Sunday, February 25, 2007

February 25 sermon Temptation Luke 4:1-13

Feb 25 Sermon
Psalm 91: 1-2, 9-16
Luke 4:1-13
Title: Temptation

What are the temptations in your life??? Is it magazines? TV? Something on the internet? What about a nice looking girl or guy in the mall? Are you tempted by food? The chocolate cake on the table is calling out “eat me, eat me.” Maybe you’re tempted by power. You could be the mayor, governor, or president.

In Luke, Jesus had just been baptized by John in the Jordan. When he came out of the water, the Holy Spirit filled Jesus. Immediately he was led out to the wilderness.

For 40 days he was tempted by the devil. What does 40 days have to do with anything? For 40 years the Israelites were walking in the wilderness and were tempted by the unknown. For 40 days, Noah was in the ark being rained on, and Noah’s faith was tested.

For 40 days, Moses was on Mt. Sinai. The people did not know what had happened to Moses and even doubted he was alive. Elijah was on Mt. Horab for 40 days. Do you notice how 40 just keeps coming up. It’s this great time of testing.

Jesus went into the wilderness. Have you ever been in a spiritual wilderness?? This is a place where you can’t seem to feel the presence of God anywhere around you. You pray, you fast, you worship and raise your hands. But…nothing. There’s nothing there. Walking around in a daze, you ask “what happened to that mountain top experience I was on.” Wilderness.

So for 40 days Jesus ate nothing and he was famished. He was hungry. And the Devil tempted him. “If you are God, turn this stone into bread.” Ahhh bread. It’s a basic food to live on. Do you remember that first week in July when we had bread cooking in the sanctuary for communion? Oh that smell was delicious. Did you go thru the church looking for the fresh bread? Is your mouth watering yet?

Jesus answered back…”man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” That’s a quote from Deuteronomy 8:3. He humbled you, then when you hungered he fed you with manna, to teach you man does not live on bread alone but by every word from the mouth of God.”

Jesus is saying that bread is just bread. There is nothing of real substance there to completely nourish you. He is saying “You got bread, but that bread came directly from God. God is the one that supplies all your needs.” He’s the one you have to lean on.
While the Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years, God supplied their every need. He was there for them.
After Jesus said that, the devil took Jesus up to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world. “If you worship me, all this will be yours. You will have glory and authority.”

That is a temptation. Riches, power, love, glory. The people also wanted Jesus to be a conquering messiah. They wanted him to come in on a white steed and save them. Which one of us would have given in to THIS temptation??

Money equals power, right. People deferring to you whenever you come into their presence. Getting to be first in line every time and sitting at the head of the table. Giving the toast to start the party. Being the head marshal in the parade. Quick promotions. You name in the paper. “Bob is the new (fill in the blank) of our city.”

Bill Clinton when asked why he did some of the “least flattering” things he did, he answered “because I could.” It wasn’t an arrogant answer, just an honest one. Unfortunately the devil is a liar. He does not have the authority to give that power to anyone. The devil shows his hand. “If you worship me…” yes that’s what those who want power are looking for.


Worship. I’ll put my name on buildings all over the country and have large casinos and a TV show. Worship me. But Jesus answered him “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” Look back at the 10 commandments. “You shall not have any other Gods before me…nor serve them.” Did you notice that Jesus said to the devil “worship the Lord YOUR God”??

Even if the devil didn’t believe him to be almighty God, he still was. If a guy jumps off a tall building and says “I don’t believe in gravity,” he is still going to fall. That reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw the other day. It said “God doesn’t believe in atheist.”

For the last test, the Devil takes Jesus to the top of the temple. “Jump off. If your angels are really yours, they will not let you be hurt.” Where were they?? On the temple. Why? Glory, honor!! Yes….the temple. That’s where the people go to meet with God.

The temple. If someone jumps off the top of the temple and then lands softly on the ground, people are going to notice. People are going to bow down and worship. We read this in Psalm 91, and believe me, the Israelites read the same Psalms. “His angels shall watch over him and he will not dash his foot on a stone.” Even the devil can quote scripture.

Why do we go thru scripture each Sunday?? There will be many false prophets that come into your life and they will know scripture. Jehovah’s Witness will say Jesus was a created being just like any other creature. Muslims will say Jesus was just a prophet. They will all use scriptures out of the bible to quote these. False teachers will come up in the church like wolves in sheep’s clothing. They will say thing to tickle your ears.

Another way to test God….Homer Simpson says this “Dear Lord.. The gods have been good to me. For the first time in my life, everything is absolutely perfect just the way it is. So here's the deal: You freeze everything the way it is, and I won't ask for anything more. If that is OK, please give me absolutely NO sign. OK, deal.” You ever make a deal with God like that?? “Just get me out of this mess….just get me the money to make it thru this month….just don’t let my wife find out.”

Jesus answered “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” And the devil left him until a more opportune time. D o you know what that means?? The devil comes back again and again. He doesn’t just ping us once and then run away. This isn’t the drive by devil. This is the drive by, shoot, go around the block, shoot again, go around the block, shoot again.


Have you ever said “I never fight with my husband?” And then have a fight the next week. Have you ever said “I manage my money and don’t have problems?” And then miss a payment the next month. Each person has points of vulnerability that are like a crack in the dam.

Just a few drops of water will get thru at first and you may not think anything about it. But soon it’s a squirt. Then a water fall. Then the whole dam comes crashing down. Temptation will come in when you least expect it.
How do you deal with these temptations?? Be grounded in the Word of God.

Our Psalm 91 says “They say of the Lord, he is my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” I had a conversation with a friend the other day about spiritual attacks and spiritual warfare. That is what Jesus was going thru in those 40 days in the wilderness. This was not human attacks where people attack your credibility or authority.

These are spiritual attacks that can only be defended spiritually. That is what Jesus does. He holds up the shield of protection…that is the bible. Those flaming arrows that are hurled at us can be blocked by the Word of Life.



When you are attacked like this, ground yourself in the word. Seek out scriptures that talk about situations like yours. Seek out other believers who have gone thru the same problems. Trust me, you are not the first person to go thru ANY situation.

If you are having a situation right now (whether it be sickness, loss, loneliness, anything) and you’re not sure what to do, come up during out last song or stay after the service and we can pray about it. It’s not too great for you and God to tackle together.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Ash Wednesday Service sermon

Ash Wednesday Service
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Psalm 51

Ashes signify mourning and repentance.
Ash Wednesday is the 1st day of Lent…a time of fasting and repentance before God. It emphasizes a dual encounter: we confront our own mortality and we confess our sin before God within the community of faith. Today we do the imposition of ashes.

That is when you come up before the alter. A cross made of ashes will be put on your forehead. It is a sign to remind us of our own mortality and how we came from ashes. This is also a time for us to come before God in repentance seeking to confess our sin individually and as a community.

King David gave us a perfect example in Psalm 51. After he and Bathsheba had sinned together, the priest Nathan confronted David. This is the Psalm to God David wrote when confronted with his sin.

Have Mercy on me, O God. Why?? Because God has unfailing love and compassion. The God of love never fails when we come before him. During this time of lent, you will probably fast from something. Many Catholics fast from meat on Fridays.

Some people may fast from sodas or Monster Energy drinks (God bless you, I will watch from a far). Others might fast from eating one day a week or do bread and water fast a day. But I think God is looking for more from us.

In Psalm 51:10, David says to “create in me a pure heart and renew my spirit.” In verse 16, David says “You do not delight in sacrifice or I would bring it. You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.” Then in verse 17, we find what God is looking for in us. My sacrifice is a broken spirit and a contrite heart.

I think about that cross of ashes coming in just a few minutes. That is the cross I prefer. Put the cross on my forehead. Whatever you do Lord, don’t put it on my heart. I don’t want my heart to be ripped apart by the red hot branding iron of the cross that will expose all my weaknesses.

In the world I live in, self-reliant individualism is put on a pedestal. Any sign of weakness or emotional predisposition is automatically help suspect. It’s difficult to return to the Lord with fasting, weeping, and mourning. However, it is fashionable to appear in public the smear of a cross on my forehead.


I can go around like the Pharasees of the 1st century or the self described righteous piety of the 21st century with my cross around my neck and say “see, see. I am a Christian. Yes I am saved.” I have a cross necklace and a T-shirt with a cool saying on it.

I saw one for girls the other day that said “I am taken” and then reference the scripture that says “I am a possession of God”. I can put a bumper sticker on my car that says “in case of rapture this car will be unmanned.” I can put that fish symbol on the back…one on each side and then a little one so I have my whole family covered.

I have some great silver Christmas ornaments that say Faith, Hope, and Love. And every time Veggie Tales comes out with a new DVD, I’m first in line.
But no, God is not looking for these things. God is looking for a broken spirit and a contrite heart. What does that mean for us??

We have a broken spirit when we come to realize we are not immortal, we are not God, and we will die some time in the future. We have a contrite heart when we come before God repentant of our sins before God.

And so I will invite you to the observance of Lenten discipline.


Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
The early Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the church that before the Easter Celebration there should be a forty day season of spiritual preparation.

During this season converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when persons who had committed serious sins and had separated themselves from the community of faith were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to participation in the life of the church.

In this way the whole congregation was reminded of the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the need we all have to renew our faith.

I invite you therefore, in the name of Jesus Christ, to observe a holy Lent:
By self examination and repentance;
By prayer, fasting, and self-denial;
And by reading and meditating on God’s Holy Word.


To make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature,
Let us now individually bow our hearts in prayer before our Creator and Redeemer.

Joel 2
An Army of Locusts 1 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand-
2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come.
Rend Your Heart 12 "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."
13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
14 Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
16 Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?' "


Psalm 51
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts [a] ; you teach [b] me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are [c] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

February 18 sermon Do to others

February 18 sermon Do to others
Psalm 37: 1-11, 39-40
Luke 6: 27-38

Do you ever think Jesus was crazy? You read this passage, which was part of the sermon on the plain, and you think “who can live up to this?” Last week we began talking about this sermon with the blessings and the woes. Remember the “blessed are you who are poor, hungry, thirsty, when men hate you, etc, etc. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, because they did the same to the false prophets.

After telling the disciples all that, then he starts in on loving your enemies. According to my dictionary, an enemy is someone who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another. I think that’s a pretty good definition.

Jesus says in Luke to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” If I reference the definition of what an enemy is, I think I like Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount better. He says to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

He leaves out the “do good to them and bless them” part. Why? Well I can say I love my enemies and I will pray for them. That’s easy to do. You can do that too, right?
That guy at work who always seems to be involved when something goes wrong with your project. That woman who keeps cutting you off on the highway and laughing about it. That clerk at the grocery store who ALWAYS breaks your eggs no matter how many times you tell him to be careful. You can love them and pray for them….pray for their salvation….or pray for them to move.

But then we get back to Luke who says to ‘do good to those who hate you and bless those who curse you’. Jesus is turning life on its head. We don’t love our enemies. Those antagonist in our lives who speak evil about you every chance they get. At THE LEAST we want them completely out of our lives.

So how good is good, and how do you bless those that curse you? Galatians 6 says “do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest.” Ephesians 2 says “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good.”

Right there he gives us a standard. We must do good like Jesus did good. When the hated tax collector came to see Jesus, he was accepted as a friend. In the 1st century, the tax collectors were hired by the Roman government. They had a quota to hit each month, but anything they collected over that amount, the collector got to keep. This was a Jew exploiting another Jew, yet Levi was accepted in without any questions.
So that tells us how good to be. How do you bless those who curse you?? We look to Jesus again. “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” This is setting a precedent of mercy way beyond the norm. Our next verse in today’s scripture says that if someone strikes you on the cheek, turn the other cheek. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.

The philosopher Socrates said this “One should never do wrong in return, nor mistreat any man, no matter how one has been mistreated by him.”

One commentator wrote: At the time of Jesus, striking someone deemed to be of lower class with the back of your hand was used to assert authority or dominance. If the persecuted person “turned the other cheek”, the smitter was faced with a dilemma. The left hand was used for unclean purposes, so a back hand strike on the other cheek would not be performed.

The other option would be to slap with open hand, which would be a sign of equality. Thus by turning the other cheek, the persecuted demanded equality. Also, by handing over your tunic and cloak, you have essentially given the shirt off your back which is forbidden by the Jewish law in Deuteronomy.


One more thought on this is Jesus was bringing the law of “an eye for an eye” back to earth. The time of personal vengeance was upon them. So this was a command to not take vengeance. For those who say it’s not practical, the advocates of this nonviolence stance say the rewards in this world are irrelevant to Jesus’ teaching, which promise rewards in the next life.

A couple years ago, a Palestinian boy fell into the river. He could not swim. He was quickly swept away. You could hear the cry of his mom calling for help, but no one jumped in. Then everyone heard a splash. Who is that, they ask? It was an Israeli man who jumped in to save him. And you know what…he did. The boy made it safely back to shore. The man drowned.

Give to everyone who ask, and do unto others as you would have them do to you. You told your kids that right. So…if you love those who love you, what credit is it to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is it to you? Even sinners do that.

And if you lend to those you expect repayment from, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting repayment. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting any return. Why?? Why would we do something so stupid as that?

Because your reward will be great. What reward? The reward in heaven. By doing all this, you will be son’s of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. There it is. That’s why you do these things that seem so foreign to our world, especially our individualistic Western society where we put ourselves above others.
You don’t fight against your enemy because the one you must imitate is God. “Be perfect as I am perfect” he says.
Jesus turned life on its head. He changed the idea of Sabbath, wiped out the dietary laws, and now changed the way to deal with those who are against you. Pray for them. Sometimes that is the only thing you can do for your enemies.

Actually, I think it’s the 1st thing you can do for them. Those antagonists who only seem to want the worst for you, when there is nothing else you can do, pray for them. As you discuss the situation with God, the one who formed the world will transform your heart. When your heart is transformed, your life will be transformed.

And that’s when we come to communion. In taking communion, we come before Christ who gave everything for us, so we could be with him.




Psalm 37
1Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers,
2for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.
3Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
4Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
6He will make your vindication shine like the light, and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
7Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices.
8Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
10Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.
11But the meek shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
39The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their refuge in the time of trouble.
40The Lord helps them and rescues them; he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him.


Luke 6:27-38
“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Deep Thoughts

Daily prayer: Please God, put your arms around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.
Happy Valentine’s Day Friends!!!!!! Many people will walk in and out of your life. But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. "

To handle yourself, use your head; To handle others, use your heart.

Anger is only one letter short of danger.

Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.

He, who loses money, loses much; He, who loses a friend, loses much more; He, who loses faith, loses all.

Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

Friends, you and me...... You brought another friend....and then there were 3. We started our group, our circle of friends....There is no beginning or end.

Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift.

Just wanted to tell my circle of friends
that I do care…..

Sunday, February 04, 2007

February 4th Sermon Worship
Isaiah 6:1-13
Luke 5:1-11

Worship is a very personal AND corporate event. We are here at church, together in a corporate worship. But Jesus defines corporate worship even clearer in Matthew 18 when he says “If two of you who are in my Father’s will agree about anything you ask for, it will be given to you by my Father in heaven. For where 2 or 3 come together in my name, I am there with them.” That can be Sunday School or a bible study or some friends getting together for Christian talk.

Worship is also personal because when you are in worship, “you” are working to communicate with the triune God. Your main desire is to see God, or to see the nail marks in Jesus, or to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit upon you. In this personal worship, it can be in this sanctuary or it can be anywhere you are.

I personally worship God many times when I am out in creation. There is a State Park called Lost Maples just south of San Antonio. Those of you from the Northern part of the country who moan about not having 4 true seasons in Texas because of foliage change and everything else, need to experience this State Park.


October is the best time of year to go (unfortunately the other 200,000 visitors every year know this also). The maple trees and the Texas Red Oaks will change color in fall so you won’t just have green to dead brown, but as you look out across the valley and on the sides of the trails, you will see beautiful golden leaves and they turn a deep crimson red.

I look as I’m walking and see rare species of birds like the Green Kingfisher and the Golden Cheeked Warbler. Wild animals will include the white tailed deer, gray fox, and armadillo. As I look on this beautiful sea of landscape of trees and animals, I can’t help but wonder, and be amazed at the grandeur of God and what he has created before me.

If he would take the time to put some bright yellow spots on the Warbler bird, what else has his majesty created??

Everyone close your eyes for a minute. No peeking. I want you to picture this scene from our scripture reading in Isaiah. I think of how big the Lincoln Memorial is when trying to picture a chair fit for the King of Kings. Think of yourself in a huge throne room with the King. Jesus is on his throne. His robe is spread out all around him.

Just being in his presence is a humbling experience when you realize just how small you are. There is no expression on his face at this time.
As you break eye contact with the King Jesus, you see strange creatures flying around. They are like lions, but with 6 wings. You don’t know what to make of them, but then they start calling out to each other in ear splitting singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty. And the whole earth is full of his glory.”

You know the sound should hurt your ears, but in reality it’s the most beautiful melody you have every heard. Deep in your heart you want to hear it again; you want to sing out with them. “holy, holy, holy.”

You stand before the Lord of Lords. But you realize…I can’t be here. I’m not worthy to come before God. I’m a mere man. He could bring up what I did last year at work. He could bring up how I yelled at the kids last week.

Seeing God is instant death. Isaiah said he could never look upon God. The glory and brilliance of his presence is too much for human eyes.

Then one of those angels or creatures flies down to you with a red hot coal burning, holding it with tongs. He touches your lips. You can feel the burning, but it’s not a burning sensation. It’s a sweet, cleansing feeling like a hot shower on a cold morning.

The creature tells you “this has touched your lips. Your guilt is taken away and your sin is atoned for.” Oh what a wonderful feeling. You’re free from the clutches of sin and you can go before God now.

And then His voice cries out. “Whom shall I send?” Without thinking, instantly you say “send me, send me. Here I am Lord.” In the back of your mind you hear a voice say “Are you crazy? Why would you do that? Even if you say you speak for God, they will tear you up. They will say they know better than you, because they have been doing this longer. You won’t make it.” But you say (as Jesus said) “get behind me Satan.”

You can open your eyes now. This is a wonderful story of how worship was intended to be. Holy, Holy, Holy the voices cry out. The majesty of God is seen in front of us. His presence is enough to bring us to our knees.

When you read the stories of Jesus, desperate people are always coming to him. Each time they run to him and fall on their knees before him. Out of respect, out of desperation, out of brokenness. Coming before God is intended to show us just how broken we are in comparison.

Yet even in our brokenness, we are whole. Jeremy Riddle has a wonderful song called Sweetly Broken. It goes like this:
At the cross You beckon meYou draw me gently to my knees, and I amLost for words, so lost in love,I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrenderedWhat a priceless gift, undeserved lifeHave I been givenThrough Christ crucifiedYou’ve called me out of deathYou’ve called me into lifeAnd I was under Your wrathNow through the cross I’m reconciled

Lost for Words, so lost in love, I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered. We could create a new Master Card commercial.
* Yelling at your wife – a night on the couch.
* Leaving a cheesy tip at the restaurant, but leaving an invite to church – the waitress dropping your food next time before serving you.
* Cutting off the guy in traffic – realize after work he is the policeman stopping you.
*being broken by the love of God and surrendering before him down on my knees – Priceless. There’s ONE thing money can’t buy. You have to go the Master for it.


We are before God and those angels are crying out “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty and the earth is full of his glory.” The whole room shakes. I’m sure you’ve been in church or at a concert where the whole room shakes when the singing begins. Music to God when it comes from the heart is sweet to Him.

But then standing before the one God, makes us realize we are not worthy. To look upon the face of God is bad. In Exodus 33, God says “You can’t see my face. No one can see my face and live.”

How about God, G – O – D, or better yet G_D. You see the name of God is spelled out that way in many places. Instead of typing out G O D, some Jews type G_D out of respect. To take it one step further, some Jews will write (or type) G_D because the name of God is so sacred, for them to spell it all out would make the document as holy as the bible itself and the pages with God’s name written on them could not be destroyed or trashed.

Before we go on, let’s review worship so far. 1. We come before God. 2. With heartfelt praise we sing his unending hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord”. 3. We realize our sinfulness and turn away from God and his glory because we are not perfect.

Then an angel flew down and put a burning coal to Isaiah’s lips and took away his sin. In Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost the disciples were all together in one place. A violent wind from heaven fill the whole house and they saw what seemed to be tongues of FIRE separate over each of them, and then come to rest on them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. The fire, the Holy Spirit came upon them and filled them with the holiness they had been waiting for. That is the same fire Isaiah was cleansed with. The Holy Spirit dwelled within him and his sins were taken away.

We come before God, not because we are perfect, but we want to see his perfection. We want to taste his glory. We want to be part of him and for him to be part of us.

So…. 1. we come before God. 2. We praise him. 3. We realize our sinfulness. And 4. we accept and are filled with his Holy Spirit to be cleansed.

Then the Lord calls out “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” He expects all of us to jump up and down “Oh, Oh, Oh. Pick me. Pick me. I’ll go.” He didn’t say, “whom shall I bring in.” He said “whom shall I send”. He is calling you and me to go out into the stormy world beyond those doors and not preach fire and brimstone, but show love and compassion. God is love. That’s what he wants us to share.
The great Methodist theologian Leonard Sweet calls the current atmosphere in the world, the Perfect Storm. He says that in your life you are either going into a storm, coming out of storm, or are in the middle of a storm.

What do we do? That is the sending part and where we come to our Luke passage. Jesus got into the boat with Simon Peter and taught the people who were on the shore. Then he turned to Simon and said “Let your nets down into the deep water”. So many fish were caught that time, the nets started to break.

Leonard Sweet tells us that for this Perfect Storm we must lift anchor and launch into the deep. If we hug the harbor, our boat will be torn to bits. We must steer into the storm in society because we cannot escape it. We must lash ourselves to the Word who is Jesus. He is our Master and leader.

In the movie the fishermen go into the deep where the best catch is. In Isaiah, God sends us out to deliver the message. Just like Simon letting down his nets into the deep, the only reason we go into the storm is for the great catch. That is where we go today. So I tell you. Do not fear. Enjoy the ride. Because Jesus is in the boat with you in the storm.

Communion
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Isaiah 6: 1-8 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke.
5And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” 8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”
Luke 5: 1-11
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”
5Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”

9For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.