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The Vision of the United Baptist Church is to be a praying, growing church that glorifies God and actively meets the spiritual and physical needs of our church members, the people of Ellsworth, Hancock County and beyond.
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Free In Christ
Good job singing. Well done. I think we can work on the out loud praying. If you go to the D.R., it is like, intense. Like you were like. That was incredible. So it's good practice. Good start. We're getting there. But that's not why I'm up here. And also a missionary, a book on Audible, because she has a good reading voice.
I'm here to share a little bit about Baptist Youth Camp. It's a ministry of United Baptist. It's one of our local area ministries. It's in Charlotte, Maine, which is a couple of hours down the road from here, maybe. Yeah, 2 hours, pretty much straight shot. Straight shot. But I just it's a privilege to come and to share. I think I came in the fall and thanked you just and said I could just repeat everything I said then and it be like fresh news to all of us, so myself included.
But I don't remember what I said then. So you're going to get a whole new set of things, but I'm going to start by sharing some candies with you and I'm going to throw them at you. I stop throwing lollipops so you can give thanks for that because the sticks on those are vicious. And a lady in a small church said, No more lollipops, please.
That hit me. So. So life savers. It's because campers. Why do I throw life savers? Anyone? No. Remember? Yes. Yes. I'm being kind and giving them to you. Absolutely. At any other. The deeper meaning to the life saver. A little deeper. I am being kind. Yes. I'll make sure you get extra. Yes. Olivia. Jesus is our life saver.
So next time we have a life saver, which we don't all have often, but the reminder that Jesus is our life saver. So these are fruity. These are minty, These are spicy little ones. Just be aware of that before I throw it. You have to earn it. I'm going to eat. I'm going to basically say ongoing. Just a reminder.
I'm going to say God is awesome. And you say all the time, you don't really have to earn. I'm going to throw it. Even if you're really bad at and and then then I say all the time and you say, Yeah, yeah, probably a little more joyful, a little more than just God is no God is awesome. Oh, oh, I Oh, and I don't know if about enough of these because there's more people here just like the receipts that are the thing that came before this passed out. So I made a fool of you if you didn't get any. There's a lot right there. The space you want. At this point, it doesn't really matter what I say. You're like, I have candy.
So. All right, now the trick. There's actually a trick behind this. You actually open it, put it in your mouth, and then you listen. So that's how it works.
Baptist Youth Camp has been a part of our association life since 1946, when a bunch of pastors just got together and said, We need to do something for the youth of our area. And I think just as much as 1946, in 2023, it's essential that we have a place where young and old can grow in their faith and become faithful followers of Christ.
Our prayer is that we would engage with folks that we would encourage them in their faith and that we would equip them, that we would provide them with some encouragement as they go on their way. BYC does not operate independent of the local church. In fact, it is it's important that very important that they have a local church to be a part of where they can continue the process of being faithful followers of Christ because it does not happen in a week of the year.
And I encourage you and I, there's tons of young people here. So obviously the Lord is at work and praise God for that. And being a part of the ministry is essential to have that year round impact on young people's lives. So praise the Lord for that and thank you for for your support and encouragement of the ministry.
I just I went there when I was little and I praise God for that ministry. How many people have been a camper at one point or a staffer I see in this room? I'm not asking for your age. You don't need to tell me your age. Joyce. Joyce, put a candy in your mouth just playing Joyce But everyone agreed with me.
I'm sorry, I No, no. Corporate takeover. I can't tell you how important it was for me as a young person to have a place where I belonged and where I could felt like I could be a follower of Christ and encouraged in that way. And I think in 2023 probably agree that this is just as an important ministry.
In fact, I encourage you to be constantly in prayer, even especially as the summer approaches a week in living in cabin life and eating meals together to have a genuine intentional community is really huge. Sit around the table, talk, share challenges that campers face, pray for them. Just think just this tremendously valuable experience. So I'm asking that you pray that the Lord bring just the right staff, that he would provide the counselors, the lifeguards, the nurses, the pastors, the cooks, the maintenance, all.
There's so many things that can be done in a week of camp. So I invite you to be praying about that and consider serving yourselves. Maybe the Lord would have for you to come and be a part of the ministry this summer and serve and use your gifts in that way. Perhaps before the summer comes. Maybe you're like, I'm not going to be there for a week this summer.
Sorry, Adrian, but perhaps there's a way that you can participate. Even now, we're in the middle of doing construction. We're working on adding on to our health center. One thing that we've always desired to do is provide a quality camping environment so that campers don't have any distractions. And one of those things that we've been working on this year, actually for a few years now, is to add on to our health center and make it really just accessible and just a good environment for camper care when they should have happen to have health care needs.
There's always a nurse on campus. But that's a thing we're working on right now, plugging away at. And if you're interested in participating in that, we'd be greatly appreciate it. You can talk to me more. I just encourage you to continue to pray that the Lord provide. It's not cheap to feed, you know, 7500 people a week.
It's not. And we never charge more than we think is reasonable for a camper to pay, even though it costs far more to run camp. But the Lord has been gracious and kind and I encourage you to praise Him for that. He has provided abundantly and beyond and just continue to trust that he will do so that he is in control.
If you're interested in Memorial Day weekend, happy to have you join. Be some hands. You can come for a day. You can come and stay overnight. It's a work weekend and just kind of whatever projects we can accomplish. There's always a list, a long list, longer than we can manage. But the more hands, obviously, that old saying makes for light work or whatever the old saying is, you know it, I don't have family.
So and then I just I just thank you. I want to thank you, church for supporting the ministry over the years. I know a lot of you have served there. I know your church is a constant provider. Constantly give to the camp annually, but invite you to consider if the Lord would put it on your heart to join the BYC 365 team.
It's just a group of people that give every month. It just helps us to know that we the bills will be paid and provided for. So if you're interested in that again, you can speak to me. We can set it up automatically or you can just send a check. I actually like it. Well, the automatic is nice because it's easy, but the check is nice because it also reminds you to pray.
And I actually believe that prayer is the foundation of this ministry. And God's word is what will drive us forward. So I just encourage you to be praying for the ministry and keep us in mind. I just read one Boise camper quote before I close this time and allow I think some think Christmas coming to pray.
This is a camper quote. It says, BYC is an amazing experience. There's a good balance of fun and downtime. Christ really is the focus and that's our prayer to keep him at the center, that is it is fun. But really, it's an opportunity to to grow in our faith and to be a mountaintop experience that moves us onward to to draw and to be faithful followers of Christ.
Thank you for your prayers and I hope you have some more Candy. I didn't get any. Oh, I. Oh, we want to pray for BBC today, so let's bow our heads and pray together as we vow before you today, Lord, we praise you for your care and loving faithfulness and how through the years you have ministered to our community through the Ministry of See, this morning we seek your blessing and be wise and beseech you for protection and provision for this campaign season.
Lord, you've wonderfully met the needs of BYC through the years, and we pray that there will be a continued awareness and support for this ministry. Thank you For those who give generously and for the support of the many volunteers who give time and energy to ramp up and care for the camp. We're thankful for the camp's leadership and ask that they will always seek your wisdom as they envision and then minister.
We pray for adequate and qualified staff that will meet not only the basic needs of the campers, but we'll have the visual of the spiritual insight and discernment to help the campers grow spiritually. May the teachers and speakers and counselors be encouraged to those in attendance? We pray for helpful and clear communication of your truth that will lead to good conversations, give counselors, winds, wisdom and discernment the right words to say and the right actions to take.
Prevent them from discouragement and keep them focused on the purposes of the experience. Give these sermons, physical endurance, health, and a special measure of grace. May they find moments of rest and renewal during this busy, exhausting season. Thank you for Adrian and his ongoing commitment to and enthusiasm for this ministry and his willingness to use his gifts in this special way to connect with the young people and get them connected to you.
Bless him and his family as he leads the camp throughout the summer. We know that there will be challenges for him, but keep him strong and humble before the tasks that lie ahead may have the support he needs may find his strength as a new and never forget that this is your work and that your purposes will be accomplished even in the midst of challenges.
We pray for the campers that they will have a fun, safe and healthy experience. Lord and children get to camp. Who will benefit from the atmosphere and teaching and fellowship. We know that many of these kids face many different, different personal, emotional and social situations. Many have challenging home and school experiences and issues which require understanding and wisdom and patience and kindness and grace.
Their backgrounds may be very varied, but they all are growing up in an age of ethical and moral chaos and need special encouragement and support. I would ask that behavioral problems will not cause disruptions, that there will be little drama and there would be kindness and humility displayed by staff and campers. May truth be taught, may not one child walk away without an understanding that Jesus loves them, that you want to redeem them, that you have good plans for them, a desire to walk through life with them, that they are created in your image to do the work that you are planning for them to do, and that they can trust you with their lives
made. These children have open ears and hearts as they hear the words of Jesus and sense that prompting of the Holy Spirit. May this be a real time of spiritual strengthening. We pray for the Roots program that it will grow young people spiritually, that mentors will be available and helpful, and that servants for your kingdom will grow from this effort.
And Lord, you are the creator of Heaven and Earth. We do even ask that the weather will be conducive to an enjoyable summer camping experience. We would ask that every aspect of this ministry will bring honor and glory to you, and we commit by sea to your oversight and care. And we pray these these things in the name of Jesus.
Amen. Right before we dismiss the children, Joyce, I am sincerely sorry for being rude earlier. I really am sorry about the. No, no, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. All right. Kids can go to junior church, have fun. Bye bye. A little bit to everyone. Everyone's supposed to leave. Is left for Joyce. I heard. Apologize. Don't make me apologize again.
But would it surprise you to know that every member of United Baptist has spent time in prison? Not literally. Of course. Some of you are already like, I haven't. What is he saying, though? Some of us may have, but I'm speaking figuratively, spiritually, every human being since the fall of man and the introduction of sin into the world is born into and lives captive to sin.
Everyone in his or her natural state is a slave to sin. But by God's grace, some of us have escaped the chains. Have you? This morning our Scripture from the Book of Acts presents multiple stories with one common theme a theme of deliverance, the power of God to set the captives free. We will read of a possessed fortuneteller.
Some disciples, a jailer and his family, and we will witness firsthand the power of God to deliver us from evil and truly the freedom that is available through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let's first pray, Lord, I pray this morning that that these would be your words, that that I would just be removed from the equation and that you would allow my brothers and sisters here to hear from your truth.
We pray, Lord, that it would be declared boldly and that it would direct us and remind us of our need for your grace in our lives. Draw us to yourselves by your power. In Jesus name, Amen. Acts 16 is where we are this morning. Acts 16, starting with verse 16. And if you've been following along, you know, I've jumped a little bit, but we'll let Scott deal with that later.
He'll figure that out at 16. I just going to read some portions. So if you do have your scripture or your Bible open, that's fine. We're going to start with just 16 to 18. As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much game by fortune telling.
She followed us, crying out, These men are servants of the most high God who proclaim to you the way of salvation. And this she kept doing for many days, Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour, that very hour.
Not only was this young lady enslaved physically, she also suffered from with a spiritual oppression as this evil spirit held her captive. She was shackled, chained and in great bondage, even though she could verbally proclaim that these men were sharing the way of salvation, she herself couldn't even ask for help. She could not express her own need for deliverance.
She could only follow them around, repeating over and over who these men were and the hope of salvation that was offered through their message, and specifically in the person of Jesus. Can you imagine the turmoil that she must have lived in? Can you imagine the suffering, brothers and sisters, our hearts should break for those in such spiritual bondage.
We should be brought to our knees in prayer for those who, even though they may know the truth, are still in captivity. Perhaps this morning you find yourself in this situation. You know the truth. You've heard the truth, but you fear. You're feeling like there's no way out. Don't lose heart, Don't lose hope. The Scriptures clearly teach that there is hope of deliverance in Jesus.
He came on a divine rescue mission. He came to offer his life as a sacrifice so that the captives so that we may be set free. And not because of anything we've done, but because of his great love for us, his great love for you, his great love for me. Back to the story at hand. Her constant proclamation.
Although it was true, it must have had a negative impact on the on the Ministry of the Disciples. It evidently was causing Paul a great deal of stress to the point that he he just simply called the evil spirit to come out of it. He's like, I'm done with this out.
Can you imagine the joy, the freedom that this woman experienced when they when that took place went through the power of Jesus, that evil spirit left her? This this would change your life, just as all who had experienced the loving and freeing power of Jesus. It's life changing. She had a new life. The old was gone, the new had come.
Her life was transformed. Those who had benefited financially. You can probably imagine what they thought about their skin, knew they had benefited from her fortune telling that they were not as thankful for what had taken place. In fact, the text communicates through their actions that they were downright angry about it. They were livid. They were mad. It reminded me of when Jesus was had healed, the man with the demons, with many demons, sending them into that herd of pigs.
Right? The pigs ran off a cliff and the owners of the pigs were really upset. Angry. They they they looked past the person who had been freed, and they only saw the impact that it had on their wallets. They firmly and resolutely had sent Jesus away rather than realizing that he was capable of bringing them freedom. They they just like that.
Like they like them, the owners of this moneymaking fortune teller, they just they wanted they didn't just send Paul and Silas away, they actually turned violently on them, if you remember the text in 1924. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
And when they had brought them to the magistrate, they said, These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice. The crowd joined in, attacking them and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.
Having received this order, he put them in the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stalks through the powerful name of Jesus. The disciples had had set this young lady free, yet their actions led to their own captivity, stripped publicly, stripped and beaten without a trial jailed, and they were placed in the inner prison like they did not want these guys to get away and they were fastened to the stocks.
Can you picture it? Can you imagine these guys, maybe not all of them in the strip park, try to ignore that. But they were in this inner prison. How would you have responded if this had happened to you? Kind of a strange day. Amazing. And then painful in a matter of moments. It doesn't quite seem fair that they should face that humiliation and suffering.
Yet that's exactly what's taken place over and over for followers of Jesus. As you look at God's Word, you may remember that Jesus warned his followers in John 1633 that in this world they would have trouble. Yet they should take heart because Jesus had overcome the world, take heart as followers of Jesus, it's worth realizing that things will not always go the way that you may hope or expect.
Anyone agree with that things will not always go the way you hope or expect. Paul and Silas were on a mission for the Lord. They were doing something good. How could they have ended up in chains? Sadly, there's a great brokenness in our world, isn't there? And there will certainly be times where what is right and good can be portrayed as wrong and wretched.
What do we do when we find ourselves wrongly accused? What do you do? Our immediate response may be to to defend ourselves, to fight for our rights. We may become angry or frustrated. We may even question why God would allow suffering in our lives. Well, this is a great question to ponder, and it's a topic that's worth deeper, deeper exploration for today.
Let's just take a minute to simply consider how Paul and Silas responded to their own suffering and the terrible situation that they faced in the darkness and the treachery of that cell. It wasn't a pretty place. Bruised, bleeding and battered Paul and Silas. What were they doing? They were praying and singing hymns to God. They weren't sitting in comfy chairs feeling good.
They were in a very difficult situation. Can you believe it? Their treatment and bondage did not hinder their trust in the sovereign hand of God. In fact, this trial led them to worship and to seek the Lord in prayer. So while so while they were physically in bondage, they were spiritually free in Christ. The text continued in verse 25 and 26, it says About midnight.
Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake. So, so great that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors opened and everyone's bonds were unfastened, just as that young lady had been freed from the evil spirit. In just a moment, the situation changed for the prisoners in that jail.
The Lord caused a great quake. The foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors opened. Their bonds were unfastened, They were free, surprisingly in the moment. They didn't take off, though, did they? They didn't use their freedom to escape from their prison cell. Rather, they exercise restraint and stayed put. And by God's grace, the Lord used their physical freedom to provide a spiritual freedom for others.
So back in the text 24 to 37, when the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew a sword. He was about to kill himself because he was in big trouble. Supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice. Don't harm yourself, for we are all here. And the jailer called four lights and rushed in and trembling with fear.
He fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household. And they spoke the Word of the Lord to Him and to all who were in the his house. And He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds.
And he was and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up to his house and set food before him. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. What do you think would have happened if Paul, Silas and the other prisoners had just simply run off the jailer?
It seems, would have hopelessly ended his life? Right. But the Lord used this situation to transform not only one life, but an entire household. The jailer had witnessed firsthand men who had hope, even in a situation that seemed hopeless. Remember this? This is his job, this jailer job. So he's seen many come into the prisons. He's seen how others had handled the suffering.
Probably there weren't a lot that had sung hymns. Pray. There was probably more crying out in anger and who knows what else took place there, the fate of these particular men, would they have been put in jail the day before seemed pretty grim. By Roman law, it was illegal to evangelize, illegal to share their faith, and the penalty could have been as severe as death.
Yet these men who had been thrown in jail were singing and praying. The jailer must have wondered what is wrong? What is different with these guys? They were they were at peace in the midst of severe mistreatment. They were at peace in the midst of beatings and potential death. And then in the middle of the night, when there was a great, great quake, the jailer could see that the prisoners had been set free by a mighty power, a power that was great, that was greater than the authority of his supervisors.
This clearly was not an everyday experience. This didn't happen every day to this guy. And yet these men had stayed on saving his very life, both physically and spiritually. What must they do to be saved? That was this question. And to this question the disciples responded that he must believe in the Lord Jesus and He would be saved.
That's it. They didn't give him a list of do's and don'ts. They didn't say, Let's go out and all. Let us go free and I'll be well with you. They told him it was to just believe in the Lord Jesus and He would experience true freedom in believing and placing His trust in Christ. His life would be transformed.
And with Jesus as Lord of His life, the Spirit of God would transform the lives of His family as well. In verse 32, we saw that the disciples spoke the Word of the Lord to Him and to all who were in his house. The the jailer and his family became very generous believers, that is, they were born again.
They experienced new life in Jesus as they embraced this tremendous gift of salvation and the freedom that is in Christ. Because of this salvation, this once hardened jailer was a new creation. The old is gone. The text said. He cared for the prisoners. He took care of them, he washed their wounds, and he and all his family were baptized.
He and all his family an amazing transformation took place that day. If you are wondering or need a reminder, Baptism, which is referenced here in this text, is an outward symbol of a regenerated believer, one who has been delivered from sin, one who has been reborn and has new life in Christ. In baptism, a person is following in obedience.
The example that was set forth by Jesus, as well as His command for his disciples to do likewise. Perhaps you remember Matthew 28, 1920. Jesus told his followers right before he left Earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.
Through baptism, an individual is declaring for all to see that they identify and are a follower, a disciple of Jesus, and that they have put their trust and hope in his life. Death, resurrection, and Ascension. Baptism gives a visual picture of what Christ has done on our behalf of the death of our old ways and rising to new life in Christ.
It's an outward expression of an inward transformation. The jailer and his family were free in Christ. They had put their trust in Jesus, so they responded and followed in baptism. Keep in mind that this freedom and salvation in Christ did not mean that they wouldn't face oppositions and challenges. It's quite likely that they would face more difficulties as as the fact of this transformation.
But the course of their lives was changed forever. So, brothers and sisters, I leave you with a few questions. I encourage you to not questions necessarily. I just encourage you to remember that Jesus has freed you from to remember what he's freed you from and rejoice in the salvation the new life is in Christ. Perhaps today even take a few minutes just to jot down some of the things that you've been freed from, that you've been redeemed from.
Secondly, if there's anything that has hold on you, if there's anything that is holding you tightly, confess it to the Lord and ask his spirit to bring freedom in that area of your life. Okay. Well, if you've never declared through baptism that you are all in, that you that you have been freed and your desire to follow Jesus as the Lord, if this is something He would have for you to do in the near future.
And lastly, if you find yourself today feeling stuck, hurting, unsure of what way to go, please know that you're not alone and you need not be afraid. The love of Jesus. And through the incredible power of His Holy Spirit, you too can be free. Jesus is able to proclaim or to provide salvation and freedom, even in the darkest of circumstances.
Jesus came to set the captives free. He came for you. He came for me. Let's bring again. Lord, I don't know where each of us is at this morning. There are a lot of faces in the room, a lot of hearts and minds represented amongst us. I'm not sure what category we might fall into, whether we feel trapped or whether we feel in bondage.
Lord, we thank you that you, by your spirit, bring freedom and you can set the captives free. These miraculous circumstances we read of today are just a reminder of your faithfulness in our lives that you don't leave us alone, but you care enough to rescue and redeem through the power of your shed. Blood on the cross, Jesus, through your sacrifice.
We have forgiveness of sins. And I pray that we would lean into that, that we would hold fast to that, and we would trust in that truth and that we would give thanks for all that you've done. If there is anyone who's struggling today, I pray that they would find a brother and sister, find a pastor, an elder who can can walk with them and care for them during this season of life, even if even if someone's gone to church their whole lives, it doesn't mean we never struggle.
We never fall into temptation. And I pray that you would that you would bring us freedom, that we would be filled with joy and peace in our circumstances. We praise the Lord that we are not alone, that you are with us, and you conquer death. In Jesus name. Amen.