Search Results

This sermon preview is for Christ the King Sunday 2023. You can view the livestream, once available, here. "And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." - Ephesians 1:22-23 (NIV) "Just trust me." Do any words inspire less confidence than that? We live in an era with low trust in institutions that, at least once, were seen as authorities to be respected. The church or "organized religion" is one of the more highly trusted institutions still on the list, but that is not a matter of bragging - as only 32% of people trust it. (Of course, the question of "Which church do you mean?" is an important one and not asked by the survey). Perhaps Americans are particularly skeptical of claims to authority, but this way of thinking also seems to be spreading about the world. Is there good authority? Is serving something else, something outside ourselves, simply being servile - like a sheep following without thought? Certainly, following unworthy leaders leads many to fall victim to predators and con artists. But I want to suggest to you that we all serve someone. As Bob Dylan said, "You Gotta Serve Somebody." The recently deceased pastor, Tim Keller, once told a story about a British Evangelist who moved to the United States in the 70s. While in the United States, he ran across a sign that had been put in a tavern in Philadelphia during the American Revolutionary War. In big letters, the sign said, "We serve no sovereign here" Guest realized he was in a new country. A nation that actively resisted the idea of servitude, and saw no benefits to it. Now, this does not mean Democracy has no role. Democracy can serve an important role because it provides checks and balances and all people are sinners. But Guest did not believe in having no Sovereign - because he is a Christian… In fact, he saw such a sign "We serve no Sovereign here," as an obstacle to the good news! Why? Because we're going to serve something. We might think we're using things, that we are choosers and decision makers, but we come to find out, in the end, we just might be serving those things. Keller points to an essay named "Equality" by C.S. Lewis, where he said: In "You will serve somebody, you will bow the knee to somebody... Human nature will be served. If it doesn't get food, it will bow to poison." We do serve a sovereign here! So it matters all the more whom or what we serve. Are they worthy? Do they seek our good? If they don't, we will serve something, but it will lead to our ruin. But if there is a Sovereign, if we serve a Sovereign who is not merely powerful but good, then it is not merely an obligation to serve and to offer him ourselves and our lives, but a joy. Join us this Sunday as we consider what it means that Christ is King, and why that is good news for our lives.

This is a preview for the second sermon in the series “Longing, Listening, Love: A Series on Prayer.” To watch the recording of any of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website. “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,” -Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV) In Tish Harrison Warren’s phenomenal book Prayer in the Night, she remembers fondly her tough, Texan father. She recalls that no matter what they experienced in life, he would always tell her, “‘I’ve had worse cuts on my lip and just kept on a-whistling.” Warren jokes a bit about her father’s persevering attitude, “This became legendary in our family. There was no injury too terrible to not invoke Dad’s call to keep on ‘a-whistling.’ Broken bones. Accidents. Surgery. My father must have previously suffered untold lip trauma because he’d had worse cuts on his lip than any wound we could present.” Many of us can laugh with Warren. Perhaps you remember similar sentiments from your own family. Or maybe when you’re having a bad day you tune into your inner Dory and sing, “Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Swimming. Swimming. Swimming…” But Warren also moves beyond the joke to note something profound: “The dark side of this resistance to grief is that we do not learn to grieve ordinary suffering and loss–the commonplace but nonetheless heavy burdens we each carry. As long as anyone had it worse (which is always), I felt I didn’t have permission to be sad, to weep, to mourn.” Or maybe–if I may be so bold as to continue her list–she didn’t have permission to pray. Permission to pray? Who needs permission to pray? If that sounds absurd to you, then you’re not alone. And yet–even if we dare not say that hidden belief aloud so bluntly–I wonder if deep down we might admit that Christians commonly treat prayer like something we aren’t in need of because things “aren’t that bad” or “someone has it worse” or “this too shall pass.” Perseverance is important. But perseverance does not replace prayer. Prayer isn’t something reserved for special occasions like a fine wine. Prayer isn’t for emergencies only like dialing 9-1-1. I’m not sure when Warren’s father, or even myself, unintentionally created this bad habit of prayer. But perhaps the best way to break this bad habit is by reframing prayer as love. In Ephesians, Paul writes to the Gentile Christians in celebration of the miracle of Jesus’ grace that saved them from sin, made them alive, and united them into one family of God with the Jews. Paul encourages them in their faith, even reminding them not to be discouraged that he is suffering because of persecution. Then something amazing happens at the end of chapter 3. Paul prays for the Ephesians. Even though–arguably–Paul is the one who “has it worst” and “needs prayer more than them.” Paul prays for the Ephesians who are (seemingly) doing well, maybe even on a sort of “spiritual high” from their new and developing relationship with Christ. And what does Paul pray? He prays that the Ephesians will be rooted in love. He prays that they will come to know the endless love of God. He prays that in this love, they will seek God together and see how God does more than they could ever ask or ever imagine in their lives. It’s a short prayer–only about seven verses. But it’s a prayer that has nothing to do with anything bad. It’s a prayer about love, given in love. When we begin to view prayer as love, we are free to pray for anyone and everyone. When we begin to view prayer as love, we also free ourselves up to receive prayer from others. And in so doing, another miracle occurs: all of the Church is brought closer together in unity and love as we experience the wonders of God’s reconciling work in the world. Reflection Questions Are you quicker to ask for prayer or to offer to pray for someone else? Why do you think that is? How does thinking about prayer as love change the way you talk about or practice prayer in your everyday life? What would it look like for FBCM to practice prayer as love during Sunday worship?

This is a preview for the first sermon in the series “Longing, Listening, Love: A Series on Prayer.” To watch the recording of any of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website. “The gatekeeper opens the gate for [the Shepherd], and the sheep listen to his voice.” -John 10:1-6 (NIV) In the classic game of Telephone, kids gather in a circle to pass along a secret message. The goal of the game: listen well so that the message at the end matches the message given at the beginning. Seems simple, right? Too bad kids aren’t always the best listeners. Plus, there’s always at least one person who gets great joy out of changing the message on purpose. By the end of the chain, “You gone and done it” has become “You got a golden nugget!” If we’re honest, isn’t this kind of how we are as the children of God? When it comes to our prayer life, how many of us are quick to talk but slow to listen? And in the process, we acquire some mis-messages. I wonder how our faith and lives might be changed if we learned to view prayer, first, as an opportunity to listen. As it turns out, children aren’t the only ones who naturally struggle with listening. In John 10, Jesus is trying to reveal who he is–the Christ who has come to give his life so that they may live. Of course, this message is a difficult one for anyone to hear, but especially for the Jewish religious leaders who have been waiting for a particular kind of Messiah for so long. Jesus doesn’t exactly fit their job description. The Pharisees aren’t ready to hear Jesus’ message. So Jesus does what he does best: he begins to teach them using a parable. Jesus explains that he is the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd shows up, day after day, and builds a relationship with his sheep. And over time, the sheep come to recognize the voice that goes with the Shepherd who is always caring for them. In fact, the sheep come to know the Shepherd’s voice so well, that they learn to focus all their attention on listening to the Shepherd’s directions while tuning out the voices of the thief or stranger. It’s because the sheep learn to listen to the Shepherd’s voice that they are able to live life to full under the caring watch of their keeper. For those of you who joined us last week for Rev. Sarah Jane Nixon’s sermon, you’ll remember how dumb sheep are. Like the video we watched, sheep will literally jump from one ditch straight into the same ditch! Sheep are just that helpless. YET, in Jesus’ parable, even the dumb, helpless sheep are able to learn the sound of the Good Shepherd’s voice. And the sheep’s desire to listen to the Shepherd changes everything about their quality of life. If sheep can do that, how much more can we–the chosen people of God–learn to recognize and listen to God’s voice? And just like the sheep, when we do commit to regular prayers of listening, it changes everything about our quality of life. Reflection Questions Have you ever thought about prayer as listening? Why or why not? How often do you take time to intentionally listen for the Good Shepherd’s voice? What does that listening prayer practice look like in your life? What can FBCM as a congregation do to help each other discern the Good Shepherd’s direction in our lives?

“Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 (NIV) All members, friends, neighbors, and community associates are invited as we celebrate the ordination of Pastor Kendall Ellis and the ordination recognition of Pastor Jonathan Balmer. Festivities will begin with a special breakfast reception in the fellowship hall at 10:15 AM. The historic ordination service will be held during intergenerational worship on Sunday, November 5 at 10:45 AM at First Baptist Church, Muncie. Rev. Sara Jane Nixon, Associate Pastor of Crestview Presbyterian Church (West Chester, Ohio), will be preaching the sermon. American Baptist Churches of Indiana & Kentucky Executive Minister Rev. Mark Thompson and Regional Minister Rev. Bruce Cochran will be giving the charge to the candidates. The congregation will pray for the pastors through the traditional laying on of hands. Worship will conclude with the newly ordained Kendall leading the church in the celebration of communion. What is ordination? Ordination is a setting aside of a person by the church for a role in service and ministry. Those who are ordained often preach, disciple others, and administer the sacraments (or, as some Baptists prefer, ordinances) of baptism and communion. It is both a recognition of gifting and a prayer for the Spirit’s continued gifting and guidance, accompanied by the laying on of hands. As UK Baptist theologian Stephen Holmes said, "The general, but by no means universal, Baptist pattern of leadership is twofold: elders [pastors] and deacons, whose responsibilities are respectively for the spiritual guidance and practical care of the church" (Baptist Theology [T&T Clark International: London, 2012]). Baptists, emphasizing the autonomy of the local church under the lordship of Christ, have long cherished the important role of the local congregation in discerning God’s will and calling and ordaining the ministers of the church. Local Baptist congregations have done so without a bishop or synod deciding for them. But that is not to say that the local church is alone in this weighty decision. Baptists have a long history of respecting all of the following when it pertains to God’s call to pastoral ministry in the church: ✦ a personal sense of a call to ministry, ✦ congregational confirmation, and ✦ counsel from other (“sister”) churches. We hope you can join us this Sunday, November 5th, for this special service. To learn more about ordination, please check out the September 2023 issue of our quarterly church publication The Visitor.

This is a sermon preview for a sermon in the “We Believe: Back to Basics” sermon series. To watch the recording of any of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” — From Revelation 21:1-7 (NIV 2011) “We believe that the end of the world is approaching; that at the Last Day Christ will descend from heaven, and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution…” — New Hampshire Baptist Confession, 1833 | Article XVII. Religious affiliation and attendance may be slipping in the Western world, but belief in “Heaven,” remains very high. Pew research, in 2021, found that two-thirds of U.S. adults believe in heaven. Good theology is not decided by public opinion survey, but it still suggests that many have hope in something “hereafter.” The researches at Pew asked those two-thirds follow-up questions. And the results suggest a diversity of ideas about what happens “in the end.” What do we make of this, as Christians? The Scriptures do not give us a blueprint of heaven, as if parts of the Bible are a travel brochure for an eternal vacation. Neither should the end fill us with dread – which is how many people feel when they hear the word “Apocalypse.” But the original meaning of the word “Apocalypse” is “an unveiling” which is the true meaning of Revelation (also called the “Apocalypse of John.”) The poetic and symbolic visions of John reveal the heart of God and God’s intentions for his people. And God’s intentions are to live with his people, and his people to live with him. Wrongs shall be righted. Death shall be no more. The old order of things – the order of sin and death, despair and defeat – will be finally and fully replaced with the new order of righteousness and life, hope and victory. We have a common image of the doomsday prophet, with a cardboard sign, a dire warning scrawled in black ink – “THE END IS NEAR!” The Christian hope of the last day needs to reclaim the hope of the last day – “THE BEGINNING IS NEAR.” And in Christ Jesus, it is. That is good news. Reflection Questions: Has the idea of “the last day” or “final judgment” ever been used (intentionally or unintentionally) to scare you? What comes to your mind when you think of the doctrine of “the last things?” How might it be good news that a book like Revelation reveals God’s intentions to set wrongs right, and to live with his people – as part of a new beginning: new heavens and new earth?

This is a preview of the sermon in the “We Believe: Back to Basics” series. To watch the recording of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website. “Then [Jesus] said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away” —from Matthew 22:15-22 (NIV) “We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.” — Article XVI. Of The Civil Government New Hampshire Confession of Faith 1833 (NHCF), 1833 --- Terroristic violence toward Jews in Israel. Attacks on Christian worshipers in India. Persecution of a largely-Muslim ethnic minority in Burma. The idea that religious belief should not be punished is far from universal. That has been true in the past. That is true today. But religious freedom isn't just a good pragmatic political idea, it's a good Christian belief. In many places around the world, it is presumed to be normal and natural for the state to favor one faith over another. This was true for most of Europe's history. Baptists were once "radical." And their radicalism was nowhere more pronounced than the idea that the state had no stake in enforcing right belief. Belief in God was, in fact, too important to be judged by a King, a President, or any other political leader. One of the first Baptists, Thomas Helwys, was sent to Newgate Prison in London for this belief. He would die there. During his stay, he wrote a treatise to King James (yes, the same King James the "Authorized Translation" of the Bible is named after). In his treatise, Helwys said: "For men’s religion to God is between God and themselves. The king shall not answer for it. Neither may the king be judge between God and man. Let them be heretics, Turks [Muslims], Jews, or whatsoever, it appertains not to the earthly power to punish them in the least measure. This is made evident to our lord the king by the scriptures" It was not just religious freedom for Baptists, early Baptists advocated for it. But religious freedom for heretics, for Muslims, for Jews, and others "whatsoever" their religion might be. For Baptists, this is not just a statement about politics. It's an important religious belief. And it stems from Jesus' teaching that his Kingdom is "not of this world." (John 18:36). His statement is that Christians should pray for civic leaders, but not look to them to determine their faith. As Jesus tells some Pharisees who tried to trip him up with a question: “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” We pay the government taxes, and we should try to be good citizens. But we should not confuse being good citizens with being good Christians. "Caesar" may be owed taxes. But God deserves our lives: for he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Join us this Sunday as we discuss this important doctrine, more needed now than ever. Reflection Questions: Have you ever thought about "separation of church and state" as a religious belief? Why might it be important that God alone is the Lord of our conscience? What problems might it cause when we confuse being a Christian for something like citizenship in a country: something we are automatically because of where we were born or where we live? Why do you think Jesus's message was surprising for his day?

This is a preview of a sermon in the “We Believe: Back to Basics” series. To watch the recording of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website. “I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.” —1 Corinthians 10:15-17 (NIV) “We believe that the Christian baptism is the immersion in the water of a believer, into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost; to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Saviour, with its effect, in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation, and to the Lord's Supper; in which the members of the church by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination.” — Article XIV. Of Baptism & The Lord's Supper New Hampshire Confession of Faith 1833 (NHCF), 1833 “… We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord's Day or Christian Sabbath, and it is to be kept sacred for religious purposes.” — Article XV. Of The Christian Sabbath NHCF, 1833 --- Nowhere are the divisions within the church more sharp than in teachings about Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptists, in fact, are named after their peculiar (for the time) method of Baptizing only professing believers. Other Christian traditions / denominations baptize infants. Even within Baptists there are disagreements about whether those infant baptized as infants should be required to be re-baptized as believing adults. (FBCM does not require this, some other Baptist churches do). One friend I met during seminary was with me in my class about the church during the time of the Protestant Reformation. It was a time of a lot of change in the church. Many different denominations began during that era. Arguments on what happened during Baptism and at the Lord's table were very common. After reading several hundred pages on the conflict, she observed The Lord's Supper at the church she attended. "I took the bread and cup and just thought about how many disagreements there are about what we were even doing." she told me. While those arguments were common then, they remain today. Recently, confusion only increased with the Covid-19 pandemic and some deciding to practice communion privately in their homes, rather than gathered as a church. With so many arguments, there are some movements of Jesus followers who decided to give up on these practices all together (some Quakers and the Salvation Army). How do we understand Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and Worship on the Lord's day? Do they really matter? And if they do how do they matter? Join us this Sunday as we explore how Baptism and the Lord's Supper are intimately connected with being the body of Christ, the church. And learn how we can honor other believers as we cherish the gifts Christ has given us in these sacraments / ordinances. Questions for Reflection: What has your experience been with Baptism and the Lord's Supper? Sunday is no longer a widely culturally recognized day of Worship. What does it mean to set aside a day for the Lord in an age which never stops? How has God met us through these practices of the church (Baptism and the Lord's Supper)? What do they tell us about God's character and actions?

Below you'll find important downloadable documents in .PDF format. These documents are found linked, where appropriate, throughout the website. Here, you can also find them all in one place. Constitution & By-Laws Learn about our polity (church governance) and how our Church operates. Wedding & Building Use Documents Documents needed for applying to use our church building for weddings or other events. Please see the wedding page or building use page for more details. Wedding Other Building Use Church Covenant The church is the body of Christ, and a covenant community. Learn about our commitments to build one another up in the faith. New Member Pledge Drawn from scripture and the language of our church covenant, this is our pledge we make to new members to be the family of God for them in this place. New Hampshire Confession of Faith, 1833 Recognizing and honoring the differences that exist among believers, this Church generally ascribes to the New Hampshire Confession Declaration of Faith (1833) as a guide to faith and practice. See our page on beliefs to learn more. American Baptist Identity Statement, 2005 — “We Are American Baptists” An Expression of Christian Faith Representative of American Baptists (our denomination) adopted by the General Board, American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A., November 2005. Not sure about denominations? That's OK! We're a Baptist Church, but not just for Baptists. See our page on Baptists to learn more. Protection Policies & Staff Handbook Our policies and procedures for preventing and responding to abuse of children and vulnerable adults. And our staff handbook, including policies for holiday and parental leave. Church History A printable, text-only, version of our church history. You may view a web-friendly version of our church history, with pictures, on our History page.

This is a preview of a sermon in the “We Believe: Back to Basics” series. To watch the recording of any of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website. “It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” —2 John 4-6 “We believe that a visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by his laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by his word.” — Article XII. Of the Harmony of the Law and the Gospel New Hampshire Confession of Faith 1833 (NHCF), 1833 “… to deliver them from [love of sin], and to restore them [believers] through a Mediator to unfeigned obedience to the holy law, is one great end of the gospel, and of the means of grace connected with the establishment of the visible church.” — Article XIII. Of A Gospel Church NHCF, 1833 — The Church, and what we might call “organized religion” in general, is incredibly unpopular and increasingly distrusted. Americans’ Trust in Church Remains at a historic low Abuse and money scandals have rocked churches and denominations across the theological spectrum Denominations continue to see precipitous decline Even if many can see a role for spirituality, or even have positive feelings about Jesus, there are many doubters of the church. “No hurt like church hurt,” the saying goes. And even when it’s not the direct result of abuse, it seems that 21st-century life works against involvement in organized religion. While “Why Church” may not be the best question theologically, it’s certainly on many people’s minds. And those who see value in organized religion, may simply view it as having merely a social function – like a medicine for the hurt of an increasingly lonely world. For those in church, these headlines might result in panic. For those outside, befuddlement. What does it mean to “believe in” church? In what world could it matter? Isn’t religion private, and best kept between an individual and God? First, it helps to ask the right questions. For the Christian, it really does matter that the question is not “Why Church?” as when we are Baptized with Christ we gain not only a Heavenly Father but many sisters and brothers in the Spirit. Instead, a superior question is, “What is Church?” What is this thing I’ve been called to? As one Christian thinker, Stanley Hauerwas, put it, it’s actually the first task of the church to (simply) be the church, and to make the 'world' the world. There is actually a danger in trying to defend the church and make it recognizable to the world. As Kristen Sanders noted: “When the church becomes preoccupied with defending itself to the world, it eventually becomes incoherent. The only way to be a church is to speak the peculiar language of peace, of forgiveness, of repentance and resurrection. When we do not do our job, the church becomes understandable to the world but loses its mission. It is no longer peculiar, even if it is now coherent to a culture that is anything but Christian. We need that friction, that impossible question of how church works, that puzzlement over what the church does, because what it does is often inconceivable to those outside it.” The church remembering our story is essential if we hope to offer the gift of good news to the world. If we lose it, we’ll be lost in the same smoke that blinds the world to its purpose. Church is, by design, a bit different. I remember when I was young, older church members warned me about the “church business meeting.” They discouraged me from attending when I was 16 or 17. They feared I would get disillusioned. And, while I understand their concern, I am afraid that the same thing that makes church fellowship so beautiful is also what makes it vulnerable. That isn’t to say we allow abuse to continue. It must be cast out. But it does mean that when we are in relationship with one another, difficulty will come alongside with joy. We’re reading a whole book of the Bible. It’s around 250 words – shorter than this blog posts – so don’t worry. It’s 2 John. The letter is written to encourage a church, and to warn a church about those who seek to disrupt the church with false teaching about Christ. The cornerstone of this little letter is the command you can read at the top of this post, the enduring command to “love one another” and to “walk in obedience to his [Jesus’s] commands” (2 John 4-6, NIV). We’re saved not only from something, but to a new life – a life lived together. The church is the community of God which walks in the Spirit. It is the location of our discipleship. Here, as we gather for worship, and as we scatter to continue our daily lives, we learn what it means to live life as Christians: little Christs. As Eugene Peterson put it, the church is a Colony of Heaven in the Country of Death. Or, as Scripture says, we are the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12). *** Reflection Questions What is your experience of church? Have you experienced “church hurt?” Why do you think the church’s failures to live up to our calling cause so much pain? Have you ever thought of other people as essential parts of your faith? How have experiences with other believers built you up in faith? The Church is a Covenant Community. A covenant is a promise. Our church has a church covenant and pledge to new members. What do the commitments make to one another say about what the church is? 4. How can we pray for all Christians, as the church, to be a more faithful witness to the body of Christ?

This is a preview of a sermon in the “We Believe: Back to Basics” series. To watch the recording of any of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website. "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” - From 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - From Romans 8:14-17; 31-39 "We believe that sanctification is the process by which according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his holiness" -New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith 1833, Article X. Of Sanctification "We believe... a special providence watches over their [the believer's] welfare, and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." - NHCF 1833, Article XI. Of Perseverance of the Saints --- The last of the questions asked of the actors on the television program "Inside the Actor's Studio" is this: "If heaven exists, what would God say to you when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?" I've borrowed this question to ask it of people from time to time myself. It can be revealing about one's assumptions or ideas about God and who gets to be in his presence. One common answer is from people who say something like, "I'll be surprised if I make it." One person said, "I hope God says something like, "Even you! Come in!" What it reveals is that there is a presumption that the common person cannot expect a very sympathetic audience with the Almighty. As much as our culture recoils at any form of religious talk of "judgment," we seem to carry with us ways of looking at the world which presume anything but the powerful favor of the Lord on our behalf. Even many faithful Christians wonder if they will stack up, make it through, and continue on to the end. The late Pastor and Spiritual writer, Eugene Peterson, talks directly to the anxieties of many believers in his book "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society." Referencing Psalm 125*, in Chapter 7, he addresses the issue of security. "My feelings are important for many things. They are essential and valuable. They keep me aware of much that is true and real. But they tell me next to nothing about God or my relation to God. My security comes from who God is, not from how I feel. Discipleship is a decision to live by what I know about God, not by what I feel about him or myself or my neighbors. "As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people. The image that announces the dependable, unchanging, safe, secure existence of God's people comes from geology, not psychology." Later on, he reminds us that discipleship is following Jesus, but it's not as if we are Christians on probation - in a precarious situation where our future as Christians holding salvation is dependent on our performance. It is NOT that we are saved by grace but sustained by works. Instead, we believe Grace sees us all the way through, and that includes our sanctification (that is, our being made holy). "All the persons of faith I know are sinners, doubters, uneven performers. We are secure not because we are sure of ourselves but because we trust that God is sure of us. The opening phrase of the psalm is 'those who trust in GOD' -- not those who trust in their performance, in their morals, in their righteousness, in their health, in their pastor, in their doctor, in their president, in their economy, in their nation -- ' those who trust in GOD.' Those who decide that God is for us and will make us whole eternally." Read Psalm 125 and reflect on what it means that God holds us secure, from the beginnings of our salvation (justification) to the end (being made holy in sanctification). Notice how the Lord is the one performing the actions in the Psalm. Pray to God that we, his people, might remember his promises. Psalm 125 A song of ascents. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil. Lord, do good to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart. But those who turn to crooked ways the Lord will banish with the evildoers.

This is a preview of a sermon in the “We Believe: Back to Basics” series. To watch the recording of any of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website. "...all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” - Luke 18:9-14 "In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." - Ephesians 1:3-10 We believe that repentance and faith are sacred duties and also inseparable graces,wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God. - New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith (1833), Article VIII. Of Repentance and Faith We believe that election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which he graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners; that being perfectly consistent with the free agency of [hu]man[ity] - NHBCF, Article IX. Of God’s Purpose of Grace *** Have you ever thought about how we use certain words in certain ways, even though they mean the same thing? For example, "Election" comes from Latin's electio. Which means to "pick out." We use it for our political process of voting to select civic leaders. "Choosing" comes from the German and is related to the Dutch word kiezen. It also means to "select." But we do not call political elections "The Presidential Choosing of 2024." We instead use the words in slogans like "Choosy moms choose Jif" - referring to the peanut butter. Sometimes using a similar, but different, word can help us see past the connotations which have built up around a loaded term. Interestingly, a popular television series about the life of Jesus is called "The Chosen." What does it mean to be chosen? "Election" is, undoubtedly, one of those "loaded terms," in Christian Theology. And it has been a matter of a lot of debate! The church, including Baptists, has been divided between "Calvinists" (who believe "the elect" are those God alone chooses, or predestines, in his "Sovereign grace") and Arminians (who believe "the elect" are anyone who chooses to accept God's "Free grace"). The Swiss theologian Karl Barth was influenced by the above passage in Ephesians, which praises God's grace "which he has freely given us in the One he loves," that is, Jesus. He began to see the one who was "Chosen," the one who was "Elect," was Christ Jesus. And humanity, when it finds itself "in him," is chosen because of their relationship. He began to see this debate in different terms. He began to think of election as something more than which individuals are chosen and which are not. He began to see humanity being chosen by God in the person of Jesus. God's grace always brings humility and joy. As Jesus says in the Parable of the Tax Collector in Pharisee: "...all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” And maybe the humility of Christ, the one who was chosen from "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4-6) will help us all understand the beauty of grace, repentance, faith, and what it means to be "chosen." Reflection Questions 1. Is there a time you were selected for an important role before and you didn't know why? How did that feel? 2. Sometimes words get loaded with a lot of baggage. Words like "election," or "salvation." The Pastor and scholar Eugene Peterson wrote a paraphrase of the Bible. It aimed to help people read and understand the Bible without some of the baggage of language that seemed too familiar and, for some, was made unclear by all the controversy around them. Read his paraphrase of Ephesians 1:3-10 below. How does this help you understand God's grace? How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth. 3. Watch the below video. Why should grace (salvation as God acting for our sake) be humbling to us?

This is a sermon preview for a sermon in the “We Believe: Back to Basics” series. To watch the recording of any of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website. Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” - John 3:1-21 "We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel.... - Article V. Of Justification, New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith, 1833 "We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again; that...; that it is effected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit" - Article VI. Of the Freeness of Salvation, New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith, 1833 Free. If you like me you almost expect to see an asterisk next to that word. In fact, whenever I see "FREE" on an advertisement, I look for that little "*" symbol which tells me there are more "terms and conditions," more small print at the bottom. In the business world, there's a saying: "There's no such thing as a free lunch." And if there's no free lunch, then it might be reasonable to question an idea like "free salvation." The "blessings of salvation," to use the language of the New Hampshire Confession, may be free. But they can also be baffling. Such was the case with Nicodemus who asks of Jesus' talk on being "born again" or "born from above" “How can someone be born when they are old?” .... Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” (John 3:4) Nicodemus' understanding of Jesus is true: he is a teacher who does signs because God is with him. But his understanding is also incomplete. Jesus replies that no one is able to enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born from above, (or born again). That is, unless they are born Spiritually, by the action of God. The 'children of God do not qualify as such by means of their physical birth, but only by the means of their new birth from God." - Marianne Meye Thompson What does this, after all, have to do with whether salvation is free? While it's not obvious at first, I believe there is a connection. Being born "from above" is an action of God. If by "free," one means "salvation changes nothing but your destination when you die; it certainly won't change your life in any sort of recognizable way," then - of course - salvation is not "free." But what sort of good thing really changes nothing around it? But Salvation is free in that it is only the action of God that makes it possible to be one with God and one another. It is God's work that, in popular Christian terms, "saves." Only the one who came from Heaven, the Son of Man (Jesus), can speak with authority about it. Then we get to the most famous passage of scripture in the whole bible: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. To participate in Christ's life, and salvation, are one and the same. This new birth is not a matter of our: Skill at attaining spiritual knowledge for ourselves Birth family or upbringing Being found worthy by any particular emotional religious experience we can recall Rather, it is our relationship and allegiance to Christ that matters. The Son of man must be lifted up. He is lifted up on the cross. The Children of God walk in the Light and do not shun it. Christ is the light of the world. Reflection: John 3:20 speaks of those who "will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed." Nicodemus himself begins this meeting with Jesus at nightfall. He begins in the darkness and encounters the one who is the light in his conversation with Jesus. Are there ways you are afraid of rejection or are afraid your sins might be exposed if you begin to pray, talk to God, or attend church? Can the message that "God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (3:17) provide encouragement to those who fear rejection? --- The identity of Jesus is the main question here. Is God with him? Has he come from God? Jesus's words here show how understanding Jesus as merely "a good teacher," are not enough to explain what he says about himself. What would change in their life if a person were convinced Jesus was not merely a teacher, but "my Lord and my God" (as Thomas says later in John 20:28)? --- Many people talk about the experience of being "born again." Others struggle that they can't think of a particular moment or experience that sounds as dramatic or emotional as other's testimonies, even if they have faith in Christ. Such people might wonder if they're "really saved." How might it help you understand salvation can truly be secure to recognize being "born from above," or being "born again," has everything to do with Christ achieving our salvation?