Sparks Highlights 4.16.14

   We have been learning over the last few weeks why Jesus can be trusted as our Savior.  Now, when we put our faith in Him as our Savior – what comes next?    We are told in John 3:16 that if we believe in Jesus as our Savior we will have everlasting life.  But Jesus also claims that unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  The belief is more than just accepting that Jesus is who He says He is – it is about surrendering your life to Him.  When we truly put our faith in Him and understand to truly take to heart why Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, that belief is confessing our sin, turning our life to Him to let Him lead us and change us.  That is the being Born Again that Jesus is talking about in John 3 where we were studying tonight.  Your Sparkie’s butterfly is just an example of that change.  Caterpillars are a living being that changes itself into a butterfly – it metamorphoses in the cocoon to become a butterfly.  It is still the same living creature – it just looks different and acts different as a butterfly – it is born again in a sense as new appearance.  That is just like us when we let Jesus change us – we are still the same living creature, but when we are born again by our surrender and His changing us – we are the same living creature, but we act different – and look different to others when they see that change.  What a great time to make a change in your life, if you haven’t already – be spiritually born again this spring season – when the physical world around us is sprouting new life, so can you in Christ Jesus.    What an amazing thought as we head into Easter - Resurrection Sunday this coming week!   

We have breakfast at the church at 8:30 AM – come celebrate Christ’s Resurrection with us!

You are welcome to join us anytime at Sparks!   

 You can also check out the AWANA program at           www.fbc.littletonil.org.    

Sparks Highlights 4.9.14

****Sparks Highlights****    We have seen the amazing attributes of our Savior Jesus – He is Holy, He is Powerful, He is our Provider, He is our Teacher, He is our Healer,  He is also our Shepherd, and tonight, we learned how He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.   God the Father proclaimed Him publicly at the time of Jesus' baptism as His Son of whom He was well pleased – so God told us who Jesus was – and Jesus proclaims the bold statement that He is the only way, truth and the life.  He is the only means of salvation, He is the only means to Heaven, He is the only means to God.  Jesus in John 14 tells us that He is the only means or way to the father – He is the Way.  Throughout the New Testament, teachings dealt with sin and its penalty, and the Bible describes Jesus as the very word of God in the flesh – He is the truth.  Our key Sparkie verse John 3:16 tells us that God gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life – He is the Life.  There are a lot of false teachings out in the world that people can make it to heaven – get to God - by good works, by spirituality, by living by rules, by religion, by self-proclaimed prophets such as Mohammed, Buddha, Joseph Smith.  These are all false beliefs.  Jesus is the ONLY truth and ONLY way to God, and therefore the ONLY life.   We can trust Him as our Savior because of whom He says He is.  He is the only person to have claimed He would rise from the dead – and He did just as He said!  We are looking forward to celebrating that on Resurrection Sunday.  And, He can make those claims of who He is because He showed Himself to be holy and without sin, powerful as our creator and in control of all, provides us our very substance, teaches the truth, heals our every infirmity – particularly our sinful heart, shepherds us and at the same time was the sacrificial lamb for our sin penalty. But most significant of all, He can be our Savior because God says He is and that He is the only way, only truth, and only life.

You are welcome to join us anytime at Sparks!    You can also check out the AWANA program at           www.fbc.littletonil.org.    

Mrs. Jennifer Schroeder, Mrs. Carol Sheley, Mrs. Barb Stein.

Sparks Highlights 4.2.14

****Sparks Highlights****    We have seen the amazing attributes of our Savior Jesus – He is Holy, He is Powerful, He is our Provider, He is our Teacher, He is our Healer, AND He is also our Shepherd.    The Bible tells us that we are alike sheep who have gone astray and Luke Chapter 15 tells us that Jesus, our Good Shepherd cares enough for each and every one us that He will come to find His sheep that have gone astray – one of the many.   What a comforting thought that Jesus cares for each of us to consider us that much loved that He would come to find one of the many!  Psalm 23 tells us, too, that the Lord is our Shepherd and we shall not be in want as He supplies our very most needs – even before we know it.   If you know anything about sheep, it is that they are helpless animals that need to be led to food and shelter and need to be protected from other animals that hunt them.  So just like sheep, we need a leader for our lives and a protector from the evil one Satan – who the Bible says hunts for whomever he can devour.   Jesus is that leader for our lives, but in order for Him to lead, we have to surrender our wills to His.  And not only is He the Shepherd, but He is also proclaimed to be the spotless Lamb of God as He was the sacrificial lamb for our sins.   Easter is a celebration of His sacrifice for us.  His death provided the payment of the penalty of our sins – what a Shepherd to do that for His flock!  Jesus took the penalty, but went on to conquer death as He rose again.  No one else is able to take our penalty and no one else has been able to conquer death.  What precious truth to consider this Easter Season – as that is what Easter is all about – His resurrection.   The grace of God provides us Jesus as the payment for our death sentence of sin, and that we can have eternal life if we have faith and accept Jesus as our Shepherd – our Savior.

You are welcome to join us anytime at Sparks!    You can also check out the AWANA program at           www.fbc.littletonil.org.    

Mrs. Jennifer Schroeder, Mrs. Carol Sheley, Mrs. Barb Stein.