Randy McCarthy – An Early Easter Message

randyMc_1_cropRandy McCarthy

Randy examines several intricate and highly detailed prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the events surrounding the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, including prophecies set forth in Isaiah 53, Psalm 22 and Zechariah Chapter 11.  Randy focuses particularly upon Zechariah Chapter 11, where the Lord reveals, 550 years in advance, the coming of the Lord Jesus as King of the Jews, and how that the Jewish Nation would reject Him.  God foretells that they would value Him as the price of a slave (30 pieces of silver), and that this money would be thrown in the temple and ultimately given to a potter.  While this prophecy is rather obscure and was not well understood by the saints of old, these events became completely clear through Judas Iscariot, who returned the money he had received to betray Jesus by casting it onto the temple floor.  The Pharisees ultimately used the money to purchase the potter’s field to have a place to bury strangers in, thereby fulfilling that aspect of the prophecy.  Zechariah Chapter 11 also foretells that, because of their rejection of Jesus as King, God delivers the nation to “their king,” which was Caesar who destroyed the Temple and scattered the people roughly 40 years later in AD 70.  Randy also briefly examines the telling description of the death, burial and triumphant resurrection of Christ as foretold in Isaiah 53, and discusses how that the Lord called out the first line of Psalm 22 psalm while hanging on the cross to direct us to see the fulfillment of those prophecies as well.

 

Randy & Bill McCarthy

Randy McCarthy

Bill McCarthy

5th Sunday March – Keith / Mark / Randy

Keith WestKeith West

Topic:  Christianity Portrayal in the Media

Keith discusses how Christianity is portrayed in today’s media, and contrasts two recent films, one of which remains faithful to Scripture and one that does not.  Keith encouraged us to study our bibles diligently so that we will not take false presentations of the Scriptures and believe them to be true, which happens to many in today’s culture.


markwMark Wattenbarger

Topic:  Spiritual Warfare

Mark discussed the spiritual warfare of believers (2 Corinthians 10:4).  There is much in the world with which to disagree.  However, Scripture teaches the Christian does not fight sin and deception in the same manner, and with the same weapons, with which the world fights.  It is a battle for the mind, and every thought should be obedient to God’s will just like our every action.


randyMc_1_cropRandy McCarthy

Topic:  Luke Chapter 15

Randy presented an overview of Luke 15 including the parables of the lost sheep, the lost silver piece and the prodigal son.  While these parables teach the beauty of God’s grace in His willingness to seek and save that which was lost, Randy stressed that these parables are really about our reaction when God blesses someone else.  We should not be like the resentful older brother, but instead we should rejoice as the angels in heaven do when God extends mercy to a sinner.


 

 

Faith

Bill McCarthy5-altBill McCarthy introduced services.

 

 

 


markwMark Wattenbarger

Brother Mark takes us through the initial verses of Hebrews Chapter 12 to discuss the life of faith.  Though it may be difficult to define, Scripture teaches us the life of faith is best defined by the actions we take. Abel, Abraham, Sara, Moses, Gideon, and others mentioned in Scripture are our evidence of what faithful lives look like.  But, as the Spirit inspired Paul to write, our highest and best example of living faithful to the will of the Father is Jesus.

Fear

allendAllen Daniels

Subject:  Fear

Text:  Hebrews 2:14;  Isaiah 43:1-3, 5;  Psalm 23:4-5

 


 

Referenced Hymn:  How Firm A Foundation

Appended to the end of this week’s sermon is a recording of this hymn from the Harmony Plains album “Great is thy Faithfulness”

Randy – Regeneration & Conversion

randyMc_1_cropRandy McCarthy

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Randy discusses what Primitive Baptists believe regarding the doctrines of regeneration and conversion.  Regeneration is the sovereign act of God to speak life to a child of God and make him, in that instant, fit for heaven at his death – this is what is normally referred to as “being born again.”  But Randy also stressed that conversion, which is an act of God (and the will of a regenerate man) to turn to God in repentance and obedience, is also presented in the bible in terms of a new birth.

Text: John 3:1-8;  Titus 3:5;  James 4:16-17; Matt 13:3-9,18-23;  1Peter 1:1-9

Mark – Putting off the Old Life and Putting on the New

randyMc_1_cropRandy McCarthy

Introduction:  Lasciviousness (Lust & Envy);  Jude 1:1-4, 20-21


markwMark Wattenbarger

Subject:  Putting off the Old Life and Putting on the New

Brother Mark focuses on the scriptural teachings surrounding putting off the old life and putting on the new.  God encourages His children to be holy as he is holy.  From the Old to the New Testament, God’s children are exhorted to distinguish between the clean and the unclean and to make their daily lifestyle a reflection of the holiness of their Lord and to set themselves apart from the corrupt world.

Allen Daniels

allendEnter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  Matt 7:13-14

 

 

 

Randy McCarthy – That Prophet

randyMc_1_cropSubject:  That Prophet

Text:  Deut 18:15-19;  Acts 3 (all);  ;Hebrews 3:_-6

 

 

 

The Visions of Zechariah | Walking Worthy

randyMc_1_cropRandy McCarthy discusses the rebuilding of the second temple in Jerusalem (around 520 B.C.) as chronicled in the books of Ezra, Haggai, and Zechariah.  Randy examined the 8 night visions of Zechariah as recorded in chapters 1-6 (Zech 1:7-6:15), with emphasis on the vision of the BRANCH in Zech Chapter 3.

 

 


markwMark Wattenbarger focuses on the letter to the Church of Ephesus.  In the midst of divine culture, with all manner of influences; the scripture teaches us to walk worthy of our vocation (Eph 4:1-2), and to put forward the effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit (Eph 4:3).