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Weekend Prep (Part 2)

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I just finished the sermon for this coming Lord’s Day from Luke 15:11-16. It is part 1 of 3 sermons on “The Compassionate Father and Lost Sons”. In this sermon, I hope to engage hearts as God’s Word shows us what it looks like to be lost. Honestly, I think one reason so many of us don’t love the lost like we should is that we have forgotten what it was like to be lost. God’s Word is up to the challenge of engaging us on this idea. Plan to join us this weekend.

Lord’s Supper This Sunday AM

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Yes, this Sunday AM we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper together. If you get a chance, work through the following links to get a good, Cross-centered focus working as we come to the table together.

Prayer for Lord’s Supper from Valley of Vision

From Matthew Henry’s Method for Prayer: Prayers For the Lord’s Supper (In Preparation for the Lord’s Supper, In the Celebrating of the Lord’s Supper, and After Celebrating the Lord’s Supper)

8/16 Recap…

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Yesterday’s sermons are up and on the web…

In the AM, “God and The Lost (2)” from Luke 15:8-10, we noticed how we can have heart attitudes that match God’s heart for the lost. The parable of the lost coin speaks volumes into our lives in this regard.

In the PM, “God Isn’t Pleased” from Hosea 8:1-9:17, we sought to find a course that would please God by looking at what provoked His displeasure.

I thought we had a great Lord’s Day. Lots to chew on and lots to spur us on in further growth and sanctification. Any thoughts on your end?

A Pastor’s Prayer (On Sun AM)…

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Father,

You have brought me out of darkness into Your light,
And called me to tell those in darkness of Your light.

You have sent me as salt into the earth,
And use my stewarding of Your Word
to call others as salt into the earth.

You found me when I was lost,
And have set me apart to find the lost,
And equip the saints to find the lost.

Give grace, I pray, to me in this hour,
To manifest Your Word in humbled pow’r.

In my words may You be praised,
Your people injured and then graciously raised.

I bow before You in desperate need,
For Your sweet mercies I insatiably plead.

Allow this to happen because of Your Son,
In His name I pray…may Your will be done.

Amen.

Spurgeon on the Lost Coin…

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In prep for Sunday AM, I thought it doesn’t get any better than Spurgeon himself, commenting on Luke 15:8-10…

Did the woman rejoice at finding her piece of silver, that she had lost, and shall not God much more rejoice over an inestimably precious human soul which had been lost, but which, through Grace, is found again? Ah, yes, there is joy in Heaven! There is joy in all heavenly hearts! There is joy in all who are the friends of Christ when lost ones are found! There was another quiet stroke at the Pharisees and scribes who were proved not to be the friends of the soul-seeking Savior because they did not rejoice with Him over those whom He had found. If they had been at all like the angels in Heaven, as they thought they were, they would have been glad that the Lord Jesus Christ had come to seek and to find the lost. Then came the third most touching panel of the picture—perhaps the best beloved of all the parables—one which, like a key, fits the locks of the human heart and many a time has opened the heart.

Ministry Success Defined..

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from Tony Payne (thanks JT)…

The measure of how ministry is progressing in your church or fellowship, and the way to evaluate whether you are making progress, is not attendance on Sunday, signed up members, people in small groups, or the size of our budget (as important and valuable as all these things are!). The real test is how successfully you are making disciples who make other disciples. Are we seeing people converted from being dead in their transgressions to being alive in Christ? And once converted, are we seeing them followed-up and established as mature disciples of Jesus? And as they become established, are we training them in knowledge, godliness and skills so that they will in turn make disciples of others?

This is the Great Commission—the making of disciples who obey all that Christ has taught, including the command to make disciples. And this is the touchstone of our faithfulness to Christ’s mission in the world, and the sign of a healthy church: whether or not it is making genuine disciple-making disciples of Jesus Christ.

Aaron Fenlason

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Had a great meeting this afternoon with Aaron Fenlason, pastor of New Life Church in Wichita. Aaron blogs at Hope of Righteousness. There were so many areas of agreement in which we found as we talked today. It was indeed sweet fellowship and encouraging to hear of this amazing work. The church meets at 242 S. Edwards in Wichita (north of Friends University). Pray for this work as they are currently looking for a like-minded leader to help in leading the musical parts of worship. Let’s ask God to do amazing things through Aaron and this church.