Church guide

We are now meeting on the summer schedule which is simply 10am! We hope to see you there!

We have plenty of seat available to ride up to Matteson from Bourbonnais on Sunday Morning! Message me!

This morning, April 7th, at Calvary! You are My King Better is One Day Scripture O, Come to the Altar Resurrecting Breathe Prayer Beneath the Cross Communion All to Jesus, I Surrender Announcements Break and teaching out of Acts 18!

Just thinkin' . . . Sometimes we hear people described as being square pegs trying to fit into round holes. I suppose that we would be referring to folks who just don't fit in with a particular organization or group for reasons which are basically personality based. We might say: "There's just something about Ted that just doesn't click with us." The clear implication then is that it alright to freeze Ted out of our group or organization because he just "doesn't fit." Sorry, Ted, but you need to associate with other square pegs rather than those of us who are round. Maybe Ted is an extrovert in an introverted group. Perhaps he is the stick in the mud in a group of visionaries. Maybe he's black, or hispanic or asian, or white, or rich, or poor, or just different. Whatever. We want him out because he bothers us. I am a square peg. But more than that, I am bent and misshapen, mangled and hurting from the effects of my sin, and the sin of those around me, not to mention that I have some pretty deep convictions, which are dismissed as opinions. When you come right down to it, I don't fit anywhere. I suppose that I have known this for a long time. I really don't even "fit" in with God. Scripture is pretty clear on this: I have sinned and fall short of God's standards and am doomed to the Lake of Fire because of it. Scripture talks about my being God's enemy, alienated from him because of my evil behavior. I'm not an ax-murderer or anything, but this sin thing has poisoned everything it has touched and has made me unacceptable to God; a mangled remnant of a peg. I think that actually I am I good company because you are in the same state as me. None of us “fit” with God. It is like we are this pile of rejected pegs debating who is the worst fit, not even realizing that our fit with God is all that should concern us. If the most important “fit” is a total loss, why bother trying to fit at all. Enter the Jesus factor. “Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (Remember, there is none righteous. A “good” person’s hell is the same temperature as a “bad” persons. The core issue isn't a particular sin, but the fact that sin is present at all.) Jesus enters and offers the opportunity for us to actually “fit” with God, to remove the eternal consequence of sin by paying our penalty in his body on the cross. Those who come to him suddenly fit with the Sovereign of All. I have become a perfect fit because of Christ! Once alienated from him, I am now accepted and loved. Now here’s the problem: I can no longer think that you are an odd peg in my world. Colossians 3:13 tells me that I have to put up with you, and you with me. Romans 15:7 says: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring to bring praise to God.” Reason states this: If the Standard finds you acceptable and invites you into eternal fellowship with himself, then I also must, by extension, accept you. If God puts up with me, you have to. God has infinite reason to reject you/me, but through Christ, he receives you/me. Therefore, we have to accept and love each other. Do we believe that God has put the Body of Christ together so that we would be used of him to continue to refine and reshape each other? I think so. “Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.” (I Corinthians 12:27) We, therefore, do not have the option of saying that someone else doesn't fit, because none of us do, except in Christ, where everyone fits. Iron sharpens iron and square, bent and mangled pegs are used by God to work on each other to reshape each of us until we are all conformed to the image of Christ

From 2003 . . . Just thinkin' . . . The high school that I have been working in for the past weeks is truly an amazing place, in a very sad sort of way. We deal with teenage victims of our age, students who are not able to function in society with causing extreme disruption to the normal flow of life for the rest of us. (Many of them have become or are becoming propagators of the very conditions which afflict them.) My average day there has been spent trying to build rapport with these "children" while wrestling them back into their classes and trying to diffuse their rage, in an effort to help establish an effective learning environment. Most of the time, it seems that the efforts are futile from an educational perspective. If "Johnny" would just sit still for a while and desire to learn . . . Alas, many of the students spend their time trying to outwit and out-force the staff that they might play all day. I wonder how often God relates to my "job" as I, in this Romans 7 battle of my life, too often seek to disrupt his teaching in my life. How often does he then use "circumstance" and people to bring me back to his classroom of Grace and under the teaching of his Spirit. I know that we cannot tire him in our struggle to avoid his "classroom", but I also know that we sure try to! Sometimes, I take advantage of an AWOL student situation and start the process of sharing Christ instead of forcing them back into the classroom which they will attempt to escape from in the next minute anyway. Occasionally, I get 5 minutes to challenge a student to seriously reflect on their life. I wish that they would listen . . . Many of the students (and staff) are serious Church-goes and a number of them would say that they love Jesus. (I was reading Joe Stowell's new book, the Trouble with Jesus, as I sat on hallway watch. The title was misunderstood by a student who thought that it was a terrible book, saying "I love Jesus" from the depths of his being. Five minutes later, he was involved deeply in some pretty nasty language . . .) These people (like you, and like me) acknowledge God with their lips, but who know where their hearts really are? During a lull in the storm yesterday, a staff member, who will be married this summer, asked me what the secret was to my 24 year honeymoon with my sweetheart. A wonderful opening for a presentation of the gospel!!!! "It's all about Jesus: seeking to live for and love the one who bore my nails, my crown of thorns." I talked to him briefly about marriage relationships from Ephesians 5. He even asked where the Church was! I don't like it there very much sometimes, but perhaps it is worth the physical and verbal abuse that is a constant there, so that folks and people might hear of Christ from another loser, who has been put into the place of God's favor through Jesus Christ, who is the only Reason anyway, and who therefore has become a stumbling victor. (Perhaps? "Perhaps" if Jesus took the agony of the cross for me, I can toughen up a little to handle the little bit that I get!) just thinkin' Pastor Steve

I think that we all have "favorite" verses from the Bible. John 3:16 rates high on most people's favorite verse list. It is such a basic verse, giving the gospel in a little package that even adults can understand! I like lots of verses (seems like this should be a given), but a few really stand out for me: "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." - Acts 20:24 "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example of those who would believe in him and receive eternal life." - I Timothy 1:15b - 16 Ephesians 2: 1 - 10 (More text than I want to place here) It's not that I am a low self esteem advocate, but I am simply very aware that apart from Jesus, it's hell. Where is "positive thinking" about me in that? My sin is such an affront to God, that I should feel the flames even now. Am I a "good person"? Apart from Jesus, not in the least. With Jesus, barely, and even that is his fault. My life, therefore, needs to be a continuing act of gratitude as somehow, in his mercy, the infinite goodness of Christ trickles down into my life, and hopefully, out of my life and into others. It is the least that I can do. I don't think that thinking about myself really enters into the equation. I believe that my concern must not be how I feel about me, but rather, how others think about Christ, and the influence that he desires to have in their lives through me. What (and how) I think about the Lord is the real issue. In Philippians 3, Paul reviews his resume, his qualifications, and throws them all away. They didn't matter. Only knowing Christ matters, not limitations, nor qualifications. (verse 10) Do I need to think "positively" about myself? I don't think so. Could it be so simple that I just need to think in terms of Christ, and of honoring him alone in my daily grind of activities? Do I need to fulfill myself? That did not work so long ago in the Garden, and it will not work today. No, for me to live must be Christ, and Christ alone. ~barabbas

What our 10:45 time together will look like this Sunday! Service Plans for 02/17/19 That Where I Am (by Rich Mullins) Scripture Wonderful Grace of Jesus (by Haldor Lillenas ~ 1918) He Reigns by the Newsboys) Prayer We Fall Down (Chris Tomlin) Communion Be Thou My Vision (Dallán Forgaill ~ 6th century) Announcements Break and Teaching

Special announcement from the Office of Obvious Predictions Stated In Exciting and/or Shocking Terms (OPSEST): This summer will see multiple days of very high temperatures, periods with no rain, and severe thunderstorms. But then again, it might be unusually cool. The OPSEST Office has grown in affect and influence as our technology has increased. Before OPSEST we had no fear of tornados unless we saw one coming. Now, with the advances in radar, we can be worried about the mere possibility of one for hours before it never forms. And what an advantage to actually be able to choose which traffic jam you get to be in on any given day as faithful radio stations relay OPSEST reports of road conditions. Aren't you glad to know the probabilities of your dying of something so that you can watch your sodium intake that you might die of something else? Sure OPSEST states the obvious in terms designed to get folks to sit up and pay attention to all of the things that they can do little to nothing about anyway, but have you considered the positive impact of OPSEST on society? We are becoming either paranoid or apathetic as we are inundated with OPSEST updates. For example, you are aware that the mid-west is due for a huge earthquake sometime in the future. Some folks get concerned enough to move to earthquake proof homes, while the majority of people just live their lives ignoring this prediction. We either react or ignore. Either way, our base of knowledge increases. Related to OPSEST is DAG, the Department of Anxiety Generation. For example, DAG, just this morning has made me rethink eating my omelet. No, cholesterol was not the anxiety target, but rather the Teflon that keeps my eggs from needing to be chiseled from the pan. It seems that, despite manufacturer's assurances, there might be something about using Teflon pans might endanger the user in some way. DAG also excelled this morning in giving me the creeps about taking a bunch of teens to a water park. I full realize that sharks do not live in the wave pool at Deep River Water Park in Merrillville, but after seeing detailed reports on recent shark attacks in clear, shallow water, I will be on the lookout anyway. I think that it might be in my best interest to avoid OPSEST and DAG altogether. After all, Psalm 56 says , When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? Hmmmmm, "What can mortal man do to me?" Let's see. In terms of mortal man's activities that might cause me to be afraid, I can think of beatings, killings and the like. Then there are betrays, false accusations, slander and other forms of non-physical attack. Then there is the fear of consequence. We might even add all manner of trouble and hardship in the list of fears. Persecution, hunger (in the 60's, DAG decreed world-wide famine and global death by the '80's), lack of proper clothing and people trying to kill us. We could fear death, or life, or angels or demons, the present and certainly the future, the powers, heights, depths and pretty much anything else in all creation. Man, this is a scary place. Somehow, giant slayer David writes that he will choose to trust in God whenever he is afraid. I think that David had one great fear, the same one that Paul shared: They feared falling short in their service to God. Maybe that is why Paul can list all of the things that people fear in Romans 8:31-39, and say, "Big deal, let them come." Death itself loses its DAG power when we consider that our death unites us with Christ up close and personal. (If you have not submitted to Christ, listen to DAG on this one.) In the meantime, all of the fearful stuff should simply be opportunities for us to have new venues to serve Christ in. Even the believers who were fed to lions sang His praises as they were led to their deaths. Our lives will not be pain free: Adam and Eve assured up of that. Know that the only real fear that we who claim the name of Christ is just this; that we might dishonor him. High school buddy, Augie died in a car wreck years ago, and Jimmy in a plane crash. George died of some lifestyle related disease I think, and neighbor Paul of cancer. I am fully aware that I too will die of something, and perhaps suffer greatly before I am united with Jesus. The path might involve a lot of pain, but if that is the cost of my liberation from this fallen and falling world, then I must embrace whatever liberator God's allows/uses as a dear friend. My purpose must be to seek to honor the one who died for me, and to seek his honor in any and every circumstance. So sometimes we get fired or we wait forever for the good thing that we are seeking, like a job that will pay enough while we languish in the current employment situation. Don't be afraid. At its worst, the worst is temporary and ends at Jesus feet anyway. Really, what can folks do to us in the long run anyway? If we have come to Jesus, we know that it ends wonderfully, why waste energy being afraid?

Service Plans for 9/23/18 How Firm a Foundation Announcements Open the Eyes It is You Scripture Fairest Lord Jesus Prayer He Reigns Break and Teaching out of Acts 10

We want to let you know right up front that we are not a mega-Church. In fact, the Calvary (Memorial Baptist*) Church of Matteson, Illinois, is a little fellowship that fully understands that we have a mega-God who has called us into fellowship with himself through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we look through the Scriptures, we do not see the size of a particular Church as being relevant. Among the Seven Churches of Revelation, we do not find them being commended or criticized in terms of size. What we have are local groups of believers being commended or criticized based upon their character, endurance and a desire to hold fast to the truth or lack thereof. By grace, may we be concerned with the qualities that matter to the Lord and not those that matter to our culture. Our culture values flash, size, power and style. We hold that we are called to value Christ alone, and that nothing else ought to matter. (See I Corinthians 1:18 – 2:5; Galatians 2:20 and Philippians 3.) If you choose to join us on a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening prayer meeting, we hope that you will find a group of people who are seeking more and more to be totally surrendered to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We desire to live in an increasing Christ-honoring way through a growing relationship with him, rather than seeking to “live righteously.” A right and growing relationship with Christ will result in increasing obedience from the heart, derived from the conviction and prompting of the Spirit of God and knowledge of the Scriptures. We believe that our purpose in life can be broken down into two linked statements; Seeking to know the Way. Seeking to make the Way known. We seek to know the Way (Jesus) because he first sought us, and calls us into the kind of life that God originally intended for us to have. We seek to make him known through our lives and words because we are his ambassadors.

This morning, starting around 10; Service Plans for 06/24/18 This Road Announcements Oh for 1,000 tongues My Savior Lives Scripture I Stand Amazed Your Grace is Enough Prayer Clean Hands Break and teaching from Acts 4

This Sunday, April 29th Prince of Peace Announcements Holy is the Lord Scripture: Luke 1:68-79 Standing of the Promises Prayer In the Cross How Deep Break and Teaching From Acts 1

My brothers and sisters from the Islands, I am wondering what has attracted you to this page and to pray for us? Grace and peace! I wish that I could come and meet you to share in our common grace!

From Steve's achieves: Just thinkin' . . . Sometimes we hear people described as being square pegs trying to fit into round holes. I suppose that we would be referring to folks who just don't fit in with a particular organization or group for reasons which are basically personality based. We might say: "There's just something about Ted that just doesn't click with us." The clear implication then is that it alright to freeze Ted out of our group or organization because he just "doesn't fit." Sorry, Ted, but you need to associate with other square pegs rather than those of us who are round. Maybe Ted is an extrovert in an introverted group. Perhaps he is the stick in the mud in a group of visionaries or the visionary among the mud-bound. Maybe he's black, or hispanic or asian, or white, or rich, or poor, or just different. Whatever. We want him out because he bothers us. I am a square peg. But more than that, I am bent and misshapen, mangled and hurting from the effects of my sin, and the sin of those around me, not to mention that I have some pretty deep convictions, which are dismissed as opinions. When you come right down to it, I don't fit anywhere. I suppose that I have known this for a long time. I really don't even "fit" in with God. Scripture is pretty clear on this: I have sinned and fall short of God's standards and am doomed to the Lake of Fire because of it. Scripture talks about my being God's enemy, alienated from him because of my evil behavior. I'm not an ax-murderer or anything, but this sin thing has poisoned everything it has touched and has made me unacceptable to God; a mangled remnant of a peg. I think that actually I am I good company because you are in the same state as me. None of us “fit” with God. It is like we are this pile of rejected pegs debating who is the worst fit, not even realizing that our fit with God is all that should concern us. If the most important “fit” is a total loss, why bother trying to fit at all. Enter the Jesus factor. “Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (Remember, there is none righteous. A “good” person’s hell is the same temperature as a “bad” persons. The core issue isn't a particular sin, but the fact that sin is present at all.) Jesus enters and offers the opportunity for us to actually “fit” with God, to remove the eternal consequence of sin by paying our penalty in his body on the cross. Those who come to him suddenly fit with the Sovereign of All. I have become a perfect fit because of Christ! Once alienated from him, I am now accepted and loved. Now here’s the problem: I can no longer think that you are an odd peg in my world. Colossians 3:13 tells me that I have to put up with you, and you with me. Romans 15:7 says: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring to bring praise to God.” Reason states this: If the Standard finds you acceptable and invites you into eternal fellowship with himself, then I also must, by extension, accept you. If God puts up with me, you have to. God has infinite reason to reject you/me, but through Christ, he receives you/me. Therefore, we have to accept and love each other. Do we believe that God has put the Body of Christ together so that we would be used of him to continue to refine and reshape each other? I think so. “Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.” (I Corinthians 12:27) We, therefore, do not have the option of saying that someone else doesn't fit, because none of us do, except in Christ, where everyone fits. Iron sharpens iron and square, bent and mangled pegs are used by God to work on each other to reshape each of us until we are all conformed to the image of Christ. . . . just thinkin’

We are working on a series on the fruit of the Spirit. This Sunday a couple of guest musicians will be joining us: Jonah and Josiah Blair! If you every want the teaching powerpoint from Sunday, email me at [email protected] Hello to all of the Filipino friends!

This Sunday, we start this at 10:45! Hark, the Hearld Angels Announcements Away in a Manger Scripture Reading Joy to the World Mighty to Save Prayer Better is One Day Break and Teaching

We are trying something new this year! For our Christmas Eve service, we will be watching "The Nativity Story" starting at 10am!

Greetings to all the saints in the Philippines who keep checking in here!

Starting a series on Galatians this morning and we are introducing an electric/acoustic ukulele! (Galatians 2:20.)