Sermon Preview:
My Dear Family in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Nineteen-hundred and eighty-eight years ago today, on Friday April 3, AD 33 at 9:00 AM, our beloved Lord and Savior was crucified upon the cross. At 3:00 PM that same day He died and was buried.
This is why today has been remembered as “Good Friday” for these many centuries.
There is an obvious incongruity associated with the designation of this day as “Good.” Historically, the Church has observed this day as one of deep spiritual sobriety. This is the holy day when believers all over the world gather together in local congregations to reflect upon the horrible passion and sacrificial death of our Lord.
It might surprise you to know that this is the only corporate worship service of the year where we do not, and should not, celebrate the Lord’s Supper. The reason is that our weekly Communion, as the Word itself tells us, is the celebration of the presence of the Resurrected Lord with His people.
But the observance of Good Friday is the stark reminder that before there could be our Lord’s bodily resurrection from the grave, He first had to be crucified on our behalf, “ even to the point of death” (Philippians 2:8). The Biblical order is suffering, death, burial, and then resurrection and enthronement!
Tonight, faithful believers from all nations who love our Lord and are not ashamed of His name will once again gather in order reflect upon the cross and the reason for it, our sins. We will join with them as we come together as the Body of Christ at 6:00 PM this evening. We will read the Word of God, we will sing of our Savior, we will lament, pray, and confess our sins and our faith, and then hear the proclamation of the Holy Scriptures from Galatians 6:14.
And then we will wait . . . for it may be Friday, but Sunday is coming!
It is only the reality of what happened early that Sunday morning at our Lord’s tomb that allows us to look back at that terrible Friday and call it “Good”!
Then, on Resurrection Morning at 10:30 AM we will come together again to celebrate our Lord’s victory over death and hell! We will consider the words of Galatians 2:20, and how Scripture teaches us the blessed truth that we also have been crucified and buried with Christ, so that we might rise with Him to walk in a new life! And, as always, we will commune with the very One who died and rose again on the third day!
What a blessed day it will be!
I love you so much!
Mike
Announcements:
Spring Picnic:
Save the date for the upcoming church picnic on May 2. Details soon!
Youth Group:
Youth Group meets April 11 at 4:30 PM at the church house.
Children’s Ministry:
Ashley has put together a list of Easter Resources for Families. Please check out her blog post HERE.
Watch for information on our summer programming next month. We have some really exciting things planned for the children over the summer!
Women’s Ministry:
Women’s Bible Studies have resumed for the new semester. Times and subjects below:
Mothers Morning Bible Study
Date: Tuesdays through May
Time: 9:30 am
Location: Christ Pres Church
Women’s Morning Bible Study
Date: Wednesdays through May
Time: 10-11:30 am
Location: Christ Pres Church
Topic: Book of Acts Ch, 1-12 by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Acts 1-12 For You (a companion commentary ) by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Women’s Evening Bible Study
Date: Wednesdays through May
Time: 6-7:30 pm
Location: Christ Pres Church
Topic: Book of Acts Ch, 1-12 by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Acts 1-12 For You (a companion commentary ) by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Career/Singles:
The weekly bible study and fellowship for career/singles has resumed at 5:30 PM Sunday evenings at the home of Jim and Sharon Daughtry.
Senior Fellows:
The Senior Fellows have an ongoing weekly Bible study on Tuesdays from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. We will use the Zoom virtual meeting application to study The Last Days According to Jesus by R.C. Sproul. The topics for the 12 week series are listed below. Church members are welcome to join us. For further information, email us at seniorfellows@
Apr. 6 – The Book of Revelation
Apr. 13 – The Antichrist
Apr. 20 – The Beast
Apr. 27 – The Rapture
May 4 – The Millennium
Prayer Requests:
Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Jack Loose, Hugh Dillon, Dave Angotti, Dustin and Katie Jackson, Zig and Virdia Jastrebski, Ramona Edwards, Bill Dent, Jacky Haynes, Steve Terry, Bill Cowley, Larrabee Kirkland, and Elizabeth Holton.
Bereavement: Please pray for Mark Hearn, whose brother Mike died last week.
Expecting: Please pray for the Deans, expecting in July.
Ministries: Please pray for the following missionaries and ministries: Seth and Jessica Lewis (Ireland); Steve and Rita Williams (New Zealand); Noah and Karleigh Stephens (Thailand); Vinnie and Molly Athey (RUF at UAH); Amos and Jessica Williams (RUF at Alabama A&M); Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA); Franky and Alaina Garcia (church plant in Canada); Dieter Paulson (church plant in Scottsboro, AL); Gannon Miles (seminary student); The Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center.
Online Donations:
If you would like to give to Christ Presbyterian, you can do so at the following link:
Emails:
general inquiries: admin@christpreshamptoncove.org
benevolence needs: benevolence@christpreshamptoncove.org
counsel and ministry needs: matthew@christpreshamptoncove.org
men’s ministry: men@christpreshamptoncove.org
women’s ministry: women@christpreshamptoncove.org
children’s ministry: children@christpreshamptoncove.org
youth ministry: youth@christpreshamptoncove.org
senior fellows: seniorfellows@christpreshamptoncove.org
Address:
288 Old Highway 431
Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763