9/13/2020 Sunday’s Sermon by Nick Perez
Close Encounter with the Third Person; Emboldened
Luke 12:12 “for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say”
***Join us at 10:45 on YouTube for the Sunday Worship Service
Normalizing Sin (1)
It used to be that there were activities that 
were unspeakable. To bring them up in a mixed company was taboo. Rightly so. Scripture talks about how there are unfruitful works of darkness” that are “shameful even to speak” about, things which are done “in secret” (Ephesians 5.11-12). It used to be that homosexual behavior fell into this category. Now homosexual marriage is legal. More and more people view homosexual behavior and same-sex marriage as just another alternative lifestyle. It was a long battle, but mainstream media and arguing academicians have seemingly won the debate of whether homosexuality is an acceptable sexual orientation. Scripturally it remains “dishonorable,” “contrary to nature,” and “shameless” (Romans 1.26-27); socially and culturally it has become normative.
Now I want you to consider that a simmering pot has been moved from the back burner to the front burner where the heat is turned up. A few years ago, John Henley from the UK-based news organization The Guardian published an article entitled “Paedophilia: bringing dark desires to light.” Springboarding off a scandal involving Sir
Jimmy Savile, a BBC television presenter, and English DJ, Henley presents the underwhelming amount of research in the field of pedophilia. Perhaps the most shocking parts of the article are that several academicians argue in favor of pedophilia as an acceptable sexual orientation. Since then, the sexualization of children has accelerated at breakneck speed including a Netflix television show featuring pre-pubescent girls engaging in sexually suggestive dancing.
The reason deviant sexual behavior like pedophilia is legalized is because it is first normalized in the public’s mind. This is what Wesley Smith calls “terminal nonjudgmentalism.” This kind of thinking is designed to move us from viewing something (like homosexual marriage or pedophilia) as absolutely unacceptable to discussing and debating the issue (perhaps the “merits” of such relationships) toward the final goal of acceptance. While it is a slow-moving train, it is moving nevertheless. And so “evil people…go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3.13).
~Nick Perez
Fairmont Park Church of Christ (Midland, TX)
Live Streaming & Recorded Sermons & Bible Classes
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Website: https://www.fmpchurch.com/
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*Children’s resources now available
The Christian Chronicle
The Christian Chronicle has compiled a list of Churches of
Christ nationwide who offer live streaming services.
https://christianchronicle.org/churches-of-christ-offeringlivestream-worship/
“Let the Bible Speak” – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/LetTheBibleSpeak
Praise & Worship Sunday Mornings – 10:45 am
- We are complying with state and county guidelines
- Sunday morning worship is now open, and still online
- Sunday Bible classes canceled until further notice
- Junior Worship canceled until further notice
- Wednesday Bible classes canceled until further notice
- Potlucks canceled until further notice
- Food Pantry by appointment only
- Travelers Motel – food service only
- Shower Shuttle canceled until further notice
- Recommendations – Those who are over 60 or have underlying health conditions are encouraged to stay home.
- Guidelines – If you are sick, stay home. Wash your hands. Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow.
Contact Info for our Shut-Ins
- Jewel Cherry, 2117 Bridgewood Way, Modesto, CA 95355
- Nadine Greff, Vintage Faire, 3620 Dale Rd, Rm. 25, Modesto, CA 95356
- Betty McGoldrick, 13754 Jasper St., Lathrop, CA 95330
- Russ Ortloff, 511 East D Street, Oakdale, CA 95361
- Evelyn Wood, Bethel Assisted Living, 2345 Scenic Ave., Apt. 323, Modesto 95355
***Please submit additions, corrections & updates to the office.
NOTE: Our Shut-ins are not allowed visitors at this time. Please take the time to send them a card or note of encouragement if you can.
Mourning the loss of loved ones
Melissa Shook’s sister-in-law – grandma Margaret
Linda Clark – sister-in-law Teresa Lett
Heinrich/Biard/Barnes Family – Mary Ellen Heinrich
Vern Cowan – friend Larry Meissner mourning the loss of his wife Marlene
The Kampelli Church Family in India – Pullamma
Hasley/Higginbotham/Calibro Family – Jeremy Hasley
Recovering from Surgery
Vern Cowan – second cataract surgery went well
Rosell Wade
COVID-19
Rosa Moreno
Eric Wallers – brother-in-law, Doug Boyle (the rest of the family has recovered)
Melissa Shook – friend’s sister Angela; Bonnie Mulder & family
Nadine Greff
Modesto Gospel Mission – 40 cases
Jean Wallers – moved to a Care Facility
Battling Cancer
Sheila Walls – PET scan shows improvement
Pam Vanderford – sister Edith
Grace Whited, a 6 year-old at Murphys Church of Christ
Clementina Robles
Dee Rambo
Other Requests
Shirley Poulter – resting at home
Chuck Hickman – moved to Turlock Nursing & Rehab
Betty Bussey – having surgery on Tuesday, Sept 15 for a broken femur
Melissa Shook – Jerry & Debby Murray & their grandson Allen’s family have all been evacuated from their homes in Oregon due to fire
Benzamma Rathu (Bontha’s wife) – typhoid fever
Cletus Thompson – friend Jim Ware is recovering from a lung transplant Yolanda (Travelers Motel resident) – back surgery on Monday, Sept 14
Larry, Carole & April Long – moving to Oklahoma
Jeanette Wilson – off vent, still hospitalized, but out of ICU
Tracy Threlfall (wife of Ripon CoC minister) – awaiting test results
Art Turgeon – awaiting test results
Allegria Rice – grandson struggling with depression
Linda Teixeira – mother’s sister has Alzheimers & COVID-19
Martin Moreno (Woodward Park CoC member) – mother’s health
David Tostado – toothache, headaches & neck pain
Traci McEnery – back pain
Vickie Laguna – mom, Georgia Springer’s dementia is progressing
Leadership / Civil Unrest / Essential Workers / Unemployed / Fires / Hurricanes
