The Calloused Christmas 12-23-2007 Scripture Luke 1:15-20
15when the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Look at how Mary considers it all
I don't usually think of 15 year olds pondering,
I think they all took this moment pretty seriously.
Angels appearing would probably have that effect on you.
The shepherds lives were changed.
From dirty selfish angry lost little rejects of society
They became dirty poor, less selfish proclaimers of joy.
So it is Christmas, What is Christmas? a time for trees, lights, programs, cooking , family.
Ever have one that isn't going so well?
Traffic......on the way to give Scott his lunch
Didn't get all the ornaments on the tree, didn't have any time to enjoy them.
Lights burned out on front of house.
Fought on the way to the program.
Have to eat at Aunt Suzie's house and the family is mad at me.
Modern American despair, but despair none the less.
There must be more to Christmas
Joy Steincross concert
Faith is not a noun. It is not something that you own or something that you posses.
It's a verb. It is something that happens to you.
Baseball, tazer [tazer in a cell phone]
If I put it on you with this item, next time you see one, you will recoil in fear
Because something happened to you regarding it....
Christmas is not a thing of the mind. It is a thing of the heart. It is not just about knowing the story. It's not about believing. It must be experienced.
Christmas is a verb. It is not a noun. It is not lights, trees, programs, food or even family. It is something that happens to you.
How do you find the experience of Christmas,
How can you help it happen to you?
If you put yourself in position. If you sit down and ask for the gift.
If you push the other stuff back, if you shun the trim
Then your heart is open for a visit of the Holy Spirit
The love the joy the peace of Christmas comes rushing in
Christmas happens to you.
Walk by the tree vs sit at the tree [when I was in Jr. High]
San Jose rescue mission vs Russia
Hear without hearing, or listen to the Christmas carols
Once in Royal David's city
How great our joy
O little town of Bethlehem
I was open to it, or it was opened to me
It is a gift that you can give to yourself, and you can invite others to find as well
What if something real happened in your life this Christmas?
Today?
What if the worry and despair was replaced with joy?
Intentionally go to the place and seek the gift
Put yourself in a position to be hit with the joy.
Make time to stand in awe.
Don't settle for Christmas, be gripped by the gift of the Christ child.
Then just as the shepherds of old, we are changed.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Peace, grace, reconciliation, forgiveness
Have someone sing..... hear the words..... joy to the world....
Walk to the manger
Dear friends
In a few moments we will close by singing, grace alone.
But now, it is a joy each year to participate in out tradition of walk to the manger.
On that first Christmas, shepherds, angels,and wise men made their way to the manger and offered their worship, their love, and their gifts.
God has blessed us in the year 2007 and we have the opportunity to offer a special gift to the Christ child.
It is a joy to invite you to join me as we take a walk to the manger.
Showing posts with label Sermons 2007. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sermons 2007. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Who Stands at the Manger? Luke 2:8-11 12-16-2007
Who Stands at the Manger 12-16-07 Luke 2:8-11
Fear not, bot behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be for all people
Nativity sets....various players present
I used to more them around...
Who is at the manger?
We are, but not how we think How do we get there?
Americans like to think, this is our faith, our religion, its ours.
But no one takes the manger.
Everyone who is there is either lowly or poor or both.
We think somehow that we have the power.
Economic, social, military power. Americans are in charge.
We are a Christian nation, we are God's chosen nation.
Hmmmm....
At the manger, Americans are powerless, as powerless as anyone else
Everyone at the manger is broken, lowly or both.
Do Amerian Christians value humility?
Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up. James 4
There are no Causcasioans at the manger
Nothing worse than the arrogant rich, nother better than the humbled rich.
We are at the manger, its just not how we usually think.
Who is at the manger?
This is a messy story
Flight into Egypt...Matthew recors the massacre of the innocents in his Christmas account.
But really advent is not about God coming to those who are together. Its about his coming to and including the broken.
the rich...sure it's in the wise me
But they are on bended knee
Ti's a story of a taxed people....
Joseph is unknown or unwelcome in his hometown
This is his town, he is supposed to have kin here
No room in the inn
Wouldn't you let a pregnant lady in to stay with you
Hey don't you remember my Dad, he ran the wine press years ago
Sorry, no room
But come on, it's Christmas
Now is that family problems or what?
What town are you from? Kirkwood UMC
Visited my aunt......
To the poorest shepherds...... 1 John 3:17
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brotherinneedbut has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
There is something about the message of God's grace that just rushes out to the poor.
I love the commercial of the salvation army bell ringers in the gutter
Mary is pregnant....don't excuse this....
It's a holy think, no not really
Not a pretty story
Do you see yourself somewhate?
since everyone is broken, you are welcome. You don't have to pretend
At the manger, god is speaking to the bottom of society and to every humbled person
What if it rained inhere this morning and all of our masks were washed off?
If we see brokenness and sin, then there is a place for us at the manger
Grafted
The gift of the child was to the Jews first. To us later.
We are grated into the tree of God's family
But that is the news....We are grafter in
Romans11
Only place in the Bible where the word is used. Grafted....
We were a wild olive shoot, but we have been grafted into the tree
The root supports us.
What we could not take has been freely given by God.
Who is at the manger?
Jesus is
Ten shoppings days left. Hurry, go get the right think, don't disappoint anyone. Spend a bit more on them each year. Spend more on them than they spend on you.
Weeks to shop, days to wrap, minutes to open. It's all over so fast. Is there anything else in life that has so much preparation for such a few short minutes? We used to try and stretch out the present opening time by making people take turns. One year we had a scavenger hunt. we hid presents all over the house. The kids woke up and found nothing under the tree but a clue. they had to figure out where to go and look. when they found the first batch of gifts, there was another clue. That was alot of fun, but is was also lots of work.
What if there were no gifts at Christmas? No money for anything. No presents, no tree, no stocking, no chimney. No candy, no fruitcake, no feasting. No football.
What if all there was for Christmas was the story of the baby. God sent a baby. A Savior. Is that enough. Would that be enough for you>
When you think about it, that's really all we have. The gifts break, the food is consumed, it is all transient and perishing. Except the story of the baby. He is still here. He is enough for you. receive him, that's what Christmas is about. that's the only think that Christmas is about.
What we cannot take for ourselves, he gives us freely
Conclusion
Is this story for you?
Anyone who has ever been poor or rich
Anyone who ever had to pay taxes
Anyone who had family problems
Anyone who ever was pregnant in uncomfortable circumstances
If you were ever an outcast, or rejected.....it's for you
What is the worst part of your story
The message of love and forgiveness is for you
Every time you see a nativity....those people are just like me. By God's grace, I do have a place.
I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be for all people. that includes you. Don't get lost in the stuff, Jesus is still the reason for the season.
Fear not, bot behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be for all people
Nativity sets....various players present
I used to more them around...
Who is at the manger?
We are, but not how we think How do we get there?
Americans like to think, this is our faith, our religion, its ours.
But no one takes the manger.
Everyone who is there is either lowly or poor or both.
We think somehow that we have the power.
Economic, social, military power. Americans are in charge.
We are a Christian nation, we are God's chosen nation.
Hmmmm....
At the manger, Americans are powerless, as powerless as anyone else
Everyone at the manger is broken, lowly or both.
Do Amerian Christians value humility?
Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up. James 4
There are no Causcasioans at the manger
Nothing worse than the arrogant rich, nother better than the humbled rich.
We are at the manger, its just not how we usually think.
Who is at the manger?
This is a messy story
Flight into Egypt...Matthew recors the massacre of the innocents in his Christmas account.
But really advent is not about God coming to those who are together. Its about his coming to and including the broken.
the rich...sure it's in the wise me
But they are on bended knee
Ti's a story of a taxed people....
Joseph is unknown or unwelcome in his hometown
This is his town, he is supposed to have kin here
No room in the inn
Wouldn't you let a pregnant lady in to stay with you
Hey don't you remember my Dad, he ran the wine press years ago
Sorry, no room
But come on, it's Christmas
Now is that family problems or what?
What town are you from? Kirkwood UMC
Visited my aunt......
To the poorest shepherds...... 1 John 3:17
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brotherinneedbut has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
There is something about the message of God's grace that just rushes out to the poor.
I love the commercial of the salvation army bell ringers in the gutter
Mary is pregnant....don't excuse this....
It's a holy think, no not really
Not a pretty story
Do you see yourself somewhate?
since everyone is broken, you are welcome. You don't have to pretend
At the manger, god is speaking to the bottom of society and to every humbled person
What if it rained inhere this morning and all of our masks were washed off?
If we see brokenness and sin, then there is a place for us at the manger
Grafted
The gift of the child was to the Jews first. To us later.
We are grated into the tree of God's family
But that is the news....We are grafter in
Romans11
Only place in the Bible where the word is used. Grafted....
We were a wild olive shoot, but we have been grafted into the tree
The root supports us.
What we could not take has been freely given by God.
Who is at the manger?
Jesus is
Ten shoppings days left. Hurry, go get the right think, don't disappoint anyone. Spend a bit more on them each year. Spend more on them than they spend on you.
Weeks to shop, days to wrap, minutes to open. It's all over so fast. Is there anything else in life that has so much preparation for such a few short minutes? We used to try and stretch out the present opening time by making people take turns. One year we had a scavenger hunt. we hid presents all over the house. The kids woke up and found nothing under the tree but a clue. they had to figure out where to go and look. when they found the first batch of gifts, there was another clue. That was alot of fun, but is was also lots of work.
What if there were no gifts at Christmas? No money for anything. No presents, no tree, no stocking, no chimney. No candy, no fruitcake, no feasting. No football.
What if all there was for Christmas was the story of the baby. God sent a baby. A Savior. Is that enough. Would that be enough for you>
When you think about it, that's really all we have. The gifts break, the food is consumed, it is all transient and perishing. Except the story of the baby. He is still here. He is enough for you. receive him, that's what Christmas is about. that's the only think that Christmas is about.
What we cannot take for ourselves, he gives us freely
Conclusion
Is this story for you?
Anyone who has ever been poor or rich
Anyone who ever had to pay taxes
Anyone who had family problems
Anyone who ever was pregnant in uncomfortable circumstances
If you were ever an outcast, or rejected.....it's for you
What is the worst part of your story
The message of love and forgiveness is for you
Every time you see a nativity....those people are just like me. By God's grace, I do have a place.
I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be for all people. that includes you. Don't get lost in the stuff, Jesus is still the reason for the season.
Give thanks Part 4 11-25-2007
Give thanks, Part 4 11-25-2007 the ten lepers Luke 17:11-19
three stories here
Story one: The nine
Leprosey- what is it
three stories here
Story one: The nine
Leprosey- what is it
- Hands and feet - Leprosy bacteria attack the nerves in the hands and feet and cause them to become numb. a person may get cuts or burns on the numb parts and not know it, leading to infections which cause permanent damage. fingers and toes may be lost to infection. serious infections in the fee may require amputation. Paralysis may cause the fingers and toes to curl up permanently.
- Eyes - leprosy bacteria attack the nerves around the eyes causing the loss of blinking reflex (which protects the eye from injury and moisten the surface.) The eyes become dry and infected, and blindness may result. Because of numbness of the eye, the person cannot feel dirt or scratches in the eye.
- Face - damage to the internal lining of the nose causes scarring and eventual collapse of the nose
Their real problem....spiritual disease
Ungrateful....not thankful
Angry with God that they were sick...deserved better
Anytime we think that we deserve more, we are not thankful
Entitlement is the enemy of gratitude
Sense of Entitlement-we are familiar with this
Mullennials on 60 mins.
We have created a culture of of entitlement
Doting parent... told them you are special... no winners or losers... expect everything in life.
Priorities are simple...I come first
Want to roll into work at noon with ipod and flip flops and still rise to position of CEO by Friday
We have created a perfect storm
They don't know how to work, much less be asked to stay late or work weekends
We have put them in a situation where they must perform as professionals, but we have not given them any of the tools.
Life has its cold realities
You're not always going to be well. You won't always get the promotion. You may not even get the job.
Life isn't fair.
Joy is not found in things going your way, it is found in your hard work and in appreciation of what you do have
These guys thought they deserved better.....
They were going to get their life back...thank you? Thanks for what? All the years of torture?
It's not just selfishness.....
Spiritual pride
We are alive, but not awake
Not awake to what is important
The bus in Yellowstone
Salvation army kettle.....what do you think when you walk by....
It's an invitation to be thankful....
Thank you God that I am not out there in the cold ringing a bell.
Thank you God that I have food on my table.
Story two: The one
Gratitude
Didn't deserve anything
appreciative
Joy
He didn't want the life that waited on the other side...tho a leper, he was already alive, because he was grateful.
Didn't need to be pronounced clean. He was clean.
What he wanted was behind him......Jesus
Bill Fulton wrote about gratitude:
gratitude, has to do with having enough.
That;s something that's hard for us to recognize.
We're culturally conditioned to always want more.
No matter how much we have, we want more.
No matter how successful we are, we want to be more successful.
We're conditioned to want more.
And when you always want more, it's hard to be grateful.
If you're always dissatisfied, it;s hard to be thankful for what you already have.
Gratitude is a way of seeing that what we have is enough.
The apostle Paul said in Philippians 4
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.,
every thing necessary has been provided for me already.
I have enough
Someone has said that Christianity is a new way of seeing.
We're not somehow special people
We're not better than everybody else.
It's just that we see things differently now.
We see that God has provided everything we need.
God has provided enough.
And that "enough creates in us a heart of thankfulness.
The love of God was poured out in Jesus and people experienced enough.
Enough love.
Enough forgiveness.
Enough acceptance.
If we can stop looking at what we don't have and see what we do have, we will have enough. We will be thankful.
Story three...Jesus
Did Jesus need the thank you
Do you need a thank you?
It's always a blessing
The power of "thank you"
Gratitude - a sincere thank you
Fills us with joy
Warms the heart of the receiver.
When we say thank you, we complete the circle.
We are reconnected
How about this for a prayer
Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus. Thank you for:
Thank you one and all. For every handshake, for every hug. For every act of kindness. For every talent and treasure give. For works of mission. for works of love.
Our series "give thanks" is over. but I invite you to live lives that are thankful every single day. Because God has given us enough. And it is all good
This morning I would like to thank all of our volunteers here at Woods chapel who serve within the walls of this church, and those who stretch their service across the world. thank you for helping direct traffic in the parking lot, for teaching our children about God, for sorting through donations, for baking a dish, for sharing your musical gifts with us and for all the work you do behind the scenes. Thank you for serving the homeless, for hanging insulation and sheetrock, for leading classes and Bible studies, for supporting our youth, and for taking time out of your day to visit with someone in need.
We have over 875 people who volunteer their time, talents and services to the ministries of Woods chapel. You volunteer on the hottest day in the summer, the coldest day of winter and still continue to serve our church and our community and the world in which we live. You endure pain, cuts, bruises and exhaustion all for the love of Jesus Christ and our church. some of you are over 50 and some of you are so your that you have yet to attend your first day of school.
Today, November 25, 207, I, Missy Nance, want to thank you for doing God's work. Thank you for helping Woods chapel Church fulfill its mission of "connecting people to Jesus Christ!" No matter what you do, be it big or small, I thank you. Thank you for your time, talents, generosity, love and care.
May Good Bless you Always.
Your Sister in Christ, Missy Nance
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Give Thanks Part 2 11-11-2007
Give Thanks Part 2 Nov. 11, 2007
Jesus said, stop worrying. See the good. Focus on it. Find the kingdom. The rest will come. Stop worrying, stop complaining, find something to be thankful for.
Use your energy to focus on the good.
This was supposed to be a sermon on a process of how the power of gratitude can push the negative from our life. I am just stuck today on the grateful part....
Maybe that tells us something about the process...maybe there is no formula, just a matter of choosing what to focus on and it just happens from there.
Gratefulness is a very powerful thing
Staff meeting. What are you thankful for. No people. Can't repeat.
Have to hold the biscuit.
Then pick a name, two nice things about the person
I can't get my mind off of things that I am grateful for. So, I am going to talk about some of this for a moment.
I am thankful for good things that I see around here
Missed bell ringing yesterday.........came up to the church....
Upwards volunteers
Children in preschool
Secret sisters
Food collected and distributed to needy families
Bulletin insert....invite your friends.........
I am thankful for our men and women who serve
I am against war.
Raytown = 6500 acres
Feb - Mar. 1945 random Pacific island 5200 acres
population 1000
6821 US Marines killed
Battle of Iwo Jima
US flag raised over Mt. Suribachi
I thank God for the resolve of our soldiers
For their willingness to sacrifice For the sacrifice of their families
For their understanding of what greatness is and their willingness to sustain it.
From the movie, we were soldiers
Lt. Colonel Hal Moore: [Hal Moore speaks to his men before going into battle} Look around you. In the 7th cavalry, we've got a captain from the Ukraine; another from Puerto Rico. We've got Japanese, Chinese, Blacks, Hispanics, Cherokee Indians. Jews and Gentiles. All American. Now here in the states, some of you in this unit may have experienced discrimination because of race or creed. But for you and me now, all that is gone. We're moving into the valley of the shadow of death, where you will watch the back of the man next to you, as he will watch yours. And you won't care what color he is, or by what name he calls God. They say we're leaving home. We're going to what home was always supposed to be. Now let us understand the situation. We are going into battle against a tough and determined enemy.
Lt. Colonel Hal Moore: I can't promise you that I will bring you all home alive. But this I swear, before you and before Almighty God, that when we go into battle, I will be the first to set foot on the field, and I will be the last to step off, and I will leave no one behind. Dead or alive, we will all come home together. So help me, God.
Thankful for people. For friends, That love me thru and thru
I don't have any biological brothers. But the other day, I was thinking about some of you. I was thinking about how I feel like God has given you to me. That we are more than little b brothers. Somehow we are big B brothers. Can I adopt you, will you adopt me? Can we be blood brothers? What if from now on, we introduce each other as this is my brother......I would be good with that. That is how I feel about you.
Lyrics to the Jana Stanfield song - That's the Way I feel About You.
There are souls that you connect with so strong
A bond that is so rich and so true
There's a sense that the piece that was missing has finally come into view
That's the way, I feel about you
I believe in this world that happens by chance
There's a reason that at just this particular moment you came into my hands
Like a gift that you never expected by you'll treasure your whole life thru
That's the way I feel about you. --Jana Standield
Sets of cards....you can give them to 5-10 people in the next week.
Gratitude pushes the negative stuff out of our hearts
"lately I have been aware of a thankfulness beyond my own "stuff" and beyond what directly affects me. For example, I am thankful for the kind hearts and compassion of people that reach out to others in need on a daily basis as well as in times of major crisis (Len Bennett come to mind) and not just when something is making major news headlands, but for those that serve in the soup kitchens every week, those that serve without fanfare but with true joy from the heart. I'm thankful for the forgiving heart and forgiving nature of so many people - not just forgiving of me but forgiving of the failures of our society and world and the fact that they keep on giving and trying. I'm thankful for people who are really trying not to sit in judgement of others, people who try to see the good in everyone and everything. It is so easy to be negative. I rejoice in positive people!! Lately I've been telling myself and even saying aloud, "I will not let you steal my joy!!"
Jesus said, Hey stop worrying about everything. See the good. Seek first the kingdom
Majoring in the minors
Gratitude pushes out the negative
Signed up to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. Wrote about it in the blog. No one shows up. No kettle. My time. My effort. I wanted to do something. Now part of me wants to be mad at the salvation army. Some of you came up to see me and I wasn't there. Are you mad? Don't be. that's not the point. See the good. Find something to be grateful for.
Gratitude pushes out the negative
Where is the kingdom? Where is the joy? Where is the good?
I am thankful for the touch of God
Seek ye first the kingdom
Revival
Just tell them what happened
People bow in the presence of God
There are moments when we meet God
Write prayers seeking God
It took me a long time to become a human being......
When I finally became comfortable with myself, I stopped playing games
God this is who I am, this is what I got, I know nothing without you.
Take me, use, me, fill me
The favor of God lands on us when we honor him
Set his priorities
Conclusion
Staff meeting. What are you thankful for, No people. Can't repeat.
Have to hold the biscuit.
Say two nice things about someone......Thankful for someone who always stops by, every time. Thankful for someone who saw my pain and loved me
Next Sunday night...... open mic Thanksgiving.....
What if 200 people showed up......
How long would you stay for......
What if you became so grateful that you started to weep. Had to pull your car over and praise God.
Traffic report........cars stopped on every highway in the KC metro today. Jonny Roland
I am just so thankful, so blessed.
Don't worry, don't complain, see the good. Find the kingdom.
Jesus said, stop worrying. See the good. Focus on it. Find the kingdom. The rest will come. Stop worrying, stop complaining, find something to be thankful for.
Use your energy to focus on the good.
This was supposed to be a sermon on a process of how the power of gratitude can push the negative from our life. I am just stuck today on the grateful part....
Maybe that tells us something about the process...maybe there is no formula, just a matter of choosing what to focus on and it just happens from there.
Gratefulness is a very powerful thing
Staff meeting. What are you thankful for. No people. Can't repeat.
Have to hold the biscuit.
Then pick a name, two nice things about the person
I can't get my mind off of things that I am grateful for. So, I am going to talk about some of this for a moment.
I am thankful for good things that I see around here
Missed bell ringing yesterday.........came up to the church....
Upwards volunteers
Children in preschool
Secret sisters
Food collected and distributed to needy families
Bulletin insert....invite your friends.........
I am thankful for our men and women who serve
I am against war.
Raytown = 6500 acres
Feb - Mar. 1945 random Pacific island 5200 acres
population 1000
6821 US Marines killed
Battle of Iwo Jima
US flag raised over Mt. Suribachi
I thank God for the resolve of our soldiers
For their willingness to sacrifice For the sacrifice of their families
For their understanding of what greatness is and their willingness to sustain it.
From the movie, we were soldiers
Lt. Colonel Hal Moore: [Hal Moore speaks to his men before going into battle} Look around you. In the 7th cavalry, we've got a captain from the Ukraine; another from Puerto Rico. We've got Japanese, Chinese, Blacks, Hispanics, Cherokee Indians. Jews and Gentiles. All American. Now here in the states, some of you in this unit may have experienced discrimination because of race or creed. But for you and me now, all that is gone. We're moving into the valley of the shadow of death, where you will watch the back of the man next to you, as he will watch yours. And you won't care what color he is, or by what name he calls God. They say we're leaving home. We're going to what home was always supposed to be. Now let us understand the situation. We are going into battle against a tough and determined enemy.
Lt. Colonel Hal Moore: I can't promise you that I will bring you all home alive. But this I swear, before you and before Almighty God, that when we go into battle, I will be the first to set foot on the field, and I will be the last to step off, and I will leave no one behind. Dead or alive, we will all come home together. So help me, God.
Thankful for people. For friends, That love me thru and thru
I don't have any biological brothers. But the other day, I was thinking about some of you. I was thinking about how I feel like God has given you to me. That we are more than little b brothers. Somehow we are big B brothers. Can I adopt you, will you adopt me? Can we be blood brothers? What if from now on, we introduce each other as this is my brother......I would be good with that. That is how I feel about you.
Lyrics to the Jana Stanfield song - That's the Way I feel About You.
There are souls that you connect with so strong
A bond that is so rich and so true
There's a sense that the piece that was missing has finally come into view
That's the way, I feel about you
I believe in this world that happens by chance
There's a reason that at just this particular moment you came into my hands
Like a gift that you never expected by you'll treasure your whole life thru
That's the way I feel about you. --Jana Standield
Sets of cards....you can give them to 5-10 people in the next week.
Gratitude pushes the negative stuff out of our hearts
"lately I have been aware of a thankfulness beyond my own "stuff" and beyond what directly affects me. For example, I am thankful for the kind hearts and compassion of people that reach out to others in need on a daily basis as well as in times of major crisis (Len Bennett come to mind) and not just when something is making major news headlands, but for those that serve in the soup kitchens every week, those that serve without fanfare but with true joy from the heart. I'm thankful for the forgiving heart and forgiving nature of so many people - not just forgiving of me but forgiving of the failures of our society and world and the fact that they keep on giving and trying. I'm thankful for people who are really trying not to sit in judgement of others, people who try to see the good in everyone and everything. It is so easy to be negative. I rejoice in positive people!! Lately I've been telling myself and even saying aloud, "I will not let you steal my joy!!"
Jesus said, Hey stop worrying about everything. See the good. Seek first the kingdom
Majoring in the minors
Gratitude pushes out the negative
Signed up to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. Wrote about it in the blog. No one shows up. No kettle. My time. My effort. I wanted to do something. Now part of me wants to be mad at the salvation army. Some of you came up to see me and I wasn't there. Are you mad? Don't be. that's not the point. See the good. Find something to be grateful for.
Gratitude pushes out the negative
Where is the kingdom? Where is the joy? Where is the good?
I am thankful for the touch of God
Seek ye first the kingdom
Revival
Just tell them what happened
People bow in the presence of God
There are moments when we meet God
Write prayers seeking God
It took me a long time to become a human being......
When I finally became comfortable with myself, I stopped playing games
God this is who I am, this is what I got, I know nothing without you.
Take me, use, me, fill me
The favor of God lands on us when we honor him
Set his priorities
Conclusion
Staff meeting. What are you thankful for, No people. Can't repeat.
Have to hold the biscuit.
Say two nice things about someone......Thankful for someone who always stops by, every time. Thankful for someone who saw my pain and loved me
Next Sunday night...... open mic Thanksgiving.....
What if 200 people showed up......
How long would you stay for......
What if you became so grateful that you started to weep. Had to pull your car over and praise God.
Traffic report........cars stopped on every highway in the KC metro today. Jonny Roland
I am just so thankful, so blessed.
Don't worry, don't complain, see the good. Find the kingdom.
Love 5-13-2007 5 pm service
Love 5-13-2007 5pm service
Love...... we make it complicated
I love you
I love tacos
It is complicated & what I share tonight is only a picture, a facet.
I cannot and I am not trying to answer all the questions.
Love.....we are taught so little about it
Our parent teach us how to tie our shoes
Who teaches us about love
What we call love is almost always a collection of broken people demanding that the object of their love somehow make them whole.
My first marriage-rules: you make me happy
This marriage- let me serve you. How can I help you be fulfilled
Want to work, ok. No- ok
Want to sing in choir... ok, no- ok
Want to go to college, ok. no- ok
Before we can begin to understand what love is, we must give up on our inappropriate views of love
Love is not attraction....
I am attracted to you more than I am attracted to others
What happens when the attraction wears off?
Love is not dependence....
Two broken people propping each other up
I am taking from you....
Love isn't desire
[there should be some desire with love]
But not to where I am taking from you
Now if I have stolen from you some of the myths of love....What is left?
Jesus said take the board out of your own eye so that you can see [Mt. 7]
Once we divest ourselves of false ideas about love, we can begin to understand true love
NT Greek words for love
Phileo-brotherly love
Eros - you know what that means
Agape- self less love
They say that no one is ready to be married until they are comfortable living by themselves. Comfortable in singleness
You can't love anyone else until you love yourself.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength, love your neighbor as yourself
Mt 19 rich young ruler
Mt 22 which is the greatest commandment
How do you see people?
A threat
Someone to get something from
Do you see people as God sees people
The eagle and the chickens/do you hold people back
The frog and the prince/do you free people to live
Mt 19 the two become one
To love someone is to will their highest good.
To see the other and help them to achieve, to become
The lover creates love.
Love...... we make it complicated
I love you
I love tacos
It is complicated & what I share tonight is only a picture, a facet.
I cannot and I am not trying to answer all the questions.
Love.....we are taught so little about it
Our parent teach us how to tie our shoes
Who teaches us about love
What we call love is almost always a collection of broken people demanding that the object of their love somehow make them whole.
My first marriage-rules: you make me happy
This marriage- let me serve you. How can I help you be fulfilled
Want to work, ok. No- ok
Want to sing in choir... ok, no- ok
Want to go to college, ok. no- ok
Before we can begin to understand what love is, we must give up on our inappropriate views of love
Love is not attraction....
I am attracted to you more than I am attracted to others
What happens when the attraction wears off?
Love is not dependence....
Two broken people propping each other up
I am taking from you....
Love isn't desire
[there should be some desire with love]
But not to where I am taking from you
Now if I have stolen from you some of the myths of love....What is left?
Jesus said take the board out of your own eye so that you can see [Mt. 7]
Once we divest ourselves of false ideas about love, we can begin to understand true love
NT Greek words for love
Phileo-brotherly love
Eros - you know what that means
Agape- self less love
They say that no one is ready to be married until they are comfortable living by themselves. Comfortable in singleness
You can't love anyone else until you love yourself.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength, love your neighbor as yourself
Mt 19 rich young ruler
Mt 22 which is the greatest commandment
How do you see people?
A threat
Someone to get something from
Do you see people as God sees people
The eagle and the chickens/do you hold people back
The frog and the prince/do you free people to live
Mt 19 the two become one
To love someone is to will their highest good.
To see the other and help them to achieve, to become
The lover creates love.
Doubts May 6, 2007
May 6, 2007 Doubts Luke 24:36-48
Since Easter, I have wanted to visit with you about Doubts.
We all have them.
The disciples are looked down upon for their frequent bouts of doubt.
Thomas particularly is vilified for his doubting ..unless I see His hands and touch the nail prints and put my fingers in His side
Hey, I'm not a ghost, got any fish?
Doubts, we all have them
Some random thoughts/quotes about dorbts:
Since Easter, I have wanted to visit with you about Doubts.
We all have them.
The disciples are looked down upon for their frequent bouts of doubt.
Thomas particularly is vilified for his doubting ..unless I see His hands and touch the nail prints and put my fingers in His side
Hey, I'm not a ghost, got any fish?
Doubts, we all have them
Some random thoughts/quotes about dorbts:
- Real relationships are grounded in clean air..brave people are not afrian to ask the hard questions.
- If you don't have any doubts, you are kidding yourself. Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it alive and moving.
- Doubts keep us from taking our faith for granted.
- Doubt is often the source of honest, humble, authentic faith.
- Faith is not just one more interest or attachment in life. Faith demands full commitment, everything or nothing. Consequently, believers attach a deeply serious effort to their searching about faith.
- Faith without doubt is dead.
- Healthy doubt searches for more faith. Lord I believe, help my unbelief.
- Better a little self doubt than to see ones self as always right
- Some pretend, covering their doubts with bravado> Others get lost in dogmatism and arrogance
- Those who do not doubt are dangerous
- Your are brighter when you ask for opinions that are different from your own.
Doubting....Confidence in life - can effect our daily living
When I was in seminary there was a teaching about Speaking things into existence
Mt. 21, Mark 11:23
Say to this mountain.
Implication is that those who cannot do these things don't have enough faith
It's a metaphor. If it isn't then move a mountain.
He is saying, hey get your chin up, put your best foot forward.
You can't step out into life thinking that you will fail.
There is a truth to this.... if you don't believe then you are like Eore
"Well Pooh, I guess I;m not going to get this job
argue for your limitations, and guess what, they are yours
Christians should have a sense of personal confidence...you are loved and created by God
Christians should also remember that we are God's handiwork, created to be in relationship with him. We are dependent.
Where does our help come, our help comes in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. Ps. 124
We doubt God sometimes-I look for reasons to believe
- creation
- the human body
- the soul that I see in you
- the acts of Christians through the centuries
- the change that I see take place in your heart
- the innate goodness of the God who is love
I what we believe is not true, then something else must be
We evolved a one celled critter
It takes more faith to be an atheist that to believe in a loving omnipotent creator
A Christian has to explain disorder
A non believer has to explain order
Is the world really millions of years old? How did God do that?
When cells divide, how do they know what part of the body to become? DNA? But why does it work like it does?
There are always going to be questions about life and God's world
God is bigger than our questions.
Unto disciples he said, gentlemen,
Remember the story..remember who I am
See my hands, touch my side......Consider the truth
We doubt our faith sometimes.......
Have I really given my heart to Christ?
I don't feel very faithful
I am discouraged
The role of feelings and reality in doubting
Your can't trust your feeling, you can't go by them
How you feel about something does not change reality
Ask yourself, what is real, what is true
Remember your faith stories
Conclusion
If you don't have a faith story, then maybe today is the dayfor you to receive one
The power of faith is greater than the power of the human mind.
Hebrews 11
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2this is what the ancients were commended for. 3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
If you don't have a faith story, then maybe today is the day for you to receive one
Dancing with the Star 12/30/2007
1-6-07 Dancing with the Star Acts 16:6-10
It's a new year....time for resolutions
Church attendance is up....people resolve to change their habits
Wesley asked his pastors to commit and recommit to the service of God
Wesley covenant service
What is on the 1st Sunday of 2008----We were able to talk about something that would change your Christian life....
Is your life filled with your own worries and desires
Are you open to living your life with Christ?
New Orleans.......
Matthew 28 project
So much to say....
Went to church at Mt. Zion
Sanctuary storm damaged, church in fellowship hall
Little envelope to help the homeless at Salvations Army
These people could be totally consumed with self.
Living outside of ones self
The good samaritian fund
Joy of going on a mission trip
It teaches us to live outside of oneself.
The point for me, really is not how far we go, but that the experience "disrupts" the comfortable nature of our lives.
Something should disrupt our lives...
Our lives are too comfortable
We think we deserve our lives. We don't
We think we have a right to what we have. We don't
We pull into our garages, push the button to close the door and walk into our comfortable homes.
Is this what you are looking forward to in 2008?
The rich fool...Luke 12
Life is a gift from God
Christian life is not rooted in doing religious things
Certainly not in following our self will
The Christian life is rooted in the question...God, what should I do?
Paul....was on a mission trip
Cared about what God wanted him to do
Paul asked.... we don't always ask
Asks the question.....Lord where should we go
How do you know? The spirit says "no"
They are asking the question....God what is it......
The spirit says "no"
Any thought that we think we like, we invent a god who tells us that it is ok
listening-big voice, little voice...... not for an audible voice, but for the voice of God in common moments.
We wait for that big audible or that knock me over voice and we pay no attention to the voice of God in common sense.
You see something that you like. You want it. You can take it and no one would know. Waiting for God to speak? He already has. What does God say? Thou shall not steal.
You have the bug for a new car. You tell yourself that God wants his people to have nice things. You give five reasons why you deserve it. Sure it will put you in lots of debt with a big payment. It will stress your ability to do good in the name of the Lord. You are waiting for God to speak. He already has. What does he say? Seek ye first the ingdom of God.
I am asking you to live this year as those who are listening...
Should I spend my family into trouble?
Should I wound those who wound me?
Should I help the poor?
Should I help the poor more than I was thinking I should?
What should I really be doing?
Changing your life paradigms
Learning to be thankful
Learning to be a steward
Learning to walk with God
Would you be willing to let your life be disrupted for the purpose of Christ?
Would you leave your comfort zone?
Not just once, but enter a pattern of putting yourselves at the disposal of God
To this let us be committed
Communion
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
It's a new year....time for resolutions
Church attendance is up....people resolve to change their habits
Wesley asked his pastors to commit and recommit to the service of God
Wesley covenant service
What is on the 1st Sunday of 2008----We were able to talk about something that would change your Christian life....
Is your life filled with your own worries and desires
Are you open to living your life with Christ?
New Orleans.......
Matthew 28 project
So much to say....
Went to church at Mt. Zion
Sanctuary storm damaged, church in fellowship hall
Little envelope to help the homeless at Salvations Army
These people could be totally consumed with self.
Living outside of ones self
The good samaritian fund
Joy of going on a mission trip
It teaches us to live outside of oneself.
The point for me, really is not how far we go, but that the experience "disrupts" the comfortable nature of our lives.
Something should disrupt our lives...
Our lives are too comfortable
We think we deserve our lives. We don't
We think we have a right to what we have. We don't
We pull into our garages, push the button to close the door and walk into our comfortable homes.
Is this what you are looking forward to in 2008?
The rich fool...Luke 12
Life is a gift from God
Christian life is not rooted in doing religious things
Certainly not in following our self will
The Christian life is rooted in the question...God, what should I do?
Paul....was on a mission trip
Cared about what God wanted him to do
Paul asked.... we don't always ask
Asks the question.....Lord where should we go
How do you know? The spirit says "no"
They are asking the question....God what is it......
The spirit says "no"
Any thought that we think we like, we invent a god who tells us that it is ok
listening-big voice, little voice...... not for an audible voice, but for the voice of God in common moments.
We wait for that big audible or that knock me over voice and we pay no attention to the voice of God in common sense.
You see something that you like. You want it. You can take it and no one would know. Waiting for God to speak? He already has. What does God say? Thou shall not steal.
You have the bug for a new car. You tell yourself that God wants his people to have nice things. You give five reasons why you deserve it. Sure it will put you in lots of debt with a big payment. It will stress your ability to do good in the name of the Lord. You are waiting for God to speak. He already has. What does he say? Seek ye first the ingdom of God.
I am asking you to live this year as those who are listening...
Should I spend my family into trouble?
Should I wound those who wound me?
Should I help the poor?
Should I help the poor more than I was thinking I should?
What should I really be doing?
Changing your life paradigms
Learning to be thankful
Learning to be a steward
Learning to walk with God
Would you be willing to let your life be disrupted for the purpose of Christ?
Would you leave your comfort zone?
Not just once, but enter a pattern of putting yourselves at the disposal of God
To this let us be committed
Communion
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
Friday, September 5, 2008
It's A New Year Acts16:6-10 01-06-2007
It's a new year.....time for resolutions
Church attendance is up....people resolve to change their lives
Wesley asked his pastor to commit and recommit to the services of God
Wesley covenant service
What if on the 1st Sunday of 2008----We were able to ralk about something that would change your Christian life....
Is you life with you worries and desires
Are you open to living your life with Christ?
New Orleans.......
Matthew 28
So much to say.......
Went to church at Mount Zion
Sanctuary strom damaged, church in fellowship hall
Little envelope to help the homeless at salvation army
These people could be totally consumed with self.
Living outside of ones self
The good samaritian fund
The joy of going on a mission trip
It teaches us to live outside of oneself.
The point for me, really is not how far we go, but that the experience "disrupts" the comfortable nature of our lives.
Something should disrupt our lives.....
Our lives are too comfortable
We think we deserve our lives. We don't
We think we have a right to what we have. We don't
We pull into our garages, push the button to close the door and walk into our comfortable homes.
Is this what you are looking forward to in 2008?
The rich fool...Luke12
Life is a gift from God
Christian like is not rooted in doing religious things
Certainly not in following our self will
The Christian like is rooted in the question... God, what should I do?
Paul.....was on a mission trip
Cared about what God wanted him to do
Paul asked...we don't always
Asks the question.....Lord where should we go
How do you know? The spirit says "no"
They are asking the questions...God what is it....
the spirit says "no"
Paul cared about the answer....we don't
Then they listen and follow....
I am sorry we are not open to "no"
Any thought that we think we like, we invent a god who tells us that is okay
Listening-big voice, little voice....not for an audible voice, but for the voice of God in common moments
We wait for that big audible voice or that knock me over voice and we pay no attention to the voice of God in common sense.
You see something that you like. You want it. You can take it and no one would know. Waiting for God to speak? He already has. What does God say? Thou shall not steal.
You have the bug for a new car. You tell yourself that God wants his people to have nice things. Yo give five reason why you deserve it. Sure it will put you in lots of debt with a big payment. It will stress your ability to do good in the name of the Lord. You are waiting for God to speak. He already has. What does he say? Seek ye first the kingdom of God.
I am asking you to live this year as those who are listening....
should I spend my family in to trouble?
should I wound those who wound me?
should I help the poor?
should I help the poor more than I was thinking I should?
What should I really be doing?
Changing your life paradigms
Learning to be thankful
Learning to be a steward
Learning to walk with God
Would you be willing to let your life be disrupted for the purpose of Christ?
Would you leave your comfort zone?
Not just once, but enter a pattern of putting yourselves at the disposal of God
To this let us be committed
Communion
I am not longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth.
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
Church attendance is up....people resolve to change their lives
Wesley asked his pastor to commit and recommit to the services of God
Wesley covenant service
What if on the 1st Sunday of 2008----We were able to ralk about something that would change your Christian life....
Is you life with you worries and desires
Are you open to living your life with Christ?
New Orleans.......
Matthew 28
So much to say.......
Went to church at Mount Zion
Sanctuary strom damaged, church in fellowship hall
Little envelope to help the homeless at salvation army
These people could be totally consumed with self.
Living outside of ones self
The good samaritian fund
The joy of going on a mission trip
It teaches us to live outside of oneself.
The point for me, really is not how far we go, but that the experience "disrupts" the comfortable nature of our lives.
Something should disrupt our lives.....
Our lives are too comfortable
We think we deserve our lives. We don't
We think we have a right to what we have. We don't
We pull into our garages, push the button to close the door and walk into our comfortable homes.
Is this what you are looking forward to in 2008?
The rich fool...Luke12
Life is a gift from God
Christian like is not rooted in doing religious things
Certainly not in following our self will
The Christian like is rooted in the question... God, what should I do?
Paul.....was on a mission trip
Cared about what God wanted him to do
Paul asked...we don't always
Asks the question.....Lord where should we go
How do you know? The spirit says "no"
They are asking the questions...God what is it....
the spirit says "no"
Paul cared about the answer....we don't
Then they listen and follow....
I am sorry we are not open to "no"
Any thought that we think we like, we invent a god who tells us that is okay
Listening-big voice, little voice....not for an audible voice, but for the voice of God in common moments
We wait for that big audible voice or that knock me over voice and we pay no attention to the voice of God in common sense.
You see something that you like. You want it. You can take it and no one would know. Waiting for God to speak? He already has. What does God say? Thou shall not steal.
You have the bug for a new car. You tell yourself that God wants his people to have nice things. Yo give five reason why you deserve it. Sure it will put you in lots of debt with a big payment. It will stress your ability to do good in the name of the Lord. You are waiting for God to speak. He already has. What does he say? Seek ye first the kingdom of God.
I am asking you to live this year as those who are listening....
should I spend my family in to trouble?
should I wound those who wound me?
should I help the poor?
should I help the poor more than I was thinking I should?
What should I really be doing?
Changing your life paradigms
Learning to be thankful
Learning to be a steward
Learning to walk with God
Would you be willing to let your life be disrupted for the purpose of Christ?
Would you leave your comfort zone?
Not just once, but enter a pattern of putting yourselves at the disposal of God
To this let us be committed
Communion
I am not longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth.
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Ordinary People 12-15-02
Sermon 12-15-02
Lately thinking about shepherds
Pitiful…unworthy to be in the story
Couldn’t tie a tie
Do you ever feel this way? Unworthy to be here………….
Heard the story
Went to see
They didn’t have to go….nothing else left
Michael Hammer was named by Business Week as one of the pre-eminent management thinkers of the 90s and by Time magazine as one of America's 25 most influential individuals. He was asked recently, "What advice would you give to the leader of the 21st-century corporation?" He responded as follows: "I have a very simple observation which is based on something I have seen in many companies: If you think you're good, you're dead.
Only god can dispel our fears
Left to proclaim good news
Story of ordinary people doing extra ordinary things
Tired of hearing about angels, give me a figue that I can relate to….
Angels are clean. Angels are beautiful. They seem almost otherworldly, since girl angels always seem to know their parts better than do boy shepherds. The angelic satin stuff goes pretty well in most Christmas pageants. The problems come with the burlap part. Do you know what real-life shepherds were like? Townspeople looked down on them. "Herdsmen!" they'd huff derisively. Shepherds would work with sheep all day, sleep outside with the animals at night and then come into town dirty, sweaty and smelly. Like boys. Tradesmen in the marketplace would be polite enough. Shopkeepers would wait on them, but everybody was happy when they moved along. Burlap fits the part. It really does.Angels get clouds and the Hallelujah Chorus for props. Shepherds get a stable. Maybe cattle lowing has a bit of romance. But conjure up the smells and the filth. No stainless steel dairy palace this, but a crude barn, with good reason for straw on the floor. Not exactly the setting you'd choose for a birth if you had the luxury of planning ahead. ...Angels seem appropriate to the birth of God's son. But straw and sweat and burlap do not. Why, I ask, would the Son of God Most High enter life amidst the rubble of human existence, at the lowest rung of society, in obscurity and at the stable-edge of rejection even before he is born?And as hard as I think about it, I come back to one truth. God wanted to make it explicitly clear that He came to save each of us. He comes to the slimy, dark corners of our existence, the desperateness, the loneliness, the rejection, the pain. He comes to unswept barns and cold nights of despair. He comes because he understands them. He knows them intimately and came for the very purpose of delivering us from those raw stables to real Life.
What does all this mean to us……
This story is for you
Lately thinking about shepherds
Pitiful…unworthy to be in the story
Couldn’t tie a tie
Do you ever feel this way? Unworthy to be here………….
Heard the story
Went to see
They didn’t have to go….nothing else left
Michael Hammer was named by Business Week as one of the pre-eminent management thinkers of the 90s and by Time magazine as one of America's 25 most influential individuals. He was asked recently, "What advice would you give to the leader of the 21st-century corporation?" He responded as follows: "I have a very simple observation which is based on something I have seen in many companies: If you think you're good, you're dead.
Only god can dispel our fears
Left to proclaim good news
Story of ordinary people doing extra ordinary things
Tired of hearing about angels, give me a figue that I can relate to….
Angels are clean. Angels are beautiful. They seem almost otherworldly, since girl angels always seem to know their parts better than do boy shepherds. The angelic satin stuff goes pretty well in most Christmas pageants. The problems come with the burlap part. Do you know what real-life shepherds were like? Townspeople looked down on them. "Herdsmen!" they'd huff derisively. Shepherds would work with sheep all day, sleep outside with the animals at night and then come into town dirty, sweaty and smelly. Like boys. Tradesmen in the marketplace would be polite enough. Shopkeepers would wait on them, but everybody was happy when they moved along. Burlap fits the part. It really does.Angels get clouds and the Hallelujah Chorus for props. Shepherds get a stable. Maybe cattle lowing has a bit of romance. But conjure up the smells and the filth. No stainless steel dairy palace this, but a crude barn, with good reason for straw on the floor. Not exactly the setting you'd choose for a birth if you had the luxury of planning ahead. ...Angels seem appropriate to the birth of God's son. But straw and sweat and burlap do not. Why, I ask, would the Son of God Most High enter life amidst the rubble of human existence, at the lowest rung of society, in obscurity and at the stable-edge of rejection even before he is born?And as hard as I think about it, I come back to one truth. God wanted to make it explicitly clear that He came to save each of us. He comes to the slimy, dark corners of our existence, the desperateness, the loneliness, the rejection, the pain. He comes to unswept barns and cold nights of despair. He comes because he understands them. He knows them intimately and came for the very purpose of delivering us from those raw stables to real Life.
What does all this mean to us……
This story is for you
Angels 12-15-02
Angels are clean. Angels are beautiful. They seem almost otherworldly, since girl angels always seem to know their parts better than do boy shepherds. The angelic satin stuff goes pretty well in most Christmas pageants. The problems come with the burlap part. Do you know what real-life shepherds were like? Townspeople looked down on them. "Herdsmen!" they'd huff derisively. Shepherds would work with sheep all day, sleep outside with the animals at night and then come into town dirty, sweaty and smelly. Like boys. Tradesmen in the marketplace would be polite enough. Shopkeepers would wait on them, but everybody was happy when they moved along. Burlap fits the part. It really does.Angels get clouds and the Hallelujah Chorus for props. Shepherds get a stable. Maybe cattle lowing has a bit of romance. But conjure up the smells and the filth. No stainless steel dairy palace this, but a crude barn, with good reason for straw on the floor. Not exactly the setting you'd choose for a birth if you had the luxury of planning ahead. ...Angels seem appropriate to the birth of God's son. But straw and sweat and burlap do not. Why, I ask, would the Son of God Most High enter life amidst the rubble of human existence, at the lowest rung of society, in obscurity and at the stable-edge of rejection even before he is born?And as hard as I think about it, I come back to one truth. God wanted to make it explicitly clear that He came to save each of us. He comes to the slimy, dark corners of our existence, the desperateness, the loneliness, the rejection, the pain. He comes to unswept barns and cold nights of despair. He comes because he understands them. He knows them intimately and came for the very purpose of delivering us from those raw stables to real Life.
Love 5-13-07
Sermon Love 5-13-07 5pm service
Love………we make it complicated
I love you
I love tacos
It is complicated & what I share tonight is only a picture, a facet.
I cannot and I am not trying to answer all the questions.
Love ………we are taught so little about it
Our parents teach us how to tie our shoes
Who teaches us about love
What we call love is almost always a collection of broken people demanding that the object of their love somehow make them whole.
My first marriage- rules: you make me happy
This marriage- let me serve you. How can I help you be fulfilled
Want to work, ok. No- ok
Want to sing in choir…ok, no- ok
Want to go to college, ok. No- ok
Before we can begin to understand what love is, we must give up on our inappropriate views of love
Love is not attraction……….
I am attracted to you more that I am attracted to others
What happens when the attraction wears off?
Love is not dependence…..
Two broken people propping each other up
I am taking from you……..
Love isn’t desire
[there should be some desire with love]
But not to where I am taking from you
Now if I have stolen from you some of the myths of love……
What is left
Jesus said take the board out of your own eye so that you can see [Mt 7]
Once we divest ourselves of false ideas about love, we can begin to understand true love
Nt Greek words for love
Phileo-brotherly love
Eros- you know what that means
Agape- self less love
They say that no one is ready to be married until they are comfortable living by themselves. Comfortable in singleness
You cant love anyone else until you love yourself.
Love the lord your god with all your heart soul mind and strength, love your neighbor as yourself
Mt 19 rich young ruler
Mt 22 which is the greatest commandment
How do you see people?
A threat
Someone to get something from
Do you see people as god sees people
The eagle and the chickens/do you hold people back
The frog and the prince/do you free people to live
Mt 19 the two become one
To love someone is to will their highest good.
To see the other and help them to achieve, to become
The lover creates love
Love………we make it complicated
I love you
I love tacos
It is complicated & what I share tonight is only a picture, a facet.
I cannot and I am not trying to answer all the questions.
Love ………we are taught so little about it
Our parents teach us how to tie our shoes
Who teaches us about love
What we call love is almost always a collection of broken people demanding that the object of their love somehow make them whole.
My first marriage- rules: you make me happy
This marriage- let me serve you. How can I help you be fulfilled
Want to work, ok. No- ok
Want to sing in choir…ok, no- ok
Want to go to college, ok. No- ok
Before we can begin to understand what love is, we must give up on our inappropriate views of love
Love is not attraction……….
I am attracted to you more that I am attracted to others
What happens when the attraction wears off?
Love is not dependence…..
Two broken people propping each other up
I am taking from you……..
Love isn’t desire
[there should be some desire with love]
But not to where I am taking from you
Now if I have stolen from you some of the myths of love……
What is left
Jesus said take the board out of your own eye so that you can see [Mt 7]
Once we divest ourselves of false ideas about love, we can begin to understand true love
Nt Greek words for love
Phileo-brotherly love
Eros- you know what that means
Agape- self less love
They say that no one is ready to be married until they are comfortable living by themselves. Comfortable in singleness
You cant love anyone else until you love yourself.
Love the lord your god with all your heart soul mind and strength, love your neighbor as yourself
Mt 19 rich young ruler
Mt 22 which is the greatest commandment
How do you see people?
A threat
Someone to get something from
Do you see people as god sees people
The eagle and the chickens/do you hold people back
The frog and the prince/do you free people to live
Mt 19 the two become one
To love someone is to will their highest good.
To see the other and help them to achieve, to become
The lover creates love
I Believe - Part 3 Apostles Creed 8-19-07
Sermon 8-19-07 I believe pt 3, the apostles creed
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,[b] the Son of the living God."
17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter,[c] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[d] will not overcome it.[e] 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[f] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[g] loosed in heaven." 20Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN.
Cesarea Philippi was a place of retreat
Here Jesus has a very impt conversation with his disciples
Who do you say that I am? Peter’s confession
Upon this rock I will build my church……..
peters confession strikes at the heart of the purpose of the church
The holy catholic church
the pope’s words about the extended church
lots of catholic leaders secretly wish these words had not been said…..
part 2……..I am going to Jerusalem to die…….get thee behind me satan
-not that peter is Satan
you are asking me to leave God’s purpose and follow human purpose
Jesus was tough on the people that followed him. He was honest and clear and expected them to stay on mission.
The danger of the church today….we get it, and then we forget it
Its about jesus and his purpose, opps no, now its about me and my purpose
When you become a Christian, something changes….
There is something inside of us that wants to give itself away
To look for that purpose outside of ourselves
What is the church
The church is not a building…….what will happen if a tornado destroys our church?
the church is the holder of doctrine, but it that is not it’s primary purpose
the church celebrates the holy scriptures, but that is not its primary purpose
The church exists to worship……….we give ourselves away to God
It is a selfless thing…not about getting, but giving
Gathering of people for a common purpose
Win the world for Jesus Christ
Side bar is that we care about each other along the way
Tough in a larger church
Need every small group to be looking out for its members…….
- to care for them
- to hold them to our mission
The church at its worst
Easier to tear down a good church than to build a good church
The 4 monks at union station
the church is not a country club
In a museum Detroit, Michigan, there is a huge steam locomotive. Beside this complicated piece of machinery is a sign showing boiler pressure, size and number of wheels, horsepower, lengths, weight and more. The bottom line indicates that 96 percent of the power generated was used to move the locomotive and only 4 percent was left to pull the load. Some churches are like that.
the church is not a museum. The church is ellis island
on being fed………
someone was leaving because they were not being fed
the church exists to worship……….we give ourselves away to God
it is an act of giving, not taking
What are we looking for in a church.
A place to be happy, or a place to be faithful?
Did mother teresa ever say, O, I am not being fed
If you want to be fed, it will never be enough
If you want to change the world in the name of Jesus Christ, lets join hands and go to work……
Prayer of st francis
It is a principle of the Christian faith
I lose myself to find myself
I Give, then I receive
The church at its best
Recognizes the identity and the purpose of Jesus
What made the early church tick?
Faith in Christ and a desire to give that away
They did not sit and wait for others to come to them….
They went to the ends of the earth
Is the purpose of the church to call us to be christlike……
Yes, then what did he do………he gave his life for a cause
What are you giving your life to?
What did Jesus mean when he said, come follow me?
In A successful church
The people are Spiritually engaged
People working to keep things good
They know and follow their mission
Conclusion
the church is not a haven for saints, it is a hospital for sinners
who wants to stay in the hospital forever
Jesus did not command the world to go to church. He commanded the church to go to the world
Next 10 years…..10 people into ministry-10 people into mission field
Bishop Bruce Blake noted the difference between the church as a tunnel and as a cave. A cave is an underground area where one goes in and comes out at the same place, the bishop observed. A tunnel, on the other hand, is where one goes in and comes out in a different place.
it is important that the church see itself as a tunnel and not a cave. If we come out of church at the same place we went in, then something is wrong.
We are brokers of the words of life….
We stand with peter who said, you are the Christ, the son of the living god.
Sign above church door. Now entering the mission field
Its about time that we started to think of ourselves as missionaries
Prayer of St. Francis
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,[b] the Son of the living God."
17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter,[c] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[d] will not overcome it.[e] 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[f] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[g] loosed in heaven." 20Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN.
Cesarea Philippi was a place of retreat
Here Jesus has a very impt conversation with his disciples
Who do you say that I am? Peter’s confession
Upon this rock I will build my church……..
peters confession strikes at the heart of the purpose of the church
The holy catholic church
the pope’s words about the extended church
lots of catholic leaders secretly wish these words had not been said…..
part 2……..I am going to Jerusalem to die…….get thee behind me satan
-not that peter is Satan
you are asking me to leave God’s purpose and follow human purpose
Jesus was tough on the people that followed him. He was honest and clear and expected them to stay on mission.
The danger of the church today….we get it, and then we forget it
Its about jesus and his purpose, opps no, now its about me and my purpose
When you become a Christian, something changes….
There is something inside of us that wants to give itself away
To look for that purpose outside of ourselves
What is the church
The church is not a building…….what will happen if a tornado destroys our church?
the church is the holder of doctrine, but it that is not it’s primary purpose
the church celebrates the holy scriptures, but that is not its primary purpose
The church exists to worship……….we give ourselves away to God
It is a selfless thing…not about getting, but giving
Gathering of people for a common purpose
Win the world for Jesus Christ
Side bar is that we care about each other along the way
Tough in a larger church
Need every small group to be looking out for its members…….
- to care for them
- to hold them to our mission
The church at its worst
Easier to tear down a good church than to build a good church
The 4 monks at union station
the church is not a country club
In a museum Detroit, Michigan, there is a huge steam locomotive. Beside this complicated piece of machinery is a sign showing boiler pressure, size and number of wheels, horsepower, lengths, weight and more. The bottom line indicates that 96 percent of the power generated was used to move the locomotive and only 4 percent was left to pull the load. Some churches are like that.
the church is not a museum. The church is ellis island
on being fed………
someone was leaving because they were not being fed
the church exists to worship……….we give ourselves away to God
it is an act of giving, not taking
What are we looking for in a church.
A place to be happy, or a place to be faithful?
Did mother teresa ever say, O, I am not being fed
If you want to be fed, it will never be enough
If you want to change the world in the name of Jesus Christ, lets join hands and go to work……
Prayer of st francis
It is a principle of the Christian faith
I lose myself to find myself
I Give, then I receive
The church at its best
Recognizes the identity and the purpose of Jesus
What made the early church tick?
Faith in Christ and a desire to give that away
They did not sit and wait for others to come to them….
They went to the ends of the earth
Is the purpose of the church to call us to be christlike……
Yes, then what did he do………he gave his life for a cause
What are you giving your life to?
What did Jesus mean when he said, come follow me?
In A successful church
The people are Spiritually engaged
People working to keep things good
They know and follow their mission
Conclusion
the church is not a haven for saints, it is a hospital for sinners
who wants to stay in the hospital forever
Jesus did not command the world to go to church. He commanded the church to go to the world
Next 10 years…..10 people into ministry-10 people into mission field
Bishop Bruce Blake noted the difference between the church as a tunnel and as a cave. A cave is an underground area where one goes in and comes out at the same place, the bishop observed. A tunnel, on the other hand, is where one goes in and comes out in a different place.
it is important that the church see itself as a tunnel and not a cave. If we come out of church at the same place we went in, then something is wrong.
We are brokers of the words of life….
We stand with peter who said, you are the Christ, the son of the living god.
Sign above church door. Now entering the mission field
Its about time that we started to think of ourselves as missionaries
Prayer of St. Francis
Give Thanks Part 3 11-18-07
A chief event of life is the day in which we have encountered a mind that startled us.
What is the soul
Where do we usually live
Noise/busy is the enemy of the soul
We cant expect to live in the world of souls or grow in the world of the spirit when we are so worried about things that don’t matter
You are not your job, your car, your home. You are a soul created by god. Your eternity will not be marked by your profession or your social status.
This image of self is a distraction from the real you, your soul.
There is a God-part within each person, which is the soul. It's magnificent; it's divine; it's perfect; it's aware. And the soul's natural state is joyful and loving and pure. When you experience joy and love, you are experiencing your true self, your soul
Many people have said that a human being has a soul - but it is closer to the reality to say that the soul has a human being body which it is temporarily housed in. The soul, being Spirit, is more enduring than the human consciousness.
The soul is the breath of life, the very essence which makes things alive. The soul give life and removes itself at the body's death; without the soul there is no life. The soul is life itself and animates all living organisms.
Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Genesis 2:7
For I will not contend for ever, nor will I always be angry; for from me proceeds the spirit, and I have made the breath of life.
Isaiah 57:16
And as her soul was departing (for she died), she called his name Benoni; but his father called his name Benjamin.
Genesis 35:18
(Elijah) cried to the LORD, 'O LORD my God, let this child's soul come into him again.' And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
1 Kings 17:21-22
My soul doth magnify the lord
And do not be afraid of the one killing the body, not being able to kill the soul.
Matthew 10:28
Put a candle out on a chair, dress it up……………..
So what, so what is the difference.
How will I think differently?
Salvation is no longer something that is pie in the sky in the sweet by and bye
I am aware of the eternal nature o fmy core being and of its partnership with God
I see you totally differently.
I relax with those who are unhappy, they are doing what they know.
They have created a system of rules that makes sense in the world of egos…selfs
I see in you the image of God
I am more aware, more awake, more alive than I have ever been……
1. who are you? A soul.
2. therefore, I am not the following: tall shor fat thn, mu fan, ku fan
3. what doe sthat mean?
And man became a living soul
What if your life is a journey- a discovery of the soul
The ego, the fake self, the earthly man
Is how we interface with the world because it s all we know. The worry abou the earthly man causes us to rush around and try to fix or repair
Use every scripture on the soul
What matters:
Every person, every encounter
What doesn’t matter:
Church doctrinal fights, what kind of car you drive
Man I have dressed up this soul pretty well…..maybe too well.
Paul dodds story….we were brothers in heaven
Music and the soul
What is the soul
Where do we usually live
Noise/busy is the enemy of the soul
We cant expect to live in the world of souls or grow in the world of the spirit when we are so worried about things that don’t matter
You are not your job, your car, your home. You are a soul created by god. Your eternity will not be marked by your profession or your social status.
This image of self is a distraction from the real you, your soul.
There is a God-part within each person, which is the soul. It's magnificent; it's divine; it's perfect; it's aware. And the soul's natural state is joyful and loving and pure. When you experience joy and love, you are experiencing your true self, your soul
Many people have said that a human being has a soul - but it is closer to the reality to say that the soul has a human being body which it is temporarily housed in. The soul, being Spirit, is more enduring than the human consciousness.
The soul is the breath of life, the very essence which makes things alive. The soul give life and removes itself at the body's death; without the soul there is no life. The soul is life itself and animates all living organisms.
Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Genesis 2:7
For I will not contend for ever, nor will I always be angry; for from me proceeds the spirit, and I have made the breath of life.
Isaiah 57:16
And as her soul was departing (for she died), she called his name Benoni; but his father called his name Benjamin.
Genesis 35:18
(Elijah) cried to the LORD, 'O LORD my God, let this child's soul come into him again.' And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
1 Kings 17:21-22
My soul doth magnify the lord
And do not be afraid of the one killing the body, not being able to kill the soul.
Matthew 10:28
Put a candle out on a chair, dress it up……………..
So what, so what is the difference.
How will I think differently?
Salvation is no longer something that is pie in the sky in the sweet by and bye
I am aware of the eternal nature o fmy core being and of its partnership with God
I see you totally differently.
I relax with those who are unhappy, they are doing what they know.
They have created a system of rules that makes sense in the world of egos…selfs
I see in you the image of God
I am more aware, more awake, more alive than I have ever been……
1. who are you? A soul.
2. therefore, I am not the following: tall shor fat thn, mu fan, ku fan
3. what doe sthat mean?
And man became a living soul
What if your life is a journey- a discovery of the soul
The ego, the fake self, the earthly man
Is how we interface with the world because it s all we know. The worry abou the earthly man causes us to rush around and try to fix or repair
Use every scripture on the soul
What matters:
Every person, every encounter
What doesn’t matter:
Church doctrinal fights, what kind of car you drive
Man I have dressed up this soul pretty well…..maybe too well.
Paul dodds story….we were brothers in heaven
Music and the soul
Thanksgiving Part 1 One in Four 1 John 4:13-18 11-4-07
Sermon 11-4-07 1 jn 4 Scripture 1 John 4:13-18
13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Thankful series
The importance of a christian to be thankful………
When we can see the good. Something good, anything good, life turns a cnr
Today, part 1
Thankful for the gospel, the good news.
We need good news
Not the gospel of childhood, this little idea that if you believe you will be saved….not that that is bad, but I need more
I need a good news with teeth. I need something more than an idea.
Something real that gives me peace in the face of my fears.
Fear vs faith
Halloween- Iused to scare little kids
Onezie….coveralls…..mask, hay, gloves……
Real scary things, real ghosts, real haunts
Our ghosts- we all have them
Phone call…….lunch….I want to tell you my story…..
We all have one don’t we?
The music of our culture echoes our inability to answer life’s questions
Bob Dylan………..how many roads…….the answer is blowin
Crash test dummies……1991
The ghosts that haunt me
Snow patrol……Chasing cars-2006
I don’t know where, confused about how, as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all
If I lay here, if I just lay here
Would you lie with me, and just forget the world
Past
The man I used to be
.58 440
5’10” 150 lbs
The man I used to be that I don’t want back
Present challenges
Grab ahold of my world
Appreciate everyone
Struggle with my failures
Future concerns
Will I lose my job
What if my friends don’t like me anymore
Will I live to see my children married, grandchildren
When it is all over, what will be the result
Fear that My life is Routine.
Fear that my life will End before it begins.
I don’t understand myself…….Consumed by disfunction.
Some want the Christian faith to solve every pain, to answer every question.
It doesn’t
It is hard work to be right all the time
Paths of life are littered with fine Christians who knew it all, and fell apart.
Each of us struggle with the dark parts of humanity,
But there is good news.
There is another ghost. The holy ghost
The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit
He is the great heartbeat that sustains us
The music of the faith reminds us of this truth
“he brought me out of the miry clay”
“what a friend we have in jesus”
“the haven of rest”
“amazing grace”
As a teenager
As a young adult, young parent
Now as someone who keeps telling himself, I am still young
What ever stage of life you are in, you can call upon him
13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Thankful series
The importance of a christian to be thankful………
When we can see the good. Something good, anything good, life turns a cnr
Today, part 1
Thankful for the gospel, the good news.
We need good news
Not the gospel of childhood, this little idea that if you believe you will be saved….not that that is bad, but I need more
I need a good news with teeth. I need something more than an idea.
Something real that gives me peace in the face of my fears.
Fear vs faith
Halloween- Iused to scare little kids
Onezie….coveralls…..mask, hay, gloves……
Real scary things, real ghosts, real haunts
Our ghosts- we all have them
Phone call…….lunch….I want to tell you my story…..
We all have one don’t we?
The music of our culture echoes our inability to answer life’s questions
Bob Dylan………..how many roads…….the answer is blowin
Crash test dummies……1991
The ghosts that haunt me
Snow patrol……Chasing cars-2006
I don’t know where, confused about how, as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all
If I lay here, if I just lay here
Would you lie with me, and just forget the world
Past
The man I used to be
.58 440
5’10” 150 lbs
The man I used to be that I don’t want back
Present challenges
Grab ahold of my world
Appreciate everyone
Struggle with my failures
Future concerns
Will I lose my job
What if my friends don’t like me anymore
Will I live to see my children married, grandchildren
When it is all over, what will be the result
Fear that My life is Routine.
Fear that my life will End before it begins.
I don’t understand myself…….Consumed by disfunction.
Some want the Christian faith to solve every pain, to answer every question.
It doesn’t
It is hard work to be right all the time
Paths of life are littered with fine Christians who knew it all, and fell apart.
Each of us struggle with the dark parts of humanity,
But there is good news.
There is another ghost. The holy ghost
The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit
He is the great heartbeat that sustains us
The music of the faith reminds us of this truth
“he brought me out of the miry clay”
“what a friend we have in jesus”
“the haven of rest”
“amazing grace”
As a teenager
As a young adult, young parent
Now as someone who keeps telling himself, I am still young
What ever stage of life you are in, you can call upon him
Lock the Doors Timothy 6:17-19 10-27-07
Sermon 10-27-02 1 timothy6:17-19 Lock the doors
Run for it…annual sermon on givingLock the doors…..Visitors, the good news is Approach to Christian giving
We will hold up Christian priorities without apology
We will ask people to give prayerfully
We will live within our means
Not gonna beg…church is not gonna be about needing money
You are giving faithfully, every need finds a way of being met.
Jesus talked about money all the timeMatthew, Mark, Luke 1/6 scripture re finances16 of 29 parables Jesus told re moneyrender to Ceasar, render to God
Why? It is a sign of our idolatry
Anything that you wont allow god to speak to is probably an idol
The question is not how much of my money I will give to GodThe question is how much of Gods money should I spend on my self
Paul is direct with with Timothy about his followers…Giving commanded
Giving is a joyful thing…..happiest people I know are generous
How much should I give?1. widows mite…all she had- mark 122. Acts….disciples held all things in common
Acts 4:31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
3. tithing….2 guys lost on the islandMal 3:7-12……Methodist preachers job to teach tithing if you cant give 10, find a percent, increase next year
The step chart
How should I give…..1. regularly…whether present or notneeds of ministry are regularly…Gods support of you is regular
Eft
2. give to God first [first fruits…ex 22]
The cranberry scare
Write that check first
3. give cheerfully….communist gift
The church doesn’t need your money…….we will live on half…..
You need to give…..the joy of giving away
When my life is out of perspective, I cannot give. I am missing the joyful part.
I love cars. I love mustangs. You know how many I want to own?
All of them.
If I do that, I cant give…….I am missing a great joy in life.
Dave Ramsey and FPU
I am glad to get a commitment card. We can do something to make a difference in gods kingdom, lets go wheres my card. Lets fill it out. It am ready
The scripture today speaks of the life that truly is life
· Those who live life in perspective have learned something about joy
· I invite you to listen to and respond to the information shared today
· Not just so you can do the right thing
· But so you can find a life that is heartfully engaged with our Lord
· At the beginning of the message I said “run for it”
· Now I want to suggest to you that there is a life worth running to
· A life where every facet of our lives are submitted to the Lord.
· Run for it…the life that is lifeRun to Jesus, be complete, be whole find the life that truly is life
Do Not Be Weary in Well Doing Galatians 6:2-10 10-14-07
Work day-tulip plant
Dream team
Trunk or treat this sat
Nov 3 t tekylSermon `10-14-07 Gal 6:2-10
2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load.
6Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature[a]will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
70s party………protected environment…….
Funny clothes for them, time of peace and security for me
80’s real world breaks in
we get discouraged
want to quit
things I wanted to quit………….sophomore track
dad would not let me quit
the right thing to do is the right thing to do even if you are the only one doing it
the wrong thing to do is the wrong thing to do even if everyone is ding it
the Christian faith calls us to do good
the character of god calls us to live beyond our pleasure,
jesus set the example
today I am talking to you about something that has been on my mind. It is not a sermon series. It is today only. Its about doing the good. Not good works, not self righteousness, I am talking about the good that should be a part of each Christian life.
· The golden rule…..do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
· One of the fruit of the spirit is goodness Gal 6
· I am talking about this behavior, this character trait that is the mark of all christains
"The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks."-Luke 6:45
do not be weary in well doing…………
what are the good things that you are doing?
Things that wear us out
Holding a job
Raising kids
Struggling with your self in battle of spirit vs flesh
Mow a neighbors grass
Feed the hungry
Clothe the poor
Being in relationships
Taking care of people
This is true religion and undefiled
James 1 26-27
26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world
Being polluted by the world is not playing cards, wearing certain clothes or drinking the wine at the wedding in cana. Being polluted by the world is buying into selfishness. Selfishness is the way of the world, and it is sneaky.
Don’t be weary in well doing
Don’t be wary of well doing
Turn the other cheek
Go the second mile
How do you feel when you are slapped?
How do you feel when you turn the other cheek?
How does it feel if you don’t turn the other cheek?
Do not render evil for evil, overcome evil with good
What do you do when you get knocked down?
You get back up.
Why 1- we find true spirituality when we stick with difficult things
A teacher was asked about a man who purported himself to be a follower of the teacher. The teacher remembered him. Yes, he attended some seminars, but he was never a student.
We are never really spiritually engaged until we see the warts
We never overcome until we struggle through
You are never really married until you make it thru the tough times
There is a joy that comes from perseverance
Why 2- you have chosen the good path, not the easy path, but the good path
Mercy rejoices over judgement
Grace triumps over guilt
They that sow in tears will reap in joy
Why 3 – it is what we are called to do and be
the right thing to do is the right thing to do even if you are the only one doing it
the wrong thing to do is the wrong thing to do even if everyone is ding it
doing good, the work of god, it is what we are called to
Why 4- you will reap
Watched major leage, the replacements, another movie like this is little giants. We love movies where the underdog doesn’t quit, but comes from behind, against all odds to win.
Yet in our Christian lives, we come up against a challenge and we often just quit, go off whining in the corner.
Why should you stay with it? You will reap.
You will reap. You are making a difference
Martina mcbride song
"Anyway"You can spend your whole life buildin', Somethin' from nothin'One storm can come and blow it all away, Build it anywayYou can chase a dream, That seems so out of reachAnd you know it might not ever come your way, Dream it anyway[chorus:]God is great, but sometimes life ain't goodWhen I pray it doesn't always turn out like I think it shouldBut I do it anyway, I do it anywayThis world's gone crazy and it's hard to believeThat tomorrow will be better than today, Believe it anywayYou can love someone with all your heart, For all the right reasonsAnd in a moment they can choose to walk away., love 'em anyway[chorus]You can pour your soul out singing, A song you believe inThat tomorrow they’ll forget you ever sang, Sing it anywayYeah, sing it anyway, I sing, I dream, I love, Anyway
Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My 6-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads, he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And liberty and justice for all! Amen!"Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!"Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job, and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer.""Really?" my son asked."Cross my heart." Then, in a theatrical whisper, he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae, and without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile, he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes, and my soul is good already."Of all my children, he is by far my most ... trying. The quickest to anger, the first one to break something, and the last one to do as he's told. None of it matters though, 'cause like he said, his soul is good already.-- Larry Phillips, lsphillips@aol.com
Once, in his very early days in Lambarene, Dr. Albert Schweitzer was talking with a European about the cannibal tribe, the Pahouins. "Aren't you afraid that you might end up in a cannibal's pot?" he was asked. "If I do," he laughingly replied, "I hope they will say, 'Dr. Schweitzer was good to the end.'" -- George N.
Little Chad was a shy, quiet boy. Day after day, his mother agonized when she watched the children coming home from school. While they laughed and talked to each other and hung onto each other, Chad always lagged behind - alone. One day, Chad came home and told his mother that he'd like to make Valentines for everyone in his class. Her heart sank. She thought, "I wish he wouldn't do that! They never include him in anything." Nevertheless, she decided she would go along with her son. So she purchased the paper and glue and crayons, and for three weeks, night after night, Chad painstakingly made 35 valentines. Valentine's Day dawned, and Chad was beside himself with excitement as he started out for school. That afternoon, Chad's mother placed cookies and milk on the table. Then she looked out the window and saw the children coming home from school. There they came, laughing and having the best time. And, as always, there was Chad in the rear, alone. But walking a little faster than usual. His arms were empty. Obviously, he had not received any valentines, and she fully expected him to break into tears when he got inside. She choked back her own tears, saying as he came in, "Mommy has some cookies and milk for you." But he hardly heard her words. He just marched right on by, his face aglow. And all he could say was: "Not a one. Not a one." Her heart sank. And then, he added: "I didn't forget a one, Mommy. Not a single one."--Dale Galloway, Dream a New Dream: How to Rebuild a Broken Life (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 1975), 77-8. How many of us can say the same?
A recent "Dennis the Menace" cartoon caught my attention. As you know, Dennis is indeed a menace to his next-door neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, and yet Mrs. Wilson continues to be kind and gracious. This particular cartoon shows Dennis and his little friend Joey leaving Mrs. Wilson's house, their hands full of cookies.Joey says, "I wonder what we did to deserve this."Dennis answers, and his answer is on target: "Look, Joey, Mrs. Wilson gives us cookies not because we're nice, but because she's nice."
World Communion Sunday Acts 1:810-7-07
Sunday evening series
On proverbs
Tulip plantingSermon 10-7-07 World Communion Sunday Acts 1:8
4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
World Communion Sunday
How big is your world?
Jesus asked his disciples to see a bigger world
Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, ends of the earth
This is very strange considering that Israel is 85x290 miles…..
Jerusalem = international city
Judea = comfortable
Samaria = outcasts
Ends of the earth =
How big is your world?
Age 0-7 totally turned on self
Age 7-20
Still stuck on self, but learned a song.
Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow black and white,
Age 20 – first mission trip………..
Missions trips at WCC
Boys ranch, childrens home, new Orleans, Russia
Each has made my world a little bigger
But we are still very turned in on ourselves
Vocabulary: new word last week
Funnest inflective form of fun
This week: ethnocentric
We live at the center of our world, our culture is better
World communion Sunday begs us to consider that the body of Christ inhabits a bigger world than what we see…………
Show pictures
The Christian faith beckons us to expand our world
To think about to care about
· WCC
· China
· Mozambique
· European church
· Orthodox church
· Small towns
· Camino verdad verdida
· Guatemala
· Mozambique
What should our world view be?
Who has Jesus sent us to?
To: Members at WCC
Christians in Kansas City
Gods people all around America including
New Orleans, Greensburg Ks, and such places
The ends of the world
Russia, Guatemala, jamaca, mozambique
How does your life effect the needy Christians in other lands
Does it?
What does Jesus world view tell us?
God thinks globally. So should we
He loves and is concerned with all of his people
Everyone is welcome. Everyone is wanted. Everyone matters.
We don’t have to look the same
We don’t even have to believe every detail the same
We are a part of Gods family
You are a part of a massive family.
And so with joy we can gather at his table.
The Business of God Pt. 5 God Calls Us Ephesians 4:7-16 9-30-07
Sermon notes 9-30-07 the business of God, pt 5 God calls us
Ephesians 4:7-16
7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it[a] says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."[b] 9(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Series: the business of God, part 5-God calls us
Traditional denominations are in decline, including the UMC
There was a time in the past if you would build a building, people would come, and they had denominational loyalty.
Not like that any more……churches are dying because they became institutionalized
The traditional view of church
God gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors
and teachers
The pastors job is to take care of us
Story of my visit to harrisonville
The biblical view of church
Ephesians 4 : to prepare Gods people for works of service, so that the body of Christ would be built up.
The funnest part of being a Christian is being in ministry……..
The church is not here to entertain us.
God calls all of us
Some don’t want to be a part of a church that believes this. Sometimes we lose good people. But that doesn’t change the truth. Our life is Gods gift to us. How we live it is our gift to him.
Biblical examples-
Disciples called from their nets & boats to a life that follows Jesus Christ
I don’t think our problem is that we don’t believe this
The challenge that we face is
I am too busy with my own life to find the life of God
He is pulling one way, I am pulling another
Two trucks were standing back to back and a truck driver was struggling ot get a huge crate from one truck to the other. A passerby, seeing his desperate situation, volunteered to help. So the two of them huffed and puffed and struggled for well over half an hour with no result at all. I’m afraid it’s no use, panted the passerby, we’ll never get it off this truck. Off, yelled the driver, Good grief, I don’t want it off. I want it on.
demello heart of enlightened 117
Today is connecting Sunday. What is connecting Sunday
Why is it important
In a large church it is sometimes hard to get connected…..
Listening to Rachel Up, list these at a training session
9 ways you can get connected.
Litany of service opportunities.
Each member of the body is important
16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Puzzle pieces
The mosaic takes every piece. Ever made a puzzle and a piece was missing?
A great festival was to be held in a village and each villager was asked to contribute by pouring a bottle of wine into a giant barrel. One of the villagers had this thought: "If I pour a bottle of water in that giant barrel, no one will notice the difference." But it didn't occur to him that everyone else in the village might have the same thought. When the banquet began and the barrel was tapped, what came out was pure water.
Demello heart of the enlightened 150
Why engage in Christian service? Why engage in ministry?
· Not because god needs me
· Not because the church needs me.
· People need.
· You need. We all need. We need each other. We need to care about others. It is a deep part of who we are.
Gospel song, I love you , you love me were all apart of Gods body
A Farmer, whose corn always took the first prize at the State Fair, had the habit of sharing his best corn seeds with all the farmers in the neighbourhood. When asked why, he said, “It is really a matter of self interest. The wind picks up the pollen and carries it from field to field, so if my neighbours grow inferior corn, the cross pollination brings down the quality of my own corn. So I am concerned they plant only the very best-
Demello. Heart of the enlightened, p 133
It is impossible to help another without helping yourself
It is impossible to harm another with out harming yourself
We were created to love. To care, to be bonded.
Love heals everyone, both those who receive it and those who give it
There is something that everyone can do
So I ask you today to
Bear one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Gal 6:2
I invite you to go down to the gym and find a place, find a way to be in ministry, to give yourself away in the name of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.
The Business of God Part 5 Ephesians 4:7-16 9-30-07
Sermon notes 9-30-07 the business of God, pt 5 God calls us
Ephesians 4:7-16
7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it[a] says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."[b] 9(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Series: the business of God, part 5-God calls us
Traditional denominations are in decline, including the UMC
There was a time in the past if you would build a building, people would come, and they had denominational loyalty.
Not like that any more……churches are dying because they became institutionalized
The traditional view of church
God gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors
and teachers
The pastors job is to take care of us
Story of my visit to harrisonville
The biblical view of church
Ephesians 4 : to prepare Gods people for works of service, so that the body of Christ would be built up.
The funnest part of being a Christian is being in ministry……..
The church is not here to entertain us.
God calls all of us
Some don’t want to be a part of a church that believes this. Sometimes we lose good people. But that doesn’t change the truth. Our life is Gods gift to us. How we live it is our gift to him.
Biblical examples-
Disciples called from their nets & boats to a life that follows Jesus Christ
I don’t think our problem is that we don’t believe this
The challenge that we face is
I am too busy with my own life to find the life of God
He is pulling one way, I am pulling another
Two trucks were standing back to back and a truck driver was struggling ot get a huge crate from one truck to the other. A passerby, seeing his desperate situation, volunteered to help. So the two of them huffed and puffed and struggled for well over half an hour with no result at all. I’m afraid it’s no use, panted the passerby, we’ll never get it off this truck. Off, yelled the driver, Good grief, I don’t want it off. I want it on.
demello heart of enlightened 117
Today is connecting Sunday. What is connecting Sunday
Why is it important
In a large church it is sometimes hard to get connected…..
Listening to Rachel Up, list these at a training session
9 ways you can get connected.
Litany of service opportunities.
Each member of the body is important
16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Puzzle pieces
The mosaic takes every piece. Ever made a puzzle and a piece was missing?
A great festival was to be held in a village and each villager was asked to contribute by pouring a bottle of wine into a giant barrel. One of the villagers had this thought: "If I pour a bottle of water in that giant barrel, no one will notice the difference." But it didn't occur to him that everyone else in the village might have the same thought. When the banquet began and the barrel was tapped, what came out was pure water.
Demello heart of the enlightened 150
Why engage in Christian service? Why engage in ministry?
· Not because god needs me
· Not because the church needs me.
· People need.
· You need. We all need. We need each other. We need to care about others. It is a deep part of who we are.
Gospel song, I love you , you love me were all apart of Gods body
A Farmer, whose corn always took the first prize at the State Fair, had the habit of sharing his best corn seeds with all the farmers in the neighbourhood. When asked why, he said, “It is really a matter of self interest. The wind picks up the pollen and carries it from field to field, so if my neighbours grow inferior corn, the cross pollination brings down the quality of my own corn. So I am concerned they plant only the very best-
Demello. Heart of the enlightened, p 133
It is impossible to help another without helping yourself
It is impossible to harm another with out harming yourself
We were created to love. To care, to be bonded.
Love heals everyone, both those who receive it and those who give it
There is something that everyone can do
So I ask you today to
Bear one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Gal 6:2
I invite you to go down to the gym and find a place, find a way to be in ministry, to give yourself away in the name of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.
The Business of God Part 1 Matthew 11:25-30 9-2-07
Sermon 9-2-07 the business of God Mt 11:25-30
25At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. 27"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
We rest so that we can have peace in our souls.
People get in the way of Rest and Peace, Jesus offers us peace.
Woman praying in church. Priest comes up and asks if he can help her. “no thanks, I ‘m getting all the help that I need”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peace is a gift,
We cannot create it, but we can dispose our hearts to receive it.
2 Yokes
The yoke of the world
Hard work, heavy, wears you out
So busy so busy that we cant find our keys, our check book. We are not living in the moment, we are living in where we need to go next.
The day that you stop, you will arrive.
What is the yoke of Christ
Easy, light, you will find rest
You cannot carry the yoke of the world and the yoke of Christ
You know, you have those moments where you go
“stop” something impt is happening……..you put on the mantle
of Christ
Lay them burdens down
finding peace
you cant enter the garden if you are carrying your burdens
you cant even see the garden if you are carrying your burdens
lay them at the feet of jesus,
songs celebrate our need for Jesus
are you tired of chasing pretty rainbows, are you tired of spinning round and round---pack up all the cares of your life, at the feet of Jesus lay them down
if you had the choice, which would you choose? The granting of your petition or the grace to be peaceful whether it is granted or not?
the serenity prayer
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;courage to change the things I can;and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time;Enjoying one moment at a time;Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;Taking, as Christ did, this sinful worldas it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things rightif I surrender to His Will;That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with HimForever in the next. Amen. ----Reinhold Niebuhr
We never rest until we let go of the outcome.
Once upon a time a man was visited by a dragon. Man was visited nightly by a 12 foot dragon with 3 heads. Terrified, he went to the psychologist who told him. I can cure you but it will take years and costs thousands of dollars. The man said, ok, never mind, I will just go home and make friends with it.
We find no rest because we continue to fight our dragons. We continue to resist our thorn in the flesh.
If we can grow accustomed to the fact that some of this isn’t going to get better, the we can get our mind off of our pain and onto the person of Christ and the joy of life.
My dragons-
My kids are growing up, they don’t need me anymore
My wife is gone a lot- I am lonely
I am aging- physical changes associated with that…….
Chronic benign lung problems, arthritis, eye problems
We never rest until we let go of the outcome and seek only the face of Jesus.
Maybe we meet Jesus in The Garden
When we come to the garden, what are we looking for?
Rest not= not about stopping, not about praying, not about taking a break, or a vacation, = rest is found when we begin to see the world as it is, and value it as we should.
A man told his friend about the beautiful sunset. The friend came out to join him. Hey, I see the sun, the sky, the clouds, but where is the beauty? Rest is not found in things, it is found in a way of seeing things
What does jesus say to you in the garden?
Nothing until you lay your burdens down…you cant hear him until you do
Who do you say that I am?
Fear not, it is I
Your sins are forgiven
Peace
Come unto me and I will give you rest
Do you love me?
Come follow me
Conclusion
Rest is found when we discover the timeless one, Jesus Christ.
When we are totally disconnected from all considerations of personal loss or gain.
Prayer
I seek you lord, the source of refreshment. I lay it all down. I seek you. Your sustenance and your healing. In solitude and silence, give my self back to me. Make me whole again. Energize me by your love, until I see me going out in love to friends, and to all those in need. Fill me Lord, I desire nothing but you.
Psalms------songs, peace peace wonderful peace
25At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. 27"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
We rest so that we can have peace in our souls.
People get in the way of Rest and Peace, Jesus offers us peace.
Woman praying in church. Priest comes up and asks if he can help her. “no thanks, I ‘m getting all the help that I need”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peace is a gift,
We cannot create it, but we can dispose our hearts to receive it.
2 Yokes
The yoke of the world
Hard work, heavy, wears you out
So busy so busy that we cant find our keys, our check book. We are not living in the moment, we are living in where we need to go next.
The day that you stop, you will arrive.
What is the yoke of Christ
Easy, light, you will find rest
You cannot carry the yoke of the world and the yoke of Christ
You know, you have those moments where you go
“stop” something impt is happening……..you put on the mantle
of Christ
Lay them burdens down
finding peace
you cant enter the garden if you are carrying your burdens
you cant even see the garden if you are carrying your burdens
lay them at the feet of jesus,
songs celebrate our need for Jesus
are you tired of chasing pretty rainbows, are you tired of spinning round and round---pack up all the cares of your life, at the feet of Jesus lay them down
if you had the choice, which would you choose? The granting of your petition or the grace to be peaceful whether it is granted or not?
the serenity prayer
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;courage to change the things I can;and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time;Enjoying one moment at a time;Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;Taking, as Christ did, this sinful worldas it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things rightif I surrender to His Will;That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with HimForever in the next. Amen. ----Reinhold Niebuhr
We never rest until we let go of the outcome.
Once upon a time a man was visited by a dragon. Man was visited nightly by a 12 foot dragon with 3 heads. Terrified, he went to the psychologist who told him. I can cure you but it will take years and costs thousands of dollars. The man said, ok, never mind, I will just go home and make friends with it.
We find no rest because we continue to fight our dragons. We continue to resist our thorn in the flesh.
If we can grow accustomed to the fact that some of this isn’t going to get better, the we can get our mind off of our pain and onto the person of Christ and the joy of life.
My dragons-
My kids are growing up, they don’t need me anymore
My wife is gone a lot- I am lonely
I am aging- physical changes associated with that…….
Chronic benign lung problems, arthritis, eye problems
We never rest until we let go of the outcome and seek only the face of Jesus.
Maybe we meet Jesus in The Garden
When we come to the garden, what are we looking for?
Rest not= not about stopping, not about praying, not about taking a break, or a vacation, = rest is found when we begin to see the world as it is, and value it as we should.
A man told his friend about the beautiful sunset. The friend came out to join him. Hey, I see the sun, the sky, the clouds, but where is the beauty? Rest is not found in things, it is found in a way of seeing things
What does jesus say to you in the garden?
Nothing until you lay your burdens down…you cant hear him until you do
Who do you say that I am?
Fear not, it is I
Your sins are forgiven
Peace
Come unto me and I will give you rest
Do you love me?
Come follow me
Conclusion
Rest is found when we discover the timeless one, Jesus Christ.
When we are totally disconnected from all considerations of personal loss or gain.
Prayer
I seek you lord, the source of refreshment. I lay it all down. I seek you. Your sustenance and your healing. In solitude and silence, give my self back to me. Make me whole again. Energize me by your love, until I see me going out in love to friends, and to all those in need. Fill me Lord, I desire nothing but you.
Psalms------songs, peace peace wonderful peace
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