Sabbath Worship - Courage, Peace & Grace!
About the Muskogee Seventh-day Adventist Church
Muskogee Seventh-day Adventist Church 170 N. Country Club RD, Muskogee, OK 74403 Worship Service: 11:00am (Saturday, March 20, 2010) We are a group of Christians that are actively seeking Jesus and we hope to follow His example in our lives. Every week we join together to worship the risen Christ through music and Bible study. Today we invite to worship with us and afterwards we hope that you will stay and enjoy a fellowship lunch that we provide after our 11:00am service. Hope to see you soon!
Worship!
This week we will be exploring how to live as Christians in our community. Last week we discussed Jesus' command "Go now and leave your life of sin" (John 8:11, NIV). But we still sin after we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Join us as we explore how to live here on this earth as we try to be sinless. Also, join us for open communion today. Today our message will be given by our pastor, Geraldo Alonso . He's a young, recently graduated and recently married, preacher that has a passion for Jesus and sharing the words of Jesus with others!
Courage, Peace & Grace!
Philippians 1:2, Philippians 1:12-14 NIV84
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
Grace and Peace!
Grace: it comes from the Greek word "χάρις" or "charis". Essentially it means: "to be ever joyful". Peace: comes from the Greek word "εἰρήνη" or "eirēnē". This has the same connotation that we have today. It means to bring back into harmony that which is out of harmony. NOW . . . How could Paul write all this being in prison? What lead him to the point where he could be every joyful under these circumstance?!
Paul's Beginnings as a Christian.
Acts 9:30 NIV84
When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Paul Preaching It @ MarsHill!
Acts 17:32-34 NIV84
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
A look at Paul's Resume...
2 Corinthians 11:5-6, 2 Corinthians 11:22-29 NIV84
But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super‑apostles.” I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
It's easy to compare ourselves with Paul . . .
It's easy to compare ourselves with Paul and feel quite inferior. We often feel like we just don't do enough. To feel as though we just are doing anything for Christ. But then at times we also feel as though we aren't "good" enough to serve Christ because we have a lot of junk that gets in the way of that. But check this out . . . Paul had the same struggles we have as sinners. He felt inferior too.
But . . . I'm such a sinner . . .
Romans 7:14-20 NIV84
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
A wretched man . . .
Romans 7:24 NIV84
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Then . . . A BIG REALIZATION!!!
Romans 8:38-39 NIV84
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Have there every been times . . .
Maybe you just don't feel worth of God's love. Maybe you feel like you have way too much junk getting in the way of God loving you. Paul was finally able to see that there is nothing in this world that will EVER keep him separated from God's love. Here's the thing . . . THERE IS NOTHING THAT WILL EVER SEPARATE YOU FROM GOD'S LOVE ALSO!!!!
Stinkin' Thinkin'
Anyone that has every gone through a "recovery" program knows what this is all about. There are times where we just want to beat ourselves up because we mess up. If we dwell on this we are not getting to the point where we are living the way that God wants us to live. Our stinking thinking will keep us from reaching our potential as Christians. Courage is needed to live the life that God has called us to live. Peace is needed to be pulled back into harmony with Christ. To be pulled back into a state that we try to live our lives and not beat ourselves up! Grace is needed to live a life where we are constantly "joyful" because Christ has actually conquered it all for us. Courage, Peace & Grace! Will mean different things to you at times but ultimately it will be the way that you can live a life like that of Paul's.
Courage, Peace & Grace!
We are a community that believes in prayer! If you have a request or if you are wanting us to pray over you please let us know.
Courage, Peace & Grace!
Please let us know if you have any questions . . . We would be more than happy to spend some time with you and answer them.
Church Announcements
Membership Transfer (2nd Reading): Suzanne Falle (Alonso) from Pierre Church, South Dakota to Muskogee SDA Church. Nominating Committee (2nd Reading): Greg Gilliam, Denise Carter, Kenny Lane, Pastor Rudy Juarez, Kathy Jones, Mickey Hagan & Gary Jones. Alternates: Georgia Quigley & George Carter. Tonight: We were supposed to have the Adventist Book Center here tonight but it has been canceled due to the possibility of bad weather. March 24th @ 7:00pm: We will be continuing our study of the Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs. This week we will be studying the belief on "The Church". We will do a little bit of singing, praying and Bible study. We meet in the sanctuary. March 27th: The American Red Cross will be here for a Blood Drive! If you want to help save lives be here and sign up with the pastor to give a donation. April 1-17th: The pastor will be starting an evangelistic series entitles "The Tomb is Empty! Now what . . . ". Please start inviting your friends and family so that they can see these meetings. April 3rd: Third Annual Women's Ministry Meetings will be held at the First Tulsa Seventh-day Adventist Church. April 4th: (Muskogee) Women's Ministry Meeting @ 11:00 am in the Fellowship Hall. April 17th: Tulsa Adventist Academy Alumni Gathering. 900 S. New Haven, Tulsa, OK. Contact: 918.834.1107