Month: February 2019

When It Happens…

On Sunday, Sept. 16, 2001, there were very few empty seats in the churches across America. Over the prior week, Americans had seen the worst terrorist attack executed on the homeland in history. In the following days, we learned that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated by a Middle-Eastern terrorist group called Al-Qaeda, and that we were almost certain to go to war in the Middle East.

Middle Eastern wars and world wars have a way of shaking us from our slumber, because they have the potential to fulfill Bible prophecy, which means the end times could be near, and judgment is coming.

Believing the end may have been near, and that judgment was coming, Americans flocked to their local churches to learn whether the attacks of the prior week had prophetic significance, and to learn how close we were to the end.

Within two weeks, fears of the end had subsided, and church attendance slipped back to normal.

There is something about seeing prophecy fulfilled, or believing that the Lord’s return is imminent, that drives people to sudden repentance and religion.

Such was the case in Mark 1:1-15. Mark opens his account of the Gospel by quoting Old Testament prophecies about the forerunner to Christ. In verses 2-3, he writes:

As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

These verses, taken from Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1, promised that before Christ came, His messenger would arrive and call the nation to repentance. Mark then went on to discuss how John the Baptist fulfilled this scripture:

John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

-Mark 1:4-5

Seeing the messenger promised in the scriptures, the people flocked to John the Baptist to be baptized with the baptism of repentance in preparation of the coming of the Lord. Not long after that, Jesus came, was baptized of John, went into the wilderness, and re-emerged preaching repentance and belief in the Gospel.

In recording these events, Mark makes two observations. (1) Those events indicated that the Kingdom of God was about to arrive, and (2) with those events having happened years prior to his writing, we are even closer to the day of judgment than we were before.

Thus, Mark writes his Gospel with urgency, quoting Jesus Christ as He called the nation to repentance.

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The words of Jesus in Mark 1:15 are not only the theme of the Gospel of Mark, but they are the sum of the Lord’s teaching. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

The Lord warns us that the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand.

What does it mean, “The time is fulfilled?”

If you have ever baked cookies, or even heated a frozen pizza in the oven, you have likely set a timer according to the instructions on the box. When that timer goes off, the time has been fulfilled, and your cookies or pizza is now ready.

When Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled,” He essentially said, “Time’s up! Time to repent. The Kingdom is here.”

We tend to live life as if we have all the time in the world to straighten out our Spiritual matters. Within two weeks after 9/11, we collectively decided that Jesus was not coming back, yet, and thus we quit going to church. We tend to put off Spiritual decisions, commitments to Christ, and resolve to take on those decisions on a more convenient day, which somehow never seems to come.

However, the day will come when our time will be up. And that day is closer than you think.

Whether Jesus comes back tomorrow, or whether he comes back next century, you are still closer than you think to judgment day, for scripture tells us, “It is appointed unto man once to die, and then the judgment (Hebrews 9:27).” While I could tell you stories of people who passed away unexpectedly before their time, the truth is, even if you live to be 100, the end of your life will arrive faster than you think. Consider how fast your life has passed by up until now.

Therefore, we need to place urgency upon our Spiritual lives, and bring ourselves into alignment with the will of God sooner rather than later.

After pointing out the time-sensitive nature of our Spiritual lives, Jesus then called us to repent.

To repent means to change your mind regarding your sin, abhorring the sins of the past, and making the changes in your life so that you never go back into that life of sin. This goes beyond sorrow for sin. It includes a decision, and a change to never allow yourself to be owned by that sin again.

This practice is commonly seen by alcoholics and recovering drug addicts. Sorrowful for the way they’ve destroyed their lives with drug/alcohol abuse, they resolve to never allow that to happen again. Therefore, they avoid certain places, people and things that could trigger a relapse. The repentant sinner would do well to follow this pattern.

Jesus then called us to believe the Gospel.

The Gospel is defined as how Christ died for our sin, according to the scriptures, was buried, and rose again, according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Our hope, our confident expectation of salvation and heaven comes not from anything we’ve done, or overcome, but rather what Christ did on the cross. His death on the cross paid our sin debt and cleansed us from all unrighteousness. Being willing to completely trust that, we place our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Christ called us to repent and believe, and so we should. Our salvation experience is not only a life-changing event, it is a total life change.

Seeing then that our time is short, and Christ called us to repent and believe, we should do a self-assessment. Have you repented and believed? Are you saved? Are you different now than you were before?

If the answer to any of those questions is “no,” then it is time to get right with the Lord. Go to Him in prayer. Confess your sins to Him. Ask forgiveness. Trust Him to save you based on His work on the cross. Then, as you arise from that prayer, make the changes in your life to leave sin behind.

If you need encouragers to rally around you during this time, we’d love to help at Life Point Baptist Church. Contact us, or come visit our services. We’d love to be there for you during this important time.

Let Each Examine Himself: Why Properly Taking the Lord’s Supper is of the Utmost Importance

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The Lord’s Supper matters. One might even say that the Lord’s Supper is one of the most important things to Christ. And why wouldn’t it be? After all, it does demonstrate His suffering and death on the cross for our redemption. The death of Christ on the cross is not only the signature achievement of the almighty God and His beloved Son, but it is also the turning point of human history, of human destiny.

The Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper on the night He was betrayed, which also happened to be on the day of unleavened bread during Passover. That night, He explained what the Lord’s Supper symbolized, how it was to be observed, and why (to remember Him).

In the centuries since, man has deviated from the intent and method Christ set forth for observing the Lord’s Supper. Some gave it purpose that Christ never gave it, such as obtaining or confirming salvation. Some observe it in settings that Christ never intended, such as weddings, funerals, or public performances. Some have deviated from the elements… unleavened bread being replaced by Italian or French bread. Some have even deviated from how it should be served, with some churches having the priest or pastor take the supper on behalf of the congregation. These all run counter to the Bible’s teaching on the Lord’s Supper, therefore, these are all in error.

This mission drift regarding the Lord’s Supper happens when we drift from the scriptures teaching it, and when we drift from the words and actions of Christ as He instituted it. For that reason, we embark upon this effort to bring us back to the scriptural understanding of the Lord’s Supper with the goal to return us to a scriptural observance of the Lord’s Supper.

There are some points of controversy regarding the Lord’s Supper, such as Open, Close or Closed Communion. You may agree or disagree with our teachings on this. However, it is our desire that, upon reviewing this teaching, you at least understand and accept the importance and symbolism of the Lord’s Supper, and that you give consideration to how you observe it with your church. Something this important need not be taken for granted, and reviewing the doctrine of the Lord’s Supper is a good way to stay within God’s will and truth concerning the matter.

The first thing to remember about the Lord’s Supper is that it is important to Christ. In 1 Corinthians 11:23, Paul wrote, “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:”

Do not overlook the first part of that verse, “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you….” In writing this, the Apostle Paul notes that the Lord Jesus Christ personally taught Paul the doctrine of the Lord’s Supper. How could this be? When did this happen? Wasn’t Paul still a lost Pharisee when Jesus walked and taught with His disciples? Yes.

However, in Galatians 1, the Apostle Paul tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ personally taught him the Gospel by divine revelation. This likely happened in the three years he was in Arabia following his conversion. The belief is that, after Paul was converted and after he escaped Damascus, Jesus appeared unto him and taught him personally.

Whether Jesus personally appeared to Paul in Arabia to teach him or not, it is clear through Paul’s writings, both here, in Galatians 1, and in 1 Corinthians 15, that he received the truth he taught through divine revelation from the Lord.

Either way, Christ personally taught Paul. The two things Paul learned of the Lord through all of this were (a) that the Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins according to the Old Testament scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), and (b) what the Lord’s Supper is.

If the Lord’s Supper were so important to Christ that He personally took the time to teach it to Paul, then we can conclude that the Lord’s Supper is important, and therefore we should pay special attention to the Bible’s teaching on the subject.

Most Sunday School children can tell you what the elements of the Lord’s Supper represent. The bread represents the body of Christ. The wine (or grape juice in modern times) represents the blood of Christ. Jesus specifically stated this when He instituted the Lord’s Supper, and you also see this written in 1 Corinthians 11:23-25:

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

Pretty basic stuff… but did you know there’s more to the imagery.

First of all, the bread that Jesus broke was unleavened bread. We know this because He instituted the Lord’s Supper during Passover week, a week in which no Jew living in Jerusalem would possess leaven in their homes. Following the commandments from Exodus 12 regarding the Passover, each family would have purged their house of leaven. They would have swept and thrown it out.

There is a symbolism here. In scripture, leaven symbolizes sin. In Passover, the commandment to rid the house of leaven was a symbolic commandment to rid your life of sin. By having unleavened bread represent the body of Christ, we see that the Lord’s Supper upholds the teaching that Christ was sinless. He had no sin. He had no sin nature. He committed no sin. He was perfect, pure, and sinless. Yet, He went to the cross where He died a death suffering the wrath of God as a consequence for the sin of mankind. In that, He bore our punishment upon Himself, and that punishment having been served, we have been redeemed. We are now free from God’s wrath, if we trust Jesus, because He took it on our behalf. That’s what the Lord’s Supper represents.

The wine represents the blood, which is separate from the bread, because Jesus shed His blood on the cross to purchase our redemption, and thus His blood was separated from His body.

Each time we take the Lord’s Supper, we show His death for us on the cross, and we remember His sacrifice for us. We are commanded to continue to do so until He returns (1 Corinthians 11:26).

Finally, let’s look at how we should take the Lord’s Supper. 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 teach us that we should take the Lord’s Supper worthily, because those who did so unworthily not only denigrated the Lord’s body, but they also suffered consequences. So, by showing the negative consequences to taking the Lord’s Supper unworthily, the scriptures teach us to take it worthily.

Worthily is an adverb. It’s not about whether you are worthy. It’s about how you take the supper. Are you doing so worthily, or, in a worthy manner. You take the Lord’s Supper worthily every time you take the Lord’s Supper according to the Biblical standard. You take it unworthily every time you take the Lord’s Supper without considering the Lord’s death, or with bitterness and unrepentant sin in your heart.

Therefore, to keep this from happening, 1 Corinthians 11:28, 31-32 teach us to examine ourselves, test ourselves, and judge ourselves to see if there is any sin, bitterness or malice in our hearts. Upon finding it (and we will), repent. Then take the Lord’s Supper.

Finally, the scriptures tell us to take the Lord’s Supper together, as a church. This can be inferred from 1 Corinthians 11:33, “Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.”

The Lord’s Supper is to be taken together with the church, not as an individual outside the church. The Lord’s Supper is intended to be taken with the church, not as a small group within the church. And, the Lord’s Supper is intended to be taken by the church, not as an outreach to the general public.

For this reason, Life Point Baptist Church teaches closed communion, though we also teach that the ultimate responsibility for whether the Lord’s Supper is properly taken falls upon the individual worshiper, who is commanded by scripture to examine and judge themselves.

If this post has accomplished nothing else, we hope it inspires you to ponder, and consider what the Lord’s Supper is, and to focus more on its meaning the next time you take it at church. May God bless you as you continue to learn of Him.

The Greatest Love Story Never Told (Song of Solomon)

The Song of Solomon is often overlooked in Bible studies for a variety of reasons. First, it’s located in the middle of the Old Testament. Secondly, the imagery of passionate romance depicted in the book can seem awkward for groups with young children, or groups with both genders. Thirdly, and possibly the biggest reason, is that the book can be difficult to understand.

Even the great Bible expositor Charles Haddon Spurgeon expressed difficulty in interpreting the Song of Solomon when he said the book could only be understood by the “initiated,” and that the book stood in the middle of the Old Testament like the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, whose fruit you cannot eat unless you are brought by Christ past the cherubim with the fiery sword. Apparently, Spurgeon was incapable of simply saying, “This book is hard.”

Spurgeon song of solomonSong of Solomon is often preached as a book about marriage. However, Spurgeon believed, as do many other Bible teachers, that Song of Solomon is an allegory for the love Christ has for His people.

It’s with that context that we examine the book, Song of Solomon. The Song of Solomon can be divided into three parts… the romance, the wedding, and the marriage. Each mirrors a stage in our walk with Christ. The romance, where Christ loves us regardless of our station in life, and draws us to Him. The wedding, where we repent and commit ourselves to Him, and the marriage, where He takes us to our eternal home. In each of these parts, we can see the passionate love that Christ has toward us.

In the beginning of Song of Solomon, we see the romance develop between the Shulamite woman and King Solomon. In Verses 1:5-6, the Shulamite woman notes that she is black, that she keeps vineyards for others, and her mother’s children were angry with her. The fact that she is black indicates that she has spent her life in hard field labor. She has not known luxury, nor has she been able to preen or care for herself. While she says that she is comely (she looks good,) her body shows the effects of her life of hard labor.

She also says that she has not kept her own vineyard, which means she has no vineyard. She has no wealth, she has no assets.

She is hardly a bride suited for a king. In Old Testament times (as well as medieval times, and even modern times), royalty married those who could bring peace or prosperity to their kingdoms. Alliances, trade agreements, and even mergers were orchestrated through royal weddings. The Shulamite woman can offer none of these.

Yet, despite her destitute situation, King Solomon loves her. In Verse 2:4, the Shulamite woman says, “He brought me to the banqueting house. His banner over me was love.”

This is a Cinderella-type story if there ever was one. King Solomon not only loves the Shulamite woman, and cares for her, but he brings her to the banquet. There’s a banquet, a ball. The creme de la creme are there. And King Solomon has this Shulamite woman on his arm, is introducing her to every one, and his proud to be in love with her.

It means a lot that King Solomon makes this romance public. He loves the Shulamite woman. She is the object of his love, and he is driven by his love to care for her. She is not a scandal to him, and he is not ashamed of her.

This is a mirror to how Christ loves us. He loves us in spite of the fact there is nothing we can do for Him. He loves us in spite of the rejection we suffer at the hands of others. He lifts us out of our hopelessness and takes us into His kingdom, where we can know love, care, and be provided for.

In Chapter 3, we see the wedding. In Verse 3:11, the Shulamite woman tells the daughters of Zion to “Behold King Solomon,” who has been crowned with the crown of his espousals. Also in chapter 3, we see that King Solomon takes the Shulamite woman to His bedchamber, which is surrounded by 60 of the best fighters in the king’s army.

The espousals, the wedding, is the union of King Solomon to the Shulamite woman. The marriage union is an eternal union never to be broken. This is why marriage is so sacred to God. It provides a picture of the love between the Lord and His people.

Being married to King Solomon, the Shulamite woman would never again know fear. She would sleep in the safest place in the kingdom, and the king would never put her out.

Likewise, when you are a child of God, when you know Christ as your Savior, you are in the safest place in the universe, because nothing can get to you without going through God first. And God will never turn you away.

Jesus said in John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee. He that heareth My words, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.”

Basically, if you know Jesus as your Savior, you will never need to fear God’s wrath, and you will never come into condemnation. You are safe, and the Lord will receive you into His kingdom.

Finally, in Song of Solomon, we see the marriage.

No marriage is perfect. All marriages endure hard times, conflict, and sometimes estrangement. Thus, in Song of Solomon 5:2-8, we see such an occasion arise between the Shulamite woman and King Solomon. The king has come to her door, but she has just gotten ready for bed, her coat is put off, and she has washed her feet, and she doesn’t want to get messy. So, he leaves.

How often does the Lord knock on our door, but we are too busy with the day to day things of life to answer His call? How often are we preoccupied with the things of this world to answer God’s call on our life? How often do we put off doing something for the Lord because today is not a convenient day?

We miss our Bible devotional time, and our prayer time because we are too busy. We refrain from giving to the church because we have a lot of financial plans and obligations. We do not surrender to the ministry God has called us too because it would disrupt our current lifestyles. Then one day, we find ourselves apart from God, wondering why He is silent, and distant.

He knocked. We couldn’t be disturbed. Therefore, the fellowship was broken.

The good news is that there is reconciliation. In Verses 6:1-3 we see the reconciliation between the Shulamite woman and King Solomon. When we repent and turn to the Lord, He forgives, and we are reconciled to Him.

Closing out the Song of Solomon, we see a beautiful sight. In verse 8:12, the Shulamite woman has her own vineyard. The woman who had no vineyard in chapter 1 now has a vineyard of her own. She lives happily ever after, with Solomon.

Likewise, those of us who wonder this earth without a home, those of us who know Christ as our Savior, will one day have an eternal home.

In John 14:2-4, Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”

If you know Christ as your Savior, He has prepared an eternal home for you in Heaven. The day is coming when He will return and take you to that eternal home, and you will be with Him forever.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

As Solomon loved the Shulamite woman, so Christ loved us. Will we receive His love by turning from sin and trusting in Him? Or will we spurn His love in favor of the sins of this world. Each will choose for himself or herself. How will you choose?

All Hands on Deck!
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Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

With a number of Life Point’s members and friends facing serious situations this week, we’d like to call all of our members and friends to prayer.

There are specific prayer requests being lifted up to us for those who have lost loved ones, those battling serious illnesses, and those facing serious problems in life. We plan on praying for each and every one. If you have a prayer request to add to this list, email it to our pastor, Leland Acker, at LelandAcker@gmail.com.

If you would like to pray with us, you can do so in person at 6 p.m. Wednesday, at Life Point Baptist Church, 599 Sunrise Dr., Early, TX, or you can do so where you are.

May God hear your prayers, heal your hurt, and comfort your heart.

The Greatest Love Story Never Told

Spurgeon song of solomon

Rarely will churches embark on a study of the Song of Solomon. This is mainly due to two reasons. (1) Interpreting the book presents a challenge, and (2) some of the romantic language is a bit more passionate than most are used to hearing during church services. It’s a shame, because few books fully illustrate the love Christ has for His people as the Song of Solomon.

As King Solomon loved the Shulamite woman, so Christ loves us. As Solomon woo’ed the Shulamite woman, so Christ drew us to Himself. As their love endured difficulty at times, so do we often fail our Lord. Yet, as Solomon loved the Shulamite woman, and took her to a special place, so does Christ love us, and will one day take us into His Kingdom.

For a PG interpretation of the Song of Solomon in light of the Gospel, come to worship at Life Point Baptist Church, 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019, at 599 Sunrise Drive in Early, TX. Come experience the love of Christ.

Contentment in Christ

The book of 1 Timothy is a letter from the Apostle Paul to a young preacher named Timothy who would taking leadership over one of the strongest churches ever organized under the Apostle’s ministry. Ephesus was a Gospel-driven, doctrinally sound church, which, despite its strengths, still had a tendency to drift from the Gospel.

So, in writing 1 Timothy, the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to stay Gospel-focused, to turn from minute, petty teachings, to keep the peace by unifying the church under the Gospel. Timothy was to teach the people to be Gospel-centered.

In the final two chapters of 1 Timothy, Paul gives instruction on what the Gospel-centered life looks like, particularly in how we relate to others. Chapter 5 deals with those who are impoverished and destitute, and Chapter 6 teaches us how to handle our wealth in light of the Gospel.

The simple message of Chapter 6 is, (1) don’t be driven by greed, (2) look forward to the return of Christ, and (3) invest in the Lord’s work. However, if you look at these teachings in relation to the Gospel, they take on a whole new meaning.

In the above posted sermon, preached at Life Point Baptist Church on Feb. 10, 2019, we will study how God wants us to find contentment with Him, how we are to look forward to the Lord’s return, and how our limited time left on this earth should impact our financial priorities.

Whatever Happened to Simple Pleasures?

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Life in the United States has become more hectic. The cost of living has increased. Jobs demand more time and effort, and the kids are involved in more activities. Today, it is not uncommon for a high school student to put in a 12-hour day at work (classes and extra-curriculars) before coming home to do two hours worth of homework.

Meanwhile, Dad, who already clocked a 10-hour workday, sits on the couch checking and responding to work emails. Today, it seems that we are always working on something. We always have somewhere to be, or something to accomplish. The American life today is busy.

Life today is far from the future envisioned by a 1960s-era CBS News documentary about the future life in America. In it, Walter Cronkite previewed future technology, such as the internet, big screen TVs, automated home systems, the home office and distance learning. Much of that technology had not even begun development, but Cronkite foresaw it, and optimistically declared that, with life being made easier by these new devices, Americans would have more recreational time than ever before.

Cronkite’s vision of future technology came to pass. His vision of more recreation and leisure, and an easier lifestyle did not. Why?

We could list the societal changes and issues that drive our current pace of life, but the root cause is that we, by nature, are discontent. To be human is to be discontent. To be human is to want more. To be human is to want it better. Our desire for more, our discontentment drives us to take on more projects, duties, activities, and so forth to accomplish more and to profit more. In some cases, that is thrust upon us by discontent employers. The root cause is the same. Discontentment.

Lost in all of this hustle and bustle of discontentment are the simple pleasures of life… iced tea on the back porch, fishing on a Saturday afternoon, watching your kid step up to bat in a little league game. We are so busy trying to survey and claim the entire forest that we miss the beauty of the trees. And so, we miss the simple pleasures in life. Thus, our discontentment grows.

Scripture speaks into this in 1 Timothy 6:6, which says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Basically, if you can learn to trust God and be content with what you have, you are the richest person you know.

Think about it. Who’s happier right now? The multimillionaire who stares at his portfolio all day stressing about the right time to make the next trade? Or the Social Security retiree who is sitting on the banks of the Mississippi river with his line in the water? At this very moment, which person would you rather be?

If you believe that peace and happiness will come at a time when you achieve a certain financial goal, you will never feel secure, and you will never be content. However, if you find contentment in the Lord, and the simple pleasures He brings into your life, you have already achieved wealth, and will find yourself at peace.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go find my cane pole.

–Written by Pastor Leland Acker

What Vince Lombardi Can Teach Us about Church
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Life Point Baptist Church gathered around a fellowship meal in 2014

Christianity has become such a mainstream facet of American culture that often we pursue the activities of the faith under the assumption that everyone knows the basics. As a result, we rarely discuss the basics because we don’t want to insult anyone’s intelligence. As a result, many move forward on the false assumption that we all understand the basics.

One need not be offended by discussing the basics, or by having the basics taught to them. Legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi often began his first practice of the year by holding out a ball and saying, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” Lombardi then went on to discuss what all you could do with a football, as well as the objective of the game of football. Lombardi explained that the objective of football was to get possession of the ball, maintain possession of the ball, and advance the ball across the goal line for a touchdown. Then, the process repeated. The secondary objective, which was accomplished if you met the first, was to keep the other team from advancing the football across the goal line.

Advancing the football could be accomplished by running the ball, or passing the ball. He demonstrated how to carry the ball, and how to throw the ball, etc. This is riveting stuff for a football novice. However, Lombardi was talking to players who were professionals. These guys had been playing their entire lives. Still, he understood the value of fundamentals. And he was successful.

In that vein, we’d like to return to the fundamentals. And we begin by asking, “What is a church?”

The word, “church,” in the New Testament was translated from a Greek word, ekklesia, which means an assembly. This is important. As our Lord founded the Christian faith, He used words that were already widely in use in that culture. Our Lord did not sit down with the disciples and invent a new vocabulary and systems of practices for this new religion we call Christianity. No, He merely taught that we were to repent of our sins and trust His death on the cross for our salvation. He did so using common words of that day.

So, when the Lord said, “Upon this Rock I will build My church,” He didn’t invent a new word. That’s why none of the disciples said, “What is a church?” They already knew. Our English translations of the Bible say, “Upon this Rock I will build My church.” What the disciples heard was, “Upon this Rock I will build My assembly (ekklesia).”

The word “assembly,” i.e. “ekklesia,” was widely used, and practiced in the Roman Empire. Ekklesias were called out assemblies in local cities used to conduct business, take a vote, or discuss a pressing matter. There was a legal structure and framework for these.

You see this concept in action in Acts 19. The entire city was gathered to discuss the controversial teachings of Paul, who proclaimed that there were no other gods besides God, and that the way to God was through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. As a result, the local industry (sales of idols to the goddess Diana) suffered as more turned away from idolatry and toward Christianity. The town clerk realized that the assembly did not meet the legal requirements to hold such a meeting under Roman law, and as such, “he dismissed the assembly (ekklesia).”

When Christ said, “Upon this Rock I will build My church,” He said, “upon this Rock, I will build My assembly.” This verse, supported by other verses throughout the New Testament, shows that the will of Christ for His followers is that we are to assemble, conduct His business, and encourage each other.

Therefore, given the meaning of the word, and the will that Christ expressed, and the teachings expressed throughout the New Testament, a church is an organized assembly of saved, scripturally baptized believers who have come together to carry out the Lord’s will. This assembly is a literal assembly, a local assembly.

Which means that, in order to be a part of the church, you must assemble with the church. And the Lord’s will is that you be a part of the church.

At Life Point Baptist Church, we’d love to have you be a part of our church, a part of our assembly. However, if you do not feel led to join with us, we will encourage you to join a church where God is leading you, and that you follow His will there.

May God bless you richly as you follow His teachings.

The Concept of Prayer Service

48423434_608600369559694_43192085209153536_o (1)Scripture says that “The effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much.” At Life Point Baptist Church, we not only believe that prayer changes lives, heals the sick, and transforms us as believers, we have seen it happen. Over the past five years, we have seen two cancer patients turn up cancer free after intense prayer was lifted up on their behalf. These are healings that can only be explained by God’s miraculous response. This is not that televangelist “lay hands on the sick” and heal, “only if they have healing faith” approach. There is no show here. There are no theatrics. Just simple, sincere prayer, and quietly trusting God to answer.

Over the past few years, we have seen a man who was in his final days recover and return home. We have seen patients with failing kidneys see their kidney function restored. In each of these cases, the patients sought medical care as we prayed. We trust doctors, too. In each case, healing occurred for which the doctor had little explanation.

Healing does not occur in all cases. Sometimes God, in His divine will, simply tells us, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

We have seen God provide for financial needs. And most importantly, we have seen God move in the lives of our loved ones. We have seen lives changed, souls saved, faith made complete.

For these reasons, and because scripture commands us, we pray.

Wednesday nights, Life Point meets at 6 p.m. for Prayer Service. We begin with a hymn, a congregational prayer, a message from the Bible, then we lift up our prayer requests, and then we all pray, simultaneously, individually, before reuniting in prayer to close out the service. The entire service lasts less than an hour.

So if you have a need in your life, one for which you want God to intervene on your behalf, pray. And, if you be so inclined, some join us, that we may pray with you. Then, we will all trust God together for the answer.

May God bless you. See you Wednesday.

Looking ahead into 2019

The fall and winter of 2018 has been one of radical transformation for Life Point Baptist Church. We completed our new worship facility at 599 Sunrise Drive in Early, and we’ve moved in. Currently, we’re developing new ministries, including a special prayer service every Wednesday night at 6 p.m., and we are developing an exciting new youth program as well.

We are also committing ourselves to further developing our online presence as well. We now have a domain for this blog, www.pointtolife.net, and we will be stepping up our social media presence as well. Currently, the bulk of our activity is at www.Facebook.com/pointtolife.

Follow us on Facebook, and follow this blog, and we will continually update you with Bible teaching, encouragement, and church news. May God bless you.