Article for Hayes Center Times Republican #3

What is Easter all about?

            We celebrate Easter every Spring. Have you ever wondered what the holiday is all about? It all started nearly 2000 years ago. A man was born with unusual circumstances in the small city of Bethlehem. He was born among farm animals and His first crib was a manger. This of course is the Christmas story. Look forward around thirty years, there is more to the story. Jesus Christ had gained a following as a teacher and miracle worker. His teaching did not always please the religious leaders of the time, but many people heard Him gladly. When He had been preaching for about three years, the religious leaders finally had a plan. They paid one of His disciples to betray Him so they could take Him by night, when there was no crowd. They arrested Him and put Him on trial. They hired people to testify falsely about Him and finally they found Him worthy of death. They were able to convince the Roman Governor to put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. Jesus died and was buried.

            This may seem like the end of the story, but it is not. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead. Death could not hold Him. He rose from the dead in a changed body which would never die again and is currently in Heaven. This is what we celebrate at Easter. The stone was rolled away from the entrance of the tomb. The tomb was empty inside. It is the miracle of Easter.

            All of Christianity rotates upon this fact of history. If the resurrection never happened, Jesus would be a footnote in history. Instead, many millions of people worship Him today. You may be asking how this effects you. Jesus’ rising from the dead shows that He was what He said He was. His claims are true. What then were His claims? He claimed to be God in several instances which the Jews of His day picked up on and tried to kill Him for. He claimed to be the only way to God. He said in John 14:6-7 that “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him” (ESV). Jesus provided the only way to God. There is no other way. You see, humanity has a problem. We have all broken God’s law and God must enact justice, but He loves us and wants to forgive. God would be just to send every human being to hell because of our sin. Yet He doesn’t. Paul wrote in Romans about this when he said, “It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:26, ESV) God could not leave sin unpunished and still be just. Therefore, Jesus took upon Himself the punishment of sin. When He died upon the cross, sin was paid for. How does this become effective for you? You must trust Christ that He has paid for your sin. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, ESV)  Will you believe in Him and have eternal life?

            I would like to invite you to some events at Bethel. On Easter Sunday at 7:00 am we will be having a Sunrise Service at the church with breakfast following. We will then have our Worship Service at 10:00 am. Will you join us?

Luke Wolford, Pastor, Bethel Baptist Church

Article for Hayes Center Times Republican #2

This article should appear in the January 20th edition of the Hayes Center Times Republican.

What Is the Church?

     Why is Sunday Morning Worship so important anyway? I would rather sleep in, or catch the NFL pregame shows. Church is important. The writer of Hebrews, a book in the New Testament of the Bible, gives us a hint into its importance. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24–25, ESV) The motivation for the readers of this letter was persecution. If they were not identified as Christians, then they would be left alone. It was tempting for them to not meet together anymore. The writer (we’re not sure who wrote Hebrews) told them they were not to do this. The reason is obvious from the passage. Together they were to encourage one another to live out their calling as Christians. They were to show God’s love and goodness to the world and together they would encourage one another to this end. The Christian life is meant to be lived out together. It isn’t a Lone Ranger affair. Besides, even he had Tanto. The Church is not a building. It is the people of God who are called out as His assembly and He has called them to live in community with one another and their communities around them. There are deficiencies in my life which I need others to help fill while I help to fill the deficiencies in others. God has designed it that way, which is why Paul uses the body as an apt description of the church.
     This may lead to a misconception. Some may think that if they just go to church, then they will be right with God. That is not the case. It is not church attendance which merits you entrance into Heaven. In fact, nothing you do can merit you anything before God. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. Jesus died upon the cross in order to appease God’s wrath at sin. God must punish sin, but God also loves the world as John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (ESV) We cannot save ourselves. Without God we are doomed. But God sent His Son to die in our place that if we will but believe on Him, we will have everlasting life. To believe is to put your total trust in Christ that His death merited life for you; that His death paid for your sins. No amount of doing good or church attendance will save you. That will come after as God works in you to make you more like Christ day by day, year by year. Doing good is an effect of salvation, not its cause.
     On a final note, on behalf of Bethel Baptist Church our condolences go out to the Korell family during their time of loss. We are praying for you.

New Opportunities at Bethel

     If you could ask God one question, what would it be? A new study at Bethel will be delving into just that topic. We will be studying If You Could Ask God One Question by Paul Williams and Barry Cooper on Sunday nights starting February 13th at 6:00 pm.
     Starting on February 16th we will be starting a Bible study for Jr. and Sr. High looking at what makes a Christian tick. We will meet at the pastor’s house at 203 Troth from 7:00-8:30 pm every Wednesday night.
     If you need any further information, please feel free to call Luke at 286-3346 or check out our website at http://bethelbaptisthc.com
Luke Wolford
Pastor, Bethel Baptist Church

Article for Hayes Center Times Republican #1

This is an article which was put in the December 16th edition of the Hayes Center Times Republican.

What does Christmas mean to you? To some it is a time for family and gift-giving. To others it is a time of pain remembering those who have left us. Christmas can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. For us, Christmas is a time to remember the greatest gift ever given. God sent His Son to be born of a virgin into our world. The Creator became a helpless baby, born into a stable with a feeding trough as a crib. God’s greatest gift to man was given at Christmas. God, Who must be just and judge sin, also loved man. Jesus Christ is the solution to God’s justice and love. God’s great gift of His Son provided forgiveness of sin for those who would believe in Him. Since Jesus took the punishment for sin, God’s justice has been satisfied. He has promised that those who put their faith in Christ, believing that His death paid for their sin and that God raised Him from the dead, will be forgiven, but only those who believe. Bethel will be celebrating this great gift on Wednesday, December 22nd at 7:00 pm at our Candlelight Service. Please join us!

Luke Wolford, Pastor, Bethel Baptist Church