We're a Gospel-centered church fellowship in Columbia, Missouri, proclaiming salvation through Jesus Christ and following Him together as a community of believers. Our emphases are sound Bible teaching, joyful worship, hearty fellowship, and ongoing evangelism.
Luke 8:16-21 contains an expansion and amplification of some truths we covered last week in the parable of the sower and the soils, specifically the importance of how we respond to truth of God's Word.
The Truth of God’s Word…
1. Should be widely dispersed (v16).
2. Will reveal and judge all secrets (v17).
3. Must be listened to carefully (v18,21).
4. Has either an expanding or disappearing effect on us (v18).
5. Leads to a privileged family relationship with Christ (v21).
Luke 8:1-15 contains one of Jesus' greatest parables in which He uses the imagery of a farmer sowing seed to picture different categories of people who hear God's Word. The four kinds of soil:
1. Beside the Road. Like those who hear the Word but never believe it because the Devil immediately takes it from their hearts (v12).
2. Rocky Soil. Like those who joyfully receive the Word, believe it briefly, but then fall away during temptation and persecution (v13).
3. Weedy Soil. Like those who receive the Word but have it eventually choked out by the worries, riches and pleasures of life (v14).
4. Good Soil. Like those who hear the Word with an honest and good heart, hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance (v15).
Lessons from the parable:
1. Keep spreading God’s Word.
2. Don’t let the Devil steal truth from you.
3. Realize that false conversions are common.
4. Don’t trust emotions to prove one’s salvation.
5. Beware of soul-choking things in this life.
6. All genuine Christians will fruitfully persevere.
As our church begins the process of considering candidates for future eldership, we discuss Biblical answers to 12 relevant questions, and then we hear from the candidates themselves.
1. What is an elder?
2. Who are our elder candidates, and why were they chosen?
3. Why consider three candidates at once?
4. Why now? What events have led to this?
5. What are the anticipated benefits of team leadership?
6. How would adding new elders affect church finances?
7. How would adding new elders affect Sunday preaching?
8. Should all elders be considered equals?
9. Should we be concerned about a lack of deacons?
10. How will the candidate evaluation process work?
11. Who will have a say in the final decisions?
12. What should our attitude be toward this process?
