Our pastor, Mark Hall, and Kathy McCaine were celebrating birthdays as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Doug Cory greeted the congregation and special prayers were requested for Donna, Skip, Jimmy, Janet, Norma and the Morgan family. Karen expressed thanks. Congratulations to our eighth-grade graduate Ty White. Brother Mark presented Ty with a Bible, along with God's blessings as he begins high school in the fall.
"Revealed" was the adult Sunday school lesson about Jesus revealing His identity to those who seek Him. The lesson, taught by Terry Lett, focused on Luke 25:18-31 and reminded us that all people should be encouraged to discover the truth about Jesus, that God reveals His truth through His word and the Holy Spirit helps people understand the truth about Jesus.
Linda Abercrombie shared the devotional, "A Mission for Your Mouth," and read Matthew 12:34-35. Our mouths can get us in trouble launching words we shouldn't. Our tongue is connected to our heart. We need to tend to our hearts to help with our mouth problems. God has a mission for our mouth. Ask God to help your words fulfill His purpose.
Rick Lett and Tyrel Lett served as ushers and collected the offertory. The congregation joined in singing hymns of praise, led by Karen Gardner with Susan Cory at the piano.
Brother Mark began Sunday's message by reading Romans 3:9-12 and then brought us God's word in "Good Enough," the title of the sermon. He told us the biggest misconception about faith and heaven is the idea that you have to be good enough. "Some think they aren't good enough. We use that phrase 'good enough' a lot when we are doing things like digging holes for fence posts. As we hit rock, we ask ourselves if it is deep enough and then decide that it is good enough."
Brother Mark read Matthew 19:16-26, the story of the rich young man. He told us that most lost people think you have to be good to go to heaven.
"They may think they might not be good enough for heaven but too good for hell. The scripture tells us what we must do to get to heaven. In verses 18-19, Jesus answers that question and tells us, 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Brother Mark reminded us that those are the first six of the ten commandments.
"Jesus didn't forget the other four. The 10 commandments are divided in two groups. The first six deal with man's relationship to other men and the last four deal with man's relationship to God. We seem to place more emphasis on the first six commandments for two reasons. First, because they affect us. We want our neighbors to like the first six because that makes them good enough for us, but there is still something missing. Second, they are the easiest to keep, but not the most important." In Mark 10:18, Jesus said, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God."
Brother Mark referred to Exodus 20:1-11 as he talked about the first four commandments as God tells us to take up the cross and follow Him. The scripture tells us "You shall have no other gods before you, you shall not make for yourself a carved image, you shall not take the name of the Lord in vain and to keep the Sabbath day holy. As Brother Mark referred back to Mark 10:17-25, he told us that the rich young man lost the first four commandments because he put his possessions before God.
"God comes first. You can't be good enough if your put possessions first."
As Brother Mark talked about who could be saved, he read Mark 10:26-27 where Jesus said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God for with God all things are possible." Brother Mark asked, "Why is it possible with God? Because Jesus is and was good enough. He is the only chance we have. No one has ever been good enough to get into heaven on their own. Jesus was good enough and our only ticket in. If we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we can be saved. Only Jesus was good enough and no one is getting into heaven without Him. The best or worse person you know won't get in without Jesus. Have you accepted the fact and believe that only Jesus was good enough?"
Our hymn of invitation was "Wherever He Leads, I'll Go," and Wayne Emanuel gave the benediction.
After the service, we greeted Ty White, who made the decision to accept Christ as his Lord and Savior. We are proud of him for that and wish him God's many blessings.
We invite you to worship with us at Mill Creek Baptist Church Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. Everyone is welcome.
Opinions expressed are those of the author.