Sermon Preview:

How well do you know Jesus?

Does that sound like a crazy thing to ask you? Well, consider the Apostle Paul’s great, but rather strange, prayer: “that I may know Him”–Philippians 3:10.

Of course, Paul knew Jesus! How could he not have known Him? But he still seeks to “know Him.” And this desire is clearly an all-consuming one! And even more remarkable is the fact that this supreme desire was both experienced and expressed while Paul was a prisoner for the Gospel, confined in Rome!

We could refine our question just a bit: How well do you know the purpose for the coming of Jesus into the world? Why did He take upon Himself a human nature? What was the reason for His birth in the manger? Why did He do and say the things he did?

Obviously, each of these questions is answered with great clarity and detail in that section of the Bible we call the New Testament Epistles. If one reads those inspired books, then there can be no doubt about why Jesus came, what He did on this earth, and why He said the things He said, and made the astounding claims He made!

But in the good providence of God, we have four other inspired books in our Bibles called The Gospels. And these four books do not read like the New Testament letters. Rather, they tell a story! And as we read these four accounts of the life of Jesus, we come to “know Him” in a way that is different than when we read the Epistles.

This coming Lord’s Day, we will begin a trip though one of these Gospels, the one written by Luke, the only Gentile who authored a book contained in Scripture. This man, a physician and historian by trade, will help us to come to know Jesus by traveling with Him as Luke tells His story.

And this week we are beginning at an odd place with our Lord’s life-history according to Luke. We will not start with His birth in Bethlehem, but with the beginning of our Lord’s public ministry when He was already about 30 years old.

Our sermon text will be Luke 3:21-38, and we will consider how He began His work. Or, more accurately, how He was prepared to begin His work on earth.

I can’t wait to see you all, and I love you dearly!

Mike

Announcements:

Second Sunday Lunch:

We will have our monthly fellowship lunch October 9 immediately after church.

New Members Class:

Our next New Members Class will be on Oct 2 from 2-6 PM at the Church. Sign up in the Narthex if interested.

Youth Group:

Fall Sunday Night Youth Group
October 9th
October 30th
November 6th
November 13th
December 4th
December 11th (Christmas Party)

Sunday night youth group runs from 4:30 to 6:30 pm at the church house!

Senior Fellows:

The Senior Fellows will have breakfast on October 4 at 9 AM at the church.

Women’s Ministry:

Bible Studies:

Mom’s Bible Study
Time: Tuesdays 9:30-11 am
Teacher: Amy Schnorrenberg
Location: Christ Pres Fellowship Hall

Morning Bible Study
Time: Wednesdays 10-1130 am
Teacher: Mike Calvert, our pastor
Topic/Book: Devoted To God by Sinclair Ferguson
Location: Christ Pres Fellowship Hall

Evening Bible Study will start Wednesday, September 7th
Time: Wednesdays 6-730 pm
Facilitator: Cynthia Keen
Topic/Book: In View of God’s Mercies: The Gift of the Gospel in Romans by Courtney Doctor
Location: Christ Pres Fellowship Hall

Monthly Lunch: Our next monthly luncheon will be on October 6 beginning at 11 AM at the Timbers Edge Clubhouse located at 1 Timbers Main, Brownsboro. It’s potluck – feel free to bring a dish or just yourself. If you have questions or transportation needs please contact Pat Galecki at 256-244-0612

Men’s Ministry:

Bible Study:

Men’s Friday Lunchtime Bible Study and Fellowship meets Fridays 11:30am-12:30pm at the Church. Will study Dr. Sinclair Ferguson’s book ‘Devoted to God’ for 10 weeks.

Career Group:

Our next Sunday evening Bible study & fellowship meets at 5:30 PM at the home of Jim and Sharon Daughtry, 5726 Jones Valley Drive. To get on our mailing list for regular communications, please email Sharon at sdaughtry5123@gmail.com

Prayer Requests:

Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Collins Bailey, Virdia Jastrebski, Ramona Edwards, Steve Terry, Bill Cowley, and Elizabeth Holton. Additional details may be found in the Ministries/Prayer Requests section of the church website.
Expecting: Please pray for the Elys (November); the Butlers (February).
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); Marcus and Jessica Nobles (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 by clicking HERE.

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