Weekly Newsletter 5/24-5/31
FBC Marysville Weekly Newsletter
Last week:
- Dodie Mitchell: Due to the passing of Dodie Mitchell last week, her memorial service was held Sunday afternoon. Our church family joined together to provide a meal for the family in the fellowship hall afterwards. Thank you, loving servants, for caring for our family in this way.
- Stepping up: As a church, we love to celebrate those who serve the Lord gladly and sacrificially. On Sunday, Ron Marstiller and Justin Price were on their own in the A/V department for the first time, and they crushed it! Thank you men.
Announcements:
- Background Checks: If you serve in security or with children in any capacity, please provide your information on the sheet in the foyer. We require background checks to protect our littlest family members.
- Cohorts: Grow and Know 100 begins June 7th. For more information on our discipleship classes, please see the board in our Next Steps room.
- Community Groups: If you have not already, please check out a community group! These are times when we meet with others during the week to pray, study the Word, and do life together. The Church is the individuals who make up the body of Christ, so let us be the Church outside of Sunday mornings.
Prayer Requests:
- Mary Ann: Please continue praying for Mary Ann Caldwell who fell last week and is very sore.
- Williams family: Continue praying for the Williams family as they mourn Dodie. Also, pray for continued recovery for Russ after his watchman surgery.
- Pray for those in our family who desire to be trained up for leadership. That they would grow in the faith and teach well. Pray for them to be poured into, so that they can be as healthy as possible.
- Gospel Opportunities: Pray for times when we can share our faith and invite others to church.
Weekly Devotional: from Acts 24
On Sunday we discussed the entirety of Acts 24. In this passage we saw Paul brought to Caesarea to be placed on trial before Felix by the Sanhedrin. The Jews hired Tertullus to try to prosecute Paul, but his accusations and statements were not backed by any evidence since Paul was innocent. After Tertullus’ remarks, Paul makes his defense, but Felix was not impressed by either party so he wanted to wait until the Tribune could come and shed some light on these events. Thus, Paul would be kept in Herod’s Praetorium, where he was on a sort of house arrest.
What I’d like to lay before you this week is what took place during Paul’s time in jail at this government complex.
“After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgement, Felix was alarmed and said, ‘Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.’”(Acts 24:24-25 ESV)
I fear this is a common theme in our society because it is increasingly unpopular to speak out against sin and living contrary to God’s commands. See, Paul reasons with Felix about three things that strike at the very heart of every human who has existed in God’s creation. Felix was known as being exceptionally brutal, a womanizer, and would even be removed from his position of authority a short time after Paul’s conversations with him for being harsh. That being said, let us consider Paul’s three-part message to Felix.
1.) Righteousness
Paul reasons with Felix about righteousness which is a relevant message to everyone. We are all descendants of Adam, so we are all under inherited sin. As a result, as Paul says in Romans 3:10, “None is righteous, no, not one…” We all, being under the effects of sin, are not righteous as God is. We have sinned against God and are at enmity with Him. The only righteousness man can have is the righteousness of Jesus given to them by faith in Him.
2.) Self-control
Paul talks to Felix about self-control, which can be understood by us as our inability to live up to God’s standards apart from His work in our lives. Faith is a gift, righteousness is a gift, and His Spirit who guides us to be more like Christ is an incredible gift. Notice how self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). That being said, God’s sanctifying work in our lives becomes the root of our ability to control besetting sin. Without the Holy Spirit, though we feel free, we have no ability to abstain from sin. In our flesh, what we desire is contrary to God’s nature. So without being regenerated, we seek to satisfy our flesh. Paul’s message was not tickling Felix’s ears, but made him feel as though there were roadblocks to receiving Christ, simply because Felix loved his sin.
3.) Judgement
This clearly makes Felix shudder and leave Paul for a time. God will indeed judge all of man for their works. The only way to have God’s wrath satisfied against you is by trusting Jesus’ atoning death on the cross on your behalf. Felix had done many wrongs as all of us have. He was one entrenched in sin and overwhelmed as we all once were. But the judgement of God is like the sun that both melts wax and hardens clay. Many of us like wax were melted and the Lord redeemed us from our sin when we turned to Him. Felix however, is turned away from God at this hearing.
Rest this week knowing that Felix was as we once were. We were lost and seeking, but knowledge of who Jesus is could never be enough. Consider the gracious gift of the gospel, understanding that we can be eternally redeemed from all of our sins against God by His grace, through our faith, in Jesus alone. Turn from sin, look to Christ, and be made whole. Savor the gospel message this week. Either for the first time, or the millionth.
“There is one gospel on which I stand, for all eternity. It is my story my Father’s plan, the Son has rescued me. Oh what a gospel! Oh what a peace! My highest joy and my deepest need. Now and forever He is my Light, I stand in the gospel of Jesus Christ.” - There is One Gospel, CityAlight