Church Ten Year Anniversary “Caring for One Another
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A Sermon by Dr. Bob Griffin, Teaching Elder at Sovereign Grace Church
On the second Sunday of January, 2005 our church was officially organized as a body of believers. Today marks the end of a decade! While meeting with interested individuals and families on various occasions in the fall and winter of 2004, it was decided that God was leading in the formation of a unique new church. On the last Saturday of the year, we spoke of organizing a Bible study, planning and laying a foundation for a church to begin official services late in the summer of 2005.
Soon, the realization dawned that for this group of “pilgrims”, the die had been cast, the Rubicon crossed. There was nowhere to return to; there was only the future and the promises of God. So on January 9th, the second Sunday in the New Year (and after the hectic Christmas holidays were over), we would formally meet as “Day One” for the still-nameless church designed to give GOD the glory above all else.
With “deliberate prayer” and a “confident-shakiness”, we stepped out to-gether in the New Year of 2005, meeting for “church” at the home of Dave and Chris Neumayer in Casper. Not a Bible study, not a bunch of programs, just a goal of returning to Acts 2 basic-Christianity with three families, some worn-out and tattered hymnals, some left-over matzos and borrowed cups, and a partially crippled preacher who couldn’t even manage the stairs.
And here we sit this morning – ten years later at Sovereign Grace Church, a Reformed Baptist fellowship, a fully functioning as a New Testament church, and celebrating both the beginning of 2015 on the calendar and beginning another decade of Christianity 101. And to this we say, TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
I. EXAMPLES OF “CARING”
I Cor 12:18-27
A. EXAMPLE OF “CARING” GIVEN BY JESUS
“When He saw the multitude, He was moved with compassion” Matt. 9:36
B. EXAMPLE OF “CARING” GIVEN BY THE EARLY CHURCH
“But first gave themselves to the Lord” I Cor. 8:5
C. EXAMPLE OF “CARING” GIVEN BY GOD’S PEOPLE TODAY
“Lay down our lives for our brothers” I John 3:16
II. APPLICATIONS OF “CARING”
A. APPLICATION OF “CARING” IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. CONCERN (Heb 10:24)
2. DEFER (Rom 12:10; Eph 4:32)
3. JUDGE (Rom 14:13)
4. EMBRACE (Rom 15:7; 16:16; I Pet 5:14)
5. TEACH (Rom 15:14; Col 3:16; I Thes 5:11)
6. SERVE (Gal 5:13)
7. BEAR BURDENS (Gal 6:2; Eph 4:2; Col 3:13)
8. COMFORT (I Thes 4:18; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:25)
9. LOVE (Rom 13:8; I Thes 4:9; I Pet 1:22; I Jn 3:11,23; 4:7; II Jn 1:5)
B. APPLICATION OF “CARING” IN OUR LIFE TODAY
1. CARING MEANS BELIEVING THAT HUMAN BEINGS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ON EARTH
2. CARING MEANS BELIEVING THAT CHILDREN ARE HUMANS
3. CARING MEANS SEEING DIFFERENCES AS A GIFT
4. CARING MEANS THAT WE CAN CHANGE
5. CARING MEANS GIVING