Questions With An Eternal Impact

This was the title of my message this past Sunday. It came from Acts 16:30. The jailer had seen and heard Paul and Silas react to being beaten and imprisoned. He heard them as they prayed and sang songs of praise. Then he experienced the shaking of the earthquake that opened the doors of the prison. He fully expected to find the jail empty. Why wouldn’t the prisoners run for their lives? But they did not and Paul stopped the jailer from taking his own life. What happened next is amazing. The jailer asked “What must I do to be saved?” I hear in his question the desire to have what Paul and Silas had; to have meaning and purpose beyond immediate circumstance; to have faith in the face of persecution. What must I do to have that?

We may forget that those around us watch us. We are followers of Jesus Christ. We have been born again, filled with His Holy Spirit, part of a community of faith. We are not perfect but we are to be different. How do we handle adversity? How do we treat others, especially others who are not like us? What comes out of our mouths and hearts when we are wronged the way Paul and Silas were wronged? The prayer and praise was powerful and had an impact.

What must I do to be saved? That is a great question with an eternal impact. Today people may ask that question using different words. They might ask questions or comments like these: “How do you remain so calm under these circumstances?”, “How can you survive such a devastating loss?”, “I could never do what you did!”. We want to be open and sensitive to the questions they might ask. It could be a question with an eternal impact like “What must I do to be saved?”

Just for fun: Did you know that most questions are not questions?

See you Sunday, good Lord willing. By the way, we have room for you at Class 101: Discovering Membership at JIBC. Would love for you to join us for your first time or for a refresher. Just let us know if you are coming.

Pastor Tom

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? 

I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” 

Isaiah 43:19 

God has a history of doing something new. That was the title of this Sunday’s message. It is easy to chronicle throughout the Word of God that He has a history of doing a new thing. Our theme verse is an excellent place to start. Read it again. Try to memorize it. Let this be a new…see what I did there…part of your theological understanding of our Heavenly Father.

Now here is the challenge: You can’t receive the new way of God until you open your hand and let go of the old way. If you are familiar with Experiencing God you may remember this: You can’t go with God and stay where you are! I love the idea of God doing a new thing. But truthfully a new thing can be challenging. It is easy to get comfortable with an old way or an old thing. Sometimes when God starts a new thing in a new way in our lives, the greatest opposition comes from the old things with its old ways.

The good news is that God has a history of doing new things, of making a way in the wilderness of life, of making rivers where there has been deserts. John 5:17 says the Father is always at work. I believe that and pray that He will help us to “perceive it” as Isaiah says. Perhaps He is doing something new in your family; your work; your spiritual life; James Island Baptist; our country? I know our Father has a history of doing a new thing. Let’s look for it and expect it. I am praying He will continually do a new thing in my life and that I will be able to see it and embrace it. May the deserts you experience be flooded and overflow with the river of God’s blessing. May the wilderness in your life that seemed so empty and barren become a place of abundant blessing. We must be willing to open our hands and let go of the old to receive the new thing God is doing.

By the way, speaking of God doing a new thing, Pastor Frankie Gilmore has accepted a call to a sister church in the Summerville area. He began with us as an intern while he was at Charleston Southern. We called him to a part time position as soon as one was available. As his wedding date moved closer, he needed a full time salary so he went to work for one of the Escape Venues here in Charleston. We then put together a full time package to help meet his needs and called him back to JIBC. I am so excited for Frankie and Jen and the opportunity ahead for them. This will be a great opportunity to grow even more. They are loved and will always be a welcomed part of the JIBC family. He has been one of the most versatile staff members we have ever had and he served with such a willing heart. Just like Frankie and Jen, we now open our hand to let go of the old way to receive the new way and the new thing God is doing.

Hope to see you Sunday, good Lord willing!

Pastor Tom

A New Way

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up;

do you not perceive it? I am making a way…”

Isaiah 43:19

This is the first verse I will memorize in 2021.  It is the theme of our church new year.  It would be a good one to add to your list of memorized verses.   My thanks to Pastor Scott for teaching Sunday and introducing the New Year’s Theme: A New Way.  I am looking forward to continuing this series Sunday! 

Speaking of a new way…here are two “new” things that will be happening. Both of them are Covid-19 related.  We are trying our absolute best to make progress while also trying to do our best to mitigate the spread of this virus.  It is a bit like keeping one foot on the dock while having the other foot on the boat.  Lol!   We are, with cautious optimism, wading back into a full church schedule.  We are adding one or two things at a time.  We will then evaluate and make course corrections as we go. 

 WEDNESDAY NIGHT DINNERS ARE BACK WEDNESDAY JANUARY13!  You can sign up online or this Sunday during worship to reserve a spot at the Wednesday night meal.  Tables will be spread out with limited seating at each table.  We will have some new options for payments.  You can pay with cash but you must have the exact amount.  That helps everyone not “touch” the money more than necessary.  We are also trying to make it possible to pay by debit card (that is still being worked out).  The cost is $5 per adult and youth and $3 for children.  Bear with us while we work out the details.  Please wear your mask until you are seated at your table.  No one will be allowed in the Kitchen area except the Kitchen Krew.  They will accept “air hugs and kisses” from a distance! 

SUNDAY CHANGES.   We will be receiving the offering as we did during the Christmas Eve services.  Our leader/servants will hold the offering plates as they walk down each aisle.  That limits the contact and is a method of offering more similar to what our church family is use to.  You may, of course, still place your offering in one of the offering boxes located in the worship center.   A growing number of our church families and friends are giving online now, but for some, it is still their preference to give at the service.  We are providing multiple opportunities.  Giving is very much a part of our worship experience. 

“See, I am doing a new thing!”  Let’s join Him is what He is doing.

Pastor Tom