Memorial Service for Walter Godwin

There will be a memorial service for Walter Godwin this Saturday, October 1st, at 2:30 p.m. at the building.  Our prayers are with Walter's family as they grieve his loss. 

The Vineyard- September 25, 2011

The Vineyard

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5

Mark 4:26-32

-          Jesus says that our faith is like a seed that grows gradually, almost imperceptibly.  How has your faith grown since you first became a Christian?  Is there noticeable growth?  If what was once a seed now a stalk? 

-          Jesus also says that what starts out small becomes large.  When we look at the apostles, we can see that their faith started out very small, almost non-existent, and yet eventually they were facing all sorts of dangers to preach Christ.  How big is your faith?  Is it bigger than it was a year ago?  Ten years ago?

Mark 4: 35-41

-          The disciples seem to show faith when they wake up Jesus in the midst of the storm.  They wake Him up because they think that he can in some way help.  Do we go to Jesus when we need help?

-          Despite their faith in Jesus’ ability to help, they still show a lack of faith in their actions.  Yes they think that Jesus can help, but they clearly also believe that the situation is out of control!  Do we trust God, and His ability to control the situations around us?

Prayer Requests- September 25, 2011

Prayer Requests:

Recent Requests:  D.C. Carruth, Benny Richard, Sam Poole, Jr., Roanne Ballio, Bill Goree, Cameron Sutton, Pete and Eva Stewart, Mattie McReynolds, Ewell Langston, Billy Fox, Kenneth Doyle, Trevor Clark, Rachelle Johnson, Verna Campbell, Cherry Seal, Abby Arnaud, Marvin White, Jim Willis, Carol Ray Lawrence, Shirley Decker, the victims of the wildfires in Texas

Continuing Requests:  Marie Cook, Stan Riggs, Robert Smith, Mrs. Joe Danton, Martha Townsend, Dot Melder, Perry Fleming, Tom Fuller, Bubba Jones, Darwin Jones, Juan Martinez, Harvey Paul, Harvey Paul, Jr., Anthony “Tony” Perrotti, Charlie Wilson

Deployed Military:  Matthew Cloud, Tyler Johnson, Robert Rogers, Tony Stuttle, Blake Thompson, all those serving in the military

Cancer Patients:  Shelby Atkinson, Yvonne Bass, Shirley Cameron, Jerry Cole, Sharon Cook, Rodney Cotton, Dorothy Crane, Wanda Dauzat, Ava Dore, Ruth Ann Fisher, Jared Gordon, Steve Goudeau, Allie Harvey, Johnny LaHay, Maria LaMartiner, Dot Langston, Mariliyn Lavisphere, Joyce Melder, Bob Morrow, Clark O’Banion, Jeanie O’Rorke, Doug and Claudia Pinkston, Johnny Prather, Wes Roberts, Cherry Seal, Donny Shows, Linda Sipco, Carlos Smith, Robert Smith, Wally Pullen Smith, Walter Stagg, Jackie Teasely, Will Tulos, Karen Villemarette, Dalton Welch, Shane West, Charles Whitten, Britney Wilson, Geraldine Willis, Charles Young

Nursing Homes:  Janie Jenkins, Helen Johnson, John Kenner, C.J. Meyers, Doris Polk, Maxine Stephens

Deaths: Ray Sandell family, Lois Russell family, Douglas Fontenot family

Unspoken Requests

The Vineyard- September 18, 2011

The Vineyard

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5

Mark 3:19b-30

-          People, possibly even Jesus’ family, think that He is out of His mind.  Have you ever felt misunderstood by others, possibly even your own family?  How comforting is it to read that Jesus knows what that feels like?

-          When we read some of the things that Jesus taught and preached- love your enemies, bless those who persecute you- is it possible that we wonder ourselves if Jesus was out of His mind?  So we take Jesus and his teachings seriously, or do we look for ways and reasons to dismiss them? 

Mark 3:31-35

-          It seems shocking that Jesus would renounce His family.  And yet, if you notice he doesn’t do so completely, he simply states that His family is whoever does the will of God.  Rather than alienating His family, Jesus is actually inviting us to become a part of His family.  Do you think of yourself as being related to Jesus?

-          What influence do you have on your family?  Are you an influence for good, encouraging your family to follow Christ, or are you a negative influence? 

Prayer Requests- September 18, 2011

Prayer Requests:

Recent Requests:  Sam Poole, Jr., Roanne Ballio, Lois Johnson (Cypress), Bill Goree, Cameron Sutton, Louis George, Kirby Kingrey, Doug Johnson, Addie McDonald, Pete and Eva Stewart, Mattie McReynolds, Ewell Langston, Billy Fox, Kenneth Doyle, Marie Cook, Trevor Clark, Rachelle Johnson, Verna Campbell, Cherry Seal, Abby Arnaud, Marvin White, Jim Willis, Carol Ray Lawrence, Shirley Decker, the victims of the wildfires in Texas

Continuing Requests:  Stan Riggs, Robert Smith, Mrs. Joe Danton, Martha Townsend, Dot Melder, Perry Fleming, Tom Fuller, Bubba Jones, Darwin Jones, Juan Martinez, Harvey Paul, Harvey Paul, Jr., Anthony “Tony” Perrotti, Case Sullivan, Charlie Wilson

Deployed Military:  Matthew Cloud, Tyler Johnson, Robert Rogers, Tony Stuttle, Blake Thompson, all those serving in the military

Cancer Patients:  Shelby Atkinson, Yvonne Bass, Shirley Cameron, Jerry Cole, Sharon Cook, Rodney Cotton, Dorothy Crane, Wanda Dauzat, Ava Dore, Ruth Ann Fisher, Jared Gordon, Steve Goudeau, Allie Harvey, Johnny LaHay, Maria LaMartiner, Dot Langston, Mariliyn Lavisphere, Joyce Melder, Bob Morrow, Clark O’Banion, Jeanie O’Rorke, Doug and Claudia Pinkston, Johnny Prather, Wes Roberts, Cherry Seal, Donny Shows, Linda Sipco, Carlos Smith, Robert Smith, Wally Pullen Smith, Walter Stagg, Jackie Teasely, Will Tulos, Karen Villemarette, Dalton Welch, Shane West, Charles Whitten, Britney Wilson, Geraldine Willis, Charles Young

Nursing Homes:  D.C. Carruth, Janie Jenkins, Helen Johnson, John Kenner, C.J. Meyers, Doris Polk, Maxine Stephens

Deaths: Ray Sandell family, Lois Russell family, Douglas Fontenot family

Unspoken Requests

New Baptistry Painting

A very special thanks to Archie Poole, who used her time, energy, and considerable talent to produce this beautiful new painting to go behind our baptistry.  Be sure to check it out this Sunday, and to thank Archie for her hard work.  Also, be thinking of the gifts and talents that you have, and how they can be used to benefit our church community.  It may seem at first that they don't really relate to church in any way, but I can promise you we will find some way to put them to use!!   

Galatians 2:11-21

Galatians 2:11-21

I.                   2:11-14

-          V. 11

o   Cephas’ presence indicates that the agreement for Paul to go the Gentiles and the pillars to the Jews did not prohibit, but rather served to focus the apostles areas of ministry

o   This confrontation happens after the meeting mentioned earlier in Galatians 2, but before the Jerusalem Council described in Acts 15

o   Antesten is a military or political term for “oppose”.  It is used in this instance to denote that there will be a winner and a loser. 

o   “to his face”, ties into God not judging people by their “face” or appearance

o   “condemned” is in the Greek perfect tense, implying that Paul is merely revealing Peter’s condemned state, not condemning him of his own authority

-          V. 12

o   Aphorizen, which means to separate, is the word that aphorisis comes from, as in aphorisis machine

-          V. 13

o   Hypokrisis- the word used to describe the “play-acting” of Cephas and company, also the word from which we get “hypocrite”.  The same word is used in the Greek to describe the behavior of Cephas and those who imitate him as is used to describe actors on a stage.  The word is probably used because their behavior is motivated by expediency rather than principle

o   The structure of the verse communicates Paul’s surprise that even one like Barnabas would be caught up in their hypocrisy

-          V. 14

o   Orthopodeo- walking alright

o   Jerome would argue that the whole incident was staged, but Augustine would disagree.  As “embarrassing” as it is to see two apostles in an argument, it does testify to the truthfulness of scripture.  Nothing is suppressed, or altered. 

-          Peter acts to preserve unity between Jerusalem and Antioch, or more specifically, to prevent undo pressure from coming to bear on the Christians in Jerusalem.  Paul points out that in doing so however, Peter has regulated the Gentile-Christians to second-class status. 

-          Paul’s rebuke of Peter serves as a type of introduction to Paul’s discussion of justification by faith

II.                2:15-21

-          V. 15

o   Physei- the physical nature.  A reference to circumcision?

o   Gentiles and sinners are synonymous not only because they do not follow the law, but because they do not have the law. 

-          V. 16

o   OT views of righteousness: Deuteronomy 25:1-2; II Samuel 15:4; Micah 6:11

o   For Paul, “righteousness” is both a forensic, or legal term, as well as an ethical one, which explains why he uses it as a noun, adjective, and a verb

o   The Jews are reminded that faith in Christ is not in addition to works of the law, but stands over against works of the law as a means of justification

o   Cf. Job 9:1 ff., and Psalm 143:2

o   “faith in Christ” vs. “faith of Christ”

§  If we take it to be faith “of” Christ rather than faith “in” Christ, then added weight is given to Christ loving us and giving Himself up for us.  Furthermore, if it is Christ who lives in us, then in some sense it is His faith that lives inside of us

-          V. 17

o   The gospel does not increase the number of sinners by abrogating the role of the law, rather the role of the law is to reveal the universal condition of all humankind as sinners

o   To rebuild what one has torn down is an explicit admission that to tear it down was a mistake in the first place

-          V. 18

o   “building up a system which I tore down”- cf. Eph. 2:14

-          V. 19

o   “crucified” is in the perfect tense, signifying something that was begun in the past, but that is also in process

o   Could being crucified with Christ be out response to the “faithfulness of Christ”?  In other words, are we crucified because the same faith found in Christ is now found in us?

o   Being free from service to the law does not free us to sin, but on the contrary frees us to serve God

o   The law condemns us of sin, and thus also eliminates itself as a means of righteousness. 

-          V. 21

o   If the law is still necessary, then what exactly did Christ’s death accomplish?

o   Righteousness is tied to justification, which is tied to Christ. 

o   “Faith is not a reliance on one’s accomplishments, or one’s lack of accomplishments, but a trust in the accomplishments of God.” – Charles B. Cousar

Prayer Reqests- September 11, 2011

Prayer Requests:

Recent Requests:  Louis George, Kirby Kingrey, Doug Johnson, Addie McDonald, Pete and Eva Stewart, Mattie McReynolds, Ewell Langston, Billy Fox, Kenneth Doyle, Marie Cook, Sylvia Johnson, Trevor Clark, Rachelle Johnson, Verna Campbell, Cherry Seal, Abby Arnaud, Marvin White, Jim Willis, Carol Ray Lawrence, Shirley Decker, the victims of the wildfires in Texas

Continuing Requests:  Stan Riggs, Robert Smith, Mrs. Joe Danton, Martha Townsend, Dot Melder, Perry Fleming, Tom Fuller, Bubba Jones, Darwin Jones, Juan Martinez, Harvey Paul, Harvey Paul, Jr., Anthony “Tony” Perrotti, Case Sullivan, Charlie Wilson

Deployed Military:  Matthew Cloud, Tyler Johnson, Robert Rogers, Tony Stuttle, Blake Thompson, all those serving in the military

Cancer Patients:  Shelby Atkinson, Yvonne Bass, Shirley Cameron, Jerry Cole, Sharon Cook, Rodney Cotton, Dorothy Crane, Wanda Dauzat, Ava Dore, Ruth Ann Fisher, Jared Gordon, Steve Goudeau, Allie Harvey, Johnny LaHay, Maria LaMartiner, Dot Langston, Mariliyn Lavisphere, Joyce Melder, Bob Morrow, Clark O’Banion, Jeanie O’Rorke, Doug and Claudia Pinkston, Johnny Prather, Wes Roberts, Ray Sandell, Cherry Seal, Donny Shows, Linda Sipco, Carlos Smith, Robert Smith, Wally Pullen Smith, Walter Stagg, Jackie Teasely, Will Tulos, Karen Villemarette, Dalton Welch, Shane West, Charles Whitten, Britney Wilson, Geraldine Willis, Charles Young

Nursing Homes:  D.C. Carruth, Janie Jenkins, Helen Johnson, John Kenner, C.J. Meyers, Doris Polk, Maxine Stephens

Deaths: Johnny Durant family, Mary Thomas family, Benny LeBlanc family, Edwin Johnson family

Unspoken Requests

The Vineyard- September 11, 2011

The Vineyard

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5

Mark 2:23-28

-          What does Jesus mean when he says that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath”?

-          God gives us rules not arbitrarily, but to protect us and prevent us from harming (physically, emotionally, or spiritually) ourselves and others.  Do we ever invert this so that we use rules to hurt others, rather than to help them?

Mark 3:1-6

-          What does Jesus constant presence in the synagogue on the Sabbath say about His religious practices?

-          Jesus presents two options: to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill.  Do we always see things in this black and white manner, or do we try to create a third, more gray option? 

-          How might our inaction do good or harm?  How might it save or kill? 

Marie Cook's Address

If you would like to send a card or note to Marie Cook while she is in rehab, you can mail it here:

HealthSouth
Marie Cook, Rm. 216
104 North Third St.
Alexandria, LA 71301

I would she would appreciate it.  They are workin' her hard up there!