A comment on the ugliness of sin

Recently there have been some instances of public, deliberate sin among some of the people that I know. Some of this has been very difficult to deal with as they have just been a constant reminder that they, just like me, are not immune to the sin the crouches at the door and desires to have us. This has also required me to rethink my own heart, mind, and intentions and consider my life. After considering this, I am reminded of what Jonathan Edwards said in one of his resolutions:

Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

Thinking upon this, and hearing about the great disappointments lately have caused me to say, "Lord have mercy on me, a sinner." We all must realize (I am emphasizing my need) that when we confront sin in others, that we ourselves are in danger of falling in to the same sin or even worse. Therefore, watch yourselves. As I am reading the book, "The Lord's Supper" by Thomas Watson, I find some passages that aid me in thinking about the severity and the stench of sin.

If a woman saw that sword which killed her husband, how hateful would the sight of it be to her! Do we count that sin light,k which made Christ's soul "exceeding sorrowful unto death" (Mark 14:24)? Can that be our joy, which made the Lord Jesus Christ "a man of sorrows" (Isa. 53:3)? Did he cry out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46? And shall not those sins be forsaken by us, which made Christ himself forsaken? Oh let us look upon sin with indignation....Sin has pierced and gored our Saviour: let it die the death. What a pity it is that that should live which would not suffer Christ to live. (29) Emphasis added.

Mexico Missions Initiative - Summer 2008

There have been many who have been asking about information on the mission trips for next year. You can obtain applications by contacting the office @ Rockport Baptist Church by calling (636) 464-1460.

The Deadline for registration and payment of deposits is December 16, 2007.

The dates for the trips are:

• June 19 – June 28, 2008
• July 24 – August 2, 2008

There is limited registration on both weeks. You can still register after the deadline, however there will be a late fee as well as possible higher price for airfare.

Mexico!!

We are just about four weeks away from another trip to Centenario, Mexico. Please be in prayer for the team that will be attending:

• Aaron Sutton (me)


• Rick Clausel


• Robby Wann


• Ruben Moreno


• Irian Hernandez

I was reminded of the trip yesterday when I received a video from my friend John. Below you will find a video of a mission trip he participated in this year. Perhaps watching this will help you understand the magnitude of the needs that we have in just walking distance from the United States of America.

We still have some needs with our trip this November. These needs reflect our objective for this year. If you are interested in assisting with these, or would like more information, please contact our church office at (636) 464-1460, visit our church website @ http://www.rockportbaptist.org/ or contact our church secretary directly at kurtboehm@juno.com.

Needs for this November:

• We would like to take a bulk of "Ultimate Questions" books in Spanish.
• We still need approximately $600.00 to help cover costs of airfare, ground transportation, supplies, and food. Any left over money will be used to go toward our trip in the Spring. (February 28 - March 3, 2008)
• Case of Bibles
• Teams of people to be praying for our team as we share the gospel one on one with the people with whom we are already connected.
• We are forming the teams for our trips for Summer 2008. Space is limited. You will need to complete an "Application for Consideration", as well as the "TETM Application." Both of these can be obtained by contacting the church office or by visiting our website @ http://www.rockportbaptist.org

More information to come! We will also be sending updates while we are in Centenario, so please remember to check in so that you can know specifically how to pray for and rejoice with us!

DG Conference 2007

Messages from the Conference:

John MacArthur, keynote speaker for this year's DG conference, brought great messages on essential to persevering in the ministry. The main text that he taught from was 2 Corinthians 4:1-9

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

Some points of impact for me:

• The call to radical personal holiness and the training of a biblically informed conscience. MacArthur explained that the conscience is for the soul as pain is for the body. Pain is a very good thing because without it we might allow ourselves to die because we would not understand some of the danger of our actions or what is being done to us. The same way the conscience is for the soul. It is dangerous to sin against it, likewise we are foolish to think that we do not have to educate and train it with the Word of Christ.
• I commend to you his teaching on the treasure in "jars of clay." What a great message on the treasure of the gospel, planted in us, these breakable, dispensable, ugly, jars.

You can listen/view his messages as well as the messages of others at http://www.desiringgod.org

Conversation with John

Before the conference began, I received an e-mail from a man who stumbled upon this blog and wanted to get together to discuss missions in Mexico as well as theological training for leaders in that country. We later discovered that we would both be attending the Desiring God conference! So we met for coffee and I must tell you, it is great to see what the Lord is doing in this brother's life.

We both share a common interest in seeing leaders trained to correctly handle the Word! Would you join us in praying toward this? First, that there would be people saved in these areas. Second, that the Lord would set apart leaders for His people. Finally, that there would be some of us that would stop using the argument that "there must be people closer and more qualified to go" as a reason to not devote time, energy, and resources to this area.

John, if you read this, I want you to know that appreciate our short time together during the conference and I look forward to speaking with you more in the future!!!

Missions in 2008

Lord willing, we are going to take 2 larger trips to Centenario next summer. The information is now available. I am encouraging everyone to go ahead and register as soon as possible with the church office by calling 636-464-1460 or visiting our website at http://www.rockportbaptist.org for more information.