Fun in the Son

Many thanks to Cathy Garvin for snapping a few photos yesterday. I appreciate everyone coming out to smile, play, and be thankful for freedom in Christ. Roger Mason was excellent on the grill and the spread of food by all of you was excellent. If anyone else took fun photos, please share!

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Pool Devotional Celebrate Freedom

John Chapter 5:1-17

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaica] called Bethesda,b] which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.c] One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Now that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jewsd] said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’ 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
 
John 8:31-38

The Truth Will Set You Free

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slaveb] to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”


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Sermon Notes: 7/4 Freedom

  • Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-19: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.
    •  
  • Welcome to Central Church of Christ.  Not a place, but a people called out to show God’s love, tell God’s story, and be God’s family. We are still talking about church Leadership since we’re right smack dab in the middle of affirming elders and deacons. Let me tell you, Good leadership brings freedom.  Freedom to grow, freedom to dream, freedom to live a life of hope rather than fear. Today, let’s talk about Freedom, and one of the symbols of freedom in the Bible.
      • God knows that a child possesses all the potential to change the world!
  • Exodus 2:3 tells us “When (his mother) could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank.”
  • God caused Moses to be “instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians”Acts 7:22
  • Ephesians 2:10 tells us that YOU “are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
  • I Corinthians 1:25-29 tells us that “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noblebirth.
  • But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is WEAK in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
  • In Deuteronomy 18:17-19 the LORD said to Moses: 
  • “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.”
  • I Corinthians 10:1-2 Paul wrote: “I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.”
  • Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:5-11

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Central Celebration of Freedom

Central Event: Join us this Sunday for a time of celebrating of God’s gift of freedom. We have reserved the Sparta YMCA pool on Sunday, July 4th from 1-3pm for swimming, food, and fun fellowship in the sun. We’ll light the griddle up immediately for a late lunch of burgers, dogs, & brats. We’ll provide the main course and drinks, you just bring a side or dessert, a friend, and a smile. We’ll have a devotional time of singing, message, and prayer. RSVP to Topher with your intended numbers to be sure we have enough food to go around. We love you and hope you enjoy a great weekend celebrating God’s gift of freedom.

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Central Prayer Request for the Crosslin Family

Central Prayer Request: As you may have noticed in the church email today, there are three prayer requests related to Karen Crosslin’s family. Karen’s brother, Steve Green (Mississippi), has been diagnosed with advanced stage cancer and will be undergoing treatments to slow the spread. Karen’s 91-year-old father has Alzheimer’s, heart issues, and suffered a fall. Karen’s uncle Stanley is also struggling through chemotherapy right now. Please pray for strength and peace for all three of these individuals, for Karen, for her mother, and for their entire family.
Also, I believe Tommy’s last day at work is today at Walmart. Please pray for Tommy’s transition into retirement!

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Ronald Allison sets a record

Ronald Allison set a new track record and brought home the 1st place trophy this weekend at the Farmington Dragway in North Carolina. Congratulate him on this amazing achievement at just 76 years young! 

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New Visitor – Jane Peters

Request for Cards: On Sunday our church had two new visitors, Jane and Tim Peters. Tim is Jane’s son and he is a deacon at the Bethel Church of Christ in Dunlap, TN. Tim has requested that we wrap welcoming arms around his mom who lives here in Sparta. Her husband of 60 years passed away on June 10th. Jane was a delight at church services on Sunday and when we visited at her house on Tuesday. Please show her the love of Christ as she goes through a tough transition of life.
 
Jane’s address:
Jane Peters
4680 Monterey Hwy
Sparta, TN 38583
 
Phone: 931-739-4680

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SonShine with Central Youth

Some youth from Central joined forces to spread some extra “SonShine” today by making goody bags, delivering, and singing at homes. We also enjoyed a few other shenanigans around town as evidenced by the smiles and sweat throughout the photos. Special thanks to Ashley Wiles for organizing!
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” – 1 Timothy 4:12

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News from El Salvador

Here’s a message I received from Jimmy Wallace in El Salvador this weekend: 
“The trip is going well. We were encouraged today we went to a church up close to the Honduran border called Lago de Aguilar. It is up on the mountain very near a defunct volcano that has a lagoon in it. We met with three churches this morning and had VBS and a Devo and food distribution. We went up to the church on top of the mountain where project Nehemiah had built a building and a Sunday school building for the children last year. We met the preacher who is very ill with heart problems and had prayer with him. These people walk at least a mile if not more twice a week for church and they have a membership of about 40 not counting the children. We were very encouraged to see what had gone on there and that there are dedicated Christians who are enduring great hardships. We have had good programs in Candelaria, El tule, apopa, and San Juan opico. We will be going to Lourdes and San Bartolo tomorrow. We will distribute 800 children’s bags, 175 bags for babies and 1,000 bags of food. I am greatly impressed by the way the church is growing in these small towns way out in the country. The gospel is being spread. Thanks for keeping up with us. Glenda is having a great time and having great new experiences. Most of the pictures we have are on Pat’s phone and I will send you a couple of them via Gmail. Thanks a lot you guys take care. Give our love to all.”


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Sermon Notes: 6/27 Leadership

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:42-45

  • WELCOME: To Central Church of Christ, not a place, but a people called to show God’s love, tell God’s story, and be God’s family. As we continue in the process of affirming elders and deacons on July 18th, it’s wise for us to consider the nature of servant leadership in Christ’s church.  Please turn to 1 Peter 5 in your Bibles or in the sermon notes.
  • Pilot’s Speeches – http://english4aviation.pbworks.com/w/page/33990005/Speech%20suggestions

“To the elders (presbuteros) among you, I appeal as a fellow elder (presbuteros), a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds (poimainō) of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers (episkopeō) — not because you must, but because you are willing….” (1 Peter 5:1-2)

“From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders (presbuteros) of the church…. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (episkopos). Be shepherds (poimainō) of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” (Acts 20:17, 28)

Pilot and Seeing Eye Dog

https://laferianews.net/?p=6221

 

Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” – Matthew 15:14

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” I Peter 5:5-6 NKJV

 
I Peter 5:8 says: “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

 

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” I Peter 5:7-10

 
 
 

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2009/april/14/unintentional-king-air-pilot-an-interview-with-doug-white

 

Our Air Traffic Controller has left instructions to get us flying toward home.

  1. Hear (Rom. 10:14-17)
  2. Believe(Mark 16:16)
  3. Repent (Acts 2:38)
  4. Confess(Matt. 10:32-33)
  5. Be Baptized(Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; I Peter 3:21)

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