How Good it Is to gather together!!

Preparing Your Heart for Worship - January 15, 2017

Last week, we looked at the ordinances Christ gave the church and concluded our time together by worshiping at the Lord’s Table. What a sweet time together as the Body it was. Singing “The Power of the Cross,” “Jesus, Thank You,” and concluding with “Doxology” was truly moving. I love singing together as a Body! 

This week, we’ll be continuing to look at the topic of “What is Worship” by turning our thoughts to what worship in the throne room of heaven looks like. The passage this week is Revelation 4 & 5, where we’re taken into the throne room of heaven and we see what worship around the throne is. When we see this, it can really help us in our own worship. I’m looking forward to our time together. Sunday morning truly is the highlight of my week!

As you prepare for our time together, take a few minutes to read through 1 Corinthians 11:17-33 a time or two. 

While I loved this song even before we learned it, the more we sing it together, the more I’m liking it:

Oh How Good it Is

I loved opening our time together with this song last week - can’t wait to sing it again together this week. 

Here’s the iTunes link: https://itun.es/us/fQrFP?i=696065196

After How Good It Is, we’ll sing the beloved hymn “How Great Thou Art” - every time I hear this, I remember hearing a good friend of mine singing it as he walked around the office. It’s a fun memory, reminding me of the time, many years ago, when I truly grew to love this classic hymn. 

How Great Thou Art

May the Peoples Praise You

Our Choir will be teaching us a new song this week, that we’ll start singing together next week. This song is a wonderful declaration of our purpose in gathering together as God’s people each week to Praise Him. Be sure and listen to it a couple of times. Even though it’s a choir song this week, feel free to sing along with them. I think this is a song that we’ll grow to love singing together really quick. 

Worthy Is the Lamb

The lyrics of this song are very simple, but serve as a wonderful expression of thanks to God for what He did on the cross for us. He is the Lamb of God, slain for our sins!. 

Behold Our God

We’re going to be looking at Revelation 4 & 5 this week, and what better song to focus our minds and hearts on God on His throne than this song? Behold Our God, seated on His throne, come let us adore Him! What a great summary of our desire when we gather together on Sundays!

Holy, Holy, Holy

What better way to conclude our time together than joining with those gathered around the throne of God and singing of His holiness! I can’t wait to sing this song together as God’s people gathered to worship and adore Him!

As always, I’d love for everyone to come back to Sunday Nights @ Fellowship as well. 

We start at 5:00 and are done by 6:00 p.m., so that you have time to go out for dinner or dessert with someone, or even go home early and get ready for what’s coming up this week. 

We’ll be singing Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing and When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,  as well as praying together.  Our study this Sunday evening is in Mark’s gospel.

As you spend time in prayer this week, pray for:

• Rex and those who lead the music in our time together

• Those who will be praying and reading Scripture

• Pray for yourself that God prepares your heart for what He wants to teach you through His Word.

• Pray for the Body that God places in each of us a deep desire to worship Him.

• Pray for me as I prepare to preach from Revelation 4 & 5.

I truly am looking forward to our time together this Sunday!

Rob

Preparing for our time together this coming Sunday! (1/22)

Preparing Your Heart for Worship - January 15, 2017

This Sunday, we’ll continue our “church” series by looking at the “ordinances.” Why do we baptize people the way we do? Why is the term “Baptist” in our church’s name? What exactly is the Lord’s Supper and what role does it play in our lives as Christians? One of the historic definitions of what a church is includes the practice of the Lord’s Table and Baptism. And that is correct, if we’re not baptizing new believers and celebrating the Lord’s Table, we cannot call ourselves a church. We’ll be looking at what the Bible teaches on these two very important subject this Sunday. 

At the conclusion of our gathering, we’ll come to the Lord’s Table together as we celebrate the gospel through this ordinance. Please come with your heart prepared to worship the Lord through this wonderful time together as a Body.

As you prepare for our time together, take a few minutes to read through 1 Corinthians 11:17-33 a time or two. 

At the beginning of our Worship Gathering, we’re going to sing the new song we’ve been learning:

Oh How Good it Is

The more I hear this song and think about the lyrics, the more I’m liking it. Listen to this song a few times so that the melody and words are famililar to you. What a joy it will be to join with your brothers and sisters here at Fellowship to sing this song together!

Here’s the iTunes link: https://itun.es/us/fQrFP?i=696065196

I’ve so enjoyed hearing godly men lead us in prayer each week. We’ll continue with our Prayer of Praise and then quote the Fighter Verse. If you haven’t been able to memorize the verse in the past, let me encourage you to not only memorize it weekly, but also to volunteer to quote it one week. It’s such a blessing to our congregation when someone quotes Scripture! Let me know if you want to quote it one week. 

Our Choir will be singing “Jesus, the Living Stone” as we continue to worship. I’m thankful for these men and women who spend time praying together and preparing to lead us in worship each week. What a blessing to our body they are!

Before the message, we’re going to sing about the Lord Jesus. What better way to prepare our hearts to hear from God’s Word than to sing about our Savior?

The Solid Rock

This version is a little different than how we sing the song, but it’s a really cool version. As always, pay attention to the words - what a beautiful expression of our hope in Christ this song is!

Jesus, Messiah

This acoustic version of the song has a brief explanation of the song at the beginning by Chris Tomlin, who wrote it.

As you prepare for our time together, take some time this week to read through 1 Corinthians 11:17-33 a time or two. This will help prepare you not only for the teaching, but also for receiving the elements later in the service when we approach the Table. 

After the message about the Ordinances that Christ has given us as a church, we’ll come to the Lord’s Table together. As we take the bread and the cup, we’ll sing several songs together. 

The Power of the Cross

From the very first time I heard this song, I was captured by the powerful gospel message contained in it. While there are many wonderful songs that contain the message of Christ, this one has always stood out to me for it’s clarity of message. This version ends with “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” - this is six minutes and 48 seconds that will bless you!

Jesus, Thank You

The line in this song, “once your enemy, now seated at Your table, Jesus Thank You” - WOW! Just thinking that He took me, when I was His enemy and not only declared me “not guilty” of my sins, but actually invited me to sit down at His table and commune with Him. That thought truly does overwhelm me every time I sing this song. I look forward to singing this song every time it’s a part of our worship gathering. 

Doxology

Growing up, we sang this song at the end of our evening service every single Sunday. As an adult, I’ve grown to appreciate the lyrics much more than I did as a child. What a beautiful expression of praise to our God this song is. 

(Before you go, here’s a sneak peek of one of the songs we’ll be learning together in the next week or so: )

Don’t forget to come back to Sunday Nights @ Fellowship as well. 

We start at 5:00 and are done by 6:00 p.m., so that you have time to go out for dinner or dessert with someone, or even go home early and get ready for what’s coming up this week. 

We’ll be singing Grace Greater Than Our Sin, Blessed Assurance and Jesus Paid It All as well as praying for our church and the new administration leading our country. Our study this Sunday evening is in Matthew’s gospel.

As you spend time in prayer this week, pray for:

Rex and those who lead the music in our time together

Those who will be praying and reading Scripture

Pray for yourself that God prepares your heart for what He wants to teach you through His Word.

Pray for the Body that God places in us a desire to serve Him with all of our lives.

Pray for me as I prepare to preach and lead us to the Lord’s Table.

I truly am looking forward to our time together this Sunday!

Rob

What a great Sunday we have coming!!

Preparing Your Heart for Worship - January 15, 2017

We began this series last week with this intro: Why do we go to church on Sunday mornings? Do we go just because that’s what we do on Sundays, or is there a greater purpose? And when we arrive, why do we do what we do? And what IS the church? What does the Bible say we are to be?

Last week, we looked at three characteristics that the church must have from 1 Corinthians 12:12 - Holiness, Unity, and Love. This week, we’ll be turning our thoughts toward God Himself. If we are to be holy, unified, and loving, then we’re truly reflecting the character of God Himself. As we continue in this series, we all need to have a unified understanding of what it means to worship the God that we reflect. We’ll look first into the theology of worship. What it is Biblically. In the next couple of weeks, we’ll look at some specifics of how we practice worship. 

I know that this is only the second week of this series, but as we move into it, I’m really excited about all that God has for us as a Body of Believers. The church truly is a beautiful institution of God and the more we understand it, we’ll be able to reflect His character better and glorify Him more and more. 

As you prepare to gather together with your brothers and sisters in Christ, here are the songs we’ll be singing as well as some of the other things we’ll be doing this Sunday. Also, read through Ephesians 4 as well as 1 Corinthians 12. (Read chapters 13 & 14 if you have time). 

We’re Here to Worship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB4MXc_0NOw

After hearing about the circumstances surrounding the writing of this song, it will bring a fresh meaning to singing it together.   

10,000 Reasons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E

The line “it’s all because of Jesus I’m alive” summarizes this song perfectly. This song is a great celebration of what Christ has done for us!

Meditating on God’s Word

The Fighter Verse returns this week as we again commit to memorizing God’s Word together. 

Prayer of Praise

One of the things we’re instructed to do when we gather is to Pray. As believers, we want to always come to God with words of praise and honor. I’m so grateful for those who come prepared to lead us so well in these times of worshiping God through our prayers. 

Choir Anthem: Almighty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN3h4BrEmA8

Our choir always does a great job of turning our thoughts to God and His attributes. This song, written by Chris Tomlin a couple of years ago, not only declares the Mightiness of God, but celebrates His holiness, sovereignty, eternality, omnipotence, and majesty as we worship the great I AM. 

Oh How Good it Is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV_hNTpKO-E

The Choir introduced this song last week. What an amazing song that encapsulates so well the whole “vibe” of the sermon series we’re in right now. We’ll be singing it together this Sunday, so listen to it a few times with the lyrics in front of you (they’re at the bottom of this blog) so that we can all sing it together when we gather. 

Sermon: Church - What Is Worship?

This topic will definitely take more than one week to cover. This week, we’ll begin looking at what worship is and focus on the theological aspect of worship. We’ll begin in Psalm 96, and then look at Revelation 4 and 5, along with some other passages as we consider the biblical meaning of worship. Next week, we’ll be studying how we worship through the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Table, and the following week we’ll talk about the practice of worship. (Sneak peek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EakiLL70s6k)

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnYtgEPRIkk

I can’t imagine that you’re not familiar with this great classic hymn. Some hymns are called “classic” for a reason and with this one, it’s very obvious. As we consider who the One whom we worship and adore, one of the attributes of God that we are so grateful for is His faithfulness. The youtube video isn’t the best, but the group singing it is amazing. If you have iTunes, you should download their version. Here’s the link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/great-is-thy-faithfulness/id979907484?i=979908339

Silent Contemplation

Before concluding our time together, we’ll spend a minute or twoin silent contemplation, thinking about the One whom we praise.

Holy, Holy, Holy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIHD40CZY34&index=4&list=PLGA0bwvejTIXOEUR8smZXFYpP_P6tg_yH

What better way to end our time together than singing of the holiness of our Great and Awesome God!! 

Prayer of Consecration

We’ll be dismissed us with a prayer of consecration, reminding us that we are to live lives that are consecrated to him in every detail!

Don’t forget to come back to Sunday Nights @ Fellowship as well. 

We start at 5:00 and are done by 6:00 p.m., so that you have time to go out for dinner or dessert with someone, or even go home early and get ready for what’s coming up this week. We’ll be singing Victory In Jesus, Nothing But the Blood, and Now Why this Fear as well as praying for our church and our community. Our study this Sunday evening is in the book of Hebrews.

As you spend time in prayer this week, pray for everyone who will be leading in worship as we gather together, including yourself. Pray that you come with a heart prepared for all that God wants to do in your life. Pray for our church that through this sermon series, God stirs in us a fresh desire to grow in holiness, unity, and love. 

Can’t wait to see you all this coming Sunday!

Rob

Contemplating on yesterday's message (the "AfterBlog")

Assignment this week: Read through Ephesians in one sitting (it should take about 30 minutes). As you read keep this Summary of Ephesians in mind: Peace with God, unity, spiritual restoration, our salvation overall - is described within the context of the Body of Christ.

Why do we, Fellowship Baptist Church, exist?

This new sermon series will answer questions like: 

What is the church? 

Why do we call ourselves “Baptist?”

Why do we sing, pray, and read the Bible so much?

Why does the word “gospel” come up so frequently?

What is church membership?

and many more. 

The ultimate goal of this sermon series is:

For each of us individually

to Love Christ more,

to Love the Body more

And Together Grow in holiness, unity, and love

So that Christ is glorified both in us and through us. 

This series builds on our Church Mission statement: Worshiping Jesus, Following Jesus, Sharing Jesus, TOGETHER! both theologically and practically.

This week’s central passage is 1 Corinthians 12:12 – For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

1 Corinthians is instruction to our church in many areas, including holiness, unity, and love

Three things need to be emphasized as we begin:

• Holiness

1 Corinthians 1:2-3 – To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus...

1 Peter 1:13-17 – ...as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct

Holiness carries the idea of “other.” 

The one who is holy - is strange. To our world - it just doesn’t make sense. 

1 Corinthians 1:18 – the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing

The Gospel is crazy. It doesn’t make sense. 

1 Corinthians 3:16 – ...you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 

As a believer, you possess the Spirit of God inside you. If that’s not a call to holiness, I don’t know what is. 

1 Corinthians 6:11, 19-20 – ...you were sanctified... ¹⁹ your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, ... ²⁰ ...so glorify God in your body.

Isaiah 6, Psalm 145, Romans 7, Psalm 22:3 

In the death of Christ on the cross - we see His holiness more clearly than anywhere else.

Holiness is not optional. It’s not something that is a advanced-level trait

Ephesians 1:4 ...that we should be holy..

We cannot together be something that we’re not striving toward individually. 

Holiness doesn’t just happen. 

• Unity

1 Corinthians 1:10-12 – I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Ephesians 2:13-14 – in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

1 Corinthians 3:3 – while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

This a strong correction. Don’t act like the world. 

Unity really does wrap around everything else in the church.

Ephesians 4:16 – the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 

Philippians 1:27 – Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, [what does that look like?]: standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

• Love

Colossians 3:12-14 – Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved... as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

1 Corinthians 8-14 is really all about love.

John 13:34-35 – [Jesus commands us to] love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

The 47 “One Anothers” in the New Testament are mostly about love.

1 Peter 1:22  – Fervently love one another from the heart

1 Corinthians 14 begins with “pursue love” and then shows us practically what it looks like.

In the Body - our goal should be to edify the other person - not yourself. 

When we gather, we should be focused on what’s edifying for the other person

• Why all of this is necessary?

The character of the church is to reflect the character of God.

We are to be holy because God is holy

1 Peter 1:16 – You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

1 Corinthians 11:1 – Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 

Hebrews 12:14 – Strive for .... holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:2 – to those sanctified in Christ Jesus,

1 Corinthians 6:11, 19-20 – you were sanctified... So glorify God in your body.

We are to be Unified because God is One.

To not be unified is to tell a lie about God. 

1 Corinthians 12:20 – many parts, yet one body. 

We must constantly ask ourselves these questions:

• How am I reflecting holiness?

• How am I contributing to unity?

• How am I showing love?

both in my personal life

and as part of the Body?

Listen to this song, which is a wonderful call to put all of this into action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZmS81yLjM

Preparing your Heart for Worship 1-8-17

Preparing Your Heart for Worship - January 8, 2017

Most Christians attend church. Some more regularly than others. Why do we go to church on Sunday mornings? Do we go just because that’s what we do on Sundays, or is there a greater purpose? And when we arrive, why do we do what we do? And if we “zoom out” we have to ask the question, what exactly IS the church? What is our fundamental purpose? What is the foundation for all that we do?

While some of this will be review for some, we’ll also go a little bit deeper and expand our understanding of who we are and what we do in this series titled “Church: Reflecting God’s Character.”

I’m really excited to spend several weeks looking closely at all of this so that we can all be “on the same page” and not only love Christ more, but also love each other more, and put the gospel on beautiful display before the world. 

As you prepare to gather together with your brothers and sisters in Christ, here are the songs we’ll be singing as well as some of the other things we’ll be doing this Sunday. Also, read through Ephesians 4 as well as 1 Corinthians 12. (Read chapters 13 & 14 if you have time). 

Amazing Grace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ71RWJhS_M

After hearing about the circumstances surrounding the writing of this song, it will bring a fresh meaning to singing it together.   

All Because of Jesus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgLAk9S1gFA

The line “it’s all because of Jesus I’m alive” summarizes this song perfectly. This song is a great celebration of what Christ has done for us!

Prayer

It’s always such a joy to pause and spend time praising God in prayer. 

Meditating on God’s Word

The Fighter Verse returns this week as we again commit to memorizing God’s Word together. 

Offering & Offertory

We need to remember that every good and perfect gift comes from God. We also have the joy and privilege of bringing a portion of what He has placed in our care and offering it to Him as a sacrifice. While we give to God and contemplate the many things He has blessed us with our choir lead us in worship by singing about our Almighty God.

Our Choir will be singing this song during the offering. It's an amazing song about how good is to be a part of the body of Christ. It's a wonderful summary of the sermon series that starts this Sunday as well:

Be Thou My Vision

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2S9LX5M9Ds

The best way to listen to this song is with the lyrics in front of you. This song is so rich, you’ll probably want to listen to it a few times. You can find the lyrics here: http://www.hymnary.org/text/be_thou_my_vision_o_lord_of_my_heart

We Are the Body of Christ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WJL5Ccw3b8

This new song celebrates who we are as the Body of Christ. It’s a great expression of our unity in Christ as well as how we are to serve Him. 

Sermon: Church - 1 Corinthians 12:12

As we begin our series about what church is, we’ll look at three specific aspects of God’s character and how and why we are to reflect these attributes as a church. We’ll be looking at many different passages, throughout not only 1 Corinthians, but other passages as well. Be praying for me as I prepare to preach as well as our entire congregation that we would come together in holiness, unity, and love as we study God’s Word together. 

O Church Arise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x63cVewXAeg

We’re called to engage the world with the Gospel. This song is a great celebration of that. 

Silent Contemplation

We’re going to end our service with a time of silent contemplation, thinking about what God has taught us through His Word, singing, and praying together.

Prayer of Consecration

We’ll be dismissed us with a prayer of consecration, reminding us that we are to live lives that are consecrated to him in every detail!

As you spend time in prayer this week, pray for Rex and those who will be leading us in worship, as well as me as I prepare to lead us into a deeper understanding of what it means to be the Body of Christ. 

Can’t wait to see you all on Sunday!

Rob