Text: Acts 2:1-4; 42-47

¹ When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer.⁴³ Everyone was awed at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day, they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the people’s favour. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

If there is one great year in human history that I can point at is the year when our Lord was:

1. crucified;
2. rose on the 3^rd day;
3. ascended to heaven;
4. the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost.

The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was a tremendously explosive event that jumped started the great year of the Lord, manifested through the establishment of the Christ believers’ church.

Using these events in the life of the Apostles, let me now come up with specific events in the life of Oamaru Baptist Church that will allow us to make 2023 another Great Year of our Lord.

1. Devote ourselves to the teaching of Jesus Christ, worship, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer.
   
2. Give to anyone who has need. I see here a holistic giving, where the church responds to the material and spiritual needs of the people.

One big challenge remains:  How can we experience what the apostles experienced: “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

You see that the Pentecost event in the life of the apostles led to the start of the Christian church. 

In verse 47, we read, “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” This was about AD 33

This year, 2023, let us pray that the Lord God will use Oamaru Baptist Church tremendously for His work. Let us pray that this will be each church member’s passion and desire.

I wonder how many of us took the time to watch the fireworks that customarily mark the start of the New Year at midnight (00:00 AM) today?

This means going to the fireworks display spot, finding parking, and walking to the nearest vantage point to view the fireworks.

With most of the town’s people wanting to see the fireworks display, you will find yourself moving through the crowds of people who have been there many hours before you arrived.

Or perhaps you have watched it for decades that you can’t be bothered. Maybe, the most you can do is turn on your TV screen and watch the fireworks from the Auckland Sky Tower.

I believe that the power of the Holy Spirit, the explosion that kindled the start of the Christian mission, is still present today.

The Holy Spirit is the ever-glowing, ever-luminous, ever-attractive fire that gives life to the church. Devoting our time to the ministry of God through His church provides meaning to our being followers of Jesus Christ.

Does the radiance of the Holy Spirit and the tremendous “fireworks” it created on that Pentecostal day still attract us to devote ourselves to His teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer?

2023 will be another excellent year for our Lord Jesus Christ if we remain attracted to the Holy Spirit’s brilliance as the yearly New Year’s fireworks do.

As long as we devote ourselves to making this yet another year of our Lord, we will always overcome as the Lord Jesus has overcome the world for us.

Happy New Year!

Cheers to a New Year of Our Lord

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. 
Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. 
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise . . . . Psalm 96:1-4

Thank you, Lord, for giving us another new year, 2023.

Welcome to OBC on 1 January 2023

Let us start the first day of 2023 with a 
worship service at 10:00 AM.

We will hold a regular worship service on 1 January 2023.

Thank you all for your service, support, and cooperation in the work of the Lord at OBC in 2022. To God be the glory!

Additional information is included in the email I sent you pertaining to our outlook for 2023.

I am praying for a prosperous New Year for all!

Do not be afraid

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)

The Christmas message remains unchanged through centuries and millenniums. God is with us before and on that first noel, today, and always.

Thus, let us not be afraid. Jesus Christ has met our hopes and fears.

May we persevere despite the challenges and afflictions our world is facing. Let us live in courage and confidence, for the Messiah, the Lord, has come.

New Year’s Day is a Sunday

What an excellent opportunity to start the first day of 2023 with a worship service at 10:00 AM.

Oamaru Baptist Church will hold the regular worship service on 1st January 2023.

SEE YOU AT 14 SANDRINGHAM STREET, OAMARU

The bright shining light of Christmas

Amidst the myriads of dazzling lights, Christmas trees, lively music, and glittering adornments to mark the festivities of Christmas is the sad reality that many people neglect the most important person of the season. What makes Christmas merry?

Gail’s Christmas decorations she put up a week ago at the church remind us all that Jesus is the reason for the Christmas season. He is our amazing grace, who has brought peace, love, joy, and hope to humanity.

No amount of beautiful lights could match Jesus Christ, the one true light who illuminates the whole world from the darkness of sin. Jesus said, “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46).

Let Jesus Christ be the one true light shining in our lives, now and forever!

CHRISTMAS 2022 SCHEDULES

18 December at 4:00 PM – Carolling at Sandringham House

24 December at 6:30 PM – Christmas Eve Service. Please bring supper to share

25 December at 10:00 AM – Christmas Sunday Worship

But when the time had fully come,
God sent His Son, born of a woman,
born under the law, 
to redeem those under the law,
that we might receive our adoption as sons.
Galatians 4:4-5

Prayer Meeting, Preparation, and Working Bee

In preparing our church building for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Worship Services, we will clean after our Wednesday prayer meeting at 3:00 PM.

Those who cannot make it on Wednesday, please come for a Working Bee time on Saturday, 24 December.

Indeed, friends and family members will come to town for Christmas and join Oamaru Baptist Church’s worship services.

New Year’s Day is a Sunday

What an excellent opportunity to start the first day of 2023 with a worship service at 10:00 AM.

Oamaru Baptist Church will hold the regular worship service on 1st January 2023.

Discipleship through home Bible studies

We have identified a home Bible study area in the Totara-Teschemakers-Kakanui area. Home Bible studies are one of the ways we can make disciples for Christ. The Lord God is growing His church.

Let us pray for more Bible study groups to be organised- as we look forward to training group leaders in 2023.

OBC’s Direction – Where are we and what’s next?

As I mentioned last Sunday during my message, we have stopped at the “Spiritual Gifts Inventory” to focus on the Advent and Christmas seasons.

We will resume in February 2023. The diagram below indicates that we will focus on “Faith-Wisdom Discovery” next.

Please refresh yourselves with the sermon series related to the diagram above by clicking the button below.