The Sunday School Lesson A Ministry of the Burnt Swamo Baptist Association Pastor, Bases Baptist Cfcmeii Focal Paooagtui Acts 18:24 to 19:7; I Corinthians 3:5-9 Here we arc introduced to ApoDos and to the fact that every believer most never atop learning. And certainly this is even more necessary for those who teach or preach God's word. Thus die lesson title, ApoHos: A Learning Teacher. Also in ApoDos we find die kind of person who is a good moral person and a community leader, one who the world would call a Chris tian-but not quite. The prob lem is all God's children have religion in one form or another but ail do not have a saving knowledge and rela tionship with Jesus Christ. They know all about the historic Jesus but do not know Him personally as their Lord ?and Savior the Risen Christ that dwells within as the Holy 'Spirit. Apparently this was the case with A polios as seen in the fact that be knew only the baptism-of John. ApoOos as we have already noted is - the kind of person the world might call a Christian, but not quite. And in a case like this a miss is as good as a mile. He . was well on the way, he had repented and confessed reli gion but tike the rich young ruler there was something lacking and that something was essential. He like the rich young ruler knew the scrip tures and had most probably kept the ten commandments. ApoOo was "a good moral man." He had been instruc ted in the teachings of Jesus. Thus he knew something about Christian belief and the Christian way of life. Certain ly he believed in God and asiwufl?"Mia"?UWWin Jesus for he knew (he story of Jesus end he could tell * -accurately. And he passed on the atory of Jesus wherever he had the opportunity. He was a *??/ pjiigKKi> person, wvu ? preacher aad missionary. And hi addition he had a good background, was a respected community leader, well thought at by all. and did good works. The problem was he had the cart before the horse I What wss it then that Aquila aad Prisctila missed in this fine moral person and eloquent teacher? What was it that A polios lacked? The only doe that Acts gives us is that he did not have the baptism of Jesus; he had only the baptism of John. If by baptism is meant only a ceremony and only a moral act and obediance to God's command then the clue floes not help us too much. But the baptism of Jesus means Car more than that which was meant by the baptism of John. The baptism of John was a baptism of repentance into moral improvement; it initi ated die baptized into a great reform movement, and let no one underestimate the im portance of it, but there was no transformation and in dwefiing power to live the tTapr.sm of Jews wtSPjg1 Jeans, i.e., m Jesus' Mine, was a baptism Into death and resurrection through the tn dwetting power of the Hoty Spirit Whereby the believer surrenders 4o Jesus as his or her personal Lord and Savi our. Indeed, "no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the HoW Spirit "- and mean it from the heart, 1 Corinthians 12:3 The baptism of Jesus, i.e., in Jesus' name is first of all die dying to self and the burial of self with its sinful intent and ways- The baptism of Jesus is a recognition and acknowledgment (a public confession) that of one's self yo can do nothing, that you are a sinner deserving only hell standing in the presence, of God, claiming nothing, only counting on God's grace and forgiving love (Agape). The baptism of Jesus changes the center of things from self directed effort to God given grace: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God? not because of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesi ans2:e. Hh the difference at who admits that he is s smnei deserving death for "the ??(jcs of sin is death but the ?ffwnaas^Zj!* Oe^thiT-d person is raised into a new kind of life in which he cxperieces a power ovei himself that he never had before. Before this happens a person is Uke Atlas trying to carry the world oa his sboul deis; trying to be the Messi ah, rather than letting Jesus be the Messiah; and now the great burden has been lifted and there is great rejoicing but not before the fact of the burdenof sin being lifted. No wonder Aquila and Pris eilla took A polios home with them and expounded to him the way of God more accu rately; explained what it really meant. That is what A polios missed: he missed the meaning of the gospel. He was a Christian, but not quite, and in a case like this a miss is as good as a mile. And churches are Filled with people who are Christi ans, but not quite. Their names are on church rolls but ? for they never missed a day ia , Sunday School. They try to live ? good Cfcrisdna Mi. They have a. high aeaee of moral responsibility they t assume tticu part ia the Hfc of tte community and they ftt >. about doing good. But they ' have misaed what they way of I Christ really means. They i have the baptism of John, but ' not the baptism of Jeans. They have never given up the control and direction of their own lives. They have never i stood in the presence of the 1. mighty God and admitted that ? of themselves they could do ; nothing. They haVe never been the receiver* of God's grace; only the giversof God's goods. This is no merely i academic distinction. It is the difference between life and death. It is the difference between a person who is frantically trying to hold on to a sinking ship and a person who. knowing the seriousness of his plight, reaches out far a life belt that has been thrown down from above. It is the difference between the reli gion of good works and tbe new life in Christ, a life of vmm u4 faith b> the first you (fed a person who by 41 Ms Might sad ail* goes out to sley Oottsth is ctstrut B ???3S sad who has bees saved by the grace at God through Wth sad surrender to Jesus es his personal Lord sad Saviour. A Mat to the wise is sufficient. ^ "l 225? ^LSfSe.oeft? pnbn a ymr. That1* about 87% of total payroll aaeh "" ' ' Larry R. Chavis named Assistant Vice President at SNB - ? lumhartan I. Try K- Chavia has-been promoted to assis tant vice president of South ern National Bank at the Home Office in Lumberton. Chavis is head of the Central Balancing Department. He joined Southern National in 1972 in the Management Training Program and worked in the Operations Department until April 1976 when he was promoted to assistant accoun tant in the Central Balancing Department. He was promo ted to accountant in June, 1981. Chavis graduated from PSU with a BS degree in account ing. He earned his MBA from Campbell University in May, 1982. He is a 1978 graduate of the Mid-Management Bank ? ing School and is currently enrolled at the University ai Wisconsin, Madison, Wis consin majoring in Controll ship and will graduate in 1983. Chavia is a member at the Fairgrove Jaycees having served as president in 1973- . 1974. He received the Distin guished Service Award in January 1976. He is married to the former Loleta Hunt of Fairmont. They have two children, Me lissa Renee and Alex Ray. They are members of the Reedy Branch Baptist Church where he serves as Church - Treasurer, Deacon and Chair man of the Finance Commit tee. Pembroke Klwanis Inducts New Member At the Tuesday evening meeting of Pembroke Kiwan is, Club President John L. Carter inducted Attorney Henry Ward Oxendine as a new member in Pembroke Kiwanis. Attorney Oxen dine's wife, Sandra, was extended the privilege of pin ning the new member's Ki wanis pin. Announcements included the following: Lt. Governor Bernard Lowry attended the Carolinas District Kiwanis meeting held at Litchfield Beach, S.C. This meeting was a training session for the new Lt. Governors of the District who will be serving during 1982-83. Ira Pate Lowry, Program Chairman, has post ed the schedule ot programs through September. Lt. Gov ernor Bernard Lowry will be the Chairman for the next meeting on Tuesday, August 3, with Simon Simmons, Manager of The Calumet MFG. Company.JThe plant is located at Maxton Air base. Mr. Simmons is a native of Belgium. Club President John L. Carter reminded the mem bers that the Pembroke Boos ters Club is now selling mem berships and urged the Gub members to purchase such a membership. On Monday, August 2, the S50 a Plate Pembroke Rescue Squad Din ner will be held at Stuff's Seafood Restaurant. All wanians were urged to attqpl this dinner. Locklear named to Indian Commission Raleigh-The appointment of Arnold Locklear of Robeson County to the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs ? was announced today by House Speaker Liston B. Ramsey. Locklear was appointed by the House of Representative on recommendation of Speak er Ramsey and with the support of House mem bers in the Robeson County area. He replaces Represen tative Horace Locklear of Robeson who stepped down as a result of recent legal rulings barring legislators ** from serving on policy-mak ing boards and commissions. The Commission of Indian Affairs operates under the State Department of Admini stration and is concerned with the activities and needs of North Carolina's Indian citizens. Locklear, the new member of the commission, is a resident of Pembroke. To defrost ground beef quickly, sprinkle with the salt you planned to use for tMtoning. It speeds the thawing processing. Saguaros, which ara hug# cactuses found in Arizona, ara often called "apart ment houses of the desert" because they provide liv ing quarters for so many bird ?rerisi ?VI* w#? Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Daniel / H. DeVane ? ? DANIEL H. DEVANE N.C HOUSE of REPRESENT A TIVES M&EUHOMES I ?If you own your own lot we can build, I and finance for you with no money *12% Mortgage Money ? I ^ lyf ^ ^ , NOW! The best of both worlds! ? * etamn* fnr t .Redeem your Greenbax Stamps for valuable gifts and appliances as in the past 2neoeem your oubihib* . . unbelievable savings on your weekly grocery shopping. PK6LY WI66LY BREAD 9 v y 0j&Wk LARGE EGOS y wny J BRAWNY TOWELS 19* SAVE ???-"-? -?-?>?? -'-?? t pimlv wnwit wmld 0* iraagBODSB in ^tumnJ ^ ?IIIpepper ml20" ? / jtfo piums ,.79c gy?mt8 3 ^1jOO< jJfL I* MCII QUALITY AJ A 10* PUKI ?mb ? lux soap 3u-99c l1febouy soap . 390 dove uquid .^990 stuso ... ? YES ' i5fc2fl ^ - DAWN A 310Z. if! . _ ) FOLGERS ]? 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