Tinney Chapel Today

SUNDAY WORSHIP TODAY:

MORNING SERVICE, 9:00 A.M.

Greeters: L. R. Kemp and George Jordan.

Ushers: George Jordan & L. R. Kemp.

MUSIC

Pianist: Pat Hollingsworth.

Songleader for hymns: John Futral.

Songs: He Lives; Love Lifted Me; Come Thou Fount; I Will Praise Him.

SPECIAL MUSIC BY TINNEY CHAPEL KIDS CHOIR:

Thank You, Jesus.

Kids Choir Singers included:

Madie Crow, J.T.Crow, Matthew Stanley, Niles Johnson, Luke Voelker, Olivia Voelker & Tony McGovern.

Morning Prayer & Lord’s Prayer: Pastor Duncan Graham

LITURGY BY ASSOCIATE PASTOR GENE MILLER:

Call To Worship

Offertory Prayer

Doxology

Gloria Patri

Apostles Creed

CHILDREN’S SERMON TODAY:

Senior Pastor Duncan Graham’s handout to the children pictured a cornucopia or horn of plenty. “We’re grateful to God for the plenty that God has bestowed upon us,” said the Pastor, who then asked the children what they were thankful for. Responses included: family, grandparents, pets and food. “As we come upon the Thanksgiving Holiday, we should take the time for special thanks to the Lord for all He has given us, including the care He provides for us.”

In his closing prayer, the Pastor gave thanks for each young life there today and all that each child means to parents, grandparents and other loved ones. He also asked the Lord to help us all be truly grateful for our blessings, especially for Jesus Christ, Who gave His Life that we might have eternal life: “In His most precious Name, we pray. Amen.”

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TODAY’S ADULT SERMON:

Senior Pastor Rev. Duncan Graham’s sermon title was “The Person & Works of Jesus Christ.”

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Today, the Pastor examined the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed, all of which the congregation recites each Sunday. His emphasis today was on:

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“...Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day He rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of god the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead...”

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The Pastor said he remembered reciting the Apostles’ Creed as a child, eventually doing so without looking at the words, but it was some time before it fully dawned on him that, in so doing, he was actually expressing a deep faith. This reverie reminded the Pastor of a song, which he then led the congregation in singing:

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“Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks unto the Holy One,
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son
And now let the weak say "I am strong",
Let the poor say "I am rich",
Because of what the Lord, has done for us
Give Thanks!
Give Thanks!
Give Thanks! “

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Here, the Pastor referred to: Luke 1:26-38:

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." 34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" 35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible." 38 Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

---New King James Version of the Bible

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“We may take it for granted that Mary was a virgin, as it is stated in Scripture, but recently an Episcopal bishop suggested that Mary was not really a virgin, and that Jesus was actually born in Nazareth, rather than Bethlehem, as is stated in Scripture. So, not everyone agrees with us,” said Pastor Graham. “But, we may be sure that, in Mary’s day and age, had she been guilty of adultery, she would have been either stoned or made a social outcast. We may assume that the circumstances of Jesus’ virgin birth were well known and accepted at that time, or there would have been great repercussions.

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“Rather, Mary was protected from all such contrary thoughts and accusations,” added the Pastor. “We can be sure that the events we know to have surrounded the birth of Jesus were so public that, if they were not true, then exposure would have resulted. So, when contrary statements are made, such as those by the Episcopal bishop, we know they are based not on the Word of God, but rather are the result of some working of human logic. Meanwhile, God is capable of doing anything, whether it corresponds with human logic or not. So, when we stand and say the Apostles’ Creed, we attest to the fact that God, in all His fullness, came in the form of Man.

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“Jesus would not have meant anything to us, His death on the cross would have meant nothing to us if He was not divine, not fully God,” explained Pastor Graham. “But, Jesus is fully God. He is fully divine. His Blood cleanses us, so that we recite the Apostles’ Creed in the full confidence of our faith. When we come to the part of the Creed about Jesus suffering under Pontius Pilate, we can go to Matthew 27:11:

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11 Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" So Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." ---New King James Version

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“Later, of course, Pilate turned Jesus over to be flogged and crucified,” added the Pastor. “This was a time when the Roman government had full authority in the biggest part of the known world, about 30 a.d. to 33 a.d. when Pilate was the Governor of that part of Judah. But, of course, many others besides Pilate played a part in the death of Jesus. And, in the final analysis, the question of just who is responsible for the death of Jesus comes down to you and me: Jesus died because of our sins.

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“We also need to remember that the Rome of that time was filled with all kinds of idol worship, all kinds of pagan worship,” declared Pastor Graham. “There was an anti-Christ spirit then and there, and the battle, the struggle, the war was between sin and righteousness. Jesus suffered for a cause. He waged war against evil and false worship. Righteousness was fighting a battle. It may look as if righteousness lost a battle at that time, but no: The crucifixion of Jesus represents a great victory for righteousness. It is as if Jesus said: Do what you will with this body, but I’ll bring it back.

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“It’s important for us to recall that Jesus really died,” emphasized the Pastor. “Some say that Jesus did not really die, that he only swooned. But he died. They buried Him. These things really did happen. When we stand to repeat the Apostles’ Creed, we repeat the faith that dates back to the Apostles themselves. If we don’t serve a Living Savior, we have nothing to sustain us. Countless witnesses testified that Jesus was raised from the dead. So we have in Him the Hope of our Glory because He Lives! We have a Living Savior.

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“The first chapter of Acts tells us how Jesus was taken up in the Ascension,” reminded Pastor Graham:

9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey.
---New King James Version

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“Jesus fulfilled 300-plus prophecies in the life He lived on earth,” said the Pastor. “That is astronomical, and is not something that could be planned. As an example, let’s look at just one prophecy from Isaiah 9:

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6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
---New King James Version

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“When Jesus comes again, it will be to establish His Kingdom,” said Pastor Graham. “At that time, peace will be the major byword of Jesus Christ. When we recite that part of the Apostles’ Creed which says that Jesus shall come to judge the quick and the dead, it’s a reminder that there will come a day of judgment. Some live their lives as if there will not be a day of judgment, but it is not a question of if there will be a day of judgment. Rather, it is certain that there will be a day of judgment. Thus, it’s important to live our lives in a way to pass the judgment without being judged. Jesus Christ makes that way with His wonderful gift: Freedom from judgment.

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“So, what do we find here in the Creed?” asked the Pastor, rhetorically. “The whole of the Gospel, in a nutshell! Article 2 of the Apostles’ Creed gives testimony to a faith that is so essential to our relationship.” In his closing prayer, Pastor Graham called upon the Great Heavenly Father: “By your great words of faith, handed down to us, hear our sincere thanks as we wonder in awe at the total of blessings we have through Jesus Christ. I pray that we always repeat the words of the Apostles’ Creed with the joy and the grace that brought it all to us. Amen.”

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BIBLE READINGS TODAY:

Readings for Christ The King/Reign Of Christ Sunday: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Luke 1:68-79; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43.

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CLASSES TODAY:

SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS TOPICS:

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WISE ONES, Frankie Brewer: New Beginnings.

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LADIES BYKOTA, Peggy Boyd: Be thankful.

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Tinney Chapel Men, Bill Knoop: The Case For Christ, a study by Lee Strobel.

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OVERCOMERS: Jenna Nelson: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.

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YOUTH: Stephen Graham: Journey Through The Bible (Quiz) Continued.

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CHILDREN: Linda Hallman: Tower of Babel.

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The Remnant Class, Joe Dan Boyd: God’s First Remnant: Noah Builds The Ark.

The Remnant Class handout is below:

REMNANT RIGHTEOUSNESS (Life Lessons # 244)

Take home lessons from studying Genesis 6:14-22 and related Scripture.

1. The Lord, in the authorized King James translation, told Noah to make the ark of gopher wood, a term which has caused Bible scholars to offer a range of speculations: pine, fir, cypress, cedar, turpentine, teakwood. John Wesley said only that Noah doubtless knew what sort of wood that was, but now we do not.

2. Scholars assume that the ark looked nothing like a sailing ship, and that it was a flat-bottomed, upward-sloping ridged floating chest which likely measured about 450’ by 75’ making it the largest sea-going vessel ever built until 1858.

3. The door to the ark, says scholar John Gill, is reasonably supposed to have been large enough to allow entry by an elephant, thus possibly making the door too large for Noah and his family to shut, which possibly accounts for the Lord Himself closing the door after all were aboard.

4. Commentators consider the ark a type of God’s church, with its 3 decks corresponding to the 3 divisions of the tabernacle and temple, the door signifying Christ and the window typifying the light of the Gospel.

5. A New Testament analysis of Noah concludes that God warned him about things not yet seen, and in reverence Noah prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, thus becoming an heir of righteousness, according to faith (Hebrews 11:7).

TODAY’S DATE: 11-21-04

ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT SUNDAY: 11-28-04

READ: GENESIS 7:1-24

Afterwards, reflect upon these things:

1. Righteous in this generation.

2. Clean and unclean animals.

3. Noah’s obedience.

4. The springs of the great deep.

5. The closing of the door.

6. Water, water, everywhere.

7. The world that perished.