Surgery Day Hope Reminder

 

We have been reminding Josiah, and ourselves, that this senior year injury reminds us of some important, basic truths.

It is not everything.  It is not a defining event.

It is not nothing. It is a significant event in his life.

It is something.  God is using this for His glory in Josiah’s life.  

This is part of a devotional I read to Josiah before his shoulder surgery. While we are disappointed that he will miss sports for a big chunk of his senior year.  We are praying that his, and our, hope in God will continue to grow.

 “Hope:  Living Confidently in God”  by John Crotts The verse is Psalm 62:5

“The fact that we have to wait on God is not accidental. It is not a delay. He designs times of waiting, using them to build our patience and to strengthen our hope. When God’s children patiently expect him to bring the help they need, it shows God that they recognize their dependence on him and trust him to come through.”

“God’s timing also has purposes beyond you. Have you considered God may be delaying the answer to your prayer so that your testimony of waiting (prolonging your active hope) on him can help someone else who is watching?”

“Although you don’t have access to God’s calendar, you can know his heart as revealed in his Word. Your hope for God’s good work in future events is just as sure as all God has accomplished in the past. Until God finishes his plan, you must wait for him—but you can know for certain that God’s sovereign plan is good and wise. Waiting upon him is never in vain. He will always come through. He will deliver on every one of his promises. Your godly desires will be satisfied, according to God’s perfect will and in God’s perfect timing.”

Intro WATC

For every We Are the Church post, click HERE

As we dig even deeper into the Biblical idea of the church in general and what Trinity Baptist Church does and why, let's look at some primary reasons for doing this topic (We Are the Church) this way (in our Deacon Care Groups). 

“We Are the Church” is the Adult Christian Education everyone will be doing this fall because we must constantly be reminded of who we are and what we should be about.  In the “Theology Matters” study this summer, Zach shared this one-sentence explanation of the church.

The church is the assembly of believers who regularly meet together across the whole world, glorifying God by obeying His Word and discipling one another in the unity that comes through Christ Jesus.

As we begin this study on September 10, two ideas will be repeated throughout the entire series. 

1. The church is a specific group of people – saved people.  
2. This group of people is focused on the glorification of God.  Two ways we do this are through helping and equipping believers to grow in the Gospel & sharing the Gospel with those who need to be saved

In the first week of every membership class, Pastor Brett shares some incorrect ideas about the church.

The church is not a club, a voluntary organization, or a service provider
The church is not a meeting time.  There are times when the church gathers.
The church is not a building.  There may be a designated place where the church meets together.

What does the Bible say the church is?  God's word contains several different images to explain what the church is.

In Ephesians 5:22-23, the church is called a bride. 

In 1 Timothy 3:14-15 and Romans 8:15-17, 29-30, the church is a family. 

In Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:13; and Ephesians 4:11-12, the church is a body. 

 

 

In Ephesians 2:19-22, the church is a building. 

 

In Acts 20:28-32, the church is a flock.

The church of God must live according to God’s plan in dependence upon God’s power for God’s glory.

Ephesians 4:11-16 shows us that God provided apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for equipping the saints.  This is a familiar passage about the purpose of the church and church leaders and will be referenced in several different lessons.

Read through this passage and look for result statements.

God's plan for individual believers and his church is spiritual growth.

As you think about this week's lesson and look ahead to next week's lesson, "Meaningful Membership,"  plan to grow as an individual and as a church.

Additional Resources
https://www.challies.com/articles/whats-the-purpose-of-the-church/

DISCIPLESHIP & EVANGELISM THREAD:

The church's purpose is to glorify God, and the two main ways we do this are through helping and equipping believers to grow in the Gospel & sharing the Gospel with those who need to be saved.

Lesson Schedule

9/10        Introduction
9/17        Meaningful Membership
9/24        Intentional Relationships
10/1        Ministries of the Church
10/08      75th Celebration
10/15      Prayer & the Church
10/22      The Bible & the Church
10/29      Preaching & the Church
11/05      Leadership & the Church
11/12      Discipline & the Church
11/19      The Gathering of the Church

For every We Are the Church, click HERE