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December 20, 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
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE: This is a busy time for families, and we are all about families at this congregation. The next two Wednesday·nights--December 23 and December 30--we do not plan to have our normal Bible classes here at the building. A number of us will be out of town and trying to maintain our study of Romans under those conditions seems ill advised. We will resume oyr Wednesday class of Romans on January 6.
OUR NEED OF PANTRY HELP. We have our pantry operation stocked and our system is working. We now get to the most difficult part of getting food and clothing to people who are in need without wasting the resources we have. Since we do not charge anything for the help we give people we are somewhat unique as far as most of the pantry organizations are concerned. We get a lot of our supplies from Gleaners who buys items from suppliers and make them available to those in need at a reduced price. What we are doing is looking for people who do not have any money at all and who have needs. Setting up a store is not what we are about, but meeting the needs of people IS what we are about.
We need to have members of the congregation talk to people they know who either have needs, or know those who do. Find out who the people are and where they are and contact Cindy Salmons, Tracey Brewer, Kamoka Castaneda, or Patty Gibson with the information. They will help you get what is needed so you can take it to the people in need, or they will have one of our couples take it. We cannot just let these items sit on the shelf, we need to get them out into the comtriunity--especially the Dowagiac and Cass County community.
TODAY'S
LESSON
JESUS OF NAZARETH
INTRODUCTION
Lots of discussion at this time
of year about "the meaning."
Not much discussion about the "why?" questions.
JESUS CAME IN A POOR, OCCUPIED
COUNTRYNot much discussion about the "why?" questions.
Why did God become flesh--John 1:
14
Why did God create me?
The battle at hand--Ephesians 6:12 and Ephesians 3:9-11.
The mind of God--Hebrews 4:15 and John 11:35.Why did God create me?
The battle at hand--Ephesians 6:12 and Ephesians 3:9-11.
If God came to earth in the flesh
today, where would He go?
Nazareth was a poor city in lower
Galilee--John 1:46.
The Romans had control of everything--John 19:10.
Do we understand what it is like to live in a slum in India?
Who has attracted and been supported by the masses today?
The Romans had control of everything--John 19:10.
Matthew 5:41
Why was Jesus not born in a Levitical, upper class home?Do we understand what it is like to live in a slum in India?
Who has attracted and been supported by the masses today?
| Ghandi | Obama | Winfrey |
Matthew 1:18-19.
The strength of Joseph--Matthew 1:20--Look at his heart.
GOD'S WISDOM IS SEEN IN ALL THAT
HAPPENS What would you do if you were
Joseph?
What would you do if you were Mary's parents?
What would people believe?
The strength of Mary--Luke 1:26-34, 38--look at her heart.What would you do if you were Mary's parents?
What would people believe?
The strength of Joseph--Matthew 1:20--Look at his heart.
God knew Mary's heart and
Joseph's heart.
Do not underestimate Mary or
Joseph.
You do not have it worse than they did.
Does God know your heart?
Contrast other great religious leaders.You do not have it worse than they did.
Does God know your heart?
Your heart can change.
Muhammad
Buddha
Buddha
Jesus entered a bad world.
Matthew 7:28
Matthew 7:28
You cannot have a problem that
Jesus does not understand.
You have no money--Jesus had only
a cloak.
You were born on the wrong side of the tracks.
Hebrews 4:15-16
Is this your time of need?You were born on the wrong side of the tracks.
Hebrews 4:15-16
CHRISTMAS
2009
In many places around our country, the Church of Christ is known only for what they are against. There is no question that there are things we need to oppose, but one of the most shining attributes of the first century church is their liberty. In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul urges the church to not "pass judgement on disputable matters" (verse 1). He talks about eating certain things--the fact that some feel we should only eat vegetables (verse 2) and some feel you can eat anything. He says not to be judgemental about these things, and that advice is useful in today's world. In verse 10 he tells us not to look down on someone because they have a conviction about food, and goes beyond that and says that when we decide what we eat we need to be thinking about how our eating affects our brother or sister in Christ.
Paul also talks about special days in these verses. In verse 5 he points out that one man considers one day more sacred than another while another man considers every day to be the same. Paul tells us not to judge believers on such issues. December 25 is looked upon by many people in the religious world as a special day. We do not need to be known as "the people who don't believe in Christmas." It is common knowledge that all evidence shows clearly that Jesus was not born in December, but setting aside a certain day in which we focus on that wonderful event in which God became fiesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14) is certainly not something to get upset about.
In Paul's word "He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die we die to the Lord ... we belong to the Lord" (verses 6-8). Can people corrupt a holiday? Of course they can. Can people bring pagan symbols into worship? Of course they can. Christmas trees, yule logs, the solstice, mistletoe, the giving of gifts, candy canes--all of these things have interesting roots that in many cases come out of paganism. For that matter so do many of the things that we use in our daily life--the books that we have are a far cry from the scrolls used in biblical times and have a pagan root. The use of a pew as opposed to a reclining couch is from a pagan source. Our singing in four-part harmony is from modern hedonistic sources, a far cry from the chants that were a part of first century worship.
God calls us to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), and we call people to the positive experience of worship and commitment. We do not want to be known for what we do not like.
In many places around our country, the Church of Christ is known only for what they are against. There is no question that there are things we need to oppose, but one of the most shining attributes of the first century church is their liberty. In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul urges the church to not "pass judgement on disputable matters" (verse 1). He talks about eating certain things--the fact that some feel we should only eat vegetables (verse 2) and some feel you can eat anything. He says not to be judgemental about these things, and that advice is useful in today's world. In verse 10 he tells us not to look down on someone because they have a conviction about food, and goes beyond that and says that when we decide what we eat we need to be thinking about how our eating affects our brother or sister in Christ.
Paul also talks about special days in these verses. In verse 5 he points out that one man considers one day more sacred than another while another man considers every day to be the same. Paul tells us not to judge believers on such issues. December 25 is looked upon by many people in the religious world as a special day. We do not need to be known as "the people who don't believe in Christmas." It is common knowledge that all evidence shows clearly that Jesus was not born in December, but setting aside a certain day in which we focus on that wonderful event in which God became fiesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14) is certainly not something to get upset about.
In Paul's word "He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die we die to the Lord ... we belong to the Lord" (verses 6-8). Can people corrupt a holiday? Of course they can. Can people bring pagan symbols into worship? Of course they can. Christmas trees, yule logs, the solstice, mistletoe, the giving of gifts, candy canes--all of these things have interesting roots that in many cases come out of paganism. For that matter so do many of the things that we use in our daily life--the books that we have are a far cry from the scrolls used in biblical times and have a pagan root. The use of a pew as opposed to a reclining couch is from a pagan source. Our singing in four-part harmony is from modern hedonistic sources, a far cry from the chants that were a part of first century worship.
God calls us to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), and we call people to the positive experience of worship and commitment. We do not want to be known for what we do not like.