Hello Harvest!
Again, here are the announcements from last week AND the sermon notes. I’ve been floating around the idea of publishing daily devotional material for our congregation to use, let me know if that would be helpful for you all to get in your inbox! It would be for a limited time… maybe 2 months. But it would be so that for those of you who have fallen out of doing devotionals, that it would get you back in!
Just shoot me off an email indicating of that would be of help!
Byron
Harvest Retreat 8/6-9, 2009
Registration forms are available for the Harvest Summer Retreat! We are excited to have Dr. David Timms come and share the Word of God with us as he encourages our congregation with the theme “Vital Signs.” He will be teaching about diagnosing our spiritual condition and helping us have more vibrant Christian lives.
Amdo Trip 2009
Chris, Julie, Peter, and Jessie will be traveling through central China as they build relationships and spread the seeds of the gospel among the Amdo Tibetans this summer (first two weeks of July). If you would like to prayerfully or financially support the team, there will be a special opportunity on June 21st.
40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
EFCSB is in the midst of 40 days of fasting and prayer to seek God’s will in discussing the future organization and operation of the church. This prayer chain stretches from 6/8 to 7/17; If you are intrerested in participating please contact Elder Paul Huang.
Parking Lot
Our parking lot construction project has finally won approval with the city of Torrance! If you have reliable referrals who are licensed contractors, please bring them to the attention of Shawn Kuo in the Taiwanese congregation
Harvest South Bay June 21st, 2009
How was the Sermon?
Follow My Lead: 1 Timothy 1:1-11
Introduction: Paul introduces himself and his credentials as an Apostle of Jesus: one who was personally commissioned by Christ. This is in case anyone challenges the authority of the commands given in the letter. He refers to Timothy as his “true child in the faith” to validate Timothy’s authority in enforcing the contents of the letter.
Purpose: To guard the church from worthless teaching and discussion. Instead, to promote “love from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
Elaboration: Those who have strayed from the original intent of teaching have done so because of reasons which would build themselves up personally: they want to “become teachers of the law”
The Test of Teaching
How was the sermon, or how is the teaching at a certain church? Ask this question:
Am I Becoming a More Loving Person?
Good teaching
1. Makes us Purer (more unconflicted in our motives).
2. Gives us a Positive understanding of the Gospel (isn’t just about providing ethical boundaries).
Weekly Application Exercises
1. Reflect - perhaps even enumerate- in what ways you have grown in your love for both God and people in the last year? How has God’s Word changed you in this area of love?
2. How has God unmasked your heart and helped you have a more pure love for Him and others? What are some of the conflicting motivations you have had in your service to God?