LIVERMORE — At the North Livermore Baptist Church June 16 service, the congregation was welcomed by Pastor Bonnie Higgins at 9:30 a.m. to begin the service. The Invocation/Lord’s Prayer were recited. The hymns that were sung were “Jesus Loves Even Me”, “Have You Any Room for Jesus”, and “Jesus is Calling”. The service ended with “Go Now in Peace”. Linda Lyman is the organist, Janet Diaz is the pianist, and Lew Lyman leads the music for the congregation each week.
A gift was given to all men in the church for Father’s Day.
The sermon, titled “A Do Over” and scriptures from John 8:1-11. Pastor Bonnie began by saying that probably we all have done or said things in our past that we would like to do over. There probably been times where you hurt someone’s feelings or didn’t finish a job that affected others. We have all been there and wished we could start over.
John 8:1-11 tells us about a woman that was brought to Jesus because she was caught in the act of adultery. The Pharisees wanted Jesus to punish her for what she had done. Even though Jesus knew they were trying to trap Him, He spoke to them without putting the blame on her. Jesus wanted to bring out to them, that all have sin, including them, so they too were in the same boat as she was. That is the same way we are today, we have all sin and fallen short of the glory of God. That is why God has told us not to judge others, because we are all sinners.
As the Pharisees were speaking to Jesus, He bent down and began to write something in the sand. We don’t know what Jesus wrote, but it must have been something important because one by one the Pharisees began to leave and not harm the woman. We see at the end, Jesus didn’t condemn her, but set her free from her sins. He gave her a second chance when He told her to “Go now and leave your life of sin”. Jesus offers us the same thing; He wants us to go to Him and repent of our sins and He will give us a second chance at a new life in Him.
There have been many in the Bible who God has given second chances to, a do over. God gave second chances to Moses, David, Jonah, Abraham and Sarah, Noah, Samson, Peter, and others. God has given “a do over” to many. Including us.
As Jesus died on a cross and was resurrected, it shows to us that we are able to have a “do over” in our lives through Him. The resurrection shows us that a second chance is possible, it is freeing us from our past, and gives us a power through Him.
The Bible tells us that God is a God of mercy, which means that God shows us His compassion over the punishment we deserve. Because of our sins, we deserve death, but because of the resurrection and God’s mercy, we find love and a second chance at a life that includes spending eternity with Jesus.
Our future is not determined by our past. Our future is not determined by what we use to be before knowing Jesus as our Personal Savior. Our future is determined by who Jesus is and what He can and will do in us.
Announcements listed in the bulletin are that the congregation will be collecting any dry pasta for the Food Pantry in June. Bible Study: Tuesday at 1 p.m.
You can email the church at nlbcmaine@gmail.com. Pastor Bonnie’s office hours are Tuesday’s from 9 a.m. to noon.
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