Weekly Encouragement
Good Wednesday Everyone,
Weekly blessings to all. Today is a special day: It’s May 1st and it’s my daughter-in-law’s, Tori Myrick’s birthday. Happy Birthday Tori. Tori and Jacob are attending Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Have a blessed day, Tori. For Bethel Baptist tonight is Wednesday Night Fellowship (WNS). We would love to have you join us for a great meal followed by Bible study. Subway is on our menu, so if you can bring a bag of chips or perhaps a dessert to share. Always remember if you can only join us for the dinner fellowship, please do. We know our young adults have much to do as they close out the school year. We have sprayed the playground for mosquitoes, and we have some new play equipment for the youngest of our children. WNF is an excellent time to enjoy each other’s company.
Tonight, we continue in our “Experiencing God” discipleship video. This series has been excellent as it encourages us to be aware and ready to respond to God’s voice as He leads you through life’s busyness. You are never in a place, never doing something, and never speaking to someone by accident. God leads you and you are following Him. This video series speaks to being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to those we encounter. Please join our study after dinner in the sanctuary.
Our new sermon series of “Meet the Messiah” through the Gospel of Matthew has only begun. In the first two-weeks we have looked at God’s will in the sending of The Messiah (Jesus) to the world. The fulfillment of ancient prophecy was accomplished, and even more prophecy will be fulfilled as we enter the public ministry of Jesus Christ. Rember all, Matthew sought to prove Jesus Christ the son of Joseph the carpenter, and son of Mary from Nazareth is The Messiah. So far, we cannot refute the evidence nor reject Matthew’s claim. Matthew has much more to tell and teach.
This coming Lord’s day we need to prepare our mind for the reading of Matthew 4. We are going to see the fact that Jesus Christ was “sinless”. This is an incredible claim or statement to make about another person. Sinless – This means never doing anything wrong; Never saying anything wrong; Never thinking anything wrong. The state of sinlessness is equivalent to perfection. No one would ever claim they are perfect, and many argue the legality, mentality, and philosophy of being sinless. The standard for sinlessness and perfection is the upholding of God’s Holy law. None of us have done this. Jesus Christ did. What’s more, Christ’s perfection made Him the only acceptable person qualified to stand before the living God and enter Heaven by His works.
But instead of waking back into Heaven honored and welcomed by God the Father. Jesus Christ stopped and went to the cross, and as a perfect person, He became every person’s imperfection – Their sin. Jesus Christ was the sacrifice for our sins. For those who believe in Jesus Christ, you can now go with Him to God the Father. Jesus Christ will speak on your behalf. Jesus Christ will tell God about what you believed, and God will accept you as His child, and you both will share perfect fellowship. This sounds like Heaven!! It is!!
As you read this you may envision Heaven coming at the time of your death when you physically leave the earth at God’s appointed time. Here is the beauty of God’s gift for those who believe in Jesus Christ today. The moment you believe in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, He immediately presents you to God, the angels in Heaven rejoice, and you enjoy the relation with God your Father from this moment into all eternity. Heaven begins on earth!! Make no mistake you must die to get God, but you die to sin, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
There is an essential word in this passage from Romans 6:23. It is the word “our”. You must make Jesus Christ your Lord. The world wants God, this is what Jesus gives, and this is what we have, and others want it, “They just don’t know it yet.” How will people not just hear about, learn about, or read about Jesus; How will they GET Jesus? They meet a Chrisitan, they listen to a Christian, and they trust a Christian. You are the Christian. God will send you to people. God will send people to you. Their entire life, and the life of their entire family can GET Jesus with the simple invite to God’s house. Pray for someone. Invite someone. Repeat.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Michael
