Sermon 12-26-2010 luke 2: 11-19 ppppppp
11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
Mary pondered all these things in her heart
Pondering
To weigh in the mind, to consider, to appraise, to reflect on, to weigh
Its not exactly clear, this takes a little more thought
There are joys and concerns
The wonderful and the scarry
The frightening and the amazing
In life, god often joins the amazing with the problematic
And we choose whether we will be lost in the fear
Broken and paralyzed by the problem
Or filled with joy at the chance to be alive, to participate
Lavonne
Wow, if people had any idea what you have had to live through
No, I would love to tell people about the things that I have had the joy of living through
This was not easy-
Was mary complaiing? Were the wise men>?
Will mary look back and complain
Will the wise men look back and complain
Sometimes we react to things without considering the value of the moment-
We are cut off by a bad driver –
Someone is late for a lunch appointment – thankful for the quiet?
Angry that our parent dies, as if parents don’t die if we just get mad enough
Angry instead of savoring
there is value even in the difficult moments
In them, god is still working
He tends to have our attention
I suggest to you today that there is a richness in the challenging times, a value, a joy.
James 1:
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Joy is not based on circumstances
Happiness is
I am so happy because I…………….
Joy transcends circumstances
Joy is found by those who ponder. Consider. Weigh the moment
Joy is found by those who find something deeper to trust. Something that transcends how its going
The shepherds saw the baby and went back to their old life……
glorifying and praising God
the wise men saw the baby and started their long journey back - rejoicing with exceeding great joy
The fruit of the spiritual life as outlined in Gal 5
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.
spirituality is not measured by whether or not we get our way.
Love, joy, peace, patience
Did mary like this………you are gonna have a baby…..
As you have said, let it be done to me……….
Joy is much talked about…..
Few people actually have it
Turn up the heat and you will see who is grounded in faith and who is depending on the circumstances of life
joy is found in may places
joy of receiving
joy of giving - fulfills you more when you give to others – water, Katrina, adopt a child
joy of doing the right thing
joy of savoring a moment
Appreciating your life
[demello] the paralyzed man – the man in the body cast
Joy is contagious…..funny hat, someone starts to laugh
It takes over everyone else
christmas eve story of picket and grant – joy is contagious
We like being around people that are joyful
It simply starts with taking the time to consider your life. Ponder the situation. Don’t get stuck on the delivery, enjoy the baby. Don’t invest your unhappiness in others, show them your joy.
Joy leaves behind a kernel of the eternal
Terency Elwyn Johnson, of Margate Community Church (New Jersey), tells the story of Bonnee Hoy, a gifted composer, who died in the prime of life. At her memorial service, a friend told of how a mockingbird used to sing regularly outside Bonnee's window on summer nights. "Bonnee would stand at her bedroom window, peering into the darkness, listening intently, marveling at the beautiful songs the mockingbird sang. Then, musician that she was, Bonnee decided to sing back. So she whistled the first four notes of Beethoven's 'Fifth Symphony.' With amazing quickness the mockingbird learned these four notes and sang them back to Bonnee. 'And in perfect pitch,' Bonnee marveled. Then, for a time the bird disappeared. But one night, toward the very end of her life, when Bonnee was so terribly sick, the bird returned and, in the midst of other songs, several times sang those first four notes of Beethoven's 'Fifth.'" At that memorial service, her beloved friend, with a smile on her lips and tears in her eyes, said, "I like to think of that now. Somewhere out there (in a big, big world) is a mockingbird who sings Beethoven because of Bonnee."
possibly the greatest source of joy in live is to be accepted and loved by that person that is most significant to you
if you are a child and you are in trouble, to be welcomed by mom or dad
if you have had a hard day at work and you go home and your wife loves you.
Nothing better than that.
At Christmas, the most significant one, tells us that we are loved, for he has sent his son into the world to love us, forgive us and die for us….
It is the day after Christmas, we are open for business.
We have a message for anyone that is listening.
See it, think about it, ponder it, it is good.
Tell your friends.
Spread the joy.
Let us pray.
Showing posts with label Sermons 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sermons 2010. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Love All - Luke 23; 16-19 December 19, 2010
dec 19 - Love All scripture - Luke 23333
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Advent conspiracy, the series
Move toward Christ, Spend less, give more, love all
Some have found this annoying- how can this be?
Do not upset my paradigm
Jesus upsets our paradigm – do we want a jesus that doesn’t?
Last years sermon series – this years
Are you uncomfortable? I am
Maybe for the first time in my life we are telling the truth about Christmas
There is a shadow world and the real world
Plato’s cave
The matrix Neo and Morpheus
The matrix picture
Choosing to be sucked in or choosing to live in the real world with all of it s pain
Strange Christmas this year for me. Fewer boxes, less wrapping, less scurrying around. All intentional.
Result = less worry, less tension, more time to think about what it really means. It isn't just that spending less allows me to give to the poor or to the water project at church, pulling back has allowed my brain the time and space to think about the story. Somehow in choosing to use our resources differently, our brains and souls have been touched.
I find myself thinking daily, not of the shopping list, but of the baby in the manger. No one has really been motivated to do much decorating this year at our house. Very few of the decorations have left the bins. For the first time ever, there are no Christmas lights on the house. Now I don't recommend this for everyone, but in some interesting ways, our home is lit up in ways that it has never been lit up before.
As we have endeavored to push out the commercial, we have made room for the eternal. I am thinking more about Jesus, and that can only be good.
The encounter with the baby should change us
The shepherds – the encounter changes them
The story ends differently than it begins. Anytime god is present the story ends differently
The shepherds
Glorifying and praising god
Telling the story
They probably go the same places, but they are talking about different things
The Christmas mouth
Everytime your mouth opens you are either glorifying god or not
And everytime you don’t, you are wasting an opportunity to love all
We celebrate Christmas everytime we show gods llove
By speaking kindly of those whom we would otherwise not
By learning to speak kindly 364 day s of the year about those we otherwise would not
loving all
Do we think of Christmas a a come and sit and bask
We should, but there is also a going out
Love all
You and me, sitting around the tree
Who is Christmas for
Illustration - Turning in and turning out
It is for the political opposition – Obama - Bush
It is for the three kings, it is for herod
It is for your friend who gives you gifts
It is for the person who has nothing
The memories that I would not trade for anything
Are not kids opening presents
But they are of taking kids to restart
Going to the san jose rescue mission as a kid
Its not about the stuff
Narrator: So he paused - and the Grinch put a hand to his ear. And he did hear a sound rising over the snow. It started in low... then it started to grow.
Narrator: But this... this sound wasn't sad. Why... this sound sounded glad. Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small, was singing, without any presents at all! He hadn't stopped Christmas from coming, it came! Somehow or other, it came just the same.
Grinch: It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags!
Narrator: He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!
Narrator: And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day. And then - the true meaning of Christmas came through, and the Grinch found the strength of *ten* Grinches, plus two!
Narrator: He brought everything back, all the food for the feast. And he, he himself, the Grinch - carved the roast beast
Final scene: "Christmas day is here at last, as long as we have hands to clasp. Christmas day will always be, just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas, while we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand."
How would we feel about the story of the Grinch if the presents never came back?
Everything you own owns a little bit of you
Get the stuff out of the way so that you can see the story
when we get the stuff out of the way, we can truly worship
we can truly love
we are upset that Merry Christmas is being removed.
Happy holidays is here in it s place
Email that reminds us that if we are holding up Christmas the word is going to get out
conclusion
A soldier goes to a hostile environment to protect you. The soldier’s father who was so overjoyed that his son was home for Christmas, out of harms way
We have to celebrate that
But we must also remember that our father did the opposite, on Christmas, he send his son to suffer and die in a hostile environment. All this for you.
And so we kneel at the manger and find him
But we also turn out and carry the message
Go tell it on the mountain, that jesus Christ is born
Prayer
Walk to the manger
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Advent conspiracy, the series
Move toward Christ, Spend less, give more, love all
Some have found this annoying- how can this be?
Do not upset my paradigm
Jesus upsets our paradigm – do we want a jesus that doesn’t?
Last years sermon series – this years
Are you uncomfortable? I am
Maybe for the first time in my life we are telling the truth about Christmas
There is a shadow world and the real world
Plato’s cave
The matrix Neo and Morpheus
The matrix picture
Choosing to be sucked in or choosing to live in the real world with all of it s pain
Strange Christmas this year for me. Fewer boxes, less wrapping, less scurrying around. All intentional.
Result = less worry, less tension, more time to think about what it really means. It isn't just that spending less allows me to give to the poor or to the water project at church, pulling back has allowed my brain the time and space to think about the story. Somehow in choosing to use our resources differently, our brains and souls have been touched.
I find myself thinking daily, not of the shopping list, but of the baby in the manger. No one has really been motivated to do much decorating this year at our house. Very few of the decorations have left the bins. For the first time ever, there are no Christmas lights on the house. Now I don't recommend this for everyone, but in some interesting ways, our home is lit up in ways that it has never been lit up before.
As we have endeavored to push out the commercial, we have made room for the eternal. I am thinking more about Jesus, and that can only be good.
The encounter with the baby should change us
The shepherds – the encounter changes them
The story ends differently than it begins. Anytime god is present the story ends differently
The shepherds
Glorifying and praising god
Telling the story
They probably go the same places, but they are talking about different things
The Christmas mouth
Everytime your mouth opens you are either glorifying god or not
And everytime you don’t, you are wasting an opportunity to love all
We celebrate Christmas everytime we show gods llove
By speaking kindly of those whom we would otherwise not
By learning to speak kindly 364 day s of the year about those we otherwise would not
loving all
Do we think of Christmas a a come and sit and bask
We should, but there is also a going out
Love all
You and me, sitting around the tree
Who is Christmas for
Illustration - Turning in and turning out
It is for the political opposition – Obama - Bush
It is for the three kings, it is for herod
It is for your friend who gives you gifts
It is for the person who has nothing
The memories that I would not trade for anything
Are not kids opening presents
But they are of taking kids to restart
Going to the san jose rescue mission as a kid
Its not about the stuff
Narrator: So he paused - and the Grinch put a hand to his ear. And he did hear a sound rising over the snow. It started in low... then it started to grow.
Narrator: But this... this sound wasn't sad. Why... this sound sounded glad. Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small, was singing, without any presents at all! He hadn't stopped Christmas from coming, it came! Somehow or other, it came just the same.
Grinch: It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags!
Narrator: He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!
Narrator: And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day. And then - the true meaning of Christmas came through, and the Grinch found the strength of *ten* Grinches, plus two!
Narrator: He brought everything back, all the food for the feast. And he, he himself, the Grinch - carved the roast beast
Final scene: "Christmas day is here at last, as long as we have hands to clasp. Christmas day will always be, just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas, while we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand."
How would we feel about the story of the Grinch if the presents never came back?
Everything you own owns a little bit of you
Get the stuff out of the way so that you can see the story
when we get the stuff out of the way, we can truly worship
we can truly love
we are upset that Merry Christmas is being removed.
Happy holidays is here in it s place
Email that reminds us that if we are holding up Christmas the word is going to get out
conclusion
A soldier goes to a hostile environment to protect you. The soldier’s father who was so overjoyed that his son was home for Christmas, out of harms way
We have to celebrate that
But we must also remember that our father did the opposite, on Christmas, he send his son to suffer and die in a hostile environment. All this for you.
And so we kneel at the manger and find him
But we also turn out and carry the message
Go tell it on the mountain, that jesus Christ is born
Prayer
Walk to the manger
Joyful Gifting 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 12-12-2010
Sermon 12-12-10
Dec 12
title - Joyful Gifting
scripture
2 cor 8:1-15
1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 10 And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. 13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”[b]
Give more
What we often think when asked to give more
What if the gift isn’t about how much?
It is easier to give if I have less.
20k or less give 4% over 20k give 2%
7 loaves of bread or 7 million dollars
7 bananas or 7 cars
The offerings at the Bispo church
What if we gave to something and everyone was in support because everyone could give something and it was about participating, not the how much
Advent Conspiracy: Give More - Dan Teefey
Recorded on Sunday, December 13th, 2009
•
• Artist: Dan Teefey
• Title: Advent Conspiracy: Give More
• Length: 29:56 minutes (13.71 MB)
• Format: Stereo 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Sermon text: 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
Download Sermon: pdf / doc
Last week we discussed how the messages that our culture has been giving us are lies. Our joy is not dependent upon our stuff. And we have to be vigilant, especially during the Christmas season, to identify the consumerist thieves and robbers around us and to run towards the true shepherd, who is the source of eternal and abundant life.
Last we talked about spending less and that is good . . . but not enough. So you spend less and less and your income keeps coming and sometimes gets larger and larger . . . does your bank account, and your retirement, and your standard of living just get bigger and bigger too . . . or is there something more we are called to.
We are called to be people that give. When you hear this passage and think through what we are called to, you are probably always going to think about money . . . and that indeed a part of how we demonstrate our generosity . . . but it is not all of it. We want to also think about how God is calling us to be generous with our time, with our presence, and with our talents.
Let's take a look at 2 Corinthians 8:1-15.
1-2 “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.”
Romans 15:26, “For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.”
We don't know what exactly the Macedonian church was facing when Paul mentions their severe trial and extreme poverty, but it is clearly not good. And he honors their generosity out of their poverty.
It reminds me of the story in Luke 21. “As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
Repeatedly throughout scripture, those with little are praised not because of the amount of what they give, but because of what they sacrifice to give it. It is even more pronounced in the New Testament as the focus of giving moves well beyond some arbitrary percentage to what one is giving up. Biblical generosity is not measured by how much is given . . . it is not measured by the total dollar amount given . . . but by the level of sacrifice in giving it.
You know what I mean. Some people can give 10% and have $100,000 left over. Others can give 10% and have $10,000 left over. That 10% means something very different to those two people.
British Evangelist George Muller said, “God judges what we give by what we keep.”
It is not the dollar amount that is significant.
3-4 “For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.”
What does it mean to give “beyond their ability?” This is perhaps the most remarkable aspect of giving. When we open up the floodgates of our generosity, God regularly pours out his abundance.
This is the part of giving that makes us radically uncomfortable. We are often very comfortable giving from our excess.
I have seen this in our girls even at a young age. If there are three balloons in the room and Adelaide is playing with them and Miriam wants one, then she generally has no problem giving one of the balloons to her. It is not a big deal because she still has two balloons to play with herself. But if there is just one balloon and Miriam wants to play with it . . . it is much much more difficult to convince Adelaide to give it to her. She will give it up when she gets to the new and better thing, but not while she still wants to play with it herself.
When we are honest with ourselves about our own willingness to give we know that we are the same way. We are perfectly fine giving away our old television, but it would seem crazy to us to give away our new one. The same with our clothes. We have no problem dropping our old clothes off at Goodwill, but it would seem bizarre to us to donate our new clothes.
And to be honest, Paul does not pretend that this more radical understanding of generosity comes naturally to us. It doesn't. Our nature tells us that we must hoard what we have to protect ourselves against anything that could happen in the future.
When Paul says that the Macedonian Christians gave “beyond their ability,” he is saying that the Spirit has empowered them to trust beyond what seems reasonable to their culture. He is saying that what they previously thought was impossible, God has made possible.
There is a clear sense repeatedly in Scripture that we cannot do anything of any real significance without God. We can give some here and there, but ultimately, for the earth shattering, life transforming work, we have to let the Spirit guide us. To lift us beyond ourselves in generosity.
Verse 5 helps us to understand the path to radical generosity.
5 “And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.”
The first step is always giving ourselves entirely to the Lord. It always starts here. When we began this sermon series on consumerism in our culture around Christmas, we began it with worship.
Any true transformation always begins with worship. It is our worship, our allegiance to God that overflows into sharing with others. Jesus sums this up when he answers the question which is the greatest commandment in the law. In Matthew 22, Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.”
First, we love God. And it is not such a sequential thing that we can say that we are not ready to love others yet, because we have not loved God enough. That can be a problem too.
If you remember a couple months ago we had a drama where a bunch of church folk were meeting at a restaurant and discussing plans for a great church event. As the drama went unfolded the church folk were talking about their plans and who was going to do what and how much it was going to bring glory and honor to God, when the waitress came to their table. They treated her very rudely . . . sending their food back and repeatedly asking for tiny things. The worst part was when they were praying for their meal and the waitress came to the table . . . they basically told her to leave them alone, they were busy praying . . . and made her wait as they went on and on.
Loving God truly will move us into giving generously. Later on in 2 Corinthians 9, Paul says, “God loves a cheerful giver.”
I heard a story once about a mom who was trying to teach her daughter about giving and so she gave her a quarter and a dollar and told her that she could keep one, but must give the other to the church. After church the following Sunday, the mom asked the daughter whether she had given the dollar or the quarter. The daughter said that when she went to church she intended on giving the dollar, but then the pastor gave a sermon on giving cheerfully and she decided to give the quarter instead.
6-9 “So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
There is one concept that Paul repeatedly links with giving and generosity in this passage. It is grace.
It is by grace that we are capable of giving. Paul began by saying, “we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.” The ability to give generously comes through grace. It is God empowered.
Paul is challenging them. You are good in a lot of things: faith, speech, knowledge, earnestness and love . . . but you should also be good in giving. And the reason he gives is because Jesus was good at giving . . . in fact his entire life was one of giving. Paul says, “that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
This is the main force of his argument as to why we should be people of radical generosity. That since God has been radically generous to us . . . we should be generous to others. And the point is not that God has poured out material blessings on us. Remember that the example he uses is that of the Macedonian Christians who did not have anything, yet gave generously.
Regardless of our economic status and how much stuff we have in our houses . . . we all begin life desperately poor because we are sinners who regularly flee from God. But the Good News of Christmas and our faith is that our rich God, who needed nothing, came to earth as a human being. God became a poor baby born in a tiny Bethlehem cave in animal food trough . . . He grew up to be a modest Jewish carpenter that was nothing special to look at . . . and he ultimately faced ridicule, insult and death . . .
Our God who is perfect and needs nothing . . . chose to put on our flesh and walk in our world . . . for no other reason than that he loved us. That is radical generosity. He was rich, but became poor . . . so that we could become rich.
It should be noticed too that God did not wrap up a nice new bicycle and FedEx it down to us from heaven to show his love. He came down himself and gave us himself. That is why we keep saying that at Christmas we want to be people that give presence and not just presents. Because that is what God did. He gave himself.
10-12 “And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.”
The first step is to develop a willingness to give. The second is to actually give. Hypotheticals help us to feel good about ourselves. “If someone really needed me to buy them dinner, I would do it.” “If someone needs me to help them move, I am there.” And perhaps our intentions are right on, but many times when it comes to actually completing what we offered we come up short.
Take a look at this past year. Where have you demonstrated generosity with you finances, time, talents.
Paul adds again that what matters in our giving is not the total amount of the gift, but what percentage it is of what one has. We can’t measure the depth of our generosity by what others give. It is a very personal assessment. Our generosity is most accurately measured by what we keep.
13-15 “Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”
Paul concludes with some language that may make us uncomfortable. He says that the goal of generosity is not to put ourselves in a destitute situation while others flourish upon our gifts . . . the goal is equality. It is a reciprocal agreement . . . those with plenty supply the needs of those with little so that when the situation is turned around the opposite will be true too.
Paul then ends with, “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”
This is a quote from Exodus 16. The Israelites had just escaped Egyptian slavery and captivity and find themselves in the desert. They are mad at Moses and Aaron who led them out of Egypt because at least when they were slaves in Egypt they had food to eat. Now they might starve to death.
But God blesses them with Manna, which came from the Hebrew for “what is it.” And here is the interesting part about the Manna that God gave the Israelites. Exodus 16:16 says, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.” And they were told not to keep it overnight . . . eat what you need, don’t try to save it . . . instead trust that God will provide again tomorrow.
As you can imagine the Israelites had a hard time with this. Some took more than they needed. Others tried to store it. Some tried to collect it on the Sabbath when they were not supposed to.
As Paul uses Jesus as an example of God’s generosity . . . so is God’s providing for the Israelites.
God’s gift to us was a relationship built on love. So it’s no wonder why we’re drawn to the idea that Christmas should be a time to love our friends and family in the most memorable ways possible. Time is the real gift Christmas offers us, and no matter how hard we look, it can’t be found at the mall. Time to make a gift that turns into the next family heirloom. Time to write mom a letter. Time to take the kids sledding. Time to bake really good cookies and sing really bad Christmas carols. Time to make love visible through relational giving. Sounds a lot better than getting a sweater two sizes too big, right?
Final Blessing
Malachi 3:8-12 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.”
Dec 12 – [Jeff] Give More (of your presence: your hands, your words, your time, your heart)
Scripture:
God’s gift to us was a relationship built on love. So it’s no wonder why we’re drawn to the idea that Christmas should be a time to love our friends and family in the most memorable ways possible. Time is the real gift Christmas offers us, and no matter how hard we look, it can’t be found at the mall. Time to make a gift that turns into the next family heirloom. Time to write mom a letter. Time to take the kids sledding. Time to bake really good cookies and sing really bad Christmas carols. Time to make love visible through relational giving. Sounds a lot better than getting a sweater two sizes too big, right?
Dec 12
title - Joyful Gifting
scripture
2 cor 8:1-15
1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 10 And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. 13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”[b]
Give more
What we often think when asked to give more
What if the gift isn’t about how much?
It is easier to give if I have less.
20k or less give 4% over 20k give 2%
7 loaves of bread or 7 million dollars
7 bananas or 7 cars
The offerings at the Bispo church
What if we gave to something and everyone was in support because everyone could give something and it was about participating, not the how much
Advent Conspiracy: Give More - Dan Teefey
Recorded on Sunday, December 13th, 2009
•
• Artist: Dan Teefey
• Title: Advent Conspiracy: Give More
• Length: 29:56 minutes (13.71 MB)
• Format: Stereo 44kHz 64Kbps (CBR)
Sermon text: 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
Download Sermon: pdf / doc
Last week we discussed how the messages that our culture has been giving us are lies. Our joy is not dependent upon our stuff. And we have to be vigilant, especially during the Christmas season, to identify the consumerist thieves and robbers around us and to run towards the true shepherd, who is the source of eternal and abundant life.
Last we talked about spending less and that is good . . . but not enough. So you spend less and less and your income keeps coming and sometimes gets larger and larger . . . does your bank account, and your retirement, and your standard of living just get bigger and bigger too . . . or is there something more we are called to.
We are called to be people that give. When you hear this passage and think through what we are called to, you are probably always going to think about money . . . and that indeed a part of how we demonstrate our generosity . . . but it is not all of it. We want to also think about how God is calling us to be generous with our time, with our presence, and with our talents.
Let's take a look at 2 Corinthians 8:1-15.
1-2 “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.”
Romans 15:26, “For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.”
We don't know what exactly the Macedonian church was facing when Paul mentions their severe trial and extreme poverty, but it is clearly not good. And he honors their generosity out of their poverty.
It reminds me of the story in Luke 21. “As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
Repeatedly throughout scripture, those with little are praised not because of the amount of what they give, but because of what they sacrifice to give it. It is even more pronounced in the New Testament as the focus of giving moves well beyond some arbitrary percentage to what one is giving up. Biblical generosity is not measured by how much is given . . . it is not measured by the total dollar amount given . . . but by the level of sacrifice in giving it.
You know what I mean. Some people can give 10% and have $100,000 left over. Others can give 10% and have $10,000 left over. That 10% means something very different to those two people.
British Evangelist George Muller said, “God judges what we give by what we keep.”
It is not the dollar amount that is significant.
3-4 “For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.”
What does it mean to give “beyond their ability?” This is perhaps the most remarkable aspect of giving. When we open up the floodgates of our generosity, God regularly pours out his abundance.
This is the part of giving that makes us radically uncomfortable. We are often very comfortable giving from our excess.
I have seen this in our girls even at a young age. If there are three balloons in the room and Adelaide is playing with them and Miriam wants one, then she generally has no problem giving one of the balloons to her. It is not a big deal because she still has two balloons to play with herself. But if there is just one balloon and Miriam wants to play with it . . . it is much much more difficult to convince Adelaide to give it to her. She will give it up when she gets to the new and better thing, but not while she still wants to play with it herself.
When we are honest with ourselves about our own willingness to give we know that we are the same way. We are perfectly fine giving away our old television, but it would seem crazy to us to give away our new one. The same with our clothes. We have no problem dropping our old clothes off at Goodwill, but it would seem bizarre to us to donate our new clothes.
And to be honest, Paul does not pretend that this more radical understanding of generosity comes naturally to us. It doesn't. Our nature tells us that we must hoard what we have to protect ourselves against anything that could happen in the future.
When Paul says that the Macedonian Christians gave “beyond their ability,” he is saying that the Spirit has empowered them to trust beyond what seems reasonable to their culture. He is saying that what they previously thought was impossible, God has made possible.
There is a clear sense repeatedly in Scripture that we cannot do anything of any real significance without God. We can give some here and there, but ultimately, for the earth shattering, life transforming work, we have to let the Spirit guide us. To lift us beyond ourselves in generosity.
Verse 5 helps us to understand the path to radical generosity.
5 “And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.”
The first step is always giving ourselves entirely to the Lord. It always starts here. When we began this sermon series on consumerism in our culture around Christmas, we began it with worship.
Any true transformation always begins with worship. It is our worship, our allegiance to God that overflows into sharing with others. Jesus sums this up when he answers the question which is the greatest commandment in the law. In Matthew 22, Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.”
First, we love God. And it is not such a sequential thing that we can say that we are not ready to love others yet, because we have not loved God enough. That can be a problem too.
If you remember a couple months ago we had a drama where a bunch of church folk were meeting at a restaurant and discussing plans for a great church event. As the drama went unfolded the church folk were talking about their plans and who was going to do what and how much it was going to bring glory and honor to God, when the waitress came to their table. They treated her very rudely . . . sending their food back and repeatedly asking for tiny things. The worst part was when they were praying for their meal and the waitress came to the table . . . they basically told her to leave them alone, they were busy praying . . . and made her wait as they went on and on.
Loving God truly will move us into giving generously. Later on in 2 Corinthians 9, Paul says, “God loves a cheerful giver.”
I heard a story once about a mom who was trying to teach her daughter about giving and so she gave her a quarter and a dollar and told her that she could keep one, but must give the other to the church. After church the following Sunday, the mom asked the daughter whether she had given the dollar or the quarter. The daughter said that when she went to church she intended on giving the dollar, but then the pastor gave a sermon on giving cheerfully and she decided to give the quarter instead.
6-9 “So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
There is one concept that Paul repeatedly links with giving and generosity in this passage. It is grace.
It is by grace that we are capable of giving. Paul began by saying, “we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.” The ability to give generously comes through grace. It is God empowered.
Paul is challenging them. You are good in a lot of things: faith, speech, knowledge, earnestness and love . . . but you should also be good in giving. And the reason he gives is because Jesus was good at giving . . . in fact his entire life was one of giving. Paul says, “that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
This is the main force of his argument as to why we should be people of radical generosity. That since God has been radically generous to us . . . we should be generous to others. And the point is not that God has poured out material blessings on us. Remember that the example he uses is that of the Macedonian Christians who did not have anything, yet gave generously.
Regardless of our economic status and how much stuff we have in our houses . . . we all begin life desperately poor because we are sinners who regularly flee from God. But the Good News of Christmas and our faith is that our rich God, who needed nothing, came to earth as a human being. God became a poor baby born in a tiny Bethlehem cave in animal food trough . . . He grew up to be a modest Jewish carpenter that was nothing special to look at . . . and he ultimately faced ridicule, insult and death . . .
Our God who is perfect and needs nothing . . . chose to put on our flesh and walk in our world . . . for no other reason than that he loved us. That is radical generosity. He was rich, but became poor . . . so that we could become rich.
It should be noticed too that God did not wrap up a nice new bicycle and FedEx it down to us from heaven to show his love. He came down himself and gave us himself. That is why we keep saying that at Christmas we want to be people that give presence and not just presents. Because that is what God did. He gave himself.
10-12 “And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.”
The first step is to develop a willingness to give. The second is to actually give. Hypotheticals help us to feel good about ourselves. “If someone really needed me to buy them dinner, I would do it.” “If someone needs me to help them move, I am there.” And perhaps our intentions are right on, but many times when it comes to actually completing what we offered we come up short.
Take a look at this past year. Where have you demonstrated generosity with you finances, time, talents.
Paul adds again that what matters in our giving is not the total amount of the gift, but what percentage it is of what one has. We can’t measure the depth of our generosity by what others give. It is a very personal assessment. Our generosity is most accurately measured by what we keep.
13-15 “Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”
Paul concludes with some language that may make us uncomfortable. He says that the goal of generosity is not to put ourselves in a destitute situation while others flourish upon our gifts . . . the goal is equality. It is a reciprocal agreement . . . those with plenty supply the needs of those with little so that when the situation is turned around the opposite will be true too.
Paul then ends with, “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”
This is a quote from Exodus 16. The Israelites had just escaped Egyptian slavery and captivity and find themselves in the desert. They are mad at Moses and Aaron who led them out of Egypt because at least when they were slaves in Egypt they had food to eat. Now they might starve to death.
But God blesses them with Manna, which came from the Hebrew for “what is it.” And here is the interesting part about the Manna that God gave the Israelites. Exodus 16:16 says, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.” And they were told not to keep it overnight . . . eat what you need, don’t try to save it . . . instead trust that God will provide again tomorrow.
As you can imagine the Israelites had a hard time with this. Some took more than they needed. Others tried to store it. Some tried to collect it on the Sabbath when they were not supposed to.
As Paul uses Jesus as an example of God’s generosity . . . so is God’s providing for the Israelites.
God’s gift to us was a relationship built on love. So it’s no wonder why we’re drawn to the idea that Christmas should be a time to love our friends and family in the most memorable ways possible. Time is the real gift Christmas offers us, and no matter how hard we look, it can’t be found at the mall. Time to make a gift that turns into the next family heirloom. Time to write mom a letter. Time to take the kids sledding. Time to bake really good cookies and sing really bad Christmas carols. Time to make love visible through relational giving. Sounds a lot better than getting a sweater two sizes too big, right?
Final Blessing
Malachi 3:8-12 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.”
Dec 12 – [Jeff] Give More (of your presence: your hands, your words, your time, your heart)
Scripture:
God’s gift to us was a relationship built on love. So it’s no wonder why we’re drawn to the idea that Christmas should be a time to love our friends and family in the most memorable ways possible. Time is the real gift Christmas offers us, and no matter how hard we look, it can’t be found at the mall. Time to make a gift that turns into the next family heirloom. Time to write mom a letter. Time to take the kids sledding. Time to bake really good cookies and sing really bad Christmas carols. Time to make love visible through relational giving. Sounds a lot better than getting a sweater two sizes too big, right?
Advent Conspiracy 2 – Spend Less - Isaiah 55
Sermon 12-05-10 advent conspiracy 2 – spend less - Isaiah 55=
1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;
and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
Series- advent conspiracy - concept of the advent conspiracy...
Based on the book……….
Someone has conspired to take it from it original intent
Who would steal Jesus birthday, can you imagine such a thing?
The wise men spend the money on themselves
Story of the wise men who come a long way then decide to spend the gold f and myrrh on themselves.
Who would steal Jesus birthday, can you imagine such a thing?
What would it look like to give Christmas back to Jesus?
Scripture asks – why are we Buying that which is not bread
We are Spending in ways that does not satisfy
Embracing things that do not satisfy
Holding to that which is not the main thing
Examples of things that you just couldn’t live without. & now it sits idle.
Sweater, kitchen gaget, power tool, car and payment
The whole advent of gift receipts
We buy way too many thngs that just don’t satisfy
And the invitation is to do less
And in spending less, begin to make room for Jesus
Many will spend less this year because of the economy
What if we learn to spend less because of a spiritual decision
The problem is not the stuff. The problem is that we want it too much
The spiritual issue is not stuff its to learn to want less
Speaking of wanting less, I just came back from Africa
Where do I begin- A story or two of how they live in Africa.
The number of funerals
12% have aids
20% children die before 5
Life expectancy is 42
The students at the secondary school
It takes your breath away to think of how these people live
#1 take back from Africa-
What we worry about is absolutely unconscionable.
Someone said-
Well, there are hungry people here locally. Yes there are.
To what degree are you investing in helping them?
Someone else said-
That is fine jeff, We live in a different world, that is not us.
No. I reject that. In gods kingdom there is no us and them.
There is no good ones vs bad ones, have vs have nots.
It is us. It is we. We are them. There is only one world.
They will sit across the table from us at the great banquet in heaven. What will we say then?
Bishop machado
What I expected- please continue to help
What I got – we don’t need your stuff
This is a mutual thing- how so
We have something more impt than this
The joy of god’s love
I want to have the kind of relationship here that we will have in heaven
If I ask you to eat less, do you get mad?
No we understand this.
We have an entire industy whose point is to help us eat less
Slim for life, weight watchers, p-90x
We are all for intentionally eating less so that we can be healthier, feel better
Man that sermon is a downer. Is it? Or is it an invitation to a life of joy
This may be one of the most spiritual invitations that we have had in some time.
An invitation to want less so that I can want God more.
So the scripture invites us to Come to the waters
Why are our souls thirsty?
As long as we seek wholeness in stuff we will be hungry
Not that stuff is good or bad
But yearning for a day when we don’t want.
Nothing except to be with god
If we have less room for our stuff, our egos, our ideas, suddenly we have more room for god
The moment that we set aside the stuff and give up on it,
we begin to hear his voice
we begin to sense his presence
What if this year we totally rethought what we were doing. How we were living. Isn’t that what Jesus is asking us to do?
If you are tired of it, come to the waters
Eat and drink the good stuff of God and fine the life that is truly fulfilling.
Advent candle with water - The water connection
1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;
and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
Series- advent conspiracy - concept of the advent conspiracy...
Based on the book……….
Someone has conspired to take it from it original intent
Who would steal Jesus birthday, can you imagine such a thing?
The wise men spend the money on themselves
Story of the wise men who come a long way then decide to spend the gold f and myrrh on themselves.
Who would steal Jesus birthday, can you imagine such a thing?
What would it look like to give Christmas back to Jesus?
Scripture asks – why are we Buying that which is not bread
We are Spending in ways that does not satisfy
Embracing things that do not satisfy
Holding to that which is not the main thing
Examples of things that you just couldn’t live without. & now it sits idle.
Sweater, kitchen gaget, power tool, car and payment
The whole advent of gift receipts
We buy way too many thngs that just don’t satisfy
And the invitation is to do less
And in spending less, begin to make room for Jesus
Many will spend less this year because of the economy
What if we learn to spend less because of a spiritual decision
The problem is not the stuff. The problem is that we want it too much
The spiritual issue is not stuff its to learn to want less
Speaking of wanting less, I just came back from Africa
Where do I begin- A story or two of how they live in Africa.
The number of funerals
12% have aids
20% children die before 5
Life expectancy is 42
The students at the secondary school
It takes your breath away to think of how these people live
#1 take back from Africa-
What we worry about is absolutely unconscionable.
Someone said-
Well, there are hungry people here locally. Yes there are.
To what degree are you investing in helping them?
Someone else said-
That is fine jeff, We live in a different world, that is not us.
No. I reject that. In gods kingdom there is no us and them.
There is no good ones vs bad ones, have vs have nots.
It is us. It is we. We are them. There is only one world.
They will sit across the table from us at the great banquet in heaven. What will we say then?
Bishop machado
What I expected- please continue to help
What I got – we don’t need your stuff
This is a mutual thing- how so
We have something more impt than this
The joy of god’s love
I want to have the kind of relationship here that we will have in heaven
If I ask you to eat less, do you get mad?
No we understand this.
We have an entire industy whose point is to help us eat less
Slim for life, weight watchers, p-90x
We are all for intentionally eating less so that we can be healthier, feel better
Man that sermon is a downer. Is it? Or is it an invitation to a life of joy
This may be one of the most spiritual invitations that we have had in some time.
An invitation to want less so that I can want God more.
So the scripture invites us to Come to the waters
Why are our souls thirsty?
As long as we seek wholeness in stuff we will be hungry
Not that stuff is good or bad
But yearning for a day when we don’t want.
Nothing except to be with god
If we have less room for our stuff, our egos, our ideas, suddenly we have more room for god
The moment that we set aside the stuff and give up on it,
we begin to hear his voice
we begin to sense his presence
What if this year we totally rethought what we were doing. How we were living. Isn’t that what Jesus is asking us to do?
If you are tired of it, come to the waters
Eat and drink the good stuff of God and fine the life that is truly fulfilling.
Advent candle with water - The water connection
Give thanks, Part 3, the ten lepers Luke 17:11-1, 11-21-10
Sermon: Give thanks, Part 3 11-21-10 the ten lepers Lk 17:11-19
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[b] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
The consummate thanksgiving story
Three stories here
Story one- Jesus
Is healing people. Would you like to be jesus
We are supposed to be like Christ
Cant heal people of leprosy- can heal them of fear
There is a disease in our land. Worry. Fear. Anger.
We can buy in, or we can stand for the gospel
Every thing is ok
One of my favorite thanksgiving stories - Now thank we all our God
"In 1636, amid the darkness of the Thirty Years' War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkart, is said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year, and average of fifteen a day. His parish was ravaged by war, death, and economic disaster. In the heart of that darkness, with the cries of fear outside his window, he sat down and wrote this table grace for his children: 'Now thank we all our God / With heart and hands and voices;/ Who wondrous things had done,/ In whom His world rejoices. /Who, from our mother's arms,/Hath led us on our way/ With countless gifts of love/ And still is ours today.'"Here was a man who knew thanksgiving comes from love of God, not from outward circumstances.
The apostle paul said in Philippians 4: 11-13
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.,
When Job lost everything
His wife said, curse God and die 2:9
Job said, tho he slay me, yet will I trust in him 13:15
It was never about our comfort
It is always about trusting in God
We can be the voice of Jesus in a difficult time.
We can do all things thru Christ
Story 2- the nine
Why would they not stop and go back to say thanks?
Did not realize- they had to know
They let it rush by- more important thoughts
nine suggested reasons why the nine did not return:
1. One waited to see if the cure was real.
2. One said, "Any rabbi could have done it."
3. One said, "I was already much improved."
4. One said, Jews shouldn’t have leprosy anyway
5. One said he couldn’t explain it, but since he was an atheist, who was there to thank?
6. One gave the glory to natural healing process of the body
7. One said, saying thanks didn’t cross my mind, all I could think about was getting out and doing some Christmas shopping
8. One said, why give thanks for the health that should have been mine anyway
9. One said he didn’t have time, he wanted to get back to his family
Jesus asks a question in the scripture – where are the other 9?
Does jesus ask us, where are the other 90? 300?
Has god done something for you, but you don’t take notice
I think we do this more than we think
Do you see the colors of the trees
5 million cones, 90 million rods, 12 million colors
Do you hear the sound of the birds
Do you taste and smell the food
10,000 taste buds
Do you touch a loved one
Do you remember the story of the woman who washes Jesus feet w her tears?
Jesus is invited to the Pharisees house
37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[c] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The woman loved much
Story 3
The one turns back
This Thursday is thanksgiving. One day that we can set aside to thank God
If we can do it on Thursday, maybe we can do it on Friday.
Will we stop in on this one day?
For the sake of Christ and family will we stop it for one day
And if we can stop it for one day, then maybe we can stop it for another.
And another
And so, let every day, in spite of circumstances, be a day of thanks giving
Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Lord, I just want to thank you Lord.
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[b] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
The consummate thanksgiving story
Three stories here
Story one- Jesus
Is healing people. Would you like to be jesus
We are supposed to be like Christ
Cant heal people of leprosy- can heal them of fear
There is a disease in our land. Worry. Fear. Anger.
We can buy in, or we can stand for the gospel
Every thing is ok
One of my favorite thanksgiving stories - Now thank we all our God
"In 1636, amid the darkness of the Thirty Years' War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkart, is said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year, and average of fifteen a day. His parish was ravaged by war, death, and economic disaster. In the heart of that darkness, with the cries of fear outside his window, he sat down and wrote this table grace for his children: 'Now thank we all our God / With heart and hands and voices;/ Who wondrous things had done,/ In whom His world rejoices. /Who, from our mother's arms,/Hath led us on our way/ With countless gifts of love/ And still is ours today.'"Here was a man who knew thanksgiving comes from love of God, not from outward circumstances.
The apostle paul said in Philippians 4: 11-13
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.,
When Job lost everything
His wife said, curse God and die 2:9
Job said, tho he slay me, yet will I trust in him 13:15
It was never about our comfort
It is always about trusting in God
We can be the voice of Jesus in a difficult time.
We can do all things thru Christ
Story 2- the nine
Why would they not stop and go back to say thanks?
Did not realize- they had to know
They let it rush by- more important thoughts
nine suggested reasons why the nine did not return:
1. One waited to see if the cure was real.
2. One said, "Any rabbi could have done it."
3. One said, "I was already much improved."
4. One said, Jews shouldn’t have leprosy anyway
5. One said he couldn’t explain it, but since he was an atheist, who was there to thank?
6. One gave the glory to natural healing process of the body
7. One said, saying thanks didn’t cross my mind, all I could think about was getting out and doing some Christmas shopping
8. One said, why give thanks for the health that should have been mine anyway
9. One said he didn’t have time, he wanted to get back to his family
Jesus asks a question in the scripture – where are the other 9?
Does jesus ask us, where are the other 90? 300?
Has god done something for you, but you don’t take notice
I think we do this more than we think
Do you see the colors of the trees
5 million cones, 90 million rods, 12 million colors
Do you hear the sound of the birds
Do you taste and smell the food
10,000 taste buds
Do you touch a loved one
Do you remember the story of the woman who washes Jesus feet w her tears?
Jesus is invited to the Pharisees house
37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[c] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The woman loved much
Story 3
The one turns back
This Thursday is thanksgiving. One day that we can set aside to thank God
If we can do it on Thursday, maybe we can do it on Friday.
Will we stop in on this one day?
For the sake of Christ and family will we stop it for one day
And if we can stop it for one day, then maybe we can stop it for another.
And another
And so, let every day, in spite of circumstances, be a day of thanks giving
Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Lord, I just want to thank you Lord.
Sermon 11-14-10 2 cor 7:5-10 thankful for salvation
5 For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
We are in a 3 week series on giving thanks
Today, I am thankful for salvation – the process by which God works in our lives
The Corinthians are beset by a sin which Paul has been dealing with them about. His letter to them caused them to make some choices.
They saw their situation for what it was. They compared where they were to where God wanted them to be.
They have a choice, they sensed a sorrow. Godly sorrow. That brings repentance. Which leads to salvation.
This is the process-
Where are you? Where is God? Is God calling you to some changes? Are you open to them? Do you sense the sorrow of being stuck where you are? Can you repent. It will lead to salvation.
Salvation is not so much a point of arrival but a way of traveling in this life
Zachaeus – salvation has come to this house – not an end, but a beginning
Pictures of salvation
I am a C
I am a Christian
I am a child
My parents tell me that I am a christian
Gods love is only received by me, not delivered
Everything is measured by how it effects me
I am in the church
I was confirmed
I am in church and Sunday school
I belong here
I recognize this as part of my identitiy
I defend the church
I love the church. The church loves me
God loves me.
I love god but I am not sure how to live that out
I am personally choosing
Good and bad
Understanding for myself
Sense the forgiveness of my sin
The teaching of my youth has come alive
Joy. Arrival. Understanding
Bad part
Punching a ticket
Arrogance
Some are able to fight that off
There is a real danger here
We get stuck
We get fixated
Many sit on the beach and watch. Few enter the surf.
Many sit by the pool and watch. Few enter the water
It takes a brave person to be willing to be challenged.
Most settle for safety
After thirty years of watching television every night, a husband said to his wife, lets do something really exciting tonight. Instantly she conjured up visions of a night out on the town. Great she sad, what shall we do? Well, he said, lets trade chairs.
A mouse was in constant fear of the cat. God took pity on the mouse and turned it into a cat. Then it became consumed with fear of the dog. So God made it into a dog. The dog lived in constant fear of the local bobcat. God made the dog into a bobcat. The bobcat lived in fear of the hunter. Exasperated, God gave up and turned it back into a mouse again. “nothing I do for u is going to be of any help because yo have the heart of a mouse.”
How would I describe my life today?
I am one who has received God’s grace
Trying to live it out
We show god’s love by serving
I no longer want to see people as either in or out
In salvation, there is the work of the cross for us.
It’s personal, its finished
There is also the work of the cross in us
In our hearts, our souls, our minds
That involves everyone
If it is not good news for everyone, then it is not good news.
Salvation at its worst is a self centered spirituality
Salvation asks me more than what I believe about God
It asks me what I believe about others
It asks me what I believe a bout possessions
What does it say about me and God if I have strong belief in him, but treat others poorly
What does is say about me and God if I have strong belief in him but continue to worship stuff.
What is the future of faith?
We think it is stagnant – it is not
God is bigger than the church
I thought I knew it all
Maybe there is more
I am listening
Ultimately, the Christian faith is not about an attachment to a church, a doctrine, or a way of being religious. It is an attachment to a person, Jesus Christ. All good relationships grow and mature over time
Where are you in this continuum?
Maybe you are here today and it is time to make a personal decision
Maybe you are here and it is time to move past personal decision to become a servant of Christ
I am thankful for salvation
I am thankful for the journey
Lets pray
2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. KJV
5 For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
We are in a 3 week series on giving thanks
Today, I am thankful for salvation – the process by which God works in our lives
The Corinthians are beset by a sin which Paul has been dealing with them about. His letter to them caused them to make some choices.
They saw their situation for what it was. They compared where they were to where God wanted them to be.
They have a choice, they sensed a sorrow. Godly sorrow. That brings repentance. Which leads to salvation.
This is the process-
Where are you? Where is God? Is God calling you to some changes? Are you open to them? Do you sense the sorrow of being stuck where you are? Can you repent. It will lead to salvation.
Salvation is not so much a point of arrival but a way of traveling in this life
Zachaeus – salvation has come to this house – not an end, but a beginning
Pictures of salvation
I am a C
I am a Christian
I am a child
My parents tell me that I am a christian
Gods love is only received by me, not delivered
Everything is measured by how it effects me
I am in the church
I was confirmed
I am in church and Sunday school
I belong here
I recognize this as part of my identitiy
I defend the church
I love the church. The church loves me
God loves me.
I love god but I am not sure how to live that out
I am personally choosing
Good and bad
Understanding for myself
Sense the forgiveness of my sin
The teaching of my youth has come alive
Joy. Arrival. Understanding
Bad part
Punching a ticket
Arrogance
Some are able to fight that off
There is a real danger here
We get stuck
We get fixated
Many sit on the beach and watch. Few enter the surf.
Many sit by the pool and watch. Few enter the water
It takes a brave person to be willing to be challenged.
Most settle for safety
After thirty years of watching television every night, a husband said to his wife, lets do something really exciting tonight. Instantly she conjured up visions of a night out on the town. Great she sad, what shall we do? Well, he said, lets trade chairs.
A mouse was in constant fear of the cat. God took pity on the mouse and turned it into a cat. Then it became consumed with fear of the dog. So God made it into a dog. The dog lived in constant fear of the local bobcat. God made the dog into a bobcat. The bobcat lived in fear of the hunter. Exasperated, God gave up and turned it back into a mouse again. “nothing I do for u is going to be of any help because yo have the heart of a mouse.”
How would I describe my life today?
I am one who has received God’s grace
Trying to live it out
We show god’s love by serving
I no longer want to see people as either in or out
In salvation, there is the work of the cross for us.
It’s personal, its finished
There is also the work of the cross in us
In our hearts, our souls, our minds
That involves everyone
If it is not good news for everyone, then it is not good news.
Salvation at its worst is a self centered spirituality
Salvation asks me more than what I believe about God
It asks me what I believe about others
It asks me what I believe a bout possessions
What does it say about me and God if I have strong belief in him, but treat others poorly
What does is say about me and God if I have strong belief in him but continue to worship stuff.
What is the future of faith?
We think it is stagnant – it is not
God is bigger than the church
I thought I knew it all
Maybe there is more
I am listening
Ultimately, the Christian faith is not about an attachment to a church, a doctrine, or a way of being religious. It is an attachment to a person, Jesus Christ. All good relationships grow and mature over time
Where are you in this continuum?
Maybe you are here today and it is time to make a personal decision
Maybe you are here and it is time to move past personal decision to become a servant of Christ
I am thankful for salvation
I am thankful for the journey
Lets pray
2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. KJV
Remembering You Psalm 42:1-11 10-31-10
Oct 31 sermon title – remembering you
Psalm 42:1-11
These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
intro
today is commitment Sunday, cards for the general and building fund at the end
if you are a visitor, do not worry about this, just relax and enjoy being in Gods house
today is also all saints day
friends that we have lost/died
we want to take a moment to remember and celebrate their lives
moment of silence
transition
celebrating is not something that I do very well.
I don’t want to spend the time to pat me or you or us on the back.
I am just kind of a, lets get after it kind of guy
Scripture is about a man who has been away from Gods house.
Is remembering with joy what he experienced there
Today lets remember and celebrate why we love this church
Baptisms
[pics of baptisms]
Weddings
[pics of weddings]
Adoptions
[pics of kids adopted]
Missions
[pics of our groups in missions]
New members
[pics of a few of our newest memebers]
those we have sent
[pics of those who have gone into the ministry out of woods chapel]
Moments that await you
[a picture of the stained glass windows]
[a pic of the branch]
[a pic of the walking trail]
[a picture of the altar]
Conclusion
And so we are joyful about this house of the lord.
And we bring our commitments to continue it for us and for others
These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
We are going to close a little differently today-
I invite you to bring your commitments as we sing grace alone
Psalm 42:1-11
These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
intro
today is commitment Sunday, cards for the general and building fund at the end
if you are a visitor, do not worry about this, just relax and enjoy being in Gods house
today is also all saints day
friends that we have lost/died
we want to take a moment to remember and celebrate their lives
moment of silence
transition
celebrating is not something that I do very well.
I don’t want to spend the time to pat me or you or us on the back.
I am just kind of a, lets get after it kind of guy
Scripture is about a man who has been away from Gods house.
Is remembering with joy what he experienced there
Today lets remember and celebrate why we love this church
Baptisms
[pics of baptisms]
Weddings
[pics of weddings]
Adoptions
[pics of kids adopted]
Missions
[pics of our groups in missions]
New members
[pics of a few of our newest memebers]
those we have sent
[pics of those who have gone into the ministry out of woods chapel]
Moments that await you
[a picture of the stained glass windows]
[a pic of the branch]
[a pic of the walking trail]
[a picture of the altar]
Conclusion
And so we are joyful about this house of the lord.
And we bring our commitments to continue it for us and for others
These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
We are going to close a little differently today-
I invite you to bring your commitments as we sing grace alone
Choices(2) Proverbs 8:1-11 10-24-10
Sermon 10-24-10 – choices - Proverbs 8: 1-11
1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud:
4 "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.
6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
In this scripture wisdom is acquainted with god.
Personified in God It is one of his main attributes –
Sofia goddess of wisdom controversy
James- 1:5 if any man lack wisdom let him ask of God
God knows what to do.
Choosing with the mind, choosing with the soul
We do better when we consider decisions in the light of the soul.
Such Choices are very spiritual
We have some choices to make as a church family
[by the way, do who know what today is? Giving Sunday sermon – annual time when the pastor talks about giving]
2 men marooned on an island
giving first, giving prayerfully
We have some choices to make as a church family
In 1997 I took no position I was still new. I listened and checked the temp of the congregations. One day I took a basketball to church. It was time. I made my speech, told them where I stood and made my statement. I then gave you the ball.
So what are our choices about the proposed building addition
About out future
About how we will be the body of Christ to one another
We have important choices to make regarding this building campaign
[Which is almost over]
Paul Dodds praying in the chapel
If money were not involved, wouldn’t we all be for this
Making more room- yes probably so
So the concept is not divisive, it just asks us to participate
And here we find the pain
Someone has said, I cannot give
That is fine
Do not worry. It is ok
Do I love u less if you cannot give
Are you any less important if you cannot give?
No. each one is loved. Each one is valued.
If you cannot give, just bring your card back next week and say
I will paint. I will plant bushes. I will pray
Everyone is valued and loved regardless of what or how they give.
Choices are important in every aspect of our lives
1. Who we will marry
2. Decisions to get up and go to church on day lights savings time.
3. How we will be voting on Nov 2nd
4. how we treat the server at the restaurant
We can enter heaven without a building.
We can enter heaven without complete truth
We cannot enter heaven without love
choices that we make – are more important now than every
we are living in difficult times
do you need a litany of the issues
Economy, stock market, national debt, foreclosures, jobs
Decline of our nation on the world scene
Some have suggested it is the end of the world
We have mismanaged our country and so it’s the end of the world?
The Chinese and Indian people don’t think so
But we have issues in our nation and that angst spills over into our church
Issues at Church-
• new church start –
• capital campaign –
• other changes
Gosh, change is everywhere
I wish I could tell you that there would be no more changes
I am announcing another one today
Kris Bartman moving to north Carolina
Worry- fear- frustration
What is a Christian to do?
Fear can be a bad thing or a good thing
If you let it in, fear can take over
• You lose the heart of god
• You lose the faith in the future
• You forget about the love of God
• And we start to sink beneath the waves a peter did
Or fear can be a good thing.
• Fear puts us on alert
• It tells us that we have opportunities
• It causes us to check every box and cross every T and dot every i
• Fear causes us to lift up our eyes and look for the God who is deliverance
My wife and I have had some wonderful moments in our life together, but some of the ones that we most cherish are the times of worry and fear. Because in those moments we looked at each other and we took each others hands and we prayed to God and we came out on the other side
Greater things occur in times of struggle, not in times of abundance
I refuse to give my life over to fear
What is the message of Jesus for this moment in us history in our church?
what does the wisdom of god say to us in such times
God puts the ball into our hands, what do we say to others?
Fear not
In the valley of the shadow- we are not alone
At the last supper Jesus said, Jn 14:27
27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
After his crucifixion and death, they are hiding in the upper room
He appears Jn 20:21-22
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
This is a time for Christians to remind the world of hope.
This is a time for love to shine
Everything is ok. God is with us
This is still my father’s world
1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud:
4 "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.
6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
In this scripture wisdom is acquainted with god.
Personified in God It is one of his main attributes –
Sofia goddess of wisdom controversy
James- 1:5 if any man lack wisdom let him ask of God
God knows what to do.
Choosing with the mind, choosing with the soul
We do better when we consider decisions in the light of the soul.
Such Choices are very spiritual
We have some choices to make as a church family
[by the way, do who know what today is? Giving Sunday sermon – annual time when the pastor talks about giving]
2 men marooned on an island
giving first, giving prayerfully
We have some choices to make as a church family
In 1997 I took no position I was still new. I listened and checked the temp of the congregations. One day I took a basketball to church. It was time. I made my speech, told them where I stood and made my statement. I then gave you the ball.
So what are our choices about the proposed building addition
About out future
About how we will be the body of Christ to one another
We have important choices to make regarding this building campaign
[Which is almost over]
Paul Dodds praying in the chapel
If money were not involved, wouldn’t we all be for this
Making more room- yes probably so
So the concept is not divisive, it just asks us to participate
And here we find the pain
Someone has said, I cannot give
That is fine
Do not worry. It is ok
Do I love u less if you cannot give
Are you any less important if you cannot give?
No. each one is loved. Each one is valued.
If you cannot give, just bring your card back next week and say
I will paint. I will plant bushes. I will pray
Everyone is valued and loved regardless of what or how they give.
Choices are important in every aspect of our lives
1. Who we will marry
2. Decisions to get up and go to church on day lights savings time.
3. How we will be voting on Nov 2nd
4. how we treat the server at the restaurant
We can enter heaven without a building.
We can enter heaven without complete truth
We cannot enter heaven without love
choices that we make – are more important now than every
we are living in difficult times
do you need a litany of the issues
Economy, stock market, national debt, foreclosures, jobs
Decline of our nation on the world scene
Some have suggested it is the end of the world
We have mismanaged our country and so it’s the end of the world?
The Chinese and Indian people don’t think so
But we have issues in our nation and that angst spills over into our church
Issues at Church-
• new church start –
• capital campaign –
• other changes
Gosh, change is everywhere
I wish I could tell you that there would be no more changes
I am announcing another one today
Kris Bartman moving to north Carolina
Worry- fear- frustration
What is a Christian to do?
Fear can be a bad thing or a good thing
If you let it in, fear can take over
• You lose the heart of god
• You lose the faith in the future
• You forget about the love of God
• And we start to sink beneath the waves a peter did
Or fear can be a good thing.
• Fear puts us on alert
• It tells us that we have opportunities
• It causes us to check every box and cross every T and dot every i
• Fear causes us to lift up our eyes and look for the God who is deliverance
My wife and I have had some wonderful moments in our life together, but some of the ones that we most cherish are the times of worry and fear. Because in those moments we looked at each other and we took each others hands and we prayed to God and we came out on the other side
Greater things occur in times of struggle, not in times of abundance
I refuse to give my life over to fear
What is the message of Jesus for this moment in us history in our church?
what does the wisdom of god say to us in such times
God puts the ball into our hands, what do we say to others?
Fear not
In the valley of the shadow- we are not alone
At the last supper Jesus said, Jn 14:27
27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
After his crucifixion and death, they are hiding in the upper room
He appears Jn 20:21-22
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
This is a time for Christians to remind the world of hope.
This is a time for love to shine
Everything is ok. God is with us
This is still my father’s world
Choices Proverbs 8:1-11 10-24-10
Sermon 10-24-10 – choices - Proverbs 8: 1-11
1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud:
4 "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.
6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
In this scripture wisdom is acquainted with god.
Personified in God It is one of his main attributes –
Sofia goddess of wisdom controversy
James- 1:5 if any man lack wisdom let him ask of God
God knows what to do.
Choosing with the mind, choosing with the soul
We do better when we consider decisions in the light of the soul.
Such Choices are very spiritual
We have some choices to make as a church family
[by the way, do who know what today is? Giving Sunday sermon – annual time when the pastor talks about giving]
2 men marooned on an island
giving first, giving prayerfully
We have some choices to make as a church family
In 1997 I took no position I was still new. I listened and checked the temp of the congregations. One day I took a basketball to church. It was time. I made my speech, told them where I stood and made my statement. I then gave you the ball.
So what are our choices about the proposed building addition
About out future
About how we will be the body of Christ to one another
We have important choices to make regarding this building campaign
[Which is almost over]
Paul Dodds praying in the chapel
If money were not involved, wouldn’t we all be for this
Making more room- yes probably so
So the concept is not divisive, it just asks us to participate
And here we find the pain
Someone has said, I cannot give
That is fine
Do not worry. It is ok
Do I love u less if you cannot give
Are you any less important if you cannot give?
No. each one is loved. Each one is valued.
If you cannot give, just bring your card back next week and say
I will paint. I will plant bushes. I will pray
Everyone is valued and loved regardless of what or how they give.
Choices are important in every aspect of our lives
1. Who we will marry
2. Decisions to get up and go to church on day lights savings time.
3. How we will be voting on Nov 2nd
4. how we treat the server at the restaurant
We can enter heaven without a building.
We can enter heaven without complete truth
We cannot enter heaven without love
choices that we make – are more important now than every
we are living in difficult times
do you need a litany of the issues
Economy, stock market, national debt, foreclosures, jobs
Decline of our nation on the world scene
Some have suggested it is the end of the world
We have mismanaged our country and so it’s the end of the world?
The Chinese and Indian people don’t think so
But we have issues in our nation and that angst spills over into our church
Issues at Church-
• new church start –
• capital campaign –
• other changes
Gosh, change is everywhere
I wish I could tell you that there would be no more changes
I am announcing another one today
Kris Bartman moving to north Carolina
Worry- fear- frustration
What is a Christian to do?
Fear can be a bad thing or a good thing
If you let it in, fear can take over
• You lose the heart of god
• You lose the faith in the future
• You forget about the love of God
• And we start to sink beneath the waves a peter did
Or fear can be a good thing.
• Fear puts us on alert
• It tells us that we have opportunities
• It causes us to check every box and cross every T and dot every i
• Fear causes us to lift up our eyes and look for the God who is deliverance
My wife and I have had some wonderful moments in our life together, but some of the ones that we most cherish are the times of worry and fear. Because in those moments we looked at each other and we took each others hands and we prayed to God and we came out on the other side
Greater things occur in times of struggle, not in times of abundance
I refuse to give my life over to fear
What is the message of Jesus for this moment in us history in our church?
what does the wisdom of god say to us in such times
God puts the ball into our hands, what do we say to others?
Fear not
In the valley of the shadow- we are not alone
At the last supper Jesus said, Jn 14:27
27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
After his crucifixion and death, they are hiding in the upper room
He appears Jn 20:21-22
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
This is a time for Christians to remind the world of hope.
This is a time for love to shine
Everything is ok. God is with us
This is still my father’s world
1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud:
4 "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.
6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
In this scripture wisdom is acquainted with god.
Personified in God It is one of his main attributes –
Sofia goddess of wisdom controversy
James- 1:5 if any man lack wisdom let him ask of God
God knows what to do.
Choosing with the mind, choosing with the soul
We do better when we consider decisions in the light of the soul.
Such Choices are very spiritual
We have some choices to make as a church family
[by the way, do who know what today is? Giving Sunday sermon – annual time when the pastor talks about giving]
2 men marooned on an island
giving first, giving prayerfully
We have some choices to make as a church family
In 1997 I took no position I was still new. I listened and checked the temp of the congregations. One day I took a basketball to church. It was time. I made my speech, told them where I stood and made my statement. I then gave you the ball.
So what are our choices about the proposed building addition
About out future
About how we will be the body of Christ to one another
We have important choices to make regarding this building campaign
[Which is almost over]
Paul Dodds praying in the chapel
If money were not involved, wouldn’t we all be for this
Making more room- yes probably so
So the concept is not divisive, it just asks us to participate
And here we find the pain
Someone has said, I cannot give
That is fine
Do not worry. It is ok
Do I love u less if you cannot give
Are you any less important if you cannot give?
No. each one is loved. Each one is valued.
If you cannot give, just bring your card back next week and say
I will paint. I will plant bushes. I will pray
Everyone is valued and loved regardless of what or how they give.
Choices are important in every aspect of our lives
1. Who we will marry
2. Decisions to get up and go to church on day lights savings time.
3. How we will be voting on Nov 2nd
4. how we treat the server at the restaurant
We can enter heaven without a building.
We can enter heaven without complete truth
We cannot enter heaven without love
choices that we make – are more important now than every
we are living in difficult times
do you need a litany of the issues
Economy, stock market, national debt, foreclosures, jobs
Decline of our nation on the world scene
Some have suggested it is the end of the world
We have mismanaged our country and so it’s the end of the world?
The Chinese and Indian people don’t think so
But we have issues in our nation and that angst spills over into our church
Issues at Church-
• new church start –
• capital campaign –
• other changes
Gosh, change is everywhere
I wish I could tell you that there would be no more changes
I am announcing another one today
Kris Bartman moving to north Carolina
Worry- fear- frustration
What is a Christian to do?
Fear can be a bad thing or a good thing
If you let it in, fear can take over
• You lose the heart of god
• You lose the faith in the future
• You forget about the love of God
• And we start to sink beneath the waves a peter did
Or fear can be a good thing.
• Fear puts us on alert
• It tells us that we have opportunities
• It causes us to check every box and cross every T and dot every i
• Fear causes us to lift up our eyes and look for the God who is deliverance
My wife and I have had some wonderful moments in our life together, but some of the ones that we most cherish are the times of worry and fear. Because in those moments we looked at each other and we took each others hands and we prayed to God and we came out on the other side
Greater things occur in times of struggle, not in times of abundance
I refuse to give my life over to fear
What is the message of Jesus for this moment in us history in our church?
what does the wisdom of god say to us in such times
God puts the ball into our hands, what do we say to others?
Fear not
In the valley of the shadow- we are not alone
At the last supper Jesus said, Jn 14:27
27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
After his crucifixion and death, they are hiding in the upper room
He appears Jn 20:21-22
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
This is a time for Christians to remind the world of hope.
This is a time for love to shine
Everything is ok. God is with us
This is still my father’s world
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
No Longer Servants But Friends John 14:9-17 10/10/10
John 14:9-17 10-10-10 – no longer servants but friends
9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.
Today I want to talk about What kind of place this is
That is not to defame other places………..
But What do people hear here that they find unique
Love and grace, and isn’t that odd.
Velvet Elvis class
Fear
Rules
Judgment
manipulation
hell
did hear from one who was surprised at all the negativity.
Georgia Johnson – 6 churches
I am happy for them.
I wish there were more like them.
They have been blessed
Don’t we want to provide just such an experience to our children.
Youth video?
I was not excited about church as a youngster because everything was shut down
That is why I don’t get excited when kids run in church………
Books –
Quitting church
Leaving church
They like Jesus but not the church
Unchristian
I’m fine with god its Christians I can’t stand
Loving god when you don’t love the church
When Christians get it wrong
Testimony of so many, that here they found a message that they did not find somewhere else………
Woodruffs
Bethany
Jim Schultz nephew from kck
Eliz hancock
Drummer- tired of feeling bad when I left church
It is easier for us to make rules than to help people find a relationship with god
It is easy to fall back into the rules
It is easy to be spackled with the trappings and forget the love
1 cor 13. without this msg, we are not the church.
Without love, we are just pretending
Blocks and trampoline
Gina’s testimony
My story of young life
I argued with the leader. That is not in the bible.
So what. Pat yourself on the back?
No. keep loving. Keep reaching out. Invite your friends to your church.
Make room in your heart, your life and your church for others that need to find god’s love.
Hi, I’m your video testimony today for our campaign to add on to our building.
Every time we have a capital campaign they ask the pastor to talk about his family’s gift and as you might imagine that is a very uncomfortable thing. They ask the pastor to talk about his family’s gift because hopefully the pastor’s gift will model sacrifice. It’s so easy for us to give from our abundance or to make a gift that is easy for us. But to accomplish the kind of project that we are looking at today, it’s important for us to think about making a gift that honors God.
Once of the old testaments’ prophets said I will not give to God that which costs me nothing. So when I tell you that my family is going to give $30,000 to this campaign that is a sacrifice for us. That’s more than we have given in any campaign in the past. There are a number of ways that we are going to have to consolidate and manage things carefully in order to do that. But we believe very much in our church and in the mission of our church and extending that reach to others.
An interesting story, Sunday at lunch time, my daughter Jennifer, my wife and I went to Red Robin. We were talking about the campaign and my daughter asked how much we were going to give and I told her, her mouth went O, and she said dad that’s like a whole brand new car for me. I said, hon, remember in the old church when there were 250 of us and we made a commitment to a campaign and built a building and today there are over 1,000 here at our church. What would you rather have, all those people or a brand new car for you? She didn’t think very long, she said dad I would rather have the people.
So I invite you to join me, my family and many others as we sacrifice and work together to extend the reach of our church and make room for others.
Thank you.
9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.
Today I want to talk about What kind of place this is
That is not to defame other places………..
But What do people hear here that they find unique
Love and grace, and isn’t that odd.
Velvet Elvis class
Fear
Rules
Judgment
manipulation
hell
did hear from one who was surprised at all the negativity.
Georgia Johnson – 6 churches
I am happy for them.
I wish there were more like them.
They have been blessed
Don’t we want to provide just such an experience to our children.
Youth video?
I was not excited about church as a youngster because everything was shut down
That is why I don’t get excited when kids run in church………
Books –
Quitting church
Leaving church
They like Jesus but not the church
Unchristian
I’m fine with god its Christians I can’t stand
Loving god when you don’t love the church
When Christians get it wrong
Testimony of so many, that here they found a message that they did not find somewhere else………
Woodruffs
Bethany
Jim Schultz nephew from kck
Eliz hancock
Drummer- tired of feeling bad when I left church
It is easier for us to make rules than to help people find a relationship with god
It is easy to fall back into the rules
It is easy to be spackled with the trappings and forget the love
1 cor 13. without this msg, we are not the church.
Without love, we are just pretending
Blocks and trampoline
Gina’s testimony
My story of young life
I argued with the leader. That is not in the bible.
So what. Pat yourself on the back?
No. keep loving. Keep reaching out. Invite your friends to your church.
Make room in your heart, your life and your church for others that need to find god’s love.
Hi, I’m your video testimony today for our campaign to add on to our building.
Every time we have a capital campaign they ask the pastor to talk about his family’s gift and as you might imagine that is a very uncomfortable thing. They ask the pastor to talk about his family’s gift because hopefully the pastor’s gift will model sacrifice. It’s so easy for us to give from our abundance or to make a gift that is easy for us. But to accomplish the kind of project that we are looking at today, it’s important for us to think about making a gift that honors God.
Once of the old testaments’ prophets said I will not give to God that which costs me nothing. So when I tell you that my family is going to give $30,000 to this campaign that is a sacrifice for us. That’s more than we have given in any campaign in the past. There are a number of ways that we are going to have to consolidate and manage things carefully in order to do that. But we believe very much in our church and in the mission of our church and extending that reach to others.
An interesting story, Sunday at lunch time, my daughter Jennifer, my wife and I went to Red Robin. We were talking about the campaign and my daughter asked how much we were going to give and I told her, her mouth went O, and she said dad that’s like a whole brand new car for me. I said, hon, remember in the old church when there were 250 of us and we made a commitment to a campaign and built a building and today there are over 1,000 here at our church. What would you rather have, all those people or a brand new car for you? She didn’t think very long, she said dad I would rather have the people.
So I invite you to join me, my family and many others as we sacrifice and work together to extend the reach of our church and make room for others.
Thank you.
a bridge to comfort the afflicted - 2 corinthians 1:1-7
Oct 3 sermon title – a bridge to comfort the afflicted 2 cor 1:1-7
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort
We are in a campaign to make more room for others at our church
Video of campaign
This month as a part of our campaign to make more room at our church for others, we are going to be talking about the concept of building a bridge.
Today I want to express to you that your church is a place where people can cross over a bridge from suffering to comfort.
That is important. We forget how important that is.
We run along with our charmed lives and we hear stories of suffering and they almost make us uncomfortable.
Then one day we wake up and suffering is on our doorstep.
Paul had a very interesting take on suffering and affliction.
We want them to leave immediately
1. He says that we can give praise to God is our troubles, because in these times we find the comfort of God
Sometimes our spiritual lives get kind of stagnant. Nothing new, same ol same ol. Suffering changes all of that. Troubles take us to our nerve – our relationship w God heats up
2. And that comfort that we receive can go out to others.
Since it is always about us, this is a little counter intuitive, but the idea is that as you go thru your troubles, you can take joy in knowing that others will be helped by you. You can comfort others because you have been there and done that.
Facing divorce, unless you have been there, it is hard to comfort that person.
Facing cancer, unless you have been there, we don’t know what it is like
My parents are both deceased. People that are grieving the loss of a parent listen a little more clearly to jeff because he has been there.
So what about this bridge.
Your church and you are a bridge to others
People that come in here with heart aches….you help them get to the other side
Parking spot , Hosp team
Seat in a pew. Hand shake
Free hug
This is very important
Global bridge
People that are not here but we become aware of………you can be a bridge
Address the hungry children from last week.
We don’t add onto our church for ourselves. We have enough. We work to make more room for others so that they can be comforted in their trouble.
The Bridge Builder
An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again will pass this way;
You've crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?"
The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."
Last weeks sermon on feeding the hungry
Mission directions – Wednesday, sue kibbey.
World communion sunday
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort
We are in a campaign to make more room for others at our church
Video of campaign
This month as a part of our campaign to make more room at our church for others, we are going to be talking about the concept of building a bridge.
Today I want to express to you that your church is a place where people can cross over a bridge from suffering to comfort.
That is important. We forget how important that is.
We run along with our charmed lives and we hear stories of suffering and they almost make us uncomfortable.
Then one day we wake up and suffering is on our doorstep.
Paul had a very interesting take on suffering and affliction.
We want them to leave immediately
1. He says that we can give praise to God is our troubles, because in these times we find the comfort of God
Sometimes our spiritual lives get kind of stagnant. Nothing new, same ol same ol. Suffering changes all of that. Troubles take us to our nerve – our relationship w God heats up
2. And that comfort that we receive can go out to others.
Since it is always about us, this is a little counter intuitive, but the idea is that as you go thru your troubles, you can take joy in knowing that others will be helped by you. You can comfort others because you have been there and done that.
Facing divorce, unless you have been there, it is hard to comfort that person.
Facing cancer, unless you have been there, we don’t know what it is like
My parents are both deceased. People that are grieving the loss of a parent listen a little more clearly to jeff because he has been there.
So what about this bridge.
Your church and you are a bridge to others
People that come in here with heart aches….you help them get to the other side
Parking spot , Hosp team
Seat in a pew. Hand shake
Free hug
This is very important
Global bridge
People that are not here but we become aware of………you can be a bridge
Address the hungry children from last week.
We don’t add onto our church for ourselves. We have enough. We work to make more room for others so that they can be comforted in their trouble.
The Bridge Builder
An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again will pass this way;
You've crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?"
The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."
Last weeks sermon on feeding the hungry
Mission directions – Wednesday, sue kibbey.
World communion sunday
Hole In Our Gospel Luke 4:14 - 21 09/26/10
Sermon hole in the gospel
Luke 4:14-21
14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."[e]
20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Quo0tes from the book
Glen beck and liberation theology
Rob bell and restoration theology
It is a both and
Not just personal, also redemptive
Coming home from Russia
Seeing the people on the estrees in america
I don’t want anyone to feel bad. I don’t want to feel bad
But I do want us to feel responsible and work on making some better life choices
Let us consider, not just Christian values, but basic human values……is it right for us to ignore the life and death needs of so many while we spend more on a vacation then many of these folks will see in a lifetime?
Jesus ministry to the poor.
Someone asked me last year if i was saying that god only cares about the poor. Of course that is not true. But god has a heart for the poor and he wants us to have a heart for them too.
Jesus ministry. I have come so that western Christians's can enjoy their stained glass windows. I have come so that they will enjoy the comforts of their pews. I have come to give them an entertaining preacher
Or I have come to release the captives, give sight to the blind…….
This is the acceptable day of the lord
And the people in his town wanted to throw him off the cliff
- -
-
- In Europe churches are closing by the 100’s but Missional Communities are growing like wild fire. A Missional communities is one which a group of people who have a common interest get together and work toward helping a group of people in need. They all have a common vision and they work together toward their goal.
=-=-=-
Quotes from The hole in our gospel by Richard Stearns
Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God- Bob Pierce 9
Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, elegance or learning. – Frederick Faber 13
We have shrunk Jesus to the size where he can save our soul but now don’t believe that he can change the world -23
The true gospel is a call to self denial, not a call to self fulfillment. – john macarthur 25
The place that god calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the worlds deep hunger meet. – Frederick Buechner 36
When we say that we want to be his disciple, yet attach a list of conditions, Jesus refuses to accept our terms. His terms involve unconditional surrender. 38
What if there are children who will suffer somehow because I failed to obey God? What if my cowardice costs even one child somewhere in the world his or her life? 49
The first reformation was about creeds, this one’s going to be about our deeds. The first one divided the church, this time it will unify the church. Rick warren 51
If we truly love god, we will express it by loving our neighbors, and when we truly love our neighbors, it expresses our love for God. 66
Its not what you believe that counts, its what you believe enough to do. 87
15,000 Africans are dying each day of preventable diseases…..this would never be allowed to happen anywhere else……if we ever accept that their lives are as equal to ours, we would all be doing more to put the fire out. Its an uncomfortable truth. Bono 104
Some scientists believe that one out of every two people who have ever lived have died of malaria. 143
He who is dying of hunger must be fed rather than taught. Thomas Aquinas 133
Don’t fail to do something just because you cant do everything. 152
We have drifted away from being fishers of men to being keepers of the aquarium. Paul Harvey 169
Baseball is like church, many attend, few understand. Leo Durocher 169
There are three principles of the American dream that differ from scripture
1. Its not our money, it all comes from God
2. We are not entitled to it but entrusted with it.
3. God expect us to use it in the interest of his kingdom.
Can you imagine the impact on our own culture if American christian's began using their riches as if they belonged to God? 208
If your family, household income is over 50,000 you are more wealthy than 99% of the worlds population. 215
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. Margaret mead 241
Use what talents you possess. The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. Henry van dyke 257
=-=-=-
Book Report 2009
Title: The Hole in our Gospel
Author: Richard Sterns Publisher: Thomas Nelson Date: 2009
• He is president of world vision
• “Let the heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.” – a prayer by Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision (Page 9)
• “Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence or learning.” – by Fredrick Faber (Page 13)
• “We have shrunk Jesus to the size where he can save our soul but now don’t believe He can change the world.” – Anonymous (Page 23)
• “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” (Page 26)
• “When we say that we want to be His disciple, yet attach a list of conditions, Jesus refuses to accept our terms. His terms involve unconditional surrender.” (Page 38)
• “What is there are children who will suffer somehow because I failed to obey God? What is my cowardice costs even one child somewhere in the world his or her life?” (Page 49)
Comments:
When you become a Christian, you become part of a family. A body. Being a Christian is not a get out of jail free card that you put in your pocket.
“If we truly love God, we will express it by loving our neighbors, and when we truly love our neighbors, it expresses our love for God.” (Page 66)
“It’s not what you believe that counts; it’s what you believe enough to do.”
(Page 87)
Lighthouses blow not horns; they only shine.
Who is my neighbor?
Compassion fatigue
15,000 Africans die of preventable disease each day. Would this be allowed in America?
I will make nothing, I will have nothing, I will give everything.
“He who is dying of hunger must be fed rather than taught.” – Saint Thomas Aquinas (Page 132)
“Don’t’ fail to do something just because you can’t do everything.”
“Baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand.” – Leo Durocher
(Page 169)
Terri – Find out how much this book costs
Two Churches
1. The church of God’s blessing
2. The church of the suffering servant
“The world can no longer be left to mere diplomats, politicians and business leaders. They have done the best they could, no doubt. But this is an age for spiritual heroes – a time for man and women to be heroic in their faith and in spiritual character and power. The greatest danger to the Christian church today is that of pitching its message to low.” – Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines (Page 181)
The church’s interpretation of faith killed works.
“Can you imagine the impact on our own culture if American Christians began using their riches as if they belonged to God?” (Page 208)
We could take on 50% of CVV’s budget.
We could adopt every Hillcrest apartment.
We could begin to save the lives of hungry people around the world. If we save their lives we have a chance to save their souls.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead (Page 241)
“The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.” – Abraham Lincoln (Page 243)
“Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if not birds sang there except those that sang best.” – Henry Van Dyke (Page 257)
Trailer at the end of the sermon
Mt 25 – lord lord
Mt 7 not everyone that says to me…….but those who do the will of my heavenly father.
Luke 4:14-21
14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."[e]
20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Quo0tes from the book
Glen beck and liberation theology
Rob bell and restoration theology
It is a both and
Not just personal, also redemptive
Coming home from Russia
Seeing the people on the estrees in america
I don’t want anyone to feel bad. I don’t want to feel bad
But I do want us to feel responsible and work on making some better life choices
Let us consider, not just Christian values, but basic human values……is it right for us to ignore the life and death needs of so many while we spend more on a vacation then many of these folks will see in a lifetime?
Jesus ministry to the poor.
Someone asked me last year if i was saying that god only cares about the poor. Of course that is not true. But god has a heart for the poor and he wants us to have a heart for them too.
Jesus ministry. I have come so that western Christians's can enjoy their stained glass windows. I have come so that they will enjoy the comforts of their pews. I have come to give them an entertaining preacher
Or I have come to release the captives, give sight to the blind…….
This is the acceptable day of the lord
And the people in his town wanted to throw him off the cliff
- -
-
- In Europe churches are closing by the 100’s but Missional Communities are growing like wild fire. A Missional communities is one which a group of people who have a common interest get together and work toward helping a group of people in need. They all have a common vision and they work together toward their goal.
=-=-=-
Quotes from The hole in our gospel by Richard Stearns
Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God- Bob Pierce 9
Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, elegance or learning. – Frederick Faber 13
We have shrunk Jesus to the size where he can save our soul but now don’t believe that he can change the world -23
The true gospel is a call to self denial, not a call to self fulfillment. – john macarthur 25
The place that god calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the worlds deep hunger meet. – Frederick Buechner 36
When we say that we want to be his disciple, yet attach a list of conditions, Jesus refuses to accept our terms. His terms involve unconditional surrender. 38
What if there are children who will suffer somehow because I failed to obey God? What if my cowardice costs even one child somewhere in the world his or her life? 49
The first reformation was about creeds, this one’s going to be about our deeds. The first one divided the church, this time it will unify the church. Rick warren 51
If we truly love god, we will express it by loving our neighbors, and when we truly love our neighbors, it expresses our love for God. 66
Its not what you believe that counts, its what you believe enough to do. 87
15,000 Africans are dying each day of preventable diseases…..this would never be allowed to happen anywhere else……if we ever accept that their lives are as equal to ours, we would all be doing more to put the fire out. Its an uncomfortable truth. Bono 104
Some scientists believe that one out of every two people who have ever lived have died of malaria. 143
He who is dying of hunger must be fed rather than taught. Thomas Aquinas 133
Don’t fail to do something just because you cant do everything. 152
We have drifted away from being fishers of men to being keepers of the aquarium. Paul Harvey 169
Baseball is like church, many attend, few understand. Leo Durocher 169
There are three principles of the American dream that differ from scripture
1. Its not our money, it all comes from God
2. We are not entitled to it but entrusted with it.
3. God expect us to use it in the interest of his kingdom.
Can you imagine the impact on our own culture if American christian's began using their riches as if they belonged to God? 208
If your family, household income is over 50,000 you are more wealthy than 99% of the worlds population. 215
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. Margaret mead 241
Use what talents you possess. The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. Henry van dyke 257
=-=-=-
Book Report 2009
Title: The Hole in our Gospel
Author: Richard Sterns Publisher: Thomas Nelson Date: 2009
• He is president of world vision
• “Let the heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.” – a prayer by Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision (Page 9)
• “Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence or learning.” – by Fredrick Faber (Page 13)
• “We have shrunk Jesus to the size where he can save our soul but now don’t believe He can change the world.” – Anonymous (Page 23)
• “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” (Page 26)
• “When we say that we want to be His disciple, yet attach a list of conditions, Jesus refuses to accept our terms. His terms involve unconditional surrender.” (Page 38)
• “What is there are children who will suffer somehow because I failed to obey God? What is my cowardice costs even one child somewhere in the world his or her life?” (Page 49)
Comments:
When you become a Christian, you become part of a family. A body. Being a Christian is not a get out of jail free card that you put in your pocket.
“If we truly love God, we will express it by loving our neighbors, and when we truly love our neighbors, it expresses our love for God.” (Page 66)
“It’s not what you believe that counts; it’s what you believe enough to do.”
(Page 87)
Lighthouses blow not horns; they only shine.
Who is my neighbor?
Compassion fatigue
15,000 Africans die of preventable disease each day. Would this be allowed in America?
I will make nothing, I will have nothing, I will give everything.
“He who is dying of hunger must be fed rather than taught.” – Saint Thomas Aquinas (Page 132)
“Don’t’ fail to do something just because you can’t do everything.”
“Baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand.” – Leo Durocher
(Page 169)
Terri – Find out how much this book costs
Two Churches
1. The church of God’s blessing
2. The church of the suffering servant
“The world can no longer be left to mere diplomats, politicians and business leaders. They have done the best they could, no doubt. But this is an age for spiritual heroes – a time for man and women to be heroic in their faith and in spiritual character and power. The greatest danger to the Christian church today is that of pitching its message to low.” – Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines (Page 181)
The church’s interpretation of faith killed works.
“Can you imagine the impact on our own culture if American Christians began using their riches as if they belonged to God?” (Page 208)
We could take on 50% of CVV’s budget.
We could adopt every Hillcrest apartment.
We could begin to save the lives of hungry people around the world. If we save their lives we have a chance to save their souls.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead (Page 241)
“The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.” – Abraham Lincoln (Page 243)
“Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if not birds sang there except those that sang best.” – Henry Van Dyke (Page 257)
Trailer at the end of the sermon
Mt 25 – lord lord
Mt 7 not everyone that says to me…….but those who do the will of my heavenly father.
rethink – getting connected 1 Samuel 8:1-5 09/12/10
Sermon 9-12-2010 1 samuel 18:1-5 rethink – getting connected
1 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
5 Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully [a] that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul's officers as well
rethink series
rethink your involvement – getting connected
to what degree are you connected? Involved? Do you wander thru so that you can say this is your church, or are you significantly invested in the success of this place?
This is an impt topic because too many just come and sit. Too many come when it is convenient. Too many engage in God’s work as it suits them
We are missing something really important…….
connecting Sunday - connected
I want to be connected to good people
And I want to be doing things that are significant
Good People
David and jonathan- randomly find each other
Face life’s battles together
the king james says that their souls were knit together
meaningful relationship, doing things that matter
The importance of friendship
Joy, completion, we need each other
We ignore this to our peril
Dad- you have a bug about relationships
Yes Dad, people want to be connected……but it is difficult in this world
We have all of these ways to be connected, phone, fax, pager, computer, laptop,
Mac in 1992 held 256 ram I updated it to 512 cost 100$
Today this jump drive you can but at walmart hold 8x that and it costs 999
Yet we are more alone than ever
The pain of being alone
Summer of 1978- summer school at evangel
Alone again, naturally
To think that only yesterday I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to well wouldn’t do The role I was about to play
But as if to knock me down Reality came around
And without so much, as a mere touch Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt Talk about God and His mercy
Or if He really does exist Why did He desert me in my hour of need
I truly am indeed Alone again, naturally
It seems to me that there are more hearts
broken in the world that cant be mended - Left unattended
What do we do? What do we do?
The psalmist writes - Psalm 102
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you. 2 Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. 3 For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. 4 My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. 5 Because of my loud groaning I am reduced to skin and bones. 6 I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. 7 I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.
In the past families grew up together and rarely moved away. Children lived in homes with parents and grandparents. The family business was handed down from generation to generation. My grandma had a front porch which was a very important place of communication.
Half of my neighbors, I don’t know their names. A few I wouldn’t recognize if they walked right up and said hello
How can we cultivate friendships
Cant just sit and wait - You cant just sit in the pew
Applying ones self to friendship
If a man would have friends, he must show himself to be friendly.
Prov 18:24
Is this a friendly church?
Someone visited here 2 months ago
My visit to st peter umc several years ago
Look around. Who do you want for a friend? Reach out to them. If they cant make it work, pick someone else.
From I want to be connected to people
to Being involved in significant things
There are only so many institutions in this life that you can get involved in
You will have to choose which ones they are
Some want to lean away while we are in a building campaign
Would you rather attend a church that was not trying to make room for others
At church I learned that God loved me-nothing else out there will teach you that
At church I learned about forgiveness-nothing else out there will teach you that
At church I learned that it was about more than me. I was invited to join others in an effort that taught me to give myself away- nothing else will teach you these things
Conclusion-
Children and youth
Providing the foundation for tomorrows decisions
Disciple
Providing the foundation to carry you thru life trials
Fpu
Teaching biblical financial practices
It has saved many a marriage
Missions
Giving you an opportunity to live beyond yourself
stop by and find a place to make friends and get connected. Take the steps to connections for life.
1 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
5 Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully [a] that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul's officers as well
rethink series
rethink your involvement – getting connected
to what degree are you connected? Involved? Do you wander thru so that you can say this is your church, or are you significantly invested in the success of this place?
This is an impt topic because too many just come and sit. Too many come when it is convenient. Too many engage in God’s work as it suits them
We are missing something really important…….
connecting Sunday - connected
I want to be connected to good people
And I want to be doing things that are significant
Good People
David and jonathan- randomly find each other
Face life’s battles together
the king james says that their souls were knit together
meaningful relationship, doing things that matter
The importance of friendship
Joy, completion, we need each other
We ignore this to our peril
Dad- you have a bug about relationships
Yes Dad, people want to be connected……but it is difficult in this world
We have all of these ways to be connected, phone, fax, pager, computer, laptop,
Mac in 1992 held 256 ram I updated it to 512 cost 100$
Today this jump drive you can but at walmart hold 8x that and it costs 999
Yet we are more alone than ever
The pain of being alone
Summer of 1978- summer school at evangel
Alone again, naturally
To think that only yesterday I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to well wouldn’t do The role I was about to play
But as if to knock me down Reality came around
And without so much, as a mere touch Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt Talk about God and His mercy
Or if He really does exist Why did He desert me in my hour of need
I truly am indeed Alone again, naturally
It seems to me that there are more hearts
broken in the world that cant be mended - Left unattended
What do we do? What do we do?
The psalmist writes - Psalm 102
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you. 2 Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. 3 For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. 4 My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. 5 Because of my loud groaning I am reduced to skin and bones. 6 I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. 7 I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.
In the past families grew up together and rarely moved away. Children lived in homes with parents and grandparents. The family business was handed down from generation to generation. My grandma had a front porch which was a very important place of communication.
Half of my neighbors, I don’t know their names. A few I wouldn’t recognize if they walked right up and said hello
How can we cultivate friendships
Cant just sit and wait - You cant just sit in the pew
Applying ones self to friendship
If a man would have friends, he must show himself to be friendly.
Prov 18:24
Is this a friendly church?
Someone visited here 2 months ago
My visit to st peter umc several years ago
Look around. Who do you want for a friend? Reach out to them. If they cant make it work, pick someone else.
From I want to be connected to people
to Being involved in significant things
There are only so many institutions in this life that you can get involved in
You will have to choose which ones they are
Some want to lean away while we are in a building campaign
Would you rather attend a church that was not trying to make room for others
At church I learned that God loved me-nothing else out there will teach you that
At church I learned about forgiveness-nothing else out there will teach you that
At church I learned that it was about more than me. I was invited to join others in an effort that taught me to give myself away- nothing else will teach you these things
Conclusion-
Children and youth
Providing the foundation for tomorrows decisions
Disciple
Providing the foundation to carry you thru life trials
Fpu
Teaching biblical financial practices
It has saved many a marriage
Missions
Giving you an opportunity to live beyond yourself
stop by and find a place to make friends and get connected. Take the steps to connections for life.
rethink life Phillpians 4:4-13 09/05/10
rethink life Phillipians 4:4-13
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 10I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for 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.
Intro
Last week – pastors seminar – theme the revitalization of the UMC
The Methodist church is in decline
73k in 2007 55k in 2008
so the denomination is on a campaign – rethink church
Video Quotes
• What if church was surprising
• practiced what it preached
• took your breath away
• offered hope
• was a verb
• transformed your life
• challenged itself
• loved radically
• put thought into words and words into action
• what if church was valued
• was amazing
• was a given
• helped people find meaning
• stood up for the weak
• challenged bigotry
• what if church was like breathing
• confronted poverty
• astounded you
• opened doors
• fed the hungry
• was a soured of light
• offered mercy
• gave you comfort
• was always honest
• made Jesus visible
• what if church was authentic
• challenged the status quo
• challenged hatred
• was listening
• was a celebration
• more than a building
• had a sense of humor
• filled with the spirit
• was forgiving
• practiced what it preached
• what if church was community
• never glorified itself over god
• fostered peace
• was a catalyst for good
• never condemned
• was empowering
• was brave
• was something we do
• what if church was mindful of others
isn’t this what Jesus asks his followers to do?
Rethink life
The problem is not systems or organizations or pastors or laypeople
The problem isn’t even doctrine.
The problem is that we have forgotten what the Christian life is about
Many kinds of Christians here, at different walks of life
Non believers. Not sure if you are a believer. My feet are wet believer.
Some dabble in the Christian faith
Some take it more seriously
Each of us, no matter who we think we are, are a bit polluted with soft secularism
We live the life as we choose to live it, and hold Christ at bay.
The worst is when we don’t see it or refuse to see it.
We have a pretty good life. Great schools. Nice homes.
How do we call such people to the Christian life?
Is there a difference between believing in Jesus and living the Christian life?
Rethink Life
Live as we live it-
Conduit illustration. Feed me!!
When this is our posture can we rejoice always? Do we find the peace of God? Are we content in all things? In any thing?
Illustration of lack of contentment – people at airport
Paul has learned in all things to be content
He doesn’t want everything anymore.
He is busy doing something else
He can do all things thru Christ
How is this possible? It isn’t as long as we think our life is about us being taken care of.
Conduit – lets take another look.
Where should we be in this picture
When we understand our purpose in life, we start to find the joy.
When we allow God to work thru us, we are close to him
Mike M in Denver – gave $ and pizza. Returned to hotel with joy.
Long story short – myself and a colleague were walking in downtown Denver one evening and a girl that looked like she could not have been more than 20 years old asked if we ‘had any spare change’ when we walked by, I initially did what I always do – don’t make eye contact and just keep walking. I got about 5 steps by and stopped, turned around and gave her what little cash I had in my pocket. She thanked me profusely. I honestly did not care where it was going – all I knew was that she needed it and I had it
Later that evening We sat outside at a table (the weather in Denver was great!), and ordered a pizza. The pizza was way too much for 2 people – we had the leftovers boxed up. As we were walking to catch the train back the burbs and our hotel – I saw a man playing the guitar in hopes of getting donations. I bent down and asked if he would like the pizza – he got a big smile and said ‘Thank You very much’.
Who left with the most joy? The girl, the guitar player or our friend
conclusion
Story of the dippers
An anger took a man on a tour of heaven and hell. They visited hell first.
He opened one of the doors and the man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the man’s mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.
But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.The man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The angel said, ‘this is Hell.
They went to another place where the room was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the man’s mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The angel said, this is heaven. The man said, ‘I don’t understand. ’‘It is simple,’ said the angel. ‘It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.’
And so lets rethink life
each of us can choose the kind of life that we want to live.
Hell on earth or heaven on earth.
The scripture invites us to a life of contentment and joy.
What will we choose?
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 10I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for 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.
Intro
Last week – pastors seminar – theme the revitalization of the UMC
The Methodist church is in decline
73k in 2007 55k in 2008
so the denomination is on a campaign – rethink church
Video Quotes
• What if church was surprising
• practiced what it preached
• took your breath away
• offered hope
• was a verb
• transformed your life
• challenged itself
• loved radically
• put thought into words and words into action
• what if church was valued
• was amazing
• was a given
• helped people find meaning
• stood up for the weak
• challenged bigotry
• what if church was like breathing
• confronted poverty
• astounded you
• opened doors
• fed the hungry
• was a soured of light
• offered mercy
• gave you comfort
• was always honest
• made Jesus visible
• what if church was authentic
• challenged the status quo
• challenged hatred
• was listening
• was a celebration
• more than a building
• had a sense of humor
• filled with the spirit
• was forgiving
• practiced what it preached
• what if church was community
• never glorified itself over god
• fostered peace
• was a catalyst for good
• never condemned
• was empowering
• was brave
• was something we do
• what if church was mindful of others
isn’t this what Jesus asks his followers to do?
Rethink life
The problem is not systems or organizations or pastors or laypeople
The problem isn’t even doctrine.
The problem is that we have forgotten what the Christian life is about
Many kinds of Christians here, at different walks of life
Non believers. Not sure if you are a believer. My feet are wet believer.
Some dabble in the Christian faith
Some take it more seriously
Each of us, no matter who we think we are, are a bit polluted with soft secularism
We live the life as we choose to live it, and hold Christ at bay.
The worst is when we don’t see it or refuse to see it.
We have a pretty good life. Great schools. Nice homes.
How do we call such people to the Christian life?
Is there a difference between believing in Jesus and living the Christian life?
Rethink Life
Live as we live it-
Conduit illustration. Feed me!!
When this is our posture can we rejoice always? Do we find the peace of God? Are we content in all things? In any thing?
Illustration of lack of contentment – people at airport
Paul has learned in all things to be content
He doesn’t want everything anymore.
He is busy doing something else
He can do all things thru Christ
How is this possible? It isn’t as long as we think our life is about us being taken care of.
Conduit – lets take another look.
Where should we be in this picture
When we understand our purpose in life, we start to find the joy.
When we allow God to work thru us, we are close to him
Mike M in Denver – gave $ and pizza. Returned to hotel with joy.
Long story short – myself and a colleague were walking in downtown Denver one evening and a girl that looked like she could not have been more than 20 years old asked if we ‘had any spare change’ when we walked by, I initially did what I always do – don’t make eye contact and just keep walking. I got about 5 steps by and stopped, turned around and gave her what little cash I had in my pocket. She thanked me profusely. I honestly did not care where it was going – all I knew was that she needed it and I had it
Later that evening We sat outside at a table (the weather in Denver was great!), and ordered a pizza. The pizza was way too much for 2 people – we had the leftovers boxed up. As we were walking to catch the train back the burbs and our hotel – I saw a man playing the guitar in hopes of getting donations. I bent down and asked if he would like the pizza – he got a big smile and said ‘Thank You very much’.
Who left with the most joy? The girl, the guitar player or our friend
conclusion
Story of the dippers
An anger took a man on a tour of heaven and hell. They visited hell first.
He opened one of the doors and the man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the man’s mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.
But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.The man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The angel said, ‘this is Hell.
They went to another place where the room was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the man’s mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The angel said, this is heaven. The man said, ‘I don’t understand. ’‘It is simple,’ said the angel. ‘It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.’
And so lets rethink life
each of us can choose the kind of life that we want to live.
Hell on earth or heaven on earth.
The scripture invites us to a life of contentment and joy.
What will we choose?
Confessions of a pastor 1 John 4:9-12 8-22-10
Sermon Confessions of a pastor 1 John 4:9-12 8-22-10 nnn
9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[a] into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[b] our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
Intro - Confessions of a pastor
I want to teach more about prayer-
Meeting about equipping – video we saw
Prayer isn’t going to cut it as a topic
Last week I said I don’t know if you like me
I sometimes don’t feel that god loves me. Don’t believe that god can love me
And so john is writing to some people – why?
They had questions doubts about love.
Their world is dominated by power - power of empire.
Masters have power over slaves. men have power over women.
the Pharisees exert their power for manipulation and control.
To a world that was about power and control, that left a lot of hurt people. Behind in its wake john tells of a god who loves.
Johns message of love:
1. Love shown by the gift of a son
2. God acted first. Not that we loved God, but God loved us.
We don’t have to earn it. We love him because he first loved us-
This cant be that great of a sermon. There is nothing historical here, nothing theologically impressive, but there is something here that so many of us can resonate with – under it all – I hear this story all the time. Grown up people still hoping that someone will tell them that they are loved
Princess and the frog
Its like we are a frog waiting to be kissed. Even when we are, we don’t stay a prince, we keep turning back into frogs
So - I wonder if I am loved. Do you ever wonder?
What is it about crowds that make me want to hide?
Do my kids really love me? I know my kids love me but there is an underlying nagging voice that says they cant
You aren’t good enough
Failure to thrive
Up into 30’s looking for dads approval.
Dad told me he loved me I was 38
One girlfriend after another
Kept a list of turn downs = 38
Class clown looking for approval.
Head vs heart knowledge o f love
Book- are you my mother
It is the story about a mother chicken who knows her egg will be in her nest where
she left it, so she leaves him alone to go and get something for him to eat. The
baby chicken hatches. He does not understand where his mother is so he goes
to look for her. In his search, he asks a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a cow if they are
his mother. They each say, "No."
Then he sees an old car, which cannot be his mother for sure. In desperation,
the hatchling calls out to a boat and a plane, and at last, convinced he has found
his mother, he climbs onto the teeth of an enormous power shovel. But as it
shudders and grinds into motion he cannot escape. "I want my mother!" he shouts.
But at this climactic moment, his fate is suddenly reversed. The shovel drops him
back in his nest, just as his mother is returning home, and the two are reunited,
much to their delight. He then tells her about the adventure he had looking for her.
Maybe this is why I have gone into the ministry I
wanted to help you believe god loves you and if
I can do that, maybe I will catch it myself along the
way
Points to ponder – so what do we do?
1. Keep talking to God - Reprogram w scripture
Jesus is welcomed in to mary and marthas house
God so loved the world
2. Give self space to heal
Grow in acceptance –
with the measure you judge it will be measured to you.
Press your paradigm
3. Read helpful books
Demello on love – do you want a copy?
4. Most importantly, Love others
Paul at the gas station
when we are loving others it tends to rub off on us
So this video reminded me of my need to be loved and of the joy that we find when we share love with others. Lets watch: to be loved
Free hugs campaign video
9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[a] into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[b] our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
Intro - Confessions of a pastor
I want to teach more about prayer-
Meeting about equipping – video we saw
Prayer isn’t going to cut it as a topic
Last week I said I don’t know if you like me
I sometimes don’t feel that god loves me. Don’t believe that god can love me
And so john is writing to some people – why?
They had questions doubts about love.
Their world is dominated by power - power of empire.
Masters have power over slaves. men have power over women.
the Pharisees exert their power for manipulation and control.
To a world that was about power and control, that left a lot of hurt people. Behind in its wake john tells of a god who loves.
Johns message of love:
1. Love shown by the gift of a son
2. God acted first. Not that we loved God, but God loved us.
We don’t have to earn it. We love him because he first loved us-
This cant be that great of a sermon. There is nothing historical here, nothing theologically impressive, but there is something here that so many of us can resonate with – under it all – I hear this story all the time. Grown up people still hoping that someone will tell them that they are loved
Princess and the frog
Its like we are a frog waiting to be kissed. Even when we are, we don’t stay a prince, we keep turning back into frogs
So - I wonder if I am loved. Do you ever wonder?
What is it about crowds that make me want to hide?
Do my kids really love me? I know my kids love me but there is an underlying nagging voice that says they cant
You aren’t good enough
Failure to thrive
Up into 30’s looking for dads approval.
Dad told me he loved me I was 38
One girlfriend after another
Kept a list of turn downs = 38
Class clown looking for approval.
Head vs heart knowledge o f love
Book- are you my mother
It is the story about a mother chicken who knows her egg will be in her nest where
she left it, so she leaves him alone to go and get something for him to eat. The
baby chicken hatches. He does not understand where his mother is so he goes
to look for her. In his search, he asks a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a cow if they are
his mother. They each say, "No."
Then he sees an old car, which cannot be his mother for sure. In desperation,
the hatchling calls out to a boat and a plane, and at last, convinced he has found
his mother, he climbs onto the teeth of an enormous power shovel. But as it
shudders and grinds into motion he cannot escape. "I want my mother!" he shouts.
But at this climactic moment, his fate is suddenly reversed. The shovel drops him
back in his nest, just as his mother is returning home, and the two are reunited,
much to their delight. He then tells her about the adventure he had looking for her.
Maybe this is why I have gone into the ministry I
wanted to help you believe god loves you and if
I can do that, maybe I will catch it myself along the
way
Points to ponder – so what do we do?
1. Keep talking to God - Reprogram w scripture
Jesus is welcomed in to mary and marthas house
God so loved the world
2. Give self space to heal
Grow in acceptance –
with the measure you judge it will be measured to you.
Press your paradigm
3. Read helpful books
Demello on love – do you want a copy?
4. Most importantly, Love others
Paul at the gas station
when we are loving others it tends to rub off on us
So this video reminded me of my need to be loved and of the joy that we find when we share love with others. Lets watch: to be loved
Free hugs campaign video
Confessions - Worry Matthew 6:25 08/15/10
Sermon –confessions – worry - Mt. 6 25-3444444
Do Not Worry
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Today I would like to confess, that I can be a worrier -
My mind goes back to that childhood icon: Alfred e neuman
Who said, What, me worry?
What is worry
Worry is fear for tomorrow.
worry invents that which has not yet happened
I have had many toubles, most of which never happened.
Worry drains the energy that god gives us to live & fulfill our potential
Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but it does empty today of its strength.
It does not make you escape the evil; it makes you unfit to cope with it if and when it comes.
The anticipation of joy or sorrow. If pleasures are the greatest in anticipation, just remember that this is also true of trouble. Most powerful part of a problem is the worrying about it
I worry
About what
Kids, church, employees, if you like me, if you like the sermon
When I don't have anything to worry about, I begin to worry about that. Something is wrong, because nothing is wrong
Handles on this
1. It is a sin- jesus says don’t do it
2. Understand that it is not healthy
We are built for faith, not for fear.
Worry is sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil.
In worry, my being is gasping for breath—
But in faith and confidence, I breathe freely--these are my native air. worriers die sooner than the non- worriers,
We are inwardly constructed for faith and not for fear.
God made us that way. To live by worry is to live against reality.
3. busy yourself
Connie Mack was one of the greatest managers in the history of baseball.
Mack had another secret of good management: he didn't worry. "I discovered," he explained, "that worry was threatening to wreck my career as a baseball manager. I saw how foolish it was and I forced myself to get so busy preparing to win games that I had no time left to worry over the ones that were already lost. You can't grind grain with water that has already gone down the creek."
Hudson Taylor, missionary to China - "Let us give up our work, our plans, ourselves, our lives, our loved ones, our influence, our all, right into [God's] hand; and then, when we have given all over to Him, there will be nothing left for us to be troubled about."
4. pick a day to worry
Pick a day. Write down your worries and put them in a box.
Open the box on worry day.
When you open the box, u will find that most of the things that had disturbed him the past six days were already settled.
5. Bob Walls Advice
In 480 B.C. the outmanned army of Sparta's King Leonidas held
off the Persian troops of Xerxes by fighting them one at a time
as they came through a narrow mountain pass. As seen in the
movie 300.
"Suppose Leonidas and his handful of men had gone out into the wide-open plain and attacked the Persians--why, they would have died at once, even though they might have fought like lions."
If we choose to battle every difficulty at once, they're sure to suffer defeat. But if they trust God and take their troubles one by one, they will find that their strength is sufficient.
6. Differentiate you from them. I am not them. They don’t define me. God tells me that he loves me. That is enough.
7. Take care of yourself:
Get plenty of rest; sometimes we get so tired that we don’t
even recognize we are tired . get some rest. Odd as it
sounds sometimes problems resolve themselves in our sleep.
Sometimes I still worry. I still worry. It is human nature.
So what to do? Take advice of the scriptures-
Mt 6:34 each day has enough trouble of its own
2 timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
psalm 46 1-4 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake because of the surging water. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
Mt 6:33 Seek ye first the kingdom of God
My wife, in times of severe stress…….seeking the kingdom of god
You have to keep going back- to the well.
In the dark valley, the shepherd is with us.
Do Not Worry
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Today I would like to confess, that I can be a worrier -
My mind goes back to that childhood icon: Alfred e neuman
Who said, What, me worry?
What is worry
Worry is fear for tomorrow.
worry invents that which has not yet happened
I have had many toubles, most of which never happened.
Worry drains the energy that god gives us to live & fulfill our potential
Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but it does empty today of its strength.
It does not make you escape the evil; it makes you unfit to cope with it if and when it comes.
The anticipation of joy or sorrow. If pleasures are the greatest in anticipation, just remember that this is also true of trouble. Most powerful part of a problem is the worrying about it
I worry
About what
Kids, church, employees, if you like me, if you like the sermon
When I don't have anything to worry about, I begin to worry about that. Something is wrong, because nothing is wrong
Handles on this
1. It is a sin- jesus says don’t do it
2. Understand that it is not healthy
We are built for faith, not for fear.
Worry is sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil.
In worry, my being is gasping for breath—
But in faith and confidence, I breathe freely--these are my native air. worriers die sooner than the non- worriers,
We are inwardly constructed for faith and not for fear.
God made us that way. To live by worry is to live against reality.
3. busy yourself
Connie Mack was one of the greatest managers in the history of baseball.
Mack had another secret of good management: he didn't worry. "I discovered," he explained, "that worry was threatening to wreck my career as a baseball manager. I saw how foolish it was and I forced myself to get so busy preparing to win games that I had no time left to worry over the ones that were already lost. You can't grind grain with water that has already gone down the creek."
Hudson Taylor, missionary to China - "Let us give up our work, our plans, ourselves, our lives, our loved ones, our influence, our all, right into [God's] hand; and then, when we have given all over to Him, there will be nothing left for us to be troubled about."
4. pick a day to worry
Pick a day. Write down your worries and put them in a box.
Open the box on worry day.
When you open the box, u will find that most of the things that had disturbed him the past six days were already settled.
5. Bob Walls Advice
In 480 B.C. the outmanned army of Sparta's King Leonidas held
off the Persian troops of Xerxes by fighting them one at a time
as they came through a narrow mountain pass. As seen in the
movie 300.
"Suppose Leonidas and his handful of men had gone out into the wide-open plain and attacked the Persians--why, they would have died at once, even though they might have fought like lions."
If we choose to battle every difficulty at once, they're sure to suffer defeat. But if they trust God and take their troubles one by one, they will find that their strength is sufficient.
6. Differentiate you from them. I am not them. They don’t define me. God tells me that he loves me. That is enough.
7. Take care of yourself:
Get plenty of rest; sometimes we get so tired that we don’t
even recognize we are tired . get some rest. Odd as it
sounds sometimes problems resolve themselves in our sleep.
Sometimes I still worry. I still worry. It is human nature.
So what to do? Take advice of the scriptures-
Mt 6:34 each day has enough trouble of its own
2 timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
psalm 46 1-4 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake because of the surging water. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
Mt 6:33 Seek ye first the kingdom of God
My wife, in times of severe stress…….seeking the kingdom of god
You have to keep going back- to the well.
In the dark valley, the shepherd is with us.
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