“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 1:8 The commission of Jesus here is for us to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and take the Gospel to the world.  The picture of Jerusalem,Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth is one of witnesses spreading from a point outward like rings.  You should be a witness in your world, with those you know, family, friends, coworkers, and classmates.  You should also be looking to go outside of your…

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’  Amen. Come Lord Jesus!’” Revelation 22:20 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14 A desire for the return of Christ reflects an urgency to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus.  As the gospel of the kingdom is shared, the return of Jesus draws nearer.  A worship that promotes the Gospel of Jesus is a worship that longs for His return.  The Gospel of Jesus changes our lives from sin and darkness to love and light.  When Jesus returns all…

T “Is it too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” Isaiah 49:6 In ten days we will celebrate Christmas and remember how Jesus became the Light of the World.  The prophet Isaiah reminds us that God calls us to be His light in the world.  God says that it is no small thing for Him to raise up servants who will share the message of salvation with others.  Every worship service…

W “Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You!  Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon the earth.’” Psalm 67:3-4 The psalms continually call people to praise God.  The call is to all people, young and old, Jew and Gentile. The need to call all people to praise God has not ended.  It continues to be a call for all who know of God’s grace, mercy, power, and wisdom to worship Him and sing His praises.  The element of praising God focuses people on who God is, reminds them that they serve…

T “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech,in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 A focus upon reaching a younger demographic is an opportunity to raise up new witnesses for Christ.  Age does not prevent a person from being an example of how the Gospel of Jesus changes lives.  All followers of Jesus are expected to be examples of faith. If a younger generation becomes an example of faith, they can reach their peers and have the support of those older than them for their example of faith.  But for that to happen they need a places…

D “And they sang a new song, saying ‘Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, for You were slain and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.’” Revelation 5:9 Yesterday you read a psalm of God providing salvation for the nations. Today the scripture is about a song of gratitude to Jesus for providing salvation for the nations.  These two passages connect the Old Testament to the New Testament and span the gulf of time.  God is continuing His great plan from the beginning of time to provide salvation for all people, regardless of age or race. …

D “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.  Here there is not Greek and Jew, Circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” Colossians 3:9-11 The multiple groups that worship at Dublin Baptist Church are amazing.  Asians from Japan, China, and India as well as a Spanish/Portuguese group worship in community at DBC.  Paul urges us to put aside our differences and worship together as one body.  He emphasizes our unity is not in our race or social status, but in Jesus.  Worship is more than the style of music or the…

A “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them.  I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 11:19 The Tin Man wanted a new heart in the Wizard of Oz.  You and I need a new heart also.  As we move closer to the launch of a new modern worship service, we must have one heart.  We know how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has changed our lives.  May we have a passion for the Gospel to change the lives of others also.  As a church, we are to have one heartbeat,…

D “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, His mercies never come to an end: they are new every morning: great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-24 Lamentations is a sad book, but there is a great comfort from God mentioned in chapter 3.  In the midst of the sorrow Jeremiah preaches, he knows that every morning a new day dawns full of the mercy, love, and faithfulness of God.  Do you know that every day God gives a new measure of Himself to you?  In light of my failures and mistakes, I need the new love and mercy from God.  I need to know God is faithful towards me…

B “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 God’s plan of salvation is not to make a few minor changes in our lives, but to completely transform us into something new.  We all have a past and that past involves our sinful nature and desires.  Salvation involves the Spirit of the Living God dwelling within us and beginning a process of removing the old and making our lives completely new.  One of the great hopes of salvation is you do not have to be who you are or were, God can make you…