EChurch@Wartburg – 10.29.17

Welcome to a Gathering of EChurch@Wartburg

The TWW community would love to pray for you!

Please include your prayer request in the comment section of this post

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wartburg_Castle#/media/File:Wartburg_Eisenach_DSCN3512.jpg

Wartburg Castle – Eisenach, Germany

Here is our Order of Worship

A Call to Worship link

God of Hope,
we come into your presence this morning
with confidence that you will meet us here.
Where there is sadness, bring joy;
Where there is tiredness, bring refreshment;
Where there is despair, bring a renewed sense of hope.
Let this place be a sanctuary,
a safe haven for us,
a home for holy words and songs and prayers
as we devote ourselves to you.
We pray this in Jesus’ name
Amen

A Prayer by Martin Luther link

Almighty God, the Protector of all who trust in you,
without whose grace nothing is strong, nothing is holy,
increase and multiply on us your mercy
that through your holy inspiration we may think the things that are right
and by your power may carry them out, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Scripture Reading:  Luke 20:1-8 (NASB Bible Gateway)

On one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders confronted Him, and they spoke, saying to Him, “Tell us by what authority You are doing these things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?” Jesus answered and said to them, “I will also ask you a question, and you tell Me: Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?” They reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” So they answered that they did not know where it came from. And Jesus said to them, “Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Prayer of Benedict of Nursia (c. 480–547) link

O gracious and holy Father,
give us wisdom to perceive you,
diligence to seek you,
patience to wait for you,
eyes to behold you,
a heart to meditate upon you,
and a life to proclaim you;
through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen

Comments

EChurch@Wartburg – 10.29.17 — 10 Comments

  1. Woe to fraudulent authorities.

    Fraudulent authorities place burdens on those “under” them. They act as overlords Mt. 23:4

    Fraudulent authorities are hypocritical- they do not practice what they preach. They claim to be servants, but are unwilling to submit to others. Mt. 23:3

    Fraudulent authorities seek the approval of people rather than the approval of God. Showing respect to them because of their office is paramount. Mt. 23:5

    Fraudulent authorities seek honor – they love to be called “lead pastor” or “pastor-teacher.” They seek followers to submit to their vision of what their church should be. Mt. 23:6-7

    Fraudulent authority usurps the authority of Jesus Christ. Mt. 23:8

    We are not to submit to fraudulent authority. Mt. 23:9-10

    Instead, we are to ignore these frauds and instead serve others under the authority of Jesus. Mt. 23:11

    Fraudulent authorities will ultimately be humbled by the True Authority. Mt. 23:11-12.

    Fraudulent authorities turn people away from Christ. Mt. 23:13

    Fraudulent authorities steal from their followers, both materially and spiritually. Mt. 23:14

    Fraudulent authorities passionately try to conform their followers into their world and away from Christ. Mt. 23:15

    Fraudulent authorities utilize oaths to strengthen their hold on their followers. Mt. 23:16-22

    Fraudulent authorities major on the minors, and are often legalists. Mt. 23:23-24

    Fraudulent authorities may look gifted, but ultimately are self-centered. It is all about me… follow me, follow my vision, support my ministry. Mt. 23:25-28

    Fraudulent authorities use examples of true authority, but only to further their fraud. Mt. 23:29-31

    Fraudulent authorities go from bad to worse and are at a great risk of damnation. Mt. 23:32-33

    Fraudulent authorities ignore the warnings of others and continue on in their folly. In fact, they may persecute those seeking to bring them to their senses. Mt. 23:34

    Fraudulent authorities are spiritually bankrupt and their ministries are empty shells. Mt. 23:35-38

  2. Prayers are nice but I need real US dollars. Please help with gofundme campaign under Beverly Bailey-Emergency car repairs.

  3. Dee & Deb I need your help! can you all go over to lakeside bible church on google reviews and read the post under shauna marquis that was posted int the last week? Do I have any legal ramifications? I want to post it here but I would like for you both to look at it and tell me what you think! I am being impersonated by someone in the church.

  4. Very timely message for me, Wade. I am in the process of crafting a response to a friend who is pastor of a Bethlehem Baptist church plant here in Charlotte. He has decided to go the authoritarian 9 Marks, church covenant, elder-centric route. Pray that I may interact with him in a godly manner.

  5. It’s disheartening to see power grabs among believers. I’ve wondered if we are reading the same Bibles.