The Realization That Comes With Receiving Christ
We sang happy anniversary to our pastor, Brother Mark Hall, and his wife Shelley as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. We were greeted by Doug Cory, and special prayers were requested for Angela Hamilton, Ronda Holly, Frankie, Kevin Sherman, Shelley’s sister, Skip, Eddie and Wayne.
Linda Abercrombie read a thank you note from the Missouri Baptist Home and then gave the devotional from a book titled, “A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.” Scripture was Matthew 6:34 in which Jesus tells us, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” The devotional shared the description of the events of a bad day. Even during bad days, we need to thank God for the sunshine and the snowflakes and ask ourselves if it will really matter 50 years from now. Sometimes fresh air, sunshine or a short drive will give us a new perspective on a bad day.
Congregational hymns included, “Standing on the Promises,” with Susan Cory at the piano and led by Karen Stroud. We were blessed with special music from Jerry Abercrombie as he sang a favorite, “Unspoken Request.” Tyrel Lett and Rick Lett served as ushers and collected the offertory.
Brother Mark began God’s message for us by reading the third chapter of Acts and 4:1-12. This story is about the lame man healed, but Brother Mark told us there was another sermon in the story, which he titled “One Way.”
Brother Mark talked about driving in an unfamiliar city and going the wrong way on a one-way street. We see everyone coming at us going the wrong way. Acts 4:13-14 talks about Peter and John being arrested for believing the Bible is true and that Jesus is the only way to heaven. It is a one-way street.
In John 14:6, Jesus tells us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Brother Mark told us that “Jesus didn’t say that He is a way, or one of the ways. He said, “I am the way.” He is the only way and that is what makes people mad about Christianity. They say we are exclusive. Every religion is exclusive, but Christianity is the most inclusive of any religion. I don’t like to call it a religion because a religion is man’s way to get to God when, in reality, Jesus is God’s way to get to man. The world sees Christianity as a religion so that’s what we call it.
Christianity is the most inclusive religion in the world because in Christianity you don’t have to do anything. You simply have to receive someone. Your salvation is not dependent on what you do. It is dependent on if you will receive someone who did it all for you. That someone is Jesus. That’s what makes Christianity so inclusive. Throughout the Bible, the words whoever and whosoever are used. That whosoever is anyone and everyone. When it comes to heaven, everyone is invited. What could be more inclusive than that?”
Brother Mark told us that with receiving comes realization.
“What is the realization that comes with receiving Christ? Realizing that you are a sinner and that Christ died for our sins. Our sins killed Him.”
Brother Mark read Acts 3:14-15 and Acts 4:10, and continued by asking, “Why does the world hate us and Him? Jesus tells us in John 15:18-19 when He says, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
Brother Mark continued by reading John 15:20-25 and asked, “Why would the world hate Jesus who died to save us. Why hate Him for that? Jesus didn’t come to condemn anyone. He came to save everyone. Why would they still hate Him and not receive Him for all He did for us? Because of repentance. The world is mad and won’t receive Him because they won’t realize their sins and repent.”
Brother Mark read John 3:16 and said they are so mad because they are going in the opposite direction. In John 3:19, Jesus says, “And this is the condemnation that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Brother Mark said they want to keep going the wrong way on a one-way street because they love their sin more than they love the Savior. When they pulled away from the stop sign, they made a choice. They are not comfortable with their choice, but they drive in the wrong direction anyway. The Bible proves them wrong, and they hate Him for it but do it anyway.”
In closing, Brother Mark told us, “there are three R’s for going the right way: respect, realization and repentance, which leads to refreshing, rejoicing and resurrection. The other direction leads to death. This side of the grave you must make a choice. Choose Jesus. He is the only choice for the one way and the only way for eternal life.”
Our hymn of invitation was “Jesus Paid It All,” and Tom Sharp gave the benediction.
You’re invited you to share in the joy of hearing God’s word each Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m. Mill Creek is located 3½ miles east of Noel, just off Highway 90.
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
John 15:18-19