Not Going Down In This Ship

Tyrel Lett and Lou Durbin were celebrating birthdays as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Happy birthday to Mertie Harmon and Ruth Briggs also. Special prayers were requested for Ruth and Merite, Carol, Doug Cory, the Rutlidge family, the Bob Moorman family and the Gerald Mason family.

Linda Abercrombie read Matthew 7:1 "Judge not, that you be not judged", and shared the devotional "Little Judgments." She told a story about overlooking someone who needed help because they were perceived as something different. "Snap judgments prevent us from helping others when we should and creates a cloud of negativity instead of peace. Sometimes what we see and perceive isn't actually what is going on and we make a snap judgment that prevents us from seeing what is real. Sometimes we have a problem with being judgmental."

With Becky Johnson at the piano, congregational hymns included "My Redeemer" and "Pass It On" and Karen Johnson sang "I Forgive." Tyrel asked God to bless the offertory and he and Rick Lett served as ushers.

Brother Mark Hall read Genesis 6:5-22 about Noah and the ark being prepared and then began the message, "Not Going Down In This Ship." He talked about the Titanic which was said to be unsinkable. But as it was sinking, there were some still having a good time and not realizing the ship was going down.

In Matthew 24:36-39 Jesus tells us that "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no ones knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be, for as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be."

Brother Mark told us that God told Noah He would destroy earth because of the wickedness. 'But we have a protector. Our Savior is our protector. Jesus is the ark.' He then read I Peter 3:18-21. Brother Mark told us five things about the ship, Noah's ark.

First, he talked about the security of the ark and read Genesis 6:14. "The ark was a barrier between Noah and God's judgment on the earth. Jesus carries us to God. The ark, Jesus, is our security."

Second, Brother Mark talked about the sufficiency of the ship and read Genesis 6:15-16. "There was room on the ark for everyone and everything that God determined to save. No one else but Noah and his family were saved because the others wouldn't listen and be saved from God's wrath." II Peter 2:5 says, "and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of ungodly."

Third, Genesis 6:15-16 talks about the shape of the ship. "God gave Noah the exact dimensions of the ship. It had no propeller, motor or anything to steer it with. They were guided by faith."

Fourth, Brother Mark talked about the sustenance of the ship and referred to Genesis 6:21. "The ark had everything to survive just like Jesus has everything for us."

The last thing about the ark that Brother Mark talked about was the schedule as it tells us in Genesis chapter seven. "God gave Noah an exact schedule. Noah trusted in the Lord. We need to do the same thing and plan things around God not God around things. Noah was saved by grace through faith. Noah had faith and got on the ark and was saved from the flood that destroyed the earth. We are not saved by works, we are saved to do good works. Grace provides salvation and salvation provides security. God didn't tell Noah to go to the ark, God told him to come to the ark because God was already in the ark. Jesus is our security. There is no more secure place in this universe than in Christ Jesus." Hebrews 11:7 says, "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."

In closing, Brother Mark said, "The Bible tells us the meek will inherit the earth and there was no one more meek than Noah who inherited the earth after the flood. It has been 2000 years since Jesus went away and came back. I believe that God is waiting for someone to be saved before He comes back. Is he waiting for you before he comes back and shuts the door like He did on the ark. The world's ship is going down. There is only one place we will be saved and that is in Christ Jesus. Is He calling you today? What is stopping you? Come by faith and be saved by grace through faith. God shows us the grace which was Jesus Christ on the cross." Romans 8:1-2 says "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Our hymn of invitation was "Amazing Grace" and Wayne Holly gave the benediction.

We will hold vacation Bible school on Saturday, July 29, from 12 to 5 p.m. CCCamp will include children's stories about creation to the cross. We will serve lunch followed by games, crafts and music.

At 5 p.m. there will be family time with ice cream and watermelon. The camp is for kids ages four through entering the sixth grade. Everyone is invited and welcome to come and share in the afternoon of fun and learning about Jesus.

Mill Creek is located 3 1/2 miles east of Noel just off Highway 90 on Upper Mill Creek Road.

Religion on 07/20/2017