In This Edition:
Begin: A Hopeful Journey
What’s New On The West Side? Parenting In The Image of God
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Begin: A Hopeful Journey
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13)
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit with be with you all” (2 Corinthians 3:14)
Would you like to begin a journey exploring the greatest story ever told? "Begin" is a collection of my sermons (complete with video, podcast, discussion guides, and transcripts) designed to introduce you to the Christian faith, and to help you begin your journey with hope. "Begin" offers lessons on a good God, a loving Savior, a gracious gospel, a peaceful assurance, a faithful presence, and a satisfying faith. Lessons are added often, so be sure to visit often. May you be blessed with the overwhelming peace and inexpressible joy that only Christ can give.
A Satisfying Faith
Imagine a way of seeing that satisfies our deepest desires.
A Faith Worthy of our Questions; A Faith Worthy of our Longings; A Faith Worthy of our Examination; A Faith Worthy of our Doubt
A Good God
Which God is it you don’t believe in? Experience something beautiful.
Lenses; The God who is Good; The God who is Trustworthy; The God who is Generous; The God who Seeks; The God who Welcomes; The God who is Holy; The God who is Self-Sacrificing; The God who Transforms
A Loving Christ
Introducing Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.
God With Us; Fear No Evil; The Grand Story.
A Gracious Gospel
Good news…no, great news!
Amazing Grace; The Definition of the Gospel; The Depths of the Gospel; Counterfeit Gospels; The Diameter of the Gospel; The 7 Ones of the Gospel
A Joyful Response
My heart, my heart, my body, my soul…Lord, take control.
Step Into The Water
A Faithful Presence
Introducing God’s Holy Spirit—personal, present and empowering.
Presence: He Lives In You; Power: He Works In You; Progress: He Makes You Holy; Performance: He Empowers You; Pinnacle: He Will Glorify You; New Beginnings; Glory in the Ordinary
A Peaceful Assurance
Am I really saved? Knowing we are safe in the arms of Jesus.
Blessed Assurance
Hopeful Renewal
God’s long-term design: resurrection & renewal
New Beginnings; Pinnacle: He Will Glorify You
These lessons appear on my “begin” webpage and consist of sermons preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR). Video, podcast, discussion guides, and transcripts are available. These lessons also appear on the Life on the West Side podcast. Available on all podcast platforms.
What Is New On The West Side?
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth (Genesis 1:26-28 KJV)
Today is a beautiful day in the life of West Side. Church is a family, and as a family, we do important things together. If there is a serious ailment in this family, we will gather together and pray together. If there is a something joyful and worth celebrating (like a wedding), we will rejoice with cake and share in that good moment together. That is what families do.
This morning, we will recognize those children God has seen fit to bless us with as a family and celebrate parents of this congregation who have chosen to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is a good thing.
It’s good for at least 3 reasons.
First, it is a recognition that childbirth ought to be a church event. Have you ever thought about the fact that we do our weddings at church and our funerals at church, and most of our baptisms take place in church. When we become one flesh with Christ, when we become one flesh with our spouse and when the spirit departs from the flesh to enter the presence of the Lord, we gather as a family to mark those moments as involving something holy. It just makes sense that when we enter into this world to begin our life, we gather as a family to mark this event as something good, something holy, and something to celebrate.
Second, dedicating our children to God is a biblical practice and worthy of emulating. You may recall Hannah wanted a child so bad, that she made a vow: “Lord Almighty, if you will not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life” (1 Sam 1:11). The Lord gave her a son, and he named him Samuel, “because I asked the Lord for him” (1 Sam 1:20). And Hannah told her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always” (1 Sam 1:22). After the boy was weaned, she brought the child to Eli and Hannah said “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord” (1 Sam 1:27-28).
There was some background for Hannah’s actions. Maybe she was reflecting on Exodus 13, where the Lord said to Moses “consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal” (Ex 13:1-2). Or, it might be that Hannah was reflecting on the Laws of Leviticus, where God said if you have an offering to give to God (like a bull), you are to “present them before the Lord.” Back in Genesis, Abraham did exactly that—offering up his unique promised son in the place of a sacrifice. And for Hannah, there was no greater offering than giving up her only son, giving him over to the Lord. And you and I know that this act was just a foreshadowing of what God himself would do. What Hannah did was not required by the Mosaic Law; it was a beautiful offering from the heart.
When we read the story of the birth of Jesus in Luke 2, we see that something like a baby dedication had become standard. The text says “When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord’)” (Luke 2:22-23). There is no doubt that Mary and Joseph were doing what was required by the Mosaic law. But Luke uses his words very carefully to paint Jesus as the new Samuel, dedicated to God, raised in the house of the Lord, growing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God.
Third, it is a recognition that my child is not mine—he or she belongs to the Lord. Parenting will not simply be my responsibility; we will join together as a family to raise this child in the way of Christ. There is an old African proverb that says “it takes a village to raise a child.” I’ve always loved how the comedian Sinbad brought this home. He said “when I was growing up, if I tried to run away from mom, there would be 12 neighborhood moms just waiting to trip me.” Yes, Katie and I learn how to be parents from our own parents—of course; but also from other parents we go to church with; with other parents we share life together with. Our children will learn how to be good children when they are in your home as much as when they are in my home. This village is where we will raise our children. And our children belonged to God even before we knew they belonged to us. He formed our children in the womb (Isa 44:24; Psalm 139:13-14), and had plans for them even before forming them (Jer 1:5). My child belongs to the Lord. It is fitting that we take time as a family, as a village, to ask our parents to confess that their children belong to the Lord, and that we, as a family, declare that we will help raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
This is the introduction to a lesson preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR). this morning (January 29, 2023). Video, podcast, discussion guides, and transcripts will soon be available. You may watch this lesson live at 9 AM this morning here: https://www.youtube.com/@WestSideChurchofChristSearcy
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My name is Nathan Guy, and I serve as the preaching minister for the West Side Church of Christ in Searcy, Arkansas. I am happily married to Katie and am the proud father of little Grace. You can find more resources on my website over at nathanguy.com. Follow me: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.