Nearly 200 Years

Nearly 200 Years – 198 years old on May 21, 2020

Our mission continues - sharing the gospel message in our witness of actions and words

++Past

++Heritage

++Memories

++Present

++Future

++Dreams

++Legacy

A past, a heritage, memories, a present, a future, dreams, a legacy

60 in June compared to 198 - 3.3 times longer

Leader & Sustainer

The first one present in the congregation of every church – JESUS!

“There’s Something About That Name”

God’s people at the edge of the Jordan – ready to enter the Promised Land

Not an easy path from Egypt – nearly 40 years wandering

Only Joshua & Caleb! - ILLUSTRATION: 3 frame cartoon – 12-1 - ZAP! - 12-2

The crossing at flood stage – the Ark – DRY LAND!! – the twelve stones pulled out; twelve stones left

Joshua 4:21b–24 NIV

He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

Need to Follow

We need that kind of knowledge and fear today – FOLLOW GOD

More leaders like Moses & Joshua; more leaders who more than not – stayed true to their faith

Hebrews 11 – “Hall of Faith” – big names like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Samson, David, Samuel, and unnamed others

People who lived/planted their faith – ILLUSTRATION – best time to plant an Oak tree

No doubt there are those who were mentors of the faith for us: parents, family, friends, neighbors

We need to keep the faith in a world so full of mistrust, divisiveness, hatred, evil

GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD – is the message of the church; God’s desire is to save, but not forever

We have a charge in HEBREWS 12

Hebrews 12:1–3 NIV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Eyes on Jesus

Run with endurance; fix our eyes on Jesus – ILLUSTRATION: Warfield Hill

“Find Us Faithful”