OCTOBER 6, 2021 WEEK 40

Upcoming
Discipleship
Opportunities

This week I have eeting

been attending the not m
second annual
Theology Matters
conference on
“living
“living in the power of Jesus from generation to in the power
generation.”
It has truly been a blessing to be among so many
Presbyterians who know and live that theology really does
matter. The first speaker delivered the sermon for opening
worship, the Rev. Dr. Richard Gibbons spoke from
Philippians 3:4b-14. In that passaged, he highlighted how
Paul knew the theology—Paul lists his pedigree—yet even
eeting
not m
that he counted as a loss when he finally encountered the
heart of theology, Christ Himself. Theology only matters
when that theology is rightly focused and derived from
Christ Jesus.

Continued on Page 2

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OCTOBER 6, 2021 WEEK 40

Other speakers presented wonderful historic sketches of theology, personal reflections on

theology from the academic window, and others. The speaker for the Wednesday evening
service was a minister from the Charlotte Presbytery, Rev. Lorenzo Small. Rev. Small comes
to the PC(USA) by way of the Baptist tradition and that certainly made itself known when he
preached from Matthew 28:16-20, “The Great Commission.” He noted that Jesus’ final
command to His disciples has a two-fold movement. First, is the proclamation of the word
and, second, is the teaching of that word. Like Rev. Dr. Gibbons, Rev. Small pointed us back to
Christ. Without Christ, any attempts to widen or grow the church will be futile. Failure is not
an option only when the Gospel of Christ is not optional.

Because of this conference, this week’s discipleship opportunities are postponed. This
Sunday, we will have a very special guest. Pastor Ryan Patterson of Harvest Christian
Fellowship in Gretna will be preaching. He’s a dear friend of mine and some of you may know
him if State Farm is your insurance. I know he will deliver a great message as he continues
my expository series on the Gospel of Mark 14:43-50.

Purim Instituted
Esther 9:23-28

Thus the Jews undertook what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to
them. For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had
schemed against the Jews to destroy them and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them
and destroy them. But when it came to the king’s attention, he commanded by letter that
his wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews, should return on his own head
and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. Therefore they called these
days Purim after the name of Pur. And because of the instructions in this letter, both what
they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them, the Jews established and
made a custom for themselves and for their descendants and for all those who allied
themselves with them, so that they would not fail to celebrate these two days according to
their regulation and according to their appointed time annually. So these days were to be
remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province
and every city; and these days of Purim were not to fail from among the Jews, or their
memory fade from their descendants.

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OCTOBER 6, 2021 WEEK 40

Sunday School
October 10| 9:00 AM

No meeting this week.

Lord’s Day Worship

October 10| 10:00 AM

Expository sermon series from Mark

14:43-50 entitled “Jesus Arrested.”

Youth Group
October 10| 6:00 PM

No meeting this week.

Bible Study
October 5| 10:00 AM

Bible study on the Westminster

Confession of Faith, chp. 22 “Of Lawful
Oaths and Vows.”

Men’s Bible Study

October 6| 8:00 AM

Men’s Bible study on the Book of Job on

chs. 8-11 “Contending with God.”

Expositor Digest is a weekly publication of the Altavista Presbyterian Church. Learn more at www.altapres.org.
Ed Soto is pastor of the Altavista Presbyterian Church and editor of Expositor Digest. To learn more about him, PAGE 3
visit www.revsoto.com.