Tag: Little Rock Families

Joy Unshakable: He Who Began a Good Work

Joy Unshakable: He Who Began a Good Work

This week at River City Reformed, we will continue in our exposition of the book of Philippians. As we’ve studied Paul’s greeting, this week we begin the body of his letter. One of the things that we see is that Paul is truly thankful to God for the Philippian Christians and not only for them, but also for the work that God is doing in them. And he writes in verse 6, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Join us this week for worship at 9 AM as we study Philippians 1:3-8. We meet at 9820 W Markham St (the sanctuary of Faith United Methodist Church). For more information, click here or contact us. You can also watch our service on YouTube with a link posted to our Facebook page.

Servants of Christ Jesus

Servants of Christ Jesus

This week at River City Reformed, we begin a new series in the book of Philippians. This book is known as one of Paul’s most affectionate letters to a church which he dearly loved. As we read over the book of Philippians, however, we note that they, like any church, face a number of challenges. In Paul’s letter, he charges them to unity, to avoid the false teaching that threatens the church, and he points them to joy that is lasting and eternal in Jesus Christ.

The verses we will study this Lord’s Day are found in Philippians 1:1-2. The passage reads, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus. To all the saints who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” It is no small thing that the way Paul identifies himself in this greeting is as a servant of Christ. His whole life is bound up in Jesus Christ and in being a servant of Him. Paul will charge the Philippians in this letter to pursue humility and to flee from selfishness and pride, and Paul points to his own life as an example–he is not a servant of self, but a servant of Christ.

Please join us this week as we begin our study of Philippians. We meet for worship at 9820 W Markham St. in Little Rock (the sanctuary of Faith United Methodist Church) at 9 AM. For more information, click here or contact us. You can also watch our service on YouTube with a link posted to our Facebook page. Most weeks after worship we have a coffee hour at the Ritcheys’ house, and we meet again at 6:15 in the evening for prayer meeting. We hope that you can join us.

A New Chapter

A New Chapter

At times in one’s life, they say things like, “I’m beginning a new chapter.” This is very often a new circumstance, a new phase in one’s life. The construction of the Tabernacle, I think, represents something of a new chapter in the life of Israel. All of Exodus really leads to that final point in Exodus 40, when we are told, “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” (Exodus 40:34) Now in this new chapter, the Lord would lead them even as He dwelled among them so closely.

The people of God surely were prone to think this day would never come, would God would dwell among them in such a tangible way. That’s at least what we see in the narrative of the Golden Calf, that they had given up hope waiting on God. But still the Lord forgave them, and in Exodus 35-40 we see changed hearts in the lives of the people.

All of this regarding the Tabernacle, however foreshadows a greater moment in redemptive history–when “…the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,….” (John 1:14)

Join us for worship this Lord’s Day at 9 AM at 9820 W Markham St (the sanctuary of Faith United Methodist Church). For more information, click here, or contact us. You can also watch our service on YouTube with a link posted to our Facebook page.

Covenant Renewal

Covenant Renewal

In Exodus 32, Aaron and the people sinned by making a golden calf and worshipping it. They rejected the entirety of the first table of God’s law in this action. While God has spared most of the people, there have still been severe consequences.

And yet, what we see in Exodus 33 and 34 is that God has not utterly abandoned His people. Moses intercedes before God on behalf of the people, and the Lord is gracious to hear him. As He reveals Himself to Moses in part (Moses could not see the fullness of God’s glory and live), the grace and faithfulness of God is evident in spite of the faithlessness of His people. He even renews the covenant with them by giving them two new tablets, which contained the contents of the others which Moses had broken.

We are drawn to so many truths in this passage–the character of God, the invincibility of a greater Intercessor to whom Moses points (Christ Himself) and the hope which He has secured for His people.

Join us this Lord’s Day at 9 AM for worship as we study this passage. We meet at 9820 W Markham St. in Little Rock (the sanctuary of Faith United Methodist Church). For more information, click here, or contact us. You can also watch our service on YouTube with a link posted to our Facebook page.

The Golden Calf

The Golden Calf

In Exodus 32, we read of one the most sobering accounts of sin and idolatry in all of Scripture. The people of God have grown impatient waiting for Moses as he is on Mount Sinai receiving Tabernacle instructions, so they demand that Aaron (the one designated as their spiritual leader) make for them gods to worship. He follows the voice of the people and crafts a golden calf.

What we see in the passage is the seriousness of sin and idolatry. There is never a time in the Scripture when sin is treated as an unserious thing. In this account, there are grave consequences.

Yet at the same time, Moses seeks to intercede on behalf of the people, and he even desires to make atonement for them. Though God is gracious to hear Moses, he cannot make atonement for them. He also is a sinful man, but as we view this passage we are drawn to the One who is the perfect Mediator, atonement and Intercessor for the people of God–Jesus Christ.

Join us this Lord’s Day at River City Reformed as we consider this passage together. We meet at 9 AM for worship at 9820 W Markham St (the sanctuary of Faith United Methodist Church). For more information, click here, or contact us. You can also watch our service on YouTube with a link posted to our Facebook page.