A Growing Faith!

                                              3^rd Sunday in Lent

Introduction:

A.   It is very interesting to watch young children grow.

 

B.   They are very eager to do new things and to grow.

1.   They want to be big!

2.   It seems they are afraid of nothing!

3.   If they have seen someone else do it, especially mom or dad, they are ready to try it!

4.   They may not get it right, but they will try!

 

Trans:

Today, we have the opportunity in the scriptures to watch the growth of a spiritual child in his faith.  Let's look for signs of a weak faith and signs of a strong faith as we watch this person develop in his spiritual life.

 

                            Prayer

                          John 4:46-53

 

I.   Signs of a Weak Faith.

 

A.   Demanding visible proof.

1.   This man wanted Jesus to come down so he could

     see Jesus perform this miracle!

2.   Jesus told him, "Unless you see signs and

wonders, you will not believe." (vs. 48)

3.   People with weak faith want to see proof!

a.   Thus the old saying, "Seeing is believing."

b.   But we are sometimes deceived by sight

                   because things are not always as they

appear!

c.   And sometimes when we say we have to see it

to believe, when discussing spiritual

things, we probably wouldn't believe even if

we could see.  Many in Jesus' day didn't

believe even though he was living before

their very eyes.

 

B.   Another sign of weak faith is when we are only driven to God in times of great need.

1.   This man had probably heard of Jesus before, but

he only came looking for him when he was in great

need!

2.   He had probably already tried everything else and Jesus was his last hope!

3.   This faith is better than no faith at all because it gives us a place from which to start in our spiritual life, but it is a sign of weak faith.

 

C.   Another sign of weak faith is when we pray demanding

     of God what to do; this shows a lack of our ability to trust God to do what God sees as best!

1.   This father begged Jesus to come down and heal

     his son, and when Jesus didn't immediately

     respond, he demands, "Sir, come down before my

     little boy dies!" (vs. 49)

 

2.   He didn't simply make his desires known to Jesus

     and trust that Jesus would do what was best, nor

     did he say, if it is your will, my son will live.

3.   When we grow to the place of realizing who we are in the presence of God, we realize, "Who are we to tell God what to do?"

a.   Yet we still find ourselves sometimes

                   praying, demanding, thinking we know better

what we need than God does!

b.   We need to resist this temptation!

 

D.   Finally, another sign of weak faith is impatience!

1.   Notice the impatience as he says, Sir, come down before my little boy dies."

2.   It's as if, if Jesus doesn't come down right now, it will be out of Jesus' control.

3.   His trust in Jesus was limited; thus is the trust factor behind impatience in prayer!

 

E.   Even though this man's faith was:

1.   seeking visible evidence.

2.   driven by great need.

3.   commanding.

4.   impatient.

5.   It was still within the Lord's will to heal the child!

6.   He didn't have to have a perfect faith for his request to be heard by God!

7.   As God honored his weak faith, his faith became stronger!

 

II.  Signs of a Strong Faith!

 

A.   Trust in the Word of God.

 

1.   When Christ said, "Go your son will live," the

man took Jesus at his word and departed. (vs. 50)

a.   He didn't say, "Are you sure?"

b.   Or, "Don't you need to come to my house?"

2.   We need to have this kind of faith in God's Word

given to us through the Bible!

a.   The answers to the world's problems are in the Bible.

b.   The answers to our problems are in the

     Bible.  We just need to look at how Jesus

lived    

c.   The way to God is found in the Bible. Jesus

shows us that!

d.   Guidance for our lives is found in the

     Bible. Again, look at how Jesus lived!

e.   It is precious and worthy to live by!

3.   During this Lenten journey, maybe we could make

daily Bible reading something that we add to our

practices in order to draw closer to God?

a.   Start with the gospels!

b.   I think the gospels are a good lens to read

the rest of the Bible through!

              c.   Because, after all, Jesus is our best

revelation of God!

 

B.   A readiness to receive confirmation!

1.   When the father heard of the healing of his son,  he was ready to give God the glory!

2.   He didn't say, "Well, if I'd known that, I wouldn't have had to go!"

3.   A strong faith gives credit where credit is due!

 

C.   Lastly, a sign of strong faith is willingness to  receive spiritual blessings.

1.   This man didn't just leave it at the physical; we are told that he and his household believed! (vs. 53)

2.   Too many times, when the crisis is over, we go on our way and don't give the spiritual a second  thought, but this man did not do that!

Conclusion:

A.   This man had a physical need.

 

B.   Through the process of going through this time of

need, he came to faith, and his faith grew.

 

C.   He came to trust in the Word of God; he was ready to  

     receive confirmation of what God had done; and he was willing to receive spiritual blessings.

 

D.   Can we say the same things for ourselves?

 

E.   Charles Finney, a Presbyterian minister and the father

of Modern Revivalism, once said:

 

"A State of mind that sees God in everything is   evidence of growth in grace and a thankful heart."

 

Not that God causes everything, but nevertheless, the person of growth can see God working "in everything."

 

F.   Do we need to grow in faith?

1.   Let's go to the Word of God!

2.   Let's receive the spiritual blessings of God!

3.   and Let's give God the credit!

 

                             Amen

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

 

Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem!

 2nd Sunday in Lent!

 

Introduction:                                                            

A.        Sometimes perhaps we get to wondering if Jesus really cared for the Pharisees and Jerusalem!

 B.        Sometimes, it seems, he talks to them almost cruel!

 Trans:

Today, on this 2^nd Sunday in Lent, our text shows us not only how

Jesus felt about the Pharisees and the Hebrew people, but it also gives

us a glimpse of how God feels about us.

 

Prayer

Luke 13:31-35

text vs. 34

 

I.          A look at the scripture!  How did Jesus feel? v. 34

 

A.        He felt great sorrow - he wasn't happy that time and time again

They had rejected him.

 

1.         He wasn't happy that they stood guilty before God!

2.         He knew what they needed, and he tried to tell them, but they

wouldn't listen!

 

B.        He felt great Love - No Hatred!

 

1.         He didn't hate them for what they had done to him and would

do to him.

2.         He just wanted to hug them up in his arms of Love!

 

 

C.        He felt forgiveness. Oh, how he longed to forgive them if they would

just accept it.

 

D.        He had great patience.  God had sent the prophets, and they had

Killed many of them; now, they would kill him as their rejection of him became complete.  What more could he do? Oh, how he longed to gather them up like a hen gathers her chicks! (One of the few feminine references to God or Christ!) It shows us that we do not just have to think of God in masculine terms!

 

E.         He had great foresight!  He could see where they were headed, but they wouldn't listen to him.

 

II.        What about us today?  Is Christ happy with what we are doing or is he sorrowful as he was with them?

 

A.        Just picture God looking down on us today, for after all God is!

 

1.         Would God feel great sorrow for us because we are rejecting

Jesus or would God be happy because we are living for Jesus?

2.         Christians!  Is God happy with where we are?

3.                  This is the season to realize what great lengths God has gone for us and how much God wants to forgive us; what will we do about it?

 

B.        God still is filled with that great love!  That is why God has gone to such great effort to bring us back.

 

C.        God still longs to forgive us!

 

D.        God still has great patience!  God has given us many chances, but the Bible teaches us that one day time will run out.

 

 

 

E.                 But we have today, and we have a vision of a God who waits and longs for us to come back!  (Share about God as a seeking God from the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32.)

F.                   

1.         After the prodigal son left, upon his return, the father sees

            him from afar off, he has been waiting watching and seeking!

2.         When the older brother is angry, the father goes out to plead

            and seek him to bring him back into the family!

3.         God is a seeking God, but it is up to us to respond!

 

H.        Is God sorrowful because we have never accepted Christ or maybe

we have accepted Christ but aren't really living for God, day by day? We are like the prodigal son and have drifted away?

 

1.         We want to do things our way!  We want to take the areas of

our lives and live for ourselves!

                        2.         We want to look out for number one!  We don’t really care or

love others like God would have us to!

                        3.         In short, we are failing to let God love through us!

 

I.          Is God sorrowful because we have never made a sold-out commitment

to God?  God longs to gather us . . . .

 

Conclusion:

 

A.        God has the power and the ability to turn our lives around! 

 

B.        Are we happy with our lives?  Or are we filled with guilt and lack of purpose?  We can come to Christ today!

 

C.        Maybe we profess Christianity, but we really aren't committed.  We feel torn!  We can sell out to Christ today!

 

 

 

D.        Christ longs for us to come! Christ wants to gather us in as a hen gathers her chicks! God is a seeking God! During this season of Lent, we can respond to that seeking God.  We can accept what God has already done for us in Christ.  We can come back to a God who is standing and waiting for us!  We can go deeper and yield more fully in response to God’s love for us!  We can commit to let God love through us, as we encounter Christ at the table today!

 

            Thanks be to God! 

 

            Now, I am feeling a little numb this morning with the news of US and Israel bombing Iran, searching what to say about it. I know some have expressed concerns

 

            Let me just share thoughts and a prayer that comes to us from the Council of Bishops:

            The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church issued a call for peace in the Middle East.

 

            In the letter, the Bishops call attention to the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church,             affirming the sacred worth and dignity of every person and emphasizing peaceful resolutions to             conflict. They call on United Methodists to advocate for peace, echoing the wisdom of             the prophet             Micah to "act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly." (Micah 6:8)

 

            United Methodists are called to join in this prayer:

 

            God of justice and compassion,

            we lift our voices in prayer for peace in the Middle East,

            that all hearts may turn from violence to understanding and from fear to hope.

            Guide your leaders with wisdom and courage to pursue the path of peace,

            rooted in the dignity and sacred worth of every person.

            May our prayers rise as a witness to your hope and healing for all nations.

 

            [For we pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.]

 

 

Service of Communion

Touching Jesus

 1^st Sunday in Lent!

Introduction:

 

A.   There is so much in a touch.

 

1.   A child can be sick or scared, and the touch from

a mother or father makes them feel so much

better!

 

2.   I've heard of studies being conducted where a

     baby left to itself without human touch

     eventually dies, even when all other needs are

     met!

 

3.   Today, at a "touch" we can microwave left-overs

     in about 3 minutes, or we can call long distances

     in a matter of seconds from a phone we have in

our pockets.

 

B.   This morning, as we begin Lent and begin a time of

self-examination, let's look at a "touch" in the

     Scriptures and see what was accomplished by it, and

     let's also ask ourselves, "Do we need a touch today?"

 

                            Prayer

                         Matt. 9:18-26

 

I.      Let's look at the Scriptures.

 

A.   Here, we have a woman who had been sick with

     hemorrhages for twelve years.

 

1.   She had been bleeding to some extent for twelve

years.

 

2.   She would have been weak and feeling miserable!

 

 

B.   Luke records that she had used her money for

     physicians, and they couldn't make her better.

Luke 8:43

 

C.   But she believed that if she could just touch Jesus

     she would be healed.

 

D.   She did, and she was!  (vs. 22)

 

II.    Do we have any sickness today?

 

A.   We have moral sickness!

 

1.   Many place such a low value on human life.

 

a.   In the last few years, we've had several

episodes of children killing children or

angry workers going into their workplace or

former workplace and killing innocent people

who have nothing to do with why they are

angry.

 

b.   Terrorist killings; killing the masses!

 

c.   It is on the news almost daily of someone killing someone, not necessarily because their life is threatened but just because….

 

d.   It is a lack of value of human life whether or not they agree with you!  It is a lack of love!

 

2.   People not keeping their commitments.

 

a.   Life partners not keeping their vows of  intimacy toward one another.

 

b.   People not keeping their word in business dealings.

 

 

3.   Prejudice, while improving in some places, is still alive and well.

 

a.   We have white supremist groups who try to

     hide their prejudice under a vale of

     religion.

 

b.   Gays are still beaten for who they are.

 

c.   Immigrants are being abused because they are

not from here or are different!

 

              d.   Sadly, it is even among those who call

themselves Christian!  That is not Christ-

like!

 

              e.   Christ showed us how to love all people!

 

B.   Yes, we still have physical sickness.

 

1.   Whether we live good lives or bad lives, we still  have physical sickness.

 

2.   Science has made a lot of strides in medicine,

     but we still have sickness and even death.

 

C.   Spiritual Sickness.

 

1.   The root to all the others!

 

2.   Today, as always, many people think they can do

     all right without God.

 

3.   The scripture says, "The wages of sin is

     Death...." (Rom. 6:23)  This sickness eventually

     leads to a Spiritual Death: separation from God.

 

III.  What's the answer to all this sickness?  To reach out and touch Jesus!  Jesus is the answer!

 

 

A.   If everyone would touch Christ, it would solve our

     Moral Problems!

 

1.   People would see themselves as God sees them

and change!

 

2.   People would see others with the respect and love that God has for them and treat them differently.

 

3.   The best thing we can do for our world's moral sickness is share Christ!

 

4.   Jesus was once asked what commandment is the

greatest?  His reply was “love the Lord your God

with all your heart, and with all your soul, and

with all your mind…” and “love your neighbor as

yourself. On these two commandments hang all the

law and the prophets.”  Matt. 22:35-40.

 

          5.   If we touch Jesus and love like Jesus, it will

solve all our moral problems!  It does not make

it worse!  True followers of Jesus have the

answer!

 

B.   When we touch Jesus, if we do not find physical

healing in this life, we even have a place to look

forward to after this life where they will be

completely healed of any physical sickness

physical sickness will be no more for the former

things have passed away! Rev. 21:4

 

C.   When we touch Jesus, a close relationship with Jesus

does away with the spiritual sickness.

 

1.   Instead, in this life, we have a full life (an

abundant life, a life of purpose.

 

          2.   We have a chance to make  a positive difference

in the world!

 

 

          3.   After this life, we have the promise of a

wonderful place that God has prepared for us

throughout eternity!

 

Conclusion:

 

A.   That touch is the touch of faith!

 

1.   Faith that Christ has done what is necessary

     to take care of our sins and put us back in relationship with God.  A deep rooted trust!

 

2.   If we continue in him he will show us where we

     need to change and make it possible for us to

     change!

 

B.   As we encounter Christ at the table today,

opportunity is here for us to touch Jesus in faith.  All we have to do is pray, "Lord I believe that you have made a way for me; I want to live for you! I receive what you have done for me"  Amen.  And mean it!

 

C.   It isn't prescribing to a certain set of beliefs; it is faith in what Christ has done for us, faith that God has made a way in Christ!

 

D.   For all of us, let us touch Jesus and ask him to make us more like him. Let’s submit to let Christ live through us!

 

                      Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

 

 

From Ashes to Grace!

Ash Wednesday Service!

 

                                                                         Prayer

                                                                 Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

II Cor. 5:20b-6:10

 

First Movement:

            The book of Joel is written after the return of the exiles to the promised land.  The temple has been built, and the wall has been rebuilt.  They have just endured a plaque of locusts, and Joel sees this as a sign that the “Day of the Lord” is near.  The Day of the Lord could mean destruction for Israel’s enemies, but it could also mean judgement upon them.  Either way, Joel is a call for them to do something in preparation for the coming of the “Day of the Lord.”  Joel tells them something is coming like they have never experienced before, and he instructs them to gather for prayer and fasting and return to the Lord!

            In Corinthians, Paul says, “Since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.  For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!”  Paul is calling out, “today is the day of salvation!”  Now is the accepted time to get ready since God is making his appeal through us!  This too is a call to get ready!

 

 2^nd Movement:

             The early church established Lent as is a time of getting ready and examining ourselves!  It is a time of examination as we move toward Holy Week when Christ gave his all for us and as we move toward the celebration of all celebrations: the resurrection!  Lent is a season of 40 days, not including Sundays, when the church would do things to help them really clean out their spirit to draw near to God: fasting, prayer, and doing without something or doing something extra.  It is a time of intense examination and reflection.  It is a time when the church would try to bring back people who had fallen away or make a special effort to bring people into the fold.   Since Sundays are always little celebrations of the resurrection, Sundays are not really a part of lent, so we say, “the first Sunday in Lent,” etc.  During Sunday worship, we try to offer messages that help us examine ourselves but yet we try to maintain the celebration because we do serve a risen savior!  Because Sundays are not a part of Lent, if we are fasting etc., they give us a brief rest from the fasting or whatever we are trying to do and give us a time to celebrate our risen savior. 

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent.  On Ash Wednesday, we encounter our own mortality and sin and confess our sin before God, within the community of faith.  We realize that we are nothing before God; we realize our intense need of what God did in Christ (our need of God’s grace).  Ashes have had a long tradition in the church as a symbol of mortality and repentance.  This probably comes from the tradition in the Old Testament of sitting in sackcloth and ashes as a sign of repentance.  The wearing of the ashes acknowledges our sin and need of God to others.  It names us within the community of faith as a believer.  If someone asks you about the ashes, tell them it is a symbol of our sin and our need for God’s forgiveness and grace.  It reminds us that none of us are perfect and that we are all in need of God. Then invite them to come and worship with you next Sunday! 

Prayer

 

The Truth About Christ!

                                          Transfiguration Sunday

        Introduction:

A.   The Transfiguration is about God identifying who Christ was.  After the disciples mistakenly equated Jesus with Elijah and Moses, God declares, AThis is my beloved son, hear him!@

 

     B.   There are a lot of different ideas in the world today

          about who Christ is!

 

C.   Some say, "that Christ was just a good man."  Others

say, "Christ was just a prophet."

 

D.   In a world with a lot of mixed up ideas about who

Christ was and is, let's look this morning at "The

Truth About Christ."

 

                            Prayer

                          Mark 9:2-9

                  Matt. 1:18-25 & Heb. 9:24-28

 

I.   Oh yes, He was a human! We see this from our first reading: the birth narrative of Jesus from Matt. 1:18-25.

 

A.   He was born of a woman.

1.   He had a body!

2.   He felt pain!

3.   He felt hurt!

4.   He felt joy!

5.   He had all of the normal emotions!

6.   He got tired!

7.   Christ can help us because he has really lived

     life!

 

B.   He was tempted as we are tempted. Matt. 4

1.   Temptation is not a sin; the sin is in the

yielding to temptation.

2.   Christ didn't yield; he had no sin!  II Cor. 5:21                                                     

¹  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we

 might become the righteousness of God.

 

3.   Christ can help us overcome temptation!

 

4.   Christ can help us to fully live and love as God

would have us to because Christ has experienced

life as a human!

a.   He can help us to love those on the outside

of our circle of relationships!

              b.   He can help us to love those who are

different!

              c.   He can help us to love those who we may not

agree with!

              d.   He can help us to love those who are

outcasts of society!

e.   He can help us to love those who are new to

     our community or country!

 

II.  But, He was also God!

 

A.   This is the basis of Christianity!

 

A.      Joseph was not Jesus' physical father!  We see that in

     our first scripture: Matt. 1:18.

 

C.   Espoused: Like engagement; except it took a divorce to stop an espousal or betrothal.

 

D.   Christ was of the Holy Spirit!  vs. 20

1.   Christ wasn't illegitimate!

2.   Mary hadn't slept with any man; she was a virgin!

 

E.   Christ was God! 

John 1:1 & 14 

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the

Word was God  14  And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and

we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father=s only son, d full of grace

and truth.

 

F.   "We beheld his glory;" we saw how God was!

 

III. And, He was and is the Savior! “He will save his people from their sins!” vs. 21

 

A.   Savior:   One who saves or delivers.

 

B.   Christ saves us from the punishment that we deserve!

Rom. 6:23a     "For the wages of sin is death;"

 

What is this death?

 

1.   It is separation from God  (from the living).

II Thess. 1:9  "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the                                presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power:"

2.   In a place the Bible calls Hell.

Matt. 10:28 "Rather fear him which is able to  destroy both soul and body in hell."

 

              a)   The Bible says a lot about this place called

                   hell; it speaks of it being a place of pain

                   and punishment.  (Matt. 22:13 & Matt. 3:12

                   Don=t read.)

b)   But I think the worst thing about hell is it

being a place of separation from the God of

goodness! Imagine:  The good things in life;

a hug from a child, the love of your spouse,

the love of a friend, someone who cares.

These are all based on the goodness of God, and Hell is separation from that God of goodness.

c)   And it is easy to find!

Matt. 7:13     "Wide is the gate, and broad

Is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at:"

 

All we have to do is fail to accept Christ,

and we will find it!

 

C.   Again, CHRIST IS SAVIOR; he paid the price so we don't  have to go there.  Heb. 9:24-28 

1.   Christ paid the price for our sins!  I believe that Christ went to Hell for us.  Look at the crucifixion:

a.   The sky became dark.  Matt. 27:45

b.   Christ experienced separation from the God

of goodness as he cried out, "My God, My

God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Matt. 27:46

2.   One day, we will face judgement.

3.   What will matter then is whether or not we have accepted Christ and are living for Him!

4.   Talk about the Nicene Creed on pg. 880 UMH.

Conclusion:

As Christians and being human, we won't agree on

everything, but on these facts about Christ, we can and

must agree!  In true Wesleyan theology, this is one of the essentials!

 

A.   Christ is able to help us in life because He's been there: He was human!

         

B.   Christ was able to pay the price for our sin because

he had no sin and was God!

 

C.   He is Savior!!

 

D.   Have you accepted Him as your Savior?  You can open

your heart to Christ today as we encounter Christ at the table; if you do, let me know so that I can help you as you begin your journey with Christ!

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion