What Wondrous Love Is This?
On Sunday, I mentioned how pastor Ken Smith and his wife, Floy, invited a university professor and LGBTQ+ advocate to their home for dinner after she published a critique of Christianity in a local newspaper. That professor was Rosaria Butterfield. And that one meal turned into two years of weekly meals and deep conversations about God, the Bible, and life.
The Lord used that hospitable display of the love of Christ and the truth of the gospel to slowly expose Rosaria’s hear until she saw her sin for what it was. And when her sin collided with the reality of Jesus’s forgiveness, she responded in faith: walking away from her past life and pursuing Christ wholeheartedly.
This is what we see in Luke 7:36-50. A sinful woman came to terms with her sin, cast herself at Jesus’s feet, and found forgiveness. The merciful forgiveness of Jesus transformed her, and she responded with extravagant love. We, too, need to come to terms with our sin. How?
Contemplate God’s holiness.
Consider God’s justice.
Consider what every sin deserves.
And ask yourself, “Is my sin any different?”
When we recognize the depth of our sin and that we deserve God’s justice, but the come to understand Jesus’s wondrous love and forgiveness, we too will explode in extravagant love. Jesus is a merciful Savior. He welcomes us as sinners, but he doesn’t leave us in our sin. He transforms us. So, cast yourself at Jesus’s feet. In the words of John Newton on his deathbed, “I am a great sinner, but Christ is a great Savior.” What wondrous love is this?!
Resources of the Week
Book Recommendation: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian Faith by Rosaria Butterfield
Book Recommendation: How Can I Grow in Hospitality by Keri Folmar
Win them with Dinner: Practicing Hospitality in Post-Christian Places by Rosaria Butterfield
Song of the Month: No Not One
Contribution Update
We’ve Got a New Mailing Address!
High Pointe now has a brand new PO Box! This change will help us process your offerings more securely and efficiently.
For Donation checks sent by mail, please use this new address:
High Pointe Baptist Church
PO Box 80043, Austin, TX 78708
Opportunities to Serve and Grow at High Pointe
(For Opportunities to Serve at High Pointe, click HERE)
Annual Memorial Day Picnic | Sunday, May 25
It’s time for our annual Memorial Day Picnic. Join us on Sunday evening, May 25, at 5:00 PM as we gather as a church for fellowship, fun, and BBQ. The church will provide the BBQ, but members are being asked to bring the sides and desserts based on the first letter of your last name. If you are bringing a side dish, please bring large, shareable dishes.
A-G bring a hot side dish
H-L bring a cold side dish
M-Z bring a dessert
Teens and college students bring beverages
Please bring your own folding chairs and blankets if you are planning to eat outside and bring outside yard games for a fun family church activity! If anyone would like to volunteer for helping to set-up/clean-up, please reach out to Beth Hyman for more details
Vacation Bible School | A Church-Wide Outreach Event | June 1-4, 6:00-8:30pm, Family Night Festival, June 4
At this year's VBS, take a ride out west with us to Wonder Junction to focus on the greatest wonder of all, Jesus! High Pointe's VBS is for everyone! Click here to register and volunteer. Praise God that almost all of the volunteer needs have been filled, but we still need help manning inflatable floats during the Family Night Festival. Pray that the Lord will, in His kindness, allow us to see people from our community come to faith in Jesus through our efforts.
Women’s Neighborhood Dinner Fellowship | June 14 at 5:30 PM (various locations)
Ladies, please join your High Pointe neighbors for dinner Saturday, June 14! You can register online here or in the Church Center App. The deadline to register for this event is Sunday, June 8. There will be several locations across the Austin area, so you can choose your own neighborhood and enjoy extended conversation and fellowship with other High Pointe women in your area!
Life Classes THIS Sunday
Life Classes are meant to equip High Pointe for life as a Christian. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and join us. Childcare is available for ages 8 months through Pre-K. This session, we are offering the following classes from January 26 to May 25:
Work & Rest (Room 203, Livingston Room)
Spanish Life Class | Los Atributos de Dios (Room 200, East Training Room)
Youth Life Class | The Pentateuch (Room 101, Old Library)
Kid's Life Class | K-5th grade (Room 104, Overflow Room)
Sunday AM Preaching Schedule: Pray regularly for the ministry of the Word at High Pointe. Also, prepare for our gatherings by reading the sermon text, thinking it through, and asking questions about the text before Sunday. Here is our (tentative) preaching schedule designed to help you prepare for Sundays:
May 25 | Luke 8:4-21 | Faith that Bears Fruit | Pastor Juan Sanchez
June 1 | New Series from Isaiah | Pastor Robert Cline
June 8 | New Series from Isaiah | Pastor Robert Cline
June 15 | Luke 8:22-9:6 | Jesus is Lord of All| Pastor Juan Sanchez
June 22 | Luke 9:7-27 | Who Do You Say Jesus Is? | Pastor Juan Sanchez
June 29 | Luke 9:28-50 | The Majesty of Christ | Pastor Juan Sanchez
July 6-27 | Summer Preaching Series
Begin praying as you prepare to gather with us this Sunday at 10:00 am.
Gospel Partner of the Month: Cuba | First Baptist Church & Seminary, Santa Clara, Cuba
High Pointe established a partnership with FBC Santa Clara in the 1990s. In fact, the Lord allowed High Pointe to have a significant role in helping the church start a seminary to raise up pastors and seminaries. In 2007, pastors Daniel Franz and Juan Sanchez traveled to Cuba to reestablish this partnership. Since that time, High Pointe continues to visit the brothers in Santa Clara to deliver our financial support and encourage the church and seminary.
High Pointe, through your regular giving, you have a part in equipping pastors and missionaries in Cuba. By God’s grace, the gospel continues to spread throughout the island nation, but they are in dire need for more faithful pastors. Please pray that the Lord will allow us to continue to be generous and encourage FBC Santa Clara. Pray that the Lord would provide all the seminary needs to train pastors and missionaries. Pray that the Lord would provide the basic needs the Cuban people have. Pray that the Lord would bring about a good government that will care more for the people than power.
On-Call Pastor
To better care for you, High Pointe, we have an “on-call” pastor available for emergencies after office hours and on weekends. To reach the on-call pastor, call 512-837-7725, extension 1.
