Alva Baptist Church

Starts off with the same reading but is truly the second half of the sermon. Only the first two minutes is a repeat.

Mark' telling of Jesus' Gospel, Chapter 4 The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew Chapter 2 The writings of the Prophet Daniel Chapters 2, 4, & 5

Jesus said the ones who who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit are like seed that finds good soil. He told the truth wrapped in simple language; a mystery to the hard-hearted, readily revealed to those who seek and find. The Magi know the message of God and go where it leads them. God's will done is His 'kingdom come' and it disrupts the earthly kingdom of men.

It's not the turning over of the calendar page that brings newness of life. Jesus is the way through the year ahead.

Jesus highlights that the Mission of God is the Basis of Relationship

In Mark 3

Jesus was following Our Father’s plan of revelation.

Unclean spirits: "You are the Son of God!"

God’s timing and plan did not include Satanic promotion

even seemingly helpful things are subject to God’s perfect plan.

In Isaiah 7 (Virgin, not merely a 'maiden')

God reveals His plan for the miraculous sign of the virgin birth.

In Luke 1 (“…let it be to me according to your word." )

Gabriel’s revelation of the work of the Holy Spirit

Mary’s response to the Angel

is also Jesus’ response to our Father in Heaven’s plan …

in the face of a counterfeit marketing scheme presented by “unclean spirits”

“…let it be to me according to your word."

"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

~Mark's Biography of Jesus, Chapter 2, verse 17

Jesus has come for us.

God let's us respond to what God has been doing in our lives. If I don't acknowledge it, if I don't agree that I am sick and in need of healing, then God let's me choose not to come to Jesus.

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

~written by the Apostle John in his First Letter, Chapter 1, verses 8-10

Come to Jesus.

This short episode is a fraction of the sermon preached that day. More was said but only those who followed closely as requested were able to hear the rest. In the first Chapter of Mark's Gospel the disciples were following Jesus without explanation, based on their trust of the man Jesus. The Pastor asked the congregation to follow him in similar fashion. Not everyone enjoyed this experience.  Not everyone followed. The act of following did lead people, beside the preaching pastor, along the road to meet up with the Parish Church down the road in procession to the Alva War Memorial in Johnson Park for a Remembrance Service. The pastor is just a man and his words have value only to the extent that they are useful in pointing the congregation toward God.  This is why we rely on the word of God revealed in scripture so confidently. Following Christ, we don't have a flesh and blood person to walk beside, but we do have the sure record of His words and His example; and on this basis we do have fellowship with others in the community of believers that the Bible calls 'Body of Christ'.  There is a principle in scripture that we might describe as 'discerning the mind of Christ in community'. (observed in the Book of Acts 15:4-35) We come to know God; we become convicted of sin; we repent (turn away from sin) turning to God for forgiveness; and forgiven, we have fellowship with the Holy Spirit and with each other as redeemed believers.  In this faith we have communion. Through the word and worship stay close to Jesus and know first-hand what He has said and is saying to His church.  Don't refuse to come when He says 'follow me'.