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February 1, 2009TO OUR VISITORS
The family of God here at Dowagiac Church of Christ wishes to extend to you a warm welcome. If you have questions about our worship services and why we do what we do, we will be glad to give you a biblical answer. The uniqueness of the Church of Christ is that we are trying to restore to the best of our ability those things that we see the first century Church doing. We are also working hard at building the spirit, unity, and love that Jesus taught and prayed for. We have no clergy, but are working together as equal co-workers trying to serve one another and the area in which we live. Come study with us, grow with us, and serve with us as we strive to do God’s will in all things.
FAMILY NEWS
TODAY--POTLUCK AND BUSINESS MEETING. We have a potato and salad potluck planned for today. We have an oven full of baked potatoes and all kinds of stuff to put on them, plus all kinds of salads and desserts. If you did not bring anything that is no problem, because we put in extra potatoes and if you do not stay they will not be eaten. We will have a business meeting because we need to talk about the fair project, some building problems in the fellowship area, a possible new preacher, a presentation by a visitor trom Second Harvest Gleaners Food Bank of Western Michigan on our benevolence work, an explanation of the new color copier Bill Salmons has donated to the Church, and other plans--so we need everyone to stay and be a part of that.
THANKS--to IR. for getting the sign up and running. It is a HUGE improvement and has gotten community attention. Our thanks to those who assisted him in that project.
FEBRUARY 15--SPECIAL FOR OUR LADIES. The men of the congregation want to let the ladies of the Church know how much we appreciate and treasure them. The God of the Bible is a God of love and we are commanded over and over in God's word to love one another and to nurture that commitment. Ladies, if you have not turned in your announcement sheet telling us if you are going to join us, please do so today so we can complete our plans. It will be a special day and we would like to have everyone there--and ladies. It is free for you. Do not miss it.
TODAY’S LESSON
HARD TIMES
MARRIAGE, CHRIST AND THE CHURCH
INTRODUCTION--Genesis
29:16-20.
Type/antitype relationships--Old
Testament stories used as a mirror of things in the New Testament.
Many examples
JACOB AND RACHEL--CHRIST AND THE
CHURCH--Crossing of
the Red Sea/Baptism
--Brazen serpent/Jesus on the Cross
--Moses/Jesus/Savior of people
--Brazen serpent/Jesus on the Cross
--Moses/Jesus/Savior of people
This is a love story.
Jacob makes a commitment based on love with an alien people in a different culture.
Laban welches on the deal--what do you do? Get mad? Get violent? What does love demand?
Marriage is about honorable commitment.
CHRIST AND THE CHURCH HAVE THE
SAME RELATIONSHIP AS JACOB AND RACHELJacob makes a commitment based on love with an alien people in a different culture.
Laban welches on the deal--what do you do? Get mad? Get violent? What does love demand?
Marriage is about honorable commitment.
Ephesians 5:23-33
Being the head ofthe wife does not mean being a CEO. It involves protection, care, nurturing, feeding.
25--"Christ loved the Church and gave himself for her." Giving yourself--an act oflove. We grow in our capacity to do that.
26-27--"To make her holy ... ." how?
Being holy is not equal to being weak, prissy.
32--1 Corinthians 12:12-27--the mystery.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT ONENESS IS?Being the head ofthe wife does not mean being a CEO. It involves protection, care, nurturing, feeding.
25--"Christ loved the Church and gave himself for her." Giving yourself--an act oflove. We grow in our capacity to do that.
26-27--"To make her holy ... ." how?
Being holy is not equal to being weak, prissy.
KJV says "Sanctify."
It takes strength to be a real Christian.
Christ perfects the Church-ongoing
Heaven is not on Earth--we will be perfect.
28-29--Christ cared for her--nourishes us.It takes strength to be a real Christian.
Christ perfects the Church-ongoing
Heaven is not on Earth--we will be perfect.
If we are willing--will you allow
feeding?
Cherishes us--have you ever been cherished.
Are you cherishable?
30-31--Christ becomes one with her--Genesis 2:24.Cherishes us--have you ever been cherished.
Are you cherishable?
32--1 Corinthians 12:12-27--the mystery.
In marriage--the ceremony is just
the start.
No ceremony--no commitment--no
real oneness.
In Church--baptism is just the start No oneness with Christ? HARD TIMES
He was just a boy, on a brand new
week's first day.
He was wandering home from Sunday School, and dawdling on the way.
He scuffed his shoes into the grass and found a caterpillar.
He picked a fluffy milkweed pod, and blew out all the "filler."
A bird's nest in a great big tree, so wisely placed on high.
Was just another wonder that caught his eager eye.
A neighbor watched his zig zag course, and hailed him from his lawn.
He asked him where he's been that day and what was going on.
"I've been to Bible school" he spoke, and turned a piece of sod.
He picked up a wiggly worm and said "I've learned a lot about God."
The neighbor said, "What a waste of time for a boy to spend his time. If you can tell me where God is, I'll give ya this brand new dime."
Quick as a flash his answer came, nor was his small voice faint "I'll give YOU a dollar mister, if you can tell me where God ain't."
In our pre-worship children's class we have been talking about the wisdom and design we can see in the world around us with the children. Romans 1:19ff describes our world, so much like the neighbor in the anonymous poem above. The passage tells us that "we can know there is a God through the things he has made," but it also tells us that the world around us "has refused to honor Him as God or to give thanks to him. Hence their thinking has ended in futility, and their misguided minds are plunged in darkness. Behind a facade of wisdom they have become just fools." We are seeing the results of this selfish Godless greed-driven foolishness in our own time. Our country is plunged into economic chaos and the whole world is confused by the results of people not living as God has instructed. "In Him we live and move and have our being" we are told in Acts 17, so let us keep close to God in these hard times.
He was wandering home from Sunday School, and dawdling on the way.
He scuffed his shoes into the grass and found a caterpillar.
He picked a fluffy milkweed pod, and blew out all the "filler."
A bird's nest in a great big tree, so wisely placed on high.
Was just another wonder that caught his eager eye.
A neighbor watched his zig zag course, and hailed him from his lawn.
He asked him where he's been that day and what was going on.
"I've been to Bible school" he spoke, and turned a piece of sod.
He picked up a wiggly worm and said "I've learned a lot about God."
The neighbor said, "What a waste of time for a boy to spend his time. If you can tell me where God is, I'll give ya this brand new dime."
Quick as a flash his answer came, nor was his small voice faint "I'll give YOU a dollar mister, if you can tell me where God ain't."
In our pre-worship children's class we have been talking about the wisdom and design we can see in the world around us with the children. Romans 1:19ff describes our world, so much like the neighbor in the anonymous poem above. The passage tells us that "we can know there is a God through the things he has made," but it also tells us that the world around us "has refused to honor Him as God or to give thanks to him. Hence their thinking has ended in futility, and their misguided minds are plunged in darkness. Behind a facade of wisdom they have become just fools." We are seeing the results of this selfish Godless greed-driven foolishness in our own time. Our country is plunged into economic chaos and the whole world is confused by the results of people not living as God has instructed. "In Him we live and move and have our being" we are told in Acts 17, so let us keep close to God in these hard times.