Worship Prep, Lunch Fellowship, & Nigeria Pictures

This Sunday at Grace, we will begin worshiping through Galatians. As you have opportunity to prepare your heart to corporately seek the Lord, the following suggestions might be profitable for you:

1. Read Galatians in one sitting -- noting the major divisions of the book (ch. 1-2, 3-4, 5-6).
2. Pray through the first ten verses (which will be Sunday's sermon text).
3. Pray for those who will attend the service, including yourself.
4. Invite someone to attend Grace with you.

This Sunday also marks our monthly Grace Lunch Fellowship. During the lunch, the Nigeria Vision Team is looking forward to sharing the following things with you:

1. The Impact the Nigerian Christians Had On My Life - Paul Nave
2. Christian Education--A Strategic Ministry For the Glory of God in Nigeria - Kelly Rodgers
3. No Retreat: The Leaders God is Using in North Central Nigeria - Chris Morris
   
4. Christian Persecution in Nigeria: Active and Passive - Pat Nave
5. Church-Planting in Nigeria: Where Does Grace Go From Here? - Jordan Thomas

In an attempt to "take you there," we will also share a short video during lunch of our experience in Nigeria in the hope that all of Grace Church will be involved in the visionary process with us.

Rev. Anthony (President, Evangelical Christians of West Africa)

Standing on the Truth: How Great A Salvation

Less than one hour ago, six people from Grace Church boarded a plane for Minneapolis, MN to attend the Children's Desiring God Conference.

Please pray for this team to able to absorb the God-saturated teaching and training, and to be able to internalize and apply the truth to their own lives. Pray also that they will be given divine enablement to convey and implement the things they learn within the life of Grace Church in every way that would glorify our great God.

Prayer List:

Nathan and April S., Tracy T., Brandy S., Stephanie M., and Amanda K.

Pray also for the speakers:

John Piper, CJ Mahaney, Wayne Grudem, David & Sally Michael, and a host of other seminar leaders--including Craig and Cathy Sturm (who are hosting our team from Grace).

For Time Will Fail Me: Nigeria April, 2007 - #1

After ten days, thousands of miles, and the privilege to interact with a multitude of brothers and sisters in Christ of whom this world is not worthy, the six-person Vision Team from Grace has returned home. Thank you for praying for us.

Throughout the trip, phrases from Hebrews 11:32-40 dominated our hearts. Along with the writer of Hebrews, we also concede, "And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of [insert dozens of Nigerian Christian's names here]...of whom this world is not worthy." Though Nigerian Christians are persecuted in every imaginable way, our brothers and sisters there remain faithful in trusting God to fulfill all of His promises to them, and to work powerfully for His glory through them. Even though there is pain in the grasp, they are clinging tightly to Jesus.

The realization that we had much more to learn from these brothers and sisters than we could possibly contribute to them took no time at all. They are shining examples of what a true Christian ought to be. May each of our lives echo what one Nigerian brother said to the Islamic government in his state for withholding basic human rights from Christian families (which he could have been killed for saying); because the government in his area silently persecutes Christians in some of the most painful ways, he told the governor to his face; "You can keep your things, all we want is Jesus." Amen, and amen!

Although daily life for Christians in most parts of Northern Nigeria is more difficult than our words can express, rest assured, they are hoping in Christ and are not pitying themselves. On more than one occasion we heard, "When someone here claims to be a Christian, they are a Christian." And while dragging his thumb across his neck like a knife-blade, another brother added, "You can be killed in this place for saying you're a Christian."

Because we've all experienced the evil-hearted televangelist-type ploys for money, we were greatly encouraged that we didn't pick up so much as a shred of non-Christlike sales pitches for money. There was not even a hint of the manipulative exaggeration of certain difficulties as a means of coercing support. On the contrary, both the suffering that is being endured, and the need for much (much, much) support from fellow believers like you and I, could be enticed without my inquiry. No sales pitches for stuff. No pleas for money. No requests for personnel. Simply, "Pray for us." Repetitively, from city to city, we heard, "We are trusting the Lord. Just pray for us."

And as one pastor in one of the most difficult locations (Katsina, in the extreme North, which is in the southern part of the Sahara desert) put it, "Our Lord is in control. God has not made a mistake in placing us here. If we leave this place, who is going to tell these people about Jesus?" And most poignantly of all, he continued, "The primary purpose for which the Lord has placed us here is for the propagation of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ." So yes, time after time, we sat in jaw-dropping worship under the realization that we were not worthy to be in the presence of these believers, and no doubt, we have much more to learn from them than we could ever offer.

Even though we are doubly exhausted from our air and ground travels, our purpose of being exposed to the Lord's work among the Hausa in hopes of discerning Grace's future involvement in the gospel among them could not have been better accommodated. Through our trip, we saw two major things that will help us discern the how the Lord intends to use us there long-term: (A) Exposure to the presence of Christianity in N. Nigeria, and (B) the massive need for education, pastoral training, and church planting throughout N. Nigeria. By my dear friend's (Rev. John Hassan) kind arrangement, we were privileged to visit with Christian leaders and laborers in the regions of Zaria, Katsina, Kano, Bauchi, Jos, and Abuja. In all, by my calculations, we rode in a van somewhere in the neighborhood of thirty-three hours. But, as I said to the Zaria district leaders of ECWA (Evangelical Christians of West Africa), I would have driven ten days per conversation just to have the privilege of sitting in the presence of these Christians and learning from them what it means to love Jesus when it costs everything!

Poverty is not a sufficient way to describe the condition of the country. Even the developed areas are underdeveloped, not to mention the rural areas, which encompass the vast majority of the land. Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa. Millions upon millions of people. There are people everywhere (literally). During our team's debriefing meeting at the end of our second day, we realized that there were no more than two minutes of the nine hours we had driven (up to that point) when we could not see people out of the window of our van. Of the 28 million Hausa people (which dominate the areas we visited) more than 99% of them are Muslim. So, to put it together, of all of the people we saw (I would guess upwards of 1 million?), a very very small percentage of them are the Lord's. Not many more of them have even heard a clear gospel message. The need is great!

In addition to Christian persecution at every level, hostility is a problem nationwide. I would guess that we passed through more than two dozen military road-barricades. These barricades were installed to lessen the likelihood of militant attacks related to the elections for governor (the day we flew in), and for President (the day we flew out). Unfortunately, they could not preempt all of the uprising. In one episode, more than twenty people were killed in Kano (the same day we were there). The attacker? A twelve year old boy. Our time in Kano, however, was full of joy in the Lord. An ECWA church there has been burned by Muslims six times...and rebuilt seven times by Christians. After the fourth time, the pastor was martyred. Not too long ago, the President of ECWA preached the dedication service for the seventh building for that congregation. When we met with him, he told us that during the dedication sermon he quoted, "The gates of hell will not prevail against Christ's church!"

More to come...

Nigeria Team #2

I fully intended to update more frequently than I have, but reports have been simple and brief. It seems communication is spotty at best, not to mention costly. Thanks to Tracy Thomas and Stephanie Morris for the phone calls to fill me in on a few details. The safety of the team has been a concern for some, but the team has been traveling with an armed policeman at all times. Meetings are again set tonight with the team and John Hassan. Continue to pray for God's blessing and vision for the team to see what part Grace Church may have in Nigeria in the future.

Nigeria Team

Reports have been positive. The team will be headed to Jos while we sleep tonight to meet with the national leaders at the Headquarters of Evangelical Christian West Africa (ECWA). Pray for God's favor and wisdom. May God receive glory from the meeting.

Shooting Massacre at Virginia Tech

Go here, http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/579_whats_at_the_heart_of_the_murders/, to read an excellent response to yesterdays tragedy.

For those who attended Grace Church this past Sunday, I believe Habakkuk saw similar things in his chapter 1 vision. Perhaps an event such as this could assist us in understanding the prophets pain and plea.

Hope in the God, alone.

Pray

Now.

Let Us Renounce

"Let us renounce, for the love of Him, all that is not Himself."
- Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God

Nigeria

Lord willing, just 55 hours from now the six-person Nigeria Vision Team from Grace Church will be arriving at Memphis International Airport to catch our flight to Abuja, Nigeria. May the Lamb Who was slain receive the reward if His sufferings!

Here is a copy of our daily itinerary. Please use it as a prayer guide. On behalf of our team, "Thank you!"

Friday April 13th
Depart Memphis at 7:30 PM via KLM/NWA flight 6058

Saturday April 14th
Arrive Amsterdam at 11:10 AM. Depart for Abuja at 2:05 PM on KLM flight 577. Arrive Abuja, Nigeria at 7:35 PM. John Hassan, our local pastor host, will pick us up at the airport.

On arrival, we will spend one night in Abuja at the Sheraton.

Sunday April 15th
We shall be leaving Abuja at 6:00 A.M for Zaria. Jordan will be preaching in a combined service at the church John Hassan pastors, ECWA Church Wusasa Zaria (Evangelical Christian West Africa). It is going to be a congregation of about 1200 people. John told Jordan to feel free to preach what the Lord lays to his heart. The Church has a theme this year; i.e "Preach the Word..." 2 Tim 4:2. We hope to arrive Zaria from Abuja by 9:00 A.M for the service. John says the service will have lots of “celebrations.”

Monday April 16th
On Monday, we shall be going to Katsina, far in the North. It is about four hours drive. We will come back to Zaria the same day. We shall be having supper with John’s District Executive members with their wives by 6-8 P.M local time.

Tuesday April 17th
On Tuesday, we will travel to Kano, one of the biggest cities in Northern Nigeria. It is about three and half hours drive. From there we will proceed to Bauchi, another three hours drive. We will spend one night at Bauchi. At Bauchi, we shall be visiting with one of the biggest game reserves before we continue for Jos.

Wednesday April 18th
On Wednesday, we will continue to Jos, the seat of the National Headquarters of ECWA We will have the privilege of meeting with John’s national leaders. On our way, we will stop at Jos ECWA Theological Seminary one of the biggest Seminaries in the country, where John received his Bachelor’s Degree before he came to Mid-America Seminary in Memphis. From there, we will stop again at one other seminary where he taught for a year before his relocation to Zaria. We will also stop at Kaduna the capital city of John’s birth before we finally come back to Zaria on Thursday.

Thursday April 19th
We will return to Zaria and have dinner with John’s Church Elders and their Wives.

Friday April 20th
On Friday, we will receive a welcome from John’s “Babby” School. It is a school the church and he started a few years ago. Since then they have seen many children around the community gave their little hearts to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. John said “It will be my joy to see you in the midst of this little ones, who are the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” This will happen at about 10:00 -11:00 A.M.

The remaining time during the day we will be getting ready for departure on Saturday by 2:00 P.M to Abuja.

Saturday April 21st
Leave for Abuja by 2PM and depart Abuja at 9:10 PM on KLM flight 577 for Amsterdam via stopover in Kano, Nigeria.

Sunday April 22nd
Arrive in Amsterdam at 6:10 AM. Depart at 2:20 PM on KLM/NWA flight 6057 to Memphis. Arrive in Memphis at 5:05 PM.

TEAM MEMBERS

• Chris M.
• Pat N.
• Paul N.
• Kelly R.
• Nathan S.
• Jordan T.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Pray that God will...

• Smooth our paths as we prepare and travel
• Prepare the hearts and minds of the people to whom we will witness
• Help us proclaim the gospel with power
• Bring a harvest of believers among the Hausa people
• Give us wisdom to discern future missions & church planting opportunities among the Hausa people.

GC Announcements April 8th-14th

1. No Grace Groups Sunday/Wednesday due to Easter.
   
2. New Attitude Conference for young singles or couples is May 26-29 in Louisville. If interested, see sign-up sheet @ the resource table or speak with Kevin W.
3. Next Covenant Affirmation Sunday is May 20th
4. Continue to pray for the Nigeria mission team (April 13-22)
5. Cordova GG has am service set-up for May.
   
6. If you are prayerfully considering giving towards the Nigeria mission trip please indicate on your envelope (available @ resource table)
7. CD request forms for sermons preached at GC are now available and located @ the resource table.
   
8. Grace groups meet either Sunday or Wednesday. If interested in attending a Grace group see one of the pastors.

"Good" Friday - Walking With Christ to His Cross

Lifted up was He to die,
"It is finished," was His cry.
Now in heaven exalted high,
Hallelujah, what a Savior.

Matthew

1. 26:57
2. 26:58, 69-75
3. 26:59-58
4. 27:1-2, 11-14
5. …………
6. 27:15-26
7. …………
8. 27:24
9. 27:26-30
10. 27:30
11. 27:3-10
12. 27:31-33
13. …………
14. 27:34
15. 27:35-38
16. …………
17. 27:39-43
18. …………
19. …………
20. 27:45-50
21. 27:51-53
22. 27:54
23. 27:57-58
24. 27:59-61
25. 27:62-66

Mark

1. 14:53
2. 14:54, 66-72
3. 14:55-65
4. 15:1-5
5. …………
6. 15:6-15
7. …………
8. …………
9. 15:15
10. 15:16-20
11. …………
12. 15:20-22
13. …………
14. 15:23
15. 15:25-28
16. …………
17. 15:29-32
18. …………
19. …………
20. 15:33-37
21. 15:38
22. 15:39
23. 15:42-45
24. 15:46-47
25. …………

Luke

1. 22:54
2. 22:54-62
3. 22:66-71
4. 23:1-5
5. 23:6-12
6. 23:13-24
7. …………
8. …………
9. 23:24
10. …………
11. …………
12. 23:26
13. 23:27-31
14. …………
15. 23:33-38
16. …………
17. 23:35
18. 23:39-43
19. …………
20. 23:44-46
21. 23:45
22. 23:47
23. 23:50-53
24. 23:53
25. …………

John

1. 18:13-14
2. 18:15-18, 25-27
3. 18:19-24
4. 18:28-38
5. …………
6. 18:39-40
7. …………
8. …………
9. 19:1-16
10. 19:1-3
11. …………
12. 19:16-17
13. …………
14. …………
15. 19:18-24
16. 19:23-24
17. …………
18. …………
19. 19:25-27
20. 19:28-30
21. …………
22. …………
23. 19:31-38
24. 19:39-42
25. …………

Maundy Thursday - Walking With Christ to His Cross

Click here for an explanation of why it is called "Maundy Thursday." (Scroll down to Name in English).


Matthew

1. 26:17-19
2. 26:20
3. …………
4. …………
5. 26:21-25
6. 26:26-29
7. …………
8. …………
9. …………
10. …………
11. 26:36-46
12. 26:47-56
13. 26:51

Mark

1. 14:12-16
2. 14:17-18
3. …………
4. …………
5. 14:18-21
6. 14:22-25
7. …………
8. …………
9. …………
10. …………
11. 14:32-42
12. 14:33-52
13. 14:47

Luke

1. 22:7-13
2. 22:14-18
3. 22:24-30
4. …………
5. 22:21-23
6. 22:19-20
7. …………
8. …………
9. …………
10. …………
11. 22:39-46
12. 22:47-53
13. 22:50-51

John

1. …………
2. …………
3. …………
4. 13-1-17
5. 13:21-30
6. …………
7. 14:1-31
8. 15:1-11
9. 16:7-15
10. 17:1-26
11. 18:1
12. 18:3-13
13. 18:10

Keep Walking

With Christ to His cross. Oh, and tremble.

Wednesday's verses are the same as Tuesday's.

What "Faith in Jesus" Is

A fitting message for Passion Week. Enjoy

(HT: Justin Taylor, Jim Suggs)

Tuesday & Wednesday - Walking With Christ to His Cross

Divide the following texts up over today and tomorrow and meditate on the gospels as they unfold the events in the life of Christ on the Tuesday and Wednesday before He was crucified.

See Monday for instructions about the numbers under each gospel
_________________________

Tuesday & Wednesday

Matthew

1. 21:23-27
2. 21:28-32
3. 21:33-41
4. 22:1-14
5. 22:15-22
6. 22:23-33
7. 22:34-40
8. 22:41-46
9. 23
10. ..........
11. ..........
12. ..........
13. 24:1-14
14. 24:15-42
15. 25:1-13
16. 25:14-30
17. 25:31-46
18. 26:1-5, 14-16

Mark

1. 11:27-33
2. ..........
3. 12:1-9
4. ..........
5. 12:13-17
6. 12:18-27
7. 12:28-34
8. 12:35-37
9. 12:38-40
10. 12:41-44
11. ..........
12. ..........
13. 13:1-13
14. 13:14-37
15. ..........
16. ..........
17. ..........
18. 14:1-2, 10-11

Luke

1. 20:1-8
2. ..........
3. 20:9-16
4. ..........
5. 20-20-26
6. 20:27-40
7. ..........
8. 20:41-44
9. 20:45-47
10. 21:1-4
11. ..........
12. ..........
13. 21:5-19
14. 21:20-36
15. ..........
16. ..........
17. ..........
18. 22:1-6

John

1. ..........
2. ..........
3. ..........
4. ..........
5. ..........
6. ..........
7. ..........
8. ..........
9. ..........
10. ..........
11. 12:20-36
12. 12:37-50
13. ..........
14. ..........
15. ..........
16. ..........
17. ..........
18. ..........

Monday - Walking With Christ to His Cross

During Holy Week, we invite you to join Grace Church as we walk with Christ to His cross. Each day we will post Scripture references that correspond to what happened in the life of Christ during Passion Week--the last week of His life before the cross.

FYI: The numbered Scripture references under each Gospel correspond with the same events in another gospel that bears the same number. (E.g. For Palm Sunday, #1 under Matthew is the same account (Triumphal Entry) as #1 under Luke for Palm Sunday).

_________________________

Palm Sunday

Matthew

1. 21:1-11

Mark

1. 11:1-11

Luke

1. 19:28-40

John

1. 12:12-19

_________________________

Monday

Matthew

1. 21:18-20
2. 21:12-13
3. 21:14

Mark

1. 11:12-14, 20-21
2. 11:15-17
3. ...........

Luke

1. ...........
2. 19:45-46
3. ...........

John

1. ...........
2. ...........
3. ...........

Christ - The Fulfillment of The Old Testament

A few folks have asked for the OT/NT Scripture references that I used in the first part of this morning's sermon.

Giving credit where credit is due, nearly this entire list of verses came directly out of...you guessed it...the study section of my Thompson Chain Reference Bible (And no, I do not get a cut of their profits).

Sell a shirt or two, skip a meal or two, forgo an impulse buy or two, and own this Bible. (Oh, yeah, and I got almost all of the "Walking With Christ to His Cross" material from the same section in my TCR Bible).
___________________________

• Genesis 3:15—God prophesied that Christ would be the “seed of a woman,”
• Galatians 4:4—“When the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law."

• Genesis 18:18—God said that our Messiah would be Abraham’s offspring.
• Matthew 1:1—"The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."

• Genesis 17:19—"God said, 'I will establish My covenant with Isaac for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.'”
• Matthew 1:2, 16—Jesus is called 'the descendant of Isaac.'

• Genesis 49:10—God said that Christ would descend from the Tribe of Judah
• Luke 3:33—Christ is from the Tribe of Judah.

• Isaiah 9:7—God said that Christ would be the Heir to the Throne of David,
• Matthew 1:1—Jesus is called, ‘the son of David.’

• Micah 5:2—Bethlehem is prophesied as the location of the Messiah’s birth,
• Matthew 2:1—“Now…Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king…”

• Isaiah 7:14—God said, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”
• Matthew 1:18—Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.”

• Jeremiah 31:15—God predicted a massacre of infants surrounding the birth of the Messiah.
• Matthew 2:16—"When Herod realized he had been tricked by the magi, he sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its environs, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magi."

• Hosea 11:1—God predicted the Christ would flee to Egypt
• Matthew 2:14—Joseph arose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed to Egypt

• Deuteronomy 18:15—God calls Christ a Prophet
• John 6:14—The people who saw the signs Christ performed, said, 'This is of a truth the Prophet who is to come into the world.'

• Psalm 110:4—God calls Christ a priest like Melchizedek
• Hebrews 6:20—“Jesus entered [the veil] as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

• Isaiah 53:3—God promised that Christ would be rejected by the Jews
• John 1:11—“Jesus came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.”

• Psalm 41:9—God predicted that His Son would be betrayed by a friend
• Mark 14:10—And Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests, in order to betray Him to them.”

• Zechariah 11:12—God prophesied that His Son would be sold for thirty pieces of silver.
• Matthew 26:15—Judas asked, “What are you willing to give me to deliver Him up to you?” And they weighted out to him thirty pieces of silver.

• Zechariah 11:13—God promised that that same thirty pieces of silver would be used to buy a Potter’s Field
• Matthew 27:6-7—Purchasing a potter's field is exactly what the blood money of Christ was used for.

• Psalm 109:7-8—God prophesied that Judas’ office would be taken by another
• Acts 1:18-20—the lots were cast for Matthias to take Judas’ spot among the twelve.

• Psalm 27:12—God said false witnesses would accuse Christ
• Matthew 26:60-61 (among many other texts)—false witnesses hurled unfounded accusations against Christ.

• Isaiah 53:7—God prophesied that Christ would be silent even when falsely accused.
• Matthew 26:62-63—“And the high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You make no answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.”

• Isaiah 50:6—God told us that Christ would be beaten and spat upon
• Mark 14:65—“And some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers received Him with slaps in the face.

• Psalm 69:4—God said Christ would be hated without cause
• John 15:23-25—"Jesus said, 'They have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But they have done this in order that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their Law, "They hated Me without a cause."'”

• Isaiah 53:4-5—God tells us that Christ would suffer not for Himself, but vicariously for others
• Matthew 8:16-17—says, “He cast out spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “He Himself took our infirmities, and carried away our diseases.”

• Isaiah 53:12—God said Christ would be crucified with sinners
• Matthew 27:38—“At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.”

• Psalm 22:16—God said His hands and feet would be pierced
• John 20:27—Jesus told Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and place it in My hands, and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.”

• Psalm 69:21—God said Christ would be offered sour wine while dying
• John 19:29—that is exactly what happened

• Psalm 22:8—God prophesied that Christ would be mocked…with prophetic words
• Matthew 27:43—the crowds said, “He trusts in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He takes pleasure in Him; for He said, “I am the Son of God.”

• Zechariah 12:10—God said Christ would be pierced
• John 19:34—“one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water.”

• Psalm 22:18—God said men would cast lots for Christ's clothes
• Mark 15:24—“they divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.”

• Psalm 34:20—God said not a bone of Christ's would be broken
• John 19:33—“When the soldiers came to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.”

• Isaiah 53:9—God said Christ would be buried in a rich man’s tomb
• Matthew 27:57-60—describes Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea, coming to take Christ’s body and laying Christ’s body in his tomb.

• Psalm 16:10—God declared that Christ would rise from victoriously the dead
• Matthew 28:9—"And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him."

• Psalm 68:18—God prophesied the ascension of Christ
• Luke 24:50-51—“And it came about that while He was blessing them, He parted from them.”

Heat-seeking Missile Sunday (AKA "Palm Sunday") - Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:28-40