New Beginnings!

 2^nd Sunday of Easter!

 Introduction:

A.   In many ways, Easter is about a new beginning!

1.   It was a new beginning for the disciples; they

would have to figure out what all this meant and

how to go on without the Earthly Jesus.

2.   It is a new beginning for all of us as it is all

about forgiveness and a new start.

 

B.   Some of us truly need a new beginning.

 

C.   This morning, if we will listen to this scripture closely, it will challenge us to learn from the past,  put it behind, and launch out into the future!

 

                            Prayer

                      Read Phil. 3:10-15a

 

I.   Paul's Comment on the Past and the Future.

A.   He certainly had a past that could have caused him to throw away his future.

 

B.   In Acts, we read of Paul as a young, up and coming Jew who hated Christians with a passion.

 

1.   In Acts 8:1, we read that . . ."Saul was there,  giving approval to his death," speaking of   Stephen’s death.  Saul is Paul!

 

2.   In Acts 9, we read that Saul was on his way to Damascus with letters permitting him to take  prisoner any man or woman who confessed Christ.

 

C.   As he wrote to these Christians at Philippi, he is  reminding them that, yes, we must learn from the past,  but we must never let the past keep us from living for Christ in the present and the future.

 

D.   Paul tells them to press on and to strain toward the  goal of Christian living.

 

E.   Ready to launch out into the future as individuals and

as a church?  We need to heed Paul's message about

"New Beginnings."

II.  We Must Remember and Learn from the Past.

 

A.   It is said that, "only a fool forgets his/her past."

1.   It is obvious that some people completely forget

     the mistakes they make because they make the same

     ones over and over.

 

2.   We need to review the past once in a while, not

     to drag up old linen, or to open old wounds, but

     to remember the lessons life teaches us.

 

B.   As a church, we need to remember the past years and

     its lessons.

1.   We should know by now that God has a mission for

     us.

     a.   We’ve seen some good things happen in the  past 4 years.

 

     b.   14 people have joined the church; most of

these were new to the church. Some have

already moved on. Thus it is in the life of

the church.

 

     c.   Others have taken on leadership positions in

the church!

 

              d.   Others have come into the church and

consider this their church; although, they

have not joined.  Many of these are taking

an active part and serving among us!

 

              e.   Look around and think about those who were

not here 4 years ago! God has blessed us

greatly!

 

2.   We should know by now that when we have a need,  God is going to meet that need if we are willing to do our part.

 

3.   We should know by now that any problem, big or  small, can be worked out if we are willing to put the mission of the church and the kingdom of God  above our own feelings and desires.

 

4.   We should know by now that reaching out and  touching lives for Christ is worth all the   headaches and work involved.

III. But . . . We Must Not Live in the Past, but Press on to the Future.

 

A.   As individuals, this is the good news:  "God forgives our sins, and puts them in the past."

1.   Whatever we may have been is not important; what we can be with Christ is important!

 

2.   Like Paul, God looks at us NOW.

 

3.   Like Paul, we can become people who can make a  difference in this world, Now!

 

4.   As Christians, this is the time for us to put the  past mistakes away and begin to grow up in Christ!

a.      We need to start to discipline our lives, Now!

 

b.   We need to study, attend church or better  yet, participate in the church, Now!

 

c.   We need to honestly ask God to help us

     change our bad habits and attitudes, Now!

 

B.   As a church, this is the time for you to anticipate  the doors that will open in the future.

1.   Those people who will walk through these doors

     looking for a new church.

 

2.   Those people who you will invite and they come.

 

3.   Those who will be confirmed, baptized, or

reaffirm their baptisms!

 

4.   Those who will move to Forsyth in retirement and

find a church here to serve God the rest of their

years!

 

5.   Those who will become involved or come into the  church through small groups.

 

6.   Those of your families who you will reach.

 

7.   Those who will begin to grow and really enjoy  living for Christ.

 

C.   The tendency is for us to become content and bask in the glory of past accomplishments, but we must be  thankful past victories, and then, put them all behind us and get ready to REACH, TEACH, AND MINISTER to the people who need us in the future.

 

     1.   We can’t become satisfied!

 

     2.   There are still people to reach!

 

D.   We must ask ourselves how we can do that?

     1.   What changes do we need to make?  What is

working? What is not?

 

     2.   Then launch out into the future.

 

     3.   It has been said that only a fool will keep doing  the same thing and expect different results.

 

E.   There is also the possibility of letting yesterday’s

past failures defeat us and cause us to give up and

say we can’t do it!

 

1.   That is what Satan would have us do!

2.   But as Easter people, we have a new beginning!

Things can be better!  Past failures do not have

to be the reality of the future!

          3.   Paul says, “forgetting what lies behind and

straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on

toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly

call of God in Christ Jesus.”

a.   We need to learn the lessons from the past

but forget those that hold us back!

              b.   We need to press on toward the call of God

in the future that the resurrection gives

us!

              c.   If we do, the sky is the limit!

 

Conclusion:

A.   If we have let yesterday's failures haunt us and keep

     us from growing in the Lord, Today is our chance for a  NEW BEGINNING.

 

B.   If we have never become a Christian, today is our chance to come and make a NEW BEGINNING.

 

 

C.   God has placed a wonderful future in front of us; it

     is up to us to come and accept God's love and find our

     NEW BEGINNING!  Won't you come to God this morning as

we encounter Christ at the table? If you make a first

time commitment, let me know so I can help you with

your new walk in Christ!

 

D.   If we claim God’s new beginning, the best is yet to  come for us as individuals and as a church!  Thanks be to God!

 

                      Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

 

 

"Victory Over Death!"

 Easter Sunday!                    

Introduction:

     A.   Today we begin the celebration of the Resurrection!

 

     B.   I would like to look at one of the results or outcomes

of the resurrection!

 

     Trans.

Because of the resurrection, we have “Victory over

Death!”

                            Prayer

Luke 24:1-12

                     I Cor. 15:20-21, 50-58

 

I.   When did death come into the world?  vs. 21

 

A.      Whether we believe Gen. 1-11 to be historic (an actual

account of the beginning of the world (Fiat Creationism) or a parable teaching some things about

our relationship with God (maybe Theological Evolution for the creation)), we see in Genesis an explanation for the human condition.  We see several theological truths about why things are as they are:

 

          1.   God did it!

          2.   Humankind is the Crown of God's Creation.

          3.   People were made with a choice and chose to sin.

          4.   The penalty was set for disobedience to God even                 before people chose to sin: death.  Gen. 2:17.

          5.   People chose to sin!  Gen. 3:6

          6.   God pronounced the sentence that people had                      chosen (Gen. 3:19).

 

     B.   Because of this, all people will die! 

 

          1.   People who are close to us will die.

          2.   We will die.

          3.   It is a fact of life as we know it.

              "And just as it is appointed for mortals to die                  once, and after that the judgement, so Christ,                   having been offered once to bear the sins of                    many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him."           (Heb. 9:27-28 NRSV)

 

     C.   This death is not only physical but also spiritual:              Eternal separation from God and all that's good!

 

II.  Physical Death & Sickness are a consequence of people's     choice for sin from the beginning; Death & Sickness are not   punishment for our individual sins!

 

     A.   Death and sickness can be a consequence of our                   individual sins or someone else's! Death can be                  rushed along by how we live or how someone else lives!

 

          1.   examples:

              a.   If we drive drunk or do drugs, it could                         speed our own death or someone else's!

              b.   Terrorism!

 

          2.   Death is not always God's will, but God can help                 us through it!

              a.   Please hear this!

              b.   When someone is killed in a tragic car wreck

because they were hit by a drunk driver, it

is not God’s will! Please do not tell

someone, “Oh, it was just God’s will!”

              c.   We will all die, but because of Free will,

we can influence when that will happen for

ourselves and others!

              d.   But God is always in the business of helping

us to pick up the broken pieces! Point

people to a God who wants to do that for

them!

 

     B.   Physical death and sickness as a whole are not                   controlled by how good we live; in this life, no                 matter how good we live we will still have sickness and eventually die.

 

1.      The only human who has ever lived a sinless life since the death sentence was pronounced was Jesus Christ, and Christ still had to pay the consequences for people's choice to sin!  Think about it!

 

2.      What makes us think if we live good enough we won't get sick and die?

 

 

 

a.   I once had a conversation with a man who was

arguing that if you got sick and prayed for

healing, you would be healed, and if you

were not, it was because you had sin in your

life or a lack of faith!

              b.   That is just not true.  Sometimes, you will

be healed; sometimes, you will not be healed

in this life!      

              c.   Good, faithful people die every day!  They

do not need to die feeling defeated because

they weren’t good enough to be healed!

              d.   It is appointed onto people once to die ….

 

III. Through Christ's death, we can have "Victory Over Death!"

 

     A.   Victory over death could not be attained by humans               (vs. 50).

 

     B.   But we can have victory through Christ (vs. 57);                 Christ won the victory over death.  The grave could              not hold him!

 

     C.   Because Christ lives, we can live too!  All we have to           do is trust in what God has done through Christ.

 

     D.   Sin brings Death - Christ brings life!

 

     E.   We will live again in a place where there will be no             more death and pain.  Read Rev. 21:1-8.  That is the             Victory!.

     F.   Christ has taken the sting out of death for the

Christian!

 

Conclusion:

     A.   It never was God's will that people die!

          1.   Let that one sink in!  That is another thing we

get from the Genesis accounts of the beginnings;

death did not come into the picture until people

chose sin.

          2.   Not necessarily our own sin, but all of

humanities tendency and choice to sin!

          3.   Since those early beginnings, we chose to not

follow God’s will!

          4.   As a result, the death sentence was pronounced!

          5.   Tell this to your friends instead of “Oh, it was

just God’s will that your love one die!”

 

     B.   God’s answer to people's choice for sin and death was            Jesus Christ!

          1.   This life is not all there is. We will live

again! Relationship restored!

 

          2.   But also, we begin a new life in relationship

with God today; relationship restored! Thanks be

to God!

          3.   God desires a relationship with us!

4.   As we encounter Christ at the table today, do you

need to receive for yourself this gift of life

today because of the resurrection of Jesus

Christ?

          5.   You can!  That is the invitation, and if you do,

let me know so I can help you with your new life

in Christ!

          6.   Because of the Resurrection, we can have life!

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

 

 

Black Friday!

                                            Good Friday Service!

Introduction:

A.   Black Friday is defined as the day after Thanksgiving,

when the Christmas shopping season begins! Today is

called Good Friday!

 

     B.   For me, this day could more appropriately be called

          Black Friday!

 

A.      This is the blackest, darkest day in the Christian year.  It is the day Christ was crucified on the cross!

 

Trans.

I want to look tonight at the cross and what it stands

for!

 

                            Prayer

 

                          Mark 15:1-39

 

I.   It stands for that Cross upon which Jesus was crucified.

A.   It wasn't a very pretty cross as the ones we have to symbolize it usually are!

 

B.   It was a couple crude logs or possible hewn timbers  put together not for beauty but to drop in a hole and take someone's life!

 

C.   Think about what Christ went through!

1.   He was beaten with tips of bone tied to strands of a whip (cat of 9 tails) within an inch of his life!

2.   Then marched through town carrying his cross until he fell under the load!

3.   He was spit upon, hit, mocked, etc.

4.   Spikes driven through his hands and feet.

5.   Then the cross was Adropped@ in the ground for Jesus to die.  Imagine the pain when they dropped the cross in the ground after having been nailed to it; that was part of the torture of death on a  cross!

a.   Do you know what a person dies from on the  cross?

b.   They hang there until their muscles get too tired, and they collapse down on their lungs and smother to death!

c.   When they wanted to get someone off the cross before the Sabbath day, they would brake their legs so they couldn't push up  with them and this speeded them along to                       the smothering process.

6.   We know this isn't how Jesus died though because

he died too fast.  The Roman soldier came out to

brake his legs, but he was already dead.

7.   Could Christ have died of a broken heart?

a.   I think so!

b.   He had never sinned.  Yet he took on all the filth, slime, and guilt of the world!

c.   We know what guilt and stress does for us!

It brings us to an early grave, but that's

just for us!  Isn't it?

d.   Imagine the load that Christ was carrying!

e.   He did it all because he knew in doing this

"he could" make a way for us to be restored

to God!

 

II.  What does the Cross mean to us?

A.   It means, when you feel like no one cares, look at the cross!

1.   He cares that much! This is the Good Friday Part!

2.   He proved it!

3.   Oh yes someone cares!

 

B.   It also means you can be dedicated to him because he's been there!  He knows how it is!  He can get you

through! He did it to make a difference for you!

1.   We're here to make a difference.

2.   Reach Out!

3.   "Oh yes you can change and grow!"

 

C.   It also means the cross is the best thing you can give to someone else.

1.   It's the way to get them back to God, to Heaven,

and to an abundant life!

2.   I like to put it this way!  I don't have all the answers, but I can point you to one who does!

3.   When God creates a human, God wants him/her to live for God.  This is the way the person can be  happiest; this is the way life can have meaning. If the person doesn't live for God then he/she is

lost.  Life doesn't seem to have much purpose!

4.   But the person might say, "But I can't live it; I  don't want to be a Christian if I can't live it!"

5.   The cross says, "Oh yes you can!"

 

D.   The world says:

1.   No one cares!

2.   You can't live it!

3.   You can't make a difference!

 

E.   But the Cross says, "Oh yes you can!"

 

III. What does the cross mean to us as a church?

A.   When the world says:

1.   You can't grow.

2.   You can't have unity.

3.   You can't see your loved ones brought to Christ!

 

B.   A look at the cross says, “Yes you can!!!!”

 

Conclusion:

     A.   There is victory, but that doesn=t come until Sunday!  Let=s not go to the victory to soon; let=s back up a  little bit!  Let=s ponder this awhile.

 

     B.   We have purposely toned things down a bit.  The cross  is not on the altar, the paraments and things that  remind us of Christ have been removed, they thought  Jesus was dead!

 

C.   As we continue with songs, the reproaches, and  meditation and prayer, ponder these things.