The Weekend Word
What did you teach?
What did you learn?
Did you hear the Gospel?
We continue in the Heidelberg Catechism;
Question 120. Why has Christ commanded us to address God thus: “Our Father”?
Answer: That immediately, in the very beginning of our prayer, he might excite in us a childlike reverence for, and confidence in God, which are the foundation of our prayer: namely, that God is become our Father in Christ, and will much less deny us what we ask of him in true faith, than our parents will refuse us earthly things. (a)
(a) Matt.7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Matt.7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? Matt.7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Luke 11:11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Luke 11:12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Question 121. Why is it here added, “Which art in heaven”?
Answer: Lest we should form any earthly conceptions of God’s heavenly majesty, (a) and that we may expect from his almighty power all things necessary for soul and body. (b)
(a) Jer.23:23 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Jer.23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Acts 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; Acts 17:27
FIRST! I’m thinking about showing “Easy Rider” in the morning. That first opening song will be quite the speedbump……
Brando’s The Wild Bunch would be a good choice for next week.
We continued through 2 Peter after taking a break for Resurrection Sunday. Ch 2:12-22, “Avoiding False Teachers.”
False teachers:
– bear sinful fruit
– teach without substance
– lead others into slavery
The best way to distinguish falsehood from truth is to know the truth β and Jesus Christ IS the truth. Donβt settle for anything less than Jesus Christ.
Notes are here.
Why do I even need to bother to go to church on Sunday now that I’m getting Joel Osteen’s Daily Devotional?
I would have thought seeing Mr. Osteen on TV would have kept you home.
Brian H., our newest elder, preached on Luke 18:9-14 and self-righteousness.
Brian reminded us of many ways Christians tend to look down on other people. He said the pursuit of morality could separate you from God – forever. Those with true faith in Jesus never outgrow a deep understanding of their own sinfulness. And if we really get what the Gospel is, it will dramatically affect the way we see other people.
Actually one of my kids dragged me to a Calvary Chapel today.
After the worship (which was good) and just before the teaching (which was good!) the church administrator put a summary of the church financial status (which was good!) up on the overhead and announced that the info was available in the lobby.
Which, I thought, was good.
(Instead of letting me sit home and watch Todd Bentley, my children drag me out to hear responsible sound Bible-based teaching.
(I warn them that if they stuff religion down their parents’ throats, we will only rebel in the long term. But they don’t listen.))
Dansk – how do you differentiate between worship and teaching? Isn’t teaching a part of the worship service? In our church worship is made up of the whole liturgy including songs, the readings and teaching.
Today was the second Sunday of Easter – the 50 days until Pentecost.
Our adult Sunday School class (about 80 of us) began a 26 week study in 2 Samuel. We spent 26 weeks, last spring and summer in 1 Samuel.
Hung out on line with the “webchurch” this Friday.
We talked about our experiences at other churches for Easter services(we meet on fri) then spent some time talking about the book of Daniel. Prayer time is always the focus and this time was a pretty hard week so there was lots going on.
2 women decided they are going to be baptised so that’ll happen next week. Another woman is getting out of prision soon and wants to come be baptised (the pastor dude’s wife has been writing to her for months) so that’s going to happen too.
We’re getting ready to send our “2nd generation” missionary out to Kiev. Last summer I went, this spring the guys from there came here and now one of the young men from the church is going out there to help out with summer camp.
Cool stuff going on…
The only bad thing is I don’t live in the same town they do…
London, we will just have to pray for a job that you would be perfect for to open up in that town. π
Teaching could be considered part of the worship.
But I think the distinction has merit, since the “worship” part of the worship is clearly more important than the “teaching” part of the worship.
That is obvious, since we will be worshiping forever, but at some point the “teaching” will stop.
For some reason “teachers” do not often point that out. π
Dusty – that would be cool. But, I got alot of cool stuff happening with some nonprofit/minstry stuff I’m doing here too.
Just need a job of any kind so I can buy a ticket out there and hang out with them from time to time.
I love the out of the box thinking of that group.
We’re having 2 baptisms this week on Friday night. Which meant we were going to not get to hang out “together” cause they’d be down out the lake and couldn’t take the camera equipment. Today we sorted out how to just use a Droid phone and broadcast from it!
Love that this group just figures out ways to make things happen…no committee meetings, no painful political nonsense…just try it and see what happens.
Too fun!