"How to Invest Your Most Precious Asset?"

Symbols of the Christ Symbols have been an important element of Christianity since the first century. They have been used for their educational value, as an aid in worship, and even, at times, as secret codes of the faith. An effective symbol should draw attention, not to itself, but to the message–not a bad idea for Christians to apply to themselves! As a result, symbols are often silhouettes, or very simple shapes, or even simply drawn. Christians also have often used abbreviations and monograms as “shorthand” for Jesus Christ. Of course, since Greek was the “lingua franca” during the early church period, we find the Greek alphabet to be the one used most often. Sometimes the use of the equivalent English characters is a little confusing or misleading. Chief among early Christian monograms was the Greek letters Chi (χ) and Rho (ρ). These are the first two letters of the Greek word “Christ,” and they really form more of an abbreviation than a monogram. It was used as decoration in architecture, on banners, and on jewelry much as crosses are used today. Chi-Rho continues to be popular and can be seen in many modern churches. The letter Chi is shown in the Chi Rho Latin alphabet as an “X”, hence the abbreviation “Xmas” for “Christmas.” Its use in this way doesn’t really take “Christ out of Christmas”, but, for the believer at least, is an abbreviation for Christ in Christmas. Thought of in this way, you might use it as a reminder of our Lord and Savior every time you come across a word with an “x” in it. For example (ah-ha, there’s a word with an ‘x’), Christ is our ‘example’ & we are called to be ‘examples’ of faith in Him), ‘excellent’–how marvelous is our Savior,’ ‘X-ray’–our Lord can see right through us, ‘exalted’–Christ is lifted up to the highest heavens, etc. You may find this an exceedingly exciting and extraordinary exercise in exploiting words to exuberantly express your love for χριστός (Christ)! Welcome to the Morning Worship of the College Heights Baptist Church on the tenth of December, 2023 The Second Sunday of Advent: PEACE Service begins at 10:30 AM “I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid.” John 14:27 (CEV) Prelude Music 76 “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” Welcome & Announcements Advent Candle Lighting Music Lentz Upshaw “PEACE” John & Virginia Mixer “King of Kings” 234 “He Has Come for Us (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)” Mission Video “Lost in Reality” Scripture & Prayer Ephesians 5:15-21 Message “How to Invest Your Most Precious Asset?” Lentz Upshaw (Ephesians 15-21) Response “What Child Is This?” Benediction 2 Peter 3:18 Postlude Not all my prayers nor sighs nor tears, Can ease my awful load. Thy work alone, O Christ, Can ease this weight of sin; Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, Can give me peace within. HORATIUS BONAR (1808–1889) 118 Calendar for this week Today 9:15 am Bible Study Classes 10:30 am Morning Worship live and online Nursery is provided during worship for preschool-aged children. 6:00 pm Hour of Prayer Wednesday 9:30 am Ladies Bible Study (here & via Zoom) 6:45 pm Conversational English Classes Thursday 7:30 pm Young Women’s Bible Study at 2140 College Heights Rd. Saturday 8:00 am Ladies Accountability Group Announcements, etc. Angel Tree Families WOW! All the gifts have been pledged! Thank you all. Please bring your wrapped gifts, along with the tags, to the Church office by this Saturday. The gifts will be given to the families at the Open House here next Sunday or delivered in person (if you would like to help in the delivery, contact Virginia Mixer). All-Church Open House Next Sunday This will be a “pot luck” dinner and you are asked to bring one of your favorite dishes to share. We will meet in Fellowship Hall immediately after worship and continue until about 2:00. Beverages will be furnished. Peace is not arbitrary. It must be based upon definite facts. God has all the facts on his side; the world does not. Therefore God, and not the world, can give peace. BILLY GRAHAM (1918– 2018) Deacons John Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410-8168 Scott Bowman . . . . . . . 936-718-6182 Jerry Lawson . . . . . . . . 405-788-1317 John Mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410-2365 George Wyatt . . . . . . . . . . . . 587-7671 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering Through this offering, the IMB is purposeful, strategic, and laser-focused on reaching the least-reached people groups on the planet. Those who are sent to the front lines in this work deserve our unwavering loyalty, our undying support, our unyielding commitment. They are your missionaries.We are the ones holding the ropes for them. Let’s commit ourselves anew to joining them in the task and, together, reach the nations. Our church’s goal this year is $4,000, all of which goes to missionary support. Business Meeting Today In the Church Parlor immediately following the worship service. COLLEGE HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH 2320 Anderson Avenue 785.537.7744 email: office@collegeheightsbaptist.org website: collegeheightsbaptist.org facebook: college heights baptist manhattan Lentz Upshaw, pastor lentz@collegeheightsbaptist.org