Every Person, Big Or Small, Has Great Work To Do
We were greeted Sunday morning by Wayne Johnson, who opened our worship service with prayers. Special prayers were requested for Darlene Mitchell, Mary Ann and Avery.
Dot announced that the Noel Women’s Club is celebrating its 92nd year and will hold their annual bake sale Saturday. Janet Chaney gave the devotional, “Brighten Your Corner.” She told us, “Every person, big or small, has great work to do. Put into practice your good intentions to brighten lives around you and brighten your corner.”
Tyrel Lett asked God’s blessing and he and Rick Lett served as offertory attendants. Congregational hymns included “I Am Resolved” led by Becky Johnson and Karen Gardner and we were blessed with a duet from Ashton Cory and Susan Cory who sang “Oh, How I Love Jesus” with scripture reference from I John 4:19.
Bro. Mark Hall brought us God’s message “Places I Don’t Want to Be” with scripture reference from the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:5.
Bro. Mark told us, “We are always thinking about the places we want to go — over the next hill or around the river’s bend, but there is one place you don’t want to go, and that is being a hypocrite standing before our Holy God. God doesn’t look at the exterior; He looks at the heart. There is a difference between what people believe us to be and what we really are. God doesn’t judge on the curve. We are not judged according to everyone else.”
Bro. Mark told us there are three things the hypocrite will be judged by: truth, deeds and the gospel.
“Romans 2:1-4 tells us there will be no mask before God. There are three problem things the hypocrite believes.
“First, he believes that outward appearances are all that matter. In Matthew 23:25-28, Jesus talks to the church people and proves that wrong.
“Second, the hypocrite believes that not having any trouble means that you are in good standing with God. That just isn’t so. It rains on the just and the unjust.
“And third, the hypocrite believes that delayed judgment means no judgment at all. Romans 2:5 tells us different. When your sin goes far enough, God is going to deal with you. A hypocrite is judged according to the truth, deeds and the gospel.”
Bro. Mark referred to Romans 2:6-10 and said, “A hypocrite will be judged according to his actions, his attitude and his advantages.”
Bro. Mark talked about action, attitude and advantages as he referred to the parable of the faithful servant in Luke 12:35-48.
“Take this earthly story and look at it with a spiritual and heavenly meaning. The servant knew his master’s will but still didn’t do it. Christians will be held to the highest account because we know our Master’s will. We are the servant who knows our Master’s will. We will be judged according to the gospel, which is Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and raised again on the third day. We will be judged according to the truth, our deeds and the gospel.”
Romans 2:16 says, “In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”
Bro. Mark asked, “What do we do with hypocrites? Nothing. Jesus is the judge.”
John 5:22 says, “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.”
Bro. Mark also referred to Acts 17:29-31.
“Leave it to God to deal with hypocrites on judgment day. If a hypocrite stands between you and God, he is closer to God than you are. Don’t worry about them. God will take care of them. It is not for us to judge.”
In closing, Bro. Mark said, “There is no one so bad that they can’t be saved and no one so good that they don’t need to be saved. Do you need to be saved? Don’t worry about hypocrites. We’ve always had them, and we always will.”
Our hymn of invitation was “Living For Jesus,” and Doug Cory gave the benediction.
We invite you to worship with us at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Come hear God’s word and fellowship with us. Everyone is welcome. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m., and worship service at 11.