I am not superman, but I do have super-friends. Over the past week and a half, both my wife and I were in the hospital. I went first and spent the night for tests. Jennifer was next. She stayed for three days. She had an emergency appendectomy. Meanwhile three beloved family members came in from out of town for a much anticipated vacation. Of course all our plans to show them around this great city were totally ruined. Thankfully they will be around until the end of the month.

But I am not writing to complain at all. In fact, I want to share something wonderful we experienced. Jesus said, “by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). Our family has been overwhelmed this week by the love of Christian friends. Our church family here in Jakarta and Christian people around the world have been praying for us. There have been so many acts of kindness that I simply could not list them all.

This has turned the bitter experience of “losing control” into a sweet blessing. I am reminded again of how much we need each other. None of us are superman. We cannot always go on our own. We need our brothers and sisters and it is a beautiful thing when they are there for us.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Pr. 17:17)

Your servant,

Stephen

Rev. Stephen St. John
Pastor/Elder

Do you have Servant’s Retreat Photos? You are welcome to share your photos. Remember to drop your Photo CDs at the Photo CD box located at the Welcome table.

Interested to serve in one of the Ministries at JIBC? Please approach one of our Elders, Deacons or Servants and let them know the JIBC ministry you would like to be involved in. We need Praise Team singer servants, Usher and Greeter Servants, Kids club teacher assistants, Children’s Church assistants and audiovisual technicians.

Do you play a musical instrument? Please approach one of our Elders, Deacons or Servants and see if you are able to serve in this ministry.

Do you know that our church has a website? Visit www.theJIBC.org and be blessed! The website has the latest Announcements, Weekly Words, and information on the various JIBC Ministries. You can also listen or download our Sunday Worship Sermons. Let us share our website to families and friends.

Have a Prayer Request? Please fill out a prayer request slip and drop it in the offering bag during the collection of the offering.

Food Gathering Next week for Street Children’s Ministry and the Ministry of our sister Indonesian Language congregation. Please come with non-perishable food items or cash donations.

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”‘ (that is, given to God)— then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” (Mark 7:1-13

Because we have been taught by Jesus, we must live according to His Word!

1. We must embrace His ideas over our ideas.
2. We must pursue obedience over convenience.
3. We must seek righteousness in Him not ourselves.

Click below for sermon audio:
Mark 7:1-13

Finance and Procurement Policy and Procedure

There will be no Friday Youth Fellowship this weekend because of the planned JIBC Servant’s retreat.

The Reformed Baptist Institute course Systematic Theology II meets on Tuesday at 7 PM in the JIBC Function Room.  If you are not an enrolled student you may audit two classes for free.  Come and see what it is all about.  This Tuesday’s topics are: Sanctification and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

“One Purpose: Glorifying God” JIBC Servant’s Retreat Participants. Please be at Aryaduta by 9:45 on Friday, February 26 for the Check in and Registration. Remember, participants are expected to handle their own transportation. Please come on time. See you there!

JIBC Ushers who are participating in the Retreat are welcome to help during the Check in and Registration. Please come at 09:30 on Friday, February 26 for a short briefing.

Have a Prayer Request? Please fill out a prayer request slip and drop it in the offering bag during the collection of the offering.

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well (Mark 6:45-56).

When we face difficulties, we must look to Christ.

1. Look to Christ in prayer.
2. Look to Christ in our problems.
3. Look to Christ’s power.

Click below for sermon audio:
Mark 6:45-56

Salvation is a result of simply recognizing your need and trusting Jesus to meet that need. We are sinners who deserve death and Christ has died in our place, to take away our sin and give us eternal life when we trust in Him. However, salvation is also like a beautiful diamond. When you look closely at it, you see many different facets.

Theologians often describe this using what they call “the order of salvation.” It is a summary of our redemption described in the New Testament. Here are some of the beautiful views of salvation given in the scripture:

We are chosen, called, born again, converted, justified, adopted, sanctified, and will be glorified with God in heaven.

Here are some brief definitions for each concept:

- Chosen (God determines to save us by His grace and kindness)
- Called (the gospel message is proclaimed to us effectively so that we respond)
- Born again (we are regenerated, given new life by God’s Spirit)
- Converted (we repent of our sins and place our faith in Christ)
- Justified (God declares us “not guilty” on account of His Son’s work on the cross)
- Adopted (we become God’s children, members of his family)
- Sanctified (we continue to mature as Christians until we are in heaven)
- Glorified (when our life on earth is over, we will be in heaven with God)

Praise God for the salvation we enjoy in Christ. Praise Him that it is so simple and can be understood by little children and yet it is so beautiful that we can ponder the amazing aspects of it for all eternity!
Your servant,

Stephen

Rev. Stephen St. John
Pastor/Elder

Here now, the photos…

And ofcourse, the rehearsals and some “behind the scenes” photos…