“The Making of a Saint”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51gUmsGZ06E

November 6, 2016

Stetson Memorial UMC

All Saints Day

Psalm 8

Luke 6:17-34 MSG

Matthew 25:34-40 MSG

http://www.churchyear.net/allsaints.html

Prayer for God’s illumination and for His word to be heard through me or in-spite of me…

Please stand, as you are able, for the reading of the Gospel Reading. I am reading from the Gospel of Luke Chapter 6, verses 17-34. Listen to the word of God for you and me, His people…

Saint:

: a person who is officially recognized by the Christian church as being very holy because of the way he or she lived

: a person who is very good, kind, or patient

Today…in the Christian Church we are celebrating “All Saint Sunday”. It is a day that we celebrate those saints among us and those who have gone before us. Now let me give you a little history about All Saint Day.

“It is when the Catholic Church and some Protestant churches commemorate every saint, known and unknown. The concept of All Saints Day is connected to the doctrine of The Communion of Saints. This is the concept that all of God's people, on heaven, earth, and in the state of purification (called Purgatory in the West), are spiritually connected and united. In other words, Catholic and Orthodox Christians (and some Protestants) believe that the saints of God are just as alive as you and I, and are constantly interceding on our behalf. Remember, our connection with the saints in heaven is one grounded in a tight-knit communion. The saints are not divine, nor omnipresent or omniscient. However, because of our common communion with and through Jesus Christ, our prayers are joined with the heavenly community of Christians.

I like the thought of our prayers are joined with the “Heavenly Community of Christians”. WE are all connected in life and in death. We are all one family that will meet on day in the sky. But what makes a Saint? What criteria do we use in deciding that someone is a saint or not? I think that some of the answer is found in the Luke scripture I just read.

Ø I think that the people who are considered saints seem to embody the “blessedness” in this scripture. No matter what they go through, they seem to trust God always and accept what they are going through. I think the main thing here is that they trust God. They may question what is going on but in the end, they say “thy will be done.”

Ø It seems as if when things come up against them…when people are trying to bring them down…when people try to assonate their character or what they are called to do, they have that uncanny knack to be able to say “Well obviously I am doing something right.” They view this from heavens eyes…not worldly eyes. No one wants to look bad, no one wants to have someone tell them they are doing something wrong or have someone else show them up. Just as the Sadducees and Pharisees of Jesus’ day, when someone makes certain people look bad…they do all they can do to stop them. They may not crucify them as they did Jesus but they try to kill them in many other ways…

Ø They are some of the humblest people you would want to meet. They are down to earth and don’t get themselves all puffed up about themselves. As a matter of fact, usually when you complement them, they blush and hang their head. They will tell you it is not them but God…they will not take any credit for themselves but gives credit elsewhere…

Ø They act completely the opposite from what the world acts. Instead of getting back at people they do the opposite. They are kind and loving to their accusers. They are not in some popularity contest with people and they don’t try to please everyone around them. They don’t compromise their ethics for anyone.

Ø They love because they can. They don’t play favorites and love even the “un-lovable’s” around them. They not only hang out with other saints but also with those who are “unsaintly” perhaps their saintliness will spur others to want to live the same life…not that they would hold that over others…

So, these are just a few things that make a saint. I know plenty of people who have gone ahead as well as are still here that embody that whole sainthood thing.

Why would anyone even try to be a saint. In the world we live in…being a saint gets you nowhere. Trying to do the right thing gets you kicked right in the pats a lot of times. Why would we even want to look out for others…treat them as if they are special? Well the answer is…they are special. They are special and sacred to God so it should be with those who carry Christ’s name…who embody sainthood and so much more for He was God incarnate…Christians…Christ followers.

In the past few weeks, one scripture kept coming up…one theme kept creeping in…Matthew 25:34-40:

Read Scripture

I think God is trying to tells us something. I believe there is a message here that God is tryng to get across. Are we…I am not talking about we as Christ followers in general…I am talking about you and I…are we missing the boat somehow? Are you and I ignoring a nudge that God is trying to give us? Are we judging others…thinking they are not worth…fill in the blank? Are we allowing prejudices to become part of how we live and look at others? I don’t know about you but I have been taking a good look at my life and see places where growth is needed. How about you? How is it with YOUR soul? When we bring those attitudes to the cross of our Risen Lord Jesus and leave them there…we can come away newly created and ready to be those saints that leave a legacy behind us. So, what are you going to do now? Choice is yours to make. Are you willing to say “search me Lord and see if there is any wicked way within me and create in me a clean heart.”?

AMEN

Courageous

April 17, 2016

Stetson Memorial UMC

Sermon Series:

“When in doubt…read the instructions”

Beware, Don’t Worry

(What did Jesus instruct His disciples then and now…?)

Mark 13:9-11

Matthew 6:25-34

Psalm 23

Philippians 4:4-7

“Be Courageous…”

Prayer for God’s Word to be heard through me or in spite of me…

Philippians 4:4-7Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Worry…worry…worry…how many of you have worry in your life? It seems that so much around us can be so dangerous. All we have to do is to read a paper or listen to the news and our fear is fed once again our fears are fed. From bombings to hijackings, from abductions to war…from fill in the blank…there is a lot to fear out there. But in the face of fear, how are we to react? What are our instructions as we face those fears both named and unnamed? The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus

Let me tell you a true but tragic story: A woman was once walking along a riverbank with her child. Suddenly the child slipped into the river. The mother screamed in terror. She couldn't swim, and besides, she was in the latter stages of pregnancy. Finally, somebody heard her screaming and rushed down to the riverbank. The utter tragedy was, when they stepped into those murky waters to retrieve that now dead child, they found that the water was only waist deep! That mother could have easily saved her child but didn't because of a lack of knowledge.

We are all on a reading journey as we read the instructions that Jesus gave the first disciples and what He intended all to follow to do. We are gathering the knowledge that we need to be Christ Ambassador’s in a world in need of a Savior. Now Jesus wants us to “go and do likewise”…to take His example, His instructions and follow them. Some of the instructions may not be words but actions that Jesus showed His disciples. Now I hope you all brought your bibles this morning. If not there are some in the pews. I want us each to look up the instructions…for ourselves…instead of me reading them to you. Who knows, maybe after we are done it is something we will continue to do… just sayin.

Let’s back track for a moment. The first instruction was on Easter Sunday to a woman called Mary Magdalene…Go, tell. Just that simple…go tell the disciples I am alive…tell them you have seen me…tell them to Galilee and they will see me. Go and tell…ministry is an action. The next were stay…wait…witness (stay where they were and to wait for the Holy Spirit, then to witness to and for Him all over the world). Last week it was touch…heal. We may touch lives by our words or actions but either way…it…we…can bring healing to others…

No this week’s may seem a little confusing but once we read the scriptures it will become clear… “Beware…don’t worry”. We are to beware but not worry as we are doing so…how are we to beware and not worry at the same time. Doesn’t that seem a little backwards? Shouldn’t we worry about those things out there we are to beware of? Ok…let’s look at each of these instructions one by one. Beware…let’s read Mark 13 9-11 together as we hear Jesus telling His disciples to beware of something that will happen in their lives and not to worry…read the Mark scripture together…

The disciples needed to be on guard because of what was going to happen to them because of what they would go through and continue to go through even today. Think of how many are persecuted today because they are Christ’s followers. But when they were persecuted they didn’t fear because they laid their faith and trust in Jesus. We, as Christ followers, are to be on guard when those who may not believe approach us. Now I am not saying that you have to take self-defense classes…. What I am saying is to be on guard and trust that when we are questioned about our faith God will give us an answer for them. You never know…in trusting God for the answer…in letting God speak through you…there may be dancing in heaven because another non-believer has become a believer.

The next is do not worry…do not worry…remember that I began with worry but what was the scripture I quoted after? ‘The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” Let’s read Matthew together and see what my bible entitles “The Cure of Anxiety” is. It is found in chapter 6 verses 25-34. Read the Matthew scripture together…

Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Speak from the Spirit…

Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t He do much more for you—you of little faith? Speak from the Spirit…

‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the idolaters[b] eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God[c] and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.  Speak from the Spirit…

Maybe…just maybe…if we stopped worrying about the what if’s…our rainy day…maybe we can touch the life of someone who is having a present rainy day with the hope and life that is found through and in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ…Hmmm…Perhaps if we decided to leave our lives in the hands of God and leave it there with Him, trusting in His goodness and love we just might not  need that full storehouse of the earth and empty our barns with the love of Christ…

Go, tell…stay, wait, witness…touch, heal… be on guard, don’t worry these seem pretty simple things to do right? We as the body of Christ…as the hands, feet, voice and image of Christ in the world…need to understand the instructions and follow them to the point of us truly being that image of Christ. There are going to be times when we forget these instructions but if we spend time daily with the Author of the manual, Immanuel we will have more of a chance of following the instructions for life.

May be if we begin to “be aware” and don’t worry about the “small stuff” and by the way with God…all of our stuff as well as our big stuff small is stuff for Him … We will get back to our roots…You know the ones of the first church. They shared everything…they sold everything and shared what they had with all so that there was no one in need and if there was anyone in need, they reached out to them. We truly can be that church again if we so choose. But it is a choice…yours and mine. I don’t know…what do you think? Can we truly be what our Risen Lord Jesus wanted us to be? I say yes with the help of the Holy Spirit which guides us in all truth…the truth of our God and king. How will you spend your life? In fear and worry? Or in the freedom found in and through the blood of Jesus Christ? Perhaps maybe if we …fill in the blank…

Amen.

“Stay…Wait…Witness”

April 3, 2016

Stetson Memorial UMC

Sermon Series:

“When in doubt…read the instructions”

(What did Jesus instruct His disciples then and now…?)

Acts 1:1-14 NKJ

Psalm 150:1-6

“Stay…Wait…Witness”

How many of you read the instructions when you get something new? I know many times I don’t and then when there is an issue I have to go and find the instructions then read them. I think that if I had read the directions in the beginning I may not have had the issue I did. Ok…how about this…how many of you have ever tried to train a puppy or dog? You give the animal instructions on what you want them to do and you can just see in their eyes the conflict in their head. “Ok…this nice person who loves me wants me to (Fill in the blank). But I don’t want to follow that…I want to be running around and having fun…ready set go!” they are off running doing what they want… Sometimes it leads to things they had not expected like a run in with a skunk or worse. If they only followed the instructions they would be ok.

We sometimes go through life saying” I wish I had an instruction manual for life. It would make it a whole lot easier.” Well the first question is, would we read it if we had one…remember…we hate reading instruction manuals…the second is this, what do you mean there is no manual…there is a perfect one that we tend not to read. There is one that I like to call “everything you need to know about life and then some.” It’s the BIBLE silly… It is full of all kinds of information…

There is so much information in the bible that pertains to everything from how to raise kids to how to raise your spouse… But we just don’t pick up the book. There seems to be some kind of taboo so to speak about looking for answers in the bible. We, as humanity, go everywhere else but to the source of all wisdom.

We, as Christians, should know better. We know that the bible is our love letter of instruction and hope but we don’t seem to want to read it. As a matter of fact…we, as Christ followers, sometimes don’t know what Jesus wants us to do. We use the phrase “what would Jesus do” but we don’t even know the answer and don’t bother to look it up. We can be so silly at times… Jesus taught…instructed…His disciples then and now what they needed to do.

I would like us to take a look at some of those instructions. Now…this is what I need…ok would like….for you to do. Over the next few weeks…OK up until after Pentecost…I would like you to bring you bibles to church. Yes I am going to make you read the bible. I want us each to look up the instructions…who knows, maybe after we are done it is something we will continue to do…just sayin.

Let’s back track for a moment. The first instruction was on Easter Sunday to a woman called Mary Magdalene…Go, tell. Just that simple…go tell the disciples I am alive…tell them you have seen me…tell them to Galilee and they will see me. Go and tell…You see ministry is an action…sometimes we can get all caught up in our programs that we forget what ministry is all about. Go…tell.

Next…”Stay, Witness”…I like to add wait in that instruction. Let me read this account to you…it’s found in acts 1:1-14…Read the account…

Now I can see these disciples now…much like training the dog. Mark 6:7-13 tells us they had already been sent out by Jesus and given the authority to heal and drive out demons. They know what it is like to “be in ministry”. But Jesus told them to stay where they were and wait… OK wait…they knew what they were doing…they didn’t need the instructions…they already had success. Now Jesus wants them the…and here s the wait I put in…wait to receive the Holy Spirit. Luckily they followed the instructions that Jesus gave them to stay and wait otherwise it could have be disastrous for them. We too, as Christ followers can tend to rush into things in which we “think” we know only to find out we knew nothing and there is a disaster sitting in front of us…

If they hadn’t followed the instructions they would not have been able to complete the other part of their instruction…Witness. Without the Holy Spirit they could not have done so. Without following Christ’s instruction to us through the Holy Spirit we too cannot go forward. And what did they do when they waited? They got together in the place they met and prayed…they prayed in one accord…they prayed in one voice. We can tend to be there like the disciples did in the beginning, staring up looking for Jesus. But that really doesn’t get us anywhere. We are looking intently to the sky for His return but in the meantime we are “called to action.” Talk about the instruction I have been given to share…pray together at our church one night a week…

We as the “hands, feet, arms…” of Christ need to hear the instruction that God is giving us to be whom He has ordained us and yes we all have been Ordained and Anointed by God to do His work in the world. And the only place we are going to find it is in His word…not from any self-help book that is on the market. Let’s spend some time together in God’s Word and in prayer. Maybe as we do this…we will once again hear God’s voice. Perhaps…maybe…just maybe…we will again activate the power of Pentecost…the Power of the Holy Spirit…within our ministries and our church’s. Just think of the possibilities as e step out in faith and trust in our Risen Lord Jesus Christ. Just imagine…

Amen.

Just Plain Thankful!

November 23, 2014

Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church

Sermon Series: The I Am Statements of Jesus

Sermon 8 of Series:

“I Am the Vine”

Thanksgiving Service

Psalm 95:1-6 CEB

Psalm 107:29-32 CEB

John 15:1-8 CEB

Matthew 7:16-20 CEB

“Just Plain Thankful!”

Let us pray…Pray for the Spirit’s leading and that God’s word would be heard…

Good morning. Well here we are…I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is only 4 days away. The time has passed so fast. It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Easter. Now here we are at the holiday that we give thanks for all that God has done and provided for us. We are at a time when we gather with friends and family to celebrate another year of God’s goodness and mercy.

Over the past couple weeks I have been thinking a lot about how God has provided for me and my family. I have been thinking about how God has been there for me giving me strength and hope. It has been a difficult time with my mom and God has given me so much in order to endure and be that “adult in the room” when I thought that there was no way for me to do that. I am thankful for His mercy and grace. I have hope because through it all Jesus has been with me as I have drawn closer to Him. As long as I have been drawing closer to Him by spending time with Him I have felt ever closer to Him. “For a time such as this” God has prepared me…strengthened me…so that I can be His hands of healing…His feet of purpose…His voice of comfort. As the Psalm that I read this morning resounds…I am just plain thankful that God is the one who is in control and I need not fear…

We, as Christ followers, have a hope and can be thankful that He is always with us. Even in the tough times…those desert times…we can identify with the Psalmist in Psalm 107:29-32:

29 God quieted the storm to a whisper;

    the sea’s waves were hushed.

30 So they rejoiced because the waves had calmed down;

    then God led them to the harbor they were hoping for.

31 Let them thank the Lord for his faithful love

    and his wondrous works for all people.

32 Let them exalt God in the congregation of the people

    and praise God in the assembly of the elders.

So…what happens as we draw closer to Jesus? What are the benefits of staying close to Jesus? Why would we even want to stay close to Jesus? Well…I think one of the benefits of drawing closer to Jesus can be found in His last of the I Am statements in the Gospel of John. Jesus states in John 15:1-8:

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard keeper. 2 He removes any of my branches that don’t produce fruit, and he trims any branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit. 3 You are already trimmed because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. A branch can’t produce fruit by itself, but must remain in the vine. Likewise, you can’t produce fruit unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without me, you can’t do anything. 6 If you don’t remain in me, you will be like a branch that is thrown out and dries up. Those branches are gathered up, thrown into a fire, and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified when you produce much fruit and in this way prove that you are my disciples.”

We can be thankful that because of Jesus and His words that are spoken in the assembly of God, as we draw close to Jesus He will draw close to us…as we remain in Jesus He will remain in us. How awesome and faith-giving is that? If we draw close to Jesus…as we turn to Him in those times of trouble He is with us and helping us through. We can feel the presence of the Vine as we work in the vineyard. But if we decide to not remain in Jesus…well, we can do nothing…we dry up and wither just like the branch of a tree does if it is cut from the strong, life giving trunk…

Jesus also states in Matthew 7:16-20:

16“You will know them by their fruit. Do people get bunches of grapes from thorny weeds, or do they get figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and every rotten tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit. And a rotten tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore, you will know them by their fruit.”

We are known by our fruit…people know that we are disciples of Christ by what we do and say. We are given the name Christian because we act and speak as Christ.

This reminds me of something that Rick Hill said in our Thanksgiving letter about the Saints of this church. These saints lived their lives on and in the vine of Jesus. They showed others who Christ is by the lives that they lived. These are the ones who made Stetson Memorial UMC what it is… a hope and life giving church. We owe a debt of thanks to God and to them because of their service and love.

We are all saints in Christ but these saints stood out in the world in which they lived and still live. They have left us a legacy to continue the good work and bear fruit that they began so long ago. They gave their tithes and their service to Christ so that His work could be continued. As we remain in the vine we become so thankful that we too want to produce good fruit…we too want to leave a legacy to those who are with us and those who will come after us. As the world sees us producing good fruit they will give thanks to God for His goodness and mercy in and through us.

But…there are many “disciples of Jesus” who don’t produce that fruit that lasts. They produce worldly fruit in their lives instead of eternal fruit that gives glory to God. They have forgotten the legacy that was left to them from the saints in their own lives. They have broken away from the vine and now are withering in the chaos of the world. They may think that they are producing fruit of heaven but in reality they are producing the rotten fruit of the world. Like all fruit…one bad piece can make the whole bunch go bad. That is why when we find the bad fruit we throw it out to preserve the good that is left…

We have so much to be thankful for. We are thankful to God for all that He has done…is doing…and will do in the future in our lives. We can be thankful to the saints that have gone before us who have showed us how to produce that fruit that lasts. We can be thankful that they remained in the vine…remained in Jesus…and gave of their lives so that others may have. We can be thankful of their gift of faith that they shared in a world full of chaos and hopelessness. And we can show our thankfulness by taking their example in life and life it out in our own.

Life on the Vine may be hard…and we may be asked to do things that may cause us fear of the unknown but as we remain in the Vine we are provided for with abundance. How do you want to be remembered? As one who gave or one who took? What will we do with the legacy that was left for us? These are tough decisions but they are ones that have to be made. Perhaps as we remember those saints in our lives we will be encouraged to model our lives as they did. Maybe, just maybe, if we, as disciples of Christ, begin to live more fully on the Vine we too will be remembered for our fruit we produced in our lives and for the lives of others. Just think about the lives we would live as we lived a fruitful life on the vine being nourished and cared for by the Master Gardner our God and King. Let us leave a legacy for those who come after us…a legacy that can only be found living on and through the Vine of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. My question to you today is this. What will you and I be remembered for? The choice is ours to make. What will you choose?

Let us pray…pray about living in and on the Vine…

Amen!