Keepers of the Kingdom - Standing Strong in Today's Battle for Truth. July 14-18, from 9 - 11:45 AM at Niles Westside Adventist Church (1105 Grant St, Niles) for kids in Pre-K (age 4) - 6th grade. Please register early online at www.nileswestside.org. Email nileswestsidevbs@gmail.com or call 269-683-5998 with questions.
How to be More Like Jesus
The Impregnable Gift
Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonDwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
Offering
More In This Series
“How To Be More Like Jesus: The Impregnable Gift”
□ Matthew 16:13-21
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#1—Who is the of the Church?
- Jesus blessed Simon with these words, “You are Peter [petros—a small ], and on this Rock [petra—a towering ledge] I will build My Church.”
- Peter himself was never confused over who was the Leader of the Church—Acts 4:12: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
- Deuteronomy 32:4—“The LORD is the .”
- Psalm 18:2—“The LORD is my .”
- Psalm 95:1—“Let us shout aloud to the of our salvation.”
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1 Corinthians 10:4—“The spiritual [petra] that accompanied them was
Christ.”
- Matthew 7:14—“The wise man built his house on the .”
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1 Corinthians 3:11—“No one can lay any other than Jesus
Christ.”
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#2—Who is the of the Church?
Matthew 16:18—“I will My Church.”
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#3—Who is the of the Church?
- Matthew 16:18—“I will build Church.”
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Acts 20:28—“Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own
.”
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#4—Who is the of the Church?
- Matthew 16:8—“The gates of will not overcome the Church.”
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Actually what Jesus is describing here is not a defensive stance (where the church is
trying to fend off the forces of hell)—rather He describes an stance
(where hell is trying to fend off the forces of the church).
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Revelation 19:16—“And on His robe He has this name written: “KING OF KINGS
AND LORD OF LORDS.”
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4 defining questions that declare the Church of Christ to be , a
fortified position unable to be captured.
- “Enfeebled and defective as it may appear, the church is the one object upon which God bestows in a special sense His regard” (Acts of the Apostles 12).
- Richard John Neuhaus: “We must be sure it is the Church we are talking about: the Church in all its thus and so-ness, in all its contradictions and compromises, in its circus of superficiality and its moments of splendor.” (Freedom for Ministry: A Critical Affirmation of the Church and Its Mission 8)
□ John 6:14-18
- Desire of Ages: “Those were hours of large blessing to the disciples, but they had
- forgotten it all. They were in the midst of troubled waters. Their thoughts were stormy and unreasonable, and the Lord gave them something else to afflict their souls and occupy their minds. God does this when [we] create burdens and troubles for [ourselves]. The disciples had no need to make trouble. Already danger was fast approaching.” (380)
- “Send the storm and save the Church.”
- Desire of Ages: “Jesus had not forgotten them. The Watcher on the shore saw those fear-stricken men battling with the tempest. Not for a moment did He lose sight of His disciples. With deepest solicitude His eyes followed the storm-tossed boat with its precious burden; for these men were to be the light of the world. As a mother in tender love watches her child, so the compassionate Master watched His disciples. When their hearts were subdued, their unholy ambition quelled, and in they prayed for help, it was given them.” (381)
□ “I want to be more like Jesus, I’m following in His ways.”
- Then let us for His Church as He did.
- Then let us for His Church as He did.
Then let us His Church as He did.
- Ye Shall Receive Power: “Let all who believe the truth for this time put away their differences; put away envy and evil speaking and evil thinking. Press together, press together.” (188)
- GROW Groups are a third millennial strategy to "press together."
- One-step sign-up: www.pmchurch.org/growgroup
“UNTIED” “UNITED”
Michigan Advance Partners
Author Melvin Santos Speaking: For the longest time, in my early years, I quietly disagreed with this Bible passage in Acts 20, “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35, NKJV).
I wondered how people can say, “I receive a blessing when I give.” On the contrary, in my younger years, I always enjoyed receiving gifts. To pay for the gift and give it to someone wouldn’t bring me joy. That would cost me time and money.
When I fell in love, got married, and had children, I finally learned that when you’re in love, there is a greater joy in giving gifts to your wife and children. I would do anything for them because I love them.
Then I understood that this is the Spirit of Christ, who sacrificed all to share His love with us. When I participate in giving, or helping someone in need who cannot reciprocate the deed or pay me back, I’m sharing the love of Jesus. Now, that’s the heart of Jesus.
Just seeing the smiles on my family’s faces was enough for me to experience this passage, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Today, let’s share our gifts with a generous heart.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries