Rick and Terry Lett were celebrating their wedding anniversary and Steve Mason was celebrating a birthday as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Wayne Johnson opened our service with prayer and read a Christmas card to the church from Fred Hall. It was good to have Bob Obenshain back with us and special prayers were requested for Jimmy Easter, Jr. and Becky Johnson. Tom Sharp talked about the Lottie Moon offering we will be collecting during December. Bro. Mark announced that next Sunday, he will be taking some special people to lunch after church. "Got Christmas?" a Christmas play written and directed by Terry Lett, will be performed during our morning service next Sunday. Most of the congregation will have a part to play in the performance. Becky Johnson and Karen Gardner led the congregation in singing hymns of the Christmas season and Jerry Abercrombie sang "In The Garden." Tyrel Lett asked God's blessing upon the offering and he and Mitchell Lett served as ushers.
Bro. Mark's sermon "Spiritual CPR" focused on his favorite Bible story from John 11:1-44 about the death of Lazarus. Bro. Mark told us that the message was a Bible study sermon, "Understand that Lazarus is dead, but the story is an illustration of spiritual life being restored. You were once spiritually dead, and only Jesus can give you life." Bro. Mark talked about having friends or family that are lost. "You need to pray, pray, pray and send for Jesus. Nothing can happen until Jesus gets there. We waste so much of our prayer time telling Jesus what to do instead of asking Him what He wants us to do. God tells us when. Not us telling Him what and when. The timing is up to God. Helping someone get saved is never convenient. It takes commitment on our part. Jesus calls the shots. Everyone wants to run the show, but we need hands and feet to get it done and Jesus is the head. To see the power of God's work, you must believe in His word and work. Nothing hinders the work and power of God like disbelief. He is not there for our beck and call." Matthew 13:58 says, "Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief." In the words of Jesus, "ask and believe, then you receive."
As Bro. Mark talked about Lazarus and rolling away the stones from the tomb, he related it to Jesus as the light of the world. "We can't see the light because of the stones (sin) which include pride, lifestyles and ego. How do we move the stones? By lifting up Jesus." John 12:32 says, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." Bro. Mark said, "If we try to get people out of the 'tomb,' we must lift up Jesus to move the stones. We try to pull them and lure them out of the 'tomb,' but what gets people saved it meeting Jesus. Jesus is calling people out of the 'tombs' daily. Only those who believe come out, get saved and meet Jesus. Our responsibility as Christians is discipleship. To begin a new life, we must turn loose of a few things in the world that drag us down so we can follow Jesus. Ineffective Christians drag baggage not fit for service. Are there things in your life that you should've cut loose and left in the 'tomb'? Are you dragging baggage around that you need to cut loose?"
In closing, Bro. Mark asked, "Have you heard Jesus calling you out of the 'tomb'? Hear Him with your heart, not your ears. Will you obey or disobey Him. You have a decision to make. What do you need to leave in the 'tomb' to better serve Jesus?"
Our hymn of invitation was "O How He Loves You and Me" and Tom Sharp gave the benediction. We invite you to worship with us next Sunday morning at 11 a.m. as we celebrate the birth of Christ with our Christmas program. Mill Creek is located three and a half miles east of Noel just off Highway 90. Just follow the signs to the little white church on the creek bank. It is a beautiful Christmas setting. We hope you will join us. Everyone is always welcome. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas with a joy in your heart that only Jesus can put there.
Religion on 12/18/2014