“We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.”
—EFCA. Evangelical Convictions
Try as we might, we will never be able to shake our need for Christ. Regardless of all the vices we have slain and all the virtues to which we now cling, we will never shake ourselves free from the bounds of need that tie us to the relentless all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. Why? The Apostle Paul answers clearly and succinctly.
“For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
—Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)
Christ took our penalty and exchanged it for grace. He made atonement for our sin and imparted to us a salvation rich and free. Why? To restore proper order to the universe. He created humanity sinless, but humanity’s boast was humanity’s downfall. Therefore, our boast is the most insufficient means of salvation imaginable. We are His workmanship forged in the fires of His resurrection—the only ground for our salvation. To paraphrase the late Rich Mullins, if we are to live the victorious Christian life, we must die not only to our vices but also our virtues because a virtue rooted in humanity’s boast is a most dangerous thing.
Church, let our good works flow from the greater redemptive work of Christ, our representative, and substitute.
Amen.
Pastor Dan
Looking Forward
Sermon Direction
Who Is The Holy Spirit
John 14:16-26
Link to This Sunday Worship Service
Potluck This Sunday
Don’t forget about the chowder and chili potluck this Sunday following the second service in the gym.
Together Initiative Informational Resources
The Together Initiative is an exciting opportunity to increase our church’s capacity to demonstrate the presence of Christ and proclaim the message of His Gospel throughout New England by joining in partnership with the Evangelical Free Church of America. In preparation for this initiative, we are offering two informational resources, a website and an informational booth located in the worship center. Both resources will be accessible Sunday, March 6, 2022.
Sign-up for Networking Spiritual Gifts Workshop
The networking class to determine your spiritual gifts is being held Saturday, March 19th and March 26th 9-12am in the fellowship hall. If you have never determined what God has gifted you with, this is an excellent workshop to help you determine your gifts.
Sign-up for Networking Spiritual Gifts Workshop
The networking class to determine your spiritual gifts is being held Saturday, March 19th and March 26th 9-12am in the fellowship hall. If you have never determined what God has gifted you with, this is an excellent workshop to help you determine your gifts.
Looking ahead
Starting March 20th through April 10 we will be offering 4-week Discovery Class to learn more about who we are as a church Sunday mornings from 9:00-10:00 in the Fellowship Hall.
The local outreach mission team is sponsoring a movie night on March 25th from 7-9pm. The movie is entitled “Overcomer” and is done by the creators of War Room which was shown previously at EBC. Look for flyers in this week’s bulletin.
Giving and Online Giving
There is the option of online giving. Go to the website (laconiachurch.com) and click on “give” and proceed from there. If you have any questions, please contact the church office at 524-2277 or office@ebclaconia.com.