There will not be a fellowship dinner on Sabbath following the second worship service.
Tattoos on the Heart
Tattoos on the Heart: A Case for Apocalyptic Compassion - 2
Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonDwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
Offering
More In This Series
“Tattoos on the Heart:
A Case for Apocalyptic Compassion”—2
□ Luke 5:27-32
- v 30 NLT: “But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus' disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with such scum?’”
- Two major points for third millennial followers:
#1—The call of Christ is to .
o The church is not a for saints: it is rather a for sinners. o Luke 15:1, 2 NIV: “This fellow sinners, and eats with them.”
o Any church that calls Jesus “Lord” must sinners.
#2—The call of Christ is to .
o Matthew 9:12, 13—“Go and learn what this means: ‘I, God, desire , not sacrifice.’”
o The line Luke left out declares that for the community of faith, more desirable to God than the of worship (“sacrifices”) is the of worship (“mercy”).
o James 2:13—“Mercy over judgment.”
Glen Harold Stassen: “ . . . a thick, historically-embodied, realistic understanding of Jesus Christ as revealing God’s character and thus providing norms for guiding our lives . . . [will] not reduce Jesus to a thin principle or high ideal or only doctrinal affirmation without solid grounding in his actual history.” (A Thicker Jesus: Incarnational Discipleship in a Secular Age 16)
1 John 2:6—“Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as .”
1 Peter 2:21—“You should follow in .”
□ Seven ways the church must live out the radical example of our Lord Jesus:
#1—We exist to call to the community of Christ.
Luke 4:18, 19
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#2—We must become a for all sinners seeking refuge in the Savior.
- Safe-haven means protecting their .
- Safe-haven means offering them .
- Safe-haven means providing them a community or circle within which they can experience mercy, compassion and love unconditionally while they toward God, even if they struggle all their life.
#3—We will not fear those who mistake our loving sinners with on their behavior.
Luke 7:36-50
#4—We must expect .
Luke 7:33, 34
- #5—We will teach and defend Christ’s high calling to moral purity and holiness—“Go and sin no more”—by seeking to become .
- #6—We will celebrate not only the pardon of Christ at Calvary in forgiving all our sins, but also the power of Christ at Calvary for all our sins.
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#7—We will live and worship with continual , confessing that we too fall far short of God’s glory.
- Steps to Christ: “God does not regard all sins as of equal magnitude; there are degrees of guilt in His estimation. . . . The drunkard is despised and is told that his sin will exclude him from heaven; while pride, selfishness, and covetousness too often go unrebuked. But these are sins that are especially to God; for they are contrary to the benevolence of His character, to that unselfish love which is the very atmosphere of the unfallen universe. He who falls into some of the grosser sins may feel a sense of his shame and poverty and his need of the grace of Christ; but feels no need, and so it closes the heart against Christ and the infinite blessings He came to give.” (31)
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Paul: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst!” (1 Timothy 1:15)
“Be like Jesus”
The Family Life Committee invites our church family to get to know each other better! We will begin with "speed friending," where we will rotate to different tables around the room to ask each other questions (sample questions will be provided). Then we'll eat a light meal together and end with a captivating hammered dulcimer concert. Ted Yoder will be sharing an eclectic set of impressive originals, fun pop songs, and moving hymns. Sunday, June 29, 4:00-6:30 PM, Pioneer Commons. Registration information will be coming soon.
Women's Ministries Offering
Our offering today helps provide opportunities for Adventist women of North America to create deeper connections with other women—connections both within and beyond our church walls whose ultimate purpose is to invite every woman closer to Jesus. We form connections like one young woman found in a group started by the women of her church for mothers of young children. “This mom’s group has ignited my journey of finding faith in motherhood,” she said. “Knowing I am prayed over daily, and having Godly mentor moms in my life means more than I can tell you.”
We form connections like those of the dedicated women who lead an after-school life skills group for teen girls in their neighborhood, providing essential help for a brighter future. We form connections like evangelistic meetings spearheaded by women bringing a message of hope and wholeness to their communities. These and many more touch points are made possible through the women’s ministries offering. Additionally, this offering helps provide funds for leadership training, equipping women of all ages to better serve Jesus in a variety of ways in their homes, churches, and beyond. Thank you for generously supporting the Adventist women of North America in our mission to make a tangible difference for eternity.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
You are invited to a hymn sing on June 28, 4:00-5:00 PM at The Old Rugged Cross Church, 61041 Vermont St., Pokagon, MI 49047. Please bring your Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal. A freewill offering will help to maintain the church. Please contact Melchizedek Ponniah, 269-876-7476 or melponniah@gmail.com for any additional information.
Something In Common Sabbath School presents The Five Love Languages DVD series.
- June 14- Love Language Five: Physical Touch
- June 21- Growing in Love
Everyone is welcome to join us in PMC Room 141 each Sabbath morning from 10:30 - 11:30 AM.