Save the date! Pioneer, Andrews University and The Red Cross will sponsor a Blood Drive on Thursday, July 23 from 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM in the Pioneer Commons. Extra precautions will be in place for your safety. More details to come including scheduling your appointment. All types of blood are needed so plan now to donate. Contact Larry Ulery at ulery@andrews.edu for more information. We're all in this together. Thank You!
Galaxy Three: Why What Is Happening a Billion Light Years Away Right Now Matters to You
Galaxy Three: The HP Factor
DVDs
To purchase a DVD of this sermon please visit our online shopping cart. Proceeds go to support the New Perceptions media ministry.Buy DVD Online Buy series
Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonSince 1983, Dwight Nelson has served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University. He preaches on the “New Perceptions” telecast, teaches at the theological seminary and has written some books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
Offering
Saturday, August 30, 2014
More In This Series
“Galaxy Three:
Why What Is Happening a Billion Light Years Away Right Now Matters to You” [The HP Factor]
www.pmchurch.tv
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□ Hebrews 1:1—“Long ago God spoke.”
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Two universal realities embedded in this four-word opening salvo:
#1—God is.
#2—God speaks.
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“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. . . . And God said, ‘Let there be
light.’” (Genesis 1:1-3)
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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . .
Through Him all things were made.” (John 1:1-3)
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“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must
believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
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“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you.”
(Jeremiah 29:13, 14)
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Two universal realities embedded in this four-word opening salvo:
- □ “Yet hope is not lost. The King mysteriously rises from the dead, Conqueror of the Rebel and evil. Now, returned to the throne, the King commands the endgame of the final battle to save the rebel planet, rescue Galaxy Three and restore freedom to the universe . . . .”
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□ Hebrews 1:1-4
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Chiasm—a literary device that utilizes a unique parallel pattern for
clarification and/or emphasis: A-B-C- . . . C’-B’-A’.
A The Son contrasted with the (vv 1-2a) B The Son as messianic (v 2b)
C The Son’s work (v 2c)
D The Son’s threefold mediatorial relationship to(vv. 3a-b)
C’ The Son’s work (v 3c)B’ The Son as messianic (v 3d) A’ The Son contrasted with the (v 4)
- The Son is the great divine on behalf of the Throne of the universe and all intelligent life.
- Peter O’Brien: “The Son is the exact representation, the embodiment of God, as he really is. His being is made manifest in Christ, so that to see the Son is to see what the Father is like. . . . Together, then, these magnificent affirmations [at the heart of this chiasm] show that the Son manifests the person and presence of God. He is able to be God’s historical self- revelation because he is identified with Yahweh [the great I AM] himself.” (The Letter to the Hebrews 55)
- Only in Hebrews is Jesus Christ called the great of the fallen human race.
- “‘The whole argument of the Epistle revolves around the idea of the Son who has become the perfect high priest by his death and exaltation.’” (O’Brien 59)
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No wonder the author of Hebrews repeatedly appeals to us to look at Him! Hebrews 2:9—“But we Jesus.”
Hebrews 3:1—“Fix your on Jesus.”
Hebrews 12:2—“Let us fix our on Jesus.” - Steps to Christ: “Such is the character of Christ as revealed in His life. This is the character of God. It is from the Father’s heart that the streams of divine compassion, manifest in Christ, flow out to the children of men. Jesus, the tender, pitying Saviour, was God ‘manifest in the flesh.’ It was to redeem us that Jesus lived and suffered and died.” (12)
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Chiasm—a literary device that utilizes a unique parallel pattern for
Save the Date: Blood Drive
The Least of These
Do you have the heart to serve the "least of these?" One of our Pioneer ministries provides a simple church service to those in the Juvenile Detention Center in Berrien Center. Saturday evenings at 6:00 PM we host an interactive Bible study and sing songs with the young people there. For more information and to get involved contact Rodlie Ortiz at rodlie.ortiz@pmchurch.org or call 269-471-6154.
Sun, Fun, and Faith!
We are inviting all youth to come out to Lake Chapin every Tuesday night from June 30 - August 11 at 6:00 PM to join us for Sun, Fun, and Faith! We will have boating, fun, and worship. Masks are encouraged and attendees are asked to remember social distancing. The Youth Department is asking for anyone with a boat who can bring it to out to Lake Chapin on Tuesday nights to contact Brooke Scott at 269-932-5783 via text or call.
Sabbath School Quarterlies
Do you need a Sabbath School Quarterly? You can always download a digital copy, but if you'd like to have your own physical copy they are located just inside the main entrance of the church. Sabbath School lessons are available for the 3rd quarter for all children and adult divisions as well as Primary Treasures and Junior Guides. The church office is open Monday - Thursday 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM and Friday 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. For more information, please contact the church office at 269-471-6565.
Going Home July 11
Will the church look any different? The sanctuary still smells new—and it will be just as you left it almost four months earlier. But yes, there will be a new awning entryway on the office (parking lot) side of Pioneer. The inside stairs going up and down from that doorway have been rebuilt with a new no-slip covering. Pioneer is eager to have you return.
That's why the doors to Sabbath worship at Pioneer are opening on July 11. Naturally, we all are carefully weighing our response to spaces opening up to the public in this season of the pandemic. Churches that are sacred space must also be a safe space. James Ford is chairing our reentry task force, and they have adopted the safest congregational protocol possible. Because we not only want you to be safe, we want you to feel safe.
To help us gauge your own perspectives, Richard Parke, co-chair of our Safety Committee, has created a short survey. The questions ask your initial plans regarding a return to our sanctuary. Your helpful response will assist your leaders in their planning for Pioneer's next chapter.
Whatever lies ahead for this congregation and this campus, why not claim God's promise, "I will go before you" (Isaiah 45:2). Knowing He goes ahead and prepares the way certainly makes what we don't know much easier not to know. May He be praised.
Office Hours
Pioneer office hours are now as follows:
Monday - Thursday 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Friday 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
Adopt a College Student
COVID-19 has taken a toll in our community and around our campus. As you already know most students have headed home to their families. However, we have some students who were not able to return home and are alone here on campus, many are from international locations with student visa which, means they are not allowed to work off campus to their visa restrictions, and since Andrews University is currently closed they are not able to work at all. Most of these students don't have transportation to get off campus. These students are also missing connection.
Pioneer wants to share God's love and blessings with these students for the next 6 weeks, until our campus opens up. Would you adopt a student? Here's how you can help:
- Check in on them once a week - send a text, call them on the phone, pray with them, get to know them.
- Be willing to provide at least one meal a week or groceries for the student to cook with.
- Be willing to drive them to the grocery store if needed.
Each student needs something different but we won’t know unless we ask them, and get to know them. Some students just need a ride to the grocery store, some students just need to hear that someone cares about them enough to call, others need groceries, but all need our love and prayers.
Other ways to help:
- Sponsor a fruit/veggie box to be delivered weekly through Cafe Bon Appetit (269-471-3161 ext. 0 or email linda.brinegar@cafebonappetit.com)
- Get a group together and host a carry-out meal for students. (thank you to the groups who have done this already)
- Take a treat to the residence halls
- Offer to give a student a ride to the grocery store.
- Donate to Student Life Relief Fund
- United Way of Southwest Michigan
Report: The (Virtual) Tent 2020
In no way was The Tent normal this year. After all, nothing has been! That is not to say, however, that it was not a win for the Kingdom of God. Although it was online only, God came through in a mighty way! With about 200 different video clips the whole thing came together against all odds. There were decisions for baptism and people tuning in from all over the world!
This was the 7th year of The Tent. Some of our preachers this year were in the first grade when this all began. That year, Pastor Dwight came to Ruth Murdoch Elementary School and asked the 1st graders which of them would like to preach when they were Junior High students. Well, some of those kids preached last week! These messages were driven by the Holy Spirit as they profoundly spoke to events that took place after the messages were even recorded.
It was not just the speakers who did well this year. Micah Leiterman and Marco Sciarabba Badenas welcomed guests every night with intros that were fun and engaging! What was awesome about their video clips was the way that these two students not only wrote the scripts but they filmed and edited the clips together.
The students came together in an incredible way to make the music as well. Each student created their videos for music individually and these were edited together to create music as a team. We had an incredible team of seminary students who helped bring all of this together, and we also depended upon the musical genius of Chuck Reid who did our fine-tuning.
What was most amazing about The (Virtual) Tent was the seamless way all of these pieces made a whole. This is what the Holy Spirit longs to do with us as a church! Imagine what God could do with a church connected to Him! The (Virtual) Tent is a call to action. This is a picture of what God can do in the worst of circumstances with people who are listening to His voice.
FLAG Camp Update
We are saddened to inform you that due to COVID-19 FLAG Camp will be canceled this summer. Thank you to each who has applied to be on staff. Please apply again next year for the summer of 2021. We will be working to make next summer a great and safe experience!
COVID-19 Updates
For your safety, Pioneer Memorial Church offices are now closed until further notice. Pastors and staff continue to work remotely to serve your needs.