First Baptist Family of Asheboro, NC

  In Psalm 22:3 the KJV reads, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel .” Other translations translate the word inhabitest as enthroned.   In practice, that’s not necessarily what we mean.   If I’m praising my child, I’m giving an affirmation to them.   It means god is present in moments when we are lifting ourselves up to Him.   God inhabits this space when we meet together.   God is always available.   God gives His presence to us.   We are no longer strangers to God.  Have you ever been in a group and someone introduced you to someone you already know?  It’s a good feeling when we already know someone.  Paul says you are no longer a stranger to God.  You know God.  This is a good reminder for us that we come to God not as a stranger.  In Colossians 1 God is the Creator of everything. Jesus takes first place.  What does it mean for God to be first in our lives? Follow Jesus. Who are you following?                         This is a foundational stateme

  Colossians 1:15-17 is part of an old song, a hymn.   I’m reminded of a visit with my parents when my nieces discovered an old record player.   They didn’t know what it was!   I had the privilege of showing them how to use it and it was interesting to listen to it.   There’s something nostalgic about the crackling sound it makes.   This song, Colossians 1:15-17, is over 2,000 years old.   As we take communion together today this is a sacred moment for us.   We do this with our brothers and sisters around the world.   This song was sung by the earliest believers.   It’s a song about who Jesus is.   It’s an early hymn. Jesus is our Creator. In creation God is visible.                            15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, How can we know a God that is invisible?   This seems crazy!   If you tell someone that you have an invisible friend what will they think of you?   We think of imaginary frien

  Psalm 84 is an image of people going to worship together and as they go it’s raining.   As they approach Jerusalem the rain reminds them of God’s strength.   May the rain remind us of God’s peace and strength today. A couple of weeks ago I ordered lunch and it came.   Everything was in order but there were 2 milkshakes we didn’t order!   We didn’t pay for those.   We got more than we deserved.   That’s grace!   God has given us so much more than a couple of milkshakes. In Colossians 1:1-14 Paul is writing from prison.   As he writes to the people of Colossae he reminds them of the grace and power of God. Paul was in prison for several years, quite a long time. God spoke to him and he wrote these letters.   If Paul wasn’t in prison we wouldn’t have these letters today.   In our imprisonments, in our times when we aren’t doing what we think we should be doing, God uses these times. Growth begins when we embrace grace.              Of this you have heard before in the word of th

  The great commandment is also found in Mark 12 when a question is asked, "How can I  have eternal life?'  This is also in Matthew 22:34.  The parable we'll examine this morning, the parable of the Good Samaritan, probably comes in second place to the parable of the Prodigal Son.  It's a close second.  This is an important reading for us.  When I study the Bible it helps for me to check three boxes: 1) I need to be careful to read the passage in its entirety.  I need to observe the text in it's context.  Who are the characters?   What's the context?  This is a familiar story we are examining this morning and because it's familiar we can lose it's meaning. 2) The second box I check when I read Scripture is interpretation.  What's it mean?  Where is my curiosity stirred?  What questions come to me?  What does this passage teach me about God?  About humanity?  About who Jesus is?  What does God want me to know and do?  First I make observations and th