Pastor's Greeting

First United Church

1000 Elgin Avenue
Forest Park, Illinois 60130
708.771.8456

SERVICES

9:15 AM Bible Study Beginning Sept. 16th

Sunday School: 9:30 AM

10:45 AM Sundays/Communion 1st Sunday each month

Welcome to our website!

Getting it Right

There is an urgency these days to get things done - jobs require a great deal from their employees and hours seem to mount for many. It seems people have their phones on all the time making it possible to stay in touch with their work place in efforts to get the job done. Urgency ... perhaps this drive in many has become the sole purpose of their lives. Slowly many have come to see that their days are dominated with concerns to meet the demands that their work places upon them. Getting the job done is important indeed! But it seems that in these present days there is greater and greater threat to seeing things in their proper perspective.

Jesus also wanted his followers to get the job done as well. That job was to spread the gospel to all nations and peoples. When I think of the urgency of our need for salvation I consider that this is the most important of all human concerns. Spreading the gospel is urgent because many have not heard the gospel and many more are in a position to hear it but lack faithful servants to bring it to them.

I often use an illustration in my sermons to get people to see how urgency and lack of good information can cause serious results. A man visits his doctor and is told by his doctor that he has bad news and worse news for the man. The man says, "doctor give me the bad news first". The doctor tells the man he has 24 hours to live. The man says that he has at least time to tell his wife and loved ones. The man asked the doctor what is the worse news ... the doctor says ... "I forgot to tell you this yesterday!".

Many are living with the idea that they have an unlimited amount of time to get things right before God before they die. This causes in many a false sense of security that we have come to believe in our current culture. In our time of uncertainty and in a culture that worships uncertainty - there is one thing you may want to get right and that is the true state of affairs you are in before God. Getting this right is a matter of eternal consequences. Because of our sin we are separated from God. No good works will save you and being a good person will not meet the standards of a Holy God. Only Jesus was good enough to take our sin and crucify it to the cross. Faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ is what justifies us alone before a Holy God.

This is the gospel as found in I Corinthians 15 and we are reminded that because of Jesus' resurrection we have hope of eternal fellowship with him and the Father. Getting this truth right is urgent. But the job must be done that Jesus calls all of us to do ... to go and preach and share the gospel with all peoples and nations (Matt 28:16-20). Our job in the church is urgent and should take priority through our testimony of the love and saving power of Jesus Christ. Our perspective is different from the work-a-day world which places the highest value on gain and consumption. Our job is urgent - and we had better get it right ... why? Be it is a matter of eternal importance!

Perhaps we can take time today to reflect on what God has done for us through the gift of Jesus Christ and the finished work of salvation. We have celebrated the resurrection - we believe death is no enemy because of Jesus' resurrection, and we affirm that Jesus will return again to judge and restore all things. Because of these facts we are happy to share this good news rather than waiting and finding to our dismay the 'worse' news of all ... our time is up. Now is the time to take every day and each week to tell one person of the good news of Jesus Christ. How would you feel if God said ... " you have 24 hours to live but I forgot to tell you yesterday that your time is up". God has told us clearly what we need to get right and has been patient for over 2000 years. That time will someday end. Grace is for now and God freely gives grace to those who call upon the name of Jesus. Today is the most urgent day of your life - your eternal life. It may be even more so for someone else - share and care. Happy Resurrection day!

Pastor Dean
D. Michael Kucera
Pastor First Church

Core Historic and Biblical Evangelical Values we Hold

WE Believe that:

The Bible is Inspiried and without error in their original autographs.
That The Cross and Death of Jesus was for the remission of our sins.
That Jesus Christ is both Divine and Human.
That Jesus was Born of a Virgin (divine) and without sin.
That Jesus died, was entombed, and Literally Bodily raised from death as the gospels attest.
That Salvation is in Jesus Christ Alone.
That our final destiny is either Heaven or Hell depending on OUR choice.
That One can Live a rich and Holy Spirit led life in Christ.
That One is saved (Justified) by Grace alone through Christ alone, not good works.
That Jesus Christ will return again bodily to make all things new.
That People can know the Savior by inviting Him into their lives ... How? see below.

God's Plan for Saving Individuals

God's Grace: Ephesians 2:8
Christ's Blood covers our sins: Romans 5:9
The Holy Spirit's Gospel: Romans 1:16
Sinners Faith and Prayer: Acts 16:31
Sinners Repentance : Luke 13:3
Sinners Confession : Romans 10:10
Christian Works: James 2:24
Christian Hope : Romans 8:24
Christian Endurance: Revelation 2:10

Wherever you are on the Journey, God Welcomes you here, But God loves you so much He wants you to find your destination in Jesus Christ. Keeps Moving ahead on the Right Path !!

and God has also spoken in His Word !