Choose This Day Whom You Will Serve

Dear friend,

Last week I witnessed my first major election since moving to Indonesia. While I am thankful to be a resident of this great country, I am not a citizen so I did not vote. Our family did, however, pray that God would bless the nation with good leaders. It is a privilege to be able to choose who your leaders are.

Did you know there was a place in the Bible that asks us to choose who we will follow? Of course the scripture is not talking about politics, but about having a relationship with God. God’s servant Joshua makes this famous statement,

“Choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15b).

Who will you choose to serve this week? The false gods that used to enslave you? The things people worship in the world all around you? I pray that we will all be like Joshua who chose to serve the Living Lord!

Your servant,

Stephen

Rev. Stephen St. John

Run to Jesus

Because Jesus is risen, we must run to Him.

These two disciples heard something about Jesus and they took off to find Him. How can we do that?

1. We must look for the right thing.
2. We must always have hope.
3. We must give ourselves to Christ.

Sermon Text: John 20:1-16

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

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Announcements for the Week of April 12

Men’s Bible Study (evening edition) will be this Wednesday at 7 PM in the JIBC Office. Come for some good food, fellowship, and Bible Study.

Mission Moment Next Sunday, we will have a Mission Moment presentation from Youth For Christ.

Are you going on the April 18 Outbound Trip? Please let Edna Romulo or Jill Sharp know today. Payment and permission slips can be turned into the church office this week. If you plan on attending, please pick up a “What To Bring” list on the welcome table today. Information about when, where, how and how much can be found on the permission slips (also on the welcome table) and on the JIBC Youth Bulletin Board. Under 18 requires permission slip. Under 11 requires parent or guardian attendance.

Donations to help with victims of the Situ Gintung tragedy will be collected in a couple of weeks. This purposeful delay is part of a strategy to begin ministering to the people when the massive relief work being conducted now ends. If you have any questions, then please speak with Deacon Kongkin.

RBI Brochures are on the back table. May 31 is the deadline to apply for the Systematic Theology class that starts August 25. If you have any questions please see Deacon Uran or Pastor Stephen.

Don’t be shy! Please sit toward the front and make room in your row for others.

The Greatest Bible Lesson Ever

Dear friend,

“Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32).

This is what the two men on the road to Emmaus said to one other when it became apparent they had spent the afternoon with the Risen Lord! What had Jesus been talking to them about? He was using the scriptures of the Old Testament to show how the Messiah was to suffer, be crucified, and rise again. “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).

The life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is the climactic event of the Bible, and the most important event in all of human history. Through the work of Christ, sin and death are defeated and the gate of life is open for all of who believe in him! For the Christian, the death of the earthly body is like crossing a shallow stream. On the other side is eternal glory with God!

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:55).

Christian, is your heart on fire with wonder at what our Awesome God has done for us through Christ the Lord?

Your servant,

Stephen

Rev. Stephen St. John
Pastor/Elder

Respond to the King

Because the great King has come, we must respond to Him appropriately.

1. We must understand Him (What do we learn from Jesus?)
2. We must believe Him (What do we learn from the people?)
3. We must give ourselves to Him (What do we learn from the donkey?)

Sermon Text: Matthew 21:1-11

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying
5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

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Announcements for the Week of April 5

Men’s Bible Study (lunch edition) will be this Wednesday at 12 PM. We will meet at Outback Steakhouse in Ratu Plaza. Come for fellowship and Bible Study.

There will be a Ministry Council Meeting on Monday night in the JIBC office. This meeting of elders, deacons, ministry directors, committee chairman, and church staff is for the coordination of church ministries. Please be in prayer for these brothers and sisters as they serve.

Friday Youth Fellowship will meet again this Friday, April 10, at the Baguley’s from 6:00 - 9:00 PM. Dinner, games and food accompany a study of the Word of God.

JIBC Outbound! The JIBC Youth are taking an Outbound journey to Taman Wisata Matahari on April 18. The cost is 75.000 Rp. per person, and lunch is provided. Anyone is invited to come–we need a big group, so let Edna Romulo or Jill Sharp know if you are interested in joining the JIBC Youth Group on this trip! Permission slips or parent accompaniment are required for youth under 18 years of age. Parent accompaniment required for children under 11 years of age. Please see the flyer on the welcome desk for more information.

Do you want to know God better? Would you like to have a greater understanding of the great truths of Christianity and how they make a difference in the world? Do you want to be better equipped for serving Christ? If so, then check out the Reformed Baptist Institute brochures on the welcome table. Registration is open through May 31.

Is Jesus Your Lord?

Dear friend,

Is Jesus your Lord?

The Greek word which is most often translated “Lord” in our New Testament means “master.” So let me ask the question again. Is Jesus your Master? If he is, then you must be ready to do whatever He tells you to do. And you must be ready to go wherever He tells you to go. And you must believe Him.

Like Abraham, who obeyed God and left his country and his kindred and his father’s house to go to a place he had never been (Gen. 12:1). Or like Moses, who gave up the opportunity to live in worldly comfort and chose instead to be mistreated along with God’s people. “He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt” (Hebrews 11:26). Or like Jarius, who faced the heartbreak of a lost child and accepted the Lord’s comforting instruction, “Do not fear, only believe” (Mark 5:36).

Are you believing and obeying the voice of Jesus? Is He greater to you than treasure? Is He your Lord? Your Master?

Your servant,

Stephen

Rev. Stephen St. John
Pastor/Elder

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