The Beacon of New Bethel Baptist Church October 2018

Transcription

1 The Beacon of New Bethel Baptist Church October 2018 XXXVIII Issue #2 Did Jesus Really Claim to be God? Not only do we want to know what we believe, but we should know why we believe it. We started a new sermon series through the Gospel of Mark a couple of weeks ago and in the very first verse, Mark declares, The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God (Mark 1:1). These words should not be taken lightly. We will only come to the Father through Jesus Christ and we can only do that if Jesus truly is God. He did not just die for our sin on the cross and stay buried. He atoned for our sin and rose again, conquering the grave and now interceding for us at the right hand of God the Father. While knowing this great gospel truth is certainly a personal thing to each and every one of us, it is not a private thing and we must be able to articulate why we believe this to be true. With that said, allow me to share a few insights into the deity of Christ that may reaffirm what you already know, or possibly jumpstart you into seeking the truth that can only be found in Christ Jesus our Lord. You know, critics of Christianity will often attempt to discredit the deity of Christ. Richard Dawkins is quoted as saying, There is no good historical evidence that he even thought he was divine. Of course, Dawkins, like many others would be wrong in their assertions, because the Bible clearly, and historically, shows that Jesus did claim to be God. Matthew 26:43-44 shows us, while being questioned by the high priest regarding His claim to be the Son of God, Jesus affirmed that He was. Critics will often point out that Jesus most often referred to Himself as, The Son of Man, so He was really claiming to be human and not God. However, the term Son of Man is far from an admission to being a mere human. We know that Jesus was fully God and fully man. As we continue our Wednesday night study here at New Bethel through the book of Daniel, chapter seven shows us that he prophesied he saw, a son of man coming with clouds of heaven with authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world with an eternal rule that will never end or be destroyed (Dan. 7:13-14). So, obviously this is not a description of a just another mortal human being. In the aforementioned verses of Matthew, Jesus continued His answer to the high priest and said, But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven (Matt. 26:44), affirming the prophecy set forth by Daniel. Daniel s prophecy clearly defines a divine figure and that One has come in Jesus Christ. So, what assertions did Jesus make to show that He was God? It was very clear that He asserted His deity because it was the very reason why the religious leaders wanted to put Him to death. The Bible says, This is why the Jews began trying all the more to kill Him: Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, Making Himself equal with God (John 5:18). And Jesus went on to tell them in John 5:25, I assure you: An hour is coming, as is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

2 On more than one occasion, Jesus assertion to His deity caused those around Him to want to stone Him to death. Both John 8 and John 10 point to such occasions as Jesus referred to Himself as, I Am, and One with the Father. His authority as God was also on display as He forgave sins in Mark 2:5-7 and He historically made the claim to deity in the final hours before His death in Mark 14:61-64, when asked if He was the Messiah, or Son of the Blessed One. He assuredly answered, I Am. Everything Jesus did confirmed who He was and is best seen in His miracles. To define a miracle, Josh McDowell says, It is a religiously significant intervention of God in the system of natural causes. While some may say these miracles cannot happen because they defy the laws of nature, they forget that the One who Created is the same One who can step into nature and intervene as He desires. And this is exactly what Jesus did. He calmed a storm in Matthew 8. He made a mute person speak in Matthew 9. He fed 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and a couple of fish in Matthew 14. He cast out demons in Mark 5, walked on water in Mark 6, brought sight to a blind man in Mark 10, and made a tree wither just by cursing it in Mark 11. He healed someone who was paralyzed in Luke 5. He raised a young boy from the dead in Luke 7. He cleansed lepers in Luke 17. He turned water into wine in John 2, made lame people walk in John 5, and forgives sin in John 8. These are not the actions of a mere human being. Jesus was not just a great teacher, He was not just another man, He was truly the Son of the Living God! My hope and prayer for our church is that we grow in spiritual maturity as we seek to draw near to God in all areas of our lives. We must be obedient to share the gospel with all who would believe knowing full well the One we have believed in and by being persuaded that He is able to guard us. The Bible tells us, Honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you. However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear (1 Pet. 3:15-16). May we grow together as we share the good news of our faith, praise God for all He has done. It has been said, If what you believe doesn t make a difference, then it doesn t matter what you believe. Let s make a difference in our homes, in our work, and in the community for Jesus Christ by growing closer to Him and learning how we can best defend our faith with mercy, gentleness, and love toward others. May God bless us as we seek Him continually and share our faith with others, Pastor Chad Sources: Josh and Sean McDowell. 77 FAQ s About God and the Bible: Your Toughest Questions Answered. (Eugene, OR. Harvest House Publishers, 2012). Richard Dawkins. The God Delusion. (New York, Mariner, 2008).

3 October 14 Blood Pressure Screening October 21 Wear Pink to Church October is Health Literacy /Breast Cancer Awareness Month Health literacy means understanding health information and finding health services you need. Research has shown that only 12% of adults have health literacy sufficient to manage their health and prevent disease. Lack of health literacy can lead to repeated hospitalizations, difficulties with chronic health problems, and failure to use preventive measures to prevent health problems. Let s face it doctors are often in a hurry and some use a lot of big medical terms that we don t understand. Medical professionals are primarily responsible for assuring health literacy, but there are some things you can do to increase your understanding and find resources. Speak up when you don t understand. A program called Ask Me 3 suggests you ask your doctor: What is my main problem? What do I need to do? Why is it important for me to do this? Getting your information on the web can be chancy. I suggest you look for reliable sites, such as the Mayo Clinic at mayoclinic.com. Websites that are promoting a specific treatment or medication are probably not the best place to start. Questions about medication may be addressed by your pharmacist. For chronic conditions, a nurse or social worker may be able to recommend a support group. We also asking that you wear pink to church on Sunday, October 21 to raise awareness about breast cancer. Please join the Reapers Sunday school class for a "free" luncheon after the morning worship service on October 21. We are hosting a fiesta bar with tacos and piñatas full of candies for the children. It really is free but you may donate cash to help pay postage for the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes if you wish.

4 Children s Department News October 5 th here at New Bethel we will be having a lock-in children in grades 1 st- 6 th. The fun will begin at 7:00 pm with pizza and games. Nerf Wars will be going on so bring your nerf gun!! You will need to bring a sleeping bag or a blanket and a pillow to sleep with. Also you will need to bring a snack and drinks to share. We will have a pancake breakfast on Saturday morning (October 6) before parents picking you up at 9:00 am. Contact Pam Kirk if you have any questions. Friends and family, at New Bethel Baptist Church on Saturday, October 27 we will be having our annual Fall Festival/TRUNK OR TREAT. The fun is from 5:00-8:00 p.m. We will have a devotion, hay ride, photo booth, bouncy house, prizes, and costume contest for kids & youth. Youth, start your ovens as we will be having a dessert bake-off and adults will be having chili cook-off. Prizes will be awarded for the costume contest and for the bake-off and chili cook-off. Last but not least there will be trunk or treating! Adults, you are welcome to decorate your trunks and give out candy. Hot dogs will be provided; bring a side dish and 2 liter to share. Come out and enjoy a great night of fellowship, fun, food and treats with us! Everyone is welcome! 4 th, 5 th, and 6 th Graders Announcing a great place for children to learn about God, the Bible, and have fun at the same time! Children s Bible Drill meets on Wednesday nights at 7:00 pm at New Bethel Baptist Church. Participating in Bible Drill is about learning verses in God s word and what they mean. With the knowledge base learned in Bible Drill, a child can learn about Jesus and what he can mean to their life. Children s Bible Drill is about memorizing scripture with the meaning of the verses being discussed each week. Bring your friends and enjoy Children s Bible Drill Call Don Kemper at or donkemper@twc.com, if you have questions.

5 October 1 st Wellness Team Meeting 6:30 pm 3 rd Adult Bible Study 7:00 pm 5 th Children s Lock-In 7:00 pm 6 th Trustees Work Day 9:00 am-12:00 pm Operation Christmas 9:00 am-12:00 pm Child Packing Party 7 th Operation Christmas Child Kick-Off Youth Meeting TeamKid Meeting 8 th Columbus Day 9 th WMU Meeting 6:30 pm 10 th Adult Bible Study 7:00 pm 14 th Blood Pressure Screening after service 17 th Business Meeting 7:00 pm 19 th 5th Quarter after the game 21 st Operation Christmas 12:00 pm Child Luncheon Wear Pink to Church today 24 th Adult Bible Study 7:00 pm 26 th 5th Quarter after the game 27 th Trunk or Treat 5:00-8:00 pm 28 th Youth Meeting TeamKid 31 st Adult Bible Study 7:00 pm November 3 rd Operation Christmas Child 9:00 am Packing Party Trustees Work Day 9:00 am-12:00 pm 4 th Youth Meeting TeamKid Meeting 5 th Wellness Team Meeting 6:30 pm 7 th Adult Bible Study 7:00 pm 11 th Blood Pressure Screening Operation Christmas Childe Shoebox Collection Day TeamKid Meeting Youth Meeting 13 th WMU Meeting 6:00 pm 14 th Adult Bible Study 7:00 pm 17 th Church Wide Thanksgiving Dinner 6:00 pm 18 th Youth Meeting TeamKid Meeting 22 nd Thanksgiving Day 28 th Adult Bible Study 7:00 pm SUNDAY 9:30 Fellowship Time 9:45 Bible Study 10:55 Morning Worship September Attendance Bible Study Worship 2 nd th th rd th Average

6 Deacon of the Week 7 th Jimmie Webster 14 th Don Kemper 21 st Jack Blackburn 28 th Dennis Rich Nursery Worker Schedule 7 th Karla Porter & Lacey Alford 14 th Jackie & Ally Blackburn 21 st Kathy McDannold & Philip Blackburn 28 th DeDe Hagstrom & Jenny Burch Van Driver Schedule 7 th Bill Wethington th Lisa Strunk st Erick & Stephen Greener th Dan Montgomery Contact Us New Bethel Baptist Church P.O. Box Verona Mudlick Road Verona, KY (859) Bro. Chad Brannan, Pastor: pastorchad@nbbcky.com Stacey Griffin, Minister of Music: sgriffin@nbbcky.com Robert Strunk, Minister of Youth: brotherrobert@nbbcky.com Kathy McDannold, Administrative Assistant: kmcdannold@nbbcky.com Visit us on the web at 1 st Julie Sullivan 2 nd Dana Behne Jason Fishel 4 th Ruth Riley 5 th Mike Finn 6 th Trinity Bloomer 8 th Jerome Behne Nathan Strunk 9 th Misty Ryan Frilling 11 th Baylee Moffett 13 th Janet Lucas Rebecca Warner 14 th Billy Catlett Stephanie Greener 15 th David Lucas 16 th Mark Lawson Luke Lawson 17 th Aubrey Spencer 19 th Pat Blackburn Tyler McDannold Alan Knochelman 20 th Jonathan Helvey 23 rd Enna Blackburn 28 th Maddox Moffett Lilia Brown Reagan Rich 29 th Margaret Kruse Gale Lewis 31 st Jonathan Morrisey Philip Mastin