Two nights ago, my daughter read two complete books of the Bible. What did you do on a Monday night? It was during the course of our Bible reading that I had what turned out to be perhaps one of the deepest theological conversations I've ever had. And I had this talk with my 6-year-old daughter.
We were reading Exodus 3 (which wasn't even one of the two books of the Bible she read) when God spoke to Moses through the burning bush. The Lord promised Moses he would deliver his people to "a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites."
Annie asked who these people were, of course. They were the enemies of the Israelites, I said. They lived in the land that God was going to give to his people. The Egyptians also hated the Israelites, which was why they enslaved them, and why Pharoah wouldn't let the people go. All of these people worshiped false gods instead of the real God.
"Why do they worship false gods?" she asked.
Because in their sinful hearts, I told her, they don't want to have to submit to the God of the universe. So they make up their own gods -- gods that would give them things that they want instead of having to do what God wants. They'll make idols for themselves which are false gods made in a person's image, rather than that person living as someone made in God's image.
"I guess I don't understand why they hate God," Annie said.
So we read further in Exodus 3 where God says, "I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go" (v.20).
Then we went over to Romans 9:17-18 where the Apostle Paul writes, "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.' So then God has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills."
"So," I said to Annie, "They hate God because God has chosen who will love him and who will hate him. And he has done that so that he can show the riches of his glory for those who will receive his mercy" (which is also Romans 9:23).
And that's when she said she understood. She said okay and asked no more questions. How about that? A six-year-old couldn't understand why a person would just hate God. But when I explained to her that God has chosen those who would love him and those who would hate him so that through both he's able to show his great power and love, suddenly the universe makes sense again.
Absolutely mind-boggling. And it was one of my favorite theological discussions I've ever had in my life. If there's anyone out there who has wanted to challenge me with the deepest spiritual conversation possible (if for whatever reason there's anyone living who actually has this goal), you're going to have to step up your game, because my daughter has you beat right now.
Wednesday Night Bible Studies
Hey, what a great place to plug the Wednesday night Bible studies, because the adult co-ed study is currently going through the book of Exodus. We just finished Exodus 3 last week. We'll touch on a little more of that again, and then start in on chapter 4. That's tonight at 6:00 in the garage classroom.
Also, the lady's study is meeting in the fellowship hall, and this will be the last Wednesday night that they meet before they move the study to Sunday evenings. So ladies, still come tonight, and be prepared that you'll start meeting Sunday nights beginning this weekend. As with the co-ed study, there is childcare available tonight.
Return Of the Fellowship Meal
AWANA officially begins on August 20. There will be an orientation for leaders on August 13, and it's on that day our Wednesday night fellowship meal will return. We have dinner at our church from 5-6pm. The cost is $2 per child, $4 per adult, and $8 will feed a whole family. Theresa has put up menus in the fellowship hall and around the church so you can know what dinners will be coming up on which Wednesdays!
Also on the subject of AWANA, the kick-off luau will be Saturday, August 17 from 4:00 to 6:00 in our front parking lot. Bring the kids and enjoy kind of a mini-carnaval of stuff that will be out there. And then, again, AWANA will start that next Wednesday and meet at 6:00 every Wednesday during the school year. Get registered!
Strange News Item of the Week
Robert "Bobby" Tufts, the former mayor of Dorset, a small town in Minnesota, lost his bid for a third consecutive term to a 16-year-old from Mendota Heights. Tufts said, "It was fun, but it's time to pass on the vote." He also suggested his little brother get a shot at some point. "I'm gonna let James do it. He's 2." Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention -- Bobby Tufts is 5 years old. He was elected mayor when he was 3.
Sunday Pot Luck
August is a five-Sunday month, so we want to have a pot-luck on that last Sunday, the 31st. One of the things we've talked about doing is having an outdoor picnic, though we don't know yet where we are going to have it. The two possibilities right now are Playground Park (the corner of 5th and Eisenhower) and South Park (on St. Marys Road).
If we do the park on Eisenhower, we have volleyball, the playground for the kids, and a lot of area to do yard games like ladder golf and horse shoes. If we do South Park, we have all of that minus the volleyball but plus softball fields. Whatever we decide to do, just know for sure we're having a potluck of some kind. It'll be right after church, about 12:30. Get those meals ready!
Softball Champions
The championship has returned to First Southern Baptist Church! Our softball team, Sermon On the Mound, finished the season on Sunday to win our league championship. Thank you to everyone who contributed during the season, including one of our now deployed soldiers, Johnny Munas, who played with us at the start of the season. And Tanya Rollins, the bat you gave us still made an impact! (Pun intended.)
Great job, team! I still haven't received word as to whether or not we're going to have a fall league. There's supposed to be a league starting up here in Junction City, but last word was they still didn't have enough teams. We'll keep you informed. If we do end up playing, the cost will be $15 per player. If you go to our website, you'll see a team photo after winning the championship.
Annieism of the Week
When Annie was done reading her Bible, she asked Beki for something she could put in it to mark her place. Beki handed her a bookmark that had a picture of Jesus on it. Annie put it in her Bible and said, "If you put a picture of Jesus in the Bible, it becomes his tomb."
Closing Thoughts
We've finished up our three-part series on eldership. There is not a video for this sermon -- that will come later this week as one video will summarize all three sermons. Look for it on our website. A notice will be posted on our Facebook page when it becomes available. You can find the audio when you visit www.fsbcjc.org.
This coming Sunday, we'll talk about "Deaconship," reading 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Consider yourselves blessed in all things. I look forward to worshiping with you again either at Bible study this evening, or we'll see you in church on Sunday!
We were reading Exodus 3 (which wasn't even one of the two books of the Bible she read) when God spoke to Moses through the burning bush. The Lord promised Moses he would deliver his people to "a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites."
Annie asked who these people were, of course. They were the enemies of the Israelites, I said. They lived in the land that God was going to give to his people. The Egyptians also hated the Israelites, which was why they enslaved them, and why Pharoah wouldn't let the people go. All of these people worshiped false gods instead of the real God.
"Why do they worship false gods?" she asked.
Because in their sinful hearts, I told her, they don't want to have to submit to the God of the universe. So they make up their own gods -- gods that would give them things that they want instead of having to do what God wants. They'll make idols for themselves which are false gods made in a person's image, rather than that person living as someone made in God's image.
"I guess I don't understand why they hate God," Annie said.
So we read further in Exodus 3 where God says, "I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go" (v.20).
Then we went over to Romans 9:17-18 where the Apostle Paul writes, "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.' So then God has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills."
"So," I said to Annie, "They hate God because God has chosen who will love him and who will hate him. And he has done that so that he can show the riches of his glory for those who will receive his mercy" (which is also Romans 9:23).
And that's when she said she understood. She said okay and asked no more questions. How about that? A six-year-old couldn't understand why a person would just hate God. But when I explained to her that God has chosen those who would love him and those who would hate him so that through both he's able to show his great power and love, suddenly the universe makes sense again.
Absolutely mind-boggling. And it was one of my favorite theological discussions I've ever had in my life. If there's anyone out there who has wanted to challenge me with the deepest spiritual conversation possible (if for whatever reason there's anyone living who actually has this goal), you're going to have to step up your game, because my daughter has you beat right now.
Wednesday Night Bible Studies
Hey, what a great place to plug the Wednesday night Bible studies, because the adult co-ed study is currently going through the book of Exodus. We just finished Exodus 3 last week. We'll touch on a little more of that again, and then start in on chapter 4. That's tonight at 6:00 in the garage classroom.
Also, the lady's study is meeting in the fellowship hall, and this will be the last Wednesday night that they meet before they move the study to Sunday evenings. So ladies, still come tonight, and be prepared that you'll start meeting Sunday nights beginning this weekend. As with the co-ed study, there is childcare available tonight.
Return Of the Fellowship Meal
AWANA officially begins on August 20. There will be an orientation for leaders on August 13, and it's on that day our Wednesday night fellowship meal will return. We have dinner at our church from 5-6pm. The cost is $2 per child, $4 per adult, and $8 will feed a whole family. Theresa has put up menus in the fellowship hall and around the church so you can know what dinners will be coming up on which Wednesdays!
Also on the subject of AWANA, the kick-off luau will be Saturday, August 17 from 4:00 to 6:00 in our front parking lot. Bring the kids and enjoy kind of a mini-carnaval of stuff that will be out there. And then, again, AWANA will start that next Wednesday and meet at 6:00 every Wednesday during the school year. Get registered!
Strange News Item of the Week
Robert "Bobby" Tufts, the former mayor of Dorset, a small town in Minnesota, lost his bid for a third consecutive term to a 16-year-old from Mendota Heights. Tufts said, "It was fun, but it's time to pass on the vote." He also suggested his little brother get a shot at some point. "I'm gonna let James do it. He's 2." Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention -- Bobby Tufts is 5 years old. He was elected mayor when he was 3.
Sunday Pot Luck
August is a five-Sunday month, so we want to have a pot-luck on that last Sunday, the 31st. One of the things we've talked about doing is having an outdoor picnic, though we don't know yet where we are going to have it. The two possibilities right now are Playground Park (the corner of 5th and Eisenhower) and South Park (on St. Marys Road).
If we do the park on Eisenhower, we have volleyball, the playground for the kids, and a lot of area to do yard games like ladder golf and horse shoes. If we do South Park, we have all of that minus the volleyball but plus softball fields. Whatever we decide to do, just know for sure we're having a potluck of some kind. It'll be right after church, about 12:30. Get those meals ready!
Softball Champions
The championship has returned to First Southern Baptist Church! Our softball team, Sermon On the Mound, finished the season on Sunday to win our league championship. Thank you to everyone who contributed during the season, including one of our now deployed soldiers, Johnny Munas, who played with us at the start of the season. And Tanya Rollins, the bat you gave us still made an impact! (Pun intended.)
Great job, team! I still haven't received word as to whether or not we're going to have a fall league. There's supposed to be a league starting up here in Junction City, but last word was they still didn't have enough teams. We'll keep you informed. If we do end up playing, the cost will be $15 per player. If you go to our website, you'll see a team photo after winning the championship.
Annieism of the Week
When Annie was done reading her Bible, she asked Beki for something she could put in it to mark her place. Beki handed her a bookmark that had a picture of Jesus on it. Annie put it in her Bible and said, "If you put a picture of Jesus in the Bible, it becomes his tomb."
Closing Thoughts
We've finished up our three-part series on eldership. There is not a video for this sermon -- that will come later this week as one video will summarize all three sermons. Look for it on our website. A notice will be posted on our Facebook page when it becomes available. You can find the audio when you visit www.fsbcjc.org.
This coming Sunday, we'll talk about "Deaconship," reading 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Consider yourselves blessed in all things. I look forward to worshiping with you again either at Bible study this evening, or we'll see you in church on Sunday!