Can we trust the love of God?

Can we trust the love of God?
The deepest love in and beyond the universe, in and beyond time, in and beyond all other loves, exists among the “Sacred Three,” the persons of the Triune God. That’s why we should be overwhelmed by Romans 8:32. Read it. Chew on it. Swallow it. Be fed by it. Some helpful thoughts from John Piper:

The point of verse 32 is that this love of God for his one and only Son was like a massive Mount-Everest obstacle standing between him and our salvation. Here was an obstacle almost insurmountable. Could God, would God, overcome his cherishing, admiring, treasuring, white-hot, affectionate bond with his Son and deliver him over to be lied about and betrayed and abandoned and mocked and flogged and beaten and spit on and nailed to a cross and pierced with a sword like an animal being butchered. Would he really do that? Would he hand over the Son of his love?

If he would, then whatever goal he is pursuing could never be stopped. If that obstacle were overcome in the pursuit of his good, every obstacle would be overcome.

Did he do it? Paul’s answer is yes, and he puts it negatively and positively: “He did not spare him, but he delivered him over.” In the words, “he did not spare him,” we hear the immensity of the difficulty and the obstacle. God did not delight in the pain or the dishonor of his Son. This was an infinitely horrible thing for the Son of God to be treated this way. Sin reached its worst in those hours. It was exposed for what it really is – an attack on God. All sin – our sin – is an attack on God. A rejection of God. An assault on his rights and his truth and his beauty. But God did not spare his Son this treatment.

House Blessing/Prayer this Wednesday @ 7:00
Doug and Jodie Faulkner invite you to 1407 Chadwick Drive in Normal. (Come see Jodie’s art studio!)

BRIDAL SHOWER!
ALL THE LADIES OF THE CHURCH ARE INVITED TO A BRIDAL SHOWER FOR M.C. RICHMOND NEXT SUNDAY AFTERNOON @ 3:00 @ THE CHURCH. ASK ERIN LINDSEY OR JESSICA PRATAPAS FOR DETAILS.

Interested in Baptism?
We will be holding a baptism service on January 17. If you haven’t been baptized as a believer and are interested in this step of faith, please talk to Pastor Dave.

Our Bromenn Prayer Prescription:
Operating Rooms at Eureka Hospital. Please pray for the patients and care providers.

What smells so yummy?
No, it’s not Scott’s after shave. That smells “groovy.” It’s lunch! Right after church, please join us for soup and other stuff as we discuss the business of the church, looking back on 2009 and ahead to 2010.

Sermon: January 3, 2010

Listen to the sermon from January 03, 2010 below.

[audio:jacobswell_dberry_010310.mp3]

The “C” Word

The “C” Word
Like most of you, we’ve driven by the cancer center on Vernon hundreds of times. However, this time we would be driving in.  This time, one of us was a patient at this place with the sad name. Sue had an appointment with an oncologist concerning what was discovered from her recent surgery. We are so grateful that the diagnosis was not cancer, rather, something precancerous, and that the prognosis is good.

The doctor shared with us that he liked the kind of news he was able to give us, for all too often he has to deliver bad news, news that we hate to hear. He seemed almost giddy when talking to us; comic relief, I suppose.
Speaking of relief, the truth of Romans 8:31 is just that, an incredible summary of the entire Book of Romans up until that point. Because God is for us, nothing, not even the “C” word, has ultimate dominion over us. Consider this note from Beth Moore’s blog about her recent ovarian cancer scare. To read the entire story, go to her blog: http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/

There is no way I can emphasize strongly enough that the outcome of the story I am about to share with you has nothing to do with God’s extravagant love for me, the right kind of praying, or the fact that “He’s not finished with me yet.” He loves us all extravagantly, whatever the outcome of medical tests. He does not play favorites. He hears each desperate cry and esteems the groanings of our souls. He doesn’t let our lives be touched or even ravaged by disease because we didn’t get our words exactly right or because we yelped, “Help my unbelief!” He’s not a mean, distant God playing Monopoly with human lives. And He’s not finished with a single one of us or we wouldn’t be drawing terrestrial air into our lungs and coursing our eyes over words on a computer screen. The fact is, He has a sovereign plan that is for good and not evil and He is writing a story of on-going redemption with each of our lives. Our lives are woven together through seasons. It’s one person’s season to experience this. And another person’s season to experience that. Neither is loved more. Neither is more dispensible.

Eight to Eat Fellowships Forming!
Get to know the folks sitting around you this morning in a really fun way. Not too late! Ask Carrie K. or Deanna M.

“Captivating”
Women’s Study Group, 6:00 Tuesday nights @ the church

Interested in Baptism?
We will be holding a baptism service on January 17. If you haven’t been baptized as a believer and are interested in this step of faith, please talk to Pastor Dave.

Eureka! We have found it!*
It is our privilege to be the “designated” prayer partners with the Operating Rooms at Bromenn’s Eureka Hospital for the 1st quarter of 2010. Please make a note of it… and then pray for the patients and care providers. *(“it” = the power of prayer)

Next week:
The “Givingness” of God (Romans 8:32), Carry-in Dinner and Annual Meeting
Please bring food to share and stay for a brief discussion of “the business” of our church.