Heartbeat. INDIAN HILLS COMMUNITY CHURCH April 1, 2018

Transcription

1 Heartbeat INDIAN HILLS COMMUNITY CHURCH April 1, 2018 A warm welcome to each one this morning. We pray that this time together will be more than a mere Easter obligation, but a memorable occasion as we study God s amazing love letter to us. He Lives! Some 2,000 years ago, the angel asked, Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen! (Luke 24:5,6). As we gather to worship this resurrection morning, we are reminded of that dawn so many years ago, when the women who came to prepare Jesus body for burial, learned that He had risen from the dead. Matthew wrote, they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples (28:8). Then, upon hearing the news, Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened (Luke 24:12). As believers in Jesus Christ, we know Jesus lives, and like Peter, we marvel at the miraculous event we are observing today. Not only is Jesus alive, but His resurrection validates the adequacy of His offering (Himself) to the Father proving that the sin penalty has been paid for all mankind. If you are unsure of your relationship with God, listen carefully to today s message. Gil will identify the condition in which each of us finds ourself, as well as the one and only way God has provided for us to be brought into a relationship with Him. We are glad you are here and thank you for joining us at Indian Hills Community Church this morning. Our desire is that all who come would hear and understand the Truth of God s Word. Visitors are always welcome and we encourage you to return soon to learn more about the one, true, awesome God who rose from the dead and is alive forevermore! Easter Evening We will not have Sunday Night Church tonight. The building will be closed at noon so everyone can make it home in time for Easter dinner. Have a good week! Heartbeat 3

2 Transformed from Glory to Glory Jonathan Goodding When Moses received the law on Mount Sinai, he came face to face with the glory of God. Afterward, when he came down from the mountain, his face was shining bright. Right there on Moses face was a brilliant reflection of God s glory. It would have been a sight to behold! In fact, the Israelites were so afraid to look at the glory that shone on his face that Moses wore a veil to cover the reflection of the glory of God even as it faded away. Praise God that His glory is not hidden from us today. It is not behind a veil, but on full display in Jesus Christ and His wonderful Word! This is what Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:18: But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. Rather than seeing the reflection of God s glory hidden by a veil, we see the glory of the Lord as in a mirror. That means we see His glory much more clearly than the Israelites were able to see. In the Old Covenant, Israel experienced the glory of God through the law, but the fullness of His glory could not be seen until Christ came. The law brought blessings if the Israelites obeyed and a curse if they disobeyed. Because sinful Jonathan Goodding man cannot please a holy God, the Israelites failed to obey, and fell under the law s curse of death and condemnation. But now that Jesus Christ has come, we have a New Covenant in His blood. Jesus paid for our sins and gave us new life through his death and resurrection. Now, we behold the glory of God clearly in the gospel, knowing that we can be saved through faith in Christ. Now we can live according to the lifegiving ministry of the Spirit rather than having to try and follow every rule that was in the law. The gospel of Jesus Christ is truly magnificent! When we behold God s glorious gospel and respond in faith, we will be changed. Paul says that as we are beholding the glory of the Lord, 4 Heartbeat

3 we are being transformed into the same image, the image of Christ! As we see His glory in the word of God, we become more like Him. The Holy Spirit changes us into the likeness of Christ. As we keep looking at God s glory displayed in His Word, we will keep growing in Christ. We ll keep transforming from glory to glory from one stage of Christ-likeness to another as the Spirit works in our hearts. Are you captivated by God s glory? It s on display and it is powerful! The Holy Spirit works through the word to transform us into beautiful reflections of His glory. We must strive to read and understand the Bible, to look upon His glory as it is revealed to us and to live by it. Jonathan and his wife, Suzanne, have been married ten years and they are the parents of five children. Christian Businessman s Lunch Minding HIS Business Friday, April 20 Valentino s Restaurant Noon to 1 p.m. 70th & Van Dorn Cost: Buffet is $8 Guests eat for free Speaker: Tim Pratt Tim & Shelley Pratt Choose from more than 75 mouthwatering treats, starting with Valentino s pizza. Questions? Call Nicholas Jacobsen, Heartbeat 5

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5 Titus Tuesday Cleaning Morning Thank you to everyone who scrubbed, polished, and vacuumed the church on Titus Tuesday Cleaning Morning. Many workers turned up for spring cleaning, and the church not only looks clean, but smells clean. Our hats are off to four brave men who showed up to clean, proving that men make good cleaners too. We appreciate your servants hearts and love for the church. Calling All Guys Since all the cleaning was not completed on Cleaning Morning, we are inviting guys to come during Ladies Intermission on April 10, to help clean the auditorium. Meet in the south lobby at 6:15 p.m. Supplies, instructions, and a guy leader will be there to meet you. We would also like to have Bible Study Groups help by doing a service project one evening instead of their regular study. Questions? Call or text Merrily Bailey at (402) Heartbeat 7

6 The Lion of Judah It happened on the Jewish festival called Passover. Jesus was arrested in the garden where He had been praying. The disciples were afraid and fled. Later, even Peter denied knowing the Lord. Jesus stood before the high priest and Sanhedrin. He was beaten, mocked, and spit upon. Roman soldiers flogged Him with a multi-thong whip, embedded with bits of bone, glass, and metal, which tore at His flesh. A crown of thorns was beat into His brow. He walked to Calvary, the cross heavy on His back. Blood dripping from His body, He stumbled beneath the load. Roman soldiers drove nails into His feet and hands. Crucified between two thieves, Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. His body hung on the cross while those passing by sneered and mocked Him. The sky grew dark, the earth trembled, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin, poured His wrath on His Son, the perfect sacrificial lamb, who cried out, My God, My God. Why have you forsaken me? Knowing that all things had been accomplished to fulfill Scripture, Jesus said, It is finished! He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. Jesus the Christ, the Lord of glory, the only begotten Son of God, the only perfect man, died on the cross of Calvary. At the moment of His death, the veil of the Temple separating sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom. Satan must have thought he was victorious: that he had destroyed the Son of God. But God wasn t finished yet. It was dawn on the first day of the week. Women came to prepare Jesus body and discovered that an angel of the Lord had rolled away the stone and sat upon it. The guards posted at the tomb to keep the body from disappearing shook from fear and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, Do not be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. The lamb that was silent before the slaughter is now the resurrected lion from the tribe of Judah. The crucified/resurrected Christ defeated death, sin, and the grave. 8 Heartbeat

7 God s grace is poured out on all who look to the crucified lamb of Calvary. Grace is freely given to all who believe Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin, was buried, and then rose from the dead. Jesus is alive! Free Guided Tour of Israel One of the sites you ll visit with Scott Bailey on Wednesday, April 4, 11, and 18 in room 1417 at 7:00 p.m. is Masada, an ancient fortress that overlooks the Dead Sea. which was destroyed in 70 AD by Titus and the Roman legions. Another ancient site you will visit is the Western Wall, or Wailing Wall. This wall is the last remnant of the Temple in Jerusalem, The Romans did not destroy the protective wall, which surrounded the Temple. This leads many Jews to believe that the wall is holy and has been blessed by God. Traveling to Israel is a wonderful, enlightening, and inspirational experience! We heartily recommend everyone take this voyage. Just think: no travel sickness, no need to tip, and you get to sleep in your own bed. Coffee and cookies available. Heartbeat 9

8 Family News Hospitalized. Paul Wenz was a patient at Bryan East. Thank You to all who have been praying for me. Praise the Lord the procedure went well and I am doing fine. Paul Wenz Children s Studies Children s Sunday School. The children studied Ephesians 4:17 32 and learned about walking in holiness. Children s Church. The children studied the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Information Dessert Social. Boys of Faith is sponsoring a dessert social on Sunday, April 8, immediately following Sunday Night Church. Come enjoy some dessert and coffee and fellowship with the brethren. Proceeds help defray camp costs. Evangelism Prayer Request. IHCC will have a booth at the Mother of All Garage Sales on Friday and Saturday, April 6 and 7 at the Lancaster Event Center. Please pray for open hearts as our evangelism team passes out tracts and looks for opportunities to share the gospel. Event hours are Friday: 5:00 9:00 p.m.; and Saturday: 8:00 3:00 p.m. Admission cost is $3. Vacation Bible School. VBS will be held June Please note the date change and mark your calendars. Titus Tuesday. Please join us Tuesday, April 3 at 9:15 a.m. for a light brunch, prayer, lesson, and discussion with like-minded women. Nancy Butterfield will be teaching on a sovereign and personal God. Discussion group to follow the lesson. VBS Workers meeting will be held Sunday, April 8, at 4:45 p.m. in the chapel. If you would like to help with VBS this year, you should attend this meeting. The Great Awakenings of the Americas meets on Wednesday from 7:00 8:00 p.m. in room Donald Goertzen is the teacher. Everyone high school age and older is welcome. Cookies and coffee top off the evening. Door 2 Door Evangelism (in the neighborhoods of Lincoln) meets each Monday at 6:15 p.m., weather permitting. Meet at the north entrance of IHCC (by the security desk). Everyone is welcome to attend. If you ve never been out before, we will pair you up with someone who has experience and you can learn by observing. If the weather looks unpredictable, please check the church website, for instructions. Teachers are needed at High Place Nursing Home (84th and Old Cheney) and at Sumner Place ( Heartbeat

9 South 20th). Please contact Tom Price at or for more information. Hospitality Ministry needs one door greeter at the southwest doors on Sunday mornings from 8:30 9:00 a.m. Each greeter is on rotation for one month per quarter and serves four months a year. Let Brian Willet (brian.willet@outlook. com) know if you re interested. Cleaners Needed. If you d like to vacuum a section of the church once every five weeks, contact Tami Coffin, Event Kitchen. If you have an upcoming event that involves the new Event Kitchen, contact Rachel Gould at church, She will reserve it for your group and give you an Event Sheet, which will help with the planning. Questions to Merrily Bailey Hospitalizations. Please call the church, , and notify Pastor Aaron Nicholson or Curt Kuster of hospitalizations and births. Weddings & Funerals. Please call the church, , and ask for Pastor Duane Nelsen or Pastor Aaron Nicholson for wedding and funeral arrangements. Nursing Home Door-to-Door Evangelism. If you d like to help, call Adam Flaugh, Pickleball meets on Monday from 6:45 9:00 p.m. in the Family Center. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call Vince Ganshorn at Worship Service Online. If you are unable to attend church on Sunday and would like to worship with us through the internet, log on to and click on Resources at the top of the page. Then, click on Live Stream. The services start at 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Creative Sewers will meet Tuesday, April 3, at 11:30 a.m. for lunch and sewing. Baptism. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ and have not yet identified yourself with Him through water baptism, pick up a copy of Water Baptism: Truth or Tradition by Gil Rugh. The booklets are free and are available in the lobby book racks. Then, call the church and ask to schedule a baptism interview. Girls Choir meets on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. and is open to all girls in grades Last Week s Message March 25 AM. Gil Rugh. GR Endure for the Rest of the Blessings. Revelation 14:12-13 March 25 PM. Gil Rugh. GR Keep in Step Being New Creations. Galatians 6:15-18 Heartbeat 11

10 This Week s Events Sunday No Sunday Night Church Monday Door to Door Evangelism 6:15 p.m. Pickleball 6:45 9:00 p.m. Sisters 7:00 p.m. Tuesday Titus Tuesday 9:15 a.m. Creative Sewers 11:30 a.m. Wednesday Girls Choir 5:00 p.m. Praise Team, Band 6:00 p.m. Orchestra 6:00 p.m. Awana 6:45 p.m. Choir 7:00 p.m. Junior High Study 7:00 p.m. Issues... World 7:00 p.m. Tour of Israel 7:00 p.m. Thursday Alpha Omega Study 7:00 p.m. Friday Mother of All Garage Sales Lancaster Event Center Saturday Mother of All Garage Sales Lancaster Event Center Dodgeball Tourney 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. Heartbeat April 1, 2018 Vol. 26, No. 12 Editor: Gale Engle Publisher: John Scholle Future Events April 8 VBS Meeting 4:45 p.m. Boys of Faith Dessert Social 7:30 p.m. April 10 Intermission 6:15 p.m. April 11 Tour of Israel 7:00 p.m. April 22 Girls Choir Concert 2:00 p.m. May 4 6 (New Date) Boys of Faith Spring Campout May 6 Graduating Seniors Night May 13 Mother s Day Boys of Faith Last Night Cookout May Girls of Grace Camp May 28 Memorial Day Church Building Closed June 3 Communion June 17 Father s Day June (New Date) Vacation Bible School July 4 Independence Day (Building Closed) July 15 Communion 12 Heartbeat