Quote of the Day – July 21, 2015

Special Request – please pray for V. and S. Matthews who today begin a two year journey for the Lord overseas in Asia.  Pray for their safety, pray for strength for them, but above all of that pray that God will magnify His name and kingdom through them.

 

“My Lord, How Full of Sweet Content” by Madame Guyon

“My Lord, how full of sweet content;
I pass my years of banishment!
Where’er I dwell, I dwell with Thee,
In heaven, in earth, or on the sea.

To me remains nor place nor time;
My country is in every clime;
I can be calm and free from care
On any shore, since God is there.

While place we seek, or place we shun
The soul finds happiness in none;
But with a God to guide our way,
‘Tis equal joy, to go or stay.

Could I be cast where Thou are not,
That were indeed a dreadful lot:
But regions none remote I call,
Secure of finding God in all.”

Doctrine of the Church

Here are the completed notes from the Sunday Evening service July 19, 2015

The Organization of the Church

1.  That there must have been a simple organization even in the Church in Jerusalem is evident from a number of things:

  • The believers adhered to a definite doctrinal standard (Acts 2:42; cf. Ephesians 2)
  • They met for spiritual fellowship
  • They united in prayer (Acts 2:42, Matthew 18:19, 20)
  • They practiced baptism (Acts 2:41)
  • They observed the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:42, 46)
  • They kept account of the membership (Acts 2:14, 41; 4:4)
  • They met for public worship (Acts 2:46)
  • They provided material help for the needy of their number (Acts 2:44, 45)
  • The Apostles were the ministers in this Church
  • They soon added the seven men of Acts 6:1-7 to take care of the ministration to the poor
  • On the day of Pentecost they were assembled in ‘the upper room’ (Acts 1:13, 2:1), where that may have been; but more usually they seem to have met in some home of a Christian (Acts 2:46), though for some services apparently they still visited the temple (Acts 2:46, 3:1), as we have just seen

2.  Additional Study of Church Organization:

  • They had church officers
  • The had stated times of meeting
  • The regulated church decorum and exercised church discipline
  • They raised money for the Lord’s work

The Officers of the Church

The kinds of officers:

1.  Bishops (I Timothy 3:1-7; see also Titus 1:5-9)
Bishops, Elders, Pastors

The qualifications:

  • He must be a male
  • He must be blameless
  • He must be the husband of one wife
  • He must be vigilant (temperate)
  • He must be sober
  • He must be of good behavior
  • He must be given to hospitality (a lover of strangers)
  • He must be “apt to teach” (having the ability and love for teaching)
  • He must not be given to wine
  • He must not be a striker
  • He must not be greedy for money
  • He must be patient (reasonable, gentle)
  • He must not be a brawler (not contentious)
  • He must not covet (desire something belonging to someone else)
  • He must rule his own house well
  • He must not be a novice (new convert)
  • He must maintain a good report from without (a good public testimony in his immediate community)

The responsibilities of the office:
In general it may be said that the pastor’s responsibilities are as follows:

  • He is to administer the ordinances (Matthew 28:19, 20)
  • He is to be a man of prayer (I Timothy 2:1)
  • He is to warn his flock (I Timothy 4:1, 6)
  • He is to study the Word (II Timothy 2:15)
  • He is to preach the Word (II Timothy 4:2, Acts 6:2-4)
  • He is to exhort and rebuke (I Thessalonians 5:12, Titus 2:15)
  • He is to watch over souls
    • His own (Acts 20:28, Colossians 4:17, I Timothy 4:16, 6:11)
    • Those of others (Acts 20:28-31, Hebrews 13:17)
  • He is to feed and lead his flock (Acts 20:28, I Peter 5:2)
  • He is to be an example to all (I Corinthians 11:1, 4:16, Philippians 3:17, II Thessalonians 3:9, I Timothy 4:12, Hebrews 13:7, I Peter 5:3)

Pastor John MacArthur, Jr. writes concerning Paul’s fourfold perspective of pastoral priorities in Acts 20:19-22 (page 15 in Leadership, God’s Priority for the Church):

  • A right perspective toward God
  • A right perspective toward the church
  • A right perspective toward the lost
  • A right perspective toward himself

To this list MacArthur then adds five more priorities as found in Acts 20:28-35

  1. To keep right with God
  2. To feed and lead the flock of God
  3. To warn and watch…to protect the flock
  4. To pray and study
  5. To be free from self interest

2.  Deacons (I Timothy 3:8-12)

The qualifications:

  • He must be grave
  • He must not be double-tongued
  • He must not be given over to wine
  • He must not be greedy
  • He must hold forth the mystery of the faith
  • He must be tested and proven
  • Blameless
  • He must be the husband of one wife
  • Ruling his own children and home well – verse 12
  • He must maintain a pure conscience
  • Acts 6:3 – Honest report, full of the Holy Spirit, full of wisdom

Verse 11 – Deacons’ Wives

  • Grave
  • Not slanders
  • Sober (temperate/well balanced)
  • Faithful in all things

The Responsibilities of Women in a Local Church:
The Scripture does have much to say regarding the woman’s role in the church.

  • Immediately after Christ’s ascension, women gathered with the apostles and disciples in the upper room in Jerusalem.  In the early church beginnings, women were a vital part (Acts 5:14)
  • One of the early converts, Mary, the mother of John Mark, donated her house as a meeting place for the believers in Jerusalem.
  • Lydia did the same in Philippi (Acts 16:14, 15)
  • In the last chapter of Romans, eight women are named out of the twenty-six whom Paul singles out for significant service to Christ.
  • The daughters of Philip were used of God to prophesy (Acts 21:8,9)
  • Aquila and Priscilla were used to instruct Apollos (Acts 18:24-26)

In addition to the historical precedent, the Scriptures give clear instruction for women’s ministry:  Women have a vital place in evangelism.  “The Lord giveth the Word; the women that publish the tidings are a great host.”  -Psalm 68:11.  Paul perhaps paid the highest compliment to women when he said, “The woman is man’s glory” -I Corinthians 11:7

In addition to these positive areas of ministry for women, the Scripture indicates some areas where women are NOT to serve:  I Timothy 2:11, 12 is the most important statement in the area of leadership roles in the church.  Alone with I Corinthians 14:33-35 it indicates a universal spiritual principle, that the divine order for women is subordination (not inferiority) to men.

  • This principle is based on the facts that woman was created last (I Timothy 2:13) and was first to sin (I Timothy 2:14).
  • Since the emphasis in both passages seems most easily applicable to public worship, women are not to be in positions of authority over men.
  • Nowhere in the New Testament is a woman ever commended to serve as an elder
  • In fact, it’s obvious that I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9, which list qualifications for elders, can only refer to a man

 

*Some contents adapted from Dr. Harold Willmington’s notes on the church

Backsliding from a Church Pew

Announcements:

-This week is camp week for our students.  Please pray for God to work in the lives of our young people that they might glorify Him.

Here are the completed notes from the morning service July 19, 2015

Scripture:  Colossians 2:6-8, Proverbs 14:14a

Characteristics of Backsliding from a Church Pew:

1.  Attends church but it’s about religion rather than about a relationship with Jesus

  • Sitting in church with unconfessed sin in your life
  • Little to no pursuit of God outside the four walls of this building

“IT’S ALL ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS!”

2.  Attendance at church is characterized by inconsistency and unfaithfulness – Hebrews 10:25

  • An essential to spiritual growth – I Peter 2:2
  • An important aspect of personal accountability
  • Believers are equipped for ministry at church – See Ephesians 4:11b, 12
  • Scriptural Command – Hebrews 10:24, 25

3.  Giving to the Lord is minimal, sporadic, or not at all

  1. Proverbs 3:9
    • “Honor” – Giving is an act of honoring the Lord with what He has provided you
    • “Firstfruits” – Of all thy increase
  2. I Corinthians 16:2
    • “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”
    • “The first day of the week” – Sunday (systematic giving)
    • “As God has prospered” – proportionate giving
  3. Malachi 3:8-10
    • “Tithe” – 10%
    • “Offerings” – additional giving
    • “This whole nation” – Tithe was what was required of Israel under the OT Law
    • Robbing God – not to tithe was robbing God and SIN
    • Blessing – Obeying God in tithes and offerings resulted in blessings / Robbing God resulted in a curse
    • See I Corinthians 10:11:  “Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”
  4. II Corinthians 9:6, 7
    • What we reap is dependent upon what we sow
  5. Luke 6:38
    • Give and it shall be given unto you
    • This is a natural part of life as a believer
  6. Matthew 6:19-21
    • Avoid materialism – “treasures upon earth”
    • Where your treasure is there will your heart be also
  7. II Corinthians 8:1-5
    • Example of the Macedonia churches
    • Their condition – in a great trial of affliction, deep poverty
    • Their sacrificial giving – riches of their liberality, giving beyond their power
    • The relationship – first gave themselves to the Lord

Taken from Corner Stone By-Laws:

  • Have you read and are you in agreement with our Doctrinal Statement, Constitution, and By-Laws?
  • Are you willing to give of your time, resources, gifts, and abilities for the furtherance of the ministry of this church?
  • Are you willing to be held accountable by the members of this local church?

4.  Spiritual growth is dormant not growing in knowledge or developing in Christian maturity – I Peter 2:2

  • II Peter 3:18 – How much closer are you to the Lord than last year at this time?

5.  Service is stagnate or non-existant – I Peter 4:10, 11

6.  Not taking God and His Word seriously

7.  God and obedience to Him is just not a priority – Matthew 6:33

  • The Law of Desire – We do what we do because we want what we want.
  • Deuteronomy 8:10-20

Quote of the Day – July 17, 2015

“Do you love the thought that you exist to make God look glorious?  Do you love the thought that all creation exists to display the glory of God?  Do you love the truth that all of history is designed by God to one day be a completed canvas that displays in the best way possible the greatness and beauty of God?…Do you love the truth that you personally exist to make God look like what He really is – glorious?  I ask again:  Do you love the fact that your salvation is meant to put the glory of God’s grace on display?  Do you love seeing and showing the glory of God?  This is why God created the universe.  This is why He ordained history.  This is why He sent His Son.  This is why you exist.  Forever to see and savor and show the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  The question at the end of Romans 1-11 is; Do you embrace this calling as your treasure and your joy?”  -John Piper

Quote of the Day – July 16, 2015

“I have a very simple thing to ask of you.  I ask every man and woman in this audience that from this day on they will realize that part of the destiny of America lies in their daily perusal of this great Book [the Bible].”  -Woodrow Wilson

Quote of the Day – July 15, 2015

John Gibson Paton was a missionary to the New Hebrides (modern day Vanuatu).  He received much criticism before departing his native Scotland to spread the Gospel in places considered so dangerous.  On one occasion, a Mr. Dickson exploded, “The cannibals! You will be eaten by cannibals!” To this Paton responded:

“Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.”

 

Quote of the Day – July 14, 2015

“No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.”  -Leonard Ravenhill

Doctrine of the Church

Here are the completed notes from the evening service July 12, 2015

The History, Growth, and Character of the Various New Testament Churches

The Church in Jerusalem

  1. Began at Pentecost (Acts 2:47) with at least 120 (Acts 2:41)
  2. Was pastored by James, the half-brother of Christ (Acts 15:13)
  3. Performed many wonders and signs (Acts 2:43, 5:12-16)
  4. Had all things in common (Acts 2:44, 45, 4:32-35)
  5. Was in one accord (Acts 2:46)
  6. Spent a good deal of time in prayer (Acts 2:42, 3:1, 4:24, 12:5-17)
  7. Witnessed at every opportunity (Acts 3:12, 4:5, 5:42, 4:33)
  8. Radiated Jesus (Acts 4:13, 6:15)
  9. Was kept pure by God [had standards] (Acts 5:1-11, 8:18-24)
  10. Grew constantly (Acts 2:47, 5:14, 4:4, 12:24)
  11. Endured persecution (Acts 4:1-3, 4:21, 5:17-41, 7:54-60, 8:1-3, 12:1-4)
  12. Appointed deacons (Acts 6:1-7)
  13. Practiced baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:41, 46)
  14. Sent forth missionaries (Acts 8:5, 14, 11:22)
  15. Held the important meeting on circumcision (Acts 15)
  16. Was Spirit led (Acts 2:1-18, 4:31, 13:2-4, 15:28)
  17. Preached the Word (Acts 2:16-36, 3:13-26, 5:42, 6:4, 7:1-53)
  18. Contended for the faith (Acts 15:1-21)

The Church in Antioch of Syria

  1. Was founded during that persecution period which followed the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 11:19)
  2. Experienced a great ingathering of souls (Acts 11:21)
  3. The Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to “check it out” (Acts 11:22)
  4. Added many to the church at this time (Acts 11:24)
  5. Was where believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26)

The Church in Antioch of Pisidia

  1. Was begun by Paul during his first missionary trip (Acts 13:14)

The Church in Lystra

  1. Was begun by Paul during his first missionary trip (Acts 14:6)

The Church in Derbe (Acts 14:21, Acts 22)

The Church in Iconium

  1. Paul let many to Christ here during his first trip (Acts 14:2)

The Church in Philippi

  1. Paul organized a church in the home of a woman convert named Lydia (Acts 16:15, 40)
  2. A demon-possessed girl was his next convert (Acts 16:18)
  3. She was followed by the Philippian jailor (Acts 16:33)
  4. Paul later wrote a letter to this church (Phil 1:1)
  5. Timothy ministered to this church (Phil 2:19)
  6. Helped to supply the material needs of Paul (Phil 4:15, 18)

The Church in Thessalonica

  1. Was founded during Paul’s second missionary trip (Acts 17:1)
  2. Witnessed a great harvest of souls (Acts 17:4)
  3. Paul is accused of turning the world upside down (Acts 17:6)
  4. In spite of their zeal, they were not good Bible students (Acts 17:6)
  5. Later Paul wrote two letters to this church (I Thess 1:1, 2 Thess 1:1)
  6. The believers had a reputation for witnessing (I Thess 1:8)
  7. Timothy ministered to this church (I Thess 3:1, 2)
  8. Had some lazy members (2 Thess 3:10)
  9. Had some busybodies (2 Thess 3:11)
  10. Had some disobedient members (2 Thess 3:14, 15)

The Church in Berea

  1. This church was commended for its knowledge of and love for the Word of God (Acts 17:11)

The Church in Athens

  1. It is not certain whether a local assembly came into being after Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill, but if so, a convert named Dionysius probably led it (Acts 17:34)

The Church in Corinth

  1. Was founded during Paul’s second trip (Acts 18:1)
  2. Aquila and Priscilla aided in this (Acts 18:2)
  3. Paul stayed eighteen months (Acts 18:11)
  4. Paul wrote several letters to this church (I Cor 5:9, 2 Cor 10:9, 10), two of which are included in the New Testament canon (I Cor 1:2, 2 Cor 1:1)
  5. Experienced almost total confusion in matters relating to:
    1. Baptism (I Cor 1:12-17)
    2. Earthly wisdom (I Cor 1:26)
    3. Carnality and strife (I Cor 3:1-3)
    4. Judging others unfairly (I Cor 4:7)
    5. Immorality (I Cor 5:1)
    6. Taking other believers to court (I Cor 6:1-4)
    7. Marriage (I Cor 7:1)
    8. Christian Liberty (I Cor 8-9)
    9. The Lord’s Table (I Cor 11:17-34)
    10. Spiritual Gifts (I Cor 12-14)
    11. The doctrine of the resurrection (I Cor 15)
    12. Giving (I Cor 16)

The Church in Troas

  1. Here Paul raised up Eutychus, a believer who had gone asleep during Paul’s sermon and had fallen down from the third loft of the building (Acts 20:7-12)

The Church in Rome

  1. The origin and founder of this church is unknown
  2. Priscilla and Aquila labored there and a local church met in their home (Rom 16:3-5)
  3. Had a ringing testimony throughout all the land (Rom 1:8)

The Church in Galatia

  1. Various local churches in Galatia were organized by Paul during his first trip.
  2. All had apparently fallen victim to the legalistic Judaizers, who would continually plague Paul’s gospel of grace (Gal 1:6-9)

The Church in Colosse

  1. Was founded by Epaphras during Paul’s third trip (Col 2:1, 1:7, 12, 13)
  2. Philemon and Onesimus attended this church (Col 4:9, Philemon 1:1, 2)

The Church in Babylon (I Peter 5:13)

  1. Was filled with suffering believers (I Peter 1:6)
  2. Some of this suffering was due to sin (I Peter 4:15-17)

The Seven Churches of Asia Minor

Scripture:  Revelation Chapters 2 and 3

Ephesus (Rev 2:1-7) 7 Verses

  1. Dealing with being in a rut in your Christian life
  2. Was founded during Paul’s second trip (Acts 18:19)
  3. May have been pastored by Apollos, Timothy, and the Apostle John.
  4. Paul wrought many miracles there and saw much fruit (Acts 19:11-41)
  5. Wicked books are burned
  6. The false goddess Diana is challenged
  7. Paul went soul-winning door-to-door (Acts 20:17-21)
  8. Was the only Christian church ever to receive letters from two New Testament writers
  9. According to John’s letter, this church:
    1. Worked hard and possessed patience
    2. Had high church standards
    3. Suffered for Christ
    4. Had left their first love
    5. Needed to remember, repent, and return to Christ, else their candlestick be removed
    6. Hated the deeds of licentious Nicolatians

Smyrna (Rev 2:8-11) 4 Verses

  1. The suffering church
  2. Had suffered much for Christ
  3. Had been slandered by those from the synagogue of satan
  4. Satan had imprisoned some of them

Pergamos (Rev 2:12-17) 6 Verses

  1. The compromising church
  2. Was located in the very center of satanic worship
  3. Had nevertheless remained loyal to Christ in spite of martyrdom
  4. Members were, however, tolerating some in the church who were guilty of sexual sins
  5. They were also tolerating those who held the doctrine of the Nicolatians

Thyatira (Rev 2:18-29) 12 Verses

  1. The tolerant church

Sardis (Rev 3:1-6) 6 Verses

  1. Appearances can fool you!

Philadelphia (Rev 3:7-13) 7 Verses

  1. The faithful church

Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22) 9 Verses

  1. The tragedy of lukewarmness

 

*Some contents adapted from Dr. Harold Willmington’s notes on the church

 

 

Doubts, Questions, and Unbelief (Part 2)

Announcements:

-Corner Stone Student Camp is coming up soon! July 21-25
-Special thanks to Dee Harmis for hosting the 4th of July Celebration for our church!

Here are the completed notes from the morning service July 12, 2015

Scripture: Mark 9:17-27

Reassurances

Consider Jesus (Matthew 5:17-18)
-He testified to the truth of Scripture
-His resurrection from the dead

Saturate yourself with the Word of God
-Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17
-Scripture memory

Fellowship with other believers

Contemplate the following:

The Existence of God
-Allow creation to testify to the existence of God (Psalm 19:1)
-Design demands a designer (Psalm 8:3)

The Word of God
-The strength of manuscript support
-Confirmation of archeology
-Scientific accuracy of Scripture
-Fulfilled prophecies
-Jesus’ stamp of approval on the Scripture

The Love and Goodness of God
-Consider the sacrifice (depth) of God’s love for you (Romans 5:8)

“Don’t judge God by your circumstances, judge your circumstances by God.”

The Involvement of God
According to Josh McDowell, Deism is “A firm belief in God, but a God who is not involved in the affairs of men.”
-Remember God promised never to leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)
-Recall God’s faithfulness in past situations (I Samuel 17:33-37)
-Recall that nothing is too difficult for God (Mark 10:27)
-Know that God is in complete control (Romans 8:28)

Exercise the Faith We Have
-Prayer: be open and honest with God about our doubts
-Ask for His help
-Apply God’s Truth to our daily life