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August 2, 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
POT LUCK TODAY: We invite everyone to stay for a "Dog Days of Summer" potluck. The theory is that all our food will be cold food and we will stay cool as we enjoy some time together. After that, we will have a short orientation meetmg on the fair exhibit. Plan to eat with us and stay for a while. We will set up the exhibit this afternoon.
FAIR EXHIBIT: This is the week of the Cass County Fair. A lot of work has gone into preparing our booth, and everything is ready. What we hope to do is to serve the community. We hope to encourage them educationally with materials from the Does God Exist? program. We hope to address basic needs with our food pantry program. We hope to enrich them spiritually and teach them God's word. To do this we have a variety of free materials for them--free Bibles, courses, study books, and information about our free food program. No one is being asked to buy or pay for anything. If you have not signed up for a time slot to work the booth, please do so today. There is nothing you have to know--just greet people and give them free materials. This is a great time for us to present the Lord's Church to the community and sow seeds.
AUGUST 10-14: Also mark your calendar for next week when we will have a Does God Exist? summer seminar and evening series at Michiana Christian Service Camp on Michigan 140. You can attend the day sessions, night sessions, or both. This is an opportunity to see what this ministry is about and how it functions. If you need transportation to the program see Bill Gibson. There are some schedules in the lobby of what will be presented each night.
TODAY'S
LESSON
WHAT KEEPS US OUT OF HEAVEN
INTRODUCTION--Salvation is not complicated.
Sin--
The Grave
GOD IS LIFEThe Grave
We start out sinless in life -
Luke 18: 16-17
We choose death (sin)--God wants us to have life.
GOD SENT HIS SON TO OVERCOME SIN.We choose death (sin)--God wants us to have life.
Romans 6:23
Romans 7:5--see verse 24 and 8:1.
James 1:15--we die spiritually with sin.
God cannot tolerate or even look on sin.Romans 7:5--see verse 24 and 8:1.
James 1:15--we die spiritually with sin.
James 1:13
1 John 1:5
1 John 1:5
Romans 5:8-10
Carnality brings enslavement.
What do you think about?
THE GOSPEL BRINGS US BACK TO
LIFE AGAIN.Justified by His blood--saved
from wrath.
God reached out to us.
Romans 6:6-7--see verse 12. How does sin reign in us?God reached out to us.
The battle that goes on inside us.
Romans 7:15-8:6--note 8:6.Carnality brings enslavement.
What do you think about?
Acts 2:24
Galatians 5:1
WE WANT TO SHARE THE GOSPEL
BECAUSE WE WANT WHAT IS BEST.Galatians 5:1
Everything we do that is wrong
brings enslavement.
Read Galatians 5:19-21.
Galatians 5:22-23--what the Christian life brings.
Read Galatians 5:19-21.
Galatians 5:22-23--what the Christian life brings.
For the world--
What do religions and sin bring
to the world?
What kind of a world would it be if Matthew 5-7 were followed?
For the community--What kind of a world would it be if Matthew 5-7 were followed?
Can we make a difference?
For you--Acts 2:37-40--see Romans 5:8-10.
Makes death a minor event--the
grave a non issue.
Gives power to walk in the light--indwelling.
Frees a person from enslavement to sin.
What do you choose? Gives power to walk in the light--indwelling.
Frees a person from enslavement to sin.
FROM
GRANDPA JOHN
For the past three Sundays you
have had some really good lessons from the men of the congregation. We
are blessed to have men who study their Bibles regularly and are able
to serve us by teaching and preaching God's word. Thanks to everyone
who helped out and to those who have supported and encouraged them.
Since the 5th of July when I was last with you, Cynthia and I have been getting used to each other and have been working with other congregations. Our first Sunday was in Grand Junction, Colo., where Cynthia used to live. We heard some great lessons and I got to meet her wonderful family. Her 89-year-old father was a special delight, but hearing her two sisters and two brothers tell stories about her as a child made me appreciate her even more. We then went on to visit my daughter Cathy and then did a four-day lectureship with the Breckenridge, Tex., congregation, where we had about 500 people who came for the program. We made a quick visit to my other daughter Wendy and then went to Hutchinson, Kans., where we had another lectureship with some 600 people in attendance. We got back to Niles at 1:00 A.M. on Thursday. The programs went well with a lot of interest and really good attendance. In Hutchinson we visited a salt mine some 650 feet underground and saw some things that go well with our presentations on geology and the Bible. Cosmosphere is also in Hutchinson with all of the major space materials from NASA.
One thing I have already learned about Cynthia is what a great worker she is and how dedicated she is for the Lord. She does not know a stranger and greets people and lets people know she cares about them. She was a huge help in the two lectureships--her first with the Does God Exist? ministry. One of the preachers in Hutchinson said "Boy, you have got a good one there--she will be a great worker for Christ in your ministry," and I know that is true.
I do have to tell you one funny story here. I got an e-mail about a week ago from my media person who was house sitting for us while we were gone. He wrote me saying "Guess what, the state says you're not legally married." That remark had scandle written all over it. It turned out that when our "Marrying and Burying" minister (Bill Gibson) sent in the marriage license I gave him to the Berrien County recorder, we sent the wrong copy, so she refused to finalize the license with the state. When I got back I asked her if I was going to be put in jail for bigamy and she laughed and said "you're married--but the state of Michigan has no record of it. If you don't get it in and apply for state aid they won't know you." I guess Bill figured I didn't want any help from the state.
Since the 5th of July when I was last with you, Cynthia and I have been getting used to each other and have been working with other congregations. Our first Sunday was in Grand Junction, Colo., where Cynthia used to live. We heard some great lessons and I got to meet her wonderful family. Her 89-year-old father was a special delight, but hearing her two sisters and two brothers tell stories about her as a child made me appreciate her even more. We then went on to visit my daughter Cathy and then did a four-day lectureship with the Breckenridge, Tex., congregation, where we had about 500 people who came for the program. We made a quick visit to my other daughter Wendy and then went to Hutchinson, Kans., where we had another lectureship with some 600 people in attendance. We got back to Niles at 1:00 A.M. on Thursday. The programs went well with a lot of interest and really good attendance. In Hutchinson we visited a salt mine some 650 feet underground and saw some things that go well with our presentations on geology and the Bible. Cosmosphere is also in Hutchinson with all of the major space materials from NASA.
One thing I have already learned about Cynthia is what a great worker she is and how dedicated she is for the Lord. She does not know a stranger and greets people and lets people know she cares about them. She was a huge help in the two lectureships--her first with the Does God Exist? ministry. One of the preachers in Hutchinson said "Boy, you have got a good one there--she will be a great worker for Christ in your ministry," and I know that is true.
I do have to tell you one funny story here. I got an e-mail about a week ago from my media person who was house sitting for us while we were gone. He wrote me saying "Guess what, the state says you're not legally married." That remark had scandle written all over it. It turned out that when our "Marrying and Burying" minister (Bill Gibson) sent in the marriage license I gave him to the Berrien County recorder, we sent the wrong copy, so she refused to finalize the license with the state. When I got back I asked her if I was going to be put in jail for bigamy and she laughed and said "you're married--but the state of Michigan has no record of it. If you don't get it in and apply for state aid they won't know you." I guess Bill figured I didn't want any help from the state.