Faith Bible Fellowship

Matt Jones, graduating senior at Hampden-Sydney College, will be preaching this Sunday from John 12:20-35.

What is then lesson of the grain of wheat? How is putting to death our will, necessary to God’s will?

In what ways do we need to change so we can prove we are following Jesus? Is there anything I need to do this week differently?

Let’s pray the Lord will bless Matt and give him joy as He preaches, and us a teachable heart.

See you Sunday,

Lee

Dear friends,

Let’s take a break from 1 Peter. Two weeks from now, March 27, Matt Jones, our college intern will be preaching on John 12. In April we will look at the account in the Gospels of the last week of Jesus heading toward Easter, April 24. This Sunday we will examine the question: Can I know I am saved and have assurance of eternal life? What is God’s will concerning this vital question? Does He want us to know for sure we are saved?

Do we have confidence when we die we will go to heaven and not the unquenchable fire Jesus  taught was the destiny of the wicked?

Matthew 3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Mark 9:43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.

Interestingly Jesus probably spoke as much about eternal punishment as He did the joys of heaven.

How can we be sure we are saved?  I see three reasons why we can be assured we are saved and live in that truth.

Romans 8:12-17 the witness of the Spirit and our own spirit, that we are the children of God in actuality.

1 John 5:1-13 – our works show we are saved.

John 3:31-36 – the testimony of Scripture.

Discuss this question with others. Ask if they know they are saved and will go to heaven when they die. Our Christian life will bring forth much fruit if we can know the answer to this question. What about you?

See you Sunday,

Lee

Dear friends,

This is Communion Sunday (1 Peter 1:19-20) when we are reminded that we have been ransomed/redeemed…” not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

Ransomed? –  Here is a comprehensive definition:

1. money demanded for releasing captive: a sum of money demanded or paid for the release of somebody who is being held prisoner

2. release of prisoner: the release of a prisoner in return for the payment of money

3. deliverance: the act of saving somebody from an oppressed condition or dangerous situation through self-sacrifice ( literary )

Remember, blood is  a graphic term for death, showing the violent nature of the sacrifice Christ made for us.

The Lamb paid the price so we can go free to serve Him and honor Him all our days. We need to meditate on that… only a slave of Christ is free from the dark passions of our sin nature.

“Without spot and blemish is necessary  because of Exodus 12:5; Leviticus 22:19-20; and Deuteronomy 15:21; Hebrews 9:11-14; Revelation 1:5. What does this tell us about the character of Christ and why it is fitting for us to walk in holiness all our life?

This week prepare yourself to receive the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34) by self examination, confession of sin, and a determination to show our thankfulness to Christ for our redemption by determining to walk in holiness before Him.

We have much to think about and put into practice.

See you Sunday,

Lee