The Churchtown Weekly Thursday January 17, 2025
Learn-Grow-Become-GO!
Shout it in the assembly.
Shout it to the world. (Psalm 40)
1 Corinthians 3 (BSB)
1Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ. 2I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready, 3for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man? 4For when one of you says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?
Once again Paul addresses the issue of spiritual maturity that leads to unity. Unity of the body is one of the strongest, of not THE strongest, indicator of spiritual maturity because it shows that every individual is committed to the whole and ALL are submitted to God through faith in Jesus Christ.
It is the exact same concept that I teach when teaching about marriage – man and woman submitted to each other by the power of the Holy Spirit which is only possible by their mutual submission to the Lord Jesus Christ.
5What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. 6I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
This reminds me of the many times in Revelation that the servants of God not just remind but boldly order John to not worship them. Worship only God!
10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.
We sure have been talking a great deal about foundations lately. We focused first on the spiritual foundation of the church, and we have surely been blessed. We, of course, have also been discussing the literal foundation of the church – and I believe that this discussion blends with the spiritual in a very profound way. A solid foundation is not only a good thing to have because it provides support when it is in prefect shape – but because it still provides support even when it has been battered or damaged.
Our church has a battered and damaged foundation – but it ain’t goin’ anywhere!
Now if we do not tend to it, it will eventually give out due to sheer neglect, but that is not the case. Just as we looked in the mirror, took an assessment of where we were spiritually as a church, and began to repair and even build-up our spiritual foundation, we are assessing the damage, procuring the people and the funds, and planning to attend to repairing and strengthening our physical foundation.
I think that it is neat that God provide this very real-life object lesson of exactly how a church should be constructed. Pretty cool.
16Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Does what you are about to think, say, or do honor God and His creation? This includes, of course, the image-bearers of God who, regardless of what we may think or feel about them deserve the dignity inherent in bearing God’s image. We certainly exercise proper discernment, prudence, and judgement when dealing with people – we still live as Christians in this fallen, wicked world; but nobody is beyond redemption and for some of those whom we may think are, we may be the only Bible that they ever read. We can perpetuate the problem by continuing to hate and/or completely shut out those whom we deem unworthy – OR – we can live a live worthy of our calling as disciples.
I don’t know about you, but it always seems to work out better for me when I do what God has called me to do, and I trust Him to do what He promises to do.
Let that sink in.
18Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” 20And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
I don’t feel like commenting on this particular passage because it is embarrassing how many times and in how many ways God has humbled me. He knows me. He knows that I get full of myself, even arrogant at times. (praise God for Hid continued work in me to ebb that tide!) so I know He keeps a close eye on me and rebukes, disciplines, humbles me on the regular.
BUT I also know that He does this because He loves me, not because He hates me. Aas the scriptures say, what loving father would NOT discipline his child so that they may grow up knowing the ways of the Lord?
21Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours, 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you, 23and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
There ya go. I could not have said it better myself! (just having fun, Lord, not being arrogant) 😉
Moving forward, let us pledge to love on another with the love that only God can instill within us and stay submitted to and united in HIS purpose, vision, and will – for as we are submitted to Christ Jesus, we belong to each other just as we belon to Christ and Christ, the head of the church, belongs to God.
Amen
WE WILL SEE YOU IN CHURCH!
HEY YOU!
We need some voices to join the New Song Singers as we approach the Easter season! Yes, this means YOU! 😊 Come along with us and have some fun. It is a once a month (sometimes twice) commitment and it is very fun and rewarding. Just talk to Jeff and get on the text group so you know what, when, and where! Please consider it!
If you have not taken the theological study day survey, please do! We want to hear from you! We are making plans for late March or Early April!
You can now subscribe and listen to the
“Churchtown Podcast Network!”
Available on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify, just search “Turning on the Lights!” and “Churchtown Church of God Sermons” – subscribe and then leave a rating and a review! More folks will see it!
*Audio and video are always posted on our YouTube channel @churchtownchurch (there are 1,100 videos there)
Church Calendar
Council prayer is Tuesday January 14th @6:30pm
Kids for Our King! Sunday, January 19!
Congregational prayer is Wednesday January 22 @7pm
Sunday January 26 is our first service of the ordinances for 2025.
Services of the Ordinances:
January 26
April 17 (Maundy Thursday)
July 27
October 26
Thanksgiving Eve Lord’s Supper
Remember, the single biggest reason given for why someone attends church for the first time is that a friend asked them!
As always, we continue in prayer for Churchtown, for our community, for the church universal, and for the lost everywhere.
God is good. God provides. Keep your eyes up and on the cross people.
Be well and do good, my friends. And, as always, Keep Looking Up! The lord comes!
REMEMBER THAT!
Opportunities!
We are always seeking individuals to be trained in technology. We would like to develop TEAMS that could rotate weekends.
There is always the opportunity to provide music – join up with the New Song Singers and / or talk to me about a special prelude or piece.
Gather-Grow-Become-Go
Churchtown Church of God
Sunday, January 19, 2024
Welcome to Churchtown!
We are glad you are here!
“Do, Lord, Remember Me” – Jeff & Aaron
Opening Word
Isaiah 28:14-22 (NLT)
“The Wise Man Built His House”
“Our God Reigns”
Hymn #43, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
Back In the Word
1 Peter 2:1-12 (NLT)
Aaron & Jeff with,
“He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands”
The Final Word
Reading Assignment! 1 Peter 2:13 through chapter
Time of Corporate Prayer
“The Lord’s Prayer”
Postlude, “The Solid Rock”
Your offering to the church is received with humility through the offering box located in the side room as you face the sanctuary. Thank You for supporting The Churchtown Church of God.
As a “little” church, we are always asking the question, “What CAN we do?” Well, we can start by caring for the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of each other.
We CAN serve the next person God places before us.
We CAN invite that person to church!
We CAN be intentional about going to church and strengthening ourselves and the body.
We CAN serve our community and show who Christ is to those who do not know Him.
We CAN PRAY, PRAY, PRAY – and we can REMAIN FATIHFUL!
I Love Being Your Pastor and Your Friend,
Brian
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