A Charge to the Man and to the People - Hebrews 13:7-17 - Pastor Tito Lyro

A Charge to the Man and to the People - Hebrews 13:7-17 - Pastor Tito Lyro If you find these lessons helpful, or if you have questions please write to us at contact@olympiabp.net. We would love to hear from you and learn how we can serve you.

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A Charge to the Man and to the Congregation - Heb. 13:7, 17

Introduction  When we gathered together to ordain an officer in the church, we are in effect getting together to celebrate God's gracious gifts to us. Christ promised that he himself will build his Church. He does that, In part, by giving officers to her as gracious gifts. Eph. 4:7-12 – But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." (Now this, "He ascended"—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…  We tend to associate the word pastor with the guy who preaches most of the time, who may work full time for the church. But the Bible uses that word to describe the job of all and every elder. When Peter instructs the elders in Asia Minor, he tells them to shepherd (pastor) the flock.  1 Pt. 5:1-4 – The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.  As we recognize this morning God's calling on Nick's life by the laying on of hands, we are also celebrating and rejoicing in Christ's gracious gift to us as he gives us officers to lead us on his behalf.  I. The Relevance of the Passage  A. One of the things we must do when we are drawing conclusions from a particular passage in the Bible is that the passage actually speaks of the thing we want it to speak.  B. As you noticed, our passage in Hebrews does not use the words elders or officers.  C. But we can be confident that it does speak of them, even though the words are not used.  II. A Charge to the Man  A. You must rule over your congregation.  B. You must speak the Word of God to your congregation  C. You must live a life worth imitating before your congregation – notice how most of the qualifications for the office of elder are moral qualifications  D. You must watch over your congregation.  E. You must fulfill your duty as an elder to your congregation in joy or in grief.  III. A Charge to the Congregation  A. You must remember your elder.  B. You must imitate your elder.  C. You must obey your elder.  D. You must be submissive to your elder.  E. You must make his service to you a service of joy by your attitude toward your elder.  Conclusion  Elders serve the church as undershepherds of the Great Shepherd of the sheep, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has given leaders to his church in the past, is giving us leaders now, and will continue to give us leaders in the future till the day he comes again to receive his church. Praise the Lord for his gracious and good gift of an elder to us.

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March for Life Today @ 12noon - WA State Capitol

Remember the March for Life today at 12noon at the WA State Capitol in Olympia http://ow.ly/gM2xr

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SAVE THE DATE: Jan 26 Youth Group Bowling Trip

SAVE THE DATE: Sat 1/26 - Youth Group Bowling.  Contact Jason Anspach (253-381-8076) for details.

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This is to Your Shame - 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 - Pastor Tito Lyro

This is to Your Shame - 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 - Pastor Tito Lyro If you find these lessons helpful, or if you have questions please write to us at contact@olympiabp.net. We would love to hear from you and learn how we can serve you.

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It Is to Your Shame -1 Cor. 6:1-11

Introduction  After a month and a half hiatus, I am glad to go back to our journey through the first epistle of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians. It always amazes me how a letter that was written around A.D. 55 remains so lively and relevant for us today. This is a testimony to the inspiration of the Scriptures by the Holy Spirit.  Review  First Corinthians was written as a response to several questions that the Corinthian Christians asked Paul (we find these answers starting in chpt. 7). It was also written out of concern that the Corinthian Christians had lost their focus in the service of Christ. Paul heard several reports that were very displeasing to him.  There were some disturbing things that were happening in Corinth. Teachers had risen from among them teaching that preaching Christ was not sufficient, that the wisdom of the world was necessary in order to be super spiritual. These teachers promoted disunity and fights among the Christians (chpt. 1-4). Meanwhile, the Christians neglected to take care of some very important problems, and sins that weren't practice even in the pagan world were getting a free pass in the church.  Paul structures this letter around three major themes: holiness, unity, and the glory of God, 1:2-3.  Introduction to Chapter 6  That brings us to chapter 6 and we get ready to look at it, I want you to realize how the Holy Spirit does not leave any area of life untouched. We tend to think at times to think that the Bible is about how to get saved, and heaven, and "spiritual" and religious things. It is about all these things. But it is also about the nitty-gritty of everyday life. These verses we red this morning are all about our attitude toward and our conduct in lawsuits and lawsuits are something that Americans are really good at.  I. The Issue: Christians Defaming the Name of Christ by Suing Other Christians in Civil Courts  A. This is clearly expressed in vv. 5, 6, 7a, and 8.  B. But it is also implied in the whole context of the passage.  C. We have grown very numb to the heinousness/seriousness/wickedness of taking a brother to court that we can't see the big deal here. This was true of the Corinthians as well.  D. So, Paul brings in what we would consider the "big guns" sins and connects them to bringing a lawsuit against a brother in an adversarial civil court system, 8-10.  E. The worst offense is not against the brethren, who are offended by this action, but against Christ himself, whose name is mocked by two or more people for whom his blood was shed so that the may be reconciled.  F. Their taking each other to court in an adversarial system is in essence crucifying Jesus afresh.  G. The issue, the problem, is the defaming of the name of Christ by brothers taking brothers before the civil courts.  II. The Solution: Christ, 9-11.  A. We are going to briefly touch on this verse and will come back to it in two weeks, Lord willing.  B. Kids, if you don't know what some of these things are, don't worry, just know that these things are really displeasing to God and that there is hope in the Gospel for the most wicked sinner there is.  C. The foundation for not looking sinful into our interests by taking a brother to court is to keep in the forefront of our thoughts what Christ has done for us, 11.  D. Do you see how Christ touches and takes over all of life including how we think about lawsuits and rights? If we don't see that, we'll end up like the Corinthian church.  E. We can be easily deceived in this area, 9.  III. The Practice: Advance God's Kingdom, Benefit Your Opponent, Enhance Your Ability to Know and Serve Christ (from Ken Sande in the Peacemaker).  A. Realize you are equipped to deal with issues that arise between brothers, 1-5  B. Give up Your Rights, 7.  Conclusion  I know I am leaving lots of questions unanswered. Lord willing, we will revisit this topic in the near future in our series on conflict resolution. But one thing is clear: when a brother/sister sues another brother/sister is civil court, he is defaming the name of Christ. It is also clear that Christ has freed us from the necessity of doing that. Remember, such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, "…you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God."

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Annual Congregational Meeting Tonight @ 7 PM

Please remember the Congregational Meeting tonight at 7PM.

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SAVE THE DATE: March for Life 1/22/2013

SAVE THE DATE: March for Life is coming up Tuesday, January 22nd at the State Capitol in Olympia - 12noon. http://ow.ly/gM2vj

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Reminder: Ladies Fellowship Tonight @ 6:30PM

Remember, Ladies Fellowship tonight @ 6:30PM.  Mrs. Bond will be speaking.

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The Summit of the Holy Love of God - Ephesian 3:14-21 - Rev. Doug Leaman

The Summit of the Holy Love of God - Ephesian 3:14-21 - Rev. Doug Leaman If you find these lessons helpful, or if you have questions please write to us at contact@olympiabp.net. We would love to hear from you and learn how we can serve you.

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Past and Future Grace in 2013 - Titus 2 - Pastor Tito Lyro

Past and Future Grace in 2013 - Titus 2 - Pastor Tito Lyro If you find these lessons helpful, or if you have questions please write to us at contact@olympiabp.net. We would love to hear from you and learn how we can serve you.

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Past and Future Grace in the New Year - Titus 2

Introduction  We just spent a season of celebration of the birth of our Savior. Whether we celebrate Christmas or not, we live our lives in light of the fact that Jesus Christ, God in flesh, has come. Every moment of every day is lived under this truth. For those who trust in Jesus Christ, the fact that Jesus Christ has come is the basis for a joyful life of obedience to the God who has redeemed them. To those who do not believe that Jesus Christ is their Savior, the fact that Jesus Christ has come just adds more judgment to them.  But that is not the only coming of Jesus that we should be celebrating and living in light of. As sure as he came the first time over 2,000 years ago, he will come again, and that is our blessed hope, according to the apostle Paul.  As we begin 2013, let us make our purpose to ground our lives, our hearts, everything that makes us, on the past and future grace of the comings of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  I. An Analysis of the Passage  A. The argument, the reasoning, for this passage actually starts in chapter 1.  B. These unbelievers are not outside of the church – They profess to know God, but their lives deny that profession, 1:16.  C. In contrast with these unbelievers who are not qualified for anything good, each segment of the church is to do what God calls them to do, 2-10.  II. The Pivotal Element for Doing What God Calls Us to Do: The Grace of God That Teaches.  A. Notice how Paul says in v. 11 that we do all these things because (for) the grace of God has appeared to all men.  B. Notice that Paul speaks of past and future grace of God through Jesus Christ.  C. It is worth now asking the question, "what is the grace of God?"  D. So, Christ pushes us as we think of the cross and he pulls us as we think of his coming back.  III. The Teaching That the Grace of God Does  A. The favorable disposition of God toward us teaches us several things.  B. Notice that the grace of God has appeared and is teaching all types of people.  C. Paul list two put offs and three put ons that grace teaches us.  D. Notice that these two negatives and three positives summarize the several groups of people and relationships in vv. 2-10.  Conclusion  The turning of the New Year is often nostalgic and hopeful. There is a looking back at what took place in the year that ended and an excitement about what the New Year is going to bring. The Christian life is similar to that. We look back to past grace in the cross and that propels us to future grace in the coming of Jesus Christ. That grace, past and future, fuels us to obedience in the now age.

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