Prayer Guide for Week of May 17, 2020

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
May 17, 2020

Quotes on prayer:
“We must begin to believe that God, in the mystery of prayer, has entrusted us with a force that can move the Heavenly world, and can bring its power down to earth.”—Andrew Murray (1997). “Reaching Your World for Christ”, p.47, Whitaker House via azquotes.com

“The first rule for prayer, the most important first step, is not about how to do it, but to just do it; not to perfect and complete it but to begin it. Once the car is moving, it's easy to steer it in the right direction, but it's much harder to start it up when it's stalled. And prayer is stalled in our world.”—Peter Kreeft via azquotes.com

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in these passages:

Hebrews 13:15: Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. (NLT)

Hebrews 4:13-16: 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (ESV)

For ________________, Mighty God.

We give you praise! (Congregation)

Confession: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

1 John 1:9: God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong. (GW)

Colossians 1:12b-14: He [God the Father] has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (NLT)

I confess ______________, forgiving God. Hear our prayer. (If prayed aloud with others.)

Thanksgiving: Let us thank God for what He has done & does.

1 Peter 2:10: “Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.” (NLT)

For _______________, loving God.

We give you thanks. (Congregation)

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:
1 Timothy 2:1-2: I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. (NLT)

• Pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray.

For _____________, Merciful God.

Hear our prayer. (Congregation)

• After reading and thinking about the following passages, pray to our merciful God as the Spirit guides you.

1 John 3:1a: See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! (NLT)

1 Peter 2:4-5, 9: 4 As you come to him, … 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (ESV)

For _____________, Merciful God.

Hear our prayer. (Congregation)

Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Prayer Guide for Week of May 20, 2020

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN

Quotes on prayer:
“In order to enjoy the Word, we ought to continue to read it, and the way to obtain a spirit of prayer, is, to continue praying; for the less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray.” –George Muller, "A Narrative of Some of the Lord's Dealings with George Müller". Book by George Müller, First Part, 1837 via azquotes.com.

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:

Colossians 1:15-20: 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. (NLT)

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

Psalm 32:5: Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. (NLT)

I confess ______________, forgiving God. Hear our prayer. (If prayed aloud with others.)

Thanksgiving: Let us thank God for what He has done & does.

James 1:18: He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. (NLT)

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

1 Timothy 2:1-2: I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. (NLT)

• Pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray. Especially consider the current disruption, uncertainties, challenges, and grief due to COVID-19.

For _____________, merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• After reading and thinking about the following passage, pray to our merciful God as the Spirit guides you.

1 Peter 2:2-3: 2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. (NLT)

For _____________, merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• Meditate on the following passages, then with the Spirit’s guidance, pray to your merciful God what the passage is leading your pray.

1 Peter 1:22-23, 25-2:1: 22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God…And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.
21 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. (NLT)

For _____________, merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• After meditating on this passage, pray as the Spirit directs you.

Philippians 2:3-4: 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. (CSB)

For _____________, merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer

9Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Lord's Day Sermon, May 10, 2020: “Love One Another as Children Born into the Same Family”

1 Peter 1:21-2:3
First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
Mother’s Day, May 10, 2020
(Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.)

Below is only a skeleton outline of main points, Scriptures and quotations of the message presented via Facebook Live on May 10, 2020.

1 Peter 1:22-2:3:
1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
2:1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

• On this Mother's Day, we come to a passage in our current series that includes maternal vocabulary—born again, newborn, infants, and milk. 23 since you have been born again,
• This is not the first time Peter has referenced our new birth into salvation.
• Remember that early on Peter wrote to us 1:3 that According to his great mercy, [God the Father] has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…

• How did this come about? Through God’s Word:
23 since you have been born again…through the living and abiding word of God…
• Peter describes God’s Word in a few other ways: “truth” (1:22)
• John 17:17: Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. (NLT) –Jesus

• James 1:18: He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. (NLT)

• “imperishable seed” (1:23); eternal “remains forever”; “the good news” (v. 25); “pure spiritual milk” (2:2)

• For the rebirth through God’s Word to take place, something has to be done with it. It requires a particular response by the hearer: obedience.

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth.

• Peter knew first-hand what he was writing about.
• Acts 2:21-35, Peter preaches a gospel (good news) message.
• Acts 2:36-41: 36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church [God’s family] that day—about 3,000 in all. (NLT)

• There is the initial, new birth experience. Having their consciences convicted both of their sin and of Jesus being Savior and Lord/King, they believed (received), repented and were baptized (immersed in water).
• They did what Peter said to do—they obeyed the Good News.
• What was the result? Their sins were forgiven (the souls were purified—sanitized or spiritually “Purelled”!) and they received the Holy Spirit—the third Person of the Godhead—as a Guest to dwell inside of them and to identify them as God’s own!
• That is how they called on the Lord’s Name so as to be saved.
• John 3:4-5: 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (ESV)

• God does a lot of work in baptism when a person surrenders to the Lordship of His Son—forgives, gifts His Holy Spirit who sanctifies the believer, unites the believer with His Son, clothes the believer with Christ, raises the believer to a new life empowered by the Holy Spirit.

• 1 John 5:6-8: 6 And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. 7 So we have these three witnesses— 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. (NLT)
• At our baptism, we are identified as God’s children, we come into contact with the blood of Christ and we receive the Holy Spirit!
• By obeying the truth, Peter is referring to accepting the Gospel message with both its promises and demands.
• Obeying the Gospel means not only believing the message of Christ, but also committing to live by it. When you put those together, you have allegiance to Christ.

• They were born again not only into a living hope, but also into the family of God with lots of brothers and sisters.
• And if you’ve got brothers and sisters in a family there is something else needed if that family is going to thrive as a family.
• In fact, that very thing you need is one of the very reasons you were reborn—love for the others who experienced the new birth!

• Look again at verses 22-23:
22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again…

In other words, what we are to do as God’s children (love one another) is grounded in what God did when we obeyed the Gospel (purified us from our sins) (1:22-23).
• Through the new birth by way of the Word, God He enables us to possess and demonstrate a family love we couldn’t practice before our new birth! Apart from knowing Jesus through the receiving and obeying of His Word we can’t love like Jesus: (1:24-25)

• How am I supposed to love you and how are you supposed to love me? Sincerely and deeply.
• “sincerely” = without any hypocrisy.
• “earnestly” = “strenuously” or persistently. It is the idea of being stretched or strained.
• That means you and I are going to have to really put forth a great effort to really love one another!

• And it’s not something we can just choose to do for a little while. Unlike your mortal life that was conceived by the human seed, your new life in Christ was conceived by the Word of God that is living, abiding and remains forever (vv. 23, 25)!

• Hebrews 4:12: God’s word is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and cuts as deep as the place where soul and spirit meet, the place where joints and marrow meet. God’s word judges a person’s thoughts and intentions. (GW)

• Because the new life given by God through faith in Christ and His eternal Word is everlasting, our love for one another should be enduring as well.
• Christ tells us through Peter that this is to be our number one priority:
• 1 Peter 4:8: Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. (ESV)

• Simply put,…
If you obey the Good News, God enables you to intensely and genuinely love your brothers and sisters in Christ (vv. 22-23).

Loving one another deeply includes doing the difficult relational stuff God has commanded.
• Jesus tells us how to handle it when someone gravely sins against us (Matthew 18:15-18).
• He tells us how to handle it when we realize someone has something against us (Matthew 5:26).
• Perhaps the apostle Paul best summed it up by writing in the letter to the Philippian church:
Philippians 2:3-4: 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. (CSB)
• This is really the reason we’re wearing masks due to COVID-19, out love and consideration for others. Just as Jesus laid aside His privileges for our sake, so we lay aside ours for the sake of others. (Philippians 2:5-11).
• Sometimes deeply loving someone means telling them something you really don’t want to say and you know they won’t want to hear. It also means hearing something you don’t want to hear from someone.
• But remember, the attitude with which we confront and are confronted is extremely important:

Galatians 6:1: Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. (NLT)

• This kind of love for one another begins with each child of God doing some housecleaning of their own:
2 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

• Notice that these are sins involving relationships.
• “Malice = all wickedness or depravity;
• “deceit” = lying to each other;
• hypocrisy = pretense or insincerity;
• “envy” = jealousy;
• “slander” = “talking down” or “running someone down”
• These are the kinds of things that ruled our empty lives prior to our conversion. These are the kinds of things that kept us from loving like Christ loves us.

• How do we do this over the long haul? Somehow our deep love for one another has to not only be sustained, but further matured. Peter tells us how to do that:
2:1 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

The Word that gave us birth is the word that gives us growth (2:2-3).

• To keep our love sincere and earnest, we have to continue with a healthy diet of God’s Word.
• The same Word of God that saves us is the same Word of God that sustains us.
• Just as an infant after that first taste naturally craves mommy’s good milk, so too the Christian that has tasted the merciful goodness of God is to continue to crave His Good Word and by continuously feeding on it, mature in his/her faith and salvation experience.
• The Word of Truth that cleanses us at conversion, is the same Word of Truth that enables us to become more and more Christ-like as we feed on it and exercise our faith with the strength it provides.

• As long as we’re alive, we’ve got growing up to do! We are growing boys and girls!
• Ask yourself: “Am I a more mature disciple today than I was five years ago?”
• “Am I a more mature Christian than I was back in early March before our daily routines and habits were put to the test by COVID-19?”

• When you were a kid, did you ever receive a shirt, pair of pants, or a coat that was too big—maybe at the beginning of the school year? And you said to your mom or dad or grandparents, “Hey, this is too big!” Only to hear them say, “It’ll be OK. You’ll grow into it!”?
• We look at the Scriptures and see what it looks like to be Christ-like and we say, ‘I’ll never grow up to be like Jesus!”
• And God says, “Yes, you can! I’ve given you my promises, my instructions on holy living. I’ve given you my divine power by the Holy Spirit who lives in you. You just keep feeding on My Word, trusting my Word, obeying my Word, loving others the way Jesus has loved you and you’ll grow up to fit into the clothes of Christ I covered you with when you were born again!
• Think about what Peter has told us thus far in just a little over one chapter. He describes the lifestyle of salvation, the lifestyle of discipleship—a life of hope, obedience to Christ and holiness, a life of reverence before God and a life of love for fellow believers!
• But what about those who won’t obey the truth of the Good News of Christ?
• Peter asks this very question: 1 Peter 4:17-18: 17 The time has come for the judgment to begin, and it will begin with God’s family. If it starts with us, what will be the end for those who refuse to obey the Good News of God? 18 If it’s hard for the person who has God’s approval to be saved, what will happen to the godless sinner?(GW)

• The direct answer is in:
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9: 7 And God will provide rest for you [Christians] who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. (NLT)

• What will you do with Jesus who is the way and the truth and the life? (John 14:6)

Write down your answers to these questions:
• What dies God want me to accept and cherish from this passage?
• What does God want me to put into practice or obey from today’s passage?
• With whom does He want me to share this passage or His story?

Prayer Guide for the Week of May 3, 2020

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
May 3, 2020

Quotes on prayer:

“Each time, before you intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!”—Andrew Murray

1 Peter 1:17-18a: You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living. Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. (MSG).

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:

Deuteronomy 32:4: He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is! (NLT)

Ephesians 1:5-7: 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins (NLT).

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession: After meditating on these verses, ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

Romans 14:12: All of us will have to give an account of ourselves to God (GW)

1John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)

Father, I confess ______________, Forgiving God. Hear our prayer.

Thanksgiving: Let us thank God for what He has done & does.

Hebrews 12:28-29: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (NIV84)

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

1 Peter 4:7: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (ESV)

• Pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray:

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• After meditating on this passage, pray as the Spirit directs you.

1 Peter 1:18-21: Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It’s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God. (MSG)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Lord's Day Sermon, May 3, 2020: "Motivations for Holy Living"

1 Peter 1:17-21
Lord’s Day, May 3, 2020
First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister
Below is only a skeleton outline of main points, Scriptures and quotations of the message presented via Facebook Live on May 3, 2020.

(Abbreviations for Bible translations that may be quoted: ESV = English Standard Version; NLT = New Living Translation; CSB = Christian Standard Bible; GW = God’s Word; Amplified Bible = AMP; KJV = King James Version; New King James Version = NKJV; The Message = MSG; KNT = Kingdom New Testament)

17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (ESV)

In verses 17-21, the Apostle Peter provides at least five motivations for growing and practicing holiness:

• Our perfect heavenly Father will impartially judge His children (v. 17).

• Vv. 17-18a, MSG: You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living. Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God.

• Deuteronomy 32:4: He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is! (NLT)

• Romans 14:12: All of us will have to give an account of ourselves to God (GW)

• 1 Corinthians 3:12-15: 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation [of Jesus Christ] may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames (NLT)

• Ephesians 2:8-10: 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (ESV).

• “Reverent fear” does not = fear of condemnation, but the respect and awe that an obedient child has for his/her father. (V. 14, “As obedient children….)

• “Obedient children are not perfect children, but they may expect grace for what they do wrong. Rebellious children are another matter. Certain partial and biased fathers may tolerate rebellion, but the impartial father will not treat a rebellious child in the same way as an obedient one.” -- Allen Black 1 & 2 Peter, p. 47

• Hebrews 12:28-29: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (NIV84)

• “There are appropriate and inappropriate senses in which a child may fear a parent. The Christian should not live in fear of condemnation, but should have confidence before God. Nevertheless, we should live in…’reverent fear’. Furthermore, we should realize that if we were to turn back to the world, we would return to ‘a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire’ (Hebrews 10:27)” –Allen & Mark Black, 1 & 2 Peter, TCPNIVC, p. l48.

• Our current residence is temporary (v. 17b)
• Exile = temporary residence
• Our old life before knowing Jesus and obeying His Good News cannot begin to compare to our new life in Him in terms of value and purpose (v. 18).

• Paraphrase: “Live holy (distinctively God-like) lives because you know the tremendous price that was paid to be a child of God.”

• A ransom was the price paid to purchase a slave’s freedom.
• John 1:29: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!’” (NIV84)

• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body” (NIV84)

• V. 20, GW: He is the lamb who was known long ago before the world existed, but for your good he became publicly known in the last period of time.

• God the Father sent God the Eternal Son because He has a personal interest in each one of us (v. 20).

• Ephesians 1:5-7: 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins (NLT).

• God the Father has proved His trustworthiness through the resurrection and glorification of Jesus (v. 21)

• V. 21, NLT: Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

• Our heavenly Father is a trustworthy, impartial judge of His children who spared no expense in adopting us as His own.
• It was through the eternal Christ that we came to know God the Father.
• In return, His children are to revere him, love Him, obey Him, and give Him full allegiance!

• In 1859 Frances Ridley Havergal saw a picture of the crucified Christ with this caption under it: “I did this for thee? What has thou done for Me?”
• She quickly wrote a poem, but threw it in the fire in the fireplace because she was dissatisfied with it, but somehow it came out unharmed.
• Later, her father suggested she publish it.
• In 1873 it was put to music written by Philip P. Bliss and today we sing it:

I gave my life for thee.
My precious blood I shed;
That thou might ransomed be,
And quickened from the dead.
I gave, I gave, My life for thee,
What has thou given for Me? (Warren Wiersbe, Be Hopeful, p. 41)

• What kind of answer can each of us give?

Before we receive the communion meal, let’s first pause and ask God a couple of questions:
• What would Jesus have me obey or put into practice from God’s Word shared this morning?
• With whom would God have me share these Scriptures and His story?

From the Heart of Bart

And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15, ESV)

Like many of you, I look forward to the Lord’s Day when we can worship together in a large group. On the other hand, by not being together in one assembly on the Lord’s Day, we’ve been tested, in a good way, to see if we will still worship Him without the form to which we are accustomed. We’ve had opportunity to consider how much of what we were doing is important and what isn’t, what should be kept and what, if anything, should be changed or eliminated. We’ve been reminded of the importance of function over form, relationships over numbers.

In many ways it’s potentially been a great season for spiritual growth for families as some have newly learned to practice devotional times of prayer and Scripture reading together. I know that Deloris and I, just the two of us, have enjoyed some Sunday night prayer meetings using the prayer guides posted on this blog. Individuals who live alone, perhaps, have taken to praying with others over the phone or video chats. Some households may have tried out the “How to Have Church at Home” format provided in the church’s April and May analog newsletters as well as this blog.

I heard someone say recently that “crises take us back to ageless practices.” He went on to say how during the Great Depression and World Wars, Christians persevered by “opening their Bibles, sitting under a tree, reading Scripture and praying, reading Scripture and praying, until they got through it.” I pray that we’ve gone deeper in devotion to and worship of God than what we’ve been able to watch on Facebook, YouTube or TV.
I think something A.W. Tozer wrote is relevant to our situation:

To God [spiritual] quality is vastly important and size matters little. When set in opposition to size, quality is everything and size nothing…
Man’s moral fall has clouded his vision, confused his thinking and rendered him subject to delusion. One evidence of this is his all but incurable proneness to confuse values and put size before quality in his appraisal of things. The Christian faith reverses this order, but even Christians tend to judge things by the old Adamic rule. How big? How much? And How many? are the questions oftenest asked by religious persons when trying to evaluate Christian things…
The Church is dedicated to things that matter. Quality matters. Let’s not be led astray by the size of things” (“Size Matters Little,” Tozer on Christian Leadersip: A 366-Day Devotional compiled by Ron Eggert, October 14).

Have we learned anything spiritually transformational through this COVID-19 crisis in terms of church life and function? If so, may we heed the psalmist:

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
But let them not return to their foolish ways (Psalm 85:9, NLT).

Prayer Guide for the Week of April 26, 2020

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
April 26, 2020

Quotes on prayer:

1 Peter 4:7: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (ESV)

“Prayer is not difficult to understand. It is difficult to do…
“…How do we become mature in our prayer life? By praying when we do not feel like praying is precisely the time we ought to pray. There are not shortcuts to prayer. There are no books to read, seminars to attend, or inspirational mottoes to memorize that will transform us into intercessors. This comes only by committing ourselves to pray and then doing so.
“…Don’t allow yourself to become satisfied with shallow, self-centered praying. Stay with God in prayer until He leads you to pray at the level He wants.” –Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God Day by Day, May 25

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:

2 Peter 1:3-5: 3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. (NLT)

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

Isaiah 53:5: But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole. (NLT)

Father, I confess ______________, Forgiving God. Hear our prayer.

Thanksgiving: Let us thank God for what He has done & does.

Hebrews 9:28: …so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (NIV84).

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

Psalm 124:8: Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth. (ESV)

• Pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray:

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• Meditate on this passage:

1 Peter 1:13-16: 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (ESV)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Meditate on this passage:

Ephesians 4:17-18: 17 So I tell you and encourage you in the Lord’s name not to live any longer like other people in the world. Their minds are set on worthless things. 18 They can’t understand because they are in the dark. They are excluded from the life that God approves of because of their ignorance and stubbornness (GW)

Ask the Lord to help you apply the above verses to your life.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Lord's Day Sermon, April 26, 2020: “Living the Saved Life: Mindful & Holy”

1 Peter 1:10-16
Lord’s Day, April 26, 2020
First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister
Below is only a skeleton outline of main points, Scriptures and quotations of the message presented via Facebook Live on April 26, 2020.

(Abbreviations for Bible translations that may be quoted: ESV = English Standard Version; NLT = New Living Translation; CSB = Christian Standard Bible; GW = God’s Word; Amplified Bible = AMP; KJV = King James Version; New King James Version = NKJV; The Message = MSG; KNT = Kingdom New Testament)

In 1:3-9, we were reminded that by God’s mercy followers of Jesus:
• Have been born into a living hope (v. 3)
• Have been born into an eternal inheritance (v. 4).
• Have the assurance that as we practice ongoing faith our salvation is receiving His protective power (v. 5).
• Have opportunity for our faith to grow and develop through all kinds of necessary difficulties (vv. 6-7).
• Can love and trust our unseen Savior (v.8)
• Are already beginning to experience what we’re aiming for—salvation of our total person (v. 9)

• Our salvation is an amazing, beautiful reality that the prophets of old hungered to know more about:

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (ESV)

The Old Testament Prophets and heavens angels would have given an arm and a wing to know what we know about salvation through Jesus Christ (vv. 10-12).

• Grace is very much a theme throughout 1 Peter. In fact in 5:10, God is referred to as “the God of all grace.”
• GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

• The prophets wanted to know more about our salvation by God’s grace through faith in Christ than the Holy Spirit was revealing to them when they prophesied.

• Luke 10:23-24: “Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (NIV84)

• 2 Peter 1:21: For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (NIV84)

• You can read throughout the OT and find the prophets predicting Christ’s suffering:

• Psalm 22 is one prime example.

• Isaiah 53:3-9: 3 He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.
7 He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned,
he was led away.
No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down
for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
he was put in a rich man’s grave. (NLT)

• Luke 24: 25-27: 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (NIV84)

• Peter repeatedly reminds suffering Christians of yesterday and today of the sufferings of our Lord, Christ Jesus. Example:

• 1 Peter 2:21-25: 21 God called you to endure suffering because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example so that you could follow in his footsteps. 22 Christ never committed any sin. He never spoke deceitfully. 23 Christ never verbally abused those who verbally abused him. When he suffered, he didn’t make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly. 24 Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so that freed from our sins, we could live a life that has God’s approval. His wounds have healed you. (GW)

• “…long to look into these things.” = “to stoop over to look”; “Implies a willingness to exert or inconvenience oneself to obtain a better perspective…a continuous regard rather than a quick look.” (Edwin Blum, p. 1044)

• Hebrews 1:14: “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (NIV84)

• “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10, NIV84).

• Angels learn about salvation from the church for whom they serve!

• Ephesians 3:10-11: His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (NIV84).
• The Message Translation: …this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!

• “If the OT prophets searched so diligently into the truths of salvation, and yet had so little to go on, how much more ought we to search into this subject, now that we have a complete Word from God!” (Be Hopeful, p. 29).

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (ESV)

With the receiving of God’s mercy unto salvation, comes the believer’s responsibility of constant mindfulness of our King’s return and intentional holy living (vv. 13-16).

• The Christian’s hope is to be ready (v. 13)
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, = “gird your minds for action”

…and being sober-minded,… “Be self-controlled”

• 1 Peter 5:8: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (ESV)

• 1 Peter 4:7: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (NIV84)

…set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (ESV)

• Hebrews 9:28: …so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (NIV84).

• Mindfulness of Jesus’s return must be accompanied with holiness until His return.

• The Christian’s hope is to be holy (vv. 14-16).

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,… (ESV)

• 1 Peter 4:3: You spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. You were promiscuous, had sinful desires, got drunk, went to wild parties, and took part in the forbidden worship of false gods (GW)

• Ephesians 4:17-18: 17 So I tell you and encourage you in the Lord’s name not to live any longer like other people in the world. Their minds are set on worthless things. 18 They can’t understand because they are in the dark. They are excluded from the life that God approves of because of their ignorance and stubbornness (GW)

• Galatians 4:8-9: 8 When you didn’t know God, you were slaves to things which are really not gods at all. 9 But now you know God, or rather, God knows you. So how can you turn back again to the powerless and bankrupt principles of this world? Why do you want to become their slaves all over again? (GW)

15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (ESV)

• Holy” = set apart for God’s purposes. It also means to have purity and moral integrity.

• “It is good to know the Word of God, but this should help us better know the God of the Word.” --Warren Wiersbe, Be Hopeful

• Romans 12:2: 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (NLT)

• 2 Peter 1:3-5: 3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. (NLT)

• “The amount of loafing practiced by the average Christina in spiritual things would ruin a concert pianist if he allowed himself to do the same thing in the field of music. The idle puttering around that we see in church circles would end the career of a big league pitcher in one week. No scientist could solve his exacting problems if he took as little interest in it as the rank and file of Christians take in the art of being holy. The nations whose soldiers were as soft and undisciplined as the soldiers of the churches would be conquered by the first enemy that attacked it. Triumphs are not won by men in easy chairs. Success is costly. –A.W. Tozer, Tozer on Christian Leadership: A 366-Day Devotional compiled by Ron Eggert, Oct. 18

Before we receive the sacrament of communion, let’s first pause and ask God a couple of questions:
• What would Jesus have me obey or put into practice from God’s Word shared this morning?
• With whom would God have me share these Scriptures and His story?
• Take one minute of silence before Him to listen for His answers.

Prayer Guide for the week of April 19, 2020

Sunday Night Prayer Guide
First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
April 19, 2020

Quotes on prayer by Henry Blackaby:

“God speaks through a variety of means. In the present God primarily speaks by the Holy Spirit, through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church.”

“Prayerless leaders are like ship captains without compasses; they can make their best guess at which direction to go, but they have no assurance they are heading the right way. Prayer keeps leaders focused on the one absolutely consistent factor in life - God.”

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:

1 Peter 1:3: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (ESV)

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession:

1 Peter 1:14: So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. (NLT)

Psalm 130:4: But you forgive us, so that we should reverently obey you.” (GNT)

Father, I confess ______________, Forgiving God. Hear our prayer.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

Thanksgiving: Let us thank God for what He has done & does.
1 Corinthians 15:57: But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (NLT)

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:
1 Timothy 2:1: I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. (GW)

• Pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray:

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• Meditate on this passage.
Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification. (1Thessalonians 4:1,3a, ESV)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Meditate on these two 1 Peter verses:

2:12: Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

3:16: …keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Ask the Lord to help you apply the above verses to your life.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Lord's Day Sermon, April 19, 2020: "Hope for Today and Forever"

1 Peter 1:1-2 with Book Introduction
Lord’s Day, April 19, 2020
First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister
Below is only a skeleton outline of main points, Scriptures and quotations of the message presented via Facebook Live on April 19, 2020.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you (1 Peter 1:1-2, ESV)


Introduction & Background to 1 Peter

• Matthew 5:10: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (NIV84)

• 1 Peter has been described s a commentary of Matthew 5:10.

The Author of 1 Peter: Peter the Man (1)

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,…

• Peter, an apostle--special messenger, personally chosen representative of Jesus Christ sent by Christ.
• “Apostle” = Indicates the authority given to him by Jesus for the purpose of the ministry in order to help establish the Church.

From where was 1 Peter written?

• 1 Peter 5:13: She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. (NIV84)

• This “Babylon” was probably the code name for the city of Rome.

When was 1 Peter written?

• Since it is believed that Peter was martyred by the order of Nero between AD 64 and 68, it could not have been written later than AD 68.

Why was 1 Peter written?

• Purpose: To offer hope & encouragement to suffering Christians, particularly the persecuted but not limited to them.

• 1 Peter 5:12: With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. (NIV84)

• There is no specific reference to state sponsored persecution, but there are specific references to persecution:
• 1:6: In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (NIV84)

• 2:12: Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (NIV84)

• 3:16: …keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (NIV84)

• 4:12: Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (NIV84)

• Christians were and still are often misunderstood, but so was Jesus Christ.

• What is the one thing that we want and need when we’re hurting, discouraged, depressed, suffering, persecuted, etc.—hope.

• Hope through Christ is mentioned several times in 1 Peter:

• 1:3: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…(NIV84)

• 1:13: Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. (NIV84)

• 1:21: Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (NIV84)

• 3:15: But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. (NIV84)

• “This confident hope gives us the encouragement and enablement we need for daily living. It does not put us in a rocking chair where we complacently await the return of Jesus Christ. Instead, it puts us in the marketplace, on the battlefield, where we keep on going when the burdens are heavy and the battles are hard. Hope is not a sedative; it is a shot of adrenaline, a blood transfusion. Like an anchor, our hope in Christ stabilizes us in the storms of life (Heb. 6:18-19); but unlike an anchor, our hope moves us forward, it does not hold us back.” –Warren Wiersbe, Be Hopeful, pp. 14-15

• “It makes little difference how people in our society view Christians. What counts is that we have worth and value in God’s sight.” –Lawrence Richards, 365 Devotional Commentary, p. 1107

To Whom was 1 Peter written? (1:1)
• In general, it’s written to all followers of Jesus.
• Initially it was addressed:
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia…

• To Christians throughout Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Three of the five provinces listed are referred to in Acts 2.

• Peter uses terms previously applied to Old Covenant Israel and applies them to Christians from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds.

• “To God’s elect…”—people who accept God’s grace by accepting Christ as Savior and Lord.

• Regarding Christians being referred to as “elect’ or “chosen,” which is a NT designation for Christians, Raymond C. Kelcy writes, “[Christians] have been chosen by the Father and have become his own. God’s choice is not arbitrary….God calls many but chooses few…He chose men ‘to be saved through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth’ and calls them through the gospel…When men are not chosen it is not because of God’s unwillingness but because of theirs.” –Raymon C. Kelcy, The Letters of Peter and Jude, p. 18.

• Recipients were Christians from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds, possibly from predominately pagan background:

• 1:18: For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors. (NIV84)

• 1 Peter 4:3-4: 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. (NIV84)

• Exiles or “strangers in the world, scattered…”

• NLT: I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.

• All Christians are exiles, strangers—temporary residents of earth:

• Ephesians 2:19: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and member so God’s household,…” (NIV84)

• Philippians 3:20: But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV84)

• Hebrews 11:13-16: 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.(NIV84)

• Now let’s consider verse 2:

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

• Did you notice that in this one verse, Peter mentions all Three Persons of our Triune God—The Father, The Holy Spirit, and The Son, Jesus Christ?

• Notice the work of the Trinity:
• We are chosen or elected…

... according to the foreknowledge of God the Father

• “The predestination spoken of here is corporate predestining of a people called into being by their response to Christ. God foreknew that he would send Christ and save those who accepted him.”—Allen & Mark Black, 1 &2 Peter, TCPNIVC, p. 31

in the sanctification of the Spirit…

• Through the Holy Spirit, Christians have been set apart as God’s children and are empowered to continue to grow in holiness—or we could say, to grow in Christ-likeness.

• Oswald Chambers, in his classic devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, writes, “Sanctification means nothing less than the holiness of Jesus becoming mine and being exhibited in my life…Sanctification is an impartation not an imitation.” –July 23

for obedience to Jesus Christ

• Obedience is enabled by the Holy Spirit and is our demonstration of our love for Jesus and our new life in Christ.

• 1 Peter 1:14: So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. (NLT)

• Obedience to Christ has to do with the ethics of living in His kingdom and all the duties and responsibilities this new life involves.

• John 14:15: “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.”—Jesus (ESV)

• Psalm 130:4: But you forgive us, so that we should reverently obey you.” (GNT)

• "Obedience to God will result from relationship and will depend on love. We do not coolly choose to obey in order to receive God's affection. It is only when we know that we are loved by God and when we love Him in return that love and trust awaken in us the capacity to obey." --Lawrence Richards, 365 Day Devotional Commentary

and for sprinkling with his blood:

• Exodus 24:7-8: 7 Then he [Moses] took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. Again they all responded, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey.”
8 Then Moses took the blood from the basins and splattered it over the people, declaring, “Look, this blood confirms the covenant the Lord has made with you in giving you these instructions.” (NLT)

• “Peter also refers to obedience and the sprinkling of blood. He probably chose this unusual language to remind them that they are God’s covenant people. Their covenant is ratified by the sprinkling of blood more precious than that of bulls and goats, the blood of Christ (compare the use of Exodus 24 in Heb 9:13-22).” –Mark & Allen Black, 1 & 2 Peter, The CPNIVNTC, p. 32

• By God’s grace, as Christians, we were chosen by the Father, set apart by the Spirit and covered with the blood of the Son for the purpose of obedience even when we are suffering!

• No wonder Peter writes in his greeting words that are more than mere sentimentalities:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

• Amplified: May grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be yours in increasing abundance [as you walk closely with God].

• The main theme is simply Jesus. His name appears 21 times in these five chapters.
• And Peter the apostle has been referred to as the apostle of hope.
• The apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 1:26-27 that the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints… is Christ in you, the hope of glory.(NLT)

“Hope is a wonderful gift from God, a source of strength and courage in the face of life’s harshest trials.
“When we are trapped in a tunnel of misery, hope points to the light at the end.
“When we are overworked and exhausted, hope gives us fresh energy.
“When we are discouraged, hope lifts our spirits.
“When we are tempted to quit, hope keeps us going.
“When we lose our way and confusion blurs the destination, hope dulls the edge of panic.
“When we struggle with a crippling disease or a lingering illness, hope helps us persevere beyond the pain.
“When we fear the worst, hope brings reminders that God is still in control.
“When we must endure the consequences of bad decisions, hope fuels our recovery.
“When we find ourselves unemployed, hope tells us we still have a future.
“When we are forced to sit back and wait, hope gives us the patience to trust.
“When we feel rejected and abandoned, hope reminds us we’re not alone…we’ll make it.
“when we say our final farewell to someone we love, hope in the life beyond gets us through our grief.
“Put simply, when life hurts and dreams fade, nothing helps like hope” Chuck Swindoll, Hope Again, p. xii

• As I thought about Swindoll’s words, I realized that every time the word “hope” is used, it can be substituted with the name “Jesus Christ.”

• Why is He our living hope? Well, remember what Paul wrote to us…
3 … as of first importance what [he] also received:
that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
4 that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
5 and that he appeared to Peter, then to the twelve.
6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time…(1 Corinthians 15:3-6, ESV)

The Lord’s Supper
(Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:26, ESV)

19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

• The body of Christ given for us.

(Congregation eats the bread.)

20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

• The blood of Christ poured out for us.

(Congregation drinks the juice.)

Prayer

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Congregation: King Jesus has died. King Jesus has risen. And King Jesus will come again.

“The Resurrected Jesus: Our Living Hope of Salvation”

1 Peter 1:3-9
Easter, April 12, 2020
First Christian Church, Owensville, IN

Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister

(Abbreviations for Bible translations that may be quoted: ESV = English Standard Version; NLT = New Living Translation; CSB = Christian Standard Bible; GW = God’s Word; Amplified Bible = AMP; KJV = King James Version; New King James Version = NKJV; The Message = MSG; KNT = Kingdom New Testament)

The following outline is merely the main points along with other Scriptures and quotes of authors referenced during the sermon.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (ESV)

By God’s mercy, we have been born into a living hope (v. 3)

• “Mercy” = “withholding punish due to us”
• “People hungered for hope in the first century. We still do today. Biblical hope is patient optimism—a confident expectation rooted in the steadfast promises of God. A hopeful person can say, ‘In the present, I’m confident about the future, because of what God has done in the past.”—David Faust, Faith Under Fire, p. 32

• We’re born into a hope that is living only because of Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

• This “hope” is not wishful-thinking but an assurance of eternal salvation based on something that stands forever, that can be counted on with confidence.

• 1 Corinthians 15:14: 14If Christ hasn’t come back to life, our message has no meaning and your faith also has no meaning…20 But now Christ has come back from the dead. He is the very first person of those who have died to come back to life….57 Thank God that he gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (GW)

• To become a Christian, there has to be a re-birth—a born again—experience.

• John 3:3, 5: 3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…5 … unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (ESV)

In Paul’s encouragement to Titus, he mentions God’s mercy, the new birth, and eternal life:

• Titus 3:4-7: 4 But—
When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. (NLT)

• 1 Peter 3:21: Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (CSB)

“At baptism a life of sin-rebellion against God, refusal to serve his lordship, rejection of his love—is drowned and new life in Christ is resurrected out of it.” –Eugene Peterson, Reversed Thunder, p. 142

• But what is present even before our confession of faith, repentance, and baptism? The seed of God’s Word:

• 1 Peter 1:23: You have been born again, not from a seed that can be destroyed, but through God’s everlasting word that can’t be destroyed. (GW)

• 1 Peter 2:2: Desire God’s pure word as newborn babies desire milk. Then you will grow in your salvation (GW).

• When it comes to reading and studying the Bible, Henry Blackaby writes, “Don’t settle for information, strive for transformation.” Being Still with God, Sep 25.

By God’s mercy, we have been born into an eternal inheritance (v. 4).

• Colossians 3:23-24: 23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. (CSB)

• Romans 8:16-17: 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. (CSB)

By God’s mercy, our faith results in receiving His protective power (v. 5).

• “Guarded” = military term referring to God’s shielding of His people who put and keep their trust in Him—who give Him their allegiance.

• God is involved by guarding us and we’re involved by trusting Him!

• The born again person is protected by God’s power through faith: “…because you are trusting him.” (NLT)

• Practicing faith (allegiance) in Jesus Christ assures the Christian of salvation!

By God’s mercy, our faith has an opportunity to grow and develop through all kinds of necessary difficulties (vv. 6-7).

• Peter says at times our trials are necessary!

• Trials prove to us and others the authenticity of our faith in him. Will we trust Him and give allegiance even though the present situation looks bleak?

• “When God permits His children to go through the furnace, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat.” –Warren Wiersbe, Be Hopeful, p. 24

• Romans 8:28-29: 28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (CSB)

• Trials do not last long compared to eternity:

• 1 Peter 5:10: The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. (CSB)

• 2 Cor 4:17-18: For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (NIV)

• Hebrews 12:2: We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Now he holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne. (GW)

• During this crisis in the USA, maybe we Christians are better learning how to be the church, instead of being satisfied with merely going to church!

• There is a lot of grieving going on . It’s OK to lament. It’s something we have to do before we can move in the direction God is leading us.

“Grief and loss go together in Christian faith with vision and hope in a singular way, because they are the story of Cross and Resurrection. There is no greater grief than Calvary, the crucifixion of the very Son of God by the ones he came to save. There is no greater hope than Easter. And the risen Lord of Easter made himself known to his disciples by the wounds in his hands, feet, and side. When we rise and reign with him over the new creation, he will be in appearance like a Lamb that was slain. We, too, will bear our scars, and the leaders of our worship will be the martyrs, the ones who sacrificed everything to bear witness to him.

“Christian creativity begins with grief — the grief of a world gone wrong. It enfolds it in lament — the loud cry of Good Friday, the silence of Holy Saturday — and still comes to the tomb early Sunday morning. We are burying and saying goodbye to so much in these days, and around the world people are burying and saying goodbye to those they loved. But we do not grieve without hope. If we grieve with Jesus, and make room for others to grieve, we can hope to be visited by the Comforter, the Spirit who breathed over creation before it was even formed. And that Spirit will guide us in the choices we have to make, even on the hardest days that are ahead. (“Leading Beyond the Blizzard: Why Every Organization Is Now a Startup”
by Andy Crouch, Kurt Keilhacker, and Dave Blanchard)

By God’s mercy, we can love and trust our unseen Savior (v.8)

• John 20:29: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”--Jesus (NIV)

• 2 Corinthians 5:7: For we walk by faith, not by sight. (CSB)

By God’s mercy, we are already beginning to experience what we’re aiming for—salvation of our total person (v. 9)

• Because we believe in Who we cannot yet see, we are presently receiving what eventually will be seen at the coming of Christ.

• “How can we rejoice through our pain? How can we have hope beyond our suffering? Because we have a living hope, we have a permanent inheritance, we have divine protection, we have a developing faith, we have an unseen Savior, and we have a guaranteed deliverance.” –Chuck Swindoll

Prayer Guide for April 12, 2020

Quotes on prayer:

• “Where a people prays there is the church; and where the church is there is never loneliness.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer, quoted in Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906-1945 by Frederick Schlingensiepen

• “It is much easier for me to imagine a praying murderer, a praying prostitute, than a vain person praying. Nothing is so at odds with praying as vanity.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer, quoted in Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906-1945 by Frederick Schlingensiepen, p 40

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:

1 Peter 5:10: The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. (CSB)

Hebrews 12:2: We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Now he holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne. (GW)

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession:

1 John 1:9: But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (NLT)

I confess ______________, forgiving God. Hear our prayer.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

Thanksgiving: Let us thank God for what He has done & does. Let the following passage also remind you of things for which to be thankful:

1 Peter 1:3-4: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

1 Timothy 2:1: I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. (GW)

Prayer Requests: In addition to the following requests, pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray:
• The spiritual, physical, social, and financial welfare of our city, county, state and nation.
• Those who are isolated in their homes or alone in nursing homes and hospitals.
• Those who have had loved ones pass away and have been required to have private funerals due to COVID-19.
• Provision for those without work or closed businesses.
• Wisdom for government and medical officials to make good, timely decisions.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• Think about this passage:

• Romans 8:16-18: 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. (CSB)

• As a child of God, am I willing to suffer with him?

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Meditate on this passage:

John 3:3, 5: 3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…5 … unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (ESV)

• For whom would the Lord ask you pray to experience the new birth?

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

How to Pray for One Hour

To experience one hour in prayer with your Father in heaven, give five minutes to each of the following 12 categories. (Option: You might find writing your prayer as you follow the outline.)

1. PRAISE: Start by praising the Lord. Praise Him for His attributes/characteristics that are on your mind now. Praise Him for one special thing He has done for your life/family this week. Psalm 34:1

2. WAIT: Spend this time waiting on the Lord. Let Him pull together reflections for you. Think about the hour before you and the things you want the Lord to do in your life according to His will. Psalm 27:14

3. CONFESS: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life which might be displeasing to Him. Ask him to point out wrong attitudes, as well as specific words/acts for which you have not yet made a prayer of confession. Now confess that to the Lord and claim 1 John 1:9 so that you might be cleansed for the remainder of the hour. Psalm 51:1-19

4. READ THE WORD: Spend time reading promises of God in the Psalms, the Old Testament prophets, and New Testament prayer passages. Use your concordance if necessary. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

5. PETITION: This is asking God to do something for you and/or others. Hebrew 4:16; Philippians 4:6

6. INTERCEDE: Specific prayer on behalf of others, especially when at their request. Romans 15:30-33

7. PRAY THE WORD: With your Bible open or from memory, pray the Scriptures. Certain sections of Psalm 119, as well as other passages, lend themselves beautifully to personal expressions of prayer to your heavenly Father.

8. MEDITATE: In pursuit of knowing God better and living a life of allegiance to Him, ponder what you have read from the Word of God during this hour. Reflect on His Person and faithfulness. Write down the impressions He makes on your life and any acts of immediate obedience He desires from you. Psalm 63; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-2; 119:97

9. GIVE THANKS: Spend these minutes giving thanks to the Lord for things on behalf of the church, your family and your life. Thank Him for making your primary identity as one of His children, loved and accepted. Philippians 4:6

10. SING: Using a hymnal, songbook or your memory, sing a song of praise, prayer, thanksgiving, soul winning, etc. If you find a song with meaningful words but you cannot read music, simply read the words aloud to God. Psalm 59:17

11. LISTEN: Spend time merging the things you have read from the Word, your prayers of petition, intercession, praise and thanksgiving, songs sung/read and see how the Lord brings them together to reveal more of Himself to you, to transform your mind, and/or call you to loving obedience to His will. 1 Samuel 3:9-10

12. END WITH PRAISE: Praise the Lord for the time you had to spend with Him. Praise Him for what He has reminded or revealed about Himself to you. Praise Him from the joy of knowing Him. Psalm 145:1-13

From the Heart of Bart

He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. (Luke 22:39-44; NLT)

Whether or not there is an infectious pandemic throughout the world, there is real hope. Hope’s name is Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Followers of Jesus assemble and celebrate the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day, because that’s the day Jesus rose from the dead, evidence that God [the Father] heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God (Hebrews 5:7b, NLT). Sin could not have been defeated without the crucifixion. Death could not have been conquered without Jesus’ resurrection. Both were needed to provide a way to have relief from the horror of the grave (Hebrews 2:14-18). And both would not have occurred without Jesus preceding that history-changing event by humbly wrestling in prayer to His Father.

The following old hymn, first penned as a poem in 1822 and set to music in 1853 captures, at least partially, the atmosphere of that night:

Tis Midnight, and On Olive's Brow

'Tis midnight, and on Olive's brow
The star is dimmed that lately shone;
'Tis midnight, in the garden now
The suffering Savior prays alone.

'Tis midnight, and from all removed
Emmanuel wrestles lone with fears
E'en the disciple whom He loved
Heeds not his Master's grief and tears.

'Tis midnight, and for others' guilt
The Man of Sorrows weeps in blood;
Yet He Who hath in anguish knelt
Is not forsaken by His God.

'Tis midnight, and from ether plains
Is borne the song that angels know;
Unheard by mortals are the strains
That sweetly soothe the Savior's woe.
—Author: William B. Tappan

(Public Domain)

May the peace of Christ be with you!

Preacher Bart

Prayer Guide for April 5, 2020

Quotes on prayer by Peter Kreeft

“We pray to obey God, not to 'play God'. We pray, not to change God's mind, but to change our own; not to command God, but to let God command us. We pray to 'let God be God'. Prayer is our obedience to God even when it asks God for things, for God has commanded us to ask (Mt. 7:7).”

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:

Revelation 1:8: “I am the Alpha and the Omega [the Beginning and the End],” says the Lord God, “Who is [existing forever] and Who was [continually existing in the past] and Who is to come, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all].” (Amp)

7 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory! (Ps 24-7-8,10, ESV)

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

• Confession: 1 Peter 2:10: Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (ESV)

Father, I confess ______________, Forgiving God. Hear our prayer.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

Thanksgiving: Let us thank God for what He has done & does.

1 Peter 2:9: 1 Peter 2:9:-10: 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies (virtues) of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (ESV)

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

1 Timothy 2:1: I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. (GW)

Jeremiah 29:7: But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (ESV)

Prayer Requests: In addition to the following requests, pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray:
• Organizations with whom OFCC partners: OACM, Camp Illiana, Johnson University, MMI, Grundy Mountain Mission, Student Christian Fellowship UE/USI, OMA Food Pantry.
• Health Professionals, National/State/County/Local Government Agencies
• Those suffering from Caronavirus as well as those caring for them.
• Business owners, employers, employees affected negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Elderly
• Pray that this will be a time that many hearts turn to Jesus, receive Him as Savior and walk in humble obedience to Him.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• Meditate on this passage.

Philippians 2:3-4: 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (CSB)

• How might you pray for application of it to you and our church family?

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Meditate on this passage:

1 Peter 2:11-12: 1 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation (ESV)
Ask the Lord to help you apply and obey the above passage.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• In light of COVID-19 and the governing authorities’ prescribed precautions, including social distancing, ask the Spirit to guide you in praying for the church to adhere to this passage appropriately:

1 Peter 2:13-17: 13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

“Seeking the Common Good for the Lord’s Sake”

1 Peter 2:11-17
Palm Sunday, April 5, 2020
First Christian Church, Owensville, Indiana

(Abbreviations for Bible translations that may be quoted: ESV = English Standard Version; NLT = New Living Translation; CSB = Christian Standard Bible; GW = God’s Word; Amplified Bible = AMP; KJV = King James Version; New King James Version = NKJV; The Message = MSG; KNT = Kingdom New Testament)

41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41-44, ESV)

“We need to remember that God’s redemptive effort doesn’t culminate by destroying this world and whisking Christians off to some distant heaven. Instead, Scripture paints a picture of God redeeming the earth – a New heaven and a New Earth is the language of the NT. And so the more we focus on Christ, the more our eyes are drawn to the world around us, the world that Christ seeks to redeem.”—Dr. Jody Owens, Professor, Johnson University

One of the texts that can inform our attitude during this time of the COVID-19 Virus is I Peter 2:11-17:

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor (ESV)

Peter gives us three indispensable directions:

• Live holy lives (11).

… abstain: “It means literally ‘to distance’ themselves from fleshly lusts”—Edmund Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter, p. 101

• “Christians must avoid the immoral customs and wicked practices of the pagan lands in which they temporarily reside and through which they are traveling.” –Gareth L. Reese, Peter and Jude, New Testament Epistles, p. 49

• We must remember who we are and Whose we are: 1 Peter 2:9:-10: 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies (virtues) of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (ESV)

• As a royal priesthood who belongs to God, we must distance ourselves from unholy living while at the same time ministering with grace to an unholy world.

• Demonstrate good behavior and perform good deeds among non-Christians (v. 12).

• We are not saved by good works, but we are saved for good works in Christ’s Name.

• Ephesians 2:8-10: 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (ESV)

• We’re saved to practice goodness so those to whom we are good might also turn to Christ before Judgment Day.

12 Keep your conduct among the non-Christians honorable, so that …they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

• Doing good has a missional, an evangelistic purpose to it.

• Christians are to submit to the governing authorities in order to seek the common good because that is pleasing to Jesus (vv. 13-17).

• v. 13: … to please the Lord. (GW) compare with v. 15, For this is the will of God…

• First understand, the apostle Peter is not telling us to disobey God’s commands in order to obey the government’s laws and wishes.

• “The Christians of Asia Minor have been set free from human rulers by acceptance of another Ruler [Jesus]. But that Ruler wants them to submit to human rulers insofar as they do not demand disobedience to his will.” 1 & 2 Peter, CPNIVNTC, p. 73

• David Faust notes that according to the passage: When Christians conduct ourselves responsibly as citizens in our nation, there are three positive results.

• First, we silence ignorant talk (v. 15)

• “It is important that we respect the office even though we cannot respect the man or woman in the office. As much as possible, we should seek to cooperate with the government and obey the law; but we must never allow the law to make us violate conscience or disobey God’s Word. Unfortunately, some zealous but ignorant Christians use these differences as opportunities for conflict and loud sermons about ‘freedom’ and separation of church and state.’” –Warren Wiersbe, Be Hopeful: Making the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times, pp. 58-59

• Right now, our government is instructing us to practice social distancing and other precautions. For what purpose? The common good of the country’s citizens, including fellow Christians!
• The State is not telling us we cannot worship or that we cannot tell others about Jesus.
• Churches across this land, including OFCC, should not feel guilty about not meeting together in person as we normally do.
• We are not violating the Lord’s command to worship together on the Lord’s Day.
• Hebrews 10:23-25: 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (ESV)

• Why are we not meeting as usual? Because we are considering others as more important than ourselves—the common good of those in the body of Christ and outside of the body of Christ.

• Philippians 2:3-4: 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (CSB)

• The State has permitted us, even encouraged us, to think outside our usual box, or at least what’s outside the box of many.

• In our last analog newsletter I included a short article on how to have church at home.
• If we will try to follow our government’s instructions to lessen the spread of COVID-19, we will be demonstrating love toward others and improve our standing in the world’s eyes.
• Now is the time for us to be a help to our fellow citizens and the authorities, not a hindrance!
• It is God’s will for us to do the right thing in order to silence the ignorance of foolish people and not give them valid reason to criticize us.
• Peter writes of the “will of God” in verse 15 and Christians being “servants (slaves) of God” in v. 16.

• “When we do something in the will of God and as the servants of God, then we are doing it ‘for the Lord’s sake.’ God has willed that we silence the critics by doing good, not by opposing the authority.” Warren Wiersbe

• Secondly, when Christians conduct ourselves responsibly as citizens in our nation, we demonstrate the proper use of freedom (v. 16)

• “In Christ we are free from slavery to sin, free from the oppressive power of guilt, free from sin’s permanent death sentence, free to serve God wholeheartedly. But we are not totally free to make our own rules! God grants us the freedom to decide whether we will do right or wrong, but not the responsibility to determine what is right and wrong.” –David Faust, Faith Under Fire, p. 66

• When it comes promoting what is best for the common good within God’s will, we have the right to give up our rights!

• Now is not the time to trash talk our elected and appointed government officials; it is time to earnestly pray for them!

• 1 Timothy 2:1-4: First of all, I encourage you to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and prayers of thanks for all people, 2 for rulers, and for everyone who has authority over us. Pray for these people so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life always lived in a godly and reverent way. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior. 4 He wants all people to be saved and to learn the truth. (GW)

• Thirdly, when Christians conduct ourselves responsibly as citizens in our nation, we establish a healthy climate

• “Small steps like these—respect, love, reverence, honor—could lead to giant leaps forward in our culture if every citizen took them seriously.” –David Faust, Faith Under Fire, p. 67

• Jeremiah 29:7: But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (ESV)

• God calls you and me to pray and serve for the prosperity of our small towns and rural communities.

Practical suggestions of acts of goodness:
• Find ways to show support to our local governmental entities who are doing the best they can to keep essential public services operating.
• Check on your neighbors with a phone call, an encouraging word across the fence (6 ft. apart, of course!).
• Encourage those working in the nursing homes, doctors’ offices, hospitals, etc. Pray for them.
• Send notes of gratitude to our local stores providing essential goods and services.
• Pray for those on the front lines of decision making.

Important to Remember: In order to rightly discern the best ways to promote the common good in the Name of King Jesus we must:

• Maintain (or begin) your devotional life. (Contemplative life—Jody Owens)
• The spiritual disciplines of prayer, reading and meditation on Scripture, solitude, combined with service and obedience are transformational.
• I heard someone say this week, I don’t remember exactly who it was, but when it comes to practicing spiritual disciplines, “These things help us to love what God loves, grieve for what God grieves, and value what God values.”

• Romans 12:1-2: And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (NLT)

• Suggestion: try to read five Psalms a day (spread Psalm 119 out over 22 days by reading and praying one stanza per day.), one Proverb a day, and write your prayers in a journal.
• This devotional and contemplative time with my King settles my spirit and encourage me to serve as best I can with His power.

Complement good social action with the message of the Good News of Christ.
• Tell God’s Story when the door is open for you to tell it. Many of you from OFCC know how to tell the Creation to Judgment Gospel, the C2J#Gospel.

• Remember, as royal priests, we are to declare the virtues of God and His salvation!

Prayer for a Pandemic

Prayer for a Pandemic
By Cameron Bellm

May we who are merely inconvenienced
Remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors
Remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home
Remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close
Remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips
Remember those that have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market
Remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home
Remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our country,
let us choose love.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other,
Let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.
Amen.

Prayer Guide for Sunday, March 29, 2020

Quotes on prayer:

“The single most important piece of advice about prayer is one word: Begin!” ― Peter Kreeft, Prayer for Beginners

“It is true, as John Bunyan said, that God infinitely prefers a heart without words to words without a heart when we pray.” ― Peter Kreeft, Prayer for Beginners

“Our conversation with God should be utterly free and familiar, because God is the only person who will never, ever misunderstand us and never, ever reject us (hate us, ignore us, or be indifferent to us). These are the two reasons we hid from other people, even our friends, even our parents, and the two reasons we should never hide from God.” ― Peter Kreeft, Prayer for Beginners

Use the outline Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication (ACTS), as well as the Scriptures provided as guides, to guide you and those with you in a time of prayer with our heavenly Father.

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:

Psalm 145: 8 The Lord is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 The Lord is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation…
13 For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
You rule throughout all generations.
The Lord always keeps his promises;
he is gracious in all he does.
14 The Lord helps the fallen
and lifts those bent beneath their loads…
17 The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
18 The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.
19 He grants the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
20 The Lord protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked.
21 I will praise the Lord,
and may everyone on earth bless his holy name
forever and ever. (NLT)

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession: Psalm 32:5: I made my sins known to you, and I did not cover up my guilt. I decided to confess them to you, O Lord. Then you forgave all my sins. (GW)

• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

Thanksgiving: Let us thank God for what He has done & does.

Luke 10:20: Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (ESV)

Philipplians 3:20: But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. (NLT)

1 John 3:1: Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are. (GW)

• Considering the three preceding verses and other things, for what are you thankful to God today?

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

1 Timothy 2:1: I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. (GW)

Prayer Requests: In addition to the following requests, pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray:

• 3/28/20 Tornado victims in SW Indiana and Tri-State area.
• Health Professionals, National/State/County/Local Government Agencies: Wisdom, good counsel, resources, protection, integrity.
• Those suffering from Caronavirus as well as those caring for them.
• Business owners, employers, employees affected negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Teachers, students, administrators, and their families as they adjust to school buildings being closed.
• Elderly who are alone during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• I will take the opportunity to share God’s story and our story with others.
• Pray that this will be a time that many hearts turn to Jesus, receive Him as Savior and walk in humble obedience to Him.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• Meditate on this passage.
Philippians 2:5-11: 5 Have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Although he was in the form of God and equal with God,
he did not take advantage of this equality.
7 Instead, he emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant,
by becoming like other humans,
by having a human appearance.
8 He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
death on a cross. (NLT)

• How might you pray for application of it to you and our church family?

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• Based on what God has done for us in Christ through the Spirit (vv. 4-7), how are we to respond (v. 8)?

Titus 3:4-8: 4 But—
When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.
8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone. (NLT)

• So, for what might you pray in light of this passage?

Benediction: The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Rejoice in Your Identity in Christ, not in What Great Things You Can Do”

The Way Series, Pt 4
Luke 10:17-24
March 29, 2020

The sermon may be listened to in its entirety by clicking on this link: owensvillefirstchristianchurch.sermon.net

(Abbreviations for Bible translations that may be quoted: ESV = English Standard Version; NLT = New Living Translation; CSB = Christian Standard Bible; GW = God’s Word; Amplified Bible = AMP; KJV = King James Version; New King James Version = NKJV; The Message = MSG; KNT = Kingdom New Testament)

Review of Luke 10:1-16:
• If you give allegiance to Jesus, be prepared to be rejected.
• When the gospel isn’t well-received by people, still love them, move on, and pray for future acceptance.
• Sharing the Good News of Jesus is not limited to a special few, but is for all who make up the church. All Christians have the supreme task of introducing Jesus to people!
• Disciples are to serve God in dependence, resting in his provision.
• The task of making disciples is never to be about what we can get out of it materially/financially.
• Successful mission always occurs in the context of prayer and God’s sovereignty.
• It is a terrible thing to continue to reject God’s invitation to receive and follow Jesus.

Today’s Passage: Luke 10:17-24:
17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (ESV).

Disciples of Jesus are to rejoice in our identity as God’s children and citizens of heaven, not in any power to do great things in His name (vv. 19-20).

• Matthew 7:21-23: 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the person who does what my Father in heaven wants. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we force out demons and do many miracles by the power and authority of your name?’ 23 Then I will tell them publicly, ‘I’ve never known you. Get away from me, you evil people.’ (GW)

• “Ministry with God is a privilege, and access to God's power is exciting, but the real cause of joy is that we have true and everlasting life before God.”—Darrell L. Bock, Luke, IVPNTC

• Philipplians 3:20: But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. (NLT)

• Colossians 1:12-14: [God the Father] has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins (NLT)

• 1 John 3:1: Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are. (GW)

• Titus 3:4-8: 4 But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.
8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone. (NLT)

Prayer Meeting of the Trinity (vv. 21-24)

• One can be too learned to learn the truths of God (v. 21).

• “The sovereign God did not seek out intellectuals (the wise and learned) but the humble…He honors those who rely on him, not on their own faculties.” —Darrell L. Bock, Luke, IVPNTC

• Spiritual self-sufficiency and/or arrogance are barriers to receiving knowledge of and intimacy with God.

• James 4:10: Humble yourselves in the Lord’s presence. Then he will give you a high position. (GW)

• Philippians 2:5-11: 5 Have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Although he was in the form of God and equal with God,
he did not take advantage of this equality.
7 Instead, he emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant,
by becoming like other humans,
by having a human appearance.
8 He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
death on a cross. (NLT)

Luke 10:22, MSG: “The Son can introduce the Father to anyone he wants to.”

To know Jesus, God the Son, is to know God the Father (22).

• John 1:1, 14: In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God…. 14 The Word became human and lived among us. We saw his glory. It was the glory that the Father shares with his only Son, a glory full of kindness and truth. (GW)

• John 14:9: Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?

• “Jesus did not so much tell men about God as show them God, because in himself were God’s mind and heart.” –William Barclay, Gospel of Luke, Vol. 1, Daily Bible Study Series

• Matthew 28:18-20: 18 When Jesus came near, he spoke to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach them to do everything I have commanded you.
“And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.” (GW)

• “One often overlooked aspect of the Great Commission is its positive affect on society that comes from preventing social ills. The conversion of one person does three things. It rescues him from who he is; it delivers him from who he might have been; and it makes him something he would not have otherwise been. We understand how this works when the alcoholic or drug addict or thief or murderer is genuinely converted. These kinds of examples could be multiplied without end. It is in this way that the advance of the Gospel can do immeasurable social good, both in alleviating human suffering and avoiding it.” –Dr. Rick Beam, for Johnson University Professor

Jesus is the culmination (completion or fulfillment) of history (vv. 23-24).

• Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet…(Matthew 2:15, 17, 23.)

• V. 24: There are plenty of prophets and kings who would have given their right arm to see what you are seeing but never got so much as a glimpse, to hear what you are hearing but never got so much as a whisper.” MSG

• “The great saints of the Old Testament appreciate the unique blessing that belongs to disciples. So we should never take for granted what others longed to have.” —Darrell L. Bock, Luke, IVPNTC

• Revelation 12:9-11: 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,
“It has come at last—
salvation and power
and the Kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters
has been thrown down to earth—
the one who accuses them
before our God day and night.
11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much
that they were afraid to die (NLT).

Christians share in Christ’s victory over Satan in 3 ways:
1. And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb = By embracing the New Covenant through faith.
2. And they have defeated him by …their testimony.= By sharing the Good News of Christ with others so they might also be saved.
3. And they did not love their lives so much
that they were afraid to die = By remaining faithful to Christ even at the price of martyrdom.

How to Have Church at Home Using the 3/3 Bible Study Format

Greet our brothers and sisters in Laodicea, especially Nympha and the church that meets in her house. (Col. 4:15, GW)

COVID-19 got you “stuck” at home on the Lord’s Day? You can still have church using the outline below. (Option: use this outline to supplement the sermon shared on the church’s Facebook Live post. Choose a/the passage used during the sermon.) Do it with your family, with others over the phone, or using apps like Zoom, Skype, or WhatsApp. You don’t have to be a teacher to do this. Let the Holy Spirit use the Scriptures to teach you as you pay attention to the passage before you. Allow time for people to answer the questions. Stay on the passage itself. Avoid quoting preacher or author so and so. You’ll be surprised how much the Spirit enables you to “hear” from the passage.

LOOK BACK: Check up and Review (First third of your time together)
Facilitator asks:
For what are you thankful? Are you struggling or burdened with anything?
Did you share God’s story with anyone last week?
How have you obeyed/followed through what you learned at last week’s meeting?
Pray together for each other
Vision/Inspiration: Give opportunity for participants to share a verse or a personal story, or song to celebrate what God is doing and encourage one another to love God, love others, and make disciples. Sing a hymn or chorus to two together.

LOOK UP : Read and Discuss (Second third of your time together)
Choose a Bible passage to study together. Pray and ask God to teach you today’s passage. (Never skip.)
Have someone read the passage aloud.
Optional: After the first reading, allow the group to silently read the passage.
1 – What do you like about this passage?
2 – What do you find difficult about this passage?
(Never skip.) Have someone reread or retell the passage.
3 – What does this passage teach us about people?
4 – What does this passage teach us about God?

LOOK FORWARD : OBEY and SHARE (Third third of your time together)
Never Skip: PAUSE and PRAY for the Spirit to guide you in answering the following questions:
5 – How will you concretely obey this passage?
6 – With whom will you share your story, God’s story or this passage?
Never skip: Ask each person to WRITE everyone’s commitments in their notebook to pray about throughout the week. You’ll refer back to this during the “Look Back” portion when you meet next week.
Have the Lord’s’ Supper together.
Pray for each other