And Can It Be (By Cole Barnes)

And Can It Be (1738)

And Can It Be That I Should Gain was written by Charles Wesley (1707-1788), most likely soon after his conversion in May 1738. Wesley wanted to express his amazement at the beauty of God’s glorious grace. He marveled at how such grace is given to wretched sinners in regeneration and conversion.

And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, should die for me?

In verse one, Wesley begins by exposing the profoundness of the gospel message. Can it really be that those who have rebelled against our maker, the Holy One of Israel himself, should receive an interest in his blood? Should it be that we who hung our Maker to the tree, in turn, receive the benefit of his atonement? For Wesley, as it ought to be for us, when we begin to ponder this reality, it should not take us long to answer, “It could never be!” And yet, that is the absurd reality of the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Because of his amazing love with which he loved us, even in our rebellion, our God has died for us, and so, it can be.

He left His Father's throne above, so free, so infinite His grace; Emptied Himself to show his love, and bled for Adam's helpless race; 'Tis mercy all immense and free; For O, my God, it found out me.

In verse two, Wesley turns from pondering the possibility of the gospel to Christ’s marvelous work in the incarnation and atonement. We were helpless in our sinful state, but Christ stepped down from his majesty and glory, and out of love, he emptied himself by assuming a human nature and shed his blood as our substitution. From this truth, Wesley concludes that God’s rich mercy has been generously bestowed upon undeserving sinners.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature's night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

In verse three, Wesley beautifully captures the reality that conversion is first God’s divine act, before it is ours. In our helpless state, we are imprisoned by our corrupted nature, which we have inherited from our first Head, Adam. This imprisonment puts our entire personalities, our desires, our minds, and our wills in bondage. But in the divine acts of regeneration and conversion, God comes to our aid. As Wesley masterfully puts it, the divine eye which shines with the light of life dispenses that life-giving light into the darkened dungeon of our sin-enslaved heart, and in that instance, we are born again, made to be new creatures in Christ Jesus. And what is the only response from the born-again man who has been enlivened by the Spirit? “My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth, and followed Thee!” Regeneration and conversion are first an act of God dispensing his life-giving light in sinful hearts to effectually call them from their slavery. Man then, as a new creature, may freely embrace Christ in all his beauty as Lord through repentance and faith.

No condemnation now I dread; Jesus and all in Him is mine! Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach th'eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

In verse four, Wesley now expounds on the results of Christ’s effectual atonement and the gifts of regeneration and conversion. As Paul says, “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 8:1) We have been credited Christ’s perfect righteousness and human obedience through faith, and we have been given every spiritual blessing by virtue of our union with him. Everything that is Christ’s is ours! We have died to sin and been made alive in Him, our second Head, the last Adam. Therefore, though at one time we could not draw near to God without fear of certain death, now, because of our union with Christ, we can approach the eternal throne of the Father with boldness, not as mere servants, but as the rulers God created us to be in Eden.

Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, should die for me?

Pastor Cole

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (By Cole Barnes)

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (1867)

Walter Chalmers Smith (1824-1908) published this great work of theological poetry for the first time in Hymns of Christ and the Christian Life (1867). Smith’s aim was to express in human language the nature and character of the inexpressible God as revealed in Holy Scripture, the one who describes himself as the great, I Am, Yahweh.

Immortal, invisible, God only wise; In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes; Most holy, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious, Your great Name we praise.

The opening stanza describes God’s divine nature. God lives forever, unthreatened by death, as the perfectly wise, imperceivable One. He dwells in his unapproachable glorious light, unreachable by his creatures. There is no being like him, inexpressibly holy and glorious. Smith concludes, the that the eternal Ancient of Days, having no beginning or end, is worthy of all the humble praise his creatures can muster.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light; Not wanting or wasting, You rule us in might. Your Justice, like mountains high soaring above, Your Clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

In the second stanza, Smith turns to the glorious will and action of this God. God never tires from fulfilling his purposes and always acts with deliberate unhurriedness, nor have his purposes ever been frustrated by his own weakness. He has never expended his energy needlessly. His sovereign rule is full of perfect justice as high as the mountains, and overflowing with love and goodness toward all his creatures.

All life comes from You Lord, to both great and small; In all life, You live Lord, the true life of all; We blossom and flourish but quickly grow frail; We wither and perish, but You never fail.

The third stanza describes God as the fount of all life. From the smallest insect to the greatest sea creature, the babe in its mother’s womb, and the elderly man, all receive their life, breath, and existence from God himself. He is the very author of life itself, having his own life from himself, not dependent upon anyone or anything. Though the life of his creatures fades away, he will never age, wither, or die.

Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light; Your angels adore You, all veiling their sight; All praise we will render, oh Father of Grace; Till one day, in splendor, we see face to face!

Smith concludes this beautiful and profound hymn with the only response suitable after reflecting on the Glorious God’s nature and character, praise. Though the angels, glorious and spiritual as they are, hide their faces from the majestic and thrice holy Father of Glory and Light, yet, we will one day see the Lord in his splendor, face to face. What a glorious thought? The one who we cannot now reach, we cannot now see, this inexpressible, only wise God, we will one day see face to face. How can this be? Because he is also the Father of Grace; though we could never reach him, his has drawn near to us as the Word made flesh. Until that day when we see him, we will render all praise, all adoration, all honor, to him as his people, redeemed by the Father of Grace.

Pastor Cole

Reflection On Our Canceled Gathering

I am confident we were all disappointed not to gather yesterday. Winter weather cancellations are rare for us. However, after considering the warnings and guidance issued by local authorities and the National Weather Service, our elder team believed that cancellation was the prudent course of action. In the end, we can be thankful the Lord spared our area the worst of the winter weather. As we express gratitude, let’s also pray for communities in Georgia and across the nation that were struck hard and who will be recovering for days to come.

As I was home with my family yesterday, the absence of gathering was a stark reminder to me that there truly is no substitute for gathering with the church. I missed being with you, shaking hands, and hugging necks. I missed singing as a congregation (we had some GREAT songs planned!). I missed preaching the message I had prepared about who should be baptized. I hope the same is true for you: “absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

Though Tricia and I enjoyed a pleasant time of family worship together yesterday as we continued our reading of Acts, we were decidedly not the assembled church. Family worship is wonderful and important, but it is not the gathered body of Christ. Not even close. Moreover, no pre-recorded video, livestream, or other online “substitute” comes remotely close to the experience of gathering in-person with my church family. So, while we were disappointed not to gather yesterday, I pray the Lord will use this cancellation in your heart as he has mine. May he strengthen our appreciation and resolve to gather with the church. There really is no substitute.

How to Walk Into Church (By Thomas Hill)

When we understand what the church is and what happens when it gathers, it impacts the way we walk into the gathering. Tony Payne explains: “We’re walking into a gathering that God himself has called together, as part of his majestic plan to save and gather his people around the Lord Jesus Christ. We’re walking into an outpost or foretaste of the great spiritual, heavenly assembly of the people of God.”[1] How we walk into church, then, matters.

Paul also taught the same thing. He urged the Ephesian believers to approach the church’s gatherings with purpose: “Look carefully then how you walk …  be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph 5:15–21). The Lord desires his people’s Spirit-filled participation!

Let’s take a few moments to reflect on how we walk into the church’s gatherings each Sunday.

Before You Walk Into Church

• Decide to go—prepare on Saturday to worship on Sunday.

• Pray for those who will come and what we will do together on Sunday. Pray for fellow members by name. Pray for guests who will join us.

• Prepare for what we will do together. Read the sermon text several times (Sermon schedule). Learn the songs we will sing (Spotify link).

• Arrive early.

• Pray about where to sit. How does your seat selection facilitate worship and loving one another?

After You Walk Into Church

• Care for guests by making sure they have anything needed, such as a bible or an info guide.

• Assist with nuts and bolts. If something needs to be done, take the initiative to help.

• Pray, sing, and enthusiastically. Own prayers personally by agreeing with a hearty “AMEN!.”

• Listen to the sermon attentively. Have your Bible open and heart engaged. Make sure your phone is not a distraction.

• Consider your life. How will you think, believe, and act in light of the sermon?

When Church Finishes but Doesn’t

• Linger in conversation for 10-15 minutes after the service.

• Greet guests first. Introduce yourself to someone you don’t recognize.

• Trigger spiritually helpful conversations by bouncing off the sermon: "That was really interesting what the pastor said about _____. What did you think?"

• Ask others how they came to salvation in Christ: “Phil, I don’t think I remember how you came to follow Christ. How did it happen with you?

• Ask others how you can pray for them & pray for them at that time.

How to Walk Out of Church

• Go to lunch with others.

• Apply the sermon to your life.

• Remain connected to the church during the week.

• Plan to invite non-believers next Sunday.

• Check in on anyone you noticed was absent.

BIG PLANS THIS SUNDAY

This Sunday, May 18, we will meet as usual at 10:30 am for gathered worship. In addition to singing, praying, and preaching, we plan to baptize Diane Robinson. After the service, we will move into the fellowship hall for a covered-dish lunch. Please bring a dish or two to share (the church will not provide meat, so please bring main dishes, too). Toward the end of the meal, after everyone is served, we will observe the Supper by partaking of the bread and cup. The church will provide elements. Following the meal, we will begin the members meeting. Please prioritize this gathering by keeping your calendar clear until after 3:00 pm on Sunday.

For His Glory,

Pastor Thomas

[1] Adapted from Tony Payne, How to Walk Into Church (Mathias Media: 2015).

Rolling Out New Initiatives (By Cole Barnes)

One of my primary roles as a pastor of Crestview is to help equip the saints for the work of ministry. Over the last few weeks, I have been considering ways to develop and strengthen our efforts in family ministry and worship ministry to do exactly that. Here are a few ideas we will be rolling out in the upcoming months to enhance these areas:

Family Ministry Parent Meetings
In an effort to train, equip, and involve parents in our kids and student ministries, we will begin having Family Ministry Parent Meetings right before the start of each quarter. These meetings will take place on Wednesday evening, immediately following discipleship gatherings, and last 20-30 minutes. They will include a training time focused on encouragement in parenting, family worship, discipling children, and current issues among teens and children. Additionally, I will make good resources available, including articles, podcasts, and books on these topics. The second part of the meeting will focus on upcoming teaching plans for student and kids' ministries, events and registrations, and ministry needs that parents can be involved in. If you have a child involved in our kids' or student ministries, please mark your calendars with the below dates:

Upcoming Meeting Dates:
May 7 @ 8:00pm
Aug 13 @ 8:00pm
Nov 5 @ 8:00pm

Student Ministry Evangelism Nights
The main emphases of our Wednesday night student ministry gathering are for our students to be evangelized, discipled, and to have fun together. In addition to these, I would like to increase the student's desire and vision for not only their own spiritual growth but the evangelization of their unbelieving friends. To this end, several nights a year, our regular Wednesday evening student gathering will be focused on evangelism. Students are encouraged to invite their friends, classmates, family members, teammates, etc. who are far from the Lord to our weeknight student gathering. The teaching that evening will be particularly evangelistic, and students will be called to repent and follow Christ. This gives our students an opportunity to extend evangelistic invitations to other students who may not be comfortable coming to church on a Sunday but would be willing to attend a student-focused event. Please pray for these evenings as the gospel is sown into hearts.

Upcoming Evangelism Nights:
Apr 23: Did the Resurrection Really Happen? Luke 24
Jun 18: What is the Gospel? Romans 3:21-26
Aug 27: How Can God Be Good If We Suffer? The Story of Joseph
More Dates TBA…

Worship Ministry Training Nights
A few Wednesday nights each year, I will be hosting a worship ministry training night for current musicians, singers, and members who would like to begin serving the church in this capacity. These events will take place directly after our Wednesday night gatherings, lasting roughly an hour. They will include a time of training in the doctrine of worship and music theory, as well as an extended time of playing music together. The goal of these evenings is to continue the development of our current musicians and singers so that our gathered worship is strengthened, as well as to provide an easy on-ramp for new members to get plugged in. If you would like to participate in these training nights, please mark your calendars with the below dates:

Upcoming Training Nights:
May 14 @ 8:00pm
Aug 27 @ 8:00pm
Oct 29 @ 8:00pm

For your joy and His glory,

Pastor Cole

Preparing for Gathered Worship

Church Family,

We place a high priority on gathering to worship as one assembly each Lord’s Day. Being ready for this weekly celebration takes a bit of looking ahead by each of us:

1) Read over the sermon text several times. We publish sermon cards regularly, so you know the upcoming sermon plan. You might use one of these as a bookmark in your Bible.

2) Familiarize yourself with the lyrics and melodies of songs we will sing together (Google, Spotify, and YouTube are helpful tools). We publish the song list each Saturday on Crestview's social media accounts (FB, IG, Twitter).

3) Pray for the church's assembly in general and individual members by name. Use the church directory to pray for one another. Print copies are available on the resource shelf. Download the directory file from the link at the bottom of Crestview Weekly Update.

When we prepare ourselves like this, we come with anticipation, and our gathering takes on fresh significance. You are needed!

Baptism This Sunday

We look forward to rejoicing as Addy Butler and Cooper McLean publicly identify with the Lord this Sunday. We are always ready to baptize more! If you know someone who needs to be baptized, encourage them to speak with me.

For His Glory,

Pastor Thomas

Reasons to Attend this Sunday

“And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples…” Acts 6:2

REASONS TO ATTEND THIS SUNDAY

There are many reasons you should be present this Sunday, but I want to encourage you with three. First, it is the Lord’s Day, and He is worthy of all worship and devotion. Your church needs your voice, service, hospitality, gifts, and involvement.  Second, we will be eating the Lord’s Supper together. Every believer who is physically able to do so should make attendance at the Lord’s table a priority. Let’s not take this lightly. Eating together as one assembly nurtures the church and is a way you continue to identify as a follower of Jesus and member of his church.

MEMBERS MEETING

The third reason to be present this Sunday is our quarterly members meeting immediately following gathered worship. When significant decisions were needed in the churches of the New Testament, the entire church was gathered to make them. Due to covid we had to postpone the February meeting, so this is our first one in six months. You will receive important updates on the life of the church, hear recommendations from the elders on several important decisions, receive new members, see others out of membership, and learn about plans to add additional seating in the worship center. If you are not present, you will miss something and we will miss you. We will move through the content as quick as reasonably possible so expect the meeting to take 30-45 minutes.

Thank you for planning ahead and being present this Sunday!

For His Glory,

Pastor Thomas