Bulletin 11.23.25
"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:36
Reflection Before The Service
Reflection Before The Service
There was no aloofness about Jesus. He never kept his distance, even from sinners. He did not share the Pharisees’ false fear of contamination. He fraternized with dropouts and was criticized for it. . . If Jesus were not the friend of sinners, he could be no friend of mine—or yours. So, he touched untouchable lepers and allowed prostitutes to touch him. He shrank from nobody. He offered friendship, understanding, acceptance, love.
We do not follow in the footsteps of Jesus if we develop a ghetto mentality, if we
withdraw from the world into our evangelical monasteries (though we do not call them that, and they have no walls)... What we are called to is not “arm’s length evangelism,” but “incarnational evangelism.” This means that we have to listen before we speak, for, “if one gives answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame” (Proverbs 18:13). We have to struggle to enter the other person ’s thought world, however alien it may be to our own...
– John R. W. Stott on Acts CH 17 from The Spirit, The Church, and The Word: The Message of Acts (1990) pp. 277-280, 286
It doesn ’t take effort to be put-off by the behavior of those who do not share our deepest convictions; it is very hard work to find winsome points of contact and agreement in order to express the gospel in ways that can be understood in a pluralistic culture. It is relatively easy to be offended by sin; it takes true spiritual maturity to be filled with a holy jealously for the glory of Christ ’s name. May God grant his people the grace to know and live the difference.
– Denis Haack, Babylon Series: Part 1 On Being Offended In A Pagan World Feb 6, 2017, on RansomFellowship.org (series highly recommended)
The Call To Worship
The Call To Worship
Romans 11.33-12.1 (ESV)
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?" For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
(Prayer)
Reflection Before The Service
There was no aloofness about Jesus. He never kept his distance, even from sinners. He did not share the Pharisees’ false fear of contamination. He fraternized with dropouts and was criticized for it. . . If Jesus were not the friend of sinners, he could be no friend of mine—or yours. So, he touched untouchable lepers and allowed prostitutes to touch him. He shrank from nobody. He offered friendship, understanding, acceptance, love.
We do not follow in the footsteps of Jesus if we develop a ghetto mentality, if we
withdraw from the world into our evangelical monasteries (though we do not call them that, and they have no walls)... What we are called to is not “arm’s length evangelism,” but “incarnational evangelism.” This means that we have to listen before we speak, for, “if one gives answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame” (Proverbs 18:13). We have to struggle to enter the other person ’s thought world, however alien it may be to our own...
– John R. W. Stott on Acts CH 17 from The Spirit, The Church, and The Word: The Message of Acts (1990) pp. 277-280, 286
It doesn ’t take effort to be put-off by the behavior of those who do not share our deepest convictions; it is very hard work to find winsome points of contact and agreement in order to express the gospel in ways that can be understood in a pluralistic culture. It is relatively easy to be offended by sin; it takes true spiritual maturity to be filled with a holy jealously for the glory of Christ ’s name. May God grant his people the grace to know and live the difference.
– Denis Haack, Babylon Series: Part 1 On Being Offended In A Pagan World Feb 6, 2017, on RansomFellowship.org (series highly recommended)
The Call To Worship
Romans 11.33-12.1 (ESV)
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?" For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
(Prayer)
23/11/25