Announcements
SYMPATHY: to Bob and Sherry Jones at the passing of her dad, Francis (Frank) Pickett, on Friday, July 21. The funeral was held on Friday, July 28, in Westminster.
SUPER SIXTIES: “Watermelon Fellowship” will be held on Thursday, August 10, at 10:00 a.m. in the Great Room. Invite a friend to come enjoy some cold, delicious watermelon for lunch along with summer side dishes. The program will include a guest soloist and speaker. Please call the Church by Thursday, August 3, with your
reservation at 410-876-3838, ext. 307.
SOUL-WINNERS TRAINING: The next 12-week session begins on Wednesday, August 23, at 7:00 p.m. downstairs in the Music Room. Come learn a simple 12-point plan on how to win souls to the Lord. Sign-up online through the church website or at the Welcome Desk.
JOYFUL CONNECTION: The monthly meetings of the Joyful Connection Ladies Bible Study will resume on September 11, at 6:45 p.m. in Rooms 417-418. They will be studying I & II Peter this year, using Dorothy Davis' book Your Faith on Trial. The book is available for $11. Please see Marie Kitzmiller or Nadine Roberts 443-547-9582 for more information.
From My Heart
The Gospel of Matthew presents the Lord Jesus and discusses His life from the perspective of Him being a King. Everything in the Gospel of Matthew shows Jesus as a King, and as such, Matthew shows us the Lord Jesus has the right to sit upon the throne of David and rule and reign. In this Gospel, we see the Sermon on the Mount, which is called the Constitution of the Kingdom. We also see the Kingdom parables in chapter 13. In chapter two, the wise men from the east came to the city of Jerusalem and wanted to know, “Where is He that is born the King of the Jews?”
There is one thing about Matthew that many folks miss! Matthew was Jewish and yet he was employed by the Romans! He was employed by the invaders, the enemy, and he was their taskmaster to collect the taxes from his fellow Jews. This would mean Matthew would have been seen as a traitor by his brethren. They would have despised him, and none would dare call him a friend. Normally, these tax agents would put their own fees on top of what they took in taxes. And, of course, sometimes these collectors would tack on a huge surcharge on top of what they collected. The Romans did not care about the overcharges they collected as long as they got their taxes from the people! So, you can see why the people despised these tax collectors!
But something happened to Matthew in chapter 9:9! As he sat in his tax office working one day, the Lord Jesus walked past, stopped, and approached Matthew face to face. Jesus said, “Follow me,” and the last part of the verse tells us, “And he arose, and followed Him.” And the very next verse tells us they were sitting in the house (I think they were sitting in Matthew’s house), and Matthew was having his publican friends over to eat and fellowship with Jesus.
Isn’t it amazing how when folks meet Jesus they are changed? Paul tells us in II Cor. 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” And it appears Matthew never went back to the IRS to work again! He got up from the desk that day, followed the Lord Jesus, and never looked back! I think it is amazing that in the band of the 12 Apostles, Judas was appointed the Treasurer, and Matthew had nothing to do with the money! He completely changed once he came to follow Jesus.
I know I left my old life when I got saved! Once I gave my heart to Christ, I was so thrilled with the change in my heart, I wanted immediately to live for Christ and do what He wanted me to do! I started reading my Bible, attending Church every service, learned how to win someone to Christ, went to Bible College, and now have been pastoring for 46 years! Just shows us God can change us and use us!
Have a great day!
Pastor Norris