Sawn Diego New Life Ministries
April Connection
CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY
www.sdcogop.com sdcogop@yahoo.com
April 2012
SanDiego NewLife Church
In this Issue: From the Heart of Your Pastor
Bishop Jack Sheets Sr., Senior Pastor 1
Ministries | Events
2
Life Groups
3
Locations 730 Concepcion Ave. Spring Valley (619) 741-8166 Sunday Meeting Times: Connection Cafe – 10:00am Worship – 11:00 am Servicio en Español-5:00pm Wednesday: iYouthz Youth Connection 6:30pm
2107 I Avenue National City (619) 474-6062 Tuesday Life Groups: English at- 6:30pm Español at 7:00pm
His story… THE Passion “And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly.” (Luke 22:44 ESV) The Garden of Gethsemane is a place where Jesus had come many times before to pray. But this time was different. This time He was in an agony. What’s interesting is that this is the only time this phrase is used in all of scripture. It was not just agony. It was an agony. A battle… a fight… a struggle in deep anguish. “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. If it be your will remove this cup from me…” Lying on His face, prostrate before His Father crying out in such deep distress that the capillaries under his skin burst and “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (vs. 44). Typically this kind of agony can cause brain damage, or even death. But Jesus lived on… to die… THE Punishment “But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:5 ESV) Being hung on a cross to die was common in those days. But this was different. Before the actual crucifixion, Jesus was brutally beaten. Burly Roman soldiers used their clenched fists and pounded His face over and over again. Handfuls of His beard were yanked out. Onlookers walked up to him, cleared their throats, and spit in His face. A crown of thorns was placed on His head, and then driven deep into His skull with wooden reeds. Stripped naked, He was
scourged with a cat of nine tails — so named because there were nine strands, and on the end of those nine strands were pieces of metal or bone, designed to dig into the skin and rip it open. Normally a man was whipped with 39 lashes. 39 lashes with 9 strands you do the math. When they were done Jesus’ lacerated flesh hung from His body in long strips, exposing muscle, sinew and even bone and after all of that, He was then made to carry His own cross. Nailed to the cross, the One who knew no sin, became sin for us all “and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53: 6 ESV). THE Proclamation “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”(John 19:30 NIV) After hours of wretched suffering one last time Jesus pushed up against the nail in His feet to take the pressure off of His diaphragm so He could take His final breath. Burning lungs filled with air, and then from a parched throat, through swollen, broken bleeding lips, the very Son of God cried out, “It — Is — Finished!” Every Jew within earshot knew those words. They were the words the high priest used every year to proclaim that their sins had once again been atoned for, by the sacrificing of a spotless, unblemished lamb. But this was different. The Lamb of God — the perfect Passover Lamb — who came to take away the sin of the world, was proclaiming for all (continued on page 3)
April Connection WANTED We want and need more Life Group facilitators! Join us at 9:00 am on Sunday, April 1 for tips and inspirations for successful small group leaders.
Have a Need? God cans everywhere are full of needs. Our churches worldwide and our government need prayer. Join the forces who are committed to fast and pray every Tuesday! When you grocery shop…
Eliminating Debt
Page 2 of 3
Especially for Women
“Tea for the Soul” The first Thursday of each month
April 5 at 6:30 p.m.
6-week course Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. April 17 thru May 22 Call the office to R.S.V.P. (619) 741-8166
Family Movie Night Fri., April 13 ~ 6:00 pm Showing:“Courageous”
Remember Joseph’s Storehouse
Combining faith and fitness . . . First half hour will be a scripture lesson on “The Woman Repentant Sinner” followed by thirty minutes of Pilates taught by Aurora Ayala. Please bring a mat and/or a towel. Come early if you can and bring someone with you! ________________
Coming in May:
Sundays 10am – 12pm A place where Faith grows! Go Green! Save a tree . . . To receive this monthly publication online, send an email to sdcogop@yahoo.com
iYouthz Youth Connection Come develop new friendships and begin a spiritual journey.
Wednesdays ~ 6:30pm www.iYouthz.com
May 11 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. Ladies’ Makeover Day May 13 Mothers’ Day Breakfast May 19 Ladies’ Day Trip to Temecula
April Connection
Page 3 of 3 ss
to hear, that once and for all, the final sacrifice had been made. “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by the means of the blood of goats and calves, but by the means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12 ESV) Then He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit…
At San Diego New Life Ministries, we want to be more than just a friendly church, we desire to be a church where you will cultivate friendships with people who will care for you, encourage you, challenge and pray for you. Chula Vista Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. Nathan Roybal (619) 672-2431 East Chula Vista Wednesday at 7:00 pm Ray Roybal (619) 690-0397 Jim Trípoli (619) 482-9410 National City English Tuesday at 6:30 pm Pastor Jack National City Español Tuesday at 7:00 pm Ezequiel Tagle (619) 267-0936 National City Español Juventud Saturday at 7:00 pm Priscilla Tagle (619) 267-0936 North County Sunday at 8:00 a.m. David & Claudette Dinkins (619) 267-8064 San Carlos Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Joel Drake (619) 466-7380 South East San Diego Sunday afternoons Michelle Wilburn (619) 249-3674 Spring Valley Español Wednesday at 6:30 pm Friday at 6:00 p.m. Ezequiel Tagle (619) 267-0936
THE Promise A few days before, Jesus had told His disciples that He was about to die. Sensing the fear and anxiety that they were experiencing, He gave them this promise, “I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3 NASV) A dead god could never keep that promise. Surely He couldn’t mean that He would actually die. But then, from distant hiding places, they watched Him do just that — die. Now what? The hopes, dreams and promises they had, now seemed to be sealed by the stone that was placed at the entrance of His borrowed tomb. But listen to these words because in them you will find the hope of His promise — “Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James… came to the tomb… and looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away… they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, ‘Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here!!‘” (Mark 16:1-6 NASV) Up from the grave He arose… with a mighty triumph o’er His foes! My friend we do not believe in a God who was once alive and now He is dead. We follow after a God who once was dead and now He is alive. Life is no longer a hopeless end… it is an endless hope. The death, burial and resurrection of Christ were THE moment in time that changed the course of humanity. A perfect offering was presented. That which had been spoken of by the prophets in Scripture was fulfilled in Jesus Christ our LORD. This is truly God’s gift of love, freely given to all who will receive. In the great “Resurrection Chapter”, Paul presents the gospel when he writes “…Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures… and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain…” (1 Corinthians 15 ESV). These words are not a defense of the resurrection. They are in effect a declaration of the most important words in Christianity… He is Risen! These are the words that have turned the world upside down. And these words will continue to give us the hope of His promise “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3 EVS)
We would be honored if you would …
Celebrate! Easter with us April 8 To volunteer services to the church, please contact Gabe Ortiz in person, by e-mail at gortiz@cox.net or, by calling (619) 466-9988.