Sunday, October 11th, 2009

Primary text was from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18, verses 1-9...

Matthew 18

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

¹At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

²He called a little child and had him stand among them. ³And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

⁵"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. ⁶But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

⁷"Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! ⁸If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. ⁹And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

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The emphasis in the sermon was on becoming as little children, who live out agape love as depicted in 1 Corinthians Chapter 13...

Part of the service was also in memory of the late Mrs. Shirley Raeford, and during the service we dedicated our new playground in her memory, and to the Glory of God, remembering the words of Jesus, when he said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not."