Free Methodist Church Weekly Newsletter

In Preparation For Sunday

Understanding Jesus' confrontation of the people who were "doing business" at the temple, consider these thoughts by two authors. The first is a modern scholar and the second is an ancient one:

"The Passover was a few days away. All four gospel authors include the story of the cleansing of the temple. All four gospel authors have this event occur just before the Passover. Only

John explicitly mentions the Passover. In the first three gospels, the cleaning of the temple occurs as part of the story about the Passover week.

The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus went to three Passovers. The first Passover in John is recorded here in John 2:13. The second Passover is mentioned in John 6:4 and the third one is found in John 11:55.

-He (Jesus) entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple. We can easily visualize the money chargers, the oxen, sheep, pigeons and the general chaos in the Temple area, especially in the Court of the Gentiles. The historian Josephus informs us about the "bazaars of Annas." We recall that Annas was the old man, the high priest, and that he had four sons and one son-in-law (Caiaphas) who were also high priests. This family made big money off the temple business. It was the biggest racket in town. People would bring their Roman and Greek coins with images of the emperor on those coins. Such coins were inadmissible in the temple because they were unclean due to the pagan image of the Caesars on those coins. Those coins with the image of Caesar would have to be exchanged for Jewish "kosher" coins. The money-changers made good profits. Larger animals like oxen and sheep were also bought and sold, as were pigeons for the sacrifices for poorer people. In equivalent dollars of today, Annas had an annual $170 million dollar business going. Yes, Annas and his high priestly family, had the best and biggest business in the country, and it was concentrated in the temple. Josephus was right: the temple area had become a bazaar."

Josephus, the Jewish historian confirms this in his ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS when he writes: "As for the high priest Ananias, he increased in glory every day, and this to a great degree...for he was a great hoarder up of money...he also had servants who were very wicked, who joined themselves to the boldest sort of the people, and went to the thrashing-floors, and took away the tithes that belonged to the priests by violence, and did not refrain from beating such as would not give these tithes to them. So the other high priests acted in the like manner, as did those his servants, without any one being able to prohibit them; so that (some of the) priests, that of old were wont to be supported with those tithes, died for want of food..."

February is Missions Month

God wants everyone to see His face, and therefore, into His heart. This truth is at the core of Free Methodist World Missions' 2009 theme - "Unveiled Faces." As we discover more and more of God's heart, the apostle Paul tells us that it is possible for our unveiled faces to reflect His glory to others. Billions around this world are waiting to know Christ, and God is waiting to pour out His Spirit on those who receive the good news.

This month we will give you the opportunity to help support Free Methodist World Missions by taking home a bank. Use the bank to collect money for helping our missionaries reflect God's glory to the people and bring the love of Christ. We will collect the banks on Sunday, March 8.

This Sunday we will be joined by Keith/Julie Winslow and their family, our missionaries to Asia. Over the following Sundays we will also be seeing video clips designed to show us how God is working through Free Methodist Missions across the world. On Sunday, March 1 we will be hearing from Dennis and Kyle Le�n on how we can join them as they reflect God's glory in Costa Rica. Join with us!

Couples Date Night

"Dinner & a Movie"
Thursday February 12th

5:30-8:30pm

This year for our church's annual celebration of marriage, we offer you and your spouse a real date night to kick off Valentine's Day weekend - with free babysitting! Bring your kids to the preschool at 5:30pm with a sack supper, then join us in the upper room for pizza, salad and (of course) popcorn while we view the newly released "FIREPROOF" - a Christian movie with a message of hope for all marriages. After viewing the movie, we will have a discussion of the movie and the accompanying book "The Love Dare" with our coffee and dessert. Join Pastor Denny and Cheryl Wayman for an interesting discussion designed to help you apply practical suggestions that will strengthen your loving relationship with your partner in life! Plan now to make this the beginning of your Valentine's Day weekend!

Reserve childcare if needed by calling Nelda Nutter at: 965-1338x226. For more info. and to reserve your place for dinner, dessert and discussion, please RSVP by Sun. Feb. 8 so we have plenty of food by calling Cheryl Wayman at 568-3838x229.

"FIREPROOF" - After seven years of marriage, Caleb and Catherine Holt have drifted so far apart that they are ready to move on without each other. Yet as they prepare to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's dad asks his son to try an experiment:
The Love Dare.

While hoping The Love Dare has nothing to do with his parents' newfound faith, Caleb commits to the challenge. But can he attempt to love his wife while avoiding God's love for him? Will he be able to demonstrate love over and over again to a person that's no longer receptive to his love? Or is this just another marriage destined to go up in smoke?

2009 Men's Retreat

February 27th-March 1st
At Oak Glen Christian Conference Center

"Rub some dirt on it and get in the game"

THE SPEAKER - Brad Mitchell
Brad was the pastor of Men's Ministry, Sports and Prayer (a trifecta for a men's retreat) at Willow Creek in Chicago. He has led a church of 3,800 and has also planted a church in a small town that saw 500 people become followers of Jesus so he brings both perspectives and experiences. Brad has led breakout sessions at the National Coalition for Men's Ministry as well as Willow Creek and Saddleback conferences. He currently is the Lead Pastor at Carolina Forest Community Church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Brad and his wife have been married 25 years and have three kids. He is also a ninja and the unknown writer of Hebrews. Congratulations for reading this far.

THE WORSHIP - David Gaulton
David is a fantastic worship leader from Azusa Pacific University. His song "Righteous King" was selected for the SongSeeker worship album for the 2008 Saddleback Worship Conference. David has a true heart for worship as well as an overflow of talent. You can get a sense of his heart for worship at www.davidgaulton.com.

THE TOPIC
Our motto this year is "Rub some dirt on it and get in the game". We are talking about getting on the playing field of advancing God's Kingdom in our lives. One of the major themes will be the fact that we cannot do it alone. Another theme is the fact that the retreat for women was called You Glow Girl so unless you want to go to that retreat next year, you had better be at this one. Also, I needed more text in this section to get The Cost section to be its own line.

THE COST
It is less than selling all your possessions and giving them to the poor. The cost is $130 if you register by Feb 1st and $150 if you sign up after that. Paintball, climbing wall are extra and you will sign up for those when you get there.

HOW TO REGISTER

You can register online by clicking HERE Or you can pick up a brochure with a registration form at church.

Our Memory Verse
John 1:1-18

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,[d] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

ABF - Adult Bible Fellowship

"Knowing Scripture"
Presented by Larry Gilbertson
February1-March 1, 2009 (Five Sundays)
9:30 am in the SHIFCO Recreation Room

This series on "Knowing Scripture" is designed to equip us to better understand God's Word, help us mine the depths and wisdom of Scripture, and to grow us in both Truth and Spirit. These classes are based on the DVD series "Knowing Scripture" by R. C. Sproul, who is a noted theologian and Bible scholar. Please join us and learn valuable techniques of Biblical interpretation that will allow us to better know the Word and ultimately to better know God.

February 1
This first class will provide the Biblical reasons for Bible study, dispel popular myths associated with the study of God's Word, and will include a video presentation by R. C. Sproul on "Personal Bible Study and Private Interpretation."

February 8
The science of interpreting Scripture (Hermeneutics) will be discussed, including the rules that govern objective interpretation and three major methods of interpretation (Grammatico-Historical, Religious-Historical and Existential methods). We will also view a video presentation by R. C. Sproul on the "Literal Interpretation of Scripture."

February 15
Various "Literary Forms" found in Scripture will be the focus of this class such as the use of hyperbole, metaphor, anthropomorphic language, and personification.

February 22
This week we will discuss how to read the Bible personally, as people who are intimately, personally, and passionately involved with what we are reading. We will also view an R.C. Sproul video on how we should interpret "Historical Narratives."

March 1
Guidelines for interpreting implicit passages and explicit passages will be the subject of this class. We will see how the implied is to be interpreted in light of the explicit, and we will cover problems that arise when we try to draw inferences from implicit passages that violate explicit teaching elsewhere in Scripture.

Larry Gilbertson, a member of our congregation, led an eight-week course on "Knowing Scripture" at the Tuesday night men's Bible study in 2008. Larry is currently a systems analyst at Northrop Grumman, and he has been involved in math and physics in both industry and academic settings during his career.

About Free Methodist Church

Our Mission is to win people to Christ, establish them in the faith, and equip them for ministry.

Free Methodist Church
1435 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, California 93109
805-965-1338
www.fmcsb.org