Service Times
Worship Service
Sun. 9:30am – 10:30am
Sunday School
Sun. 10:45am – 11:20am
Prayer Meeting & Bible Study
Wed. 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Crusaders Club (Seasonal)
Thurs. 3:00pm – 5:30pm
Crusaders Teens (Seasonal)
Thurs. 6:00pm – 8:00pm
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 48:01 — 44.0MB) Subscribe: Nehemiah 8:1-6
As we begin a new year, instead of making resolutions that never seem to last, why not just commit to one simple decision worship the Lord on each Lord’s Day. If you do not currently have a church home, we invite you to worship with us at 9:30 Sunday mornings. Here are some questions for Christians! How many of us would like to see a national revival? How about revival here in Royal Center? Would you be willing to personally start the revival? I realize in that last question I quit preaching and went to meddling. The truth is that if we who are true Christians don’t allow God to start a spiritual revival in us, there will be no revival at all. Our text today is from a chapter that is an emotional roller coaster. There were highs because the walls had been rebuilt after returning to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity, the reading of God’s Word, and because revival “broke out” among the people. There were emotional lows because the after being gone for 70 years the place was a wreck, the people realized their sinful condition and wept. One of the major reasons Israel experienced the national revival was because it involved
- ALL THE PEOPLE who ASSEMBLED! The phrase “all the people” appears 11 times in this chapter. In this case probably 40,000-50,000 people gathered at the Gate. After 70 years of captivity they couldn’t wait to gather and worship. Compare that with today where the common attitude (among many Christians) is “once in whenever is enough.” Even among those who attend every Sunday the attitude is often just one of duty. So the question is why do you attend the Sunday morning, evening services? Duty or true worship? Do you come to meet with a thrice holy God, or to be seen? The first sign of revival is a hunger for the Word of God. Notice also
- ALL THE PEOPLE LISTENED ATTENTIVELY. One writer said if preacher today want to be true Biblical preachers they should do what Ezra did. If you went to service one Sunday and your pastor started reading the Law of God and just kept reading, would you stay? Would you stay if you were outside the whole time? Would you stay if you were outside standing the whole time? The second sign of revival is a heart that wants to listen to the Word of God.
- ALL THE PEOPLE STOOD UP! The third sign of true revival is deep reverence and respect from God’s people who stand in awe before Him and His Word. Finally, notice the reading of the Word caused
- ALL THE PEOPLE to BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP! There was no theophany, no thunder or earthquake; just the reading of God’s Law. Notice, ALL the people raised lifted their hands and said “Amen.” Then they ALL bowed and worshiped. In so many local churches if worship occurs at all it is sparse and occasional at best. We’ve lost the art of worship and have become more focused on other people than on God! We’ve become afraid to let God stir our hearts to pure worship because we don’t want others to snicker, ridicule, or gossip about us being “weird.” We’ve taken our eyes off our God and Savior and like Peter we are sinking in the angry waves of formalism and legalism. What would happen if we began to worship as these people did? What would happen to our own hearts and then our communities if we allowed God to touch our hearts with His Word, His Law, and His Spirit? How willing are YOU, Christian, to let God show you?
If we can help you with your spiritual questions call us at (574) 643-9419.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:44 — 45.5MB) Subscribe: Matt. 2:1-12
We invite you to worship with us on Sunday mornings at 9:30. I came across this outline and thought it was very appropriate as a concluding message for this year. Thank you to the author for the freedom to use the outline incorporating my own thoughts as well. It is sad that because of the emphasis on a Christ-less Christmas most people end the year with increased depression, loneliness, and even suicide. Even sadder is the truth that some of those victims claim to be Christians. The wise men could have certainly allowed all those maladies to ruin their trek to Jerusalem to see King Jesus. What they expected (all the trappings of royalty) and what they encountered were certainly very different! It would seem that life had certainly dealt them a cruel blow. Everyone has felt that way at one time or another, haven’t we! Let’s let these wise men teach us some life lessons.
- WISE MEN RECOGNIZE GOD IN THE SHACKS OF LIFE! 1st = what they found was not what they expected. These wise men didn’t let the circumstances distract them from their purpose, which was to worship The King. The very uniqueness of royal birth in a stable and the leading of the start pointed to Divine guidance! So Christian, don’t let the disappointments of life distract you from worshiping the Lord. Worship is not just an act during a service a few times a week. Worship is, for the Christian, a way of life 24—7—365. 2nd = When life shatters your dreams first seek the Lord. Unfortunately our first reaction is to blame the Lord for our adversity. It’s shameful that we all are always so positive and up-beat outwardly, but inwardly we often harbor negative feelings and thoughts of how God has cast us into the shacks of life. When life shatters your dreams, find the Lord and thank Him that you belong to Him and are under His protection. 3rd = When your star leads you to a shack know that God is doing at least one of three things; He is correcting you as explained in Heb. 12:4-7; Rev. 3:19. God never corrects us in anger or vengeance, but in love, compassion, patience, grace and mercy. God may be instructing you to show you Himself in some new and exciting way. Study John 4, 6; and Romans 8:28. God may be molding you into Christ’s perfect image. He needs a vessel he can use and has chosen you to be that vessel!
- WISE MEN RENDER GIFTS IN THE SHACKS OF LIFE! It would have been easy for these men to just pack up and go home, like so many do today! Who would blame them, after all this wasn’t what they expected. Notice however that they came to worship, and worship they did. They also gave gifts appropriate for a King. Learn also that when you are led to a shack – it’s time to give. Often when people find themselves in a shack stop giving – especially from a spiritual perspective, because all they see is their own poverty. If we keep our eyes on Christ, we will discover that God will give us far more than we give! HE just has more to give and wants us to have “all!!”
- WISE MEN RECEIVED GRACE IN THE SHACKS OF LIFE! God provides saving grace that establishes a personal relationship with Him. In that relationship He also provides sustaining grace that is sufficient and powerful to see us through all of life. When we find ourselves in the shacks of life we can always expect God’s leadership and guidance to show us the way. How about you? Are you ready to let God be God to you in the shack where you are now? He’s waiting!
If we can help you with answers to this or any other spiritual matter call us at (574) 643-9419.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:40 — 42.7MB) Subscribe: Luke 4:14-23
We invite you to worship with us each Sunday morning at 9:30. You may also download our service on I-tunes by clicking on Baptist-Christian. Last week we learned Jesus was God’s anointed, designated One to preach the good news of salvation. Today we will see further revelation of Jesus’ earthly ministry.
- HIS MINISTRY OF PROCLAMATION! The OT used the word “proclamation” to describe the herald who ran before the royal chariot to draw the attention of the people to the one who approached. See Gen. 41:43. The word is also translated “preach” in the OT. In the NT proclamation is not preaching as we think of it today. Then it was a proclamation of an event. John the Baptist was the herald who went before Jesus to draw attention of the people to the One who approached. When Jesus began His public ministry He told the people He was The Anointed One of God to proclaim freedom, sight, release, and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (the year of Jesus’ coming). Jesus’ simple message was I AM the event that God promised to Abraham. I AM the Messiah/Deliverer, the Fulfillment of all the promises from God for salvation. So how has this event impacted your life, not just your salvation? Is He a real, true event in your life?
- HIS MESSAGE OF LIBERATION was a message of (1) freedom for prisoners. Luke used the word released to mean “to let go, to leave, to set aside, to leave behind, to forgive.” Here it means to be liberated, freed from sin and its penalty through forgiveness. The truth of freedom from sing and its penalty is intensified when we realize who the prisoners are. (2) His message was restoration of sight. The interesting thing about the word blindness in the NT is that the emphasis is on its cure. When Jesus tell us He has come to return sight to the blind He is revealing His knowledge of the OT law, and that He had the power to cure blindness forever! So are you still groping in the darkness of spiritual darkness because of your blinded heart? If you are one who claims to have received your spiritual sight, are you groping through the world in darkness because you have closed your eyes to God’s light? (3) Jesus’ message also brought release to the oppressed. He actually said “send away the oppressed in release.” His word for send is the word from which we get our word “apostle” which means one who is sent with a specific message from a sending authority. Paul put it all together when he said Jesus is the Send One from God to release, free those who are oppressed, by riding them of the cause of their oppression. Do you begin to see how Scripture is filled with vivid truths of how God fulfilled the OT prophecies in Christ? (4) Here again Jesus tells us the event of His Incarnation is an announcement that God’s predetermined time for Messiah to come has arrived. It is now the time of salvation, the Messianic Age. Another reality is that when Jesus really intervenes in a person’s life, that life is forever changed. To say one is a Christian having had a personal encounter with Christ, then try to live as though it never happened – most often means the encounter never truly happened! So it comes down to this – has Jesus invaded your life as Messiah/King/Deliverer? If He has, your life will show it because where Jesus intervenes – He proclaims and liberates. If you have experienced the true freedom Christ brings by entering your life, you know it; if you haven’t experienced such freedom, you know it!
If we can help you with this or any other spiritual matter call us at 574-643-9419.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 51:46 — 47.4MB) Subscribe: Luke 4:14-23
We invite you to worship with us each Sunday morning at 9:30. You may also download our service on I-tunes by clicking on Baptist-Christian. Last week we focused on the Incarnation of Jesus, or God taking on human form and flesh. We learned God controls all time and at the perfect time He calls us to enter His kingdom. When we are asked “why did Jesus come?” we answer “to die for our sins and offer us complete forgiveness.” That’s true, but Jesus also offers so much more. In our passage this week notice first
- MESSIAH’S PREPARATION! His anointing by the Holy Spirit is significant. Throughout the OT anointing was most important and distinctive act recognizing a king. Anointing was regarded as an act of enablement. When done or instructed by God, the king became a representative of the people to and before God. The prophets were also anointed as a sign of power to discharge a specific task given them by YHWH. By the time of the Incarnation the Jewish expectation of the Anointed One as God’s Messiah was the norm. All th gospel writers give an account of Jesus’ baptism, but only John records the human response. Read 1:15-18 and 29-34. Throughout the OT God shows us how He selects and prepares His delegated anointed ones for His service. Jesus is no exception, but He is exceptional!
- MESSIAH’S PREACHING! In the OT poor meant “a position of inferiority in the face of one who demands an answer.” The best example is “who told you, you were naked?” God made provision that there should be no permanent hopelessness or poverty in Israel through the liberation of such every seven years. In the NT poor has the same concept but goes further in the light of the Incarnation to include spiritual poverty and destitution. Do you see the consistency in that Jesus came into the world a poor man to evangelize those who were themselves destitute? One of Jesus’ most powerful messages was that spiritual wealth and material poverty is what creates and maintains peace and contentment in this life; while material wealth and spiritual poverty create and sustain hardship and heartache in this life. Since we are all born into spiritual poverty His message is applicable to every human being. Jesus used the word “evangelize” in verse 18. It is an interesting word that means “to proclaim the good news.” It is most often used in the OT to speak of the acts of YHWH! In Matt. 11:1-5 and today’s passage Jesus quotes the OT to verify He is God’s Messiah. Jesus uses the OT prophecy to verify and prove NT reality. The Jews had no problem accepting the OT Law, Prophets, and Psalms as God’s Truth and Law. We know the Jews weren’t expecting what Jesus offered. They were expecting a King who would deliver them politically! So they drove Him out of town. Is Jesus what you expect in a Messiah/Deliverer? Are you as prepared for Him as He is for you? When He sends His Holy Spirit to preach the good news to you, do you understand that He recognizes your utter poverty and hopeless destitution? Will you drive Him away, or will you welcome Him?
If we can help you with your spiritual questions call us at (574) 643-9419.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:36 — 40.8MB) Subscribe: Mark 1:9-15
We invite you to worship with us each Sunday morning at 9:30. You may also download our service on I-tunes by clicking on Baptist-Christian. As a result of the D-day invasion of Normandy and the atom bombs dropped on Japan in 1944 and 1945, over nearly a half million people were killed, never experiencing the freedom for which they sacrificed their lives. Millions more were injured and maimed for life. As monumental as those two events in world history are, they pale in comparison to the most significant invasion in all of human history. That was the invasion of God Himself into the human race. At least in America, the “holiday season” has already begun. It is a sad truth that many (could we say most) people will never give thought to the true reason for celebration at this time of year. The birth of the Christ-child presents at least three truths from this week’s Scripture.
- THE TIME HAS COME! Mark actually wrote “the time has been fulfilled.” The word “time” is interesting in its basic meaning which is “decisive, crucial place or point- whether spatially, materially, or temporal.” In the Old Testament it means “a decisive point of time.” That is especially important for us as Christians because we know that it is always God Who controls and sets all time/times. In the New Testament time focuses on “an immediate, personal, fateful, decisive point.” For us as Christians that means that God directs our entire life bringing us to critical, decisive points where He is able to show is His infinite and gracious goodness. In short, God offers us His best at exactly the right time in our lives for us to enjoy it to the fullest. If we refuse or postpone the offer, we lose the fullest amount possible forever! Notice the time had come for
- THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO BE AMONG HIS PEOPLE! In the first 18 verses of his gospel, John tells us that God Almighty came to live among us to share the glory of God and His Kingdom with us. When Mark wrote “the time has been fulfilled” he was telling us the quantity and quality of the Kingdom God offers. God wants to fill us completely with the blessings and benefits of His Kingdom. It is God Who desires that we should be filled and He is the One doing the filling because He is the Only One qualified to fill us. How does that happen? Notice the last part of verse 15. We are to
- REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS! In this statement the Incarnation comes into focus so the human heart can understand it. Jesus is the fullest revelation of God the human race in general will ever have. One writer says in reference to the Incarnation – it demands radical conversion, a transformation of a person’s nature, a definitive turning from evil, and a resolute turning to God in total obedience. Our 21st Century easy-believism is perhaps one of history’s greatest retaliations to the Incarnation. It is now arrogant even vulgar to suggest (even in private thought) that any person would receive a personal offer from God to share in His Kingdom. However, Scripture teaches the only way into the Kingdom is if God first offers it to us. Isaiah tells us “there is none who seek after God.” If He doesn’t come to us, seeking us, and offering eternal life through Christ, we certainly aren’t going to look for it. Sin won’t allow us to do so! Consider what you may have rejected from God this past year in all the offers He has given to you. Do you need to repent and stop refusing them?
If we can help you with your spiritual questions call us at (574) 643-9419.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:03 — 42.2MB) Subscribe: Luke 19:11-27
We invite you to worship with us each Sunday morning at 9:30. You may also download our service on I-tunes by clicking on Baptist-Christian. As we conclude our series on giving we turn to Luke’s gospel. Jesus is teaching about us how to use the gifts He gives us. The U.S. Army’s slogan is “be all you can be.” Although Christians really aren’t in God’s army, our challenge is “be all God means for you to be!” If we were to do that we would certainly be a force to be reckoned with! The responsibility and accountability of being God’s ambassadors is awesome. Any power and authority we derive from such a position is never to be used for our own personal gain or benefit. God wants us to use all He gives us as He directs us! In our study let’s consider first
- STEWARDSHIP PRINCIPLES. When we think of stewardship we must get far beyond our wallets (although they are included). We are to be stewards, caretakers, and wise administrators of all that God has given to us as His redeemed. Stewardship extends to every part of our Christian lives, both public and private. The first principle that should drive your stewardship attitude is everyone is responsible and accountable to God no matter how much or how little you are given. The mina used in this lesson would be worth about $5-$10 in our economy today. It’s not all that much in the big picture. The point is not the worth or value of the coin, but what each steward did with it! The second principle is the King expected each servant to do something with what they had been given. God is not concerned with how much we have, just how much we do. The third principle of stewardship is that God is concerned with how faithful we are. The King wasn’t concerned with different results; He was concerned and pleased with the success of each servant who acted. The fourth principle is use it or lose it. The Kings disappointment wasn’t how little was produced, but by the fact the one servant did nothing at all. The King expected the steward to use what he had to produce the best results he could in the time give. God expects us to do exactly that same thing. Let’s consider these principles as
- STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES! At our salvation, every Christian is given exactly the same benefit package. We are all fully forgiven, fully gifted, and fully vested in all those spiritual blessings. No one is given more than another. We are expected to use all those spiritual blessings in our salvation package as God tells us, not how we think it ought to be used. How do we know what God wants us to do with our “mina?” Read Jer. 29:11-13. In short all we have to do is allow God the freedom He wants to direct our lives and He will make His plan for us crystal clear. The reason some Christians seem to prosper more is because they actually do something with what God gives them – without making excuses. We must exercise our faith (again no matter how small or large) to let God work through us. One person said faith means even if I fail the first time, I’ll not give up thinking God is against me. It is ironic that the man who hid his mina so he wouldn’t lose it, lost it in the end. Could we translate that to not using the salvation benefits God gives us in our own life, let alone sharing them with someone else’s? So does God really take away our salvation benefits? NO! Unless we are willing to be responsible stewards all those blessings remain dormant and un-experienced in our lives. Being responsible to God opens the door to be rewarded by God.
If we can help you with your spiritual questions call us at (574) 643-9419.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:49 — 46.5MB) Subscribe: Luke 14:25-35
You are invited to worship with us on Sunday mornings at 9:30 for worship service. In the context of Luke 14 Jesus is telling people that being a true disciple is very costly. Someone said “to follow Christ will cost you your life, not to follow Him will cost you your soul!” That’s so true! The point of the lesson is to be sure you know whatever you’re going to do will cost you – totally! In our current culture and society we are encouraged to buy now based on only a payment. Because of that many families often become payment bankrupt. Let’s consider
- COUNTING THE COST COMPLETELY! It is a truth that God is a God of fullness and completion. God never intends that anything should be started and left unfinished. Completion is a theme that permeates all of Scripture. To many Christians treat serving God like a lease. When the term runs out, or worse yet when the going gets tough – they quit! A true disciple must know what God desires then carry it through to the end. The next time you want to purchase something physical or spiritual, count the cost completely!
- COUNTING THE COST TO CHRIST! One of the first questions a true Christian should ask is “What will this cost my Savior and Lord?” To ask that question Jesus must first be your Savior, then He must be Lord of your life! Before that can be true you must determine that you will give Him (your cost) all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. From Jesus’ first sermon on Mt. Olive we learn that Christians are not to worry about worldly things, then they are to seek the Kingdom of God, then allow God to supply all things for them. That little formula must be done in that order, from the heart for it to work. When we don’t follow God’s plan, it costs Jesus through slander, rejection, rebellion, and ridicule throughout the demonic world and the lost in this world. When we focus on temporal things we rob Jesus of the opportunity to share blessings and spiritual growth with us. Someone might say, “Well, Jesus has already paid it all, so we don’t have too!” That’s exactly the point! Why would any true Christian want to do anything that would cost Jesus more than He has already paid? Finally, must be
- COUNTING THE COST CORPORATELY! Another serious question we must ask is “How will this thing I want to buy, this image I am presenting, this language I am using, this habit I am supporting, this life and lifestyle I am living cost my local church family? Have you ever thought about what personal physical and financial debt alone costs the local church? It’s way more than tithes and offerings. The stress and worry about financial debt costs the church in ministry, service, attendance, reputation, and yes, offerings. Someone has rightly defined debt is as “financial mismanagement to the point of not being able to meet financial obligations when due.” Said another way, debt is also having more payments than you have money to make the payments. When people are in debt the local church suffers two ways; First, people stay away to work and make money to pay debt. They miss all the benefits of the local church. Second, the local church suffers the loss of reputation because most of the time such people don’t have much good to say because they often blame God for their situation. God has more blessings for us than we can imagine and we “owe” it to Him to give Him every possible chance to share them with us so we become wealthy in His way.
If we can help you with this or any other spiritual matter, call us at (574) 643-9419.
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