Message by Rev. Richard Jones

rec0423-111713

Jubilation Through Jail

Acts 16: 11-40

A SOUL CONVERTED

Acts 16:11-15 (ESV)
¹¹  So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis,
¹²  and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.
¹³  And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
¹⁴  One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
¹⁵  And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

A SPIRIT DEFEATED

Acts 16:16-18 (ESV)
¹⁶  As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
¹⁷  She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
¹⁸  And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

A LAW IGNORED

Acts 16:19-24 (ESV)
¹⁹  But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
²⁰  And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.
²¹  They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”
²²  The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.
²³  And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.
²⁴  Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

A PRISON SHAKEN

Acts 16:25-29 (ESV)
²⁵  About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
²⁶  and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone”™s bonds were unfastened.
²⁷  When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
²⁸  But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
²⁹  And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (ESV)
¹⁶  So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
¹⁷  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

A JAILER FREED

Acts 16:30-34 (ESV)
³⁰  Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
³¹  And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
³²  And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
³³  And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
³⁴  Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

Acts 20:20-21 (ESV)
²⁰  how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,
²¹  testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

A CHURCH PROTECTED

Acts 16:35-40 (ESV)
³⁵  But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.”
³⁶  And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.”
³⁷  But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”
³⁸  The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.
³⁹  So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.
⁴⁰  So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.

Message by Rev. Richard Jones

rec0416-112326

Sonshine at Sunset

Luke 24: 13-49

Sadness Toward the Sunset

Luke 24:13-24 (ESV)
¹³  That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
¹⁴  and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
¹⁵  While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.
¹⁶  But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
¹⁷  And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad.
¹⁸  Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
¹⁹  And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
²⁰  and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.
²¹  But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.
²²  Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,
²³  and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.
²⁴  Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

Study of the Savior

Luke 24:25-27 (ESV)
²⁵  And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
²⁶  Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
²⁷  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Isaiah 53:4-6 (ESV)
⁴  Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵  But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
⁶  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned””every one””to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Served by the Sovereign

Luke 24:28-31 (ESV)
²⁸  So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther,
²⁹  but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them.
³⁰  When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.
³¹  And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.

Sharing the Surprise

Luke 24:32-35 (ESV)
³²  They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
³³  And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,
³⁴  saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
³⁵  Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Shock in the Servants

Luke 24:36-43 (ESV)
³⁶  As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!”
³⁷  But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.
³⁸  And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
³⁹  See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
⁴⁰  And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.
⁴¹  And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
⁴²  They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
⁴³  and he took it and ate before them.

Sermon on the Scriptures

Luke 24:44-49 (ESV)
⁴⁴  Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
⁴⁵  Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
⁴⁶  and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,
⁴⁷  and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
⁴⁸  You are witnesses of these things.
⁴⁹  And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Message by Rev. Richard Jones

rec0414-191831

Triumphant Forgiveness

Romans 3:21-26 (ESV)

Romans 3:21-26 (ESV)
²¹  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it””
²²  the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
²³  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
²⁴  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
²⁵  whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God”™s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
²⁶  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Colossians 2:13-15 (ESV)
¹³  And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
¹⁴  by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
¹⁵  He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Psalm 103:12 (ESV)
¹²  as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Message by Rev. Richard Jones

rec0409-111617

Tune in to Truth

Philippians Chapter 4

Purpose Over Petty

Philippians 4:1-3 (ESV)
¹  Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
²  I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.
³  Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Ephesians 6:10-12 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
¹²  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Luke 10:20 (ESV)
²⁰  Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Prayers to Peace

Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)
⁴  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
⁵  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
⁶  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
⁷  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Commendable Concepts

Philippians 4:8-9 (ESV)
⁸  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
⁹  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me””practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Psalm 101:3 (ESV)
³  I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. 

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (ESV)
⁴  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
⁵  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Spiritual Secret

Philippians 4:10-14 (ESV)
¹⁰  I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.
¹¹  Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
¹²  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
¹³  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
¹⁴  Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.

History of Help

Philippians 4:15-20 (ESV)
¹⁵  And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.
¹⁶  Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.
¹⁷  Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.
¹⁸  I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
¹⁹  And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
²⁰  To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Grace Greeting

Philippians 4:21-23 (ESV)
²¹  Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.
²²  All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar”™s household.
²³  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Message by Rev. Richard Jones

rec0402-112934

Upward Call

Philippians Chapter 3

Pedigree of Performance

Philippians 3:1-6 (ESV)
¹  Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
²  Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
³  For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh””
⁴  though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
⁵  circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
⁶  as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Loss Verses Gain

Philippians 3:7-9 (ESV)
⁷  But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
⁸  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
⁹  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith””

Reaching Forward

Philippians 3:10-16 (ESV)
¹⁰  that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
¹¹  that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
¹²  Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
¹³  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
¹⁴  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
¹⁵  Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.
¹⁶  Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV)
⁷  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
⁸  Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Philippians 3:17-19 (ESV)
¹⁷  Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
¹⁸  For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
¹⁹  Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

New Day and a New Model

Philippians 3:20-21 (ESV)
²⁰  But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
²¹  who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 (ESV)
⁴²  So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.
⁴³  It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.
⁴⁴  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

Message by Rev. Richard Jones

rec0326-112915

Just Like Jesus

Philippians 2

Community of Christ

Philippians 2:1-4 (ESV)
¹  So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
²  complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
³  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
⁴  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV)
¹²  Put on then, as God”™s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
¹³  bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
¹⁴  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Commitment of Christ

Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV)
⁵  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
⁶  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
⁷  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
⁸  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Conquest of Christ

Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV)
⁹  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 5:22-23 (ESV)
²²  The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
²³  that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

Matthew 28:18 (ESV)
¹⁸  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Continuance in Christ

Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV)
¹²  Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
¹³  for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Character of Christ

Philippians 2:14-18 (ESV)
¹⁴  Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
¹⁵  that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
¹⁶  holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
¹⁷  Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
¹⁸  Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Companions in Christ

Philippians 2:19-24 (ESV)
¹⁹  I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.
²⁰  For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.
²¹  For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
²²  But you know Timothy”™s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.
²³  I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me,
²⁴  and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

Philippians 2:25-30 (ESV)
²⁵  I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,
²⁶  for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.
²⁷  Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
²⁸  I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.
²⁹  So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men,
³⁰  for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Message by Rev. Richard Jones

rec0319-112136

To Philippi With Love

Philippians Chapter 1

Addressed

Philippians 1:1-2 (ESV)
¹  Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
²  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Appreciated

Philippians 1:3-8 (ESV)
³  I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
⁴  always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
⁵  because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
⁶  And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
⁷  It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.
⁸  For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Approved

Philippians 1:9-11 (ESV)
⁹  And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
¹⁰  so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
¹¹  filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Attested

Philippians 1:12-18 (ESV)
¹²  I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
¹³  so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
¹⁴  And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
¹⁵  Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.
¹⁶  The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
¹⁷  The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.
¹⁸  What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

Assigned

Philippians 1:19-26 (ESV)
¹⁹  for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
²⁰  as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
²¹  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
²²  If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.
²³  I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
²⁴  But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
²⁵  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
²⁶  so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

Assured

Philippians 1:27-30 (ESV)
²⁷  Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
²⁸  and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.
²⁹  For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
³⁰  engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Message by Rev. Richard Jones

rec0312-113111

Hopeless Hope

Matthew 8: 1-4

Matthew 8:1-4 (ESV)
¹  When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
²  And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”
³  And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
⁴  And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

The Leper’s Problem

 The Leper’s Passion

Vs. 1-2

 The Leper’s Plea

Vs. 2

The Lord’s Compassion

Vs. 3

 The Lord’s Command

Vs. 4

Romans 8:20-23 (ESV)
²⁰  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
²¹  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
²²  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
²³  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

1 Corinthians 15:50-53 (ESV)
⁵⁰  I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
⁵¹  Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
⁵²  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
⁵³  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

Romans 8:31-32 (ESV)
³¹  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
³²  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Message by Rev. Richard Jones

rec0305-112517

The Lord’s Meal

1 Cor. 11: 17-33

Meal of Equality

1 Corinthians 11:17-22 (ESV)
¹⁷  But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.
¹⁸  For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,
¹⁹  for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.
²⁰  When you come together, it is not the Lord”™s supper that you eat.
²¹  For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk.
²²  What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

Colossians 3:11 (ESV)
¹¹  Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Meal of Severity

1 Corinthians 11:27-34 (ESV)
²⁷  Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.
²⁸  Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
²⁹  For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
³⁰  That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
³¹  But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.
³²  But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
³³  So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another””
³⁴  if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home””so that when you come together it will not be for judgment.

Meal of Divinity

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV)
²³  For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,
²⁴  and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
²⁵  In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
²⁶  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord”™s death until he comes.

Message by Rev. Richard Jones

rec0226-112312

Wonderful Word

John 1:1-18

The Eternal Word

John 1:1-3 (ESV)

1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He was in the beginning with God. 3  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Colossians 1:16-17 (ESV)

16  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities””all things were created through him and for him. 17  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Hebrews 1:1-4 (ESV)

1  Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4  having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

The Incarnate Word

John 1:4-5 (ESV)

4  In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:14a (ESV)

14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

The Forerunner of the Word

John 1:6-9 (ESV)

6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8  He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9  The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

The Unrecognized Word

John 1:10-11 (ESV)

10  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

John 1:15 (ESV)

15  (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ”˜He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.”™”)

The Omnipotent Word

John 1:12-13 (ESV)

12  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Glorious Word

John 1:14-18 (ESV)

14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15  (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ”˜He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.”™”) 16  For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18  No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father”™s side, he has made him known.