?
2. Acts 19:13 — “vagabond Jews, exorcists”
3. Acts 8:18-20 — Simon offered money — sorcery
4. Matthew 25:34-40 — “Blessed of my Father”
5. James 1:27 — “Pure religion and undefiled.”

C. Matthew 7:15-20 — The answer for us all

IV. WHAT IS YOUR “HOUSE” BUILT ON? — Matthew 7:24-27

A. Matthew 7:24 — “Hearing and doing”
B. You cannot talk your way into heaven.

THE BACK PAGE

THE AMAZING WORDS OF JESUS CHRIST, Part 3

We are in Matthew chapter 7 today with some very basic themes involved in what we read. Judging, asking God for gifts in our prayers, and learning how to treat and submit to others are vital topics. These things are all a part of our daily life, and there are some surprising statements by Jesus that are so appropriate for what we see happening in our world today and how we as individuals should respond to them.

Over the years I have had a number of atheists who said they rejected faith because they prayed earnestly for something and it did not happen. It may have been the death of a loved one, or for relief from a problem and it may have been very sincere. When it did not happen the response was either God does not exist or he does not care. Have you ever prayed for a good thing and then had to swallow hard when it did not happen? In Matthew 26:37-39 Jesus prayed fervently that God would accomplish his will some other way than the cross. In Matthew 27:46 Christ calls out “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Jesus knows what it is like to pray for something that does not happen.

Our problem is we do not know the future. There are many times that I have asked for something and later realized it was not a good thing. I am reminded of Garth Brook's song “Thank God for Unanswered Prayers.” More to the point is that our spiritual needs have to take priority over creature comforts, and God's promises to “seek and you will find” have to do with spiritual needs.

As Jesus nears the end of his teaching he gives what is known as “the golden rule.” Great philosophers have always stated this in the negative “Do not do to others what you would not have them to do you.” Jesus says “In EVERYTHING, do to others what you would like for them to do to you.” Socrates, Buddha, Hillel, and Confucius all stated it in the negative. Jesus gave it in the positive. Real Christianity is in action, not talk.

Our sign by the street!

Let us encourage one another to love and good deeds!

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