Weekly Wrap-Up: November 15, 2009

This week, Robbie Sagers brought us back to our study through 1 Peter. Preaching, “Sanctuary of the Suffering: Living Like Christ & Preaching Like Christ while Following after Christ,” Robbie offered a verse-by-verse exposition and reflection on Peter’s letter to the elect exiles and how the lessons of Peter’s suffering audience can be applied to today’s church.

Several important themes were present throughout the text: How to conduct ourselves amongst a world that is often hostile to the believer, the exemplary model of Jesus Christ as the one who has gone before us and absorbed every ounce of suffering this world has to offer, the need for respect and gentleness when sharing the hope that is within us, and, building off the last item, Robbie paid extra special attention to the nature of Christian hope—the Resurrection—and how this informs our daily lives as Christians. Since Christ has been risen, Christians can conduct themselves with a measure of confidence in this world, knowing that we too will one day be raised to reign and rule with Jesus in his Kingdom.

Prayer Requests

• Please pray for Jerry and Monica’s neighbors, who may have the swine flu.
• Pray for Shirley’s neighbor’s grandson, Matt, who is having some problems.

Announcements

• This coming Sunday, we will be having breakfast during our ABF hour. We’ll all look forward to the delicious foods to being shared.
• The Second Annual Kingdom First Christmas Party is on Tuesday, Dec. 8. Further details are to come.
• If you have still not had your picture taken for the on-line directory (which is password protected), please see Devin Maddox.

New Kingdom First Audio- 1 Peter 3:8-17

This audio is an ABF lesson taught by Robbie Sagers on 1 Peter 3:8-17 on November 15,2009. You can download here.

New Kingdom First Audio- Ephesians 4:1-16

This audio is an ABF lesson taught by Robbie Sagers on Ephesians 4:1-16 on November 08,2009. You can download here.

Weekly Wrap-Up: 11.08.09

Taking a break from our verse-by-verse study of 1 Peter, Robbie Sagers took us through our second study of warfare.

This week, we studied Ephesians 4:1-16 where the Apostle Paul speaks of the unity found in the gospel, and how this unity is bound up and displayed in Christ’s Kingship over the Church. The breakdown of barriers is but one radical implication of the gospel, in which all believers share in one faith and one baptism, the baptism of Christ. Later in the chapter, Robbie emphasized how Christ is marking out individuals within the Church as teachers, pastors, and evangelists in order to build up Christ’s church for the work of the ministry. Yet, at the same time, it is not only the pastors and teachers who are to pursue ministry, but individuals found throughout the church and whom the pastors and teachers are building up. As Robbie emphasized, we pursue ministry with the understanding that Christ is reigning and ruling through his church.

Announcements:

• Phillip announced that his wife, Cami, is pregnant with their second child. Baby Bethancourt is due to arrive in June 2010.
• This Sunday was Mr. McCubbin’s 80th birthday!
• Kingdom Underground, our Men’s group, will meet on Monday evening at Pastor Moore’s house at 7:00 PM. We will be reviewing pages 131-156 of Manly Dominion. The women will be meeting upstairs during the same time.
• We will be having breakfast on November 22. Please see Katy Ferguson with more questions. Sign-up will begin next week.

Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for an increased gospel witness in Israel and Egypt.
• Please pray for a number of individuals who will be meeting with a family from the community to share the gospel.
• Please pray for Lori Craig’s father who is undergoing a third surgery.
• Please pray for Freddy’s sister as she and her husband begin the process of adoption.

Weekly Wrap-Up: 10.25.09

This week in Kingdom First, Dr. Moore taught through I Peter 3:1-7, a passage often referenced, and often misused. When it comes to the issue of headship, of marriage, of submission, the Scripture ought never to evoke us to think of what Peter is writing as a “woman get me my chips” theology. Instead, the Holy Spirit is speaking to us, showing us the glory of humanity created male and female. Dr. Moore discussed what it means for women to glorify God through being adorned with “the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit” (3:4). He spoke of the significance of Sarah’s trust and absence of fear—even in the face of that which is fearful. And he walked through what it looks like to be a godly, Christ-honoring husband.

Prayer Requests:

Diana asked us to pray for her uncle who is sick.

Weekly Wrap-Up: 11.1.09

This week at Kingdom First, guest teacher Phillip Bethancourt gave us a brief foray away from 1 Peter and into Isaiah 11. In what has become a special topic for Phillip, he illustrated how God’s intention to give Christ a Kingdom leads to warfare. More particularly, we see in Isaiah 11 (1) the identity of the Messiah, (2) what the reign of Christ will look like, (3) the establishment of a New Creation, (4) and how Christ inaugurates the New Exodus in our midst.

Announcements:

• Kingdom Underground—the men’s ministry of Kingdom First—will not be meeting on November 2, but instead, November 9. We will continue our reading of Manly Dominion by Mark Chanski.
• Adam Rice let us know of opportunities to serve within Faith Evangelism. With only three meetings times left this semester, all are invited to participate in next semester’s activities.

Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for Mr. Dixon’s wife who is having continual back trouble.
• Please pray for seven missionaries in Yemen who were kidnapped.
• Praise! Diana’s uncle is cancer free. Please pray that people would continue to share Christ with him.
• Please be in continual prayer for Dr. Peter Gentry, a talented professor at Southern Seminary, who is undergoing severe health problems.

New Kingdom First Audio- Isaiah 11

This audio is an ABF lesson taught by Phillip Bethancourt on Isaiah 11 on November 1,2009. You can download

Weekly Wrap-Up: 10.18.09

This week in Kingdom First, Robbie Sagers took a brief break away from 1st Peter and offered a reflection on how to read the Bible as believers in Jesus. According to the lesson, we are to read the Old Testament in light of Christ, paying careful attention to the people, events, and institutions that find their fulfillment and truest expression in Jesus Christ. As one individual said during the question and answer time, “It’s kind of like some movies that we watch. You can only understand the beginning by having seen how the movie ends.”

Prayer Requests:

• Ken’s mother – shoulder problems.
• Philip’s father – may need back surgery.
• Jerod’s nephew – has H1N1 but is doing better.
• Diana’s uncle – surgery Monday. Please pray for healing.
• Mat’s friend Jason – made a profession of faith.
• Katy’s friend Callie – continued cancer radiation treatments.
• Jerry’s nephew Eli – dealing with bully issues at school.
• Devin and Dr. Moore – both are feeling ill.
• Diana – Drew, member at Highview, now cancer free.
• Ashley – mother’s appointment showed she is still cancer-free.
• Beth’s cousin’s daughter Madison (16) – has H1N1
• Those who are being visited through FAITH Evangelism.

Weekly Wrap-Up: October 11, 2009

This week in Kingdom First, Robbie Sagers continued on in our series through I Peter, going through I Peter 2:18-25. As the class thought through chores they were required to do as children that they didn’t enjoy, Robbie showed how these “elect exiles” we read of in I Peter had to deal with similar situations, albeit in ways far more serious than mowing the grass or taking out the trash. This letter was written to a group, among whom many were slaves—among these, many to unjust masters. And what Peter says to those in this situation is: obey. What is crucial to see, though, is the way Peter ties this obedience and the situations these men and women are in to Christ. For Jesus himself was One who suffered much on earth—but One who obeyed, trusting God to judge in the end. Likewise, those of us in Christ are often called to endure suffering and sorrow, to obey those whom God has put in authority over us—because we know we have a just and righteous Master who will judge both our earthly masters and us in the Last Day.

Prayer Requests:

• Robbie asked us to be praying for Dr. Peter Gentry, who has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
• Lorie asked us to pray for her father who just recently had surgery and will soon be undergoing more.
• Several members asked for us to be in prayer for them as they prepare to travel: The Cunninghams as they go to Israel and Egypt, the Johnsons as they go to Cancun, and Shirley as she goes to Georgia.
• Bethany asked us to be in prayer for a situation with their car, as they were victims of a hit and run just before church that morning and weren’t sure what they would need to do over the next week without a car.
• Amanda asked us to prayer for her family in the wake of her grandmother’s death.
• Ashley mentioned how grateful she was that her morning sickness over the past couple weeks was starting to lift and also asked us to pray for her mother—who is now a 4-year cancer survivor—because she is going in to see a doctor on Friday for a checkup.
• Sarah asked the class to be in prayer for she and Ken as they wade through the paperwork and details of the adoption process.
• Ken shared with the class his gratefulness over the provision God has shown them financially as they prepare to adopt two children from the Ukraine.

Weekly Wrap-Up: 10.4.09

This past week at Kingdom First, guest teacher Justin Sampler walked us through 1 Peter 2:11-17. Justin showed us how Peter’s commendation in this passage is a supporting element of Peter’s thesis found throughout the entire book: be different, do good. As the “beloved” children of God (a title designated to Israel and ultimately, Christ), we as exiles and sojourners are to conduct ourselves in a way that points to our identity in Christ. Our freedom in Christ is paradoxical, for it’s a freedom that sets us free to serve, as we follow after our crucified Lord who washed Peter’s feet.

Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for Mrs. Cunningham’s brother who has developed swine flu. Thankfully, her niece is recovering after having had the virus.
• Please pray for Heather Scott and her daughter, Gabrielle, as Heather travels to Virginia to see family.
• Please pray for the Dicksons and the Duncans as they seek to sell their homes in Florida.

Announcements:

• Kingdom First will be having breakfast on October 18. Please be ready to bring something that day!