and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
-Acts 1:8 (ESV)
Links
Categories
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,
Posted in Scripture Leave a comment
Newness of Life
Newness of life. That’s the promise of God in Christ Jesus: walking in newness of life.
Romans 6:4-5 says…
We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
By faith in Christ, His death is our death, death to sin, death to the slavery of self-centeredness, death to the pride of legalism. But as faith unites us with Him in His death, so also does faith unite us with Christ in His resurrection, a resurrection empowered by the glory of the Father. That same power that raised Christ Jesus empowers us. The result is a newness of life, a Christ-centered life, a life of love, joy, and peace.
At Grace Baptist Church, it is our desire to walk in this promised newness of life. I don’t always feel new, and sometimes I don’t even feel alive, but I do know this, Jesus died for me and has been exalted by the Father. Now, my life is His life. I’ve given it to Him, but even greater, His life is my life, the newness of life.
Are you experiencing the newness of life promised by God to those who are “baptized into His death”? I hope so, and we at Grace Baptist Church want to do whatever needs to be done to help you to walk daily in this newness of life. That’s why your friends have been inviting you. They’re not judging you. They want you to have what we’ve discovered in Jesus Christ.
We hope that you will join us as the church gathers to renew her life in Christ, each Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and through small group Bible studies meeting on Sundays at 9:45 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
We also want to invite you to a few special activities we have planned for this season:
- Wednesday, March 28, 6:30-9:00 p.m. Messiah in the Passover led by Michelle Beadle. Come join us for a full meal and the celebration of Jesus Christ in the Passover feast. You can help by providing a Kosher dish. Contact Anne Badeaux at 284-0844.
- Good Friday Service, April 6, 7:00 p.m.
- Easter Sunday Service, April 8, 11:00 a.m. with a special “Flowering of the Cross” event for our children.
Posted in Church Life, Scripture, Spiritual Growth Leave a comment
And Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:37-40 (ESV)
Posted in Scripture Leave a comment
Valentine’s Lunch to benefit the DJ Scharfenstein College Scholarship Fund
Sunday, February 12 following the 11:00 a.m. worship service
Please join us for a Valentine’s luncheon benefing the DJ Scharfenstein College Scholarship Fund, the scholarship fund recently created by the church to benefit our graduating seniors who are going on to college. There is a suggested donation of $10 per adult and $5 per child.
Posted in Children and Youth, Church Life Leave a comment
Goodbye
When I think about emotional goodbyes, I think about two young men in the Bible who loved God and loved each other very much: David and Jonathan. Of course, it was not an easy situation. Jonathan’s father King Saul was trying to kill young David, and his best friend went to his father to find out how serious his hatred was. Jonathan instructed David to hide in the field and Jonathan would communicate in a previously agreed upon code as to whether or not the situation warrented David’s escape. If he told his servant boy, “Look, the arrows are beyond you,” then David would know he must flee.
Of course, we know the story, that Saul was intent on killing David, and Jonathan did instruct David to flee for his life. Thus Jonathan and David would never again see one another. They loved each other so much, but life was driving them apart.
1 Samuel 20:41-42 records the emotional scene:
As most of the church knows by now, I gave my resignation to Grace Baptist Church yesterday. For us too, life is driving us apart, and it’s time for goodbyes. The last seven years, along with all it’s friendships, triumphs, and challenges, have been a blessing from the Lord. You have allowed me and my family to become one of you. Our lives have become entangled in your lives. We will miss you dearly, but our friendships will endure.
Please keep us in your prayers as we will always remember Grace in ours. Sunday, May 27 will be our last Sunday. There will be tears, but we know that the Lord will be between me and you wherever we go.