SCRIPTURES FOR INFANT BAPTISM: “The Promise is for you & your children—and for all who are far off...for all whom the LORD our God will call!” (Acts 2:39) “And I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me & you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God & the God of your descendants after you!” (Genesis 17:7) “Believe on the LORD Jesus, & you will be saved— you & your household!” (Acts 16:31) 9/23/2012
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SCRIPTURES FOR INFANT BAPTISM: “The Promise is for you & your children—and for all who are far off...for all whom the
LORD our God will call!” (Acts 2:39)
“And I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me & you and your descendants after you for the
generations to come, to be your God & the God of your descendants after you!” (Genesis 17:7)
“Believe on the LORD Jesus, & you will be saved—you & your household!” (Acts 16:31)
9/23/2012
Questions for a Christian Parent & His/Her Local Covenant-Community (Church)
1) “Do you acknowledge your child’s need of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, & the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit?
2) “Do you claim God’s covenant-promises in her behalf, & do you look in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ for her salvation, as you do for your own?
3) “Do you now unreservedly dedicate your child to GOD, and promise (in humble reliance upon His Gospel-grace) that you will endeavor to set before her a godly example, that you will pray with & for her, that you will teach her the Gospel-doctrines of Christianity, and that you will strive, by all God’s appointed means, to bring her up in the nurture & admonition of the LORD?”
[Question to in-covenant members: “Do you as a congregation undertake the responsibility of assisting the parents in the Christian nurture of this child?”]
9/23/2012
“Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus” Series... [Luke 5:4-11]
When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon (Peter), “Put out into deep water, & let down the nets for a catch”. Simon answered, “Master (Rabbi), we’ve worked hard all
night & haven’t caught anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets”. When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come & help them, and
they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees & said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he & all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish
they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you will catch men”.
So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, & followed Him.
9/23/2012
Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus (continued):
• MARK 1:14-20... “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the Good News of God. ‘The time has come,’ He said, ‘God’s Kingdom is near. Repent and believe the Good News!’...
“As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon & his brother Andrew casting nets...for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow Me!’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men’. At once they left their nets & followed Him. When He had gone a little further, He saw James & John, the sons of Zebedee, preparing their nets. Without delay He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him”
DID YOU KNOW: We woke up this morning one day closer to meeting Him face-to-face?!
BUT...What’s it MEAN to SEE the face of God?
9/23/2012
Following (& being Fed by) Jesus is... A Community Project!
• Reviewing Mark 1... ...vv 10-11>God IS Community (Triune God...Trinity!) After the ‘mountain-top’ experience of BAPTISM, what next?
...vv. 12-13>God the Son is led by God the Spirit into the wilderness—COLLABORATING on a mission* to rescue you!
WINNING occurred thru Word-centered WORSHIP!
“Where the first Adam failed, the Last Adam** prevailed!”
________ *Cross-referencing from Mark 1:12-13**Christ (Son of Man, Son of God)9/23/2012
“Q-What’s the main purpose of man/woman?A-To glorify GOD & enjoy Him forever!”
--Westminster catechism
• When truly-called folks (young or old) come face-to-face w/the LORD, they WANT to ‘Repent! Believe! And Follow!’ WHY? Because He is Good News!
9/23/2012
Vision Values for CrossPointe’s IN-COVENANT Members:
EXTEND God’s grace to unbelievers in OUTREACH
APPLY God’s grace to one another for
NURTURE
REFLECT God’s grace back to Him in WORSHIP
9/23/2012
I. The King’s NEWS (Mark 1:15): The Gospel of This King is NEWS, Not Advice!
• “Gospel” literally means “news that brings JOY!” (not like the daily bad news we get all the time)
• It’s an announcement of something earth-shaking that has happened in real-time history...Something done in our place that changes our status forever!
9/23/2012
Remember in Luke 2? Not to fishermen but to shepherds He announces: “I bring you Good News of GREAT JOY!” (2:10)
• All humans down deep LONG to be back in His Dance. All legends in every culture POINT to it: ...a true king will come ...
...He will slay the dragon ...Will kiss us ...Will wake us OUT of our sleep of death ...Will rescue us from imprisonment in the tower ...Will lead us back into the Dance!...Will put everything right--& renew the fallen Creation Order! 9/23/2012
II. Your Need: This King’s Gospel Makes You Feel Needy When Face-to-
Face With Him (Luke 5:8)A. Needy? Why not HAPPY (at least initially)? ...The LORD is working on these men to make them feel NEEDY for/of Him.B. And that’s not all! [Peter: “Go away from me, LORD! For I am a sinful* man!”]...Physically needy, vocationally needy, & (most of all) SPIRITUALLY needy!
*SIN: not just ‘trespassing’—but also ‘missing the mark’
9/23/2012
III. The King’s Nurturing Community: How the Gospel Helps Us TOGETHER Follow (& Be Fed by) this
King! (Mk 1:17-20; Lk 5:11)
~Mark 1:17-20... “ ‘Come follow Me!’, Jesus said. At once they left their nets and followed Him...Without delay He called (two more to follow Him)—& they left their father...& followed Him”
~Are you following Christ? If so, what do you have from Him to GIVE to His local ‘Community of the King’ [local church = ‘called out’ ones]?
~Following (& Being Fed by) the LORD is a “community project”! Because we are all beggars who all need the Bread of Life...
9/23/2012
Choose 1 small group from this local Community of the King [between Sundays]:
~Teenager? Monday nights, year-round, 7 pm!~Busy commuter on Tues/Thurs mornings? Tuesday/Thursday 7 AM Prayer!~Need a MIDWEEK Re-fueling? Wednesdays @ 10 AM & 6 PM, or 7 PM [Morning & Evening Edition of Prayer PLUS, beginning in Oct, GOSPEL-study]~Are you a woman at-home? Thursdays @ 9:30 AM, ‘Psalms’ study group~Are you a man at-home on Saturdays? Monthly ‘Epistles on Servant-Leadership’ study group...~Are you an INQUIRER household, wanting to know (also on some select Saturdays) WHAT & WHY WE BELIEVE...before you ever become an in-covenant member?~Want a “sit-down” mtg to get more-acquainted, OR for counseling? (Contact me or choose any day to make an appointment with us!)
9/23/2012
BECAUSE God’s Son did successfully ‘rumble’ (not stumble)
with Satan......we cannot conclude He’s just another good teacher/example (like Gandhi or Mother Teresa)!...Rather, we FIX OUR EYES on Him & see He is the spotless Savior! ...RESULT? He cleanses us(Jn 13:8)
