We had a wonderful Wednesday in the Word! We did not have our noon day class because I had a press conference with CURE and it's sponsors. We presented 31 sponsors with a plaque that contained a piece of melted down metal from 257 guns that were turned in by the citizens of South Bend and Mishawaka. Many of these were illegal guns, and none of them will ever claim anyone's life! To God be the Glory!!
I was excited about Teacher's Meeting as we have not mt in 2 weeks. We had an exciting lesson, entitled, "Serving Others", taken from Matthew 20:17-28. This was a very relevant lesson as we consider what we are really called to be. In our time of titles and entitlement, most people do not want to be servants. I was vexed the other day when I heard a song on Christian radio, by a famous preacher that said"I lay down the title bishop, and pick up the title servant", as though servanthood can be picked up and put down like the daily newspaper. We are commissioned to be servants constantly, not at our convenience!
Jesus said in verse 28,"Even as the Son of man did not come to have servants, but to be a servant, and to give his life for the salvation of men." The Son of God came to serve, the children of God come to be served? I told the class that many of us have a "drive thru" mentality about church. We come place our order (good singing and a quick sermon), pay for the order (although some tip instead of tithe), and then leave with a good feeling. We should come in with a mind to serve the congregation in whatever way we can and the leave with a mind to serve the community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Bible Study was really thought provoking. We discussed Romans 1:18-23. We talked about how God's wrath is revealed in all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. We talked God's divinity versus man's depravity. One point among many is that God hates sin, but He loves the sinner and desires his salvation!
We also talked about how man chooses not to know God. Romans 1:20 says, "For from the first making of the world, those things of God which the eye is unable to see, that is, his eternal power and existence, are fully made clear, he having given the knowledge of them through the things which he has made, so that men have no reason for wrongdoing" The noted theologian Charles Hodge testified, "God therefore has never left himself without a witness. His existence and perfections have ever been so manifested that his rational creatures are bound to acknowledge and worship him as the true and only God".
God is so real. Nature points to Him. Man's soul feels Him. The Bible declares Him! There are some things, I may not know. There are some places, I cannot go. But I am sure, of this one thing, my God is real for I can feel Him in my soul!
I was excited about Teacher's Meeting as we have not mt in 2 weeks. We had an exciting lesson, entitled, "Serving Others", taken from Matthew 20:17-28. This was a very relevant lesson as we consider what we are really called to be. In our time of titles and entitlement, most people do not want to be servants. I was vexed the other day when I heard a song on Christian radio, by a famous preacher that said"I lay down the title bishop, and pick up the title servant", as though servanthood can be picked up and put down like the daily newspaper. We are commissioned to be servants constantly, not at our convenience!
Jesus said in verse 28,"Even as the Son of man did not come to have servants, but to be a servant, and to give his life for the salvation of men." The Son of God came to serve, the children of God come to be served? I told the class that many of us have a "drive thru" mentality about church. We come place our order (good singing and a quick sermon), pay for the order (although some tip instead of tithe), and then leave with a good feeling. We should come in with a mind to serve the congregation in whatever way we can and the leave with a mind to serve the community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Bible Study was really thought provoking. We discussed Romans 1:18-23. We talked about how God's wrath is revealed in all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. We talked God's divinity versus man's depravity. One point among many is that God hates sin, but He loves the sinner and desires his salvation!
We also talked about how man chooses not to know God. Romans 1:20 says, "For from the first making of the world, those things of God which the eye is unable to see, that is, his eternal power and existence, are fully made clear, he having given the knowledge of them through the things which he has made, so that men have no reason for wrongdoing" The noted theologian Charles Hodge testified, "God therefore has never left himself without a witness. His existence and perfections have ever been so manifested that his rational creatures are bound to acknowledge and worship him as the true and only God".
God is so real. Nature points to Him. Man's soul feels Him. The Bible declares Him! There are some things, I may not know. There are some places, I cannot go. But I am sure, of this one thing, my God is real for I can feel Him in my soul!
