Dear Immanuel Southern,
I erroneously announced that our regular Saturday Breakfast Fellowship would be this Saturday, BUT I WAS WRONG! The date should be April 12.
If you are in or around Wagoner and have never attended one of our Breakfast Fellowships, by all means, please know that you are welcome. We have a really great time.
It is the SECOND Saturday of each month at 8:30 am. Invite your friends and neighbors!
Here are some “sound bites” from Sunday’s sermon “Full of Doubt” based on John 20:1-29:
You can listen to Sunday’s sermon here or by clicking on the player below.
We want to say a big “Thank you” to Paul Williams who has been serving as our interim Minister of Music for the past month. Paul, and his son, Reid, traveled each week all the way from Ft. Smith, Ark, to lead our worship.
Thank you and God Bless You!
“God’s part is to put forth His Power; our part is to put forth faith.” – Andrew A. Bonar
This post is coming a little bit early this week, as I will be leaving tomorrow to attend Impact 2008Small Church Conference in Lewisville, NC. Lord willing, I will be back at church Sunday morning to preach “Full of Doubt”, based on John 20:19-29 (Jesus, the Disciples, and Thomas)
Sunday evening, we’ll have our Fifth Sunday Sing! The sign-up sheet is in the foyer. Please limit yourself to two selections so that everyone who wants to will have enough time to sing.
This coming Sunday will also be the last Sunday for our Minister of Music Interim, Paul Williams. We so much appreciate the time Paul has contributed to our church and to the Lord!
We had such a wonderful time together on Resurrection Sunday! We enjoyed two special music presentations and a selection from the Immanuel Choir. We also celebrated the Lord’s Supper.
Here are some “sound bites” from Sunday Morning’s sermon: “He Is Risen”:
You can listen to the sermon here or by clicking the player below.
You can listen to Sunday Evening’s sermon, “A Walk with the Savior” by clicking here, or on the player below.
The waiting is over. The women can finally go to properly prepare the body of Jesus. They did a “hurried-up” job last Friday, because the Sabbath was coming. But now, they can finally show one last act of love; they can give the body a “proper” burial.
They’ve brought about 7o lbs of spices. Then the thought, “who in the world are we going to get to open up the tomb so we can anoint the body?” They knew that the tomb was sealed, but they hadn’t really thought that far ahead. What had happened, however, would change everything forever. When they arrived, they didn’t find the tomb sealed and guarded; they found it open and empty! They looked in and saw that the body was gone. They didn’t understand. Then, an angel asked them why they were looking for the living among the dead? “He is not here, for He has risen just as He said.” He told them to “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead.”
That message has been spreading around the world ever since. In fact, the whole Christian religion rests on that fact; HE IS RISEN. If Christ did not rise from the dead, then we have no hope. However, Christ did in fact rise from the dead so we do have hope. In His death and resurrection, we have forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal salvation.
PRAISE BE TO GOD THE FATHER AND TO JESUS HIS SON!
Dead. Executed. Alone in the grave. In a tomb. With the door sealed by the government. Soldiers outside guarding it to make sure no “shenanigans” go on. Lifeless. Cold. Dead.
His followers wait and worry. Worry that all they had worked for was for naught. Worry that He wasn’t really the Messiah. Worry that they’ll be “next”.
The Earth had felt the feet of Jesus for 33 years. It rejoiced to know that its Creator was walking on it. In Person! It had readied its rocks to shout praises, just in case its human inhabitants had failed their job. But now, it served only to house the dead body of the One who created it.
All felt lost. There was nothing to rejoice about. Disappointment and depression abounded…
But Sunday was coming!
What’s so good about Good Friday? It certainly wasn’t good for Jesus, as He was tortured then executed! It was only good for mankind. Not that it was we who tortured and executed Him, but it was for us that He endured all of that horrible suffering!
He suffered and bled and died for us! For you! For me! He took our sins upon Him and received the punishment for all sins of all mankind! How very awful that some do not acknowledge this.
It may be Friday, but Sunday’s on the way! That is why I usually call this particular post, “Sunday’s Coming!”; to remind us that no matter what happens through the week, the reality of the resurrection should be what we keep out eyes on.
As you join us this Resurrection Sunday, we will enjoy several musical specials plus a special from our Immanuel Choir. We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Our sermon will be, “He is Risen!”
Come back Sunday evening and hear a very special monologue/song by our interim Minister of Music, Paul Williams as he presents “He’s Alive”. Our sermon Sunday evening will be “A Walk With the Savior”.
Invite your family! Invite your neighbors! Invite your friends! Let’s celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
HE IS RISEN INDEED!
Today is Maundy Thursday. The name comes from a butchering of the Latin mandatum, the first word in the Latin translation of John 13:34, “A new commandment (Mandatum novum) I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” This commandment was given by the Lord on the Thursday before his crucifixion. So Maundy Thursday is the “Thursday of the Commandment.”
Let us strive to “love one another”.
Immanuel Southern Baptist Church 