Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

September 19, 2021

Scripture Reading John 12:32:

“And I, [Jesus, the Son of God] if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.”

Universalism has evolved beyond the traditional topics of salvation and future punishment, and now covers many other theological issues and topics.  Universalism began during the early days of Christianity and has fostered as a heresy ever since.  It received a big boost in Europe in 1569 when Transylvanian King John Sigismund issued an edict establishing religious freedom. The Edict of Torda expanded the limits of religious freedom far beyond the standard of 16th-century Europe.  The decree did not put a complete end to discrimination, because official status was granted only to the Catholic, Lutheran, and Calvinist clergymen; but Unitarian, Orthodox, Armenian, Jewish, and Muslim believers could also freely practice their religions.  Although neither the Calvinist nor Unitarian side was declared the winner of the debate at this session, John Sigismund accepted Unitarian ideas, which made him the only Unitarian monarch in history.

Sermon notes of James Jester

September 5, 2021

Scripture Reading: I Samuel 19:1-6

This message serves as a conclusion to the series, Psalms for Turbulent Times.

The First Epistle of Peter, A Living Hope

Peter’s opening greeting lets us know who he is writing to:

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” (I Pet. 1:1-2)

The “strangers” here are those of the former northern house of Israel:

“The strangers scattered” — literally, “sojourners of the dispersion”; only in John 7:35 and James 1:1, in New Testament, and Psalm 147:2, “the outcasts of Israel” in the Septuagint; the designation peculiarly given to the Jews [Judeans] in their dispersed state throughout the world ever since the Babylonian captivity. These he, as the apostle of the circumcision, primarily addresses, but not in the limited temporal sense only; he regards their temporal condition as a shadow of their spiritual calling to be strangers and pilgrims on earth, looking for the heavenly Jerusalem as their home. (JFB commentary)

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

August 21, 2021

Scripture Reading Romans 11:17, 18:

17) “And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakes of the root and fatness of the olive tree:

18) Boast not against the branches.  But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.”

These two verses are a portion of the mystery of God that is mentioned, seven verses later, that pertains to the grafting of the branch of the wild olive tree into the good olive tree:

Romans 11:25:  “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles [nations] be come in.”

There are five important questions that need to be answered correctly in order to understand the mystery of the verses in Romans chapter 11. 

PSALM 137

Jim Jester

August 8, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 9:1-16

“Psalm 9 and 10 are really one Psalm. In several ancient manuscripts and versions, they appear as a single composition. The acrostic structure, though incomplete, points to the same fact. Here we have a mixture of literary types: hymn, thanksgiving, and lament, dealing with both national and domestic [individual] enemies.” – Layman’s Bible Commentary, p. 36

This Psalm, that we know as Psalms 9 & 10, goes quite well with Psalm 137, which we are also covering.

1. Thanksgiving (Ps. 9:1-4)

2. Hymn of Praise (Ps. 9:5-16)

3. Judgment upon the Nations (Ps. 9:17-20)

4. Lament (Ps. 10:1-4)

5. David’s Prayer (Ps. 10:12-18)

PSALM 141

by Jim Jester

July 25, 2021

Scripture Liturgy: Psalm 123: 1-4

This psalm is primarily a lament for the community of Israel, and was likely used in the temple as a liturgy. The first statement is in the first person singular and may have been sung by a priest. The remainder of the psalm is in the first person plural and was probably sung by the congregation.

“Unto Thee … have I lifted up mine eyes” (v. 1). Hard and bitter trial may come in one or more of many ways; but the text points to that of oppression, the cruel treatment of the weaker by the stronger. This may come to us in different forms than the psalmist: the IRS, unfair judges; or more personal problems, such as extreme medical issues and the seemingly endless suffering it brings. Where shall we turn? If there be no escape from it, as there often is not, we must find our refuge in God. When we have vainly looked around for help from man, “we lift up our eyes” to God, to Him that “dwelleth in the heavens.”

• We recognize the fact that He has power to deliver us.
• We believe that in His wisdom, He can interpose on our behalf.
• We are sure that our suffering is not a matter of indifference to His heart, and that our cry enters His ear.
• We must not be impatient, if the time or method of our choice should not prove to be His chosen time or method of deliverance.
• We do well to continue our prayer for relief “until He have pity upon us” and rescue us.
• Meanwhile we should: 1) let our trouble draw us nearer to divine fellowship with our Lord; 2) loosen our tie to this present world; and 3) enable us to give to those that witness our course, another illustration of the upholding grace of God. – Pulpit Commentary

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

July 11, 2021

Deuteronomy 14:21a

There are three separate, diverse groups of people mentioned in verse 21:

• “Ye”, “thou”, “thy” or “holy people”:  These are the seed of Jacob or the covenant people of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  They had the LORD God as their king, until they requested that one of their own people be king instead of Him.  They were forbidden to eat any animal that died of itself, but they were permitted to give the dead animal away or sell it.
• “Stranger” [#1616, Strong’s]: sojourner.  To this group of people, the Israelites were told that they could give the animal that died of itself to them and then the people that they gave it to could eat it.
• “Alien” [#5237, Strong’s]: alien, foreigner, outlandish. To this group of people, the Israelites were told that they could sell the animal that died of itself and then the individuals that bought it could eat it.

by Paster Everett Ramsey

June 27, 2021

1 Corinthians 12

Diversity of gifts - but the same Spirit; differences in administration, but the same Lord; diversities of operations, but the same God

The diversity of gifts in the church body:

• Wisdom
• Healing
• Knowledge
• Faith
• Prophecy (preaching)

 As a body, we need the diversity of gifts.  The church is the only place that spiritual gifts will be blessed at their best ... within a group setting.