Bible Verses for Sunday Service September 10, 2023
Proverbs 17:6
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Announcements:
Sandy Schlosser will again lead a ladies Bible study, starting September 12, meeting at the church at 10AM. Studies will begin on Revelation, using the study guide, Extravagant Hope by Margaret Feinberg.
AWANA starts on Sept 13 @ 6:30PM. In case you didn’t know, AWANA is a ministry to children and youth that emphasizes scripture memory and understanding. It is also fun with AWANA games. This year, we plan four groups, Cubbies (Two years before Kindergarten), Sparks (Kindergarten to 2nd grade), T&T (third to sixth grades) and Trek (Teens). Parents need to register their children on opening night.Please help us get the word our and invite the children in our neighborhoods and families. We also greatly appreciate your prayers.
Please contribute items to the annual Christmas Child Boxes ministry by Samaritan’s Purse. Our Awana children will pack these boxes on Nov 8th. You will find the list of desired items in the foyer. Please indicate what you can provide.
We are blessed to have a visit from a missionary that proposes to teach in Peru and is seeking support. Andy Streit and his family will be with us to present his ministry on October 1. He will speak both during the Sunday School hour and during the morning service. We will have a pot luck after service to facilitate getting to know the Streits and their ministry.
Our ladies are planning a time of fellowship for October 28th at 11AM that will have a pineapple theme. A luncheon is also planned. Please make sure to mark your calendars and plan on joining us.
After church this morning, the choir will practice for the choir special next week.
Sermon:
In today’s service, Pastor spoke to us on Luke 11:14-30 in a sermon called “Kingdoms in Conflict.” Pastor introduced his sermon by taking us back to the radio broadcast of Orson Welles on the book War of the Worlds. Many people believed this battle was real. It is our shame that we do not pay more attention to the very real battle between two kingdoms here in our lives today, the spiritual war between Christ’s Kingdom and Satan’s kingdom. In this section of Luke, Jesus corrected his critics, the pharisees when they ascribed His Kingdom miracles to Satan’s kingdom. Pastor explored what this teaches us in a comparison of Kingdoms.
In starting with Christ’s Kingdom, Pastor reminded us that His victory is assured, but it is sad that people use their God given free will to reject it, which happened here. In the face of all the evidence, a deaf mute is healed by casting out the mute spirit, the Pharisees reject Christ. Perhaps we would think that the Pharisees would accept Christ and His Kingdom in light of the evidence in front of them. But no, Christ’s care of the poor and miracles of healing didn’t fit their narrative of what they expected in a Messiah. Consequently they display their defiance. While they cannot deny miracles have occurred, they ascribe these miracles to Satan, Beelzebub, the Lord of the flies. Christ use logic to point out their error, and compelling logic at that, the same logic used by Lincoln in the Civil war, a house divided will not stand.
Next, Pastor took on Satan’s Kingdom, pointing out it is a conquered kingdom to us now, this side of the cross. As a conqueror, He has the power to set us free. This is enjoying the spoils of conquering, be free to do what you want the former power’s possessions. Scripture confirms this. Paul in 1 Colossians reminds us that “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” We must hold on to this reality.
As a second point regarding this kingdom, Pastor talked about our Savior being raised from the dead. This was the greatest sign, the sign of Jonah, that Jesus performed. While the Pharisees continually demanded astronomical signs, Jesus was clear what he would provide, which was more impressive then any sign in the heavens. Hebrews 2:15 reminds us that Christ’s work delivers all of us who are life long slaves to our fear of dying. Christ secures our future beyond the grave. This is amply illustrated through non-believers. Neil Simon a very famous playwright made a lot of money from his work. As a famous person, when interviewed, he was asked was making money concerned him. He answered “No…what does concern me is the fear of dying.” How sad.
Let’s keep Our Savior’s work on the cross and His words while he was alive here on earth in front of us as we tackle the Kingdom of darkness this week in our lives. He has conquered all. Let’s live like it.
Accessing the Service, Bulletin and Sermon Outline:
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