Tinney Chapel Today

MEMORIES OF LAST WEEK, "the week that was" perhaps the most memorable in Tinney Chapel history, lingered in today's thoughts, conversation and even crept into the Pastor's Message, "Chosen To Be A Covenant People." North Texas Conference (NTC) Communications photo of Bishop Rhymes Moncure, Jr., District Superintendent Pat Beghtel-Mahle and NTC Communications Director, Rev. Joan LaBarr, with us at last week's Consecration Service, above, by Joe Dan Boyd, using Dr. LaBarr's digital camera.

SUNDAY WORSHIP TODAY: January 16, 2005

MORNING SERVICE, 9:00 A.M.

Greeters: Roger Schneider.

Soundman: Bob Deitering.

Ushers: Clay Spears and Roger Schneider.

MUSIC

Pianist: Pat Hollingsworth.

Songleader for hymns: John Futral.

Songs: Standing On The Promises; 'Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus; My Savior’s Love; Take Time To Be Holy.

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Morning Prayer & Lord’s Prayer: Pastor Duncan Graham

LITURGY BY ASSOCIATE PASTOR GENE MILLER:

Call To Worship

Offertory Prayer

Doxology

Gloria Patri

Apostles Creed

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CHILDREN’S SERMON:

Senior Pastor Duncan Graham began by saying: “We’ll play a game today. You know how some things just go together. I mention something, and you say the first thing that comes to mind. Hammer? Nail. Salt? Pepper. Peanut Butter? Jelly. Brother? Sister. Well, in Scripture, there’s an association that we need to be reminded of often. What if I say the word FAITH? Hope? Well, that’s good, but I was thinking of the association in the New Testament Book of James: Faith? Works.

“James, the brother of Jesus, said they go together: Where we find faith, we find it reflected in works or deeds. In other words, James says that works are a result of faith. If we have faith, we automatically show it by works. James went so far as to say that faith without works is dead, meaning that faith doesn’t do much good if it is not shown. If we have faith, we should let it shine.”

In his closing prayer, Pastor Graham said, “Oh, gracious Lord, bless Matthew Stanley in every way, make his life a shining light in the works that he does in the Name of Jesus Christ. And may that also be a watchword for all of us. Let our works be on display as a result of our faith. We ask it in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

ADULT SERMON:

“Well, we had a great Sunday last Sunday at the Consecration for our new building,” said Senior Pastor Duncan Graham. “And the Bishop delivered a great sermon. And I want to say thanks to Sadie, Sherri, Zonnie, Elaine Knoop and all of you for your help with arrangements for that day. A great many of you did things to make it all happen. I hope we all remember that day for a long time to come. It was a truly good day Sunday. The Bishop said, ‘Hey, Church, do you know who you are?’ But, today, we might also say: Hey, Christian, do you know who you are? Do we all know Who should be the essence or core of our lives and being?”

The Pastor’s sermon today was titled, “Chosen To Be A Covenant People,” and was based on 1 Peter 2:4-10:

2:4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,

2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

2:6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."

2:7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,"

2:8 and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

2:10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

---New King James Translation

“We are a Covenant people,” emphasized Pastor Graham. “We are part of a Covenant with an Eternal God, an Everlasting, All-Powerful, All-Knowing God, and are in Covenant with Him. As a Covenant people, certain expectations are required of us, and also of Him as God. He would keep His part of the Covenant, of course, and He expects us to keep our part of the Covenant as well.

“We have been called into a special relationship with Him,” added the Pastor. “A Covenant is a Bond between individuals and God. It means we are bound to one another, and to God in this Covenant. We agree to do certain things. God agrees to do certain things. It’s up to us to keep up our end of the bargain. God expects a lot, but He gives even more. What a loving God!

“Some of you will remember a childhood game called, Follow The Leader,” continued the Pastor. “If you failed to do what the leader did, you were out of the game. But the game was not fun unless everyone tried to follow the leader. Some couldn’t or wouldn’t follow the leader and ducked out of the childhood game, you recall. Church is a lot like that. Our Leader is Jesus Christ, and we are expected to do what He does, to live like He lives. In fact, that’s a big part of the reason He came to earth: To set a lifestyle for our actions, our service and our worship. Our job is to follow Him as our Leader. In truth, we all fall short in that respect, since there is no perfect church.

“Some leave the church because they don’t think some others are following the rules,” explained Pastor Graham. “The trouble with that reasoning is that we are interpreting the rules. Some leave the church because someone else in the church is viewed as not following the leader. But that’s not a good excuse because the real Leader is Jesus Christ, and He expects us to act like Covenant people. And when we all do that, we can accomplish wonderful things. The great thing about a good game of Follow The Leader is when someone, like a big kid, helps another, like a little kid, who is having difficulty in following the leader. Thus, they become heroes!

“It’s all about lending a hand, helping others, picking up those who have fallen down and might be about to give up,” declared the Pastor. “What a joy it is in church when we find people who—rather than write other people off—help pick them up and strengthen them. What a difference that makes when someone helps another who can’t quite make it on his own. It’s a matter of caring for one another, and we are all called to do that in following Christ, doing the glorious work He has for us to do.

“When we say: Hey, Church, do you know who you are? We need only look at today’s Scripture to see that we are a royal priesthood. In the King James Translation, we are called a peculiar people, and that is not a term of offense. Rather it’s a blessing when understood through Jesus Christ. To be called a Covenant people we are to carry out His Will. Our opportunities are great: To seek, touch, reach, serve, bless and minister to a very many, all around us, day by day. As in that childhood game, we have to see ourselves as the Big Kids helping the Little Kids so they don’t lose heart and give up. To touch lives in every way that matters, to make them feel important, to make them feel that they belong, that they are a part of us, because they are!

“Every person is a part of us, and we are a part of them,” added Pastor Graham. “If we can render any kind of service and bless their lives, it’s a good thing. This past weekend, I was taking the AARP Driver Education course here at our church, and we discussed aggressive drivers. I confess to having done that, and it’s a reminder that I need to practice daily on an attitude that when I see someone not driving right. I should slow down and see it as God calling me to pray for that person doing the aggressive driving: Get him into the game. Bless every need he has. Save his soul if he is unsaved. Some may be in crisis. I should pray that God will touch their lives in all those ways. When I do that, my own driving improves.

“Jesus said that whatever we ask for in His Name, we can have,” added the Pastor. “We need to remember that Jesus is the Leader we are to follow.”

“In his closing prayer, Pastor Graham said, “Oh, gracious Heavenly Father, make us all desire to become more like You in our lives, in our church, in our walk. There are so many needs that people face in this community who don’t know all they need to know to enjoy the greatest blessing possible: Eternal Life. We are Your Hands, Your Mouth. Help us to walk, act and speak in ways that bring You glory. All this we ask in the Name of our Savior. Amen.”

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BIBLE READINGS TODAY:

Readings for Second Sunday After The Epiphany: Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-11; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42.

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CLASSES TODAY:

SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS TOPICS:

WISE ONES, Frankie Brewer: Preparing For The Job.

LADIES BYKOTA, Peggy Boyd: (1) Pride. (2) Responding To The Needy.

Tinney Chapel Men, Bill Knoop: The Case For Christ, a study by Lee Strobel. (A multiple-week study.)

The Remnant Class, Joe Dan Boyd, Noah's Legacy (concluded). (In lieu of a printed handout today, go to: http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/10_names.html

OVERCOMERS: Jenna Nelson: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. (A multiple-week study.)

YOUTH: Stephen Graham: Bible Insights.

CHILDREN: Linda Hallman: Bible Stories.