Eternal Life, Prayer, and Sin Read 1 John 4:13 – Who has eternal life? – What does believing in the name of the Son of God mean? Read 1 John 5:14-15 In 1 John 5:13-15, John moves from the greater to the lesser. If God has given us eternal life in Christ, then […]
2 Samuel 12:11-25: Prayer as the First Resort
July 1, 2012 by
You’re forgiven. So, now what; what do you do now? That’ worth asking, for the Christian life doesn’t end with forgiveness. That’s where it begins. So, what do you do now? And so we ponder our Old Testament reading. But that reading begins where we usually end the story of King David and Bathsheba. Earlier, […]
1st John, Lesson 3: God vs. Antichrists
June 27, 2012 by
Christ vs. Antichrists Read 1 John 2:18-23 Scripture predicts the coming of the Antichrist. The Apostle Paul warns about the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4). Yet, John refers to the coming of many antichrists—not just one. “Antichrist” means “one who takes the place of Christ.” So, anyone or anything that tries to topple Christ […]
The Sinner’s Prayer
June 25, 2012 by
This is our pastor’s next article for the local paper, The Stone County Gazette. As someone brought up as a Southern Baptist, a recent debate taking place within that church body captured my attention. Recently, much discussion has take place on what many call the “sinner’s prayer.” For those of you unfamiliar with such a […]
The Nativity (Birth) of St. John the Baptizer
June 25, 2012 by
John the Baptizer’s dad, Zechariah, is mute. He can’t speak, for when the angel Gabriel had told him that he would have a son, he did not believe. He was too old. His wife, Elizabeth, had already gone through menopause. So, of course he didn’t believe. And so, God judged the lips that denied His […]
Pastor Futrell on Issues Etc.
June 24, 2012 by
On June 21st, our pastor was on Issues Etc., a Lutheran radio talk show. To hear him help explain the Parable of the Prodigal Son, click here http://issuesetc.org/podcast/10390621121.mp3.
Revelation, Lesson 4: Chapter 1, “What You Have Seen”
June 24, 2012 by
The First Vision Read Revelation 1:9-11 – Why was John on Patmos? – What does John being “in the Spirit” and receiving what he does “on the Lord’s day” tell about the content of Revelation? Read Revelation 1:12-16 When John turned around, he saw what Daniel and Ezekiel had seen in their visions. […]
Two Paintings Will Soon Adorn SOTHLC’s Chancel
June 19, 2012 by
By Pr. Rich Futrell Note: The paintings in this article are not yet finished, and so you are seeing them in their draft form. You only see part of the Hodegetria painting. Last year, during a couple of Elders’ meetings, I discussed the possibility of having artwork in our church chancel that would boldly proclaim […]
1st John, Lesson 2: Love vs. Its Antitheses
June 19, 2012 by
Love vs. Hate Read 1 John 2:1-6 Excursus: Hilosmos Hilosmos: This is the Greek term, which the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) used for the Atonement Cover on the Ark of the Covenant. There, in the Old Covenant, the High Priest poured the blood of the sacrifices on the Ark, covering sin, represented […]
Parable of the Seed: Mark 4:26-34
June 17, 2012 by
A question I have sometimes pondered is this: “Does preaching do any good?” When I look at how many lives are NOT changed based on what I’ve preached, I can all-too-easily conclude that sermons are a waste of time. What do you think? But the real question isn’t what we may think, but what Jesus […]
