If Jesus Came to Your House

 24^th Sunday after Pentecost!

 

  Introduction:

A.   How many of you want your house to look good when a

guest arrives?

 

B.   How many of you have ever found out someone was coming and rushed around the house to straighten it up?

Trans.

I want to imagine this morning that Jesus was going to come to our house and examine what changes, if any, we  would need to make.

 

                              Prayer

         Matt. 12:22-25; John 1:47-49 & 2:24-25

 

I.   What would we change if Christ came to our house?

A.   Would we want our Bibles and study books in more

          prominent places?  Would we want them to be a little

more worn and marked in?

 

B.   Would we want to run and hide some of our other

reading materials?

 

C.   Maybe we would install some more Bible and Bible Study Apps on our phones or tablets?

 

D.   Would we want to run out and buy some more religious  plaques and wall hangings, maybe some with scriptures or poems on them instead of what we now have up - "to more accurately reflect our commitment?"

 

E.   Would we hide some of our tapes, C.D.'s, or vinyl records (if you still have tapes, C.D’s, or vinyl recordings around) and perhaps bring the Gospel ones out closer to the top? Or install some digitally to our phone, tablet, or music player?

 

E.   Would we want to add a few more engagements or

appointments to our calendar so it would look like we

were more busy for the Lord?  Perhaps we would be

taking some appointments off so it wouldn't look like

we were too busy at the wrong things?

 

F.   Would we re-plan our schedule for that day so we would be found doing something different than we normally do?

 

II.  What if Jesus were coming to our Church next Sunday?

A.   Would we plan to sing that song we've been planning to  sing?

 

B.   Would we volunteer to read a poem or scripture during worship? 

 

C.   Would we evaluate what the Lord has done for us so we could share a testimony or something during Announcements and the Life of the Church?

 

D.   Would we volunteer?

 

E.   Would we be more positive?

 

F.   Would we bring someone with us?

 

G.   Would we extend the invitation to someone unlike

ourselves?

 

III. The scriptures show us something interesting about Jesus!

What do all the scriptures that were read this morning say    about Jesus?        He Knew Them!

 

A.                        Matt. 12:22-25 - -    Jesus heals a man who is mute & blind.  The Pharisees think to themselves, "He's casting out demons

by the power of Beelzebub!"

Jesus knew their thoughts!

 

B.   John 1:47-49 - - - (the calling of Nathanael) Jesus

knew him before Philip called him.

 

C.   John 2:24&25 - - -  Jesus knew all men.

 

D.   John 4:15-19 - - -  Samaritan Woman at the well.

Jesus knew all she had been!

 

E.   John 18:4 - - - - - When Jesus was arrested in the  garden, Jesus knew what was coming!

 

F.   Acts 1:24 (read)- - When the early church was about to

                          select someone to replace Judas,

                          they recognized Jesus as one who

                          knew the hearts of people!

 

IV.  So what is the take away?     Jesus knows!

A.   Jesus is at our house; Jesus is here today!

 

B.   If you had to list any changes you would make if he

Were coming, then, today is the day to make those

changes!

 

C.   He is here!  He knows all about you!

1.   Today is the day to get more active!

2.   Today is the day to commit to reading your Bible!

3.   Today is the day to commit to the changes that

     you need to make!

4.   Today is the day to accept Christ as Savior!

5.   Today is the day to make that invitation!

 

Conclusion:

 

A.   Again, it is a growing time in the church.

1.   It is a time of examining ourselves and seeing

where we need to grow.

          2.   Have we realized some places we need to grow this

morning?

 

B.   As we encounter Christ at the table this morning,

bring those places we need to grow to Christ and ask

Christ to help us to grow!   

 

 

 

 

Prayer of Confession

 

Merciful God,

               We realize that if you came today there are some

things that we would wish to change; we are not ready! 

Forgive us of our sins and those ways in which we

fail you and need to change.

Free us for a new start in you and help us to not

make the same mistakes again.

For it=s in the name of Christ your Son and our

Lord and Savior we pray, Amen.

 

Service of Communion

 

An Unwelcome Virtue!

 All Saint’s Sunday!

 Introduction:

 

     A.   Today is All Saint’s Sunday!

 

     B.   We remember Saints of old, people who have influenced

          our lives, people that we remember because of their

          love and example to us, people we remember because

          they have brought the gospel to us!

 

     C.   Our scripture today gives us some instruction on how

          to live our lives in such a way that we will be those

          saints that will be remembered in years to come!

 

                              Prayer

                           Matt. 5:43-47

 

I.   Let’s look at our scripture.

 

     A.    The Pharisees liked the way they were!

 

     B.    That is one reason they found Jesus so hard to accept.

          That is one reason this teaching was not welcome; it

          was an unwelcome virtue! It stretched them out of

          their comfort zone!

 

     C.    In our scripture today, Jesus teaches against one of

           their precious beliefs.

 

II.  A look at the old saying or belief (vs. 43).   

 

A.   The Pharisees had taught, "You shall love your

     neighbor, and hate your enemy."

 

1.   Love your neighbor: they understood neighbor to

     be of their own country, religion, etc.

 

AYou shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge

against any of your people, but you shall love

your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

(Lev. 19:18)

 

2.   They felt it was alright to hate their enemies

     since it wasn't mentioned here; it isn't even

     mentioned in the O.T. (BKC)!  If you just look at

     the O.T., there seems to be justification for

     hating enemies!

 

B.   The Pharisees even seemed to feel that their hatred

     toward their enemies was God's means of judging their

     enemies (BKC)!

 

III. But what was Jesus teaching? 

 

A.   "Love your enemies!"

 

1.   This was a hard one for Israel!  They were to

     love the Gentiles: the ones who were on the

     outside!

 

2.   It is a hard one today as well!

 

a.   Our humanity wants us to:

 

1)   be bitter towards those who have hurt

     us.

 

2)   get even for what they have done to us.

 

3)   remind them each time we see them that

     they have hurt us by the way we treat

     them.

 

a)   In a way, we still seem to think

     that somehow we are hurting them

     by treating them badly; perhaps

     it's God's way of judging them!

 

b)   but really we are hurting

     ourselves!

 

b.   Our humanity also wants to:

 

     1)   just love those who are our friends and                          family.

 

2)   we don't feel we owe anything to anyone                       else, especially those who are

different: blacks, hispanics, poor,

gays, straight, or immigrants!

    

3)   we also find it hard to really love

     those who are on the outside:

 

a)   What if a person different than us

     showed up to worship with us?

     Would we love them?

 

b)   Would we welcome them to worship

     with us?

 

c)   Would we stand up for them if they

     were being taken advantage of or

     hurt? Again, would we love them?

 

d)   Would we welcome them and really

     want them to become a part of us?

     To become a part of our group?  Or

     would we just tolerate them

     because that was the thing to do,

     hoping they go on somewhere else?

 

e)   These are those on the outside

     just like the gentiles were to the

     Jews, just like we are to the

     Jews!

 

c.   But Jesus teaches us to:

 

1)   want the best for those on the outside

     and even those who have hurt us.

 

2)   have compassion toward them in their

     State, advocate for them, let it affect

     how we vote!

 

3)   respect them as people.

 

4)   welcome them as children of God!

 

5)   That is what love requires.

    

3.   I don't think this means we must put confidence

     in or become vulnerable to one who has cheated us

     or in some way proved untrustworthy by hurting

     us, unless they come to Christ or in some way

     show signs of a changed life!

 

4.   But we can and are called to love them and treat

     them well!

 

B.   "Pray for those who persecute you."

 

1.   Like Jesus, "Father forgive them for they

     not what they've done."

 

2.   This is Love at its fullest.  This is the

     teaching of Jesus!  This is the Love of God!

 

3.   It is very hard to hate someone whom you are

     praying for!

 

I. Two reasons for being this way!  (our scripture shows us)

 

A.   to be "like" our father in heaven (Matthew Henry).

 

1.   Who doesn't just do good to the righteous and

     hold blessings from the hateful.

 

2.   But blesses all people whether they love God in

     return or not!

 

3.   There isn't a better example of love!

 

B.   That we may do more than others that don't know the

     love of God!

 

1.   What a shame to use as our measuring stick the

     actions of others!  But people do it all the

     time, "They did it to me!" Like somehow this

     justifies hurting them back!

 

2.   As Children of God we are called to go beyond

     that; we are called to love like God or rather

     let God love through us!

 

a.   God loves all people.

 

b.   We are to do the same!

 

3.   When we do this, we bring glory to God and point

     others to Christ.

 

4.   When we don’t do this, we are no better than the Pharisees!

 

5.   Very relevant message for today!

 

               a.   love those not like us!

 

               b.   love those who do not vote like us!

 

Conclusion:

 

A.   I'd like to close with two quotations:

 

1.   "Love must be learned and learned again and

     again; there is no end to it.  Hate needs no

     instruction, but waits only to be provoked." 

Katherine Anne Porter

(American journalist, short story, Novelist, & political activist)

 

2.   "One's love for God is equal to the love one has

     for the [people he/she] loves least."

                          John J. Hugo

(Catholic Priest & Author)

 

B.   Do we need to yield ourselves to that love of God

     this morning? For the Pharisees, this was an unwelcome

     virtue.  How about us? Do we welcome the virtue to

     love like God?

 

C.   I think today there is one more reason for being this

     way: so that on future All Saint’s Sundays, we will be

     people that will be remembered for our faith, our

     example, and bringing others to God!

 

                       Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion and Remembering of Saints!

 

Ready To Take a Chance?

Reformation Sunday!

 

Introduction:

A.        As kids we try just about anything; we don't seem to know the meaning of fear.

When I was young, I rode my bike a lot.  I'd ride it up and down our street.  I'd

ride it in our backyard.  I'd race neighborhood kids on it and usually won believe

it or not. Sometimes, I was quite a dare-devil.  Across the back of our yard, there

was a concrete block wall about three blocks high; it was the retainer wall for fill

dirt in the yard behind us.  I can remember riding my bike toward that and at the

last minute slaming on my brakes to see now close I could get. I can remember

one time getting too close.  Well, I plowed into it, and that pretty well put an end

to that contest! All of this without a helmet.  We didn’t wear them back then!  But

as kids, we were willing to take chances. Because of that, we learned to walk and

a lot of things!

 

B.        How many of you have ever taken a chance in life?

 

C.        Have you ever had someone take a chance on you?

 

D.        Where God and Church are concerned, are you Ready To Take A Chance???

                                                                         Prayer

                                                                     Matt. 8:1-3

                                                                     Matt. 28:19

                                                                   Rev. 3: 14-22

 

I.          Some Examples Of Those Who Would Not Take A Chance.

 

A.             In Numbers chapter 13 & 14, the children of Israel are afraid to go up against

what they called "Giants."

 

1.         They could have had a land of plenty.

 

2.         But because they would not take the chance, they

ended up wandering in the wilderness for forty

years.

 

B.        Rev. 3 tells us of a satisfied church: The Church at

            Laodicia. (Rev. 3:14-22)

 

1.         They took no chances.

 

2.         They were self-secure.

 

1.              Doing something else would require adjustment which would rock the

boat.

 

4.         They had many chances to be "hot" for God.

 

2.              If they did not change, and take their chances, God would "spew them

out."

 

II.        Some Examples of Those Who Dared To Take a Chance.

 

A.        Abraham took the chance at leaving his homeland to follow

God. Gen. 12:1-9

1.         He did not know what he would find.

 

2.         Because he dared to follow, he became the father of                    

            the Hebrew people and brought many to God.

 

B.        The Leper of Matt. 8:1-3 took a chance.

1.         He could have been stoned to death for coming near                

            people.

 

2.         But because he took a chance, he was made a whole             

            person: he was healed!

 

D.             This is Reformation Sunday! The reformers dared to take a chance!

 

1.              Martin Luther nailed his thesis to the door of the  church in Germany to try to get the church back to a more Biblical way and was kicked out of the church, starting the protestant reformation!

 

2.              John Wesley dared to take a chance in starting Bible Study groups to get people to do something with their faith and to reach those who were not being reached by the church, starting what would be called the Methodist movement that would later become the Methodist Church in America!

 

III.       We Must Be Willing To Keep Taking Chances.

 

A.        Churches that do not try: DIE.

 

1.              If they are afraid to do new things, they alienate their world.  Their world

changes, but they do not.

2.              They curl up in past accomplishments and forget to reach their world of

today.

 

B.        Let us always be willing to take a chance to help people.

 

1.         We have been willing in:

a.         Embracing the Safe Gatherings process to be able

to minister to children in the world in which we live!

 

b.         Having regular Potluck brunches and other

fellowships to invite others to.

 

c.         Starting the Thrift Store and the free food

shelf. Working at the Thrift Store!

 

d.         Starting the Mozambique Covenant with our

church and pastor in Africa!

 

                                    e.         Supporting other missional works: Options,

Gideons, and Heifer International.

 

f.          Building our current facility and lately

updating it to reach people in Forsyth!

 

g.         Paying full support on our Conference

apportionments even when it is hard.

 

                                    h.         Trimming our budget, using volunteers for

cleaning and working in the office and changing

our insurance to actual cost!

 

i.               All of this required some degree of chance!          

 

3.              We must now, NOT GET SATISFIED, but ask God what we              

can try now!!!  What will we do for God now? What is

the next step?

 

C.        In Matt. 28:19, Christ told us to reach the world.

 

1.         HE PROMISED to be there with us always.

 

2.         So let's be on the look out for new ways and

            opportunities to reach out.

 

a.         Never Say:  "It won't work."  "We've tried that

            before and it fizzled."  "That's not the way we                                   

            used to do it!"

 

b.         If we are willing to open up and keep trying,

            God will help us, God will use us!

 

c.         Let's take the chance: to get involved, to

            commit, to care, to do what we can for God.

 

d.         Let’s have the positive attitude that if we are

willing God will use us!

Conclusion:

 

A.        It will be easy to become satisfied with how things are going and the number of

people that we have coming.

 

B.        Are we willing and do we honestly want to keep growing?

 

C.        There are people out there who need to hear the message

that we proclaim!  Are we willing to take the chance, to

give the invitation?

 

            D.        As we encounter Christ at the table today, surrender and

say here I am use me.  Help me to be willing to take the

chance!

 

                                                             Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion