Man Working Above
Presented by Lucas Griffin
June 13, 2021

“MAN WORKING ABOVE”

This sign reminded me about the Present Ministry of Christ.

What is Christ Doing for Us Today?

1. He Rules the Universe & Holds Creation Together
2. He is Directing The Gospel & Saving Sinners
3. He Is Our Perfect Example
4. He Reveals the Father to us
5. He Helps Us When We Are Tempted
6. He Prays For Us & Makes Intercession For Us
7. He Is Our Great High Priest
8. He Provides Mercy And Grace To Help In Time Of Need
9. He Provides Eternal Hope & Stability For Us
10. He Gives Power & Confidence To Our Prayers
11. He Provides Endurance and Focus for Us
12. He is the Head and Cornerstone of The Church
13. He Oversees The Church & Moves Among Us
14. He is Preparing a Home for Us
15. He is Preparing to Come Again

“MAN” – He Helps Us When We Are Tempted

• Jesus experienced the ups and downs of human life. He was hungry, thirsty, tired, hurt, misunderstood, and even tempted.  Thankfully, Jesus overcame His temptation in the wilderness, and others throughout His life.  He understands our struggles.
• Hebrews 2:17-18 – Therefore, in ALL things He had to be made like Hisbrethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God…For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
• Hebrews 4:15-16 – For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all pointstempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
• The struggles are real, but with Christ’s help they can be overcome. When we win a victory, it brings glory to God and joy to our hearts.

“WORKING” – He Prays For Us & Makes Intercession For Us

• He makes requests on our behalf and brings our prayers before the Father. This is INCREDIBLE because The Lord Jesus cares for us and knows what we need. He asks the Father directly on our behalf.
• John 17:20-23 – “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those whowill believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You;
• Romans 8:34 – Who ishe who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
• Hebrews 7:25-26 – Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always livesto make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;
• 1 John 2:1 –My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
• I am in awe that we have One so great in heaven who prays for us, intercedes, and advocates!

“ABOVE” – He Provides Endurance & Focus for Us

• Hebrews 12:1-3 – Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
• He is Preparing a Home for Us
  John 14:1-2 “Letnot your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 
• He is Preparing to Come Again
  John 14:3 – And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also

BEHOLD!  MY SERVANT  – Isaiah 42:1-4
Presented by Marvin Griffin on February 21, 2021

“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law.”   NKJV

Isaiah applies the name ‘servant’ to the Messiah, to the entire nation of Israel, to the godly remnant of the people, and to Cyrus. Remember God used Cyrus to end the captivity of Israel. Usually the context makes which one is intended. In our portion, it is obvious that the Servant is the Messiah. This verified in Matthew 12 where it applies these verses to the Lord Jesus. This Servant has a very clear mandate. Three times in this short portion we hear it! “He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.” “He will bring forth justice for truth.” “till He has established justice in the earth;” I think we can see in this threepeat

What the Perfect Servant of Jehovah will do.

Behold! My Servant…The Lord calls to all people, Jew and Gentile, to behold (study, focus on) His Servant. He actually is THE Servant because He is servant to the greatest number of people. He is servant of all! “For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:44). He now serves us every day by His care, love, guidance, and intercession.

Whom I uphold…The master-servant relationship is a two-way street. When someone is servant to another, the servant is required to give full service and obedience. But the master is also required to take care of the servant. We can see this as God used a Joseph to flee to Egypt with the young King of the Jews, thus avoiding the clutches of evil Herod. Enemies could not prevail against the Lord Jesus his whole life through. They thought they had the victory when they had Jesus on the cross, but no man took His life from Him, He laid it down of Himself. What a ransom for us and an offering to God!

Dear child of God, God will uphold you as well until your work for Him is done!

My Elect One in whom My soul delights…I appreciated one commentators thoughts of this phrase.

“Jesus is the ultimate Elect One, our election is really a matter of being chosen in Jesus. As Paul wrote in Eph. 1:4 ‘He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.’ ‘ In whom My soul delights.’ shows us that for the Lord, election is not a cold, calculating, technical thing. It is connected deeply with His love and approval. When God chooses someone, His soul delights in them. If you are chosen in Jesus before the foundation of the world, then God says, “My soul delights in you.”

Understanding this, helps us to receive God’s favor, instead of trying to give Him a reason to delight His soul in us! Many of us are trying to earn the approval of God, instead of realising it is His free gift, received by faith, because He has elected/chosen to delight His soul in us!

I have put My Spirit upon Him … In the gospels we read of the baptism of the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit like a dove descending on Him. How gracious of God to give us a visual of this and the audio,

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased!” All of Christ’s service is in the power and flow of the Holy Spirit.

He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles… I am reminded of the 2^nd  Psalm, “I have set my King on the holy hill of Zion.” It’s as good as done in the eyes of God! No longer would sinful, cruel kings rule over the nations. Such kings who dictate who lives and who dies. Too often, it was thumbs down on a whim.

No, it’s in the plans of God. The work of His Servant is to bring justice to the Gentile nations!

V.2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.  This is true in the political arena. Politicians of this world, as they grasp for power, insult each other, bluster and debate with overwhelming talk. Not so our Lord Jesus. When he cried out on the great day of the feast, He was simply inviting the people to receive a blessing. “If anyone thirsts, let him come unto Me and drink.” (John 7). Christ wasn’t self-assertive. Think of the quiet way that God works. He guides the sun and the planets. He refreshes the world with showers. He put the earth in the perfect place in the Milky Way galaxy to sustain life. God does all this so quietly that many people claim there is no God at all. Many people chose to ignore the humble servitude of Christ in providing salvation.

V.3 A bruised reed He will not break and smoking flax he will not quench. Brother/sister, have you been hurt by unkindness and adverse situations? Christ is working in your life to restore you, just the opposite of breaking and throwing in the rubbish heap. Remember the reed instruments can make beautiful music!

Sometimes we feel like smoking flax, more smoke than light or warmth, more discouraging than dispensing blessing. The gentle Saviour ministers to us when we need it most and in unexpected ways and the next thing we know our light is burning brighter!

He will bring forth justice to truth.  I like to see this work of justice as gospel truth. You’ve heard of people stating, “It’s the gospel truth”. Well here is the gospel truth. “You must be born again.” “There is no other Name under heaven, given among men, whereby you must be saved.” “Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” As Paul wrote to the Romans, ”that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” So in the word ‘justice’ I see salvation for a sinner like me!

V.4 He will not fail nor be discouraged The Servant is gentle but not weak. In the words of David Guzic,

“Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus never gets discouraged? When we think of the job He has to do, the obstacles He must overcome, and the tools He has to work with, it is amazing that He never becomes discouraged. It is because He has all power and authority!”

Redpath helpfully informs us, “ ‘fail’ is the same word as ‘smoking’ in ‘smoking flax He will not quench’. ‘Discouraged’ is the same word as ‘bruised’ in ‘a bruised reed He will not break’. So here is the Servant of the Lord…there are no bruises about Him, He is no mere smoking flax. He is well able to do the task of redemption because He is free from all the failures and weaknesses of His people. He has no flaws and blemishes. He is perfection and majestic strength.”

Till He has established justice in the earth  Oh, that little word till (until)! Brother/sister it’s getting real close now! The anti-christ is working behind the scenes in all the current events for his takeover. He will have his day (short day), just after we get called to the glory. Then after the 7 years of the tribulation period and the battle of Armageddon that old dragon will be cast into the bottomless pit. Then the Servant will be the Sovereign of a most glorious and absolutely righteous kingdom!

And the coastlands shall wait for His law  And then, justice in the earth when all people, near and far, will eagerly await every instruction from our King!

AWAIT WITH ME
DAY 1 – PREPARE HIM ROOM

“She… laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).

Even as a child, these words broke my heart.

Maybe ‘because’ I was a child, they broke my heart. I remember watching plays of the nativity throughout my childhood, and always feeling somewhat ashamed on behalf of humankind for turning the unborn Christ away, not to mention His heavily pregnant mother and her most-likely desperate husband. The cruel irony that the One who makes room for us could find no one to make room for Him still tears at my heart. This trend followed Him throughout His life, such that Jesus Himself once said, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). Ugh, I could just cry. Imagine it, Jesus had not even been born yet, and He was already being turned away.

This begs the question: Do I have any room for Jesus? In the craziness of life, which especially seems to mount during the Christmas season, do I get so overwhelmed that I turn Christ away? Do I have any room left in my life for Jesus? Is there still a place within my heart for Him? Will I “prepare Him room” during this Christmas season?

Jesus is not a burdensome guest.

And I think we stumble on this point. In our experience, hosting means added pressure and strain. How often do we stress over the work of hosting only to lose sight of the joy a guest can bring?

Guests are work, without a doubt. It exhausts me to think of all the ways in which I prepare for a guest. Beginning with a deep clean of my home from top to bottom. We’re not talking a cursory whisk around the living room. We’re talking a rearrange-the-furniture kind of clean. A “no one must know that we live here” kind of clean! 😊 Junk goes in the trash and everything in my path is destined for a purging. Nothing is sacred, my kids have learned 😊  Remote corners are attacked with a vengeance, chairs are stacked, couches moved, and cleaning supplies that haven’t seen the light of day are thrown into work. Then there’s the guestroom to set up, possibly resulting in a child inconveniently ousted from her room to bunk in with siblings. Sheets are washed, beds made up, towels laid out. There’s the meal planning, grocery shopping, baking, cooking, oh, and I almost forgot, the added expense. There goes my “new dryer” fund. Is this guest really worth it?

We need to stop. Just. Stop.

Jesus isn’t that kind of guest. He doesn’t need you or your life to be perfect in order for you to make room for Him. He isn’t coming to see your couch. He’s coming to see you. Your drapes neither distract Him nor impress Him. He’s here for you. You just simply need to open your door. Just reach for the handle, turn the knob, and take the step of welcoming Him in. Receiving Him right where He finds you. In your mess. In the disaster. In your chaos. In the fear. In your anxiety. In the broken pieces. In your “not enough’s” and the “what if’s.” Let Him into whatever your life is right now. He’ll do the rest. He’ll be your cleanup crew. He’ll rearrange the furniture (oh, let me tell you, He will). He’ll find His way around just fine. Don’t you worry about a thing. Just let Him into your home, into your heart, into your life. Welcome Him. Make place for Him. Sit down with Him. Enjoy Him. This is what it means to prepare Him room – spend time with Him, relax with Him, and enjoy His company. You’ll soon discover He’s no ordinary, cumbersome, passing guest. He’s one who comes to dwell with you. And once you let Him in, you will never want Him to leave.

PS – Double check your title deed. It just might have His name on it 😊

PPS – Replace your name with Martha’s in this verse: “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).

Joy to the world! The Lord is come.
Let earth receive her King.
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room…

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© Copyright 2020 by Rhoda Griffin.  Please do not copy or distribute this content without the express written permission of the copyright owner.

Amazing Rescue
Written by Mike & Marla Trahan, Josh & Janet  Lampkin
August 17, 2020

The rescue of the 12 young soccer players and their coach from the flooded Tham Luang cave in Thailand captured the world’s attention for 18 days during the summer of 2018 and involved hundreds of divers, rescue workers, and experts from around the world working around the clock to save them.

When the Wild Boars soccer team entered the cave on June 23, 2018, they had no idea of the danger they would soon find themselves in.  What started out as a fun adventure quickly turned into a life or death situation.  They became trapped 4 kilometres inside the cave on a narrow rock shelf by rapidly rising flood waters with no food or fresh water.

The rescue attempt was hindered by strong currents, poor visibility, and further flooding due to the monsoon rains.  But on July 2^nd, after 10 days, they were located… hungry, cold, and wet, but alive.  Now that the rescuers knew where the boys were located, they could provide them with food, blankets, and work on a plan to get them out.  The danger was not over, however.  Most of the boys could not swim, they were weak, and the way out was dark and dangerous with many narrow spots and tight passageways.

On July 8^th, as time was running out due to forecasted increased monsoons, the dangerous rescue began.   One by one, accompanied by three divers, each boy was dressed in a wetsuit, buoyancy jacket, harness, and facemask, attached to an oxygen tank and tethered to a rescuer for the long arduous journey to safety.

Each rescue took 2-3 hours and on July 10^th, the final person was brought out of the cave and the world rejoiced!  Sadness, however, also was felt because of the unfortunate loss of the life of one of the Thai Navy SEAL divers during the rescue preparations.

While the pleasure of sin may seem like a harmless adventure it will take you further and deeper into darkness.  The danger that lies ahead for those who die in their sin is a never-ending darkness.  “For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23 ESV

Like us trapped by sin, these 13 people were helpless to save themselves.  The only way out was to be rescued by those willing to enter the dangerous cave and deliver them.  Like these boys, we need someone willing to come to where we are to save us.

The Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be our rescuer.  “… Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” 1 Timothy 1:15 ESV

This involved the ultimate sacrifice when He gave His own life to save ours.  “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8 ESV

Jesus is our only way of salvation.  “Jesus said, I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6 ESV

This moment is your opportunity to be rescued and the Lord Jesus is able to save you.  “Behold, now is the favourable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”  2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV

The boys did not refuse their rescuers… how will you respond?

“How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?”  Hebrews 2:3 ESV.

1 TIMOTHY 5  – INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS  
Presented by Marvin Griffin
July 15, 2020

Chapter 5 of 1^st Timothy seems to flow out of the preceding verse. For this reason I will read ch. 4:16 before reading chapter 5.

We can assume that Timothy has taken heed to himself and unto the doctrine pertaining to himself. Thus he is saved from going astray and should now apply the doctrine to the rest of the flock to save them from error and sin.

What Paul is concerned about is that Timothy will do this shepherd work in a proper manner. Matthew Henry sees the work of a ‘minister’ to include reproving and he sees each person in verse 1 as being in need of reproof and gives his thoughts on how Timothy should do this. Somewhat differently, I perceive Paul instructing Timothy in the attitude he should take as he cares for the flock in whatever need they may have.

An older man should be treated with respect, not berated with words, but intreated or exhorted gently, as one would honor a father.

A younger man should be treated as an equal, one you would like to see succeed in life even as a brother in your family.

An older woman should be honored as one who herself has cared for others. This has been her life-bent or spent.

A younger woman should be as a sister in your family who you wish to see thrive and be happy.

HONOR TRUE WIDOWS

Verses 3 – 16 concern widows and the length of this passage would indicate the importance of such to God. Of first note, the church should not only treat widows with respect but should give them financial help as needed.  However, children or grandchildren should repay their mother or grandmother for the care she has given them over many years, thus meeting her financial needs.  We do realize that in first world countries, pensions and gov’t benefits provide for the bulk of need.

In verse 5 we seed defined, ‘a widow indeed’.  She is one who has no family and must look to God alone for her sustenance.  She is not a backslider with desires only for pleasure rather than pleasing God.

Timothy is to come on strong about this family support of a widow.  Even most unbelievers provide for their mothers so for a believer not to do this is worse than them.

There  are qualifications for financial aid from the church.  No sister should be on the list for help until they are at least 60 years of age.  She should be noted for faithfulness to her husband and for good works.  She should also have been hospitable and served the saints and cared for the sick.  In other words, every good work.

Don’t put younger widows on the list for financial help. They might say that they wish to stay single to better serve the Lord, but Paul seems to claim a knowledge of the heart of younger women.  He thinks that in time they will want to marry so much that they might even marry an unbeliever, thus casting off their biblical convictions and fall into the condemnation of their fellow saints. This condemnation is not to hell.

Verse 13 seems to flesh out the old adage “The devil finds work for idle hands”  These negative deeds are a temptation for those who don’t have to be busy at work or busy in their own home.

In Verse 14 Paul desires the younger widows to marry with all the duties that would follow.  There is nothing wrong with a believing widow marrying a believing single man .  We do realize that generally the man would need to take the formal initiative but women do have their ways!

In verse 16 Paul for the 3^rd time, states that family should take care of widows so that the church can better care for widows that have no family.

HONOR THE ELDERS

The rest of this chapter deals with elders. The elders who ‘rule’ well should be counted worthy of double honor. Let’s clarify the word ‘rule’ first. Darby would rather the phrase ‘take the lead’ instead of rule. Strongs gives the idea of ‘those that stand before and go before, preside and practice’.  MacD.  says “ It is not a question of control but of example”.

Now as to ‘double honor’ scripture tells us to esteem elders very highly in love for their work’s sake.  This should be doubled up with financial reimbursement, especially for those who are so busy in the word and doctrine that they  aren’t free for regular employment.  Paul now gives two scriptural reasons for this and note, one is from the OT and one from the NT, both equal in authority.

In brief, they state that the working ox gets to eat and the working man gets wages.

Since elders occupy a position of responsibility in the assembly they become a special target for Satan’s attack.  To protect from such, any accusation against them must be verified beyond a doubt by 2 or 3 witnesses.  A sinning elder must be rebuked publicly, as a deterrent to others and as to the seriousness of sin.  Paul now charges Timothy, with God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels as witnesses, that he observe these things without prejudice or favoritism.

While it is easy to see in v. 23, Paul’s personal care for Timothy, I think it is quite evident in v. 22 as well. If Timothy is to support the eldership of a newcomer and the new elder negatively affects the whole church, Timothy himself will be devastated. He would be seen as sharing the new elder’s sins and not keeping himself pure so Paul gives a fair warning indeed with a concern for Timothy’s testimony.

Paul is also concerned about Timothy’s physical well-being and so prescribes a little medicinal wine. Water can contain contaminants which if unmitigated could cause much discomfort. It would seem that Timothy suffered from this.

Vs. 24 & 25 takes us back to the business of elders and those who would take such a responsibility. Some men’s sins are more open and easily disqualify them from becoming elders. Other men’s sins are done in private and don’t come to light until time has passed. In the meantime, these men could be wrongly judged as good and welcomed into overseership too early.

In a similar way, some good works can’t help but be very evident and some may be more retiring and modest and it may take time to prove them good.  Be assured, that time will prove them good.

How Can A Person be Born Again?
Written by Lucas Griffin
June 26, 2020

As you may already know, John 3 is the chapter in the Bible that talks about being “born again” the most.  Just like you may question the concept, so did Nicodemus, a well-educated Jewish leader.  Jesus started off by saying “You MUST be born again…you CANNOT see heaven unless you are born again.”  He then talked about physical (natural) birth AND spiritual birth (born again).  He used natural birth to explain what happens when a person believes in Him (Jesus Christ).  Just like your physical life began at conception, your spiritual life will begin when you come to Jesus as your Saviour.  The Bible is pretty clear that you don’t need to die in order to be born again…you are already dead from a spiritual perspective.  In Ephesians 2:1, it is worded like this – “…you were dead in your trespasses and sins”.  However, because God loves you, he doesn’t want you (or anyone) to remain this way, so He sent Jesus to be the Saviour of the world.  Jesus said in John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  Jesus can offer abundant, eternal life to you today because He gave Himself as your substitute – on the cross, God punished Jesus for all your sin, in your place.  He died so you could live.  On the cross, Jesus took your punishment and paid your debt of sin, instead of you.  When you realize that you are a sinner, but Jesus was punished for your sin on the cross, the Bible (the Word of God) states that your sin is forgiven, you are given eternal life, and you are born into the family of God – you become one of His children! 😊

Here is how Billy Graham explained it many years ago:

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Our first birth gave us physical life; the new birth gives us spiritual life and membership in God’s family (John 1:13). To be born again is to have the Holy Spirit transform our hearts from indifference and hostility toward God to a love of God and a desire for righteousness and holiness. The only way one can come to God and experience what it means to be “born again” is through repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ; read John 14:6. The Bible clearly teaches in Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:5, and Romans 10:13 that salvation is a gift; it cannot be earned in any way.

To receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord means more than accepting Him as a fact of history, a teacher, or an example. It means more than giving mental assent to the fact that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world. It means that one turns from sin and with his or her whole heart trusts in Christ as personal Savior and Lord. God makes that one a new person; see 2 Corinthians 5:17. The Bible says, “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

It is our prayer that you will admit that you are a sinner, acknowledge that you need a Saviour, and accept the truth that Jesus died for your sins on the cross.  At that moment, you will be born again, and you will have eternal life!

The Holy Spirit and Gathering
Presented by Glenn Griffin
May 27, 2020

The Holy Spirit and His Present Ministry of Abiding With, In and Teaching Truth to Believers and Glorifying Christ
“And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him: for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” John 14:16-17

“Howbeit when He the Spirit of truth, is come He will guide(show the way, teach) you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come. He shall glorify Me: for(because) He shall receive of Mine, and will shew(to announce[in detail]) it unto you.” John 16:13-14

The Principle for Every Gathering of a Local Assembly
“For(reason in relation to binding and loosing and also agreeing and asking)
where two or three are gathered together(to lead together i.e. collect or convene)
in(to[indicating the point reached])
My name(a “name” [lit or fig], authority, character),
there am I (I exist)
in(fixed position)
the midst of them.”
Matthew 18:20

In My Name
· Authority – For gathering acknowledging Jesus is Lord in the local assembly and thus complete submission to His word
· Character – In keeping with the holy character of His lovely name that we might not bring disgrace and dishonor to Him

There am I in the midst of them
· Divine Presence
· Christ is the gathering center and there is none other
· The Holy Spirit gathers us to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ a risen glorified Christ

The Holy Spirit “Gathers Us” Together in The Following Ways:

The Lord’s Supper – The Breaking of Bread
“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the
morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.” Acts 20:7

The Prayer Meeting
“And being let go, they went to their own company…And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled
together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with power.” Acts 4:23,31

The Teaching Meeting
“Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to
pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught much people.” Acts 11:26

The Missionary Meeting
“And when they (Paul and Barnabas) were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and
how He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.” Acts 14:27

The Elders Meeting
“And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.”(circumcision) Acts 15:6

The Gospel Meeting
“So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered unto them the
epistle…Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching(to announce good news, evangelize) the word of the Lord,
with many others also.” Acts 15:30,35

The Discipline Meeting
“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to
deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that he spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 5:4

——————————————————————–

The Holy Spirit Dwells in the Local Assembly
“Know ye not that ye are (the church of God at Corinth) the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16
“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are (the church of God at Corinth) the temple of the living God; as God hath
said “I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” 2 Corinthians 6:16

The Sensitivity if the Holy Spirit
Individual “Grieve (to distress) not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30
Collective “Quench (to extinguish) not the Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19

The Holy Spirit Dwells in the Church Which is His Body
“In whom ye also (the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus) are builded together for a habitation(a dwelling place) of God through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22

The Complete Gathering of the Holy Spirit unto the Lord Jesus Christ
“Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together(a complete collection) unto Him,
that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is
at hand.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2

The Exhortation of the Holy Spirit to Gather unto the Lord Jesus Christ
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;(not leaning i.e. [fig] firm) (for He is faithful that promised;) And let us
consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together (a complete collection),
as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:23-25

Demonstration of Testimony 
Presented by Marvin Griffin
May 13, 2020

God’s Word is the greatest example of testimony – His Old Testament and New Testament.

‘Testimony’ and ‘Witness’ are synonyms. They are interchangeable.

‘eduwth’ is the Hebrew word meaning:    testimony, witness. It is from the root Hebrew word meaning: To duplicate, to repeat, to testify – it has the idea of giving knowledge or restoring knowledge of an event.

‘marturia’ is the Greek NT word meaning:   evidence given (judicially or generally). It is from the root word ‘martus’:  a witness, a martyr (the most notable martyr may be Stephen chronicled in Acts 7). My takeaway is: to state something so true, one would rather die than refute it (take it back).

The NELSON CANADIAN DICTIONARY defines ‘testimony’ as: a declaration by a witness under oath, as that given before a court.  E.g. If the judge asked me who I was, my testimony might be “I am Marvin Dale Griffin, son of John Howard Griffin Jr. (a book keeper of Westbank, BC).”

Interestingly, when Moses asked the God of the burning bush who He was, it was in a round-about way showing reverence, the answer came, “I AM WHO I AM”. That was His testimony, simple and powerful!

Let’s read: Exodus 3:1-6,13-14.  Exodus 20: 1-3.  Exodus 25:20 -22.

Another meaning of ‘testimony’ in the NCD is: the stone tablets of God’s commandments.

These commandments reveal the holy character of God. They also lay out the expectations of God to those He made in His own image.

DISCUSSION: Kids, you were learning the Ten Commandments in Sunday School before this COVID thing. Which one of the commandments stood out to you and why?

In our reading about the burning bush, Moses wrote down the record of an event that took place when he was in self-exile in Midian. His testimony includes: He saw a bush burning, but was not consumed. He decides to go close and see that great sight. God calls to him out of the burning bush, “Moses, Moses”. Moses answers, “Here I am”. God instructs him: not to come closer, to take his sandals off his feet, that the place he stood was holy ground, that He was the God of his fathers.     Moses hid his face, afraid to look upon God. Moses was sent and commissioned by God to go to Pharaoh and say in essence, “Let My people go”.

DISCUSSION: I will state, perhaps you’ve never thought of it this way, but every Lord’s Supper is a demonstration of testimony meeting. Perhaps our brothers could find similarities and contrasts between the Burning Bush scene and a typical Lord’s Supper?

INDIVIDUAL TESTIMONY

John, the Baptist, had such a testimony. In John1:19 – 23, we read:  Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said.”

Jesus has a testimony, “I AM.” The many “I AM” statements in the Gospel of John and the Revelation of Jesus Christ are his!

Let us read John 3: 1 – 11.

In effect, Jesus testifies: No one can see or enter the kingdom of God, unless they are born again. Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born again.” The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes. So is everyone that is born of the Spirit

Much of individual testimony is unconsciously given. A faint example of someone giving testimony without realising it is:

It is 3:30 AM. You hear the sound of a car on the highway. You cannot tell where it is coming from or where it is going to. The clear demonstration of testimony is that there is someone out there awake and they are travelling from point A to point B.

In the Epistle of James 2: 14(NIV), he asks, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?”  Paraphrased: “Can such (this kind of) faith save him (give him a good testimony)?”

CORPORATE TESTIMONY

It is expressed in several ways:

1. A building with a sign. A parking lot with a variable number of cars at meeting times (in normal circumstances)J. What does this say about us?   3.  The warmth of greeting of strangers and members attending meetings.  4.  The content of the meetings.  5.  The reverence displayed in meetings.  6.  Our out-reaches into the community.  7.  An attractive and accurate website.

Read and discuss: 1 Cor. 14: 22 – 33. , Rev. 1: 1 – 3., Rev. 2:1 – 7.

Why do these things matter?

What does it mean to me?

Foundations of Our Faith – Headship
Presented by Glenn Griffin

The primary thought of headship is subjection – Submission to God’s divine order of authority.  The proper understanding and practice of headship ensures that God, and God alone, gets all the glory from His people.  There is teaching in relation to male and female for the local church or assembly that is called out from the world and is called unto and gathered alone in the worthy name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Download the full outline here: Headship