Allen Daniels began reading from Romans chapters 9-11 and spoke on salvation and the righteousness of God, and then focused in on the Firstfruit.
1Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Referenced Scriptures: [Leviticus chapter 3, 1st Corinthians chapter 15, Revelation 14:4, Romans 8:23, Proverbs 3:9]
Randy opened services by reading from Luke 18:9-14, the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. Randy encouraged us to seek God, recognize and confess our own sin and ask God for mercy and forgiveness, which He surely will for His people who humble themselves before Him.
Elder Henry Newman
The Lord Our Righteousness
Brother Henry read to us from Jeremiah 23:6, which states that “In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Henry showed how that God is the one who makes us righteous. We have no righteousness of our own but the Lord Jesus Christ is our righteousness and He answers for all that is due to God on our behalf. The Lord blesses, delivers and comforts His people in all our afflictions (2 Cor 1:10). We should trust Him for all that we need.
Elder Ed Kirkpatrick
The Sufferings of the Son of God
Brother Ed took as his text Hebrews 5:8-9 (“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him”). Brother Ed pointed out that Jesus Christ is a “Son” in three ways: the eternal Son of God (Mark 1:1), the Son of Mary (Mark 6:3), and the prophetic Son of Man (Dan 7:13-14; Matt 26:64). While the eternal Son of God knows all things, yet as a man He suffered certain things in order that He might “learn” from direct personal experience and therefore be equipped as our great High Priest. Ed pointed out that the Old Testament Scriptures foretold the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 1:11; Luke 24:25-27). These Scriptures include Psalm 2; Psalm 22; Psalm 69; Isaiah 50; Isaiah 53; Isaiah 54; and Zech 13:7. It was the will of the Father that after Christ suffered, He should enter into His glory which He had before the world began (John 17:5), and that we will share in that glory when He returns. Romans 1:4; Ps 2:7; Is 53:11-12; Luke 24:26. Those that obey Him are those called of God, which are drawn to Him by His power. John 6:44. We should therefore serve the risen Christ with our whole heart and obey Him in all things.
Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:03:41 — 16.9MB)
Randy McCarthy
Text: 1Pet 4:12-19, Psalm 2:1-12
Bill McCarthy
Subject: The Righteousness of Christ
Text: Rom 5:17-21
Podcast: Download (Duration: 38:40 — 11.7MB)