Friday Evening

One of the things Sam encourages you to do in the video is watch the film, The Passion of the Christ (2004). Here are some links, if you would like to do that:

Free versions

Amazon Prime

Vudu (with ads)

Paid versions

Amazon

Apple

Google

Here are some songs that might accompany the message today:

Alas and Did My Savior Bleed

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

There is a Fountain Filled with Blood

How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

Galatians 3:13 - “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree—“ (ESV).

Friday Morning

The Hour of Darkness and Christ's Hour (Gethsemane 4) - Luke 22:52-53

Thursday Morning

Strengthening and Suffering (Gethsemane 3) - Luke 22:43-44

Wednesday Morning

Submitted to God (Gethsemane 2) - Matthew 26:39-42

Tuesday Morning

Sorrowful & Troubled (Gethsemane 1) - Matthew 26:36-38

We strongly urge the body of Christ at SGC to join to together and commit to…

1. Read God’s Word everyday (Matt. 4:4).

• Be in the Word individually to guard your hearts and minds in Christ.
• If you don’t know what to read, consider working through books like 1 Peter, James, and/or 1 Samuel. The Psalms are also wonderful and comforting to be reading regularly.
• Be in the Word as a family (resource: Family Worship Bible Guide from SGC).

2.   Pray for each other, the lost, and the world every day (1 Thess. 5:16-18).

• Pray that God would be glorified through and in the midst of this trial.
• Pray that God would use this time powerfully for personal spiritual growth.
• Pray for opportunities to minister to or serve others and point them to Christ.

3.   Contact one SGC brother or sister in Christ every day to check-in with, encourage, hold accountable, help, and/or pray with (Heb. 3:12-13).

• Contact people you naturally connect with.
• Contact people you don’t know as well, but would like to know better (note Church Directory).
• Contact people you think might need or appreciate encouragement.
• Reach-out to serve your neighbors and unbelieving acquaintances.

4.   Listen to messages from SGC pastors every week (Gal. 3:2).

• Our goal is to continue to encourage you and point you to Christ during this season.
• Click here for messages from Sam (Sundays).
• Click here for messages from Scott (Wednesdays).

5.   Give to the church financially (2 Cor. 8:2).

• How can I give?
• Online at www.sgaberdeen.org/giving
• By mail (pre-addressed envelopes have been provided).
• In person - drop off your offering at the church office.
• Giving continues to be an important aspect of our spiritual lives (Matt. 6:19-21).
• Continuing to give to the church helps the church remain strong and effective in an uncertain time.

We love you, we are praying for you, and we are here for you. We will be reaching out to everyone in the coming days, but please feel free to contact us anytime.

Sovereign Grace Services/Activities Temporarily Paused (until further notice)

Sunday Morning Corporate Worship

Sunday Morning Sunday School

Wednesday Night Studies

Small Groups

Things to Read

Joe Carter

How to Read the New With Discernment

This is something that is always relevant, but particularly relevant in a time when we’re tempted to be looking to the news (via TV, computer, smartphone, etc.) much more frequently.

Michael Horton

https://www.whitehorseinn.org/2020/03/what-are-you-afraid-of/

Michael Horton helps us understand the proper place for fear right now. I really appreciated Horton’s approach to thinking about this current crisis.

Rosaria Butterfield

Practice Hospitality, Especially during COVID-19

Butterfield challenging and offering clarity in ways she always does.

Crossway Publishing

Crossway is giving away 3 free ebooks, including A Shelter in the Time of Storm by Paul David Tripp. They have also produced some free, printable Bible verse cards for this current crisis.

ERLC

What is the federal government’s public health response to COVID-19?

A quick overview of the relevant government agencies responding to the COVID-19 virus and what they do. This article is merely informative, but I found it helpful.

Things to Watch

Westminster Seminary/Mayo Clinic

Crisis, Christ, & Confidence

A weekly video series featuring Drs. Gregory A. Poland, David Garner, and Peter Lillback. Dr. Poland is the Mary Lowell Leary professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, as well as the director of the Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. He is also the editor-in-chief of the medical journal Vaccine. He is a keen student of theology and studies at Westminster in our online program.The purpose of this series is to provide regular insight into the medical crisis through Greg's expert medical lens in the context of a Biblical perspective. A new episode will be available at www.wts.edu/ccc every week. We trust that you will find our new program deeply informative and encouraging. We encourage you to share it with others.

Mediagratiae (Behold Your God creators)

Behold Your God Podcast - A Greater Sickness I: Oh, How They Love

In the chaos of a pandemic, how are we as Christians to respond? In this series, we’re looking at believers who have come before us who faced terrible sickness, trials, and even stared death in the face, and have continued to live faithfully. You can also listen to this via audio through its podcast.

Things to Listen to

Song: "Chirst Our Hope in Life and Death"

Click here to listen to the song w/ lyrics on YouTube.

Click here for a page that provides links to a free mp3 download, sheet music, and streaming services.

Dane Ortlund

Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers

The Gentle and Lowly podcast is a 14-day audio devotional exploring the heart of Christ for sinners and sufferers.

Things for Kids/Families

Grace Community Church

Adventures with Ranger Joe

Grace Community Church (John MacArthur) has taken their Children’s Sunday School online, recording lessons each week for kids. They use the Generations of Grace curriculum (which is what we use at Sovereign Grace on Sunday mornings as well). Along with each video, they also provide a family devotional that continues on goes deeper into the lesson, coloring pages, and even suggested crafts and activities. It’s excellent quality, especially given how fast they’ve thrown it together.

Baptist Press

Kids’ Discipleship Resources During School Closures

Pulling your hair out being stuck at home? Here are some fun, productive ideas to focus the kids’ attention.

One of the things I’ve been doing is compiling some helpful resources that should be sent out to you all sometime this week. However, I just couldn’t wait to send this out to you all. Some have already expressed appreciation for the music that’s been sent out accompanying the sermon video.

If you like new music, a new song was just released entitled Christ Our Only Hope in Life and Death. It is the result of a collective effort of a number of modern hymn writers including Keith & Kristyn Getty, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Papa, Matt Boswell, and Matt Merker (we sing songs by all of these individuals at Sovereign Grace). The song was intended to be released for the upcoming Easter season. However, in light of current events, in God’s providence it’s release date is even more timely.

The song is based on the the first question and answer of the Heidlberg Catechism (printed below if you want to read it). It’s a reminder of the great comfort we have, knowing we belong to a good and sovereign God. In Christ, there is nothing to fear but everything to rejoice in - both in life and death. As a result, our hope springs eternal, and we can sing hallelujah.

I hope the song will encourage you today, and in the coming weeks. Perhaps we’ll sing it all together on the other side of this time apart.

Click here to listen to the song w/ lyrics on YouTube.

Click here for a page that provides links to a free mp3 download, sheet music, and streaming services.

We’re heading into the second weekend of “social distancing,” a term that meant almost nothing to us just a week ago. In fact, one week ago I still assumed we would be gathering for church on Sunday.

We have received some inquiries asking for clarification regarding cancelled church activities. I apologize for any confusion. To be clear, the following activities are pausing for the time being, until government and healthcare guidelines are lifted:

- Sunday morning Sunday school

- Sunday morning corporate worship

- Wednesday Night Studies

- Small Group Meetings

You might be asking: “Why are we pausing all gatherings?” 

First, it is with great lament and sorrow that we are not meeting together. God warns us of the danger of neglecting to meet together (Heb.10:24-25). The word we translate “church” in the New Testament literally means “assembly.” Jesus’ people are, quite literally, an “assembled” people. This is why Christians have always prioritized gathering, particularly for corporate worship.

Furthermore, as we’re already discovering, gathering together as Christians is one of the greatest blessings on earth. The local church and corporate worship are not merely religious obligations but heavenly gifts. It’s no surprise that one of the things that encourages the suffering Psalmist is remembering “how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise" (Psa. 42:4, ESV). Paul writes to the Philippians, “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:8, ESV). To neglect meeting togther, except under extreme circumstances, is foolish at best and dangerously disobedient at worst. And yet, here we are, pausing our regular assembling.

We do not make these decisions lightly, but only due to very unique circumstances. The last time something like this happened on such a large scale was 100 years ago during the Spanish Flu pandemic.

The short answer to “Why aren’t we meeting?” is simply this: our governing authorities have asked us to cease gathering temporarily. According to The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America, we have been asked to avoid social gatherings of 10 or more and avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits. God has been very clear in this matter: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God (Rom. 13:1, ESV). In other words, you can’t rebel against the governing authorities, and not rebel against God.

Of course, there are exceptional times to practice deliberate disobedience. If the government requests we cease gathering because of our Christians beliefs, it is a very different matter. However, the government is not singling out Christians (we think of schools, concerts, and sports which have also suspended gathering under this directive). In fact, the government is fulfilling the exact purpose for which God has appointed it according to Romans 13, seeking to protect the lives of innocent people - in this case, in the face of a dangerous virus.

And yet, the temporary pausing of our assembling is a sacrifice Christians should be able to make happily. Bravely being willing to risk our own health in order to be with God’s people would be one thing. But, in this case, gathering together would not only risk (inadvertently) spreading the virus amongst our congregation, but further throughout our community as a secondary result. Doing our best to avoid spreading this virus right now is a way we can love both our believing and unbelieving neighbors, especially those who are most at risk.

In short, we are pausing our gatherings because we believe God, through the the authorities he has instituted, has directed us to do so. Furthermore, we are not meeting as an expression of love toward our neighbors.

This is not easy. And yet, this unique challenge presents us with the opportunity to both grow and demonstrate the love of Christ to our society in ways that we couldn’t have imagined two weeks ago. By God’s grace, who knows what kind of effect this difficult time will have on our personal spiritual lives, our families, our church, and on our society as a whole.

As we head into our second weekend of social distancing, let’s pray that God would work mightily in us and in our society, even while we long to be together.

In the coming days, we’ll be suggesting some ways to be in each other’s lives. But, over the weekend, be encouraged to connect with 1-2 others from Sovereign Grace. One thing that doesn’t change in the midst of a pandemic is our love for one another, and our need to encourage one another.

A verse that means more and more to me with each passing day is 3 John 14: “I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face” (ESV).

We recorded a quick video to check-in and connect with you.

We continue to pray for you all. If there is any way that the elders of Sovereign Grace can serve or minister to you, please contact us.

At Sovereign Grace, we're committed to encouraging and equipping Christian parents to disciple their children and connect "church life" with "home life."

Our Wednesday-Night children's curriculum, The Gospel Story Curriculum, features a great way to connect parents and families with what's taking place on Wednesday nights. Along with each Wednesday Night children's lesson, parents can lead their children through a complementary family devotional that correponds with each week's lesson.

The devotional is Old Story New: 10-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God, and contains 78 weeks of devotions through the New Testament, with an emphasis on understanding how salvation is found in Jesus. Each week contains five 10-minute devotions. The devotional also corresponds with The Gospel Story Bible. See the video posted below.

If your family would like to follow along with each Wednesday Night lesson, the following guide will help you keep track of where to be each week. There is also a memory verse to be working on at home, which the children will be reviewing in their class on Wednesday. We believe this is a great opportunity for families to regularly engage God's word together at home, connected to the church.

Class 1: Ages 3 - Kindergarten

Class 2: 1st Grade - 3rd Grade

Class 3: 4th Grade - 6th Grade

We are also introducing a new curriculum for children about which wer're very excited. Generations of Grace, written and produced by Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA takes children through the Bible emphasizing the character of God. The curriculum is designed to magnify God by studying His character in the pages of Scripture.

We hope this new initiatve will serve families and allow more to participate in our Sunday morning Sunday School hour together, for the glory of God!

At Sovereign Grace, we're committed to encouraging and equipping Christian parents to disciple their children and connect "church life" with "home life."

Our Wednesday-Night children's curriculum, The Gospel Story Curriculum, features a great way to connect parents and families with what's taking place on Wednesday nights. Along with each Wednesday Night children's lesson, parents can lead their children through a complementary family devotional that correponds with each week's lesson.

The devotional is Long Story Short: 10-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God, and contains 78 weeks of devotions through the Old Testament, with an emphasis on seeing Jesus in the Old Testament. Each week contains five 10-minute devotions. The devotional also corresponds with The Gospel Story Bible.

If your family would like to follow along with each Wednesday Night lesson, the following guide will help you keep track of where to be each week (and which weeks to take off and "do your own thing"). We believe this is a great opportunity for families to regularly engage God's word together at home, connected to the church. 

Wednesday Sep. 21-28 - Pray/Plan/Prepare for the year
Wednesday Sep. 28-Oct. 5 - Week 23: Joseph is Attacked By His Brothers (p. 150-156)
Wednesday Oct. 4-12 - Week 24: Joseph Interprets the Dreams (p. 157-162)
Wednesday Oct. 12-19 - Week 25: God Provides for the Israelites in Famine (p. 163-169)
Wednesday Oct. 19-26 - Week 26: Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers (p. 170-175)
Wednesday Oct. 26-Nov. 2 - Week off/Catch-up Week
Wednesday Nov. 2-9 - Week 27: God Protects Baby Moses (p. 176-182)
Wednesday Nov. 9-16 - Week 28: God Calls Moses (p. 183-189)
Wednesday Nov. 16-23 - Week 29: Moses Confronts Pharaoh (p. 190-196)
Wednesday Nov. 23-30 - Week off/Thanksgiving/Catch-up Week
Wednesday Nov. 30-Dec. 7 - Week 30: God Sends Plagues Against Egypt (p. 197-203)
Wednesday Dec. 7-14 - Week 31: The Last Plague and the First Passover (p. 204-209)
Wednesday Dec. 14-21 - Week off/Catch-up Week
Wednesday Dec. 21-28 - Week off/Christmas/Catch-up Week
Wednesday Dec. 28-Jan. 4 - Week off/Christmas/Catch-up Week
Wednesday Jan. 4-11 - Week off/Christmas/Catch-up Week
Wednesday Jan. 11-18 - Week 32: God Parts the Red Sea (p. 210-216)
Wednesday Jan 18-25 - Week 33: God Provides Food & Water for Israel (p. 217-223)
Wednesday Jan. 25-Feb. 1 - Week 34: God Gives Moses the Ten Commandments (p. 224-230)
Wednesday Feb. 1-8 - Week 35: The Tabernacle (p. 231-236)
Wednesday Feb. 8-15 - Week off/Catch-up Week
Wednesday Feb. 15-22 - Week 36: The Golden Calf (p. 237-243)
Wednesday Feb. 22-March 1 - Week 37: God Has Mercy on Israel (p. 244-250)
Wednesday March 1-8 - Week 38: The People of Israel Complain (p. 251-257)
Wednesday March 8-15 - Week 39: Miriam (p. 258-263)
Wednesday March 15-22 - Week off/Catch-up Week
Wednesday March 22-29 - Week 40: Israel Spies Out the Land (p. 264-270)
Wednesday March 29-April 5 - Week 41: Moses Disobeys God (p. 271-277)
Wednesday April 5-12 - Week off/Spring Break/Catch-up Week
Wednesday April 12-19 - Week off/Easter/Catch-up Week
Wednesday April 19-26 - Week 42: God Heals Israel with a Bronze Snake (p. 278-283)
Wednesday April 26 - Last Night of Wed. Night Studies/Catch-up Week/Break for Summer

Primarly, Sam and Troy will be tasked with sharing the gospel with unbelievers and serving discipleship efforts of very new believers of the Songhai people of Niger. Some of these villages, which they will have opportunity to visit are places where the gospel has never been proclaimed. Thus, these are spiritually dark places. We are committed to praying for them, daily, while they are on this trip. The schedule below is meant to help you pray and keep track of them while they are gone.