Mark Your Calendar
March 3rd – Church Fellowship!!!!! (tentative based on HVAC being fixed)
March 30th – Community Spring Fling (details coming soon)
Kids Class Changes
Beginning in March, we have some changes happening in our kid’s ministry. We will begin having three kids’ Sunday School classes meeting at 9:45.
- Infant – 3-year-old nursery
- 4-year-old – 1st grade
- 2nd grade – 5th grade
All of these will meet downstairs from the main auditorium. They are led by wonderfully competent teachers who are invested in Christ and in loving and leading your children toward Jesus. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful teachers who prepare and invest each week!
During the main 11 am worship service, we will continue to offer a nursery for children up to age 3 and a children’s church for children 4 years old – 4th grade.
For kids who are in 4th grade and above, we’d like to welcome them into the worship service. We will be having special papers for them to take notes on each week, and if they turn them in after the service, they can earn a piece of candy.
Young people from 6th -12th grades are part of our teen department. They have Bible class every Sunday morning at 9:45 and meet for teaching and games at 5 pm on Sunday evenings. They also have periodic activities and service projects.
No matter what your child’s age, there is something for them to participate in as they grow in knowing Christ. We hope to continue supporting families as you shepherd your kids towards Jesus!
Get Ready for Sunday!
Be sure to read Acts chapter 4:32 – 5:11 to prepare for this week’s message. We see the new believers sharing and supporting each other (and also see what Ananias and Sapphira did). You won’t want to miss this Sunday as Ricky Horton will be preaching in the morning service a message titled “Life Among the Believers: One Heart, One Soul, and Great Generosity”.
From the Desk of Pastor Tom
Arrested…Peter and John probably weren’t expecting this when they woke up that morning. They were dragged before the Jewish Sanhedrin (supreme judicial and religious court in Israel) to be sentenced for their misdemeanor. Their shocking crime? Healing a crippled man and speaking of the One who had the power to heal, Jesus Christ. The council is marveling at the response of Peter, yet they are not quite ready to admit their wrongs. It is impossible to deny the miraculous work, but they scramble to maintain some control over the situation. Rather than admit their sins, they decide to try and silence these disciples. They were released because there was nothing the Sanhedrin could condemn them for. However, they were strongly threatened to not speak any more of Jesus.
So, how do Peter and John respond? They return to their fellow believers and begin a prayer meeting! It’s helpful and encouraging to see these early believers face opposition and fear. It can be tempting to believe we (or I) are the only Christians to face Gospel opposition. How did these believers respond? Look closer at verse 24…they prayed! Verse 24-30 is a wonderful prayer for God’s power and boldness to be seen in the lives of these Christians. There is much that can be gathered from this prayer, but we will focus in on three big ideas.
- They pray for boldness. These followers of Christ have a burning desire to help others be rescued and know Jesus Christ. They are facing powerful opposition, and they need help. This was a cry for boldness to proclaim God’s message of salvation no matter the opposition.
- They pray God’s own words back to Him. The prayer uses Scripture. The prayer in Acts 4:25-26 quotes a section from Psalm 2 and God’s prophecy that the rulers (authorities) of the earth would gather in opposition against Him. They immediately connect this Scripture to their current opposition in Acts 4:27. This is helpful on multiple levels. It helps us see as Christians we must learn to connect God’s Word with our own understanding of life. Even the Old Testament has practical applications for today. Psalm 2 also helps believers remember no one is bigger than God. Psalm 2:4 says God laughs at the worthless schemes of the rebellious rulers.
- This prayer is focused predominantly on God. They pray grand and magnificent truths about God. He is a powerful God who has created, and He is at work even now. God’s people are focusing on His divine plan at work in verses 27-28. Acts 4:27 says God planned and sent Jesus Christ as their Savior and verse 28 connects God’s plan with the crucifixion of Christ. These followers of Christ understood God is always in control, even to the point of orchestrating the crucifixion of Christ. God’s promise from the beginning of the Old Testament has been to send a Messiah to pay the sin debt of humanity. God the Father accomplished this through the death of His sinless Son on the cross as the only adequate sacrifice for all the sins of mankind. God’s hand fulfilled this plan which had already been set in place (“predestined”). God is powerful. God already knows. God is working His plan.
These men and women did not want their own names in the spotlight. They did not desire the glory for themselves. They were praying for Jesus’ name to be made even more famous. They were focused on God’s fame. This prayer is overwhelmingly focused on God. Will you pray for boldness to make God famous this week?
Watch It Again
Sunday Worship – Pastor Tom
Viral Gospel – Prayer for Gospel Boldness
Sunday Bible Study – Chip Edwards
Galatians – Lesson 1 – No Substitute for the Gospel
And be sure to subscribe to the Eastside YouTube channel. Subscribe here!
