As we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church, special prayers of healing were requested for Jeanette. Ronda and Shelley's father. Doug Cory greeted the congregation and Janet Chaney shared information about the Annie Armstrong Easter offering.
The adult Sunday school class studied John 13:31-14:6. We are reminded that Jesus is building a people that will honor God for eternity. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised and Christ will judge all men in righteousness.
Rick Lett and Tyrel Lett served as ushers and collected the offertory with piano music from Susan Cory who played "Revive Us Again." Becky Johnson and Karen Gardner shared special praise music.
We were blessed to have J.R. Morgan shared God's word with us in the message "Relationship is the currency of God's Kingdom of Heaven." He challenged us to read the word of God and self feed ourselves. "Don't just rely on a pastor to do it for you."
J.R. began by telling us that 'Jesus loves you' is great, but it's not the gospel. "That's just a part of the gospel like a steering wheel on a car. Some think that Jesus won't send you to hell because He loves you, but that is only part of the gospel. Our master is God, but some have put themselves in that position."
J.R. told us that the main reason Jesus went to the cross wasn't for us. "It was for another relationship - the trinity which consists of the relationship between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." He referred to I Corinthians 8:6, "yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live." J.R. told us that the trinity is all three, "They are one God, but they are also separate" and he referenced II Corinthins 13-14 which shows the difference in the trinity. J.R. told us that the trinity matters. "There is a hierarchy in the trinity. Acts 5:29-32 tells us that there is only one completely in charge and that is God the Father. The Father exalts Christ's name and Father exalts the Son. You can't just read the scripture. You have to stop and meditate and think about what it's telling you." J.R. referred to John 3:16-17 and talked about the main motivation for God sending His son to the cross. In Luke 11:13, Jesus tells us "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" J.R. told us that "This is Christ the Son talking about the Father in heaven, the hierarchy of the trinity who sends us the Holy Spirit." As J.R. talked about Romans 8, he told us that "as children of God we become heirs of Chirist and with Christ. It's kind of like we do our inheritance on earth with our children."
J.R. told us that "Everything God has done in creation is to show us the relationship we should have with God and who He is. Hebrews 1:1-4 tells us that God is the Father. God appointed Christ to us and He sits at the right hand of the Father. Jesus told the Apostles He was going to the Father for the Father was greater than He was. There is a hierarchy in heaven." In John 14:28 Jesus says, "You have heard Me say to you, I am going away and coming back to you. If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, "I am going to the Father, for My Father is greater than I."
J.R. said that in I Corinthians 15:1-4 Paul received the gospel from Christ. "The gospel is that Christ died for our sins. 'Jesus loves you' is a motivator for the gospel, but the gospel is that Christ died for our sins. You are saved. You can't just leave it at 'Jesus loves you.' Satan has no power over the believer. We have power over Satan. Hell is not Satan's kingdom. It is a punishment for him that God created. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve took the authority God gave them and gave it to Lucifer, the devil. The wrath of God against sin burns in hell. We decide whether to choose wrath. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. We get to the Father through Christ. The main motivation for Christ to die on the cross is because of the love the Son had for the Father because through that He reconciled us back to the Father. Christ left heaven because He loved His Father so much. That is very humbling. The only way to the Father is through Christ. It was not just the destination, but the time with the Father. That's why Christ went to the cross." J. R. referred to John 15:19 and said, "The little saying 'Jesus loves you' is the truth, but not the whole truth. We have to know the whole truth to understand the trinity. Has God drawn you to Him through the Son? You can confess, but you have to believe. We repent because we love the Father so much."
We invite you to worship with us at Mill Creek Baptist Church located 3 1/2 miles east of Noel just off Highway 90. 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.
The opinions expressed are those of the author.