We Need To Let In The Light To See

Mill Creek Baptist Church

Thursday, October 4, 2018

As we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church, special prayers were requested for Skip, Gracie, Stephen Holly, the Burkholder family, Jim Brewster and Tate O'Brien. Doug Cory opened our service with prayer and welcomed the congregation. In announcements, the business meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7.

Janet Chaney shared the devotional, "Death," a story explaining our faith, what is on the other side of death and where our Master is waiting for us if we believe in Jesus Christ. She also shared a humorous story, "The Tire."

We joined voices in singing hymns of praise with Becky Johnson at the piano, and special music from Karen Gardner who sang, "Peace In The Valley." Rick Lett and Tyrel Lett served as ushers and collected the offering.

"The Deadman's Walking" was the title of Brother Mark Hall's message as he read Ephesians 2:1-10. Brother Mark talked about being saved by grace through faith. "If you have been saved, you were once dead in transgressions and sins -- spiritually dead. Once saved, you are now alive in Christ." Brother Mark asked, "The day you were saved, why didn't God take you to Heaven with Him? Because you are not saved by works, you are saved to work. You have your work plan laid out by Christ." Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Brother Mark asked, "What is our work? To help lead others to Christ. How do we go about our work?"

Brother Mark read John 11:1-44 which tells the story of the death of Lazarus and Jesus saying that He is the resurrection. Brother Mark told us that it is a spiritual account of being dead in transgressions and sins and becoming saved and alive in Christ. "The first thing that Lazarus' sisters did was to send for Jesus. We want our friends alive in Christ and our work is laid out for us. The first and most important thing that we need to do to get started is to pray (to send for Jesus). Nothing happens without Jesus. We can't save them. Only Jesus can do that, but the timing is up to Him. We are on God's time, not ours." Brother Mark compared soul winning to fishers of men. "The key is to know when to set the hook and catch them. Jesus knows the time. He sees people's hearts. We keep casting and throwing the bait, but Jesus knows when to set the hook."

The second thing we need to do when doing God's work is to go when Jesus says to. We came on call when we signed on to do God's work. The third thing is don't be scared. John 11:16 tells us that with Thomas there was no turning back. He had that resolve. The fourth thing we need to do when doing God's work is believe. Brother Mark told us that if it is going to happen, there are certain things we have to believe. In John 11: 25-26 Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" Brother Mark said, "If you are going to see your friends saved, you need to believe, too." The fifth thing in doing God's work is tears. Brother Mark told us that our tears move Jesus and there are no tears shed that He doesn't know about. "Don't be ashamed of your tears. Even Jesus wept as it tells us in John 11:35."

The sixth thing we need to do to accomplish God's work is roll away the stone just as they did with Lazarus. Brother Mark told us we need to let in the light to see. "Jesus is the light of the world and we can't see the light if we don't roll away the stones -- the sin. When we lure people out of the tomb (the darkness), we have to lift them up to Jesus. He is the only way. Jesus calls them out of the tomb, we do not. We can pray, we can go, we can be scared, we can believe and roll away the stone, but Jesus has to call them out of the darkness into the light. When Jesus calls them out instead of us, they hear us with their ears but they hear Jesus with their heart. There is a difference between heart knowledge and head knowledge. Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb. Jesus commanded him. Those who love Him listen to His command. Not all are going to come out, but that is up to them. But we have to keep lifting up Jesus."

The last thing in doing God's work is discipleship. Lazarus was the dead man walking. John 11:44 says, "And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go." Brother Mark said, "When you come out of the tomb, don't drag the sin with you. Lose it and let it go. Lazarus just laid back on Jesus. Jesus has it. Give it to Him. Jesus has overcome the world. This is the kind of relationship you can have when you come out of the tomb (the darkness) and walk with Jesus. Are you in the tomb? Jesus is out there calling out to you. Have you loosened and let it go? Give it to God and get out of the tomb."

After our hymn of invitation, we observed The Lord's Supper. As Brother Mark read 1 Corinthians 11:23-32, Mitchell Lett and Tyrel Lett served as ushers and passed the bread and cup as Tom Sharp asked God's blessing upon it. We then witnessed the baptism of Marlene Gray. We welcome her to our church family and ask God's blessings upon her.

Everyone is invited to worship at Mill Creek Baptist Church on Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m., and everyone is welcome to attend.

Mill Creek Baptist Church is located three and one-half miles east of Noel, just off Highway 90. For information, call 417-475-7633 and leave a message.

Religion on 10/04/2018