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Weekly News for Sunday, April 16, 2017

April 13, 2017

"The Resurrection"

John 11:1-44

The Death of Lazarus

11 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died,15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

I Am the Resurrection and the Life

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

Jesus Weeps

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved  in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus Raises Lazarus

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

SERMON NOTES

“If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that He said; if He didn't rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what He said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like His teaching but whether or not He rose from the dead.”
-Timothy J. Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

  • Why is the resurrection of Jesus Christ so important? Why is it one of the most contested doctrines in Christian Theology?
  • Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life...” (John 11:25) What does Jesus mean by this statement? What does it mean for you?

SCRIPTURES TO CONSIDER

  • Romans 6:4-5

  • John 11:25-26

  • Romans 8:11, 34

THIS WEEK

MONDAY,  April 17
Church Office Closed
7:30 pm Monday Knight Men

TUESDAY,  April 18
9:00 am Daybreak
7:00 pm Adult Badminton

WEDNESDAY, April 19
8:00 am to 8:00 pm - VOTE for Future Development project
9:00 am Daybreak
9:45 am Keenager’s Study
6:30 pm AWANA
6:30 pm Worship & Prayer
6:30 pm Road to Emmaus
6:30 pm Jr. High Small Groups
6:40 pm Membership Class
7:00 pm Young Adults Study at Vanderveen’s

THURSDAY, April 20
6:30 pm Sr. High Small Group at the Weibe's
7:00 pm Men's Floor Hockey 

FRIDAY, April 21
Women's Retreat at Camp Nakamun
7:30 pm YOUTH GaGa!

SATURDAY , April 22

EASTER SUNDAY, April 23
9:00 am to 1:00 pm - VOTE for Future Development project
9:15 am Worship Service
11:15 am Worship Service
6:00 pm Singin' the Gospel - Andrew Martin

JOURNEY UPDATES

MARK APRIL 19 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm) on your calendar for the church-wide vote on the decision to build Phase 1 - our New Christian Education Wing. Voting will also take place April 23 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

SGAC Membership Class with Pastor Art Wednesday, April 19 from 6:40 to 7:50 pm in Portable #2. This is open to anyone who wishes to pursue church membership. Please let Pastor Art know. 

Singin’ the Gospel Sunday, April 23 at 6:00 pm. Andrew Martin, from Ontario, will take us on a journey through Gospel , Soul, and Inspirational music Jamie Blahun will bring her powerful message in song with a country flare. Freewill offering will be taken.

Spring’s Here! Sign up today to help us do a church-wide clean up on Saturday, May 13.
Please contact Ken or Kenton for details.

Grandparenting Matters Seminar – June 16 and 17. Everybody’s grandkids are the best. Join us for an encouraging time of learning and sharing relating to this special role.
Contact Pastor Art for details. Visit Stu and Laura this Sunday at the Welcome Centre or register online. 

CHILDREN’S Action Bibles and Devotionals are for sale today at the Check In Kiosk. Bibles - $15, Devotionals - $18.

SUMMER VBS August 14-18 for children ages 4 to Grade 6. Bible Stories, Games, Snacks, Music, Dramas, Imagination Station, Activities, and SO much more! Online registration begins June 1. Volunteer positions still available. Please contact Pastor Coreen for more information.

Family Camping Weekend June 29 - July 2. 752 RV Park is located 34 km west of Rocky Mountain House. Trailers are $120 for the weekend and tents are $82. Registration will take place at the Welcome Centre April 23 and 30. Space is limited.

The church office will be closed on  Monday, April 17. We will re-open on Tuesday at 9:00 am

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Building a Spiritual Home for Spruce Grove

Thank you to everyone who attended the congregational meeting on March 21! We have already had great feedback and questions, and look forward to more. This is an exciting time as we build on the foundation of SGAC, and seek to fulfill the vision God has set before us.
Everyone who makes SGAC their home church is asked to consider the following motion, in advance of a congregation-wide vote (April 19, 8am to 8pm, and April 23, 9am - 1pm).

Motion: I support SGAC proceeding with Phase One of the future development, to a
maximum of 6 million dollars.

PRAYER 

  • Our International Workers: A & J, Tim & Brenda Tjosvold, Jon & Angie Coutts.

  • Our Pastoral Staff:  Pastor Scott Buck - Scott is married to Lyn and they have 6 boys  - ages 9, 8, 6, 5, 2 and 1.

  • Our Administrative Staff: Janet is married to Richard and they have 3 adult children.

  • Our Elders: Mathew Clarke is married to Ramie and they have three children ages 3, 2 and 1.