Authentic - Mutual Submission
I Peter 3:8 – 9
“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”
I Peter 3:8 – 9
It’s good to be right. And I’m right a lot. As a matter of fact there’s nothing quite like the feeling of getting into a ‘discussion’ with someone and being able to use a few well placed words to put that person in their place. It’s a guilty pleasure, really. Watching someone squirm beneath the flawless logic, the demonstrable evidence and the undeniable truth that I’m right and they are wrong. Regardless of the stature of the person when they face me in debate over matters serious or trivial I watch with glee as they shrink before me – my command of language, fact, tone of voice and countenance driving the situation so that my opponent is shamed into submission.
Don’t talk to me about diplomacy, humility or loving others. What good is humility if I let someone walk all over me? What kind of love would let someone tell me I’m wrong when I’m so clearly right? Diplomacy is the forum of the weak. I have rights and I intend to defend them. I deserve respect and demand to be given what’s owed me. It’s good to be right. And I’m right a lot.
I don’t know very many people who would confess such a thing as written above. But I see evidence of these thoughts a lot in our world today. It’s the kind of thing that causes divorce, rends relationships between parents and children, causes siblings to rival and churches to split. In business it creates ‘Management’ and ‘Unions’. In friendships it leaves scars that never heal and in church it kills the ministry.
We are Americans and we have RIGHTS! We’ll defend these rights to the death, and rightly so – the rights we have are hard earned, noble and worth defending. Unfortunately the word RIGHTS has come to encompass so much more than the noble ideas of life & liberty. I have a right to speak my mind – even if what I say is offensive. I have a right to do what I want – even at the expense of others. I have a right to be respected – even if the way I act is disrespectful.
As Believers in Jesus Christ we’ve said we want to imitate the Master. I Corinthians 11:1 says, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.” And to fulfill this verse today is contrary to what comes naturally. Jesus was the smartest, purest person to ever live. While you and I may be right a lot. Jesus was ALWAYS right. He could have won every argument. With a few words He could have put anyone in their place. He could have let everyone He met know how insignificant they are in His presence. He could have demanded His own way. He could have ignored you and me and been right to do so. He could have proved points. But He didn’t. He proved love.
He gave up His rights. He lived in submission to His parents, with His friends, even to the political and religious leaders of the day. He gave up His RIGHT to be God and use His godliness to demand His own way in order to secure for us a salvation that we reject, do not deserve, and certainly undervalue. He placed so much value on the idea of mutual submission that He showed us how to do it. How important is mutual submission? Jesus uses it to define who we are in Him. He says, “They will know you are Christians by your love.” In Ephesians 5 and 6 He tells us to submit to one another. He actually says that submission should define our relationships.
So how seriously do you take Him when He tells you to submit? Are you willing to lay down your ‘rights’ in order to be right with someone else? Are you ready to give ground on an issue in your marriage, not because you are wrong, but because you value your spouse more than your own opinion? Will you stop wearing your emotions on your sleeve because somehow you think someone at work or at church doesn’t show you the proper amount of respect?
This is mutual submission – an expression of humility, recognition that there are only a small handful of offenses worth breaking a relationship over, and an understanding that the list of these offenses is not something I come up with on my own, but that have their source in God’s opinion as defined in His Word.
This week…lose an argument, give ground, say you’re sorry, maybe not because you’re wrong, but because, like Jesus, you value your relationships more than your own opinion.
Love y’all, God Bless,
BTW…if you’re thinking, “He’s right! I hope so-and-so reads this! Maybe they’ll come talk to me about that one thing now!” Then you are a living example of the first two paragraphs!
I Peter 3:8 – 9
“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”
I Peter 3:8 – 9
Notes to Notice
FarPoint Cancellation
Last year FarPoint Weekend was a great time for us to come together with other churches and learn a bit more about what it means to be lead worshippers. Events like this are sometimes necessary every year and sometimes not. This is one of those years. We will cancel FarPoint Weekend this year due to a variety of scheduling conflicts with other churches and the need to be mindful the time of the volunteers within FBCO. I’m grateful to the leaders within the Christian Arts Ministry who have prepared to teach during this weekend and for those who have helped me get the word out! Keep your material fresh – it’s something the members of our own team need to hear and something we will share with other churches at a future FarPoint Weekend.
Christmas Plans – “Christmas Past…Present…Eternal”
This December we’ll celebrate Christmas all month long! How!? The first weeks of December we’ll celebrate with a dinner theater:
“As Time Goes By” – A lifetime of Christmas traditions and celebrations through the eyes of faith, family & Friends.
Written by our very own, Randy Thomas, this funny and family-focused drama will capture your heart as it captures the heart of Christmas throughout multiple generations. This is not musical theater – but a three act play. We’ll need volunteers for acting, stage craft, costuming, technical arts, hosting, food services and everything in between. To audition or volunteer contact Randy Thomas, Randy.Thomas@esp-tulsa.com, or Chad Balthrop, chad@fbcowasso.org.
AUDITIONS for “As Time Goes By”
Sign up this Sunday in the Foyer for Audition times & location - Members of CAST FOR CHRIST can begin sign up tonight.
NEXT Wednesday Night @ 8:00pm we’ll have an open casting call - where you can find out details about “As Time Goes By” and sign up for auditions as well!
Sunday Night, December 10th - “Christmas Past…Present…Eternal” with the Celebration Choir and Praise Band, Instrumental Ensemble, KICK & PreKICK Choirs! During this great concert we’ll share Christmas music and family Christmas stories…stories of Christmas past, present and eternal! We’ll have a Dress Rehearsal on December 9th, from 9am - Noon.
Sunday Night, December 17th - “A Family Christmas HomeComing” with the Families of FBCO. This is the night we sing our favorite Christmas songs as a congregation. This year we’ll have a twist – our special music will come from families within FBCO. Great music combined with stories of family Christmas traditions will make this a night people won’t forget.
Christmas Eve – Sunday Night, December 24th - Every year our Christmas Eve Candle Lighting Service is standing room only! This year we will pack the Worship Center TWICE – with two, hour long opportunities for the people of our community to celebrate the birth of our Savior. We’ll ask every available Choir, Praise Band, Instrumental Ensemble, KICK and Tech member to be available for BOTH Christmas Eve Services.
Christmas Eve Rehearsal 4:00pm
Christmas Eve FIRST SERVICE 5:00pm
Christmas Eve SECOND SERVICE 7:00pm
Celebration Choir in the PM Service
Be watching here for more details! This season the Celebration Choir will lead a couple of times during our Sunday PM, New Community Service – Dates to be announced!
Praise Teams
Everyone who auditioned for Praise Teams did a great job. This semester we’ll also have some impromptu Praise Teams that serve in our PM services, so if your name is not listed below, don’t fret – there are places for you to sing yet! Below are listed the Sunday AM Teams.
September December March June
S – Lori Thrun
S –
A – Michelle Maxwell
A – Cindy DeWitt
T – Greg Hall
B – Brad Williams
October January April July
S –
S – Wendi Stacy
A – Misty Brown
A –
T – Vance Henderson
B – Steve Cole
November February May August
S – Vanessa Kehl
S – Merilee Purnell
A – Susan Thomas
A – Lindy Dwyer
T – Jim Brown
B – Darin
House Cleaning – the Logistics of Details
Online Blog
Catch current and previous issues of theScore online @ http://www.thefarpoint.blogspot.com/
Online CamCast, PodCast
Heard of PodCasting? Now you can subscribe to the CamCast! CamCast is a new way I can get music and information delivered directly to your computer, iPod or other mp3 player. Using iTunes, Yahoo Music, Google Music or any other free PodCatcher you can subscribe to the CamCast and your reader will automatically inform you when updates are made. Sometimes these updates will be mp3 files of songs we are about do. Sometimes they will be devotional or informational. Subscribe today and have access to all the songs we’re giving you on CD. Stay tuned – there’s more to come! How do I subscribe?
Visit http://www.thefarpoint.blogspot.com/ and click the CAMCAST button located on the right side of the page, then follow the instructions. OR
Copy this link http://feeds.feedburner.com/fbccamcast into your iTunes software.
Online Resources
At http://www.fbcowasso.org/ you can now click FBCO RESOURCES – then select Christian Arts Ministry. Under that heading you will find several categories – under Order of Service & Support Files you will find the order of service for this week and in the other categories you will find the music charts that go along with the songs in the Order of Service. Mostly this is Praise Band music, but some of these charts include Instrumental Ensemble music and ALL of them include VOCALS – hopefully this can be a resource for us all in the coming days!
Weekly Schedule Reminder
Here are the CALL TIMES for a typical SUNDAY AM – Remember, ON TIME = EARLY EARLY = READY and from 8:30 – 8:50 we’ll clear the platform and all meet in Fellowship Hall for a light, continental style breakfast and for last minute instructions, prayer & consecration. I look forward to seeing everyone there!
SUNDAY
Þ 7:15am TECH PREP
Þ 7:30 Drama Sound Check and Rehearse
Þ 7:45 Praise Band Sound Check
Þ 8:00 Instrumental Ensemble
Þ 8:15 Special Music
Þ 8:20 Celebration Choir
Þ 8:30 Stage Clear, Doors Open, Background Music & Announcements Run
Þ 8:50 Countdown begins
Þ 8:55 Prelude – Live, instrumental, congregational or choir…
Þ 9:00 Service Begins
WEDNESDAY
Þ 6:00pm Instrumental Ensemble WC
Þ 6:30 Celebration Choir Tech Prep RM 800 & WC
Þ 7:00 Praise Band with IE WC
Þ 7:30 ALL
Þ 7:30 Drama Team RM 800
Þ 8:05 Praise Band & Praise Teams WC
Þ 9:00 Cookie Time!
Sunday AM – 09-10-06
AweStruck – “I Am the Light of the World”
Pre-service – COUNTDOWN CD
PRE-SERVICE
Give Us Clean Hands – G, CHART
SERVICE START
CONGREGATIONAL MUSIC
Magnify the Lord – G, SAP – 78
WELCOME
Dr.
WELCOME SONG
The Solid Rock – F, CHART
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty – F, BH – 14
My Jesus I Love Thee – F, BH – 210
Here I Am to Worship – E, CHART
SPECIAL MUSIC – MEN’S QUARTET
MESSAGE
Dr.
INVITATION
Here I Am to Worship
OFFERING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Page Cole
Presentation of New Members
Close
The Solid Rock – F, CHART
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