Train to Live on Mission Today! (Overview Week 1)
Grow Strong in the Grace of God!
2 Timothy 2:1-4 (NAS95)
The Scripture lesson for today and the theme verses for the 2022 sermon series are found in 2 Timothy 2:1-4:
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.
This passage is the foundation for a year-long journey of learning how to live on mission for God as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. In fact, it is verses 3-4 which will provide the theme for this sermon series: “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.” From this truth, I am going to train you to live on mission for Jesus Christ and to see every moment of your life as a providential opportunity to fulfill the mission of God. As a good soldier of Jesus Christ, you have been enlisted to train to live on mission today!
I know what this life looks like because once upon a time I was on the tip of the spear in our nation’s security, serving in a rapid deployment unit as an Infantry platoon leader in the 2nd Battalion of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 82nd Airborne Division, stationed out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 1997-98. After graduating West Point, I was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army. Having graduated from the US Army’s Infantry Officer Basic Course, as well as the Airborne, Air Assault, and Ranger Schools, I was prepared to live the life of a paratrooper and train America’s finest to complete the mission, at any time and in any place that we were called to go. It was our mission to be delivered behind enemy lines through airborne operations to successfully secure key objectives for follow-on combat missions. As a rapid deployment unit, we had to be ready to be wheels up within 18 hours of notification! As a leader in such a unit, it was my responsibility to ensure my platoon was trained, our equipment was maintained, and we were ready to deploy so that we could respond without hesitation. Our motto was “H-minus,” which represented our readiness prior to the start of the operation. H-hour was too late to train—it was mission time!
In the same way, you need to be trained to respond to your Lord’s calling without hesitation. When the opportunity presents itself or the enemy comes against you, you need to already know what to do and to execute the mission with confidence! Each Sunday of January, we are going to lay a solid foundation for our year-long training routine, so that by the end of this year, you will be ready at any time to accomplish the mission of God anywhere you are called to go.
Let’s start by walking through 2 Timothy 2:1-4. Today, we will focus on what what it means to grow strong in God’s grace and next week we will learn what it means to have a mission-focus, like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. You have been enlisted! Are you ready?
“YOU THEREFORE, MY SON,”
Paul calls Timothy his son, even though he is not a biological father to him. In 1 Timothy 1:2, Paul calls him “my true child in the faith.” He is speaking to Timothy, just as he did to Titus in Titus 1:4, “my true child in a common faith,” as a spiritual father who sees in him the potential not only to be a follower of Jesus, but to carry on his apostolic mission to spread the gospel. Paul relates to both Timothy and Titus as his protégés (his apprentices or disciples). This is the intent of verse 2, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” We will learn more about this next Sunday (1/16) when I will teach you to have a mission-focus, like a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
It is enough for today to explain that Paul’s familial reference (son) to Timothy is mission-focused; it’s not sentimentality or emotionalism. While there is genuine love, it is a love born of shared suffering for their “common faith.” I equate this kind of relationship to that which we see between veterans who shared combat together or who can relate to one another because of similar experiences. There is a powerful camaraderie amongst soldiers that is unique to them.
We can share in Paul’s charge to Timothy because we are the “sons of God,” as Paul taught of all Spirit-filled Christians in Romans 8:14-17:
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
This is God’s promise of adoption, as we learn from Galatians 4:4-7:
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
This is the grace of God in your life—you are no longer a slave to sin! You are alive in Christ and are commanded by the One who enlisted you to grow strong in your identity as a child of God and your new power source as a good soldier of Jesus Christ—the grace of God! It is because of God’s amazing grace, which saved a wretch like me (and you), that we can share a unique camaraderie with one another. It is only through the victory of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary that a blind man like me can now see. That is our common faith, and this is the war that has been won for us! His victory yokes us to one another and we are called to the mission of God by the One who saved us! We are the sons of God—co-heirs of God’s grace!
“BE STRONG”
There are seven usages of this Greek word in the New Testament, many of which will be familiar to you. First, and most alike in usage to today’s passage, is Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:10-20:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak [italics added].
Listen to the other verses with the Greek word italicized for emphasis:
- Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens”
- 1 Timothy 1:12, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service.”
- 2 Timothy 4:17, “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth.”
- Acts 9:22, “But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.”
- Romans 4:20, “Yet, with respect to the promise of God, [Abraham] did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God.”
It will be the emphasis of this year’s sermon series to learn how to grow strong in God’s grace, increase in strength, and be strengthened by God. I will be teaching you more about the very intentional training routine of a good soldier of Jesus Christ in 2 weeks (1/23).
“IN THE GRACE THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS”
Furthermore, Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians 9:8 that God’s grace is not just our entrance into the Kingdom, it is also the empowerment of the Christian life, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.”
Grace is what enables us to successfully live the Christian life and accomplish the mission! Paul expressed to his protégé in Titus 2:11-15:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
The promise of grace teaches us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that God’s grace is our sufficiency for every task God calls us to accomplish: “And [Jesus] has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” In other words, there is nothing you can’t do in God’s grace, but apart from God’s grace, there is nothing you can do! Jesus taught us this with the agricultural imagery of John 15:1-5:
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
This is the beautiful partnership we are called to have with God through the grace of Jesus Christ! His grace flows into our lives as we abide in Him! Listen to 2 Peter 1:2-11 explain this through the imagery of fellowship with God:
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
To accomplish the mission of God, every good soldier must be trained to grow strong in God’s grace, which has been abundantly supplied to you!
Grace is the key to the Christian life! We must grow strong in our identity as children of God, enlisted into the mission of God as good soldiers of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3-4). Next week, we will learn that we are commanded to remain focused on the mission of God and not get ensnared or entangled on that which would distract us from growing strong in the grace of God. As Hebrews 12:1-3 commands us,
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy 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 has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
You can listen to Pastor Jerry’s message here:
You can watch the video by clicking HERE.
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 662
Today’s hymn focus will be
“At Calvary”
William R Newell was born on May 22, 1868 to a pastor in Savannah, Ohio. Those who knew him considered him to be a ‘humble man”, but that was not the always the case. He had been a rebellious teen and his father wrote several letters requesting that Dr. Torrey, President of Moody Bible Institute, allow his son to enroll. It was only with the stipulation that William would meet each day with him and agree to uphold the rules and requirements of the Institute that he was allowed to attend.
The boy faithfully visited his office each day and would answer the questions asked of him with wisdom from God’s word. Finally, after months of counseling, Torrey led him to Christ. He later returned to Moody Bible Institute as a teacher, writing the words to this hymn and having his friend, Daniel Towner, compose the tune in about an hour in 1895.
Mercy there was great, and grace was free. Pardon there was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary!
This hymn is very special to me, as it was one of my dad’s favorites. Much like Newell, my dad found his way to Calvary because of a pastor who looked past the rough exterior and saw him for who he could be in Jesus.
We need to share the message of mercy and grace with those around us each and every day!
YOUTUBE:
At Calvary
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary.
Mercy there was great and grace was free,
Pardon there was multiplied to me,
There my burdened soul found liberty–
At Calvary.
Then I trembled at the Law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary. [Refrain]
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary. [Refrain]
O the grace that brought it down to man!
O the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary. [Refrain]
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 661
The Divine Gift of Wisdom!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, January 7, 2022.
We all need wisdom to live our lives on mission for God and His glory, but do we realize that God is the only true source?
After Moses blessed the twelve tribes, like Jacob did before he died, he went to the top of the mountain and looked out over Jericho and the beauty of God’s Promised Land! His 120 years of sojournings was over for him, but the journey would continue for Israel as they are about to enter the Promised Land and seize Jericho. The 40 years of wandering have come to an end!
Deuteronomy 34:9-12 ends one chapter of Israel’s history and begins another, as the leadership baton is passed from Moses to Joshua:
Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, for all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.
Seize the moment and seek wisdom from God and His Word!
YOUTUBE:
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 660
The Two Blessings of the Twelve Tribes!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, January 6, 2022.
How often do you pray a blessing over your family and loved ones?
It’s been approximately 450-500 years between the two blessings over the twelve tribes of Israel!
Jacob’s blessing was prior to the exodus, and the over 400 years the Israelites would spend in Egypt. Moses led them out of slavery at the age of 80, then led them through their 40 years of wilderness wanderings, until this very moment when he blessed them, as recorded in Deuteronomy 33. Moses blessed the tribes, starting in verse 6 with Reuben, and ending with a beautiful blessing over all of Israel in verses 26-29:
There is none like the God of Jeshurun [Israel], Who rides the heavens to your help, and through the skies in His majesty. The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He drove out the enemy from before you, and said, “Destroy!” So Israel dwells in security, the fountain of Jacob secluded, in a land of grain and new wine; His heavens also drop down dew. Blessed are you, O Israel; who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, who is the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, and you will tread upon their high places.
What a beautiful tradition that we should carry into our families and churches: the blessing of the generations!
Seize the moment and say a blessing over your family and the next generation today! There is no reason to wait 50 years, nevertheless, 500 years!
YOUTUBE:
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 659
God is the Rock!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, January 5, 2022.
What is the most important part of a house? The foundation! If you don’t lay a strong foundation, then, no matter what else you do, it is still unstable and insecure. The same is true for our lives.
Any nation that is not built on God will collapse under the weight of its people’s instabilities and insecurities. Do not forsake God because in doing so you weaken the foundation of your life and your society. Moses explicitly stated this in verses 15-18:
But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked — You are grown fat, thick, and sleek — Then he forsook God who made him, and scorned the Rock of his salvation. They made Him jealous with strange gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons who were not God, to gods whom they have not known, new gods who came lately, whom your fathers did not dread. You neglected the Rock who begot you, and forgot the God who gave you birth.
Seize the moment and build your life upon the Rock. Jesus is the only sure foundation for your life (Matthew 7:24-27)!
YOUTUBE:
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 658
Confidence in God!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, January 4, 2022.
As a military officer, I learned the importance of being confident and instilling it in my soldiers. Confidence is critical to completing the mission.
Moses was 120 years old, he could no longer get around, and he was about to die. What does Moses do? In Deuteronomy 31:3-6, Moses seizes the moment to instill confidence in his people:
It is the Lord your God who will cross ahead of you; He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, just as the Lord has spoken. The Lord will do to them just as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when He destroyed them. The Lord will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandments which I have commanded you. Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.
Confidence is a powerful motivator, but we must be wise and discerning about whom or what we place our confidence. Moses was correct to put all his confidence in God. Yes, he called forth Joshua to lead in his place, and charged the priests and elders with their responsibilities, but it was God who was worthy of his confidence.
While I strive to be faithful as a pastor and call forth people to faithfully fulfill their callings in life, it is my ambition that people would put their confidence in Jesus. May you be strong and courageous in the face of your circumstances because God is with you. He will not fail your or forsake you.
Seize the moment and put your confidence in Jesus! He alone is faithful and true!
YOUTUBE:
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 657
The Closeness of the Word!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, January 3, 2022.
Ignorance is not an excuse! This was drilled into me as a cadet at West Point and as an officer in the US Army.
God, in His mercy and grace, according to Deuteronomy 30:11-14, has come close to us so that we may know Him and live to please Him:
For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?” But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.
Jesus came from Heaven to Earth to come close and invite us to follow Him. Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life. God made Himself and His salvation visible and accessible so that people would come to Him. It is not for a lack of access that people are not saved, but people’s refusal to accept Jesus Christ as the Savior.
Seize the moment and draw near to God by putting your faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Living Word, who has come close to you.
YOUTUBE:
Read more...
The Victorious Life
THE VICTORIOUS LIFE FOR TODAY!
My prayer for you in 2022 is that you will live the victorious life today. It is the living out of your faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ in your everyday activities, in your comings and goings, your personal and professional life! Today, we start the new year with a proclamation of our faith through the reading of God’s Word and the partaking of the Lord’s Supper.
The Word of God for the Church of Jesus Christ from Paul’s 1 Corinthians 15:50-58:
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in 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. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But 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. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 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.
Beloved Church of Jesus Christ, my brethren, we come to the Lord’s Table on this first Sunday of 2022 to declare that God has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. The victory of God is the defeat over the evil forces of hell, of sin, and of the final enemy, death. Paul declared in Colossians 3:12-15 and 1 Corinthians 15:20-26:
When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 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. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
- Do you believe in Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, who took your death on the Cross of Calvary, which every person deserves as the wages for sin, so that you may experience forgiveness for sin through the sufficiency of God’s grace?
- Do you believe that Jesus Christ, defeated death, experiencing the resurrection from the dead after three days in the grave, revealed himself in His resurrected body to His followers for forty days, and is now ascended to the right hand of God where He intercedes for you today?
- Do you believe that God loves you and has chosen to make His dwelling place in you through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who has sealed you for the day of redemption?
- Do you believe that even now you have eternal life through the precious blood of Jesus Christ and that nothing can separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing?
- Do you believe that Jesus Christ will come again, soon, to bring His people to Himself and restore justice to the nations through His iron rod of judgment?
- Do you believe that on the Day of the Lord, Jesus Christ will make all things new and restore on the earth the dwelling place of God with humanity, in the New Heaven and New Earth?
This is our faith, and this is our victory, bestowed upon us through the love of God in Jesus Christ! The answer to Jesus’ question about belief is the key to your partaking in the victory that God graciously given you through faith in Jesus Christ. As 1 John 5:4 states, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”
Faith, according to Hebrews 11:1 is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” It is our faith in the life, death, resurrection, ascension, and imminent return of Jesus Christ that is our victory because it is through faith that we take on the life of God through the forgiveness of our sins and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.
As a regular practice of our faith and as a proclamation of our unity as the people of God, we declare the victory of God through the partaking of the elements of the Lord’s Supper—the bread represents His body and the juice His blood. Our participation in this supper causes us to yearn for the abundance of the great wedding feast we will enjoy together in the very presence of Jesus Christ in Heaven—our union with Him and reunion with those who are in Him throughout all time.
After a moment of silence, I will read the words of institution over the elements of this ancient ordinance of the Church, as given to us by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:23-33:
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 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. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
Prayer of preparation
Let us, the one body of Christ, in concert with the Church of Jesus Christ throughout the world and throughout time, partake of the elements together:
- His body broken for you… Partake of the bread
- His blood shed for the forgiveness of your sin… Partake of the cup.
This is the eternal covenant of God with humanity, which is for the forgiveness of your sin and the eternal union of your soul with God. May God have mercy on His people and may you find rest for your soul. Let this service today and this partaking of the Lord’s Supper remind you of your baptismal vows to God and your forsaking of the devil and of the world. The Cross before you, the world behind you, no turning back!
We now dedicate ourselves to Jesus Christ and His righteousness, and our days left upon this earth to the service of the King of kings and His eternal kingdom. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I now declare over you the words of the Apostle Paul from Ephesians 4:1-6 & 1 Corinthians 15:58:
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. … 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.
You can listen to Pastor Jerry’s message here:
You can watch the video by clicking HERE.
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 655
Good Fruit in the New Year!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, January 1, 2022. Happy New Year! May the Lord bless you in 2022!
It is my deepest prayer for you in 2022 that you will manifest the good fruit of your relationship with Jesus Christ! This has always been God’s hope for His people. We are His image bearers! Deuteronomy 29:14-18 taught His people about the importance of staying rooted in God’s covenant:
Now not with you alone am I making this covenant and this oath, but both with those who stand here with us today in the presence of the Lord our God and with those who are not with us here today …; so that there will not be among you a man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of those nations; that there will not be among you a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood.
The evidence of your relationship with God is found in either the peaceful fruit of righteousness or the poisonous fruit of a bitter root. As Jesus Christ said in Matthew 7:20, “So then, you will know them by their fruits.”
Seize the moment and bear the good fruit of abiding in the vine of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (John 15:1-16). May your life make evidence the fruit of the Holy Spirit in 2022: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)!
Happy New Year and God bless you!
YOUTUBE:
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 654
The Curse of an Iron Yoke!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, December 31.
Happy New Year’s Eve! May the Lord bless you in 2022!
The Lord has given each of us a choice—blessings or curses! Moses gave us the promises of the covenant in Deuteronomy 27-28 as He closed out his second giving of the Law. After a litany of covenant curses in Deuteronomy 27:15-26 and 28:15-68, you can feel the heavy burden of disobedience to the covenant of God. To capture the consequences of disobedience, God gave His people the image of an iron yoke in Deuteronomy 28:47-48:
Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.
The yoke is an agricultural image that depicts a choice: God’s people are either in the easy yoke of covenant blessings where they have peace and find rest for their soul through a faithful relationship with God (Matthew 11:28-30) or they are in the hard yoke of covenant curses where they find weariness and despair because of their rebellion against God (Jeremiah 28:13-14). The choice comes down to submission to God and His ways.
YOUTUBE:
Read more...