Notable quote...

"You are guilty; your pardon is of God."
-C.H. Spurgeon, "Prince of Preachers"
(1834-1892)

Sunday AM Series: Romans

Pastor Joel Santti: Romans 3:1-31

What advantage then...?

Verse 1 asks the question which frames the rest of the chapter: What advantage then has the Jew?
-They are God's chosen people.
-Given the word (oracles) of God (v. 2).
-But time and again, they rejected Him.

Verses 3-4 underscore the fact that unbelief doesn't change the truth of God: let God be true, but every man a liar.

In verses 5-8, God's judgments are seen as true and righteous (see Psa. 19:9).

Verse 9 confirms that all, regardless of ethnicity, gender, or social status, are under sin.

Verses 10-12 flesh the above point out: There is none righteous...There is none that understandeth...there is none that seeketh after God...there is none that doeth good.

To illustrate, Paul examines humankind's conversation in verses 13-14.

Verses 15-18 indict humankind's conduct.

Verses 19-20 render God's judgment through the law: and all the world may become guilty before God.

But...verses 21-23 declare how God's righteousness through faith in Christ can reverse the guilty "verdict".

Key words to look for in verses 24-26: justification, redemption, and propitiation- all results of Christ's finished work.

Verses 27-28 show that it isn't by individual acheivement (boasting), but faith that justifies.

Verses 29-31 point to the law's fulfillment (completion).

Sermon notes, other info coming Monday...

Sermon notes from Romans 3 coming tomorrow, along with other info about upcoming 4th of July events. In the mean time, it appears that our church has caught the eye of at least one driver for a major home improvement store. Maybe he'll come back when he can spend more time...

PBS: "Jesus in China"

Flipping through the channels the other night, I ran across PBS's "Frontline". They featured Christianity in China. Titled Jesus in China, it looked at the relationship between the "house church" (underground) movement and the communist government. While Christian brothers and sisters are beginning to see daylight in the form of less restrictions from the government, they still deal with the specter of living in a police state.

Among the more interesting thoughts from the program:

“They’ve tried to catch me several times, but they never succeeded because God protects me.” says Wang Guiyan, who runs [a house] church. “Christianity is freedom. But Chinese Christians, they still have restrictions. They are not completely free.”

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In case after case, the Chinese government gives a variety of reasons other than faith to arrest local house church leaders. Sometimes, they demolish the house churches altogether. But the government’s attempts to control the underground church have largely failed to diminish their faith.

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“The gap is becoming larger in China between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless,” he says. “I believe only Jesus, and not the communist party, can save this country and its people.”

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At the most recent Communist Party congress, President Hu Jintao made an historic move, adding the word “religion” to the party constitution for the first time. He urged party leaders to strike what he called a harmonious balance between church and state.

But not everyone trusts the party’s new friendly face toward religion. Fan Yafeng, a lawyer specializing in religious freedom, tells Osnos that the government’s acceptance of Christianity is strategic.

“To control the Chinese society, the government sometimes chooses to be lenient and sometimes tough,” he says.

Is it really that bad?

I happened upon a news story while sorting through the news of the day, an AP piece in which the title summed up most of the article: Everything seemingly is spinning out of control.

Really? I thought to myself. Here's some excerpts:

Midwestern levees are bursting. Polar bears are adrift. Gas prices are skyrocketing. Home values are abysmal. Air fares, college tuition and health care border on unaffordable. Wars without end rage in Iraq, Afghanistan and against terrorism.

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"It is pretty scary," said Charles Truxal, 64, a retired corporate manager in Rochester, Minn. "People are thinking things are going to get better, and they haven't been. And then you go hide in your basement because tornadoes are coming through. If you think about things, you have very little power to make it change."

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The can-do, bootstrap approach embedded in the American psyche is under assault. Eroding it is a dour powerlessness that is chipping away at the country's sturdy conviction that destiny can be commanded with sheer courage and perseverance.

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And maybe this is what the 21st century will be about — a great unraveling of some things long taken for granted.

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My response when I read this? It's bad, but it's not as bad as it's been before, nor as bad as it will get. First of all, it's not as bad as it's been before and the Bible gives me a pretty good idea that this is the case. Take Genesis 6:1 and following. God sees that man's wickedness is great and that "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Then the very next verse says "and it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."

Genesis 6 is what is known as "the days of Noah" and they seem to be a sort of benchmark for God to measure wickedness and depravity. In fact Jesus uses Noah's time to give us a hint as to when His second coming shall be: But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matt. 24:37). So, although it is bad (and not getting much better- see 2 Tim. 3:13) it has been worse and will be once again. But as long as we're here, we have a chance to parner with God to forestall the decay and depravity- provided we don't add to it with our actions.

Just a thought...

Less than two weeks away...

Our church will be proudly taking part in Willard's Fourth of July parade and festivities...

Our theme will be God and Country.

Stay tuned for updates as the day draws closer.

Save the date: Friday, 7/4/08

Sunday AM Series: Romans

Pastor Joel Santti: Romans 2:12-29

On God's Law and the people of the Old Covenant

-Gentiles didn't have God's law delivered to them as did the Jews, yet they had a law "written on the heart" in their consciences.

-Those who had God's law boasted in it and became proud and arrogant, forgetting the original purpose of the law.

-see verse 20: a form of knowledge
a form of something is not complete.
Paul spoke of those in the last days who would have a "form of godliness, but denying the power thereof".

-form vs. knowledge: from mind to heart

-vs. 25-29
Circumcision was an outward sign to God but if someone didn't live the inward truth behind that sign, it meant nothing.
We need an inward sign that God is present.

-Our daily challenge is to look into the mirror of the word of God so that we can launch out into our daily walk (see James 1:22-25)

Sunday laugh (on a Monday...)

Ouch...I hear the groans now. For some clarification at this attempt at humor, find the scripture reference here.

The Measure of a Man

Pastor Joel Santti: The Measure of a Man

LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am. (Psalm 39:4)

Question: How does God measure a man?

Ephesians 4:13-
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

5 Criteria God uses to measure a man:

1) A man who loves God will all that he is (Matt. 22:37).
2) A man who loves others (John 15:12, 15:17).
3) A man who loves his wife (Eph. 5:25).
4) A man who loves his children (Eph. 6:4).
5) A man who doesn't measure himself by another man (2 Cor. 10:12) - Christ is the standard.

4 Him: "The Measure of a Man"

Pastor Joel's sermon reminded me of a song by the Christian group 4 Him, called "The Measure of a Man". While I couldn't find a link to the video online, I was able to find the lyrics to this wonderful song:

This world can analyze and size you up
And throw you on the scales
They can IQ you and run you through
Their rigorous details
They can do their best to rate you
And they'll place you on their charts
And then back it up with scientific smarts
Bur there's more to what your worth
Than what their human eyes can see
CHORUS
Oh I say the measure of a man
Is not how tall you stand
How wealthy or intelligent you are
Cause I found out the measure of a man
God knows and understands
For He looks inside to the bottom of your heart
And what's in the heart defines
The measure of a man
Well you can doubt your worth
And search for who you are and where you stand
But God made you in His image
When He formed you in his hands
And He looks at you with mercy
And He sees you through His love
You're His child and that will always be enough
For there's more to what you're worth
Than you could ever comprehend
CHORUS

BRIDGE
You can spend your life pursuing physical perfection
There is so much more, more than ever meets the eye
For God looks through the surface
And He defines your worth by, what is on the inside

Author, journalist Tim Russert dies

Host of NBC's Meet the Press and bestselling author died today in his DC office. Having met Russert, I can tell you the Tim Russert you saw in front of the camera was the same one I met in the Iowa snow when the cameras were off. Russert gained national notoriety for his use of a plain whiteboard during election night in 2000 to explain the increasingly complicated electoral math. He also drew wide praise for his 2004 book about his father, "Big Russ and Me". Russert leaves behind a wife, son, and his father- Big Russ. Please pray for the Russert family during this time of sorrow.

Great news from Sale...

Good things to report as a result of the church's participation in the Willard city-wide garage sale:

1) We raised a significant amount of money which will go toward the purchase of sanctuary chairs. While these chairs aren't the ones pictured above, they are padded and they are comfortable.

2) Around 200 cards with the church's info were handed out to folks who came to the sale. Pray that these cards sow seeds.

Sunday Laugh...

Found @ ReverendFun.com. No need for further explanation!

Sunday AM Series: Romans

Pastor Joel Santti: Romans 2:1-16

"Four Aspects of the Judgment of God"

God's judgment is...
1) True (Romans 2:1-2)
2) Righteous (Romans 2:3-10)
3) Without respect of persons (Romans 2:11-15)
4) Imminent (Romans 2:16)

D-Day plus 64

June 6, 1944: Operation Overlord launched to breach Hitler's "Atlantic Wall" and liberate Europe from Nazi oppression. Some 5,000 ships either carried, escorted, and landed the assault force. Some 130,000 Allied troops landed on the French coast. When it was over, 4,000 brave men were dead. 64 years later- and we remember.

At the moment American, British, and Canadian
forces were slamming the beaches of Normandy, President Franklin Roosevelt made a radio broadcast to the American people. Unlike other broadcasts, FDR's purpose this time was to pray with the American people. His prayer is powerful and poignant, and it's worth repeating here:

My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas -- whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them--help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.
Amen.

Forty years after that tumultous day, another American president gave a speech- this time standing on the windswept cliffs of Normandy. Ronald Reagan spoke of the power which sustained those about to fight:

"Something else helped the men of D-Day: their rock-hard belief that Providence would have a great hand in the events that would unfold here; that God was an ally in this great cause. And so, the night before the invasion, when Colonel Wolverton asked his parachute troops to kneel with him in prayer he told them: Do not bow your heads, but look up so you can see God and ask His blessing in what we're about to do. Also that night, General Matthew Ridgway on his cot, listening in the darkness for the promise God made to Joshua: "I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.''

64 years later- and we'll never forget.

You can listen to President Roosevelt's D-Day Prayer here.

You can listen to President Reagan's D-Day Speech here.

***Willard City-Wide Garage Sale Saturday***

A quick reminder...Willard's city-wide garage sale is this Saturday! Bring your stuff to the church on or before Saturday.

Sunday laugh...

The signmaker has a point! Although humans have more knowledge at their fingertips than ever before, the deep questions still linger.

Sunday AM Series: Romans

Pastor Joel Santti: Romans 1:1-1:7

Introduction to the book of Romans

-1.1: Identifies Paul as the writer.
-1.1: Reveals subject of the book, the gospel. (see also Romans 1:16)
-1.2: Paul alludes to the fact that the gospel was "promised" before by the prophets (Old Testament).
-1.3: Makes mention of the Davidic Covenant. (see also Psalm 2)
-1.4: The primacy of the resurrection, proving the person and mission of Christ.
-1.5: Paul's calling of apostleship.
-1.6: "Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ". This includes all believers.
-1.7: "...called to be saints"