ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE
|
|
- Nickolas Fowler
- 5 years ago
- Views:
Transcription
1 WHY ARE WE HERE? ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE This strange, simplistic, archaic service that most of our own brothers and sisters on the Christian Way do not know about or cannot be bothered with. Why are we here? Today is the beginning of Lent, but so what? Who cares? What does it matter? More symbolism I suppose. Forty days in the wilderness like Moses; like Jesus. But my next forty days are not going to be spent in any wilderness. It s going to be busy too busy. Which is exactly why it is so likely to turn into a wilderness. But even while that is true, and meaningful to me, I also feel a little reticent to compare my little wilderness with their great big wilderness. On the other hand, if I do not have nerve enough to identify, how do I get into the story? Getting to the real point: Why would I want ashes on my forehead? To impress somebody with my holiness? Actually, it looks sort of ugly. And a much bigger question: Is my remorse or repentance genuine enough to carry this symbol? Do I need to repent? Do I need further reconciliation with God? Actually, for myself, I could have stopped several sentences back. I need to be here. I am glad I get to be here. My good deeds, like my sins, are mostly petty little things. Yet both are extremely significant to my own life. And adding to that the billions of other petty little sins and good deeds of all those who live on this globe with me, that is what describes our world and the quality of life here. So I need this Lent, and Ash Wednesday to begin and define it. WHAT IS A PENITENT? Lots of people grow up in our culture and never learn how to say they are sorry. I have been one of them. Somewhere in childhood, taught or untaught, I picked up the crazy notion that if I was ever wrong or made a mistake, nobody would ever like me again. And since it was not possible to keep from being wrong or making a mistake from time to time, I resorted to the usual: pretending it hadn t happened; sloughing over it; maybe even trying to make up for it, but never actually admitting it. What happens if we do not admit our mistakes? We make them over again. There are no exceptions. BRUCE VAN BLAIR 2014 All rights reserved. PAGE 1 OF 9
2 ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE Penitent = one who looks honestly at life; one who is sorrowful about their own contributions to life s chaos and pain; one resolved on amendment (per dictionary). No Christian is supposed to go to sleep, beginning on Ash Wednesday, until they know the answers to these three questions. 1.) Is there something wrong in your life that needs to be set right? Frequently we do not have the power to take care of such things, but Christ does. 2.) Is there something you want in your life, but there is no room for it the way things are? 3.) What will you give up this Lent to make room for something more important something you want even more than what you have? No Christian is supposed to go to sleep, beginning on Ash Wednesday, until they know the answers to these three questions. BRUCE VAN BLAIR 2014 All rights reserved. PAGE 2 OF 9
3 Ash Wednesday Romans 3:19-28 I.) Perhaps the most frequent mockery of John Calvin, and hence of Puritans (who, like it or not, are our spiritual forebears), is aimed toward the teachings and sayings that might be lumped together under the title, The Depravity of Man. People do not like to be called depraved. At least whenever I call somebody depraved, they don t seem to like it. In any case, while we may each know some individuals we would consider depraved, we certainly do not consider it fair or accurate for someone to put us into that category. We make mistakes, and it is uncommon for any of us to consider ourselves perfect, but neither do we think of ourselves as depraved. It should not particularly surprise us that there are those who like to pick up on a word or phrase and, without any interest in where it comes from or what it really means, use it as a springboard for their anger toward religion in general and Christianity in particular. That very phenomenon is strong evidence for some of Calvin s conclusions, though not exactly in the way these same people might think. In any case, Calvin was no Calvinist any more than Jesus was a Christian, at least not according to most popular misconceptions of these terms. And while it is not my purpose to persuade any of you to love Calvin or even to convince you to like the word depravity I still think it s a shame when children dislike their parents because somebody lied about them. Just as an aside: Calvin was a great proponent of Convergence Christianity. Of course, nobody was using that title for it yet. I suspect it was because Calvin s favorite book in the Bible was Paul s letter to the Ephesians, and Ephesians is probably the greatest champion for Convergence Christianity ever written. Anyway, it is true that depravity means wicked, or perverse; moral corruption; distorted, crooked. But behind the current definitions, you can still feel the bondage yes? Something has been taken away. There is no depravity until we are depraved that is, nobody can be depraved until they are deprived of something. Depravity, by definition, is a distortion. God created us good. If that is not true, then depravity is not a possibility. Depravity means the rightness has been lost or taken away. In theological terms, the glory of God has been dimmed, twisted, or taken away. The rightness with which we were created has been distorted until we are deprived of it. BRUCE VAN BLAIR 2014 All rights reserved. PAGE 3 OF 9
4 In that light, I suspect there are some among us who would not find it hard to go along with the notion of The Depravity of Man just from thinking of some of the devastating experiences and situations we have lived through in the last one hundred years. If so much death, torture, disease, and starvation could be attributed only to natural causes, we might merely conclude that we live on a depraved planet. But a very high percentage of the devastation is not only perpetrated by fellow humans, but perpetrated on purpose. It s tough to admit, but hard to escape: There is a lot of EVIL going on in this realm. There is a lot of EVIL in and around us. The Seven Deadly Sins run rampant. There is no family, church, company, government, organization, group, or individual anywhere on earth that is not crippled in some fashion by the Seven Deadly Sins. This means that nothing anywhere on earth is running according to its rightful design, or according to the way God s Creation was designed to run. Depravity means we are not living according to our design we are not matching the glory by which we were created. In short, we are in rebellion, estranged, alienated running by our own will and way rather than by God s. There can be many reasons for this depravity, this veering off the Path: ignorance, fear, loneliness, pride, greed and all the situations and circumstances that lead to such things (bad environments, accidents, betrayal, pain, loss, poverty, and so on). To be sure, none of this would be happening if God had not given us free will. On the other hand, none of the value of what God designed and created would have any meaning without free will. Stalemate. At least on the outside. Increasing numbers of us are wondering if extinction is galloping toward us. Of course, it always has been; our worst fears are seldom irrational. But a person newly awakened to the dangers all around us is often convinced that this time it is really serious. When John wrote about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he was in dead earnest. He knew the Four Horsemen were riding back in one hundred A.D. Only the ignorant and the unaware think the Four Horsemen will ever stop riding. A world estranged from its Creator will always be in grave danger. The plagues of Egypt were not just tricks Moses was doing to make Pharaoh free the Hebrew slaves. Pharaoh was playing God he had usurped the place and role of God and the result was that all of nature was coming apart at the seams. False gods cannot hold creation BRUCE VAN BLAIR 2014 All rights reserved. PAGE 4 OF 9
5 together. Today some people want us to weep for all the first-born Egyptians who died. We can do that, and there are plenty of others to weep for today as well. But I suspect most people don t hear the story. If God had not taken back the authority if God had not stepped in to right what Pharaoh was undoing nobody and nothing would have survived. The question is not Are we afraid? The question is Do we still trust God? How can anybody frighten us with doomsday scenarios when we have been living in the midst of doomsday realities ever since any of us came to this planet? Certainly we want to be on the side of light and life, and to do what we can to make life better and maybe even make it last longer here on earth. Just because we trust God doesn t mean we don t care. But neither will we live in fear starting the moment we know and receive the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Fear is not our friend. Some people think if we can just get everybody scared enough, we will all get together and fix things. But fear is not the great healer of the nations. Fear is not our friend. Jesus is. So if we live in a broken world, wondering genuinely how much longer it can last, what have we got against the concept of depravity? Perverse and foolish oft I strayed... I don t have any trouble identifying with that, do you? ( The King of Love My Shepherd Is, Pilgrim Hymnal ) There are a lot of people we love even though they are not perfect. It does not feel good or right to call them depraved even if they do sometimes lie, cheat, hoard, screw, get angry, or fail to perform in ways we think would be more appropriate. Okay, so they are depraved, but we don t want to talk about it or think of it in that way. They also do some very wonderful things doesn t that count too? Yes, it counts, but does one side cancel out the other? So you see, it is possible to be full of love and enthusiasm for life, full of gratitude and even joy, and still be very aware of The Depravity Of All Humankind and both at the same time. In fact, a great many Calvinists and Puritans were exactly that. They had great regard for their own lives and the lives of those around them, yet at the same time they felt a conscious awareness of the gap between us as we are and the glory of God. The real difference between us and the Puritans, I suspect, is that we do not think about the glory of God as much as they did. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) That does BRUCE VAN BLAIR 2014 All rights reserved. PAGE 5 OF 9
6 not mean we have failed to be God. It means we have not come close to the design of God to the pattern and possibilities that God has actually built within us. We are not what God made us to be. And the full force of that statement is not merely that we fall short of what it would be wonderful for us to be like. It is much worse than that: We are made truly wonderful, yet we are not living by our true design. Something is being allowed to corrupt, sidetrack, reduce, spoil, and warp us. I do know some people none of you, of course who think they are doing things pretty close to right; they have no desire and no intention of making any significant changes in how they live or what they are living for, not even with the Spirit s help. The Puritans were a lot more optimistic than that. They did not think they were as good as it gets. They knew that Jesus still had a lot of unfinished business with them. Isn t it interesting that the concept of our depravity is built on the assumption that we are created truly wonderful? If you aren t much to start with, depravity is not even relevant. You were born a piece of crap and you will always be a piece of crap. There is no depravity in that. Depravity is the amazing claim that something has gone terribly wrong. Most of all, depravity is the Puritan s awareness that God is incredibly wonderful but that, in our present condition, we are not matching that glory we are not beings of character or behavior that fit in the Kingdom or company of God. In short, Calvinism (Puritanism) did not think itself inferior to what was going on all around it in this world. But in thinking of the majesty, purity, beauty, love, kindness, truth, and purposes of God, the Puritans realized they had a real problem: They knew they fell far short. They were a long way from home, and not just in time or distance. The quality of life, love, thinking, and intention was way below what it needed to be, what it wanted to be, what it was designed to be. A society that spends very little time thinking about the glory of God cannot comprehend what the Puritans meant by depravity. We think it was some kind of inferiority complex, and it was but not in contrast to other humans; only in relationship to God. We think they felt unworthy, and they did but not in comparison to other humans; in comparison to what God wanted and had created them to be like. When I start to sense and realize the great distance between where we are and what we are designed to be like, it makes me weep not from mere sadness, but from a great and powerful longing. If it does not make you want to weep for longing, I feel really sorry for you. Depravity is bad enough, but to be intentionally blind, deaf, and dumb as well? That is really sad. BRUCE VAN BLAIR 2014 All rights reserved. PAGE 6 OF 9
7 II.) That brings us to a second point: the awareness of our depravity that is, awareness of the contrast between where we are and what God designed us to be like. To the Puritans, the awareness of our loss and lack was the beginning of spiritual awakening, the beginning of real LIFE. Contentment is for cows. If the stars do not call to you, if love does not scorch you, if you are not compelled and humbled by what you lack, then what kind of conversation can the Holy Spirit have with you? We say we are so tired of correction and challenge; we want to be accepted the way we are; we want to be told we don t need to make any more improvements; we want to wallow in unconditional love. Really? What does that lead to? What could be more insulting? Notions of depravity never led to discouragement or depression or despair like the modern notions of I m OK you re OK do. Notions of depravity led to real hope: maybe we really do need God! And the spiritual transformations were not merely pious on the inside, though that was the driving force and is far more powerful than most folk in our culture seem to comprehend. The spiritual transformations led to outer effort the so-called Puritan work ethic : we are here to accomplish, to build, to achieve, to settle for nothing less than God s Kingdom realized in us and around us. We used to say that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Well, few would agree, but I think depravity tastes a lot better than most of the adjustments and reassurances of our modern-day psychology. It seems clear to me that humanity is still depraved and we still live in a broken world. One of the realities of spiritual awakening is that we become far more aware of how much we still need to grow and learn to be fit for God s Kingdom. That is not a put-down or a discouragement. The awakened will live for what they have come to realize what they have seen and felt is a deeper, greater, unconquerable TRUTH. Long after our brief training ground here, this drama and pilgrimage will go on into eternity. You cannot discourage a Puritan. Oh, they have their bad moments of course, but you cannot discourage a pilgrim not in the long run. Or a real Christian, either. I mean, if they are not afraid of death, what are you going to do to them? They sing things like: This world is not my home, I m just a-passing through... Or He Who Would Valiant Be one of my favorite hymns. And who wrote that? John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim s Progress, the book that used to be called the New Testament of the common people. BRUCE VAN BLAIR 2014 All rights reserved. PAGE 7 OF 9
8 III.) ASHES: For some of us, the ashes are not just a ritual, or just a game, or just for show. They are about true remorse and a very real spiritual longing. Not everybody uses the ashes of Ash Wednesday in the same way. Some are conscious mostly of our sorrow for crucifying Jesus. Some are aware of broken promises declarations made on a Palm Sunday and never kept. Some are aware of personal and private sins errors, mistakes, blunders, things withheld from Christ, and things not done for Him. Some just wallow in a private, personal Slough of Despond, as Bunyan called it, with no particular desire or expectation of ever getting out of it. Some say they feel like worms in contrast to the glory of God. But watch their lives before you judge their phraseology. Moses was meek, but only before God. Puritans were depraved, but only in contrast to the glory of God. And it never meant they were content to stay that way. It meant they really wanted to change: to be open to, respond to, and trust the mercy and grace and providence of God in Christ Jesus their Lord. They named it depravity and did not like it! We leave it unnamed and seem halfway content to settle for it. Contentment is for cows, and unrepentant sinners. In any case, some of us claim these ashes for real this night. They stand for our sorrow, our shame, our longing; for awareness of depravity, awareness of the gap; for a great hunger to get closer both to our Lord and to who we really are. Those two always go together, don t they? Getting closer to our Lord and getting closer to who we really are. He who loses his life for my sake will find it. BRUCE VAN BLAIR 2014 All rights reserved. PAGE 8 OF 9
9 PRAYER I am sorry, Lord, that I am so far away from what You made me, so far away from knowing and loving You, so far away from obeying and pleasing You. And somehow the road toward You the road toward our true Home always starts afresh with awakening: with sorrow and repentance. These are the ashes: the symbols of what is not working; the symbols of what is burnt out, used up, wasted, destroyed, crooked, bent, distorted. We come to You with ashes, and You give us New Life: unimaginable forgiveness, undeserved mercy, unfathomable grace. If we come to You with anything else, at least in the beginning, You just wait... wait for us to awaken. May we not be asleep this night. Amen. SERVICE OF ASHES If you have sorrow, unfinished business with God, things you need to change, vows to make about amends that you owe come to the ashes. But let your only sorrow be for life lived apart from Jesus for life that does not remember or include the Holy Spirit. Remember that you are created a true child of God s. Remember that you are created in the glory of God. BRUCE VAN BLAIR 2014 All rights reserved. PAGE 9 OF 9
DEPRAVITY. BRUCE VAN BLAIR 2011 All rights reserved. PAGE 1 OF 6
Romans 3:19-28 Ash Wednesday Perhaps the most frequent mockery of Calvin, and hence of Puritans (our spiritual forebears), is aimed toward the teachings and sayings that might be lumped together under
More informationDEPRAVITY. BRUCE VAN BLAIR 2011 All rights reserved. PAGE 1 OF 6
Romans 3:19-28 Ash Wednesday DEPRAVITY Perhaps the most frequent mockery of Calvin, and hence of Puritans (our spiritual forebears), is aimed toward the teachings and sayings that might be lumped together
More informationFebruary 28, 2016 Acts 10:44-48 John 17:13-23 EUCLID & JESUS
February 28, 2016 Acts 10:44-48 John 17:13-23 EUCLID & JESUS Unity: How we long for it. How seldom we see and experience it. And when we do, how long does it last? Do you have any friends who think religion
More informationTHE FORGIVENESS BUSINESS FOR LOVE
October 15, 2017 Luke 7:36-50 THE FORGIVENESS BUSINESS FOR LOVE We are not in the morals business. We are not in the judgment business. We are in the forgiveness business. At least if we are into the Christian
More informationASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE
CALL TO WORSHIP ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE We pay a price for every single thing we do. In every decision we make, we decide to use our time and life in one way... instead of in another. And all the friends
More informationOctober 23, 2016 Matthew 6:7-15; 10:5-7 Luke 10:8-9 THY KINGDOM COME
October 23, 2016 Matthew 6:7-15; 10:5-7 Luke 10:8-9 THY KINGDOM COME It is no surprise to the thoughtful that the Lord s Prayer is packed and loaded that every phrase carries the awareness of the power
More informationGIFTS FOR THE ALTAR. Romans 12
Romans 12 GIFTS FOR THE ALTAR It is a broken world, but grace abounds. Many of you have been going through trials, but grace abounds. Many people find this church this faith family a source of light and
More informationUNLOVED. Isaiah 9:2-7 John 1:6-17
Isaiah 9:2-7 John 1:6-17 UNLOVED Have any of you ever walked in darkness? They say that people who have never walked in darkness have very little use for Christmas at least the real one. I wonder if that
More informationLABORERS IN THE VINEYARD
July 15, 2018 Matthew 20:1-16 LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD The Kingdom of Heaven is like... What does this phrase mean to us? A number of parables begin with this phrase, or something close to it. Does that
More informationMarch 1, 2015 Romans 8:1-28 ENEMIES OF PRAYER
March 1, 2015 Romans 8:1-28 ENEMIES OF PRAYER There are little enemies of prayer, like distraction or feeling unworthy or being undisciplined. They can do as much damage to our relationship with God as
More informationJACOB AND ESAU. Jacob and Esau
Genesis 32:22-33:11 Jacob and Esau Children s Story JACOB AND ESAU Have any of you ever wished you had a twin brother or sister? I used to wish that so hard. I kept thinking how much fun it would be if
More informationApril 30, 2017 John 15:1-17 STRANGERS TO LOVE
April 30, 2017 John 15:1-17 STRANGERS TO LOVE If I were a visitor sitting in the congregation this morning, this sermon title might worry me just a little bit. I might wonder if the minister was about
More informationFAITHFUL OVER A LITTLE
Matthew 25:19-46 FAITHFUL OVER A LITTLE The concept and the reality of love always leave me baffled, humble, and awestruck. I hope you feel the same way about it. Some people get that same kind of feeling
More informationFrom A YEAR TO REMEMBER Matthew 20:17-21:16 Series on The Lord s Prayer THY KINGDOM COME
From A YEAR TO REMEMBER Matthew 20:17-21:16 Series on The Lord s Prayer THY KINGDOM COME The closer we get to truth, the more difficult it is to keep it clear, to stay focused, to remember, to build it
More informationKNOWING BEFORE WE KNOW
Matthew 28:1-20 Easter Sunrise KNOWING BEFORE WE KNOW It s Easter, and I would like to talk about your resurrection, and mine. I would like to talk about death, and dying your way into LIFE. Something
More informationJanuary 10, 2016 Romans 8:1-11 NO CONDEMNATION
January 10, 2016 Romans 8:1-11 NO CONDEMNATION We pause for station identification. This early in 2016, it might be a good thing to stop for a moment and try to get our bearings, don t you think? Lots
More informationSeptember 11, 2016 Romans 3:21-28; 4:18-25 JUSTIFICATION
September 11, 2016 Romans 3:21-28; 4:18-25 PART OF AN ONGOING SERIES ON Galatians 2:17-21 BIG WORDS (SMALL UNDERSTANDING) JUSTIFICATION Before we start talking about justification by faith (one of our
More informationDID WE EXPECT TO LIVE THIS LONG?
December 31, 2017 Acts 1:1-11 John 21:1-22 DID WE EXPECT TO LIVE THIS LONG? Are we there yet, Daddy? No, you have to be patient. We will be there soon, but it won t seem like it to you, so settle down
More informationWHERE DOES LOVE COME FROM?
May 21, 2017 I John 4:7-21 WHERE DOES LOVE COME FROM? Maybe if we get the big stuff out of the way, we can relax and have a real conversation. WHERE DOES LOVE COME FROM? Everybody here knows that love
More informationOctober 16, 2011 Ephesians 2:1-10 THE BALANCING ACT
October 16, 2011 Ephesians 2:1-10 THE BALANCING ACT Seeing the sermon title, you are no doubt thinking about the various ways in which it is difficult to keep all the responsibilities, tasks, and calendar
More informationThe way I relate to the
by Wayne Jacobsen WHY I DON T GO TO CHURCH ANYMORE IS CHURCH SOMETHING WE ARE OR SOMEPLACE WE GO? The way I relate to the church is a bit unconventional and some even call it dangerous. Believe me, I understand
More informationBASIC DISCIPLINES OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
September 21, 2014 Luke 11:1-10 BASIC DISCIPLINES OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE G.K. Chesterton once commented: The Christian Life has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.
More informationFrom A YEAR TO REMEMBER Ecclesiastes 4:1-6 Series on The Seven Deadly Sins Matthew 27:15-18 I Thessalonians 5:16-18 Luke 17:11-19 ENVY
From A YEAR TO REMEMBER Ecclesiastes 4:1-6 Series on The Seven Deadly Sins Matthew 27:15-18 I Thessalonians 5:16-18 Luke 17:11-19 PRIDE ENVY ENVY ANGER FAITH SLOTH HOPE GREED GENEROSITY GLUTTONY TEMPERANCE
More informationAugust 17, 2014 Mark 9:1-13 THE TRANSCENDENT MOMENT
August 17, 2014 Mark 9:1-13 A strange scene in a strange passage. Four men on a mountain or was it six? A mysterious, mystical experience. But what actually happened? Nothing we can put our finger on.
More informationDELIVERANCE. Passover
Exodus 10:14 Passover DELIVERANCE Children s Story Today we tell a story about slavery, and how some people lord it over others. It is a story about being afraid so afraid we would rather stay slaves than
More informationTHE SOWER Look But See Nothing
April 7, 2013 Luke 8:4-18 THE SOWER Look But See Nothing Three times already people have mentioned in my hearing that Easter is over. I didn t say a word, even though that grates on my ears. For us Easter
More informationDo you have a TV show you don t want to admit you watch? I do, it s. called Scandal. Sometimes after watching it I say to myself well there s an hour
1 File: 2 Samuel 12:1-13 Nathan and David Dear Friends in Christ, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, Amen! Do you have a TV show you don t want to admit you
More informationSend Us Your Light: The Listening
Christmas Eve Morning December 24, 2016 Ellis White, Pastoral Intern Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church Send Us Your Light: The Listening Luke 2:25-35 Good morning and welcome to Chapel Hill, especially if
More informationA SEARCHING AND FEARLESS INVENTORY. Step Four Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Fourth Sunday in Lent Luke 4:1-13; 6:37-45 I Corinthians 11:23-32 A SEARCHING AND FEARLESS INVENTORY Step Four Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. This is one of those steps that
More informationENEMIES OF PRAYER. Romans 8:1-28
Romans 8:1-28 ENEMIES OF PRAYER There are little enemies of prayer, like distraction, or feeling unworthy, or being undisciplined. They can do as much damage to our relationship with God as the big enemies,
More informationDAMNATION. Matthew 22:1-14
Matthew 22:1-14 DAMNATION The Resurrection means that instead of getting up every morning and doing the best we can, we get up every morning and remember: He is risen! He is here with us. We are not alone.
More informationTHREE THINGS I BELIEVE MORE AND MORE
John 3:1-17 THREE THINGS I BELIEVE MORE AND MORE There are three things that I believe more and more as the years go by: 1.) That God, who is revealed most in Jesus of Nazareth, loves us and that this
More informationGABBATHA BEFORE GOLGOTHA
John 19:12-22 Good Friday GABBATHA BEFORE GOLGOTHA Back in 1961, long before anyone had dreamed of actually producing popular religious musicals for the general public like Jesus Christ Superstar or Godspell
More informationHARMONY IN THE CHURCH
HARMONY IN THE CHURCH Students of the Word of God understand that the Old Testament has a very important role in helping us understand how God works and what kind of people He wants his children to be.
More informationDear Servants of Christ, Grace to you and Peace from Jesus Christ our. oil. So he went out and bought some tools to do the job figuring they d pay for
1 File: Advent 2C 2018 Luke 3:1-6 Dear Servants of Christ, Grace to you and Peace from Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, Amen! There was a guy who got tired of paying the folks at Jiffy Lube to change
More informationTHE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND JESUS
John 15:1-11 THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND JESUS In many generations, this passage has been of great comfort to the faithful. No matter what their suffering or hardship, Christians were reassured that good
More informationIS CHRISTIANITY STILL ABOUT A CROSS?
March 22, 2015 Galatians 2:20; 6:11-16 I Corinthians 1:13; 2:2 Romans 6:16 IS CHRISTIANITY STILL ABOUT A CROSS? Paul once commented to the Corinthians that he had decided to know nothing among them except
More informationPETER AND CORNELIUS. Peter and Cornelius
Acts 10 Peter and Cornelius Children s Story PETER AND CORNELIUS You know something about a man named Jesus, right? And I hope you go on learning more about Him all your life. But Jesus also had some interesting
More informationJoseph, Part 2 of 2: From Egypt to the Promised Land
1 Joseph, Part 2 of 2: From Egypt to the Promised Land by Joelee Chamberlain Another time I was telling you about Joseph, the son of Jacob, wasn' t I? But the Bible tells us so much about Joseph that I
More informationApril 13, 2017 I Corinthians 6:12-20; 7:20-23 Maundy Thursday BOUGHT WITH A PRICE
April 13, 2017 I Corinthians 6:12-20; 7:20-23 Maundy Thursday Getting started: I would remind you that slave markets were a common reality in the Roman world. Wherever Paul traveled, in any city or town
More informationStep 1 Pick an unwanted emotion. Step 2 Identify the thoughts behind your unwanted emotion
Step 1 Pick an unwanted emotion Pick an emotion you don t want to have anymore. You should pick an emotion that is specific to a certain time, situation, or circumstance. You may want to lose your anger
More informationDOES GOD CARE ABOUT BROTHERLY LOVE?
February 21, 2016 Genesis 17:15-20; 21:9-21 How are we doing? This is a familiar question, and we give lots of serious and lots of less-than-genuine answers to this question. The truth is, we have no clear
More informationOctober 25, 2015 Ephesians 1:1-14 THE NEW ECCLESIA
October 25, 2015 Ephesians 1:1-14 THE NEW ECCLESIA Most churches tell their members what to do, what to think, what to believe. It is always tempting, but we are not that kind of church. You can usually
More informationKindergarten-2nd. February 22-23, The Prodigal Son. Luke 15:11-32 Adventure Bible for Early Readers (p. 1151) God Loves Us No Matter What
Kindergarten-2nd February 22-23, 2014 Luke 15:11-32 Adventure Bible for Early Readers (p. 1151) Connect Time (15 minutes): Five minutes after the service begins, split kids into groups and begin their
More informationTHE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS
Matthew 18:15-18; Luke 17:1-4; Acts 5:27-32; James 5:13-20 THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS Through this series of sermons, we have been looking at various principles and considering the different layers of
More informationTHE RESURGENCE OF NURTURE
I Thessalonians 1:1-2:8 THE RESURGENCE OF NURTURE The Scripture passage we read this morning is wonderful. It is wonderful because it is plain and down-to-earth. It speaks of the Christian Life and Faith
More informationPRACTICING WHAT JESUS PREACHED THOUGH HE DIDN T
January 22, 2012 Matthew 23:1-36 PRACTICING WHAT JESUS PREACHED THOUGH HE DIDN T I love this passage. What we are seeing is the anger of a Healer the passion and compassion of a Healer. (More about that
More informationPRINCE OF PEACE. Matthew 10:16-39
Matthew 10:16-39 PRINCE OF PEACE So now we get this new year. If this were the last year you ever got to live on earth, who would you want to live it for? Who would you want to dedicate it to? Let me hasten
More informationGOD S STORY. Does the story of the ten commandments have the power to inspire and shape my life? How does this story connect to my story?
GOD S STORY DEuteronomy 5:1-21, 6:4-9 10/11/15 The Israelites considered the law precious, a sign of God s love for them. No other god had given such clear and wise instruction for living. But as soon
More informationA THIEF IN THE NIGHT
Matthew 24:29-44 Luke 12:39 I Thessalonians 5:02 II Peter 23:10 Revelation 3:03; 6:15 A THIEF IN THE NIGHT Welcome to the Advent Season. Thirty-one days to the new year. Twenty-four shopping days until
More informationDECEMBER 1 ST GOD S PLAN FOR CHRISTMAS
Thank you for following the link to the answer sheet for A Jesus Christmas. The answers for this family devotional are below. If you want to have more copies of this sheet, you can download the pdf from
More informationSEEING THE UNSEEN GOD SERIES: LEARNING TO LIVE BY FAITH By Steve Zeisler
SEEING THE UNSEEN GOD SERIES: LEARNING TO LIVE BY FAITH By Steve Zeisler The quality of human life has been bolstered by the discovery of bacteria. Boiling water and washing food have done an immeasurable
More informationMay 17, 2015 Matthew 4:18-25 John 8:12 FOLLOWERS OF JESUS
May 17, 2015 Matthew 4:18-25 John 8:12 FOLLOWERS OF JESUS Are you a Follower of Jesus? Am I? It is one of the most important and far-reaching concepts in all of Christendom. It brings me up short over
More informationYou ll notice at the top of your bulletin, underneath where it says 1 st Sunday in Lent, I
Turning Toward Something Different Mark 1:9-15 February 18, 2018 First Sunday in Lent Leslie A. Klingensmith You ll notice at the top of your bulletin, underneath where it says 1 st Sunday in Lent, I have
More informationHIS MOTHER AND HIS BROTHERS
August 16, 2015 Luke 8:19-21; Mark 3:31-35; 6:1-6 Matthew 13:53-58; 10:34-30 (Mark 3:20-21; John 7:5) HIS MOTHER AND HIS BROTHERS When I was a boy, it was so long ago that children were supposed to be
More informationFools Claiming to be Wise! Scripture: Romans 1:18-32"
1 Fools Claiming to be Wise! Scripture: Romans 1:18-32 Introduction! So far in Romans chapter one, we have read about Paul s call and passion to share the Gospel with the world. We have seen Paul s description
More informationSeries 1986, SE Edition 2001 Lesson 16 Hell
GREAT DOCTRINES OF THE BIBLE (Special English Edition) Prepared by William S.H. Piper, D.D. For Rogma International, Inc. Copyright 1989 by Rogma International, Inc. All rights reserved. HELL INTRODUCTION
More informationOvercome The Struggle With
Overcome The Struggle With Temptation Evil Desire Lust Introduction We can't judge anybody. We can't judge them for being worse than us and saying that: you know there were worse sinners just because we
More informationTwo Sons and A Father. February 22-23, Luke 15:11-32 The Adventure Bible (p. 1148) God is A Loving Father
rd 3 5 February 22-23, 2014 Luke 15:11-32 The Adventure Bible (p. 1148) Connect Time (15 minutes): Five minutes after the service begins, split kids into groups and begin their activity. Large Group (30
More informationFirst Presbyterian Church of Kissimmee, Florida Dr. Frank Allen, Pastor 3/16/08. Matthew 26:36-46 (NRSV)
First Presbyterian Church of Kissimmee, Florida Dr. Frank Allen, Pastor 3/16/08 Matthew 26:36-46 (NRSV) Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while
More informationTRIED TO CARRY THIS MESSAGE
Matthew 28:18-20 Mark 16:9-20 Acts 22:6-21 TRIED TO CARRY THIS MESSAGE Step Twelve A Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics [sinners],
More informationIntroduction. We return again this morning to chapter three of Acts where we are given a sign and a sermon.
A SIGN AND A SERMON. Rev. Robert T. Woodyard First Christian Reformed Church August 12, 2018, 10:30 AM Scripture Texts: Acts 3:11-26 Introduction. We return again this morning to chapter three of Acts
More information"Was I speeding? I m sorry, officer. Without my glasses, I can hardly see the speedometer."
Excuses February 2, 2014 I thought it would be a good way to start this sermon to read you some funny excuses. So I went online to look. I found lots of excuses, most of which claimed to be genuine excuses
More information1 of 7.
WEEK OF NOVE MBER 27 He wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph! Is my father still alive? (Genesis 45:2 3a). DEVOTIONAL
More informationConfirming Our Covenant with God. Deuteronomy 8: 7-18
Confirming Our Covenant with God Deuteronomy 8: 7-18 I have come to hold a deeper appreciation for the book of Deuteronomy as I have continued to walk along my faith journey. Not only does it contain some
More informationIn Spirit and Truth John 4:16-26 Sermon Pastor Joe Davis Union Baptist Church July 22, 2018
In Spirit and Truth John 4:16-26 Sermon Pastor Joe Davis Union Baptist Church July 22, 2018 I. INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT Turn with me in your Bibles, if you would, to John chapter 4. We ll be studying verses
More informationJuly 15, 2012 Luke 17:11-21 THE LEPER WITHIN
July 15, 2012 Luke 17:11-21 A couple of friends from Connecticut decided to spend some of their vacation together, and they chose to go to a dude ranch in Wyoming called Where the Buffalo Roam. They both
More information1. The Big Fight is coming! Pharaoh opposes God (5:1 18)
You know when there s a major heavyweight boxing match. A few days before the actually fight there s always a press conference. The whole point of the press conference is to hype up the atmosphere. You
More informationTHE FATHERS ARE BACK
Jeremiah 35 THE FATHERS ARE BACK It s Father s Day. Let s start out with the big picture. We are each born into this world. Somewhere between eleven and fourteen years of age, most of us realize that we
More informationBut when Cephas (which would be Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. (*NASB, Galatians 2:11)
September 21/22, 2013 Why Did Jesus Die? A Study of the Epistle of Galatians Galatians 2:11-21 Pastor Bryan Clark One of the big problems when we talk about legalism is: it s so easy to see it in others
More informationWhat R U Up 2? February 18, 2018 Title: Come Up Scripture: Genesis 9:8-17 Mark 1:9-15
Wesley United Methodist Church Rev. Beverly E Stenmark What R U Up 2? February 18, 2018 Title: Come Up Scripture: Genesis 9:8-17 Mark 1:9-15 You are God s much-loved child and God is pleased with you.
More informationPreaching has its hazards. One of them is talking too much. about yourself. I m afraid I ll be walking pretty close to that line
Thanksgiving Sunday, 11/23/2014, Greeneville, Tennessee 1 Preaching has its hazards. One of them is talking too much about yourself. I m afraid I ll be walking pretty close to that line today. So please
More informationYOUR ADVERSARY. I Peter 4:12-5:11
I Peter 4:12-5:11 YOUR ADVERSARY I.) YOUR ADVERSARY I wonder how many people here this morning actually believe they have an adversary. Some of you have lived lives of such quiet competence, or have been
More informationGalaxy Express Vacation Bible School Pamphlet for the Main Lessons
Galaxy Express Vacation Bible School Pamphlet for the Main Lessons Navigation Panel General Overview Call out to God! Birth of Moses GREAT Every time the students hear Call out to God during the lesson,
More informationPOWERLESS. Step One We admitted we were powerless over alcohol [sin] that our lives had become unmanageable.
First Sunday in Lent Matthew 5:1-16 POWERLESS Step One We admitted we were powerless over alcohol [sin] that our lives had become unmanageable. Most of you are not in AA. I am aware that it may annoy you
More informationFrom and In - but not - Of the World
From and In - but not - Of the World A Christian In Relationship To The World Again, we appreciate everyone being here this morning, and glad to have this opportunity to meet together to sing, to pray,
More informationBIBLE RADIO PRODUCTIONS
BIBLE RADIO PRODUCTIONS www.bibleradio.org.au BIBLE ADVENTURES SCRIPT: A1932 ~ Job Tried and True. Welcome to Bible Adventures. Help for today. Hope for tomorrow. Jesus is Lord of all. The Bible book of
More informationHELPING PEOPLE. Luke 4:1-13
Luke 4:1-13 A YEAR TO REMEMBER WEEK TWENTY-SIX HELPING PEOPLE I have been trying to recall and count up all the people I have run into in my lifetime who do not believe in helping other people. So far
More informationSUDDENLY A JOURNEY. Christmas is about new things coming into your life about you becoming new because of it.
Luke 2:1-7, 15-16 SUDDENLY A JOURNEY Christmas is about new things coming into your life about you becoming new because of it. One of our parishioners had been praying fervently for months that God would
More informationMoses and the Nation of Israel
Moses and the Nation of Israel Moses and the Nation of Israel I n Lesson 3, we saw that Jacob wrestled with God and that his name was changed to Israel. We saw how one of Jacob s sons, Joseph, was thrown
More informationDecember 9, 2012 Luke 2:1-7 Second Sunday in Advent THE FUGITIVE
December 9, 2012 Luke 2:1-7 Second Sunday in Advent THE FUGITIVE From time to time, we need to take a journey into the dark side of Christmas. The reason is simple: If we do not know the darkness, we do
More informationFORERUNNER CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP MIKE BICKLE Transcript: 7/09/06. Understanding Our Spiritual Identity in Christ
Transcript: 7/09/06 INTRODUCTION We re going to talk about understanding spiritual identity in Christ. This is a very fundamental and simple message. For those of you for whom this is new information,
More informationJESUS & MOSES. Exodus 12:1-30
Exodus 12:1-30 JESUS & MOSES We will go all the way back to Abraham next week. Today I call you to contemplate the effect the impact of the life of Moses on the boy Jesus. Abraham is the Father of Faith
More informationGod s Truth for You! 1. How can I know if I love Jesus? 2. Does God want me to be happy? 3. Does God still love me even when I do something bad?
God s Truth for You! Part of growing as a Christian means opening up God s Word and learning His truth. Of course, even if you have grown up in a Christian home with your own Bible, you may find that you
More informationMoses part 4 The Lord gives Moses a staff to perform miracles by Victor Torres
Moses part 4 The Lord gives Moses a staff to perform miracles by Victor Torres We are like sheep, and Jesus Christ is our shepherd who guides us and protects us. Without Him, we will all naturally stray
More informationC h a p t e r 3 G O D i s L O V E LoveIsOxygen.indd 25 6/26/ :57:00 AM
Chapter 3 G O D is L O V E You might be thinking, Okay, Jarrid, it s great that God loves you. And it s great that you had this life-changing experience. But I haven t had that experience. How do I know
More informationCome to the Table of Forgiveness - Let s begin by saying the Lord s Prayer.
Come to the Table of Forgiveness - Let s begin by saying the Lord s Prayer. We all know that the Bible says we should forgive our enemies. But when someone keeps on hurting you, when someone keeps on playing
More informationLight from the Lectionary A Lent Bible Study (Year A) Based on the readings from the Revised Common Lectionary
Light from the Lectionary A Lent Bible Study (Year A) Based on the readings from the Revised Common Lectionary Student Book Created by Bass Mitchell Pastor.bass@gmail.com 1 llight FROM THE LECTIONARY First
More informationAllen Pruitt. It s always bad news when somebody runs up to you and starts out with, Everything s ok. Don t worry!
1 of 6 Allen Pruitt It s always bad news when somebody runs up to you and starts out with, Everything s ok. Don t worry! The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, Do not be afraid, Abram. Uh oh.
More informationMay 31, 2015 Ephesians 2:1-10
May 31, 2015 Ephesians 2:1-10 SCRIPTURE READING You once were dead because of your sins and wickedness; you followed the ways of this present world order, obeying the commander of the spiritual powers
More informationFORGIVE US. Luke 11:1-4; 7:47b Matthew 18:23-35
Luke 11:1-4; 7:47b Matthew 18:23-35 A YEAR TO REMEMBER WEEK TWELVE FORGIVE US The next-to-last petition in the Lord s Prayer is about forgiveness. And forgive us our sins, for we too forgive all who have
More informationWhere God Guides, He Provides! (Exodus 12:33-36)
1 Where God Guides, He Provides! (Exodus 12:33-36) The Book of Exodus tells the history of the Israelites escaping their Egyptian slavery. The Exodus tells how the Egyptians suffered ten plagues after
More informationWho Thrives in the Kingdom of God? (Part 1) Matthew 5:1-6
Who Thrives in the Kingdom of God? (Part 1) Matthew 5:1-6 This morning we begin to wade out into the deep waters of the Sermon on the Mount (SoM) as recorded in Matthew 5, 6 and 7. John Stott comments
More informationMETRO CORE SESSION #15 THE HOLY SPIRIT: THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT February 26, 2014 Greg Cahalan & Jeremy Schossau
1 to express the power of His supernatural love THROUGH us! Acts 1:8: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
More informationCan you not stay awake with me one hour?
A Sermon Preached by the Rev. Sean Lanigan Ash Wednesday~February 14, 2018 Isaiah 58:1-12 Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house
More informationNo Fooling GPPC Psalm 14, Ephesians 3: Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts recently complained about
No Fooling GPPC 7-29-18 Psalm 14, Ephesians 3:14-21 1 Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts recently complained about people who, though they share many of his views about the great issues of the day, also
More informationBible Teachings Series. A self-study course about God s greatest plan. God s Plan for the World
Bible Teachings Series A self-study course about God s greatest plan God s Plan for the World God s Plan for the World A self-study course about God s greatest plan Original text produced by the Institutional
More informationDaily Bible Reading. What?
What? Daily Bible Reading Sometimes we find it hard to read the Bible, don t we? At church we hear it all the time: read the Bible more. But how? Some of the devotionals on offer seem to have less Bible
More informationHow Long Must I Cry for Help? Habakkuk 1: 1-4; 2-1-5
How Long Must I Cry for Help? Habakkuk 1: 1-4; 2-1-5 I will tell you this is probably the first time that I have ever preached on Habakkuk. I m not sure if I ever really knew where he was in our Bible
More informationAnd then Jesus emerges as a man with a mission, The time is now, the Kingdom of God is upon us, repent and believe!
Mark 1:9-13 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending
More information