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This Week at First

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9 AM Contemporary

10:30 AM Traditional



May 5th - The Sixth Sunday of Easter: This Sunday, we will be examining ourselves in terms of our love toward others. Are we living up to the standards God has set before us? We will look at 3 scriptures including Acts 10:44-48, 1 John 5:1-6, and John 15:9-17. Am I (and are you) willing to strive for the kind of love Jesus expects of his disciples? Our message will be “The Exclusive Nature of God’s Love.”


See you Sunday.


Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jim


 

Acts 10:44-48


Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

44 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.  45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles,  46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said,  47 “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”  48 So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.


 

1 John 5:1-6


Faith Conquers the World

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[a] has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child.  2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.  3 For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome,  4 for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith.  5 Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

 

Testimony concerning the Son of God

6 This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.  


 

John 15:9-17


 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.  10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.  11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

 

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.  15 I do not call you servants[a] any longer, because the servant[b] does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.  16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.  17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.


 







9am Service




10:30am Service





April 28th – The Fifth Sunday of Easter – Celebrate Recovery Sunday: This week, we will be hearing testimony from two of the leaders of our Celebrate Recovery Ministry. We will be hearing how Jesus has helped both Mike and Julia overcome some of life’s hurts, hang-ups, and habits. As you listen to the testimony, you may realize the program may be of help to you or a loved one. Remember, Celebrate Recovery meets each Friday evening beginning at 7:00 PM.


See you Sunday.


Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jim


 






9am Service



10:30am Service






April 21st, The Fourth Sunday of Easter: In the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, a shepherd was a common occupation, but I for one have known very few people who keep sheep or goats as an occupation. The front to Palmyra First’s sanctuary has a statuary image of the Good Shepherd and this will be the focus of our attention. The message “The Good Shepherd” will be based on both the familiar words of the 23rd Psalm and John 10:11-18.


See you Sunday.


Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jim


 

This Week's Scriptures

Psalm 23

 The Divine Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

2     He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters;[a]

3     he restores my soul.[b]

He leads me in right paths[c]    

for his name’s sake.

 

4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[d]    

I fear no evil;for you are with me;    

your rod and your staff—    

they comfort me.

 

5 You prepare a table before me   

 in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;    

my cup overflows.

6 Surely[e] goodness and mercy[f] shall follow me    

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord    

my whole life long.[g


 

John 10:11-18


11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.  13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.  14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,  15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.  16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.  17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.  18 No one takes[a] it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”


 






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