2023 Church Picnic
Although it rained a bit on Sunday afternoon, God used the light precipitation to draw our people and guests closer to one another under the Blue Top Pavilion at Renzie Park, occasioning even closer times of fellowship and connection. It's amazing how God works through circumstances like these, using what we might not typically choose to provide blessings we might have otherwise missed.
On behalf of our pastors, staff, and very grateful church family, thank you to all those whose planning, purchasing, cooking, baking, grilling, setting up, tearing down, and cleaning up made this installment of our annual church picnic another encouraging success. We sincerely appreciate you and your efforts! God made this memorable time of fellowship possible through you.
Law and Gospel and in That Order
By Pastor Kevin Labby
Many preachers like me are fond of saying, along with the Protestant Reformers, that God speaks two words in Scripture –law and gospel.
In short, the law tells us what we must do. The gospel proclaims what God has done.
Here's the thing: many churches and preachers are good at preaching one or the other. Unfortunately, only some are consistent at both, and even fewer teach both in their proper order.
If you preach only the law, you crush people. You first turn them into legalistic performers (trying their hardest) and then pretenders (faking it until they make it) until they ultimately pass out (give up, move on – usually broken and bitter toward God and his church).
October 2023 | VOLUME 49 | ISSUE NO.10
the EVANGEL OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF FIRST FREE CHURCH
2023 First Free Women’s Conference
October 14, 2023
8:45 am - 3:15 pm
@ First Free Church
Registration Fee $35includes continental breakfast, lunch and a conference gift
Do you have trouble thinking of words to say to God when you pray? Do you reach the end of a day only to realize you haven’t prayed at all? You’re not alone. Prayer is the way we relate to God, but sometimes it’s a struggle. Throughout God’s Word, we encounter many voices who teach us how to pray. Join us as we seek God in His Word and accept His invitation to draw near to Him in prayer at our annual conference!
Visit myfefc.org, call the church office, or sign up in the Main Lobby on Sunday to register!
Law and Gospel and in That Order
By Pastor Kevin Labby
Many preachers like me are fond of saying, along with the Protestant Reformers, that God speaks two words in Scripture –law and gospel.
In short, the law tells us what we must do. The gospel proclaims what God has done.
Here's the thing: many churches and preachers are good at preaching one or the other. Unfortunately, only some are consistent at both, and even fewer teach both in their proper order.
If you preach only the law, you crush people. You first turn them into legalistic performers (trying their hardest) and then pretenders (faking it until they make it) until they ultimately pass out (give up, move on – usually broken and bitter toward God and his church).
(Law and Gospel continued)
However, if you preach only the gospel, you confuse people. You tell them they need a Savior without explaining why or what he supposedly came to save them from.
What's the solution? We need to preach both law and gospel and in that order.
First, we preach the law, all our holy and righteous God justly requires of us. However, we must do it for God's compassionate purpose - to heal people, not hurt them. And that's the law's first purpose: to diagnose our needs and drive us to the Great Physician, Jesus (Romans 3:19-20, 7:7ff, Galatians 3:21, 24). For this reason, the great 19th-century preacher Charles Spurgeon likened the law to a needle that must first pierce us if the silken thread of the gospel would mend us.
We then need to preach the gospel, all that our gracious and merciful God has done for us in Jesus Christ - meeting every demand of God's law on our behalf, in his life, death, and resurrection (Matthew 5:17; John 19:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
However, what happens next is critical. We need to trust the gospel. It's not law, and then gospel and back to the law to keep ourselves in the gospel. It's the law and then the gospel – and that's it. Once you sincerely turn to Jesus by grace through faith, he forgives and frees you (Romans 3:20, 28; 6:14; 10:4; Galatians 2:16; 3:10-11; Ephesians 2:8-10). God holds no wrath toward his children. Not now. Not ever (Romans 8:1-2).
2023 First Free Church Picnic
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
ANNIVERSARIES
Mick & Diane DeStefano
Special Thanks!
Next Gen Prayer
October 1 @ 12:00 PM
Operation Christmas Child Begins
October 1
Couple’s Hayride
October 7 @ 6:00 PM
Senior Achievers Luncheon
October 10 @ 11:00 AM
First Free Women’s Conference
October 14 - 8:45 AM-3:15 PM
White Cross
October 17
Day of Prayer and Fasting
October 19
Prayer and Praise Service
October 19 @ 7:00 PM
General Assembly Mtg
October 22 following worship
45 years
John $ Jean Callahan
61 years
Dave & Linda Parkinson
50 years
Kevin & Donna Timlin
35 years
Norbert & Erika Sliwinski
59 years
BIRTHS
Congratulations to Beth Burge on the birth of her grandson, Dustin Burge, September 24. Parents are David & Monique Burge. Dustin joins big sister & big brother, Mikelle & Declan.
SYMPATHIES
Janie Bowen & family at the passing of husband, father and grandfather, Dick Bowen
Thank you to the following for planting, watering, weeding, and dead-heading this season on the First Free grounds!
Beth Ragan
Tammy Deemer
Mark, Sarah, Cannon, & Colt Gillingham
Joel & Lisa Meilander
Bill & Timberly Painter
Tracy & Abigail Weiss
Stephanie Zajdel & Kids
MEMORIAL GIFTS
Keith Bower
Dorothy Dubyak
Ron Dries
Jim Charlesworth
Lucinda Jones
Dave and Barb Badstibner
