October 15th sermon Who Gets In. Mark 10:17-31

October 15th sermon Who Gets In. Mark 10:17-31


The silence is maddening isn’t it? What do you do? What do you do when the pastor isn’t going up to give a sermon? You look around….Probably at Mike or Mac first, right. Thinking, “Well the women did a service last month and since October is Pastor Appreciation Month then I’m sure one of the lay leaders is going to get up and speak. But no, they don’t move.

Let’s look at Carol. Maybe we are going to have more special music. No, nothing there. Minutes go by. People start squirming in their seats.

What do you do now? Do you get up and give your testimony? Maybe you get up and say “God spoke to me this week. Not out loud mind you, but to my heart. This was my closest moment to Christ.”

Why are you here today? Better yet, why is this church here today? It’s been here for over 100 years. Why do you come to this church? Is it the people, the history, the cushionless pews, the singing?? Why did you come in the first place?

Let’s start with this. Why am I here? I’m here to equip you. I’m here to help you know what you believe and why you believe it.
I’m here to help you move from atheist to agnostic to Christian so you can go and help others do the exact same thing. I’m here (this church is here) to move you to being a deeper disciple of Christ. What does that mean? Being a Deeper Disciple means you are completely sold out to Christ. Christ is the one who paid the price for the sins you and I commit, past-present-future.

In our scripture reading from Mark, the rich kid was doing everything he was supposed to be doing. He runs up and gets down on his knees. “Good Teacher” he says. Smart kid there. Flattery is usually a great way to start a conversation. Kids remember this when you go to school tomorrow, and when you get back here for Sunday School next week.

“Good teacher…my you’re looking fine today. I love what you’re doing with your hair.” Think of Eddie Haskell from Leave It To Beaver. Man I’m showing my age now. “Good Teacher,” the rich man says, “what must I do to get to heaven?” Unfortunately for him, Jesus has seen Leave It to Beaver to. He sees right thru that. “Why do you call me good? Stop blowing smoke and lets me tell you something. Do what the commandments say. Here’s a few of them.” And he lists them off.

At each commandment, the man’s smile gets bigger and bigger. “Oh Good. I’ve done all of those.”
Then Jesus lovingly looked him in the eyes (and looks at us) and said “Go sell what you own, give it to the poor, and follow me.” He might not say those exact words to us. He might say “Stop playing in that band that keeps you away from me”. It could be sports keeping you from being closer to God. It could be alcohol, cars, it could be church.

Are you so focused on one thing that you miss seeing God there? Do you look for God everywhere you go? Do you see his presence in the car with you, in your house when you are cleaning or getting ready to go out, in the doctor’s office, in the voices that sing a song?
Are you sold out completely to Jesus? Are you in over your head yet, or are your ankles just getting wet?
The rich man went away sad. He was rich enough to not have to work all day long so he could leisure around and have time for religious study and practice. But the head knowledge was not enough.

Give up everything you put first in your life and follow me, Jesus says. Drop it all. Even the disciples didn’t totally understand. Jesus said “It’s easier for a camel to get thru the eye of a needle than that rich man to get to heaven.” They eye of the needle was a gate into Jerusalem that was big enough for a man to get thru, but not camels.
And even if the camels got down on their knees, it would be virtually impossible for them to get thru. Jesus isn’t saying being rich is a bad thing. He is saying that putting riches before God is bad.

“Then who can be saved?” That’s the question. And the answer is EVERYONE. But only God can save you. Your riches, intellect, stubbornness, cunningness. None of that will save you. Jesus says “unless you give it all up and get past the wading pool and go in over your head, and completely sell out for me, your not there yet.

The church is here as a base station. Think of it as a fire department. A fire erupts downtown at the “Atheist Are Us 99 cent store” and the whole department has to go fight it. While driving the truck there, the traffic backs up and slows you down frustrating you. The train comes along so you have to wait for it. Finally you get downtown.

Your there all day long doing everything you can to put out the fire and share the love of Jesus. Finally at the end of the day you drive back to the station. There’s your pastor handing out cold refreshing holy water to quench your thirst. There are spiritual snacks of gospel songs and beloved hymns waiting for you. There is a nice soft bed and pillow for you to lay on filled with those scriptures near to your heart. This is your base station to get renewed before you go back out into the wilderness.
Satan hates it when someone becomes a Christian and he starts doing all he can to attack them. But he loves it when someone who is called a Christian does nothing to help others know Christ.

Why are you here? Are you sold out to Christ? Are you ready to tell the Good News to anyone who will listen, knowing YOU cannot save them, but the Holy Spirit can. Is there anyone you can think of right now that needs Jesus Christ? Listen to this email I got from a friend yesterday….

Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at their church, the Pastor and his eleven-year-old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel Tracts.This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside as well as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, "OK dad, I'm ready." His Pastor dad asked, "Ready for what?" "Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out." Dad responded, "Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring down rain." The boy gave his dad a surprised look asking, "But, Dad, aren't people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?" Dad answered, "Son, I am not going out in this weather." Despondently, the boy asked, "Dad, can I go? Please?" His father hesitated for a moment then said, "Son, you can go. Here are the tracts; be careful, son."
"Thanks, Dad!" And with that, he was off and out into the rain. This eleven-year-old boy walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel Tract. After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet and down to his VERY LAST TRACT. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to, but the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned toward the first home he saw - and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the doorbell. He rang the bell, but nobody answered. He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer. Finally, this eleven-year-old trooper turned to leave, but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch. He rang again, and this time the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly asked, "What can I do for you, son?"
With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU, and I came to give you my very last Gospel Tract which will tell you all about JESUS and His great LOVE." With that, he handed her his last tract, and turned to leave. She called to him as he departed. "Thank you, son! And God Bless You!" Well, the following Sunday morning in church, Pastor Dad was in the pulpit. As the service began, he asked, "Does anybody have a testimony or want to say anything?" Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet.
As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face as she said, "No one in this church knows me. I've never been here before. You see, before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband passed on some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart that I came to the end of the line where I no longerhad any hope or will to live.
So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof, then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck.
Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted, I was about to leap off, when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell down stairs startled me.I thought, "I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away." I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly.
I thought to myself again, "Who on earth could this be? Nobody everrings my bell or comes to see me. "I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all thewhile the bell rang louder and louder. When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life.
His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you! And the words thatcame from his mouth caused my heart, that had long been dead, TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU.'
Then he gave me this Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand. As thelittle angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed my doorand read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract.
Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them anymore. You see, I am now a Happy Child of the KING and since the address of your church was on the back of this Gospel Tract, I have come here to personally say 'THANK YOU' to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and, by so doing, spared my soul from eternity in hell."
There was not a dry eye in the church. And as shouts of praise andhonor to THE KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was seated. He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Probably no church has had a more glorious moment, and probably thisuniverse has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love and honor for his son... Except for One. This Father also allowed His Son to go out into acold and dark world. He received His Son back with joy unspeakable, and as all of heaven shouted praises and honor to The King, The Father sat His beloved Son on a throne far above all principality and power and every name that is named.

You say though, “Well we need to visit those old members who left for one reason or another”. Great, I’m ready, when do you want to go? “We need to visit those people around the church.” Great, I’m ready, when do you want to go? “Well I don’t have any of those tracts that little boy had.” Great, I’m ready, when do you want to go.

PASS OUT THE TRACTS

Bringing people to church is necessary, but the job Jesus gave us to do before he ascended into heaven is to “Go share the good news to everyone you talk to, and make disciples.” So that is what I give you now. Go share the Good News to everyone. Shout it from the rooftops.
And if you are not sold out completely to Jesus, then now is the time. If you have not given your life to Jesus completely, even if you were baptized many years ago, but you have not given your heart to him, right now is the time to do that.

If you want to sell out, if you want to be transformed so you can transform, if you want to give all of yourself to Jesus right now

come up as we sing this last hymn so we can pray together….

War on who-what-when-where?

What to do about North Korea and the War on Terror?? That's a big question. This is ultimately a war against good and evil. I'm sure the people who were in the middle of the Cold War felt the same way. The "Axis of Evil" is alive and well in North Korea, Iran, and in a way China. The two countries that have the most monitary interest in having a communist country stay in power (that's Russia and China) are against any sactions against N. Korea. You notice it was the same two countries against any sactions on Iraq. Who is supplying weapons to N. Korea and Iran. those same two countries.
I move away from the Methodist leaders that insist the US must immediately pull all troops out of iraq. We might have gone in with flawed information, but pulling out is disasterous. We should complete this now. Have you ever seen the movie "Swordfish"? This was a great movie. Basically at the end of the movie, the bad/good guys tracked down terrorist and destroyed them. You say "aren't you a pastor? How can you condone killing for killing?" This is not a physical war only. It's a spiritual war. The terrorist are radical muslims who want everyone who is not muslim to either convert or die. There is no talking, discussing, coming to consenious. If the "non-radical" muslim leaders wish to stop this, they could denouce what the radicals are doing. But they don't. One of 2 reasons for this....1. They agree with the radicals, 2. They are afraid the radicals will turn on them if they speak out. So which one is it?
Jesus spoke of love and compassion. Paul said to always be ready to give a defense for your faith, with Gentleness and Respect. Mohammed said the infadels must be converted or die. Which is right? Jesus is God and proved it. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Friends

I got a great support email today from a friend. It's great to hear support from people inside and outside the congregation. When I was working at Dell, I didn't care much about aclamations or fame. As long as I hit my outrageous quota and got a good paycheck, I was happy. Save the plaques and certificates and cheerleader meetings for someone else. Just put that money in my check.
But being outside of sales, I see things a little different. I don't need affirmations to know I'm a great speaker or anything like that. I need communication to know my congregation is growing spiritually. I need to know I'm getting thru. Better yet that the Holy Spirit is getting thru.

How does a pastor know this?? A growing church? More of the congregation in Sunday School? Larger offering each Sunday? Worldly, those are really the only way to measure success in a church. There is no spiritual meter that you can run each person thru like a metal detector to give you a "spiritual mean" for everyone. unfortunately. :o)

It's good to hear from friends. Not just a pat on the back, good job, but also accountability for where improvements can be made. I can't grow if I don't know where it fertilize.

Blessings....Pastor Sean

October 8 sermon Page 5 on Hebrews 1-2

Two bowling teams, one of all Blondes and one of all Brunettes, chartered a double-decker bus for a weekend gambling trip to Las Vegas. The Brunette team rode on the bottom of the bus, and the Blonde team rode on the top level. The Brunette team down below really whooped it up, having a great time, when one of them realized she hadn't heard anything from the Blondes upstairs. She decided to go up and investigate. When the Brunette reached the top, she found all the Blondes frozen in fear, staring straight-ahead at the road, clutching the seats in front of them with white knuckles. The Brunette asked, "What's going on up here? We're having a great time downstairs!" One of the Blondes looked up at her, swallowed hard and whispered... "YEAH, BUT YOU'VE GOT A DRIVER!"
Good morning America. I’m Paul Harvey. Stand by for News.
I talk about transforming this community and making a difference for time and for eternity. There is one who can do this, but first, Page One.

Ex-congressman Mark Foley has resigned in disgrace and hopefully will have charges brought against him. There is a lesson here if we will take it. Don't say anything in secret--over the phone or in an email or an instant message or a text message--that you would be ashamed to have written in large letters in the sky.

Don't sin with your lips and you won't have to worry if your messages are plastered on Fox News five years later. Do right and you will sleep well at night. Jesus said “Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops."

Page 2
In 1999, the honorable Governor Jesse Ventura said that “Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers.” Many Pastors and leaders rebuked him just like Jesus did to Peter before he went to the cross saying, “get behind me satan.” Ouch.
Is he right though?? George Barna did a survey of tweens, those kids between 8 and 12. He found that Overall, less than four out of every ten young people (38%) said that churches have made a positive difference in their life. An even smaller number (34%) said that prayer is very important to them. And less than 50% of pre-teens (43%) rejected the notion that they would rather be popular than do what is morally right. There is upbeat news though. Born-again Christians were more likely to possess an upbeat life perspective and experience. They were more likely to spend time with parents, choose morality over popularity, trust their parents, and accept television and curfew restrictions.
Oh, and one last Barna point. Five years after 9/11 there is no lasting impact on American faith.
Jesus then told them many things in parables saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Page 3
Rosie O’Donnell, on the for-women all-women show “the View” was having a discussion about drinking wine. One of the other host asked “Don’t you start losing your memory when your drunk?” When Rosie replied “Or you just start spouting anti-semetic remarks. Mel Gibson, Come on! You understand.”
And Jesus said “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you for my name. Rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great.

Page 4
Larry King, the CNN talk show host, was once asked who he would most want to interview if he could choose anyone from all of history. He said, "Jesus Christ." The questioner said, "And what would you like to ask Him?" King replied, "I would like to ask Him if He was indeed virgin-born. The answer to that question would define history for me."


Now I think he needs to change his question just a little bit in view of what modern medicine can do today. I think he should ask “was he indeed virgin-born by the power of the Holy Spirit”. Why does that change it, you ask? Well… in vitro fertilization was successfully started in 1978 and there have been over 20000 babies born thru this procedure instead of..well, you know. This isn’t a miracle, although when your baby is born you call them “your little miracle”. Aren’t babies so cute.

And now, page 5.
I talked about transformation at the beginning of my sermon. What does it take to transform the world? What does it take to transform a community? What will it take to transform this church? Only the truth….and here it is.

To understand why Jesus, who is God, came to earth to walk among us, we have to go all the way back to Genesis. When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge, their eyes were opened to the sin (that’s disobeying God) they did, and they were ashamed. They were also naked.

Animals were killed to make clothes for them and to cover their shame. That’s the first blood that was spilt. Every year, the Jews got together to shed blood again to cover their sins. They understood they were not as bad as some other people, but they were not perfect.
The sacrifice which was made, must be an animal with no blemished. It must be “perfect” to the eyes.
You see, in order to be the people of God, the people must be pure and holy.

Look at the 10 Commandments. Let’s just look at 3 of them. Think back in your past. Have you ever stolen anything, anything at all regardless of value? Even a paperclip or piece of gum…you would be a thief and breaking #7. How about this? Have you ever looked at another person with lustful eye? Jesus says right there you have committed adultery and broke #6.

How about have you every use the name of God or Jesus a curse word, an upset statement, or anything else other than responding to the creator? You just broke #2. So right there with just those 3 commandments of the 10, you would be an insincere, lying, cheating, adulterer. The bible says that if you break just 1 of these commandments ANYTIME in your life, you have broken them all and are not worthy to go to heaven.

But God in his mercy came from heaven to live among us. He was perfect (not only to the eye, but inside and out) in that he broke no commandments and focused on God and God’s will alone. He was 100% man in that he understood all our weaknesses and faults.
He was 100% God in that he had the power to forgive us for all of that. So when he was killed, he was killed for all of our sins. The charges for our disobedience to God were not dropped. They were paid for by Jesus. He was the last sacrifice that ever had to be made for the sins of the people.

But the story is not over. You see, he died but then 3 days later he was resurrected by the power of God. That is our hope, and that is the only reason we can have hope. You see, without the resurrection or if you don’t believe in the resurrection, there is no hope for us.

Jesus Christ died with the weight of every sin past-present-future that you and I and everyone else commit. Unless he died with those sins and was resurrected by God clear of those sins, we have no hope, because when we die, we either die cleared of sins because of him or with our sins so we cannot go before God in heaven. If there is no resurrection for him, there is no resurrection for us.

St. Luke, who was a physician, tells us that he did rise from the dead. There is hope for us. In raising Jesus, God shows that our debt was paid. And you? If you gave your life completely over to Christ that he not only has the good part, but takes the bad on, you will be resurrected also.


You are transformed so you can transform. Just like the Apostles Creed says we read earlier,
I believe in the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

In giving your life to Christ, he forgives your sins;
when you die, you are resurrected;
and you have life eternally in heaven.

And that my friends, is the rest of the story.

October 1 sermon Are you with me or against me Mark 9: 38-50

October 1 sermon Mark 9: 38-50

A man stopped by a barber shop for a shave. The barber was a lay Baptist preacher. When the man asked for a shave the barber told him, "My wife Grace will shave you."The man had to admit it was the finest, closest shave he had ever had. "How much", he asked."Fifty dollars" was the reply. The man thought that was a bit steep but paid anyway. A month later he realized that his beard was no longer growing. His face was just as it was when he was shaved.He went to barber and told him what was happening. "Oh", said the barber, "That is the way it is supposed to be. You have been shaved by Grace, once shaved, always shaved."

“Teacher”, says John, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not following us.” Well, what’s wrong with that? He’s not a follower of Jesus so he should not be casting out demons, right. Well let’s go back a few verses.

Just before this, they were walking to Capernaum. On the road, the disciples were bickering with each other about who was greatest among them. “I’m better than you because I was on the mountain with Jesus. I’m better because I was called first.” It’s kind of like sisters bickering back and forth every day.
So we go into this with John saying “this man was casting out demons ‘in your name’ but WE told him to stop. WE showed him. He’s not in the cliché with us 12. He’s not following US.” Did you catch that? John said “He’s not following US” not “He’s not following YOU.” The disciples had control issues.

It’s just one chapter later that James and John go to Jesus and ask to sit on either side of him in the Kingdom of God. The disciples want the power. The disciples want the glory. Anyone who was not like them, was not doing it right.
Do you remember when you were a kid playing a game such as football or basketball. You didn’t care about being team captain, but you wanted to be picked first. You wanted to stand up, chest out and say IN A DEEP VOICE “look at me. I was picked first.” You wanted to be on the winning team and you definitely did not want to be picked last.

Who is getting picked last in our neighborhood or church right now? Who doesn’t have control, but doesn’t want control? Who are we (as a church) missing that could use a hand more than a prayer? Think about that as we go thru this scripture.
Jesus tells John and the others “Do not hinder him. If he is doing a miracle in my name, he is only doing good.” Earlier in this chapter at verse 29, the disciples could not bring a demon out of boy.
They were probably a little miffed about that, and when they see this other guy who is not ‘one of the insiders’ doing exactly what THEY should be doing, jealousy flares up. Do you remember our OT scripture?

Two men who had not been with the group of 70 but were listed were filled with God’s Spirit and started prophesying. Joshua came running up and wanted Moses to stop them immediately. But Moses quipped back, “are you jealous? This is a great thing. In fact I wish everyone in the camp were prophets like this.”

Jesus said “do not hinder him.” The word hinder in the Greek is ‘koluo’. It was a way of tying the front legs of an animal together at night to keep them from running away. There is actually a more graphic description of the word used in a popular movie a few years ago.

Does anyone remember the 1990 movie with James Caan and Kathy Bates called Misery? Caan was a writer and Kathy Bates was an obsessed fan who pulled him from a car wreck, then basically kidnapped him. When he tried to escape, what happened? Does anyone remember what she did? PULL THE SLEDGE HAMMER OUT She hobbled him.
That’s what Jesus as talking about. GET EXCITED Don’t hobble him. Don’t discourage him. Don’t make him lose his excitement. Who cares if he does not do it exactly like you do (or want to do).
He is doing the work I told you to do. In Acts 5:38, the wise Pharisee who trained Saul said God doesn’t need us to defend his name. He is quite capable of that.

This makes me think about something else. This is actually very common today. Some of the greatest achievements were made because people pushed on thru the attacks and criticism they received. Examples: Why would you want one of those out of control horseless buggies when you have a perfectly good horse.

Or no one but the government needs any kind of computer, especially in each home. Or why would anyone want a no frills, short haul airline? Southwest will go out of business quickly. Oh, and age has nothing to do with it. Frank Lloyd Wright did his best work at 70. Alfred Hitchcock got it all together around 60. And Beethoven’s 9th was written when he was 50.

Then Jesus talks about 4 sins or 4 paths that can lead to destruction. He talks about the path of manipulation in “if anyone leads one of these little ones astray”. This can be by manipulation or by example. The best example I have of this is a “stupid thief” story I read the other day. This guy wanted to make it easy to break into houses. So he takes his little brother along to crawl in the doggie door, and then unlock the door. No breaking windows or anything like that.
The problem was when his little brother got too big for the doggie door and got stuck. They got caught. Big brother was a bad example.

The next one is ‘if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.’ Man that sounds extreme (not to mention painful). What does Jesus mean? Of course we could mention the stupid thief again and him stealing. But what about idleness?

That is, what about those who sit back and don’t try to make a difference? A couple weeks ago I took more than 15 bags of food and over $100 to Waxahachie Care Food Bank from this church. That is making a difference. You have to ask now, how can we as Sardis UMC make a difference again? What is the next step?

Then Jesus says ‘if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off’. Your feet will take you. They will either take you down the path of righteousness where Jesus says ‘follow me to the party. I’m taking the Good News to this group over here. We’re going to have a feast.’ OR, your feet will take you the other way. The ‘other way’ is destruction or can be the status quo. Nothing changes much there. It’s convenient and not scary. IBM was the first to mass produce personal computers. They knew what everyone needed and wanted. Then Dell and others came along with the ‘build to order’ plan. Now IBM doesn’t even make computers anymore.
And now if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Let me tell you how your eyes can lead you astray. Last night about 9:30 as I was typing on the computer I heard a loud crash in the other room. I jumped up and rushed out of the office to see what’s up, yelling at the girls “what happened? Are you OK?” I made it to the hallway and turned on the light and looked into the living room. The gerbil cage was on the floor broken open with the cat pouncing on a gerbil. The eyes had led the cat astray to temptation and she jumped at the chance, literally. In my house-shoes I start chasing the cat, yelling at it. “Stop Katrina. Come here Katrina.” I finally corner the cat and she drops the gerbil who runs into the AC closet. Oh my, this is bad. That closet leads to an opening under the bathtub. I open the door and there is the gerbil. I pick it up, and it’s so happy to be free and safe from the cat, PAUSE that it bites me. We did finally get both the gerbils back in the cage and put away. Oh the temptation that the cat saw was just too great to pass up.

Everyone will be salted with fire, Jesus says. That is, all four of those things he just talked about, the chance for manipulation or setting bad examples, being idle with your hands and not trying to make a difference, walking away, and temptation thru your eyes. These can all happen to you.


But how do they affect you? Do you give in? You can’t. Turn away from the temptation. Here’s why….it works both ways. If you turn from it, it will be easier each time after that.
If you give in once, the 2nd and 3rd time will be harder to turn. The 4th will be even harder. Then the salt loses its saltiness. HUH? The salt loses its saltiness. That means you’ve turned to the sin (small, medium, large it doesn’t matter), you’ve turned in to the sin so many times that it’s a part of your life.

I’ve been told it takes 14-21 days to form a habit. It takes a lot more days to break it. When that sin (sin is not doing what God has said you should do), when you keep doing, or not doing, it will become part of life and not affect your conscience any more. The saltiness is gone.
I’ve got good news though. I’ve seen what this church can do. I know what kind of difference you and you and you can make. Where are we going now? What do you want to build today? What kind of legacy do you want to leave with this church?

I want you to pray and seek guidance from God this week on that very thing. What is the future of Sardis UMC and where are YOU in the picture? Then act on the answer. Everybody I talk to I tell them this is a model church. There’s no power struggle. There’s no bickering.
When I come in and stretch you, you grow. It doesn’t matter if we are 40, 400, 4000, or 40,000 in worship we can transform this area for the one who sent us, Jesus Christ.
When you come up for communion today, ask God for a picture of the future of Sardis UMC. Ask him to guide your legacy and the legacy of this church. Ask for wisdom……… and ask for endurance to run the race before us all. Join me on page 13.

You can't please everyone

These words were given to me before my first day as a pastor. They are so true. Some people want the church to go this way. Some want it to go that way. And the best part is they know exactly what it takes to go there. My job as the pastor is to pray and follow God and only God in where he wants HIS church to go. There will be those that get upset with a word or phrase I use. Step on some toes, and boy...look out. I start to get the cold shoulder. I know it's hard, but follow me as I follow God.

There is a great article that Dan Russell wrote called Screaming Users Considered Good. You can read it HERE.... below is a small excerpt.

We all know our users can have really strong opinions about our stuff. And we all know we need to listen carefully.
My very favorite user comment of all time came from a young woman who had been using this cool design tool (something I’d built) for about 12 weeks. At the end of the project, I was doing the standard debriefing of the users, asking what they liked and didn’t like, what worked, what didn’t work, what was frustrating… the usual sort of post mortem on a project.
She told me that my software, my baby, the thing I’d been working on for the past 2 years was “..the most white male fascist tool I’ve ever had the misfortune to use…”
I was somewhat taken aback.
“Ah, yes…” I stalled for time, desperately trying to hold it together. “And what made you feel this way?”

Worst sermon EVER

This is my worst sermon ever. I can't believe I even did this. Lots of things I need to improve on here.....

September 17 sermon Matthew 4: 18-22 the great calling

John Madden was in Atlanta in October to announce a football gameone weekend when he noticed a special phone near the Falcons' bench.He asked the coach what it was for & was told it was a hotline to God.
John asked if he could use it.
Coach told him, "Sure, but it'll cost you $100." Madden scratched his head, then thought, what the heck I need abreak picking the games. He pulled out his wallet and paid the $100.Madden was perfect that week.
The next weekend Madden was in Minnesota when henoticed the same kind of phone on the Viking bench. He asked the coachwhat the phone was for and was told, "It's the hotline to God, and if youwant to use it, it'll cost $100."
\nRecalling last week, Madden pulled out his wallet, paid the money \n& made the call. Madden was perfect that week. \nThe next weekend Madden was in \nTexas Stadium when he noticed the same kind of phone by the Dallasbench. He asked Bill Parcells, "Is that phone the hotline to God?"\n \nBill said, "Yes, and if you want to use it, it\'ll cost 35 cents."\n \nMadden looked incredulously at the coach and said, "Wait a second,\nI just paid $100 in Atlanta & $100 at Minnesota to use the same phone to God. Why does Dallas only charge 35 cents?" \nBill looked at Madden & replied, "In \nDallas, it\'s a local call." \n\n",0]
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//-->

Recalling last week, Madden pulled out his wallet, paid the money & made the call. Madden was perfect that week.
The next weekend Madden was in Texas Stadium when he noticed the same kind of phone by the Dallasbench. He asked Bill Parcells, "Is that phone the hotline to God?"
Bill said, "Yes, and if you want to use it, it'll cost 35 cents."
Madden looked incredulously at the coach and said, "Wait a second; I just paid $100 in Atlanta & $100 at Minnesota to use the same phone to God. Why does Dallas only charge 35 cents?"
Bill looked at Madden & replied, "In Dallas, it's a local call."


We must read the bible in the context of the whole bible. Here’s why. If we don’t, we could keep women from speaking at all in church (I know that would be hard), we could justify slavery (it was done with the bible), and we could if we tried to say the bible contradicts itself and should not be trusted.

But in our text today, we could say that 4 grown men who have minds of their own, left their good paying jobs and family, and started to follow and be mentored by a total stranger after only hearing him say 10 words. “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

Those of us who have had amazing encounters in our lives with Jesus thru the Holy Spirit, don’t doubt it could happen that way (and yes it could).

However, there are far too many people who are willing to believe any information given to them if it’s said to be from the bible, without they themselves actually reading the bible and finding out what it says. Let’s say I listened to Benny Hinn. I would come to believe that when I sow abundantly (give him lots of money), abundantly it will be given back to me.

He bases that on Genesis 26 that says Isaac sowed in that land and in that same year reaped a hundredfold.
When we read scripture, we have to take the whole bible in together. Look at the Christmas story. If we only read Matthew, we will see the star and wise men. If we only read Luke, we will see the manger and shepherds who were invited to be witnesses by the angels.

It’s only when we attempt to put Matthew and Luke together that we learn the full beauty of the nativity story. The calling of the disciples is like that also.
Matthew says that Jesus called his disciples as they fished on the Sea of Galilee. According to Matthew, Peter and Andrew were in the process of casting a net in to the sea because….well that’s what fishermen do.

Jesus gives a 10 word invitation and they drop everything to follow this total stranger. Luke has a longer version where the disciples had been fishing all night with no results.
They were cleaning their nets the next day when Jesus approached and asked them to let him on board so he could teach the rapidly growing crowd from the boat. After teaching, he told Peter to put the nets out for a catch. Although they had caught nothing all night, these experienced fishermen put their nets out with extraordinary results.

There were so many fish the boats started try to sink. They had to call their partners James and John. Convinced that this itinerate preacher was something special when he asked them to follow him, they left their boats on the shore and became disciples. Without Luke’s version, we are left with the impression that a 10 word invitation from a total stranger changed their lives.

Now we can go even deeper into the bible. The Gospel of John is a great book. John maintains that before a few of the disciples started following Jesus, they were disciples of John the Baptist. This story gets to Jesus when John the Baptist is out in the Jordan River baptizing (that’s why he’s called the Baptist I suppose).

One day while John stood in the river he saw his cousin Jesus walking along the shore. “Behold the lamb of God.” Andrew, one of John’s disciples, went to check Jesus out. He was so impressed, that he returned with his brother Peter. THEN, John says, Jesus decided to go to Galilee.
You see, Andrew and Peter had already had an encounter with Jesus near the Jordan River. When Jesus came to Galilee and said “Come and follow me and I will teach you to fish for people”, Andrew and Peter did leave everything, but not to follow a complete stranger after a 10 word invitation. It was to follow Jesus whom they had already come to believe was sent from God.

Now here is a question. Does that make the call of the disciples in Galilee less spectacular? Does it take the mystery out of the encounter? Does it make Peter and Andrew less faithful or less uuummm spontaneous?
OR, is the net effect the same? PAUSE

They left everything to follow Jesus just the same. So the disciples were called to follow Jesus.
In relation to us, if you are a Christian, you are already a disciple of Jesus Christ. A disciple is a student. A disciple is a learner. The disciple studies at the feet of a rabbi or teacher.
Peter was a disciple first.
Andrew was a disciple first.
James and John were disciples first. All 12 of them were first disciples. And what does ALL mean? All means all and that’s all all means. Before you can be anything else, you have to be a student. Jesus is our teacher.


Now when we read the bible, we hear all the sermons or stories Jesus taught. But over those years of his ministry he gave the same sermons and stories over and over. The disciples were with him or in the crowds and heard them again and again. The sermon from Matthew 5 could be the Sermon and the Mount and in another book it could be the Sermon on the Plain and somewhere else it could be the Sermon from the Boat.

Jesus taught his disciples when he taught the multitudes, but he also taught them while walking along the roads, sitting around the dinner table, at weddings and other places. He took every opportunity to train them. Likewise, Jesus is our teacher and rabbi. He will teach us thru the Holy Spirit, but his primary teaching tool is the bible.

As we read, we hear his instructions. For those who are interested to learn, Jesus is still a teacher.
So Jesus called his disciples.
If you are a Christian you are a disciple of Jesus.
So if you are a disciple, you have been called.
Jesus called Andrew and Peter. It was Andrew who first brought Peter to Jesus. Jesus called James and John.

Peter, James and John were in the inner circle and were so close to Jesus that he asked them to follow him to the Garden after the Last Supper where he agonized over his decision of going to the cross.
If you are a Christian, you are just as called. The first step in your journey is to receive and respond to the call of Jesus Christ. Come and follow me and I will make you fish for people.

Before anything else, Jesus calls us. First it’s come and follow me. Then it’s I will teach you to fish for people. The first disciples fished for a living. They knew how to fish for fish. They were not always successful. Like all fishermen they had good days and bad days.

But Jesus said “There’s something more important than having a good day fishing for fish. If you think it’s exciting to catch a big one, just wait until you experience the thrill of helping a person catch the vision of a relationship with Jesus Christ.”

I told you a few weeks ago that I challenged the men’s group that we would go from 10 men sitting around the table to 100 men. Set your goals so you will certainly fail unless God steps in. When we step outside the box and radically change our approach of bringing men into the group, lives can transform.

Pioneer evangelist C.T. Studd is quoted saying “some people want to live within the sound of a church or chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop in the yard of hell.”
We sometimes assume that non-Christians understand the jargon we use all the time in church.
Like Narthex. What’s a Narthex? Or church polity. I’ve never used the word polity before. How about “If we look at the Discipline, we can discern how the polity will affect the board’s decision to dedicate a plaque for the Cokesbury saints from here that are gone, and put it in the narthex.” Makes complete sense right?

Evangelism or inviting or whatever you want to call it has changed. Just throwing up a church sign doesn’t do it. We have to meet people where they are. That’s why we had plans today for some guys to go to the races.

This was an opportunity to invite men who don’t go to church, don’t care for church, don’t like the hymns, or have never seen the Cokesbury hymnal and don’t care, or who think church is boring. It wasn’t to get them in a small group and beat them over the head with a bible.

It was to show them that yes Christians like to do things they like; yes Christians like to have fun. Jesus and his buddies had fun together. You could hear Andrew say “Peter knows how to catch fish. He caught one yesterday that had a coin in its mouth. That was a great fish.” Look at Matt. 17 if you wonder what I am talking about.

Jesus says to “follow me”, and we Christians did. Like Andrew, we must now go and introduce others to Christ. Now is the time. Go and be fishers of people. Go and be like Christ.

September 11th 5 year memorial service

September 11th 5 year memorial service

What can I say about what happened 5 years ago? I was not in NY. I was not in DC. I was not in the field in PA. I was sitting at work, staring at my computer, wondering what kind of day I was going to have. We lived in TN at the time, and we had TVs all throughout the building. CNN or Foxnews was the standard channel they were on.

After the first plane hit, we were in shock, but we didn’t know what happened. Was there an explosion-was it a bomb?? Then the reports started to come in. Then the second plane hit.

This was not an attack on another city thousands of miles away. This was an attack on me and you and everyone else in America. 3000 people died on that day 5 years ago. That’s 3000 immediate families and even more extended families and friends who were affected.

Our lives, beliefs, values, democracy, and freedom were attacked that day and so many people feel helpless to cope with it. Many times we just go throughout our day, getting by……numbed by all the anger, violence, and injustice in our world. Everything we are, they hate. Everything we believe, they condemn.

You don’t have to feel helpless though.

The question I asked myself, and I’m sure you asked yourself and the people around you is “Why?”. Why did it happen? This group that perpetrated the acts were extremist Islamist Fascist. They killed Christians, Jews, Muslims (yes their own religion), atheist, and everyone in between.

5 years later we don’t have the #1 man involved although we have a lot of the others. Was America being punished by God for not staying with it’s Christian roots? We are one of the few nations supporting Israel, God’s chosen people. Doesn’t that get us at least one “get out of jail free” card with God?

You might say, Pastor, didn’t you tell us last week that Jesus came to not only save us from eternal hell, but also hell on this earth?? From where I was sitting, I would say that day in NY was pretty close to hell.

Our scripture passage today gives us an answer to these questions. For God so loved the world…. When God the made the world……… when he looked and decided to bring each of us into this world, he made us with love. He didn’t want to control us like pawns moving across a chess board. He wanted us to live, live in abundant love for each other.


But evil came into the world. That evil is so tempting. It fooled many people into believing they knew better than God and could do a better job of running the world. So they turned away from this God they could not see and went another way.

God didn’t want that for us. He wanted eternal life with him. But since we were full of stinky stuff, we were not worthy to even be in the same room as God. And there was no amount of scrubbing that would get that nasty smell off. So God took care of us.

He sent his Son down to the earth. Jesus is the second part of the trinity and is God also. God came down to earth as one of us, but he didn’t smell. He was perfect.
Now read in verse 16…God didn’t want us to perish but have eternal life.

Then in 17, God didn’t send Jesus to condemn us, but that we may be saved thru him. God was tired of us wasting away in the cess pool of life away from him. He desired to have a relationship with us. One built on love and trust.

Jesus did not condemn us. We had already done that when we turned away from God in the first place. Jesus came to save us from death. Jesus came to make our lives better by living in relation with him so we can make it thru the tough times.
So back to the question. Why? God didn’t make 9-11 happen. This world stinks. It really does. The smell of evil (that is sin) is all around. Plain and simple, it’s all over the world. Those men who hijacked the planes, those who blew up the USS Cole, those who blew up the barracks in Saudi Arabia are evil.

Some would say there is good somewhere in them. They would say “oh they were raised that way and indoctrinated into that way of life”. I have to disagree. Some suicide bombers have given up before pulling the trigger. Closer to home, I’ve seen repeat offenders turn their life around and leave the crime ridden past of theirs.

Anne Rice went from writing books about vampires and death to a book about the childhood of Jesus. Truth and love changed the hearts of these people.

What about those who were killed on 9-11, you may ask? Did they go to heaven. I’m not here to pass judgment on anyone. That’s not my job. My job is to spread the good news to as many people as possible before Christ comes back in final victory. All I can say about the people of 911 is God (father son and holy spirit) is a God of judgment, mercy and love. He loves them more than we ever have.

I’m more concerned with you here on earth now. If you knew Jesus was coming back to earth in one year, what would you do different. Would your life change in any way? Do you know for sure your spouse, your kids, your mom and dad, your best friend or neighbor are all Christian.

Have you ever said anything to them about it?
You’re here alive now. Jesus said to let the dead be dead. My brother-in-law said to not put flowers on his grave site because he is not there. That’s just a shell of a body in the ground.

When we take communion in a little while, let go and let God take control, not only of your life and the direction it’s going, but also let God have all that anger and pain your feeling. Move that out of heart.

Let Jesus fill it in with his love and compassion he has for you. Let go of the worries of yesterday or the worries of tomorrow. Jesus said you have enough on your plate today. Give that to me and don’t worry about it.

Our God is a big God. He wants to transform that anger and sorrow you have into new life. If you feel less than perfect, he wants to make you whole.

September 11th

We have a 9-11 memorial service scheduled for 6pm. It's going to be a busy day with a meeting @ 2:30, service @ 6, board meeting @ 7 then another meeting on Tuesday.

What can I say about 9-11 when I was not in NY, DC, or the field in PA?? I think the thing to say is this was not an attack on NY. This was an attack on America and the freedom we enjoy. We worship, we have happy marriages, we love others (even those we don't totally agree with). THose who attacked us will not stop ever. Their only 'end game' is total destruction of the infadels. They don't know complete salvation. Unless they are martyred, they are not assured that 'Allah' will let them into heaven. They have that chalkboard faith of good and bad checks.
As Christians, on the other hand, we are assured of our salvation by the blood of the one who stood in our place.

I pray for tomorrow. I pray that even if one person shows up for our service, they can be healed of any pain felt, and they can move on and grow into what Christ wants the to be. Transformation is what I want!!!

September 3 sermon Be Doers James 1: 17-27

September 3 sermon Be Doers James 1:17-27


Who is James?? James was the oldest brother of Jesus. He didn’t even believe Jesus was the messiah until after Jesus was resurrected and then showed up in front of James. James became the head of the Jerusalem church and was the one who corrected the issues between the Jews and Gentiles and smoothed out any complaints.

Many people don’t like James though. He focuses on the law and faith, while Paul seems to focus on grace and faith. Interestingly, there is not dissention and conflict with James and Paul. They are actually complementary and focus on different aspects of love, law and faith.

James starts in our selected scripture saying “every good gift comes from the father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” The best gift to get from God is the same gift he gave to Solomon in the Old Testament. When God told Solomon he could have any gift he wanted, Solomon asked for wisdom.

In chapter 1 verse 5, Peter says “If anyone of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously.” What is wisdom?? Wisdom is not just acquiring information, but practical insight with spiritual implications. James is compared to Proverbs by most scholars because the whole book is practical wisdom for the people.
Speaking of wisdom, Proverbs says Wisdom will protect you from the wicked; Wisdom is understanding; Wisdom is supreme, though it costs all you have. So wisdom is that good and perfect gift James is talking about.

James goes on to say that the Father of heavenly lights does not change like shifting shadows. He is saying God, the father created everything you see. He created the heavenly lights and he is pure light that never goes out or leave so the shadows are never there.

I love to take pictures. PULL OUT YOUR CAMERA. When photographers take pictures, they have to think about the shadows created with the flash of their camera. And if the sun is just going down or coming up then new shadows are created.

But God is radiant light that is all over. There are no shadows created because God surrounds us with his pure light leaving no room for shadows.
James says God chose to give us birth thru the word of truth. This is not creation when we were born at our first birth date. He is referring to regeneration…… Being Born Again.

His audience was called to be first-fruits. Just like the first part of a harvest was given to God based on the OT book of Leviticus, these first believers in Christ are a sign of the harvest of Christians to come.
Jesus makes a reference to this also when he says “Look how ripe the harvest is. We need to bring it in, but the workers are few.”
My dear brothers and sisters, all of you, (and what does all mean; all means all and that’s all all means). All of you should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.

Oh my gosh. I don’t like these rules. It goes totally against the judgment of those of us who know everything. Quick to listen and slow to speak. Brandy got mad at me one time. Here’s how it went.
Brandy says (yelling): You don’t listen enough and take my feelings and ideas into consideration. I don’t feel like you care. Etc etc.
Sean hears: You don’t blah blah blah blah blah blah.
Sean yells back: Why are you yelling at me?

I wasn’t listening. But boy I was quick to speak. I wanted to make my point and make sure I go the last word in.
Oh I was talking to someone the other day about funerals and they said they had heard about people video taping their final will. That way there is no question what was meant with the written will……… and they could get the last word.
OK…so be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger for anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James is writing about communication skills.
I tell you, miscommunication is the biggest cause of arguments and problems today. Also, email and cell phones makes the possibility of communication problems even greater.
Mike sent me an email the other day in all caps saying he would be too busy to play on a softball team. I sent an email back saying “OK, stop yelling at me”. All caps in email is considered yelling.

Also, just putting a comma in a different place of your sentence will change the meaning of that sentence.
SO your communication gets all messed up and one party gets mad about it, because they did not understand what you were saying. They communicate back (in a not so nice way), and make you mad also. Then the anger flairs up.

So therefore get rid of all the evil and malice that is in you. Just like Jesus said, If you are angry with your brother or sister, go and make amends with them, and THEN come and talk to me. When the anger has moved out of your life, you can then accept the word of God fully, which can save you.

Now I am going to tell you how to be blessed. Do you want to blessed? I want to be blessed. I can’t wait for Jesus to tell me “Well done, good and faithful servant.”


James says that if you listen to the word, the perfect law that gives freedom, and continue to follow it, not forgetting what you heard, but continuing to do it, you will be blessed.

What does that mean?? Well if you listen to my sermon, and when I come to you on Wednesday and ask you what I talked about, and you remember it, you are blessed :o). Not exactly.

The perfect law is the moral and ethical teaching of Christianity, which is based on the 10 commandments and Jesus clarified this even more in his teachings, like the Sermon on the Mount.

This perfect law gives freedom. The sinner is a slave to sin. Why a slave?? Because the slave cannot break free on his own. The slave has to be given freedom by his master, and sin does not give in without a fight.

There is truth in this teaching in that for a slave to have this perfect freedom James is talking about, he must be freed by something greater than the sin and greater than himself. He must look to the perfect law of Jesus Christ to become free. There was The Law in the Old Testament.

You can refer back to Leviticus for that if you have some time and a few shots of caffeine.
Jesus came not to destroy this law, but to fulfill it and by accepting Jesus as our Savior (that’s big word implying he has to save us from something). By accepting Jesus as our Savior, he, as the perfect law, will free us from the enslavement of sin.

Without the saving power of Jesus we will stay in sin forever. The only punishment available for sin (or another way to put it is the only option and destination when we have this sin in us) is death and eternity away from God. When we are freed by Jesus, our enslavement to sin is no more and eternal life with him is our only future.

Now in the last two verses, 26 and 27, James explains what true religion is. It is controlled speech, and protection of the weak. Pure religion (or as many people today would say pure spirituality) is taking care of those who can’t always take care of themselves.

They are not always helpless per se, but can use some help. James says orphans and widows, because in his day, they were the groups left behind in life and not taken care of. Today I will add the single mom, the working poor, and how about the “string of bad luck” guy.

Last week we pulled a vehicle into Bill’s hanger and he changed the brakes out and on another one I changed the oil. The only expense the owner had was for parts. $140 brake replacement turned into a $30 brake replacement. That’s what James is talking about when he says “be a doer”. I love our men’s group. I talk about the men’s group because I’m not involved in the Methodist Women’s group. Something about not being a woman…I think. Not sure what all that is about.

But before our men’s meeting last month, Dan called me. I know Dan can’t do too much physically. But he asked me about getting those guys who have not been in church to hear the announcement about the men’s meeting. I told him the only thing I could think of was to call them. He volunteered on the spot to call them.

The bible says God will give us work based on our gifts and abilities. Dan opened my eyes to that verse right then.

Finally James says to not get polluted by the world. Be in the world, not of the world. We can’t hide away in these 4 walls. We are called to go out into the world and make it better. The salvation Jesus brings is not to just keep us out of Hell at the end of this life.

Salvation is from the hell in this world also. We are here to transform this world. We are here to make it better. See these bags next to the podium?? Each of these is a meal for a family in need.

And yeah I know feed a man a fish and he is full for a day but teach him to fish and he is full for a lifetime. Sometimes people just need to eat for today just to make it. That’s why we are taking these bags to Waxahachie Care food bank.

And if you didn’t get to bring anything, but still want to, you can grab a bag in the back and bring it to the church tomorrow. During communion this morning you can leave money on the alter rail. This will also go to Waxahachie Care. Giving is not a mandatory thing. Give out of your abundance and what you are led to give.

Join me on page 13 in your hymnal for our communion service….

Spiritual Warfare sermon Ephesians 6: 10-20

August 26 sermon Spiritual Warfare Ephesians 6: 10-20

Is it worth it? Is it worth fighting any more? Is there a time when you say “Lord, forget it. I can’t do this any more. I’m exhausted. I want out.”
In the movie ‘The Matrix’, Neo was sitting in a chair. He had a choice to make. If he took the blue pill, he would wake up in the world he had been in all this time as if nothing has happened. If he took the red pill, he would fall down the rabbit hole just like Alice and see just how far down it goes.
Oh what a ride when your eyes are opened to the spiritual war that is happening all over right now.
The ACLU and the teachers association is defending a teacher who was burning a flag in class as a demonstration, but oh let him pray to God and he will be crucified.

The 10 commandments cannot be displayed on any public property without being challenged. Up in a northern state, the memorials the county has displayed for troopers who have died in the line of duty are being challenged to remove because they are large crosses with plaques on them.
The Boy Scouts are being kicked out of school because they are governed by a higher authority which is God. There are many more I can list. And don’t be tricked into believing that these 4 walls will protect you from persecution.
In Matthew 7:15 Jesus says to watch for false teachers or false prophets. They will come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inward they are wolves. He goes on to say “By their fruits you will recognize them.” These are the people that don’t let God be God.

I took my bicycle in to be fixed the other day. When I got into the shop and asked the guy how long it would take he said a couple hours. So I waited and waited and waited. Finally I said “how much longer will this take?” He said “well sir, if you will let go of the bike, I can get started to fix it.” You have to let go and let God.

What can God do? God can do anything he wants. These wolves in sheep’s clothing are going to be the ones that poo-poo all your ideas. When we were talking about a new building, one person said we could use it for a mother’s day out.
Some other ideas were physical fitness classes and health clinics, after school care, boy scouts, revivals, hosting area youth events, more classrooms, more storage, basketball, volleyball.

Oh we can’t do that, the wolf will say. We are too small. We are not visible to the community; we’ve never done that before. I DON’T WANT MY LITTLE CHURCH TO GROW. You might laugh at that last one, but I have heard it before.

So what do you do? First realize that some of these people are scared of change. They see different as bad and comfortable status-quo as good. Next, Paul tells us what to do. Be strong in the Lord and his power. Smile, Nod, and go on and fulfill the calling set before you by God.

Pray big. You have a big God. Lean on him. Rely on him. Don’t hesitate to go to him and ask for direction and help. Then be quiet. Listen for his words. Paul says I try to please everybody in every way. But I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Do you think Paul was trying to do the impossible? I will please everybody in every way. He qualified it though. I’m not seeking my own good. I’m following Christ.
Sometimes, those wolves are big bad wolves. They want to huff and puff and blow down your spiritual house.

These are not subtle shots from the people around you, but all out war. What do you do? Put on the full armor of God. This struggle is not against flesh and blood. We are not contending with only physical opponents. The devil is up in our business and he wants to try and tear it all down, one piece at a time. Discouragement and pride are part of his weaponry.

You know what discouragement sounds like, right?? You’re not really good enough for that church buddy. You know what you did last year. After that episode, you can’t possibly make it here. You better keep sweating and I’ll tell you when you will make it.

How about pride? Man your better than the people in that church. They are just a bunch of hypocrites. I even heard that in a prayer group they talk in tongues. Pride puts you above God and other people.

If this struggle is not against flesh and blood, how do we fight? If I can’t get my hands around it, how can I defeat it? First we need to be secure. We have the armor of God to put on to secure us.

Each piece must be in place to overcome the temptations and attacks. In verse 14, Put on the belt of truth. The waist or abdomen area was generally thought to be the seat of emotions. To belt this area with truth is to commit your emotions to believing the truth.

Many times people will believe a lie because of fear of self-pity. I’m not good enough to do that because I’ve never done it before. But the bible says “we can do all things thru Christ who strengths us.” Believers must hold a commitment to the truth regardless of the repercussions.
Put on the breastplate of righteousness. You heart has always been thought of as the place the soul dwells. Your heart must be kept pure and righteous to not give sin a foothold. As anyone under the control of an addiction and they can tell you all about this.

If an alcoholic has one drink, it won’t stop at that. Someone addicted to pornography will not stop with just one magazine or movie. Most of the time these addictions are actually covering up something else.

Telling one lie such as, oh I don’t know, where you were last night, will build into something bigger over time. Skipping church gets easier and easier each week you do it. I’ve been there, I know. But if we confess our sins before God, he is faithful and just and will purify us.

In the next verse we must have our feet ready with the gospel of peace. Standing in place, ready to be attacked. Not running away. If you have ever done any gardening or yard work, a company makes these sandals with spikes on the bottom. They are to aerate your yard. As you walk, they push holes down into the soil.

Those in battle had the same kind of sandals. This gave them a firm footing. Good shoes also allowed you a better trip from place to place to spread the gospel. We need to readiness to share the gospel at a moments notice. That’s the business we should be about.
Take up the shield of faith he says. Shields were usually sheets of wood covered with animal hide and sometimes held together with iron. They were soaked in water to extinguish any flaming arrows that came at them. The shield of faith is a protection from the fiery darts of temptation and fear from the spiritual enemy.

Put on the helmet of salvation. A helmet protects the brain and your thoughts. You Christians can rest confidently in the protection of the Spirit because of the assurance of your salvation. Jesus said that none who are believers of me will be taken from my hands.

Doubt and insecurity can be dropped when you can say “Lord thank you for dying for my sins, your blood covering me, my blackness being washed away, and folding my into your kingdom. I know I am set apart for your good works and I have a guaranteed future with you.”

And then the sword. The sword of the Spirit and the Word of God. Do you have the word of God with you? Read your bible. The Word he is talking about is scripture that will help you thru specific circumstances.

In Matthew, the devil tempted Jesus. “Turn these stones to bread, jump off this temple, bow down to me and you can have everything.” At each instance, Jesus countered him with scripture.
He did not back down but stood firm in the faith. The living Word is powerful, effective and instructive.
The last thing Paul tells us is to Pray Always. It is to be constant as you prepare daily for this battle you will have to fight.

Prayer opens the channels between us and God. When the army is on the battlefield overseas, they are in constant contact with their commanding officer. When you see the secret service, they always have those little ear pieces on. For you football fans, you can see the quarterback holding his hands over his helmet ear holes to be able to hear the coach call plays into him.

You know, football is a good way to look at this. The coordinators are up in the booth high above everyone else and they can see the forest from the trees. They see how the other team is getting into position and can call out plays to out maneuver them.

Those on the field or in the trenches can ignore the calls given and go out to battle on their own, but the effectiveness of that will be evident quickly.

You have your armor now. You have your belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, helmet of assurance of salvation, shield of faith, shoes of readiness to share the gospel. And you have your sword.
That is the Spirit who will give you the words to say, but only if you are close to your commanding officer. To do that you must stay in prayer, read scripture, walk by faith and on the right path. Every step you take forward in the will of God, he will make the path clearer for you.

Have you seen those Claritin commercials? The people are all fuzzy and blurred out, and they take Claritin and are Claritin clear. That’s how it is with your faith walk. The fog will lift and your path will become clearer.

I’m praying for you. Pray for this church and the mission that is before us. We are here to give a reason for the assurance of our faith. Know what you believe and why you believe. If you don’t have those two things, you don’t have a belief at all.

So I will pray for you as Paul did, that “whenever you open your mouth, words may be given to you so that you will fearlessly make known the gospel. Declare the truth fearlessly. You have a big God.

Angry white male

I found out today that I'm an the "normative". This is from my "church in the social context" class. white/middle class/married/heterosexual/etc. Basically this class is going to be bashing "me" and saying 'you have been in power too long and you need to move over."
What has happened. Why does there need to be a class struggle or gender struggle. scripture tells us there is no Jew or Greek, male or female. We are all one in Christ. But it seems that certain groups can't get past treatments in the past.
We will see how this all turns out.

What do you do when someone hurts you?

What do you do when someone hurts you? Even more, what do you do when it's the church that hurts you? How do you handle it? You know that if you retaliate or raise your voice in any way it will only come back to haunt you in the future. Plus, what do you gain in doing that? Jesus said "you have heard it said 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' I tell you that if a brother strikes you on your left cheek, show your other cheek." The context of that statement was this...in the OT Moses gave that law because it was not an eye for an eye. It was a leg for an eye or life for an eye. You kill my donkey so I will kill your son. And so it went. The law came about for fair punishment.

Jesus though came at it another way. Don't strike back at the person who strikes you. Revenge is mines says the Lord. Their justice will come. If you stoop to their level, it will only get ugly. Each blow will be more severe than the one before.
So back to the question above. The bible says we must go to the one who is sinning and try to work it out one-on-one.
If that does not work we bring them before the church. That would be Pastor Parish Relations if they are a pastor. And if that does not work, then we move up the chain. In the Methodist church it's the DS, but the church really has the final say.
But what if both sides don't play by the rules? Half truths can get fit into place quickly. That can actually be miscommunication. He said this or did this. Well I meant it this way. No communication is still mis-communication. If you have problems or issues, they must be dealt with ASAP.
I say all this wondering, when both sides are wrong, but both sides can't forgive and move on, how do you fix it. Is it best to break the relationship and bring another in? I think so. Hopefully in doing that, the issues can be left behind and die with that relationship that died before. Hopefully both sides can see there were mistakes made that could have been avoided. Hopefully now they will both grow and the body of Christ does not suffer because if the strife.
We all make up one body. That is the BOC. If the eyes have a problem and it's not dealt with, the eyes end up getting taken out. The BOC suffers until they are healed.

Pray for the church. Pray that we can open communication and not let it simmer beneath the surface. Pray that all leaders (pastor and lay) can be humble in all situations and serve great doses of grace to the congregation.

John 6:51-58 Risky Business sermon

John 6:51-58 Risky Business sermon

An elderly woman walked into the local country church. The friendly usher greeted her at the door and helped her up the flight of steps. "Where would you like to sit?" he asked politely."The front row please." she answered."You really don't want to do that", the usher said."The pastor is really boring.""Do you happen to know who I am?" the woman inquired."No." he said."I'm the pastor's mother," she replied indignantly."Do you know who I am?" he asked."No." she said."Good", he answered

In the beginning was the Word. Those are the first words of the gospel of John. The Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was Jesus. He is saying that Jesus has always been here and will always be here for us in scripture and life.

Do you remember the movie Risky Business? Tom Cruise skating across the hard wood floor in his underwear…Not really the picture I want to see now, but he was very cool back then. In the movie he needed money and quick. He came up with a business idea that was so outrageous it was truly unbelievable. It was kind of extreme, like most movies are of course.

Jesus’ clarification to the Jews is just that…extreme. Eat my flesh; drink my blood. Could it be that Jesus saying this is a graphic way of saying “receive me”? I’m not here to offer you a religion. I’m here to offer you a relationship. One with the true God.

Why would he be so extreme?? Because following Jesus is extreme. The Christian life is easy right? Right? NO. The Christian life is impossible without the Spirit.

Jesus was being extreme, because the Christian life is often sold as ‘cheap grace’. “name it and claim it” prosperity preaching. All you have to do is believe and have more faith and you will receive more.

God does not call us to be successful. He calls us to be faithful. Faithful to him and not the world. That does not mean abandon the world. You can’t. But you can strive to make it better.

Do you have kids? PAUSE Has this happened to you? You tell your kids to do something, then tell your kids to do something, then tell your kids to do something, then tell your kids to do something. Finally you raise your voice above the noise of everything else in their lives so you will be heard and they will listen.

I think Jesus was yelling at the Jews. Remember the movie, “A Few Good Men.” Another Tom Cruise movie. In the court scene, he is interrogating Jack Nicolson. Here’s how it goes. “You want the truth?” Tom says “I think I deserve it.” “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!”

Jesus started by saying, “I am the living bread. Thru me you will live forever.” That was not enough. They still had all the noise of traditions filling their ears and they could not hear the truth speaking. Our kids have the distractions of TV, internet, radio, peers, school.

We adults have the distractions of bosses, spouses, kids, washing machine breaking, PTA, church. All these things keep their arms up blocking our view of God.

We recite the Lord’s prayer. How many can say the words without looking?? PAUSE. How about the apostles creed? “I believe in God the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth……” I mentioned going thru communion last time that I could sit in the pew and go thru the whole communion ritual without even opening the book. We get so distracted by the everyday stuff, that Jesus has to knock us ‘off center’ to get us to listen.

The Jews had been chewing on the old model all their lives. You know what that is…Moses and the Sanai covenant. Jesus was offending them because he wanted to change the old model to a new model. They saw the current way as the best way.

That’s the way we’ve always done it. Why change. Moses said. The old model was lacking though. The new model was completing. Jesus said “I have come not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.”

What was the purpose of the old covenant?? To get God’s people to live in relation with him. All these rituals and all these covenants the Jews had, were to get closer to God and HERE HE WAS. IN THE FLESH.

In being offensive, Jesus is trying to love them ‘off-center’ because God is not where they are. Chew on my flesh. Naw on my bones. The other way was not working guys. Look back in history.

In the scriptures before this, the Jews were asking for a miracle as proof. Basically they were saying “Do a trick for us monkey. Come on and do a trick”. POW, Jesus hits them with eat my flesh and drink my blood. And they are going “oh my gosh, I can’t believe he said that.” You want one part of me and I will give you all of me.

You don’t get just the “miracles” part, but you get everything. Take it all until you’re not only consuming me, but I’m consuming you.
Jesus isn’t saying cannibalism is right. No Jesus wants you to desire all of him. You can’t know Jesus until you live on him, consume him, experience him, desire him.

And in that desire and experience, you will be transformed into a new creation. The old you will pass away. A new you will be reborn. That God shaped hole in your heart will be filled.

Life which was temporal is now eternal. Death which was immenant is now defeated. As you daily feast at the heavenly banquet of Christ and feed on the word, you will grow more fully from the sustenance provided.

The greatest proof that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is alive today should be YOU. Let me say that again. The greatest proof that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is alive today should be YOU.

We had a PPR meeting last week. It was a time to get together and think about what our expectations are and some planning. Bryan asked me a great question that got me thinking. “How are you doing spiritual retreat and study?

”My immediate answer was I’m not doing enough. But I started to think about the question and my spiritual life and what I do. Unless I have a strong spiritual life, I can’t lead you into any deeper spiritual meaning. But then I realized, I pray all throughout the day.

I don’t have a specific prayer time, but I pray throughout the day and I pray for each of you many times. Before worship I come in and pray over the sanctuary. I ask God’s Spirit to come into the building and be with us here and bring more people.

Why do you come to worship on Sunday morning? That’s what I want to know. Could it be that you’re wanting to get a word of hope from God, to get your Spiritual Resavior filled, so then you can go out and tackle another week of life. Your boss yells at you, you have to go to your kids school for another meeting, the car breaks down, your husband is demoted or worse loses his job, floods in west Texas, drought here at home, terrorism trying to come in our neighborhood, global warming.

What else can happen this week.

You have these huge pack loads on your back that are so bulky and so heavy they push you down to your hands and knees and you wonder if you will ever be able to get back up.

But then we read today’s scripture and in discussing it we realize that the only way that we will truly live is to feed on Christ constantly.

You need to be filled on the feast that he provides for you. You need to consume him and let him consume you. Take the Word and read short chapters at a time. Go alone on a walk or in a room and talk to God. Come back on Sunday night for prayer time (alone or with me or another leader) and take communion.

When you are down on your knees from the heavy load, and you feast on Christ, he sends out a spiritual hand to lift you up. That hand could look like an angel or it could look like the guy sitting in the pew close to you. Feast on him more and the sustenance will pick you up.

Jesus knows your heart aches and the pain and suffering you are going thru. He knows what is happening in your life. He is telling you to come and eat with him. Let him be a part of your life to transform this life.

What a weekend....

What a great weekend. Went to Promise Keepers and saw 15000 men raise their hands, sing and pray and praise God. It was awesome. I had my sermon written on Friday, then I got home and my sermon changed that Saturday night after PK.
One of the kids, well kid but I think he is 18 or 19, came to me after service. He said "This is your first church right? I can tell....your on fire. I love listening to your sermons. I've been in dead churches where the pastor's fire has gone out. DOn't let that happen to you." It was a great conversation. What encouragement.
The funny thing is I don't think he would have said that if I would have left my sermon the way it was on Friday night. It was not a bad sermon, but I don't think it would have impacted like that. God blessed me.
I praise God for putting me where he has put me. I pray he will bless my ministry at Sardis and grow this church. I also pray he will bless our finances. I just don't make enough money and Brandy can't work yet....well I won't let her work outside the home. She needs to be home for Julia and homeschooling. We will figure it out.

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It took me 3 weeks for it to hit me that yes I am the pastor and 2nd in command behind God. We've been talking about the men's ministry for a few weeks andit really hit me as "it's going to happen" when Dan called and said he would call the men who don't come to church but are members to invite them. Yes it is going to happen. Get this going and focus on the youth and then school starts.

Ephesians 4:25-5:2 Who are you imitating sermon

Ephesians 4:25-5:2 There is no cheap imitation
Joke about the guy dying in 6 months and buy the pig farm.

Who are your kids imitating? If you have kids, or think back to when you had kids, what did you say to your kids about their friends? Was it, “you can be friends to anyone you want. I trust you completely.” Probably not. You would say “Don’t hang out with little Johnny. He does not have good character.
I don’t like the way he talks to his mom.” You guided their decisions as much as you could without totally controlling them, right? Why? Because children (and adults too) tend to imitate those they are around. A well known educator and speaker made a list of all the tough questions parents ask about their kids.

The number one question was what to do about bad friends. What he brought out of the conversations with parents and a group of teens he had been working with was that it is all about relationships. This guy had set up relationships between his kids and an adult they can go to if there are ever any issues or questions. This gave them someone outside of mom and dad to look to for guidance and to imitate.

The main verse for this passage we are reading today is chapter 5 verse 1. “Be imitators of God, and live a life of love, just as Christ did.” Well I’m a nobody telling everybody about somebody who can free anybody.

That’s Christ. I guess we really need to know what it means to imitate Christ. And how do we continue to do that day after day? Are you a disciple of Christ? Well are you? That’s a YES or NO question. There is no in between. A disciple doesn’t just want to know what the teacher knows. A disciple wants to be like the teacher and wants to learn to do what the teacher does.

Yesterday, me and 15000 other men gathered in American Airlines Center in Dallas and we praised and worshiped the Lord. Men raised their hands and shouted out affirmations of their faith. They were raising their hands and singing out loud. 500 men came to accept Jesus as their savior this weekend. It was an awesome experience.
Last Tuesday a Band of Brothers met together. This is our men’s ministry. The first thing I need is for you to pray for this men’s ministry. We are going to be doing a lot of great things in the community and bringing in men that would not normally go to church or get involved, so you will need to pray for this group.

God has given us a unique combination of talents and gifts, and it’s our mission to optimize them for his glory and kingdom. I told these men that God put on my heart that from this group of 10 men that showed up, we will grow to 100 men this time next year. I did get a couple scoffs, but a wise man said “you should set your goals high where you are guaranteed to fail unless God steps in.”

I have no doubt it will happen, but we must believe for God to work thru us for this end. The Christian walk is not a difficult walk. It’s an impossible walk. Without the Holy Spirit there guiding you where you need to go, you WILL go on the wrong path. Who are you imitating. The bible tells us that the road to destruction is very wide and smooth. I would say it’s like I35 out here but that’s not smooth at all. The road to destruction is wide and easy to travel. The path of righteousness is narrow. What road are you on?

So starting in verse 25, the apostle Paul tells us to put off all falsehood. He is saying no more lies, no more pretenses. No more being fake and so full of pride that you keep yourself hidden. Be truthful to your neighbor.

I know of a church near where we used tolive. The congregation had so much pride, that they would not tell anyone if they were hurting, going hungry, going broke. It was not about neighbor and community, but about individualism. Our scripture tells us ”for we are all one body.”
Another translation says “In Christ’s body we are all connected to each other. When you lie to others you end up lying to yourself.”
Do you believe that scripture? We are all connected to each other. So if I’m leading a false life, if I put this front on and never show my true self, then I’m not only hurting myself, but everyone in this family of believers. Who am I imitating??

God told Abraham I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you so you can be a blessing to other nations. God did not want him to sit down and relish in the provisions given, but to go out and bless others around him.
Now starting at vs 26. If you are married you will remember this from your counseling or marriage vows. Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil a foothold.
Another way to say it is “go ahead and be angry, but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. Don’t stay angry and don’t go to bed angry.” Jesus tells us in the gospels that when you come up before God in worship, if you have any problems with your brother, go and reconcile before coming to God. Then you can come back with a clear heart and worship God in spirit.

In the middle of a knock down drag out fight in marriage, going to bed is a welcome retreat don’t you think? But getting to sleep is another thing. Anger erodes relationships; it resides deep in a person’s soul, affecting the ability to love and even sometimes your health.

While anger can seem to be extroverted, it can really be introverted and hidden as a person bottles up bitterness and ill thoughts.
It’s been said that men can get angry with each other, go outside and ‘take care of business’, then go back inside and resume their lives. Women on the other hand will get angry, hold it all in, let it boil under the surface for as long as possible, then finally explode when they can hold it in no longer.
Who are you imitating???

It’s time to be transformed. It’s time to be renewed. If you have any issues, problems, complaints (any whiney, angry, prissy, unhelpful) problems with a brother, sister, mom, dad, friend, etc, come and lay them down at the alter NOW. There is no time to waste. You can’t worship God with these on your heart. And if you have not dealt with them, the issue is bigger than you and you HAVE to give it to God.

In verse 29, Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up to benefit them.
Watch the way you talk. Say only what helps. Each word is a gift. I tell you, gossip will tear apart a church faster than anything else.
A pastor friend of mine had been divorced a couple years before he went into the ministry. One person in the church found out and it spread around town faster than a wildfire in a dry West Texas field. No one brought it to the pastor. Why……… when they could talk to their neighbors about it.
It was such a controversy. The ministry was hurt because of the gossip in that town. They were focusing on one thing the pastor did and in that missed everything else. Let me give you a measuring stick to go by.

If it does not edify the body, that is if it does not build up the church and the people in it, keep it to yourself. And if it’s being told to you, walk away. Actually, confront that person telling it and then walk away. You all know what gossip is. I trust you to do the right thing.

Jesus is the best illustration of building up people. He always spoke the word that would build up. Now he would “breathe out fire” when he was correcting people, but in everything he did it was to build them up and make them better. RENEW THEM. Romans 12 says do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Don’t grieve God, don’t break his heart. His holy spirit moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life. Don’t take this gift for granted.

Who are you imitating? God is the only picture you need to be following. He is the inspiration and also the enabler. We can’t stand off and say we love. We need to experience it, be infected by it, taste it, live it.

You were made in the image of God. That means you have a God shaped hole in your heart. This can’t be filled with anything else although you will try just as I have. Money won’t do it, cars, boats, bigger house, prestigious job won’t do it.
Drugs, alcohol. Nothing. Nothing else will fit in that hole except God. No matter how hard you try putting that square peg in the round hole it won’t work.

Think about when you first learned to drive a car. When you were young you read the manuals and books and magazines. But that will only take you so far.
You start to watch your mom and dad drive and how the shift gears and accelerate. How they steer and break and you learn more. Then finally you get behind the wheel. You savoir the experience. In the same way, you can’t love and forgive unless you have been loved and you have been forgiven yourself.
So who are you imitating today? Are you being true to yourself and who you are, or are you hiding yourself from others AND TRYING TO HIDE FROM GOD? Have you asked for forgiveness? Have you asked for the love that only God thru Jesus can give you? Maybe you say, “If they don’t see the real me, they won’t reject me and I can’t get hurt.” What kind of life is that?
Is Bobby Joe down at the end of your street your picture to imitate. Drinking every night, bitterness, anger and gossip.

Now it’s ok to have a occasional drink.
Oh my gosh, did the pastor just say it’s ok to drink. Yes I did. Remember, A drink is not a 6 pack a night, occasional is not every night, underage drinking is not allowed at all (that’s anyone under 21), and there are some people who do not have the ability to stop at one; they should stop at ZERO.

Oh…if all you heard in all of that is “go have a beer” and you completely forgot everything else I said, and now you’re mad at me, please read vs 34 again. Thanks.

So is Bobby Joe your picture to imitate? Or how about a sports star who we elevate to higher status?
Troy Aikman was a great quarterback. What about your pastor. Don’t look at me if you’re looking for perfection. Many people hold their pastors up to a higher expectation than they hold themselves. Well…so be it.

But for every time, the best one to imitate would be Jesus. Yes he got angry, yes he was sad at times, but he forgave, he blessed, he built up, he protected. He transformed lives and he can transform you if you will let him in.

Mostly what God does is love you. His love was not cautious but extravagant.
He didn’t love to get something from us, but to give everything of himself to us. Love others like that.
The greatest proof that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is alive today should be YOU. Let me say it again. The greatest proof that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is alive today should be YOU.

This extravagant love I talked about is available to you, if you come to him with open arms, without any false pretense or fake smile, wanting to receive. It’s not about losing control or power, but about being plugged into the TRANSFORMER of spiritual power as he gives you true power.
You might have thought, “I think I’ve been a Christian all my life and never felt any kind of change like this.” If you don’t know this transformed life and want Christ to be a part of your life, come to the alter rail during the singing of our last hymn.
If you want to dedicate your life to Christ or rededicate it, come during this hymn of invitation. It’s time to fish or cut bait. God is knocking on the door of your soul wanting to come in. Let him in. Please stand while we sing………

August 6 sermon John 6 24-35 Who Are You

Jesus just yesterday fed 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and a couple of fish. The next day comes and he is on the other side of the lake, but he didn’t take the boat that was left for him. Well that makes the people wonder.
They all run around the lake to where he was. “Rabbi, when did you get here?” That’s the question of the day huh. More like how did you get here. Then in Jesus’ first sentence to them, he is trying to teach them something. He says “Don’t look for me because you are looking for miracles, but because you are getting fed.”

He is telling them upfront to not search for the miracles, but to take in the spiritual food he is providing and be nourished by it. “Come to me for the truth. I can fill that hole in your heart.
In the next verse he says “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures for eternity, which I will provide.”
Well what does that mean? To understand it, we have to go all the way to the front of your bible. It’s the Old Testament. There in Genesis chapter 3, Adam and Eve have eaten the fruit from the tree they were told to stay away from.
God says “Cursed is the ground because of what you did. Through painful toil you will eat of it.
By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread until you return to the ground.
Jesus is saying that all this time they are working so hard to get the bread that will give them life, and now it’s available right in front of them as an offering. The next verse tells their thinking.
“What work must we do?” Many people today are the same way. What works, what jobs, what chores must I do to get this eternal life??? Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Why? Because it gives you a way to earn your salvation.
If you say your 5 prayers a day and live the holy life prescribed by Mohammed and Allah, you will go to heaven. You don’t have to rely on someone else that lived 2000 years ago;
you can rely on yourself and your ability.
I don’t think I’m ready to do that. Should I rely on my ability to get into heaven? If I miss a prayer or eat the wrong thing, what then? Can I catch up the next week. I think I would be a like a lot of unbelievers today. Throw up my hands and say
“I can’t live up to this. It’s too much. Forget it. I’ll stay like I am.” Or “ I have to get to be a better person before I can enter that church.” My brother used to say he would burst into flames if he entered the church again. ……… He didn’t if you were wondering.


Jesus doesn’t give them any rules to follow today. He says that to get the eternal food, they much believe that he is who he says he is and that God sent him. But unfortunately they revert back to their old ideas.

I call this next one the “Do a trick for us monkey, I want to see a trick monkey” verse. So they ask him, SLOW DOWN “what miraculous sign will you give that we may see it and believe in you? What will you do?”

I’m sure you have watched magicians. David Copperfield was a great showman. David Blain would walk the streets doing tricks. They are all great to watch and wonder “how did he do that?” They were looking for a miracle.

BILL WALKS IN WITH WOOD AND NAILS.
Moses got our forefathers bread from heaven when they needed it. What can you show us. WHO ARE YOU? Prove who you are. Isn’t that the question we ask Jesus also? Who are you Jesus?
But does Jesus (or others) ask the same of us? Who are you? Think about that because I might come ask you. You see, our identity comes out of our hunger. It comes out of our desperate need to BE.
I want to BE someone. I am nothing compared to Jesus. I am trying to build my identity while Jesus is before me emptying out himself and making himself nothing for my sake.
At 5th Sunday singing last week, I gave an invitation for everyone present and listening on the radio to come to church on Sunday morning and then I gave the opening prayer. When I walked back to the back of the room, Brandy said “that’s your first step to televangelism.”

I am somewhat envious of the television preachers and those with mega-churches. Not because of their success, but because they have an opportunity to reach thousands of people all at once.
One-on-one evangelism is great and needed, but I love coming to worship here on Sunday mornings. It gives me a chance to share Jesus and his teachings to many people at one time. I’m not interested in having a mega-church, but more interested in us making deeper disciples of Jesus Christ.
So who are you? What sayeth you? GO OUT TO BILL FULLER GIVE HIM THE WIRELESS TO KEEP

Do you have an identity? All those unbelievers outside that door want to know.
Your identity comes out of your hunger to BE somebody.

Jesus says in the next verse that “it was not Moses that gave the bread to the Israelites, but it was God who sustained them.” He then says about himself, “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
He is saying that the bread they were searching for and the life that each of us is searching for is Jesus himself. Jesus is the bread of life. All that looking we have done all our lives trying to fulfill a picture we have in our mind of what we will be and who we will be has been distorted.

When we look in the mirror we should see Jesus looking back at us. We were made in the image of God as children of God. As we fill that empty hole in our soul with more of Jesus, his teachings, and doing what he said, the picture will become clearer.
These people Jesus is talking to want the bread, but they don’t want Jesus.
They see him as he trick monkey. “Come on monkey, do another trick for us”. He is not a magician who is here to entertain. He is the bread of life.
When we feast at this table before us we are eating with Jesus. Someone once said “how bad it would be to not give control of your life to Jesus today and walk out that door and fall down dead.” That makes sense. But how much worse it would be to walk out that door without accepting Jesus as your savior and you live another 100 years.
Jesus did not come to the earth just to save you from death and hell. He came to be with you in this life also and help you build a life worthy of him.


And so we come to the table before us. This is not a Methodist table, but a Christian table. If you a Christian you can celebrate with us the Bread of Life. Join me on page 13.

Hymnal ritual


Bill and I will be up here. I’m not going to direct you to come up. Come as you desire to be part of the feast. Neal or stand at the alter rail and when you are ready, hold out your hands and we will come and serve you. Stay and pray and eat as long as you like.