It was a wonderful Sunday morning in worship at Mill Creek Baptist Church. We welcomed many visitors. Doug Cory opened our service with prayer as we wished a Happy 77th anniversary to Tom and Mildred Sharp and a happy birthday to Jeff Cally.
The adult Sunday school class taught by Rick Lett studied John 12:20-33 in the lesson, "If It Dies." The lesson reminds us that just as a seed cannot take root and produce growth unless it dies, Jesus predicted He had to die to provide eternal life.
Janet Chaney shared information about the Annie Armstrong Easter offering and we were so blessed to have Andrew Halliburton, an IMB missionary with us. Andrew has just returned from Nairobi, Kenya after two years of missionary work there. He thanked the church for Lottie Moon offerings which help fund the missionaries and shared testimony.
Mitchell Lett asked for God's blessing upon the offertory and he and Tyrel Lett served as ushers.
Susan Cory and Karen Gardner led the congregational hymns and we were so blessed by special praise music from Brother Pat Jeffers, who also brought us God's word in Sunday's message.
Scripture for the message began with Ephesians 1:15-20 and 2:1-5 about Paul's letter to the church about all that we are in Christ and what it means to be in Christ.
Brother Pat told us that "If you are in Christ, you are made alive. You should be a changed person when you leave church. We have been given a wonderful gift and yet there are times when we walk away from it. Paul's writings remind us about the gift by reminding us who we were before we knew Christ."
Ephesians 2:1 tells us "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins." The scripture goes on to tell us about being saved by grace through faith and of Paul's prayer for the church.
As Brother Pat talked about Ephesians 2:1-10, he told us that there are four things from which Jesus has brought us. "There is a time as believers when we need to look back at our life and see where we came from. Paul reminds us about four things we were before Christ. First, in Ephesians 2:1, Paul tells us that we were dead. We are still alive, but we are spiritually dead. A dead person has no knowledge of what's going on around him. Only God can give life from spiritual death and cause one to become an heir of Jesus Christ. Before Christ, we are spiritually dead."
Second, Brother Pat told us that before Christ, we were dominated, as he referred to Ephesians 2:2. "We fall forward and catch ourselves. We walk according to the course of this world. We are dominated by the world. Our modern thought process thinks we are smarter than God. It is the mindset of people living according to the course of this world and not spiritually. People have become dominated by the things of this world. We were on that path and going away from God until we were saved." Brother Pat referenced Romans 1:18-24.
Third, Brother Pat told us that Paul's writings remind us that before Christ we were disobedient. As he referred to Ephesians 2:3 and told us that "God's wrath is being revealed against the unrighteous. We will sin, but 1 John 1:9 tells us 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'"
Brother Pat told us that the fourth thing before Christ is that "you were doomed. You were dead, disobedient and done. The wrath of God will fall on all of those who have not received Jesus Christ. Those who don't [receive Christ] have no hope. They are doomed." Brother Pat referred to Ephesians 2:3 and 2 Corinthians 4 and told us that we have no hope except that "with the mercy of God, the grace of God shows up. God has brought us so far from where we were. Apart from the resurrection, we are lost without the marvelous mercy and grace of our God. With repentance, we know where He is taking us, but never forget where we came from before Christ."
We invite you to worship with us next Sunday as J.R. Morgan will bring us the message from God's Word. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m. Bible study is Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Mill Creek Baptist Church is located 3 1/2 miles east of Noel, just off Highway 90.
The opinions expressed are those of the author.