As part of our ongoing effort to promote the Gospel across all platforms, we are adding the Gospel Expedition podcast to our YouTube channel. By adding the Gospel Expedition to the YouTube platform, the podcast will be available to more listeners and will be readily available to users on an app that is often pre-installed on their smart phones. If you haven’t checked out the Gospel Expedition, give it a listen and let us know what you think.
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The Road to Redemption
The hardest days begin when we wake up and realize how far we’ve fallen. How discouraging it is to know how blessed you were, or how great you were, and see how far off course you’ve drifted.
Whether it’s realizing you’ve gained 100 pounds, spent all of your inheritance, or whether it’s something more significant, like realizing the full consequences of a spiritual failure, seeing the devastation in your life and the long road to recovery can be a daunting moment.
Such was the case for ancient Israel during Isaiah’s day. The nation had been led by God out of Egypt, through a parted Red Sea, into the wilderness, and ultimately into the Promised Land. Ultimately, the nation enjoyed military success under King David, and political and economic success under King Solomon.
Those years also saw a Spiritual revival in Israel, as the Temple was built in Jerusalem, which replaced the Tabernacle in Shiloh. Israel was at its peak, militarily, economically, and Spiritually.
But, in the aftermath of the death of King Solomon, greed and self-interests entered in, resulting in a battle between two would-be successors to Solomon, which resulted in the Kingdom splitting in half. That set a series of events into motion which led to rampant idolatry in Israel, and the nation turning its back on God.
By the time Isaiah began to prophesy, the nation was a shell of what it used to be. Instead of being a military power, it was oppressed by its enemies. Instead of being a political power, it was the joke of the heathen nations surrounding it. Instead of being an economic power, Israel experienced famines, droughts, and a fledgling economy.
To solve their problems, Israel often turned to idols, instead of repenting and returning to God. Tragically, Israel could not see the connection cutting themselves off from God, who was the source of all their blessings, and the hardships they endured. So, things got worse.
Then, God called Isaiah to prophesy to the nation.
Isaiah’s ministry to Israel was to call the nation to repentance and to demonstrate the grace and redemption that the Lord brought. This theme was set out in Isaiah 1, where the Lord told the people that they were rebellious, but, “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.”
Despite how severely the nation of Israel rebelled against God, God was still going to set everything right.
This promise is extended to us as well. Now matter how badly we’ve messed things up, God will redeem us and restore us, using the adversity we experience to transform us. This is a promise we can believe in.
“Come, let us reason together, said the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).”
Over the next few weeks, we will explore how the Lord will redeem and restore us through a study in the book of Isaiah. You can join us in person at 11 am Sundays at 599 Sunrise Dr. in Early, TX, or joining us on Facebook Live at about 11:15 Sunday morning, or check out the video messages that will be posted here.
May God bless you with comfort, encouragement and peace as we study these passages together.
Community Easter Sunrise Service Apr. 9
Come join us for a powerful early morning outdoor worship service on Easter Sunday featuring congregational singing, responsive readings, prayer and the Word of God.
The Power of Responsive Readings
Worship is the process of entering into God’s presence to proclaim His glory. This is something that God expects of each individual, and it is something that each individual will find a blessing in, if they participate in the worship.
Therefore, every element of the worship services at Life Point Baptist Church has a participatory element to it. We don’t put on a worship performance, rather, we worship, and we invite you to worship as well.
This is one reason we resurrected a timeless practice, once common in the early 20th century, but long forgotten… the responsive readings.
If your church still has hymnals, chances are you have noticed pages of scripture printed in both regular and bold face interspersed with the hymns contained in the book. These scriptures are designed to be read in unison by the congregation, with the worship leader reading the regular print, and the congregation joining in the bold print.
The result is not only a powerful exercise of hearing the word of God read in unison, but it also allows the heart of the worshipper to be centered on the Lord. Thus, makes our worship that much more powerful.
Therefore, we have reincorporated responsive readings to our worship, and we invite you to attend and take part. Feel free to come and experience the blessing of a church worshipping together.
Celebrate Advent with Us
Beginning Sunday, Nov. 27, Life Point will begin celebrating the season of Advent, which is the celebration of the arrival of Christ. This celebration will feature special services, messages about the arrival of Jesus Christ, times of fellowship, and special music.
What is Advent?
The word “advent” denotes the arrival of a notable person, thing or event. For centuries, the Christian churches have celebrated the birth of Christ as the season of “Advent.” We celebrate His birth, His arrival, and thus His Gospel during this time, as we also look forward to His return.
What makes Advent different from Christmas?
Advent is different from Christmas as the season predates the Christmas holiday. The roots of Advent are in the Christian church and its traditions. The roots of Christmas are largely secular, being integrated into Christian tradition in later centuries.
What should I expect at Life Point’s services this Advent?
Expect scripture readings from Isaiah, Matthew and Luke. Expect traditional Christmas hymns. Expect a time of peace. Expect to be encouraged by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Life Point Baptist Church
599 Sunrise Dr./PO Box 3134
Early, TX 76803
Sunday School 10 a.m.
Sunday Worship 11 a.m.
For John, It Was Personal
Later in his life, the Apostle John continued to minister, serving as pastor of the church at Ephesus, proclaiming the Gospel, and even being imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos, where he penned Revelation. John, one of the closes friends to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preached His gospel, not only out of duty and faith, but from a deep abiding love for our Lord.
So, when new theories and doctrines began to arise concerning Jesus, John was moved by his passion for the Lord, and more importantly by the Holy Spirit, to confront these new theories. From this passion, we got the The Gospel According to John, and The First Epistle of John, more commonly known as 1 John.
In these books, John noted how he personally knew Jesus Christ, thus giving him the expert authority to declare who Jesus really is. He then boldly proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the incarnation of God, yet, was fully human. He proclaimed how Christ paid for our sins on the cross and the forgiveness that is freely available to those who believe.
In modern times, we again face new theories about Christ, and new doctrines that seek to redefine Christianity. We also face old traditions that de-emphasize Who He is. To re-center on the Lord, we began a new sermon series back in July called “The Real Jesus Christ.”
“The Real Jesus Christ” seeks to set aside the religious politics of our day, and get back to the core beliefs that make us Christian. This series seeks to truly teach Who Jesus is, and by doing so cultivate the faith of all who hear. As of the writing of this post, we are in the middle of John 6, as Jesus feeds the multitudes. You can catch up with our series by listening to the playlist here:
Happening Now: Romans
When the Apostle Paul learned that there were believers in Rome who were enduring intense persecution, he immediately began making plans to travel to Rome to provide them comfort. However, his commitments to the churches in Ephesus and Corinth delayed his travel, so in order to provide them comfort and encouragement in his absence, he wrote the Epistle to the Romans, more commonly known as Romans.
As we study Romans, we should note how Paul’s comforting words centered around the Gospel. Join us Sunday mornings at 11 am at 599 Sunrise in Early, Texas, for this magnificent study.
Community Easter Sunrise Service Set
The annual Community Easter Sunrise Service will be held at 7 am Easter Sunday, April 17, at the Early Visitors and Events Center at 419 Garmon Drive in Early. The event will feature congregational hymns, special musical presentations, scripture reading and a special message from Leland Acker, pastor of Life Point Baptist Church of Early, TX.
The Community Easter Sunrise Service has been a staple in Brown County since it was first held in 2012. It provides an opportunity for local residents to experience the hope of a new day, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as the sun rises over the outdoor pavilion.
Everyone is invited to attend. For more information, call Leland Acker at (325) 200-8531, check out the event on Facebook at https://fb.me/e/2WMmJ2fZf, or contact Life Point online at www.PointToLife.net.
The Gospel Project begins at Life Point, The Redeemer Reveals His Glory
Life Point Baptist Church is pleased to announce two things. (1) The return to in-person services, and (2) the beginning of The Gospel Project. Join us each Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. for this exciting study of the Gospel in every book of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. If you can’t join us in person, follow this blog to keep up with the teaching. As always, please feel free to contact us at any time with questions or comments. May God bless you in a special way this week.
Seeing God!
How could a loving God give you everything, and then demand everything in return?
Brennan Manning, author of The Ragamuffin Gospel, recalled a Sunday morning Bible study:
A pastor read a passage from Genesis 22 where God called Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on Mount Moriah. Isaac was the son that God had promised for years, and Abraham and Sarah had gone through much tribulation while waiting on God to fulfill His promise of a son. Now, the son was here, and Abraham was being called to sacrifice him. (End of the story, God saw Abraham’s faith, and gave him a ram to sacrifice instead of Isaac.)
The pastor offered some historical background, then said, “What does this mean for us?”
One man answered, “I’ll tell you what it means for me, I’m looking for a new church.”
The pastor asked, “Why?”
The man replied, “Because when I look at God, the God of Abraham, I feel that I am new a real God, not the sort of dignified businesslike Rotary Club God we chatter about here on Sunday Mornings. Abraham’s God could blow a man to bits, give then take a child, ask everything from a person, then want more. I want to know that God!”
The man’s assessment of God emphasized His power, and downplayed His love and grace. Likewise, many today emphasize His grace and love but not His power. A true understanding of God understands both, and sees the balance in the character of God.
For years, churches have preached about the love of God, and how He loves each and every one of us. We preach about His grace, and how He provides and cares for us.
Then, tragedy happens, and we don’t understand how that tragedy can be consistent with God’s love and care. If God is all powerful, in control of all things, and is loving, how can He allow such a tragedy to enter our lives?
We stumble for answers. Maybe God’s building our faith. Maybe He’s setting us up to be a witness for His glory. Maybe someone else will be saved because of our suffering. Yet, none of these explanations offer much comfort. Why should I have to suffer so that God can make a point?
The truth is, God does not make you suffer just so He can make a point. He does, however, use suffering to draw us closer to Him. Everything He does is to draw us into His presence. What does that mean?
In Job 19:25, after losing all of his property, livestock, wealth, and children, Job said, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and will stand on the earth in the last day.” He went on to say that after he had died, yet in his flesh would he see the Lord.
Job called the Lord his “Redeemer.” What does that mean?
A redeemer is one who rescues. In the Old Testament sense, it was a family member who raised the money to purchase a loved one out of slavery. The redeemer redeemed the family member from bondage and set them free.
Job was not a slave, yet he looked for his “Redeemer.” From what did Job have to be “redeemed?”
He was redeemed from the curse of his sin. Likewise, he was looking forward to the day he would be redeemed from the sufferings of this life. He was looking forward to the Lord’s return, and his redemption into everlasting life.
Job came to understand this, and thus in Job 42:5, he said “My ears have heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.”
Over the next few weeks at Life Point, we are going to gain a better understanding of who we are, and the hope we have in God. Furthermore, we are going to gain a better understanding of why trauma and tragedy enter our lives, and what God does to heal it. All of this with the intent to gain a better understanding of the Lord, a stronger faith, and a brighter hope.
Come see us. Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. at 599 Sunrise in Early, TX.
The Point... 