The Messenger - January 20, 2012 - Your Greatest Accomplishment\
Pastor's Corner
"Your Greatest Accomplishment"
January 20, 2012
If you had to list your greatest source of pride, what would it be? For some, this might include a gorgeous lawn, with exquisitely manicured trees, shrubs, and flowers. For some, this might be one or more attractive and successful children. For some, this might be a vintage automobile restored to immaculate condition. For some, this might be a new patent, a new business, or some great new work of art that they created.
In a town like San Pedro, many people take great pride in their ethnic heritage: Croatian-American, Italian-America, Mexican-American, Japanese-American, and so on. In his great letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul took real pride in his heritage, as well:
"If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless." (Phil 3: 4-6)
Paul's enthusiasm for this heritage is clear. But having "owned up" to this source of pride, Paul immediately discounts it for the sake of Christ:
Whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. . . .I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ." (Phil 3:7-9)
It's not that Paul has lost loyalty or devotion to the group from which he came--far from it. But the loyalty that he feels to Christ has simply overwhelmed every other loyalty that he knows, climaxing in one of the strongest statements of devotion that I have ever heard
"I want to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in death, that, somehow, I may attain the resurrection of the dead." (Phil 3:10-11)
How does that great goal compare with some of yours? I found it to be quite humbling, and yet quite liberating, too. The experience of knowing Christ personally, intimately, and redemptively is quite overwhelming, and the willingness to share in Jesus' sufferings and his death is quite profound. Few of us are asked to go quite that far, but each of us is invited to compare the value of our achievements with the greatest achievement of them all: to know, love, and serve Christ. I'll be talking about that goal in church this Sunday morning. I hope you'll join us.
Pastor Neal
Student Ministries News: FELLOWSHIP IS BACK ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS
Please note that all of our youth events are in our bi-monthly Youth Bulletin which is handed out at church on Sundays or in the entryway. (copies may be e-mailed upon request)
Fellowship
Dinners:
We are asking for $25 donations to
offset the cost of Wednesday night Fellowship Dinners (about
$2.25 per meals). Please
see Randi or Todd if you have questions.
SUNDAY TEEN BIBLE CLASS: JR & SR High bible study/fellowship upstairs in the green room before church on the following dates: 1/22 & 1/29 from 8:45am to 9:15.
WEDNESDAY
FELLOWSHIP DINNER: JR & SR
High fellowship
dinners will start at 5:45PM to 6:15PM on the
following dates: 1/18,
1/25 & 2/1.
SR HIGH
FELLOWSHIP NIGHT DATES: SR High
Fellowship will
start at 6:15PM-7:15PM on the following dates: 1/18,
1/25 & 2/1.
JR HIGH
FELLOWSHIP NIGHT DATES:
JR High Fellowship will start at 7:15PM-8:15PM on
the following
dates: 1/18, 1/25 & 2/1.
FRIDAY
HANG OUT: Hang
Out
on the following dates from 7:00PM – 9:30PM: 1/20
& 2/3. No Hang Out on 1/27
due to youth event.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Fun
Fellowship Night: We will be having a fun
fellowship night on January 28th from 6:00pm to
10:00pm. More
information to come.
Recycling
drive for youth: We will be recycling #1 plastic bottles and aluminum
cans. If you would
like us to pick them up at your house simply call Todd.
Student
Ministries Staff
Randi Bender
& Todd Walter
Email: rdbender44@aol.com
Tel: (310)
832-9717 (home) (310) 562-9243 (cell)
Fri, Jan 20
7:00 pm - Youth Hangout
Sat, Jan 21
8:30 am - Men's Breakfast
Sun, Jan 22
8:30 am - Adult Sunday School
9:30 am - Worship
3:00 pm - Golden State Pops
Mon, Jan 23
7:00 pm - Calendar Planning Meeting
Wed, Jan 25
7:00 am - Bible Study at Carrow's
4:00 pm - Homework Hangout
4:00 pm - Angel Choir Rehearsal
4:00 pm - Parent Hangout
4:30 pm - Cherub Choir Rehearsal
5:00 pm - Gospel Gang Choir Rehearsal
5:45 pm - Dinner for Jr. and Sr. High Schoolers
6:15 pm - King's Chorus Choir Rehearsal
7:00 pm - Handbell Choir Rehearsal
7:00 pm - Prayer Group
7:15 pm - SonLight Singers Choir Rehearsal
Thu, Jan 26
7:30 pm - Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Sat, Jan 28
7:30 am - Stated Meeting of Presbytery
6:30 pm - Youth Fellowship Night
8:30 am - Adult Sunday School
9:30 am - Worship
Amy Hubbard is the editor of the Messenger.
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