Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Hey folks. Things have calmed down here in New Hampshire as far as the snow and bad weather. Tonight we have a Carol Sing at a church member's home which will be nice.

I will most likely be absent from blogging over the holidays. I probably will not be active until the first week of January. January 8th is the New Hampshire Primary, and I may comment on that given it is the biggest thing to happen in the New Hampshire in January.

So until then, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Guest Preacher - Dec. 30 & Jan. 6

Rev. Tim Andrews will be giving me a break over the holidays. Thanks Tim, I really appreciate it!

Living in Narnia

I would send more photos, but they all look the same. Just with more snow. We have had 5 storms in less than 2 weeks and over 2 feet of snow in the backyard. The next time we see our grass will probably be March.

Yesterday it kept snowing and snowing and snowing and snowing. Nothing real heavy, but a constant snow shower off of the ocean. The expected 2-4 inches turned into 8-9 inches.

I very much felt like I was living in Narnia, where it is always Winter and never Christmas. Christmas is only a few days away, and at least in the immediate forecast, no more snow. Thank goodness! We could use the break.

Sermon Text: Isaiah 9:6-7

Isaiah 9:6-7 (New American Standard Bible)

6For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

I-35 & Isaiah 35

Anyone else read this article? Wow, how some people interpret the Bible. I have no problem praying and I admire the faithfulness of the people. But I do wonder about receiving a "revelation" from God.

Any thoughts?

A Return to Tradition - US News & World Article

I just got my latest issue of US New & World Report to see on the front cover, A Return to Ritual, Why modern worshipers, including Catholics & Jews and evangelicals, are embracing tradition. To read the online article, click here.

It features the emergent church, which I am not a fan of, but not surprised they are mentioned. They are a sub article entitled, Mixing Jesus with Java. Sounds like an emergent title.

Anyhow, I found it interesting that Communion and using Creeds is becoming important. I am not surprised, but I guess some are. One of the flaws of the contemporary worship is the elimination of liturgy. This article simply affirms that people find it helpful. I would agree. What do you think?

The Morning After

Just to give some perspective, a week ago their was not a pile of snow in front of the house. Now my reflector to tell the plow truck where the curb is almost gone! Since the first snowfall on Dec. 3, we have been covered in the white stuff.
I love it, and so do the kids. The only problem has been that ice dams have been building up on the edge of the house. Very annoying. It is going to be a White Christmas in Nashua, that is for sure!

NO Sunday Services

No surprise here, but Sunday Worship Services are cancelled because of the Nor'Easter. Stay home and stay safe.

Sermon Text: Jonah 4:1-4

Jonah 4:1 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry.
Jonah 4:2 He prayed to the LORD and said, “Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.
Jonah 4:3 “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.”
Jonah 4:4 The LORD said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?”

Prayer for Colorado

Just thought it would be important to remind everyone to pray for the Youth with a Mission (YWAM) and the folks at New Life Church in Colorado.

I have visited the church in the past on a trip to Colorado Springs, and I have known teens get involved in YWAM.

Very sad time for these folks during the holiday season.

I am ready!

At the risk of sounding like Anthony Smith, and if you do not know what I am talking about, read this article, I just wanted to let everyone know who I will be cheering for on Sunday when the Patriots & Steelers meet in Foxboro.

This is somewhat dangerous, but I am a risk taker. I live in New England, I like the Patriots, I would like to see them get a perfect season. But when it comes to loyalty, I will be pulling for the Steelers this Sunday as they play the Patriots.

I guess the old adage is right, You can take the boy out of Steeler Country, but you can't take the Steeler Country out of the boy.

You can be sure, I will be waving my terrible towel at 4:15 pm Sunday Afternoon.

Go Steelers!

Sermon Text: Jonah 3:5-10

Jonah 3:5 Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.
Jonah 3:6 When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes.
Jonah 3:7 He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water.
Jonah 3:8 “But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands.
Jonah 3:9 “Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.”
Jonah 3:10 When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

This is one of the more annoying texts in Jonah from the perspective of the preacher. Here is a golden opportunity and Jonah seems disinterested and probably wishes they would not repent. I would love to have an opportunity like this! We will deal with this as well as God changing His mind. Should be interesting.

Can I get an amen from my ministry friends out there in cyberspace!

1st Winter Storm

It was only a couple of inches, but still nice to see! Last year snow did not come until mid January. It is still coming down, but very lightly. Here is a picture of the dog, "Aspen" playing in the snow in the backyard. She loves it!

Quote from Steve W. Brown

I am not sure how many of you know Steve Brown, but I think he is worth listening too and read. I have known about him for years, and it occurred to me that not too many folks outside the PCA have heard of Steve.

His conversion is interesting to say the least. A minister in a mainline church and was saved through the witness of several men. He is a very unconventional speaker, maybe too rough for some folks, but I have found him insightful.

Anyhow, from that time in his life, Steve began preaching from the Word of God. And on the back of his first ministry tapes was this quote. I have kept these tapes for years and I thought you might be interested to read it.

“A number of years ago I was a preacher without a message. I talked a lot, and had what I thought were some very good “ideas” But I was empty and shallow...ready to leave the ministry because I (and the people to whom I spoke) were tired of my ideas. My problem was that I had no authority except myself.

And then a sovereign, loving God through some obedient, loving brothers took the time to help me discover an absolute and reliable authority. That authority is the Bible. That discovery changed my life, and gave me a message. The message isn't mine, it is the message of God through His written Word. It is a high privilege to share that message with you in these tapes.

I would ask you to remember that the Father has only one perfect preacher. His name is Jesus. It is my prayer that you would meet Him in these tapes.”

Sunday Quote

A couple of people commented on this quote I had in the reflections page of the church bulletin. Our theme last Sunday was Thanksgiving.

Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, "Certainly the preacher won't think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this." Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this."

Nashua Telegraph Article

A church member read this article in the local newspaper. I may give these guys a call, just to see what there results have been and where they got their research and ideas to do this project.

They are trying to reach young adults in the Nashua area by meeting in Mezzanine locations, Barnes & Noble, Unos, Panera Bread.

I have heard of groups trying this, I was surprised to find out that here in Nashua someone was trying it. Very interesting.

Sermon Text: Jonah 2:10-3:4

Jonah 2:10 Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.
Jonah 3:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying,
Jonah 3:2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.”
Jonah 3:3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk.
Jonah 3:4 Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

Sacred Places - US News & World Report

This past Sunday I mentioned that Jonah was thinking of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem while in the belly of the great fish.

Jonah was probably wishing he was there, and as I have mentioned already, Jonah saw his homeland as a sacred place. Its one of the reasons he is trying to get so far away from Israel.

Anyhow, I talked about sacred places and I was surprised to see in my pile of unread mail this article by US News and World Report.

Very very interesting. Let me know what you think.

Sermon Text: Jonah 2:1-9

Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish,
Jonah 2:2 and he said,
“I called out of my distress to the LORD,
And He answered me.
I cried for help from the depth of Sheol;
You heard my voice.
Jonah 2:3 “For You had cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the current engulfed me.
All Your breakers and billows passed over me.
Jonah 2:4 “So I said, ‘I have been expelled from Your sight.
Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
Jonah 2:5 “Water encompassed me to the point of death.
The great deep engulfed me,
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
Jonah 2:6 “I descended to the roots of the mountains.
The earth with its bars was around me forever,
But You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.
Jonah 2:7 “While I was fainting away,
I remembered the LORD,
And my prayer came to You,
Into Your holy temple.
Jonah 2:8 “Those who regard vain idols
Forsake their faithfulness,
Jonah 2:9 But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving.
That which I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation is from the LORD.”

Quotes

Given the nature of the text this Sunday, it seems appropriate to discuss the supernatural in the Bible. I found C.S. Lewis helpful as we look at the event of Jonah being swallowed by a fish.


Quotes from Miracles, C.S. Lewis

“A miracle is empathically not an event without cause or without results. Its cause is the activity of God”

“If the ultimate Fact is not an abstraction but the living God, opaque by the very fullness of His binding actuality, then He might do things. He might work miracles. But would He? Many people of sincere piety feel He would not.”

“To be sure, God might be expected to make a better story than my friend. But it is a very long story, with a complicated plot; and we are not, perhaps, very attentive readers.”

“The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that God became Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this.”

Leopard is Here!

Upgraded the Church's Computer, to the new MAC OS X Operating system.

Very cool, and I am getting to know the new features, and so far I think it is great.

You think you had a bad weekend (part 2)

Strange.

I posted a few days ago about an Airbus 340-600 that over ran the runway. Today another new Airbus 340-600 had a terrible accident in France. Click on this link to read the story.

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flightblogger/

The picture is incredible. A $210 million dollar plane ruined, not to mention the people who were hurt. This plane in France was 8 days from being delivered.

Strange

Sermon Text: Jonah 1:17-2:1

Jonah 1:17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish,

The theme of this passage is very simple => redemption. Come Sunday to find out more!

You think you had a bad weekend

Here is the link to the original photo.

So over the weekend this Spanish plane was trying to land in Quito, Ecuador in heavy rains when it overshot the runway.

At least 3 engines were damaged, a wing was broke, landing gear collapsed, and the plane is stuck in the mud at the end of the runway. They have no idea yet how to get it out, it is still sitting there as of today.

What a mess, and a very new and expensive aircraft, only 20 months old. Too bad.

The Nashua Commission

Christ Presbyterian Church has a "borrowed session". Meaning we have elders from outside of Nashua that help give oversight to the work in Nashua with the PCA. These men are mostly from the PCA church in Concord, NH and one church planter in Manchester.

These guys already have other responsibilities in their own churches, so there work with Nashua is over and above normal duties of elders. I am very thankful for their help and oversight with CPC, and glad I do not make decision on my own.

Tuesday, Morning is our stated meeting and I just wanted folks to be aware of their presence. They may not attend CPC, but they certainly are concerned and prayerful about CPC future. Remember to pray for them, and for their ministries in Manchester and Concord.

Sacred Space?

I read this article on the CBC.ca website, the Canadian Network. Here is an excerpt.

A Winnipeg church prevented aboriginal dancers from performing at a Habitat for Humanity event this week, saying the performance was not an expression of Christian faith.

"Native spiritual dancing has its roots in a different spiritual belief system that is incongruent with traditional Christian worship," Hughes said in an e-mail.

"I don't think a Buddhist temple would allow a Christian pastor to speak about Jesus."

I would tend to agree with the church. When I lived in Vancouver, we had similar experiences of outside groups renting our facilities and setting up shrines to represent other spiritual entities.

It is sad today that folks do not realize there is something sacred about a church, a place of worship. I do think that comes about for several reasons.

Sometimes the church advertises it has a multi-purpose room, and folks do not think of it as a worship space. Others locations look no different than a high school auditorium or a local theatre. I also think that people have become more to the thinking that spirituality is anything and everything. Christianity, Buddhism, New Age Spirituality, it is all the same.

Our casual attitude towards God in this regard could get us into trouble. And I do think as Christians, we need to take a stand at time. I think this was the right choice. What do you think?

Sermon Text: Jonah 1:11-16

Jonah 1:11 So they said to him, “What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?”—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.
Jonah 1:12 He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.”
Jonah 1:13 However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them.
Jonah 1:14 Then they called on the LORD and said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O LORD, have done as You have pleased.”
Jonah 1:15 So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.
Jonah 1:16 Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

Last week, we discovered that Jonah was the reason for the storm, this week he comes up with a solution. The solution is tough to swallow, and the sailors are not certain it will work. But in the end they throw Jonah in. But it does raise questions.

Why did the sailors have to throw Jonah overboard? Why did he not just jump? What was Jonah hoping to accomplish by being thrown in the sea?

We will answer these questions, so join us this Lord's Day!

Televangelists in Trouble?

I saw this on our local news. U.S. Congress is looking into the ministries of Televangelists and questioning their management and ministry. Some of the names are very well know. Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, etc....

Anyone else hear about this? I am wondering what tipped them off?

Anyway, here is the article. Let me know what you think.

Crunch Time

I realized as I was heading to work today that the next 2 weeks will be extremely busy before Thanksgiving Break. We will be doing our traditional family trip for Thanksgiving and that means I need to work ahead. Instead of 2 sermons, 3 sermons. Instead of 2 Sunday School Lessons, 3 Sunday School Lessons. Busy, busy busy.

It is times like this when I am thankful for Scriptures such as these.....

Prov. 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
Prov. 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.


AMEN!

Happy Reformation Day!

So anyone who knows me knows that I am not a big fan of the other holiday celebrated today. I choose to highlight another significant event, one that took place 490 years ago today.

Oct. 31, 1517 marks the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. It is wild to think in 10 years it will be the 500 anniversary. Anyhow, it is my humble opinion that this event is certainly more significant than that other holiday.

So Happy Reformation Day!

Earthquake!

Allison was chatting with her sister in California last night and in the middle of the conversation, her sister yells, "Earthquake!". It was quite a jolt for Allison, but nothing compared to what they were feeling in CA. Sure enough, 10 minutes later the news was reporting the 5.6 quake.

We were glad to hear nothing serious was damaged and no one was hurt.

Sermon Text: Jonah 1:7-10

Jonah 1:7 Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
Jonah 1:8 Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”
Jonah 1:9 He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.”
Jonah 1:10 Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
______________________________________________________________
I have a number of favorite passages in Jonah and this is one of them. Jonah finally comes clean with his plans to flee from God and the people on the boat are caught up in his rebellion. This Sunday we will look this passage and the implications of sin and how that affects othes. It should be interesting.

Guest Speaker this Sunday

Mark Saltsman, from the Concord, NH PCA church and is going to preach this Sunday. Mark is one of the members of the Nashua Commission, the men who are overseeing the work in Nashua.

Mark is the most recent member to join the commission and the only one that has not visited the church on a Sunday Morning. We are looking forward to him being with us this Lord's Day.

Willow Creek Repents?

There is an interesting blog on Christianity Today's website. Check it out.

I would not say I am anti-mega church, but it is for reasons such as describe that make me wonder if it is a good model. Let me know what you think.

Red Sox Nation

Most of the rest of the country is watching new Fall TV Programs, College Football, NFL and preparing for Halloween. But in New England, baseball is what is on every one's mind.

The Boston Red Sox are headed to the World Series to face the Colorado Rockies. It has been an exciting series against the Cleveland Indians, and I think the World Series will be very exciting as well.

Living in Red Sox Nation is one special place and I am glad I can say I am a resident. Go Sox!

Presbytery

4 times a year I gather with my fellow presbyters ( elders) to discuss the affairs of the church in VT, NH & ME. Christ Presbyterian Church and I are apart of the Presbytery of Northern New England.

It is an all day meeting and we cover a number of topics from church issues to budget items to minister's callings. Sometimes the meeting can be routine, sometimes there can be serious issues to consider. This Saturday, we will be gathering in Portsmouth, NH for one of our stated meetings.

I would encourage you to pray for us, it is an important time and given we come together only 4 times a year, it is important that it is productive, and glorifying to God.

Sermon: Jonah Flees from God

Sermon Text: Jonah 1:2-6
Jonah 1:2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”
Jonah 1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
Jonah 1:4 The LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up.
Jonah 1:5 Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.
Jonah 1:6 So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.”

Have you ever wondered, why would Jonah try and run from God? Wouldn't he know better? After all he was a a prophet, Jonah would have known God is omnipotent and sovereign. So why flee? That is what we are going to look at on Sunday. Join us!

Fall Colors: Woodstock, VT

I have not done a great job documenting the fall colors here in New England this year. The peak season has passed for us in Northern New England. Campgrounds have closed, Winter Resorts are gearing up, People are raking leaves everywhere.

We as a family have tried to enjoy the colors every year. This year we made a trip to Woodstock, VT. It is in central Vermont, about 2 hours from our home. We had a great time visiting shops, seeing the sites and enjoying small town New England living. The drive was the real treat, and we had a great time enjoying the colors.

If you want to come to New England, make sure Vermont is apart of your itinerary. The sugar maples are what make it special, they turn a vibrant red. And as a bonus, their by product is Maple Syrup. Its a win win!

Sermon: Intro to Jonah

Jonah 1:1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying,

Jonah 1:2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”

So we begin this Sunday with an overview of Jonah. We will be answer questions like:

Who is Jonah?
Dating / Setting
Genre / Book Outline
Themes / Theology

The most fun part is the Genre. Jonah is a Sensational, Didactic, Prophetic Narrative Book.

To figure out what that means, come Sunday.

Back in the Saddle

Most folks at the church know this, but last week, from Oct. 1 - 7, I was very very very ill. I have not been this sick in a long time. I lost 12 lbs, which is actually a good thing, but indicates how bad I was doing. Fever, headache, sour throat, etc..... It was a lot of fun, and I say that quite sarcastically.

Anyhow, I am feeling a lot better, and I am indeed, back in the saddle.

Sermon: History of Nineveh ( Part 2)

This Sunday we will be finishing our study of the ancient city of Nineveh, and with that the Assyrian Empire. The point to all of this is to set the stage for the books of Jonah & Nahum.

Our key text will be 2 Kings, particularly chapter 17-19.

There is a lot of archaeological evidence in regards to the Assyrian Empire. They kept detailed records and we have been fortunate to have been able to recover some of these documents and get a good idea what life was like in Nineveh.

One of the most encouraging things is how much the Bible Narrative matches up with the Archaeological evidence. It certainly testifies to the Bible's reliability in regards to historical facts. Pretty cool.

Mark Your Calendars!

Yes, Wednesday, Sept 26 was the day I received my 1st Christmas Catalog. And I did not just get one, I got 2! Both from L.L. Bean.

Apparently the folks in ME are already feeling the Christmas Spirit in September. Somehow I remember things differently. It seemed when I was growing up, November was when the Christmas Season got going. And then later as a young adult, I remember seeing catalogs at Halloween. But apparently September is the time to start turning our attention to Christmas, 90 days and counting.

I find this all ridiculous given it was 92 degrees outside today ( which is odd) and the leaves have yet to hit their peak as far as colors. It seems to me, someone should make a rule => the catalogs do not come out until the last leave its the ground. What do you think?

Sermon: History of Nineveh ( Part 1)

So for those of you who can not wait until Sunday to find out the sermon topic, here it is => History of Nineveh.

Ok, so that sounds boring to some of you, but what if I told you there will be....

Google Earth Presentation
Satellite Images
Digital Photos
Bible Software

all in one sermon!

Got your attention! It should be an interesting beginning to our studies of Jonah & Nahum. At least that is my hope.

Sermon Text: Genesis 10:6-12

Genesis 10:6-12 (New American Standard Bible)

6The sons of Ham were Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan.

7The sons of Cush were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

8Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth.

9He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD."

10The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

11From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah,

12and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.

Who is Nimrod?

In preparing for Sunday's Sermon, it won't surprise you that I do Biblical Research on the passage or passages I am dealing with. The main passage we are looking at this Sunday is Genesis 10:6-12, that talks about the founding of Nineveh.

The founder of Nineveh according to the Bible is Nimrod, who is mentioned in this passage as well as others in the OT. But who exactly is Nimrod?

That took me through lots and lots of reading yesterday. The Anchor Bible Dictionary as well as commentaries were helpful. The most colorful article on Nimrod was at Wikipedia. Check it out. So who you think Nimrod is?

Uncharted Waters

Last Night, Wenderson & I hosted an information meeting at Crossway Christian Church Monday Night for folks who are interested in our outreach to the Brazilian Community in Southern NH. Wenderson had some friends lead worship and they did a great job.

Wenderson & I have been praying about this for a couple of months and we are finally sharing what we have been praying and talking about with the public. Our hope is to reach out to Portuguese-Speaking people in our neighborhoods over the next couple of years. We are excited to see where God will be leading in the months and years to come.

For those of you who do not know, Wenderson, he is a seminarian in Boston and has been attending our church since the Spring. He grew up in the Presbyterian Church in Brazil and found us via the Internet. I have really enjoyed getting to know him and the people of Brazil, and am thankful God has brought him to the church. We have no idea where this will all go, but we are confident God knows.

So for now, we launch into uncharted waters.

Sermon: Learning from God's Enemies: Nineveh

As we are at the beginning of a new school year, we are also getting ready to start a new sermon series. Our new series will involve the books of Jonah & Nahum and the theme between them, Nineveh.

We will for the next few weeks looking at the nation of Assyria and its great city Nineveh and then finally settling into the book of Jonah.

One of the reasons for the title of the sermon is this passage from Luke.

Luke 11:32 “The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here."

Should be interesting!

September Network Mtg

Every month we try and get together as Presbyters to pray together and discuss various ministry topics that are of interest to us. Some times the discussion is theological, some times it is pastoral.

Today we met in Exeter, NH to discuss "Fencing the Lord's Table" There is no way to sum up the discussion but as always it was profitable. I am very grateful for these times I have with fellow ministers of the gospel.

Weekend in VT

This weekend I took the kids and went to St. Albans, VT to preach and administer the Lord's Supper at Trinity Presbyterian Church. It was a long trip (7+ hours of driving) but at least it is through some very beautiful countryside. St. Albans is north of Burlington, VT near Lake Champlain. The church sits up on a hill and at certain points, you can see the Lake and the Adirondack Mountains.

I was very encouraged by the attendance at the church and the new visitors that were there. The only downside was that it began to rain during the picnic after the worship service and did not stop until I was a few minutes from home. Not a fun trip back, but I was glad I went.

As far as fall colors, they were just starting to turn so it was not spectacular, but it will be in a few weeks!

Googling Jonathan Edwards

Tuesday I am leading a discussion with some fellow Presbyters on Fencing the Lord's Supper. So in preperation I did some research looking for resources that might be helpful in the discussion.

To my surprise I stumbled across a book that has been digitalized by Google that was extremely useful. The book => The Works of President Edwards

I have heard of projects like this to preserve older books, but had not found one before. You can download it and have it on your computer for future reference or to simply read. Very cool, check it out!

Guest Speaker this Sunday

Rev. Rodney Collins is preaching this Lord's Day at Christ Presbyterian Church. Rodney has preached here at CPC many times before and has always been warmly received. We are blessed to have his ministry with us this coming Sunday.

Dale

So I am going out on a limb here and maybe surprise some of you.

Drew & I have recently become NASCAR fans for a number of reasons. When we can, we tune in to the races on the weekend. I know, for some of you the idea of watching cars going in circles would put you to sleep. But there is a lot of "drama" on and off the track that makes it excited to watch.

Anyhow, last night CMT had a special presentation on Dale Earnhardt and we watched it to gain a better understanding of the NASCAR champion. It was very good and even if you are not a NASCAR fan, I would encourage you to check it out. It is narrated by Paul Newman, and there are a number of interviews with folks that are interesting.

Dale was an impressive person and I understand better why folks feel a connection to the NASCAR legend. I was most fascinated with the reaction folks had when Dale won Daytona in 1998 and the events that followed his death at Daytona in 2001. Like I said, there is a lot of drama in NASCAR.

BTW => CMT is showing it again on Weds., and probably many many many times more.

Mark Driscoll Quote

I found a number of resources helpful in preparing this sermon for Sunday. Mark Driscoll was particularly helpful as he once was involved in the emergent church movement and has made a conscience decision to break from the emerging church for theological reasons.

Mark wrote an article about the emerging church, and I have included this quote in our worship bulletin.

American Christianity finds itself in one of those pivotal moments where history is being written for better or worse and we could see anything from a revival like the Jesus
Movement of a previous generation or the decline of the Church as has already happened throughout Europe. Time will tell, and ultimately the decision will be made by thousands of pastors who shepherd their flocks and the dozens of pastors who shepherd those
pastors.

The only hope is a return to the true gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture. The gospel must be unleashed in the world through the Church for the transforming salvation of sinners and their cultures. If the gospel is lost, as I fear it already has been among some Revisionists, then tomorrow will be a dark day for the truth about Jesus. - Mark Driscoll

Discussion on the TFTG Blog

One of my blogs that I suggest to check out on the right hand side is the Together for the Gospel blog. Check out the August 21 entry by Ligon Duncan, a fellow PCA minister. The debate is on the fencing of the Lord's Supper, which incidentally I am leading a discussion on next week at our monthly prayer gathering as presbyters..

The issues is that Baptist require membership in a church like Presbyterians before someone can be admitted to the Lord's Table. The problem is that a Baptist membership requires a baptism as a believer. That means that Presbyterians who were baptised as infants can not participate.

Anyhow, here is a quote from Ligon Duncan I found interesting....

When Sam Storms says: "the claim to be 'Together for the Gospel' rings a bit hollow to me when some would decline to fellowship with others around the Lord's Table because of their disagreement on the proper recipients of baptism." — I take the concern expressed seriously.

And, for the record, John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Al Mohler, Mark Dever and Sam Storms would be welcomed with open arms as members at First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi where I pastor. They would be joyfully invited to the Lord's Table too.

The point Ligon Duncan is making, and to a degree I have heard John Piper say something similar is this: Tim Keller, Ligon Duncan & R.C Sproul can all come to John Piper's church in Minneapolis and preach and teach and be warmly received. But they can not take communion at the church. For Piper in particular, he is deeply troubled by that reality.

Anyhow, read the blog, it is interesting, and I am sure the discussion will continue

For a great summary, check out Justin Taylor's blog, very helpful as it provides a timeline how the discussion begun.

Quote from Dr. Gordon Fee

As I have stated, we are wrapping up our time in First Corinthians. A big help this past year was Dr. Gordon Fee's Commentary on First Corinthians. If you are going to preach or teach on First Corinthians, you need to get this commentary.

Anyhow, last Sunday I ended the sermon with this quote from Dr. Fee's Commentary that I thought summed up both chapter 16 and the entire book rather well.

“Thus the letter ends on a note similar to its beginning, full of the same tensions between what they are by grace and what they yet need to become in terms of obedience to Christ. They are greeted with warmth, and assured of Christ's grace and Paul's love. Along with him they await the coming of the Lord. They should continue to greet one another with the kiss of love. However, they are not yet fully there, so even here there is the word of warning. Christians must continually live in the tension between the “already” and the “not yet”; what they must not allow themselves to do is to excuse themselves from obedience because they are not yet fully there. The grace of the Lord and the hope of his coming should cause all to heed the words of this letter so as to be watchful and to do all things in love.” - Dr. Gordon Fee

This Sunday: The 21st Century Corinthian Church

This Sunday we are doing something a little different.

This Sunday we will be looking at the Emergent Church Movement in North America. It is my opinion, that the Emerging Church has a lot in common with the 1st Century Corinthian Church.

Like I said, it will be a little different but I think it will be interesting. Normally I preach expository sermons, but there is no law that I can not at times depart from the norm. Come and check it out this Sunday!

Key Verses in First Corinthians

I should have done this BEFORE, but here are some key texts from First Corinthians that would be good to memorize.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1 Cor 1:18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Cor 1:24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Cor 2:2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

1 Cor 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

1 Cor 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

1 Cor 7:20 Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called.

1 Cor 9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?

1 Cor 9:23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

1 Cor 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Cor 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.

1 Cor 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,

1 Cor 14:3 But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.

1 Cor 14:40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

1 Cor 15:21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.

1 Cor 15:55 "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Cor 16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14Let all that you do be done in love.

Sermon: 1 Corinthians 16

We are finishing First Corinthians on Sunday and I must say I am sad about it. We will look at the final chapter, and then have some final thoughts on the book as a whole.

a bit of jet lag

So many of you probably already know this, but for the last 2 weeks the Wakefields travel to the West Coast.

1st Stop => Northern California. We visited Allison's family and were spoiled rotten. The highlights for the family was eating sushi poolside and the Winchester Mystery House. That Sarah Winchester was one crazy woman. If you don't know the story I encourage you to look into it.

2nd Stop => Vancouver. It has been 3 years since we left Vancouver and it was too long. We visited with old neighbors, church friends and profs at Regent College where I went to school. The time flew by and we could have stayed a lot longer. The highlights included the Party at the Wongs and hanging out at the pool with our former neighbors.

It was 10 days of go go go, but now that we are home we are going full tilt in preparation for the fall. I am still suffering from a bit of jet lag, but it was worth it. We hope to be back in Vancouver next year, Lord willing!

Williamstown, Stockbridge & Northampton (part 2)

Saturday
After overnighting in a hotel, the next morning both Allen & I lectured in a hotel conference room in preparation for touring Northampton, MA.

We made our way to the Forbes Library, a wonderful institution, and gained access to the historical artifacts room where folks were treated to a rare viewing of Jonathan Edwards & Solomon Stoddard's writings. Solomon Stoddard was JE maternal grandfather. After viewing the original documents, we departed on foot to the place where the church was located at the time of Edwards, and then walked up to "The Manse", Solomon Stoddard's home which is well preserved and is now a private residence.

We walked back to the library and travelled by car to the Bridge Street Cemetery where we visited a number of grave markers of historical significance ( Solomon Stoddard, David Brainard, Jerusha Edwards, etc...).

The weather was delightful and everyone enjoyed the tour very much. I think the visit to both libraries was the real treat. I was feel a bit overwhelmed before the trip, but after doing it, I found it refreshing and fun. I look forward to taking more people on a historical tour in the future!

Williamstown, Stockbridge & Northampton (part 1)

I had meant to blog about this before the trip, but oh well, better late than never.

On August 10-11, of this year, Allen Tomlinson, minister of First Congregational Church in Merrimack and myself led a small group on a historical tour of the above towns in Massachusetts.

Friday
We caravaned through Southern VT, to Williamstown, MA where I lectured on the Haystack Prayer Meeting of 1806, a significant event in world missions in Missions Park, Williams College. In Missions Park, there is a monument marking the exact spot where those 5 men prayed during that fierce thunderstorm on a hot Saturday Afternoon in August.

From Williamstown, we travel south to Historical Stockbridge and visited the 1st Congregational Church where I lectured on Jonathan Edward's Ministry in Stockbridge. From there we visited the library, which has a reading desk of Jonathan Edwards, very cool. We also visited the local cemetery, and sundial that marks the spot where Jonathan Edwards home once sat.

It rained most of the day, but I feel most folks found the historical sites interesting and fun.

Praying for Anna Flemming

Hey folks....I am sure many of you have realized I was serious when I said I would not be blogging much this summer. Now that we are getting to mid August, I am feeling up to blogging a bit more.

Anna Flemming is the daughter of Scott Flemming, a PCA minister in Western Pennsylvania, where I hail from. Anna has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that is very aggressive and has a 50% survival rate.

Soctt & his wife's testimony through this is amazing and I thought I wold encourage all of you to pray for the Flemming family and to keep track of the progress on the blog they set up.

http://foranna.wordpress.com/

The title of the blog is "God's Grace with Anna", very fitting given the circumstances.

I do not belong to the true church

Well, at least that is the opinion of the Vatican.

If you click on this link, the BBC reports a new document coming out of the Vatican that questions the authenticity of Protestant churches.

This of course has made a lot of people happy, and I say that sarcastically.

Seems like Pope Benedict plans to unify the church require that Protestant realize they are not true churches. Not exactly the way I would go......

07-08-07 => Yes, that is the date for today, July 8, 2007, but today it has a more significant meaning. As some of you know, I am an aviation fan, and a big fan of Boeing. Well today was a big day at Boeing, today they unveiled the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The is aircraft is a huge leap in aircraft design and will become the benchmark for the future. There are too many things to mention as to why this is such a great aircraft, I encourage you to go to Boeing's website and take a look for yourself.

The plane was shown to the world at around 7:30p.m. EST, and the Master of Ceremonies was Tom Brokaw, former Anchor of NBC Nightly News.

All I want to say, is it is a beautiful aircraft, and congrats Boeing. I can't wait to see it fly!

The picture in the post can be seen at Airliners.net, a great website for nerds like me.

Independence Day & Benchmark

Not a great 4th of July in Nashua......it is currently raining, and fireworks later seem unlikely. That's okay, we have had a lot of great weather recently and some rain is needed.

The 4th of July has further significance for the Wakefield clan as it marks my 1st Sunday at Nashua, NH in 2004. It has been 3 years since we came to Nashua and the time has seem to fly by. We are very encouraged by recent events and new opportunities and feel that year four should be very interesting.

So while you are enjoying the 4th where ever you are, we are thankful to be here in Nashua, serving the church and seeing God work. Nothing more rewarding, and we are very grateful.

Back from Memphis

As you have noticed, I have been a terrible blogger this summer. But at least for one week I have a good excuse, I was in Memphis.

The 35th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) met this past week in Memphis to discuss important matters and business.

It was a good meeting, I saw a lot of friends and had the opportunity to promote New England and invite people & churches to visit on a short term missions opportunity.

This meeting was particularly important as we had to deal with some serious theological matters. I won't go into the particulars, but some have said it was one of the most critical moments in the PCA. In the end, we made the right decision and I left Memphis thankful to be apart of the PCA.

What would Jesus buy?

Have you heard about Reverend Billy?

Just saw a feature on the Today Show on NBC this morning on the Rev Billy, who is not a real minister but does a parody on an old fashion street preacher.

His "gospel" is a bit different from mine, but still interesting. He preaches against consumerism, which is personally one of my biggest concerns with American Society.

A documentary on his ministry is coming out sometime soon, check out the website that promotes it.

There is also this article on Wikipedia.

Hey, I found something to blog about!

not blogging

Hey folks, I have no idea if anyone is reading this blog, but for the few who do I want to apologize for not keeping up with it through the month of May.

Honestly, it has seemed that there has not been much to blog about. Church wise, there are some things hopping that are very exciting, but nothing yet to blog about.

The NH political front has been somewhat quiet, except for the fact Hillary Clinton walked past my office building on Tuesday.

Religious news has been not very interesting ( in my opinion)

So I find myself posting sermon texts and that has been it.

Lastly, I have not been sitting in front of my computer enough to be blogging. I will make no promises come the summer, when I am hoping to get some time to rest and recreate. Blogging may continue to be light in June, July & August.

So there you have it, why I am not blogging, in a blog post. I hope this helps. For anyone who might be reading this blog.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 11:27-34

1Cor. 11:27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
1Cor. 11:28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
1Cor. 11:29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.
1Cor. 11:30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.
1Cor. 11:31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.
1Cor. 11:32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
1Cor. 11:33 So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
1Cor. 11:34 If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. The remaining matters I will arrange when I come.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 11:17-26

Well, I have yet to "reform" my blogging ways. I will blame the heat this week, as it has been miserable for those who have yet to install their A/C Units. Check back soon, I should be back to blogging soon!

The Lord's Supper

17But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

23For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 25In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Guest Speaker: Chris Accardy

Sorry about being bad on blogging. I have been jet setting and running around too much to sit in front of a computer and blog. Sorry about that.

This Sunday we are fortunate to have Chris Accardy, PCA minister from the Upper Valley. Chris will be preaching from the Gospel of Matthew.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

2Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.

3But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

4Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head.

5But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved.

6For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head.

7For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.

8For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;

9for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake.

10Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

11However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

12For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.

13Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

14Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,

15but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

16But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.

hot off the press

Last June, at the General Assembly of the PCA in Atlanta, a committee was formed to look at the Federal Vision controversy. They were to write a report and submit the report the following year. Well they have done it, and to read the whole paper, click on the link below.

I have just started to read it, let me know what you think.

Proposed Position Paper on the Federal Vision

11 charged over Bible firm deaths

I read this on CNN's website.....

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Eleven suspects in the slayings of three Christians at a publishing house in eastern Turkey were charged with murder Sunday, court officials said.

The three victims -- one German and two Turkish men -- were tied up and had their throats slit on Wednesday at a publishing house in the town of Malatya that was at the center of protests by some nationalists because it distributed Bibles.

We are so insulated from many of our Christian brothers and sisters who are literally risking their lives so people can read God's Word. We need to always be reminded that the church in many parts of the world finds itself threatened and persecuted. All they were doing was publishing God's word, they were not out on the streets preaching the gospel or holding a worship service. Just printing bibles.

I find it amazing and ironic that these men were publishing bibles in the same places where the Galatians & Ephesians first read their letters from the Apostle Paul.

Grace Covenant in Blacksburg, VA

I know most of us have been overwhelmed with the news out Virginia Tech. I know for myself I am taking a break from the endless 24/7 news.

But on a positive note, the PCA church in Blacksburg, VA is helping with those who are dealing with the tragedy. There is a nice video at the Washington Post Website, click this link to see it.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

The text for this Sunday's sermon is quite appropriate given the events of Monday in VA.

50Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

51Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

53For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.

55"O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"

56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;

57but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

A Day to Mourn

I am sure many of you were saddened as you heard the reports come in today in regards to the many deaths at Virginia Tech. My heart goes out to that community as they deal with this enormous lost.

Pray for the ministers in particular who will need to help folks in the community deal with this violence and death.

There is one PCA Church in Blacksburg, Grace Covenant.

And the PCA has a campus ministry (RUF) at Virginia Tech.

Keep them in prayer this week as well as the other churches that are connected to Virginia Tech.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 15:35-49

35But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?"

36You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;

37and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else.

38But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own.

39All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish.

40There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.

41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

42So also is the resurrection of the dead It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body;

43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

45So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL " The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

46However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.

47The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.

48As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.

49Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

Resurection Sunday Report

I thought it would be nice to share the highlights of yesterday......

We had a number of visitors, I think the total was 13 people, which includes children.

Our attendance was up, the exact count I do not know but with all the visitors and missing regulars visiting family I was encouraged.

After the worship service, about 20 folks gathered at a member's home had a wonderful lunch complete with Ham & Lamb.

That's it. Overall I was encouraged as we mark our 3rd Easter Sunday with this congregation. We feel blessed to be here and have hope of what will happen in the future.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 15:20-34

1Cor. 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
1Cor. 15:21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
1Cor. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
1Cor. 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,
1Cor. 15:24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
1Cor. 15:25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
1Cor. 15:26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
1Cor. 15:27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him.
1Cor. 15:28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.
1Cor. 15:29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?
1Cor. 15:30 Why are we also in danger every hour?
1Cor. 15:31 I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Cor. 15:32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.
1Cor. 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
1Cor. 15:34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

Maundy Thursday?

I had a church member ask me, "Where does the term Maundy Thursday come from?"

Now we as a church don't have a Maundy Thursday Service, although my first church we had one which I though was good.

The term "Maundy Thursday" originated in English Protestant churches. Wikipedia gives this explanation of the word "Maundy"

The word Maundy is derived through Middle English, and Old French mandé, from the Latin mandatum, the first word of the phrase "Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos" (A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you), the statement by Jesus in the Gospel of John (13:34) by which Jesus explained to the Apostles the significance of his action of washing their feet. The phrase is used as the antiphon sung during the "Mandatum" ceremony of the washing of the feet, which may be held during Mass or at another time as a separate event, during which a priest or bishop (representing Christ) ceremonially washes the feet of others, typically 12 persons chosen as a cross-section of the community.

I hope this helps!

Good Friday Service

At least since we arrived in 2004, we have not taken time to gather as a church on Good Friday.

This Friday, we will be gathering in Hudson, NH at Fox Hollow in their clubhouse to remember Good Friday. There will be scripture readings, prayers, music and we will celebrate the Lord's Supper.

Anyone is welcome to come, it will be less formal than a typical Sunday Morning Worship. I am looking forward to spending the time reflecting on the last hours of Christ.

Is. 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.

Sermons back online

I have no idea who has noticed and who has not, but it has been some time since we were able to put sermons up on the church's website. The biggest problem was technology, not having the right equipment to pull it off.

Well with some input from our tech group, we purchased a digital recorder from M-Audio and it recorded its first sermon Sunday.

I am pleased to announce that it worked fine and the 1st sermon for 2007 is up on the church website. We will do our best to keep it updated and I am glad we have a solution. Check it out when you get a chance.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthian 15:12-19

After a 2 week break from preaching, I am back behind the pulpit this Sunday. We will pick up where we left off, looking at 1 Corinthians 15

1Cor. 15:12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
1Cor. 15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;
1Cor. 15:14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.
1Cor. 15:15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.
1Cor. 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;
1Cor. 15:17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
1Cor. 15:18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
1Cor. 15:19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.