Bartimaeus Baptist Temple

BRRRR! It’s cold! This is one of those mornings I am especially grateful to be part of a church that doesn’t start until 2:30 in the afternoon. The service time originally came of necessity and was found to be best for the people we serve, so we kept it that way. One of the churches my father pastored when I was young also had an afternoon service. I do not remember why, but i liked it then too. Sleep until you’re ready to get up, then come to church!

As we approach Resurrection Sunday, our study through the Gospel of John has also brought us to the events surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord. During the next few weeks, I may take a paws in order that we may cover the resurrection on the day that we celebrate it, but it might take us that long to get there without stopping. God’s word is packed with truth waiting to be discovered.

This week we are in John 18:12-27. John gives us some details about Jesus’ trial that the others have not provided and also fills in the account of Peter’s denials. It is significant that his denials are recorded by all of the Gospel writers. I think at least part of the reason is so that we can see Jesus’ redemptive work in action. Peter reacted in fear, but he never stopped loving Jesus. He would later become a leader in the church.

Jesus told him what he would do before he did it, telling him according to Mark 14:30, “today, this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.” When Peter heard that rooster crow, he remembered the words of Jesus and wept.

How many of us have been where Peter was that night. Peter actually did have something to fear. As he sat there with the guards witnessing what they were doing to Jesus, he knew he could be next. Give him credit for coming that close. All the rest, save John, ran away as soon as Jesus was arrested. Christians around the world are in similar danger, but what have we to fear? We might be ostracized by our peers. We might get “canceled”. Some have actually lost their jobs. A few have even been jailed. And yes, in some rare instances, some here have lost their lives. But for most of us, the consequences are little greater than uncomfortable.

Yet, we stay silent. If our faith is not hidden, it is impotent. Evil grows around us and we hide behind the walls of our churches. Or worse, we adopt the evil as our own that we may be spared the ire of the world. If we claim Jesus, he is not the Jesus the disciples knew. We may not deny Him with our words, but do we deny Him with our lives? Have you heard the rooster crow? I have.

Sometime I feel like it is my duty as pastor to paint a bright picture even if I can’t see it myself. I have always maintained hope, believing that God has bigger and better things in store for Bartimaeus Baptist Temple, but I’ll confess sometimes I feel like a hypocrite standing up there saying that when I can’t see the way forward. I still choose to trust. I still choose to believe, and I think this could be the year we start to see new fruit. It starts just by doing what we can with what we have, and that is what we’re doing. Let’s give it our all!

This Sunday, I’ll be wrapping up John Chapter 17 with verses 20-26. Here Jesus goes back to the theme of unity and says it 3 times. He prays for us the same kind of unity that He has with the Father. I don’t think that’s possible until He returns, but we sure are a long way from it today. Events of the past week make that abundantly clear, and I am saddened and angered by what I have seen. I pray in agreement with Jesus that we would all be one, so that the world will know that there is one true God and the way to know Him is to know Jesus.

Please Join us on Sunday.

Love you all.

Winter takes its time, but it does make some brief appearances here in Nort Texas. We don’t like it much, but we can be thankful that it doesn’t stick around. It’s going to be cold this weekend with a chance of some freezing precipitation moving in Sunday evening. So far, it doesn’t look like a problem for us, but we’ll keep an eye on things and let you know if that changes. For now, bundle up and come on in!

For anyone who may not have gotten the news, I’m happy to report that Priscilla’s eye surgery went well and she has been recovering at home. I’m hoping we get to see her Sunday, but no pressure. 🙂 It was good to have Don back with us after his recent challenges. I was also encouraged by the discussion we had after the service. Let’s keep thinking about how we can be about God’s work in the community.

I’ll be continuing in John Chapter 17 this week with verses 6-11. Jesus is praying, and he now turns his attention to his disciples. He notes that the father has given them to Him and that He has revealed the character and nature of the Father to them. They believed His words, and He was glorified through them. Jesus makes a point that this prayer is for them and not for the world. He then makes an amazing request, “Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.”

The theme of unity is expressed repeatedly in this prayer and follows Jesus’ teaching on how they, and we by extension, ought to love each other. He desires for them, and for us (see John 17:20-23) the same kind of unity that He has with the Father! How is that even possible? Does the church today look like that prayer is being answered? Be assured, it will be answered. The only question is whether we will cooperate willingly. I pray that we will hear the very heart of God expressed in this prayer, and commit ourselves to the fulfilment of His desire out of our love for Him.

I hope to see you there on Sunday. For those who may be trying to connect online, I apologize for all the technical difficulties we have been experiencing. I hope to be able to try something different this week that may help with the sound, and we’ll pray for no more connectivity issues. We lack the resources for professional quality production.

Love y’all!

I hope everyone was able to enjoy the holiday sharing the love of friends and family, and maybe even a stranger or two. We did not hold a service on Christmas Eve to give our hard-working staff that opportunity. We will be meeting this Sunday at our regular time. I think most of us will be sleeping in the new year when the clock strikes midnight. 🙂

I’ve never been a big fan of enslavement to the calendar, but the changing of the year does provide us with an opportunity to evaluate where we’ve been and where we’re going. Many of us will make New Year’s resolutions to do something better for the future. I notice as I read the research on the kinds of resolutions people make that they are generally self-focused. The top resolutions according to one survey were to improve fitness and to improve finances.

Those are good things, but I can’t help thinking a Christ follower’s resolutions might look a little different. Our model is Jesus, so we’re always going to fall short, but that doesn’t mean we stop trying. Self improvement is good, but self-sacrifice is better. What resolutions might we make that benefit others instead of ourselves.

There is no Biblical foundation for a New Year’s resolution, though there is certainly nothing wrong with choosing this time to make one. However, I think the Biblical standard is higher. Once we know the right thing to do, to continue not to do it is considered sin (James 4:17).) If we have determined that something is worth doing, what are we waiting for? Start today!

I love you all and look forward to seeing you Sunday.