If you would like to honor the memory of someone who has passed away since last Easter, you are invited to bring a spring flower to place at the foot of the cross during the Processional of Hope at either service this coming Sabbath, April 19, 2025.
Storm
Finding Jesus in the Gathering Dark - 4
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
Saturday, February 04, 2017
Program:
As We Begin
Fanfare and Flourishes (We Praise You) • James Curnow
Praise
Whom Shall I Fear • It Is Well With My Soul • No Longer Slaves
Prayer
José Bourget
Tithes & Offerings
Variations on a Shape Note Tune • John Vinson
Children's Story
John Kent, Andrews Academy
Bible Reading
Hebrews 5:7-9 NIV
Worship in Music
Precious Lord, Take My Hand • James Dorsey / Robert Smith
Sermon
“STORM: Finding Jesus in the Gathering Dark”—4 • Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card
Trust and Obey • 590
As We Depart
Alleluia Laudamus Te ( We Praise You) • Alfred Reed
More In This Series
“STORM: Finding Jesus in the Gathering Dark”—4
- Two four-letter words
- 1 Samuel 15:22-23—“To is better than sacrifice . . . for rebellion [disobedience] is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry [the worship of ].”
- At the heart of our trouble with the 4-letter word “obey” is our trouble with the 4-letter word “ .”
- After all doesn’t “obey” mean you must accept someone else’s authority over your ?
- Romans 6:16-18—“. . . you are slaves of the one you —whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to , which leads to righteousness.”
- Bob Dylan is right—“You’re gonna have to serve somebody”—so pick your carefully.
- John 15:5—“‘I am the Vine; you are the branches. If you abide and I , you will bear much fruit.’”
- John 14:15—“‘If you Me, [obey] My commandments.’”
- 1 Samuel 15:22-23—“To is better than sacrifice . . . for rebellion [disobedience] is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry [the worship of ].”
- One four-letter example
- Obedience is by —i.e., obeying God comes through God.
- Hebrews 2:13—“I will put My trust in Him” is called “the of Jesus.”
- Hebrews 5:7-9
- F. F. Bruce: “. . . Son of God though he was—even he was granted no exemption from the common law that learning comes by suffering.” (Hebrews 130)
- “Son though He was, He learned from what He suffered.”
- “He became the source of eternal salvation for all who Him.”
- F. F. Bruce: “We learn to be obedient because of the unpleasant consequences which follow disobedience. It was not so with him. . . . He set out from the start on the path of obedience to God, and learned by the sufferings which came his way in consequence just what obedience to God involved in practice in the conditions of human life on earth.” (Hebrews 131)
- Yes, but what if the Tempter comes to me and whispers, ‘Indulge your desire’—what do I do then?”
- You call upon “the faith of Jesus.”
- “How do I do that?”
- Repeat the 7 words: “I will put my trust in Him.”
- And then walk away.
- “But what if the devil follows me?”
- Keep repeating “the faith of Jesus”—“I will put my trust in Him.”
- Illus: Desire of Ages 668: “All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims [Christ in us], so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will [we in Christ], that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. . . . When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of obedience. Through [1] an appreciation of the character of Christ, through [2] communion with God, sin will become hateful to us.”
“I will put my trust in Him.”
In Memory With Hope
Offering for April 19, 2025
Pioneer Operating Budget
Charles Schwab, Bank of America, and Fidelity are among many financial institutions that provide financial advisers to help people invest their money to prepare for retirement. Christ gave solid investment advice, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV).
In other words, invest your treasures in the kingdom of heaven. God has a simple plan in place to finance His kingdom work here on earth. It’s so simple. First, He blesses His children, and then they return faithfully the tithe and freewill offerings. That’s it. As there are greater needs in growing God’s kingdom, He increases the blessings He gives to His children. So, the more faithfully we return, the more He gives. This is the divine partnership God wants His people to understand. There is no other plan, no substitute, no alternate. An all-wise God knew the right plan from the beginning. His investment system is fail-proof. Do you want to see God do a miracle? Let’s invest in Kingdom work and watch Him work His wonders.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
K-ANTHONY and Friends
Join us for a free vespers concert at the Howard Performing Arts Center lobby on April 25, 2025. K-Anthony and Friends will engage us in an awesome evening of worship and vibing.
Howard Series Presents: Carla Trynchuk & Elena Braslavsky in Concert
Violinist Carla Trynchuk and pianist Elena Braslavsky will be performing a recital including works by Bach, Brahms, and the Ukrainian composer Silvestrov. Trynchuk, faculty at Andrews University, has performed internationally as soloist and recitalist in more than 15 countries. Braslavsky, formerly a faculty member at The Juilliard School and the Mannes School of Music, currently serves on the piano faculty of the Mozarteum University of Salzburg. Trynchuk and Braslavsky were classmates together at The Juilliard School. Please visit us at our website howard.andrews.edu to purchase your concert tickets.
Best Buddies Friendship Walk
Best buddies is a worldwide organization that fosters relationships between individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities with others in the community. This April there will be a friendship walk on the Andrews campus. This will help us raise money for the organization, which then helps other chapters to be opened in new schools as well as programs in schools, workplaces, and communities. If you are interested in joining us for the walk you can sign up, and if you can not join us on April 27 you can still donate. All donations are welcome and appreciated.
Memorial Service for Bruce Wrenn
The Memorial Service for Bruce Wrenn will be on Sabbath, April 26 at 5 PM at Pioneer Memorial Church. Visitation with the family will be in the Narthex from 4-5 PM.
Music Camp at Pioneer!
The Institute of Young Musicians for Christ is excited to be having a music camp at Pioneer Memorial Church! At our music camps young people ages 6-17 are offered an immersive, week-long musical experience. Our quality musical training—combined with fun, friends, and faith-building encounters— provides a truly incredible opportunity. The camp offers tracks for children 6-12 with or without musical experience and a track for teenagers with significant musical experience. To learn more and register, visit iymcsda.org/michigan. We hope to see you there!
Request to Sabbath School Class Teacher/Coordinator
If you are a teacher/coordinator of a Sabbath School class that meets outside the PMC sanctuary, you are requested to inform your name, location and meeting time. This information will help to create a master list to assist visitors and members. Please mail your response to Melchizedek Ponniah, melponniah@gmail.com.
Easter Devotionals
Pioneer Women's Ministries invites you to join us for 10 days of devotionals leading up to Easter (April 11-20). Together, we will consider what various individuals present at Christ's arrest, trial, and crucifixion might have thought and experienced. If you would like to receive daily text teasers and emails with the full devotional insights, please text the word "CROSS" to 269.281.2345.
Lamson Hall Upgrades with Maranatha
From May 11–June 8, 2025, Maranatha Volunteers International will be working at Andrews University to update the Lamson Hall residential rooms and suite bathrooms. Please consider volunteering and letting your family and friends know of this opportunity. All individuals (including local) should sign up at the Maranatha website: https://maranatha.org/volunteer-opportunities/.