Angels: What Are They For?

The hit sitcom Touched by an Angel tells of a trio of angels—Monica, Tess, & Andrew—who come to earth to tell people God loves them & hasn’t forgotten them. 

That seems great!

But, is that what angels are for?

Last week, we discovered that angels are spiritual & superhuman creatures that help bring about God’s purposes on earth. But, how do angels work in real time, in our daily lives? Are we ever kissed by an angel?

WHAT ARE ANGELS FOR?

As we began studying last week, angels are superhuman messengers from God and agents for bringing about his purposes on earth. 

Angels deliver messages from God. Repeatedly when God speaks or acts, he works through an angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord delivered a message from God to Hagar (Gen. 16:10-11), Abraham (22:11), Moses (Ex. 3:2), Balaam after first confronting his donkey (Num. 22:22ff), Paul (Acts 27:23-24). 

Who is the angel of the Lord? Is it just an angel? Is it the preincarnate Christ (e.g., a physical appearing of Jesus before his birth)? Smart people disagree.

One thing is sure: Throughout the Bible, the angel of the Lord brings about an encounter with God and delivers messages from God. Angels are, therefore, intermediaries. They reveal themselves to men and speak on behalf of God to them.

In fact, Paul says the whole law was put in place “through angels by an intermediary” (Gal. 3:19). So, it seems, even on the mountain where the Lord spoke to Moses and gave him the law, it was an angel of the Lord who was speaking on his behalf (Ex. 20:19-21). That makes sense, because God dwells in unapproachable light (1 Tim. 6:16).  

Angels guide the people of God. Tucked into a chapter loaded with laws about this and that, the Lord says: “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared” (Ex. 23:20). The Lord was promising to take them to promised land. And, apparently, it wasn’t surprising that he was sending an angel to guide them there! 

But why? The IVP Bible Background Commentary concludes:

“The ‘messenger’ or angel sent by God is an extension of God himself, representing his continuous presence with the people of Israel. . . . He is to be trusted to do what God has promised.”

And he does what God promised. The angel goes before them and leads them. 

The same thing happens in Acts.

One of the most thrilling scenes in the incredibly thrilling book of Acts is the story of the Ethiopian eunuch. Philip shares the gospel with him, but the real hero of the story is the angel of the Lord. The angel tells him to go to Gaza. Then, the Spirit—working in concert with the angel of the Lord!—tells him to go over to the chariot. There, Philip finds an Ethiopian eunuch reading but not understanding Isaiah 53. So he preaches to him the good news about Jesus. And the Lord saves him!

Guidance may also be the main takeaway of the revelation of God to Jacob at Bethel (Gen. 28). There, God drew near to Jacob. And Jacob saw a huge ladder, with angels ascending and descending on it. The apostle John connects this vision to Jesus. Angels ascend and descend on him and he is the only way to God (John 1:51). As agents working on God’s behalf, angels went before Israel and led them into the promised land; now angels go before us and lead us into the eternal rest of heaven. 

Angels guard the people of God. Implied guiding the people of God is guarding them, but this idea of guarding is so important that it needs its own section.

In the very first explicit sighting of angels in the Bible, they are guarding the Garden of Eden. After expelling Adam and Eve from the garden, the Lord sets up an angel to guard it. “At the east of the garden of Eden [the Lord] placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life” (Gen. 3:24). It could be that the angels were mercifully guarding mankind from continuing in disobedience and pain in the garden. 

But angels also guard the people of God. As the Psalmist declares:

“For [the Lord] will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” Psalm 91:11-12

In fact, even the devil knows angels guard the people of God, as he quotes this very verse in his temptation of Jesus (Matt. 4:5-7)!

One of the most memorable stories of angels guarding his people is the story of Elisha in 2 Kings 6. Elisha said to his servant when Syria was bearing down on them: “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 

I’m sure his servant thought, “What? The whole city is surrounded!” 

But then, the Lord opens his eyes to see the mountains filled with horses and chariots of fire. The Lord will fight with them and protect them through his angels.

Angels rescue the people of God. In exile in Babylon, Daniel was threatened with death if he prayed to anyone other than the king over a thirty-day period. Daniel continued to pray to the Lord three times a day. So, he was thrown into the lions’ den to die. 

But, the angel of the Lord delivered him! Then, Daniel said to the king,

“O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Daniel 6:21-22 

Daniel was removed from the den and “no kind of harm was found on him.” 

Acts 12 tells a similar story. Peter is in prison, bound in chains, but an angel comes to him. The angel wakes him up! Then, Peter’s chains fall off and the prison doors open up for him to walk out. In the end, Peter is very clear that he has been rescued by an angel: “When Peter came to himself, he said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting’” (Acts 12:11).  

DO ANGELS STILL WORK IN THESE WAYS AMONG US?

Do God still send his angels to speak to us and guide us? Do they intervene in our lives to do specific things for us (like rescuing the man of our dreams)?

Yes and no. 

Let me give you the long answer. 

Revelation 6-12 unpacks some of the most difficult parts of John’s vision—the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls. While folks disagree on the details of these visions, they seem to “describe the judgments of God against an unbelieving world throughout the course of the entire church age” (Sam Storms, Kingdom Come, 387).

The church age is the entire period between Christ’s first coming and second coming—the age in which we are currently living. Interestingly, during the church age, as unpacked in Revelation 6-12, angels play a vital role. They hold back the winds of destruction while the people of God are gathered in. They hold and blow the seven trumpets that bring about judgment on the earth.

Therefore, throughout the church age, angels continue to work among us and bring about his purposes on earth.

In addition, in the vision of Jesus Christ in Revelation 1, Jesus is holding seven stars which are “the angels of the seven churches.” 

Who are these angels? Some say human messengers. Others say senior pastors. But it seems that each of these angels are angels that watch over one of the seven churches. Each church has a guardian angel!

I wonder who the guardian angel of Trinity Grace Church is! Maybe Clarence?!

I sure hope he’s helping Josh Heupal while he’s close by.

THAT’S GREAT . . . BUT DO I HAVE A GUARDIAN ANGEL?

Do we personally have guardian angels?

It doesn’t seem clear to me biblically. It is clear that angels guard, but it is not clear whether believers has a specific angel guarding them.

Some of the earliest (and best!) commentators of the Bible believed Matthew 18:10 taught a doctrine of guardian angels. That verse says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” In underlining the immense value of little children, it is alleged that the Lord assigns each of these little children, and thus all Christians, an angel to guard them. 

It doesn’t seem to the case to me.

This verse is the primary verse for teaching guardian angels, which should concern us. Scripture teaches us how to interpret Scripture, so we should be very wary of a doctrine built mainly on a single verse.

In addition, this verse refers to a plural group of angels guarding a plural group of “little ones” who are unimportant in the world’s eyes, not a personal angel guarding a specific individual.

Moreover, the main point is the Lord loves these little ones and these little ones are so valuable that they are guarded by angels, angels that are very close to the Father and always see his face.

So, it is clear that angels are tasked with guarding these little ones, but it is not clear from these verses that every Christian is appointed a specific guardian angel to protect them. However, just because each Christian does not have a guardian angel, each Christian is clearly guarded by angels. And that is wonderful news!

LAST QUESTION . . . HOW SHOULD WE THINK ABOUT EXPERIENCES WITH ANGELS?

That’s a complicated question.

From time to time, people share about an experience they had with angels.

Several years ago, Martin Pistorius told his story in Christianity Today. When Pistorious was 12 years old, he came down with a cold. Before long, he couldn’t speak and loss control of his limbs. Doctors concluded he was suffering from a neurological disease and would soon die.

Then, one night, he had an experience in which he was elevated from his body and angels wanted him to come with them. He declined and “awoke.” He went on to become a Christian, get married, and become successful in his career.

What do we do when we hear an experience like that?

Or, let me share another story.

When I was thirteen, my best friend and first cousin John was killed suddenly. He left behind his mom and dad and two sisters. The following summer, his family took their first family trip without him. It was very hard. All they could think about was how much that missed John. The family just didn’t feel complete anymore.

When they arrived to the beach, they walked out on the sand and they couldn’t believe what they saw. Carved into the sand before them were four large letters: J O H N.

What do we do when we hear an experience like that?

Should we say, “That’s just a coincidence”? Should we say, “That could never happen”?

I don't think so.

I think we should thank God when we hear of experiences like these and enjoy the story. The Bible is clear that some Christians have extraordinary experiences with God. Moses, Isaiah, and Ezekiel saw the Lord! Paul ascended to third heaven and went on to speak in tongues. In fact, he spoke in tongues more than any of the Corinthians, which is a lot (1 Cor. 1:7). When we hear experiences like these, our first instinct should not be to deny them.

However, when we hear experiences like these, we should not base our decisions and theology upon them. The Bible never encourages us to make decisions based on experiences, but upon the Bible alone. It alone is the only infallible rule for life and it alone equips the believer for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

CONCLUSION

One of the common names for the Lord in the Old Testament is Lord of Hosts.

The Lord is the sovereign ruler of all who commands a host of angels. The refrain in Psalm 46 should therefore fill us with confidence: “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress!”

Ways to Pray for Our Denomination.

Sovereign Grace Churches’ Executive Director, Mark Prater, has published a list of prayer requests for the first quarter of 2021. Will you take a few minutes to pray through these? God works through the prayers of his people: “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).

• Pray that God would give the members and pastors of Sovereign Grace churches opportunities to share the gospel with unbelievers in our communities and workplaces.

•  Pray for Matt Turner and his team as they plant Sovereign Grace Church in Prattville, AL asking God to provide for them, and give them opportunities to share the gospel in the Prattville area.

• Pray for Zicky Chanda and her four sons as they grieve the loss of their husband/father, Wilbroad Chanda, who was the Lead Pastor of Christ Community Church in Ndola, Zambia asking God to comfort them and the church in Ndola. 

• Pray for Bob Kauflin and the Sovereign Grace Music Team as they begin the work of producing a new album featuring the Psalms.

• Pray for Eric Turbedsky (Director of Church Planting) and Joel Carlson (Sr. Pastor of Emmaus Road Church in Bozeman, MT) as they start a “Small Towns Initiative,” which will equip church planters to plant Sovereign Grace churches in smaller communities asking God to give them and their team wisdom.

• Pray that God would give the Sovereign Grace Churches Leadership Team wisdom for how to expand globally in a way that preserves our theological convictions, gospel values, and allows us to continue to build relationally.

• Pray that God would continue to provide financially for Sovereign Grace Churches so that we can fund the gospel opportunities He is giving us throughout the world.

God is Infinite & Intimate

Below is an excerpt from a recent article written by Bob Kauflin originally posted on the Desiring God website. To read the full article click here.

——————————————————

He is so big. But he can be so small.

Transcendent is the theological word that means God is above, completely other than, and independent of his creation.

God is infinite in all aspects of his being and never changes. Only he has no source, no beginning, and no end. God needs nothing, depends on nothing, and owes nothing. He is “holy, holy, holy” — perfect in every way. Simply put, God is God and we are not.

Except that God is also immanent. God sustains, is involved with, and is present within his creation. He keeps our bodies from exploding apart, grows the grass that livestock eat, and is personally invested in his world (Colossians 1:17; Psalm 104:14, 24–30). Despite how small and sinful we are, he is loving, kind, gentle, compassionate, and good.

In our corporate worship gatherings, as well as our personal interactions with God, we tend to swing between God’s transcendence and immanence like a pendulum. At times, God feels too distant, dissimilar, and above us to be loved. At other times, God feels too near, present, and like us to be feared. It’s an ongoing challenge to hold these two thoughts about God together, but it is massively important that we do.

Click here to read the full article from Bob Kauflin.

Angels: What Are They?

Several years ago, Netflix released a thriller television series called Stranger Things.

The show is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana in the early 1980s. The shoes, the hair, and the music are set perfectly. In Hawkins, there is a laboratory that supposedly performs scientific research for the United States but, in actuality, the lab experiments with the Upside Down, the underworld of paranormal and supernatural activity. 

A teenager, Will Byers, and his three close friends are science nerds, and during one of their many experiments, they literally stumble into the Upside Down. And they discover things are not as they seem. 

From there, the show takes off.

Several weeks ago, in our study of Jesus’ temptation by Satan [link], we were introduced to the angels and demons. This won’t be the only time we encounter spiritual forces in the gospel of Mark. Both angels and demons are unseen but, according to the Scriptures, affect the people and plans of the world around us. 

So, I want to delve into angels & demons in more detail over the next severals. How should we think about these unseen, spiritual forces? How do they affect daily life?

WHAT ARE ANGELS?

The Black Crows consider a girl talking to angels to be strange, but the Bible doesn’t consider it odd at all to talk about angels. 

Angels are spiritual creatures. Like human beings, angels were created by God. Like human beings, they are intelligent and speak. Unlike human beings, they are spirits. They can roam about throughout the earth without being seen (Job 1:7) and are only seen with divine help (Num. 22:31). But also, like human beings, as creatures, they are held accountable by their Creator. 

Satan is a fallen angel and is held accountable by God. God judges him, as Jesus said: “I saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning” (Lk. 10:18). But many angels are not fallen & serve God as his creatures, longing to look into the glories of salvation that we enjoy (1 Peter 1:12). 

Angels are glorious in appearance. They are bright with glory (Rev. 18:1). They are radiant with light, like God. The apostle John even falls down before an angel, to which the angel responds: “You must not do that! . . . Worship God!” (Rev. 22:9).

Angels are superhuman in many ways but not divine. Angels are great “in might and power” (2 Peter 2:11). They can interpret dreams (Dan. 8:16). They can give aid in the battle against demonic forces (Dan. 10:13; Mark 1:13). They can help accomplish God’s purposes in the earth, as the Psalm 103 poetically states: 

Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, 

obeying the voice of his word! Psalm 103:20

Angels are not however all of one kind. An archangel is described as confronting the devil and leading good angels in the war against evil (Jude 9; Rev. 12:7). Seraphim are angels who serve as heavenly worshippers, offering unceasing, uninterrupted worship of the only true God (Isa. 6:1-4). Cherubim are heavenly worshippers (1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; etc.), but also guard the Garden of Eve from reentry (Gen. 3:24). 

Like mankind who are similarly creatures, angels worship God (Heb. 12:22). In the year that King Uzziah died, the prophet Isaiah saw a brilliant vision of the throne of God and it was filled with the heavenly worship of angels:

I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” Isaiah 6:1b-3

Angels are most often messengers from God. The word angel comes from the Greek word angelos, which is translated in the Bible for human messengers (Mark 1:2) or superhuman creatures who serve as messengers (Mark 1:13, Luke 2:8-15).

Augustine of Hippo, from the fourth century, makes an important distinction: “‘Angel’ is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’: from what they are, ‘spirit,’ from what they do, ‘angel.’”

The nature of angels is spiritual creatures created by God. The name angel, which is the name we most commonly find for these superhuman creatures in the Bible, refers to the office of angels, in delivering messages on behalf of God.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

The reality and work of angels teaches us several things. 

There is more to the universe than what we see. There is an unseen world that is real. A world filled with invisible and unseen “angels” and demons, “rulers” and “powers” (Rom. 8:38-39). But, a world the Lord rules from his presently-unseen throne. 

In fact, the book of Revelation was written to a people suffering horrific persecution for following Christ. A primary source of comfort to the believers reading the apostle John’s vision were the repeated visions of the throne (Revelation 1,4-5,7,11,14,19-22). Even though their lives were in upheaval, the Lord was seated on the throne with all the host of heaven worshipping him for his victory over sin & death, darkness & all demonic forces.

They knew, regardless of what happens to them, the Lamb will triumph in the end.

This truth hardened Christians to stand courageous in the face of death, affirming the words Martin Luther wrote several hundred years ago.

Let goods and kindred go

This mortal life also;

The body they may kill

God’s truth abideth still

His kingdom is forever

There is more to salvation than what God has done for us. So often, we look through micro lens of salvation. Wonderfully, we study God’s specific mercies to us, how he has forgiven us and freed us from our slavery to sin through Jesus Christ. 

The unseen world pushes us to take up a macro lens.

The whole universe groans for redemption (Rom. 8:22). The curse of sin spread to all men but also to all creation, leaving it in bondage to corruption. Things fall apart. Disease, calamity, & catastrophes rage. The goal of salvation is not just for individual sinners to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ; the goal of salvation is for all things to be made new and united in him (Eph. 1:11).

BUT WHAT ELSE?

Is there anything else to learn about angels? What about guardian angels? Should we pray to angels for help?

Next week, we will take up these questions and study the purpose of angels.

Band on the Run

Where there is no vision, the people perish –Proverbs 29:18

It’s easy to just go through the motions. Sometimes we need to step back and reevaluate why we are doing what we are doing (and make changes if necessary).

That said, we have an great opportunity to step back and consider how we worship as a church with music.

Bob Kauflin is the Director of Worship Development for Sovereign Grace Churches, and he is coming to Athens at the end of this month! Bob has decades of experience in leading worship teams. And his heart to help churches sing songs that are meaningful and theologically rich.

Join us on February 27 to hear Bob speak on playing the right things for the right reasons in worship.

This is open for anyone who would like to attend, not just those on the worship team.

• WHAT: Fellowship & teaching with Bob Kauflin

• WHERE: Finch home – 1514 Co Rd 700, Athens

• WHEN: Saturday, February 27 :: 10AM – 12PM

• WHAT ELSE: Coffee will be provided!

Cereal & Games

HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR CEREAL?

Do you eat your Cheerios by itself, maybe with a little almond milk and honey? Or do you do a ‘suicide’ by mixing them all together with whole milk?

Middleschoolers, we have an evening planned for you! To take down some cereal & play a few games with your friends!

• WHAT: Cereal & Game Night

• WHERE: Stewart Home – 1020 Tellico Ave, Athens

• WHEN: Friday, February 19 @ 6:00PM

• WHO: TGC Middleschoolers & your friends

• WHAT ELSE: Bring an empty stomach & a competitive spirit

Your Worst Enemy

When Jesus walked the earth, he was a man on a mission.

It is interesting to note, then, what his first order of business was. Step one wasn’t to confront the political bullies in Rome, the tax collectors preying on the weak, or the religious leaders misleading his people. Jesus’ first order of business on the outset of his earthly ministry is confronting our greatest enemy, the devil.

Mark’s gospel makes clear that we should not be unaware of his affects & power in our world. Satan is on a leash, so to speak. So, what is our response? Resist him & rest in the power of the gospel.

Walt’s spoke at length about these things yesterday. His sermon notes are below. Or you can listen to the full message by clicking here.

---

Mark 1:12-13.

MAIN POINT: Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, setting free one ransomed sinner at a time. 

1. The enemy is not flesh & blood, but the devil.

• I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. Genesis 3:15

• The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

• For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

2. The battle is for freedom & life.

• And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. Deuteronomy 8:2

• For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:22

• For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

• “Evangelion (that we call the gospel) is a Greek word and signifies good, merry, glad, and joyful tidings, that makes a man’s heart glad and makes him sing, dance, and leap for joy.” William Tyndale

3. The victory is secure. 

• But, Jesus responds to them: How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. . . .  No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house. Mark 3:23-27 

• For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all. 1 Timothy 2:5-6

• Resist him. 

• Preach the gospel. 

• What do Christians do when they try to overcome the Devil and all his tricks in this wicked world? The Devil is working through politics, corruption, the media, the state, declining morals, secularism, pluralism, educational systems, & much more. How do Christians fight back? Do they form a political party? Do they picket the White House? Do they send a lot of letters to the [president]? Can you imagine Paul setting up a circuit of letters to send off to Caesar? . . . Don’t misunderstand me. We live in a democracy, which is a different form of government from Paul’s, and our Christian responsibilities in this kind of content may mean that we should give a lot of thought as to how to be salt and light in a corrupt and corroding society. We dare not withdraw into a little holy huddle. But we must recognize with every ounce of our being that what finally transforms a society is the gospel. D.A. Carson (2010)

"Hey, I want to attend a Community Group this week!"

“HEY, I WANT TO GO TO COMMUNITY GROUP THIS WEEK!”

If you are anything like me, you are ready to get back to Community Group.

Community Groups are the heart & soul of our church. They are the place where the church gets smaller & real friendships are formed.

Admittedly, real relationships take (lots of) time. That is why we carve out time in our church calendar for Community Groups to meet twice a month every month.

So, hooray for getting back to Community Group!

COMMUNITY GROUP MEETINGS IN FEBRUARY

Have you found the Community Group that is just right for you? If not, below are the times each group is getting this month. Try one (or several!) out & see which one seems best for you & your family.

Ben & Joy Finch’s group

Sunday, February 14 & 28 at 1:00pm

1514 County Road 700

Sam & Rachel Olsen’s group

Sunday, February 7 & 21 at 5:00pm

311 County Road 608

Chris & Cindy Pritchett’s group

Wednesday, February 3 & 17 at 6:00pm

447 County Road 249

Walt & Kim Alexander’s group

Wednesday, February 3 & 17 at 6:00pm

1127 Woodward Avenue

Mike & Vanessa Ball’s group

Friday, February 5 & Wednesday, February 17 at 7:00pm

1155 Highway 305

All these dates are also plugged into our calendar, where you can access here.

New Members Sunday this week!

Sundays are our favorite day of the week for many reasons. One of them is that it reminds us, we are not alone anymore.

Upon turning to Christ, we are brought into the household of God.

As new Christians, the New Testament assumes we will become members of a local church, an organized gathering of believers committed to the Lord & to one another. Again & again, in the book of Acts, when individuals are added to the Lord, they are also added to a group of believers, to a local church.

ELEVEN INDIVIDUALS ADDED TO OUR CHURCH!

This Sunday, we are excited to welcome 12 individuals to our church!

They have all been attending for some time & completed the Membership Course in September of last year.

Below are their names:

Alison Bernhardt 

Hunter & Annalise Lankford

Ben & Rebecca Myers

Bill & Sherlynne Warner

Philip Wilson

Rachel Wilson

Vic & Jane Wooten

How kind of the Lord!

Let’s get ready to welcome these individuals & celebrate God’s goodness to our church this Sunday!

Moving to Ethiopia . . . Too Good to be True!

“We’re going to be missionaries to Ethiopia. This sounds too good to be true.”

This is Josh Pannell’s response to those who simply ask, “What’s going on with you?”

We’ve told you about our partnership with a new Sovereign Grace church in Ethiopia. Church planter, Michael Granger, just started officially meeting & the Lord has drawn a good crowd of local Ethiopians.

This past September Jordan & Lauren Thomas came to TGC & shared their testimony of joining this team. And the Ethiopian team is expanding!

Josh Pannell, his wife, & 4-year-old daughter are joining the Addis Ababa team in two short weeks. We encourage you to pray for this family & the transitions that are about to occur, that the Lord would provide for all their needs, & that God would use them mightily to boldly share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Below is a short video of Josh sharing in his home church in Louisville this past Sunday.

Join Us in Serving Our Neighbors, this Saturday!

A little bit goes a long way.

This is true of a lot of things, and it rings true with serving others. And we are so grateful that our church loves to help others (as pictured with Paul and Kenton above).

This week, we have an opportunity to serve as we partner with a local non-profit Helping Hands. They assist folks on a tighter income or with physical challenges with minor home repairs.

We are working with them on a home this Sunday & would love for you to join us!

Details:

• WHAT: Replacing sheetrock/siding & some painting.

• WHEN: Saturday, January 30

• WHERE: Meet at Athens City Middle School at 9am.

• WHO: Tim Smith & Abe Traucht.

Sign up BELOW & contact Tim with any questions (eight65-six79-five794).

Brinner is next Sunday night, January 31!

Brinner is back baby!

Who hasn’t missed consuming mass quantities of carbohydrates & pork fat on Sunday evenings? And of course the incessant bickering between Walt & Tim over whose pancakes are actually better? Only John Olsen has eaten enough of both to adequately judge between the two . . . but should we really trust his vote?!

High-schoolers, mark your calendars for Brinner on Sunday, January 31!

Here’s a few details:

• WHEN: Sunday, January 31 at 6:00pm

• WHERE: The Alexander’s home

• WHY: Because . . . pancakes!

• WHAT ELSE: We are switching things up this month & this month our very own Bo Cagle is coming to share his story!

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday!

Life, and life abundant, IS worth the fight…Jesus certainly thought so when He went to the cross.

This Sunday, January 27, is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. It’s been 48 years since the Roe vs. Wade decision, which legalized abortion in the United States, & each year we want to set aside a Sunday to remember this fight & call for an end of abortion.

On this day we affirm & recognize that human beings are created in the image of God & that all human life is sacred—set apart for the worship of and service to Him. We grieve the many lives lost to & impacted by abortion, & commit ourselves to upholding the sanctity of human life at every stage.

Full Circle Pregnancy Care Center is doing a great work in our local area to protect life. And we are a strong supporter of what they do. Below is a short video from Full Circle of the services they provide.

If you want to support Full Circle, there are many ways to get involved:

• GIVE. Become a financial partner at www.fullcircleforwomen.org/donate

• VOLUNTEER. Call 423-744-3005 to get started. One of our own TGC members, Rachel Olsen is a long-time, dedicated volunteer.

• FIND HEALING. If you’ve had an abortion in your past, seek healing. Full Circle has post-abortion retreats & Julie Ladd, the Executive Director, would love to meet with you.

The King's Cross: Background to Our Study of the Gospel of Mark.

Jesus of Nazareth—or, as Christians call him, Jesus Christ—is the most influential person in history.

History is marked by his life & generation after generation continues to increase his influence.

Jesus has more followers now than ever before, making up a greater percentage of the world’s population than ever before. Over 2 billion people today identify themselves as Christians & an estimated 70,000 people worldwide begin to follow him each day. Christianity continues to grow throughout the word, even though it is declining in the United States & much of the western world.

But his influence is not just on those who follow him. Jesus has been the subject of innumerable paintings, sculptures, books, movies, & music. It’s no exaggeration to say he is the most popular person ever, despite John Lennon once saying the Beatles are more famous than Jesus!

No one has affected humankind more.

Yet, all we really know about Jesus comes from the 4 Gospels of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John.

We want to know more about him & to know him. That’s why last Sunday we began a new series on the Gospel of Mark.

BUT FIRST, WHO IS MARK?

Mark was an early follower of Christ & a co-worker of the apostles.

He was known by two names: his Hebrew name John & his Greek name Marcus. Sometimes he was referred to as John (Acts 12:12), other times John Mark (Acts 12:12,25; 15:37), but often just Mark (Col. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philemon 1:24). While there were several famous Romans named Marcus (Marcus Aurelius, Mark Antony, etc), among Christians in the first century there was only one Mark, hence John is dropped in the later letters of the New Testament.

But Mark was not an apostle & was not an eyewitness of Jesus’ death & resurrection. So . . . how did his gospel go on to be received as authoritative by the church?

This is where the story of Mark’s life gets really interesting.

Mark was a close friend & co-worker of the apostle Peter. Peter called him “my son.” And Mark was with Peter in Rome when he wrote his first letter in 62-63AD, which is obvious because Peter passing along Mark’s greeting (1 Peter 5:13). In addition, after hearing his stories from Peter, Mark wrote his gospel from Rome in 65AD or shortly thereafter to share Peter’s stories of all Jesus said & did. Mark wanted to preserve Peter’s eyewitness testimony before he died.

Papias, the bishop of Hierapolis, writing in about 110AD, confirms the accuracy of this statement, saying:

“Having become the interpreter of Peter, Mark wrote accurately—not, indeed, in order—as much as he remembered of the things said or done by the Lord [Jesus Christ]. For he had neither heard the Lord nor followed him, though later on, as I said, [he followed] Peter . . . ” Papias

What this means is: the gospel of Mark—like the other gospels—is not a collection of stories passed down orally through the first century; the gospel of Mark is eyewitness testimony from the apostle Peter.

Therefore, it’s not surprising that Mark mentions Peter more than any other gospel. In fact, nothing happens in the gospel in which Peter is not present.

The gospel of Mark is the record of the apostle Peter’s testimony & is the very word of God.

WHY MARK?

Studying any gospel would give us the opportunity to get to know Jesus better, so why study Mark?

The gospel of Mark seems particularly suited for us right now for several reasons.

First off, the gospel of Mark contains no fluff. No build up. No birth stories. No Gabriel. No wise men. Very little teaching. It gets right to the point & right to the action. It turns from scene to scene quickly, often utilizing the word “immediately,” to unveil all the dramatic things Jesus did.

The gospel of Mark doesn’t tell you Jesus is the King; the gospel of Mark shows you Jesus is the King.

But, the gospel of Mark is also “a pastoral response to stressful times.” The early 60sAD was a stressful time for Christians. The apostles were dying out. Christians were the objects of gossip & slander (1 Peter 2:15; 3:13-16; 4:12). They were accused of all sorts of crimes & were the objects of much suspicion.

In 64AD, things got worse. A disastrous fire swept through Rome on July 13, 64AD & Nero blamed the Christians for starting the fire. The historian Tacitus reported:

“Nero substituted as culprits, and punished with the utmost exquisite cruelty, a class loathed for their abominations, whom the crowd styled Christians. Christus, from whom the name is derived, had undergone the death penalty in the reign of Tiberius, by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilate. . . . Accordingly, arrest was first made of those who confessed [to being Christians]; next, on their disclosures, vast numbers were convicted, not so much on the charge of arson as for hatred of the human race. Every sort of derision was added to their deaths: they were wrapped in the skins of wild beasts and dismembered by dogs, others were nailed to crosses; others when daylight failed, were set afire to serve as lamps by night. Nero had offered his gardens for the spectacle and gave an exhibition in the circus, mingling with the people in the costume of a charioteer or mounted on a car.” Tacitus

So, Christians were facing much tribulation & persecution in the early 60sAD. And in the gospel of Mark, Christians get an up-close look at how Jesus responded to gossip, slander, betrayal, persecution, injustice, & crucifixion.

More than that, Mark’s gospel calls the followers of Christ to take up their cross & follow him (8:34-38). It will cost them much. But it will bring great reward. As our Lord promised the disciples, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life” (10:29-30).

Right now, we are experiencing stressful times—pandemic, social unrest, political division, & more. The gospel of Mark helps us see how to walk through these stressful days.

WHY KING’S CROSS?

King’s Cross is a railway station in London, England, made famous by the Harry Potter books. But it also wonderfully encapsulates the message of gospel of Mark.

The gospel of Mark is about Jesus the King who takes up his cross. The book breaks up nicely into two large sections: chapters 1-8 & chapters 9-16.

Chapters 1-8 unveil Jesus the King who rules over demons, disease, death, & more, speeding through 3 years of ministry.

Chapters 9-16 unpack Jesus taking up the cross, mainly slowly unfolding the final week of Jesus’ life.

Jesus is the King who takes up his cross.

But Jesus doesn’t just talk about his cross. The gospel of Mark is about Jesus the King who takes up his cross & calls you to take your cross as well.

PREACHING SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY–MARCH:

After the year of interruptions we have had, it would be almost laughable to map out the whole series. So, let’s start small. Below is a preaching schedule for January–March.

January 10 | Mark 1:1

January 17 | Mark 1:1-8

January 24 | Mark 1:9-11

January 31 | Mark 1:12-13

February 7 | Mark 1:14-20

February 14 | Mark 1:21-28

February 21 | Mark 1:29-45

March 7 | Mark 2:1-12

March 14 | Mark 2:13-22

March 21 | Mark 2:23-3:6

The 7-Year Research Paper

WHAT?

Who works on a single document for seven years!?

We do. We have. And now that document is done. It is our new Statement of Faith!

Paul commanded Timothy (& thus all churches) to “follow the pattern of the sound words you heard from, in the faith & love that are in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:13, see also 1 Tim 1:10).

A statement of faith is simply an explanation of what we believe. It is what we believe is sound or biblical doctrine. And this written out statement is one of the main things that unites us together as a church & to the family of churches to which we belong, Sovereign Grace Churches.

WHY ARE WE SO EXCITED?

At the heart of our union is the truth of God’s Word that we believe, cherish, & proclaim together. While the Bible is our only infallible rule of faith & practice, we are also committed—& accountable—to a specific statement of faith that represents a summary of the teaching of Holy Scripture on key points of doctrine essential to the beliefs, conduct, & witness of our churches.

It is at the heart of what we believe, cherish, & proclaim together. That’s why we are so excited!

And yes . . . this written statement took seven years to craft. It’s that important!

WALT’S ROLE

It should be noted that it was crafted by a the Theology Committee—nine men from different Sovereign Grace churches throughout the world. And our own Walt Alexander was added to this committee on January 1, 2021, which is a great honor.

We have this newly released Statement of Faith on our website. We encourage you to take time & read through it.

You can also find out more about the Statement of Faith at https://webelieve.sovereigngrace.com.

The truths in this Statement of Faith are the reason we rejoice & say together, “Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad & sing for joy”

There is unity in the church—even in "disputable matters."

It’s been a hard week for our country.

It’s painfully obvious again that our country is deeply divided—politically, but also in many other ways.

As a church, we don’t have all the answers. We don’t know the way forward. We don’t know what lies ahead. We love America—so we are frustrated, disappointed, broken, & hoping for answers.

UNITY IN JESUS CHRIST

When we gather each Sunday, we gather to remind one another that we are citizens of another country—our home country—& are united by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

No where in Scripture is this unity captured more powerfully than Ephesians 4:

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6

This unity is only possible through the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ. And it’s a unity that is deeper than family & country.

SERMON ON “DISPUTABLE MATTERS”

In times like these, where there is so much division around us, it’s vital for us as a church to look to & maintain the unity we share in Jesus Christ.

We may not agree as a church on how to raise our children or how to handle our liberties. We may not agree on how to handle a pandemic or what America needs to do next. We may not agree on those things & many other things. But, we do agree on the most important thing—the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Along these lines, I (Walt) recommend a message for you to listen to.

Last Sunday, my mentor & former pastor Bill Kittrell preached a message on Romans 14 entitled “Disputable Matters” [link]. Consider giving it a listen! I think you will find it helpful & instructive!

Membership Class—next Saturday, January 16!

The church is made of many parts that need each other.

In the New Testament, the church is compared to a body, a temple, a household, & a flock. Each of these metaphors describe a diverse group of individuals joined together into a single group with a single purpose.

For this reason—and a number of others—we practice church membership.

Church membership is our way of ensuring everyone at Trinity Grace experiences the blessing of belonging & serving together & the privilege of partnering together in the gospel.

If you just want to explore what we’re all about at Trinity Grace, this will be a great opportunity to dive in.

Becoming a member involves a few steps, beginning with the Membership Class.

Our next course will be Saturday, September January 16 (childcare provided).

Sign up here & we will supply you with all the information you need.

Community Groups on Zoom this Month.

This month, we are taking our Community Groups online.

As much as we love gathering together, we want to be careful, so that we can continue to gather each Sunday to worship.

There’s no real magic to these groups. It’s just a time to connect & keep up with each other. To share the joys & struggles of life. But, these times almost seem magical when the Spirit comes & builds us up through these ordinary moments!

Meeting in person is better—but Zoom is far better than not meeting at all.

Join in on Zoom with your Community Group this month!

Making History One Sunday at a Time!

2020 was a year like no other. And in 2021, we’re still making history.

This past Sunday was ground breaking. Our friend Taylor came down from Pastors College & preached the longest sermon in Trinity Grace history!

In all seriousness, wasn’t it great to have the Hollingsworths with us on Sunday & to be reminded of our present & future hope?

Thank you, Taylor! (Here’s a link to the full sermon)

TAYLOR’S QUOTES

All of the quotes Taylor shared were coming at us fast. And they were really good. Below are a few of them for you to ponder.

“What do we need to be saved from? We need to be saved from God-not from kidney stones, not from hurricanes, not from military defeats. What every human being needs to be saved from is God. The last thing in the world the impenitent sinner ever wants to meet on the other side of the grave is God. But the glory of the gospel is that One from whom we need to be saved is the very One who saves us. God in saving us saves us from Himself.” R.C. Sproul

“We are living in the age which lies between the two blazing beacons of the divine appearings, and we are called to hasten from one to the other...We have everything to hope for in the last appearing, as we have everything to trust to in the first appearing, and we have now to wait with patient hope throughout that weary interval which intervenes.” C.H. Spurgeon

“The best way to live now, in this present age, is to learn to do spiritually what is impossible to do physically, namely to look in opposite directions at the same time...this looking back and looking forward, this determination to live in the light of Christ’s two comings, to live today in the light of yesterday and tomorrow - this should be an essential part of our daily discipline. We need to say to ourselves regularly the great acclamation, ‘Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.’ For then, our present duties in the home will be inspired by the past and future [appearings] of Christ.” John Stott

A few discussion questions

Anytime we hear God’s word preached, we should be eager to hear what the Spirit is saying (Rev. 2:7). We want to be built up & equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Below are a few discussion questions for you to consider as you reflect on the message from Sunday.

1. Jesus came to bring “salvation for all people.” Obviously, that doesn’t mean everyone will be saved, but it does mean salvation is offered to all kinds of people. Who were some of the different people referenced in the book of Titus that Jesus saved?

2. After salvation, grace does not leave us. As Taylor says of us now, “Grace is your oxygen.” Do you typically live with the awareness that grace is unmerited favor to forgive and active power to train?

3. Titus 2:11-14 references two comings of Jesus. The first at his incarnation & the other at his return. How are these two comings or advents different?

4. How would it make a difference in your daily life if you lived in light of the truths that Christ has died; Christ has risen; & Christ will come again? How could it change the way you approach work or parenting or fighting indwelling sin?

2021 Bible Reading Plan

It’s a new year!

It’s so kind of the Lord to give us fresh starts… to begin anew. It’s great to set our sights on things that will help us grow in 2021.

One of the best things we can do is plan to read the Bible. But like Buddy shared this past Sunday, many of us don’t know where to begin.

Last year, we went through the entire New Testament with a specific, doable plan. This year, we’re going through the entire Old Testament.

The plan is simple:

• 2 Old Testament readings each day.

• 25 days a month—so you have built in catch-up days!

If you’re planning to read through this plan with us, we’d love for you to signup below. We want to pray for you and encourage you along the way. We can do it together… it’s worth it!