Danny Gokey - More Than You Think I Am (Lyric Video)

We, as Christians, sometimes think we know it all...there is so much more than that. We need to come with a childlike wonder to the One who Created all that we see....

We Are Family…

September 4, 2016

Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church

The Body of Christ…?

Family

Matthew 25:34-46

Galatians 6:10

1 Peter 2:17

1 Peter 5:9

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/family

Prayer of adoration and for God’s illumination so that His Word would be heard through me or in spite of me…

Please stand as you are able for the reading of the Gospel according to Matthew… (read Matthew 25:34-46)

Family...Merriam Webster would have us believe that family is:

1.    a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head : 

2.    a :  a group of persons of common ancestry : 

b :  a people or group of peoples regarded as deriving from a common stock : 

3.    a :  a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation

How would you define family…what does family look like to you? Now here is the million-dollar question…do you feel we, as Christians…as the family of God…, have forgotten what family is or have distorted what the word family is? Why do you feel that?

The first Sunday in September almost feels like the end of our summer school vacation…we come to worship to reconnect with friends, and with the Holy Living God. “Connection” is part of who we understand ourselves to be. But we really do need to admit that we too often are concerned with “Population: Me,” both as individuals and as a church. We may even do things to each other to hurt each other or even worse, tell others they are not worthy to be part of our family. We even leave the family unit just because we don’t get our own way or we don’t like someone in our “family tree” …

But how would God have us view family? What or who would God invite into the family tree where we gather together and share our lives journey? What would it mean to follow the command of the Table Host to expand our “population”–our notion of “family”–so that we might restore our relationships with each other and draw that relationship circle wider and wider?

Let me read a couple of Scriptures from the New Testament that talks about the family of believers…

Galatians 6:10

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

 1 Peter 2:17

Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

1 Peter 5:9

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

The sheep in the Matthew scripture I read is how God would have us treat others…including those within our family of faith. But all too often we wind up, as the saying goes, hurting those who should mean the most to us. Is it because we tend to take our loves ones, our family members (whatever that may look like) for granted?

The goats in the scripture seemed surprised that they didn’t see Jesus among them. So maybe we need to ask ourselves this question, who do I consider Jesus to be? Do I see the face of Jesus in those around me or do I just see it when I look in the mirror…or even worse…do you not even see Jesus at all in the world around you?

I was talking with a very wise lady a few days ago and I think she hit the nail on the head. We, as the family of Christ…the family of believers, have forgotten what family means...what family is We all too often bail when the going gets tough…we forget the old saying “when the going gets tough…the tough get going.” And that doesn’t mean we get going out the door but stick even closer together to work through and weather the storm… The sad part about this is that it is happening in many of the places where God’s family meets. It is like a cancer that is destroying, eating away the bond of family ties we have with each other.

As we gather this morning I would have you ponder on these questions…

Who are my family members? Who do I consider my extended family? Are there others that I should invite into my extended family? Who would God want me to become a part of the family of God? Will I extend grace and love to my family members that God has called me to be part of? What did Jesus do so that I could be invited? Will I go and do likewise…?

The message in the Mathew scripture is clear…we know both sides of the coin. Which will you choose? I choose heads…following the head of our church, our Risen Lord Jesus Christ. How about you?

Amen.

Hey...Are You Asleep Yet...

September 11, 2016

Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church

The Body of Christ…?

Wake Up!

Galatians 6:1-5 NLT

Acts 20:7-12 MSG

Hey…Are You Asleep Yet…

Prayer of adoration and for God’s illumination so that His Word would be heard through me or in spite of me…

I remember as a child I went to many sleepovers at my friend’s houses. Now, being a mom, my daughters love to have friends over to sleep. I don’t know how much sleep happens during these sleep overs. I remember trying to go to sleep at these sleep overs and saying to my friends “Hey…are you asleep yet?” Of course they weren’t so we would start talking until the sun came up… I am not sure these should be called sleep overs…maybe “stay up all night having fun talking and having random dance parties while we constantly eat night” …but that is way too long…

There are times when we gather together as a church family…the body of Christ…that we may ask each other…hey are you asleep…during our church services…I know that would never happen here during a sermon right…right? OK…to be sure we are all awake here I want you to turn to your neighbor and say “Hey…are you asleep…?” But it is unfortunate that there are times…within the body of Christ…within our family…the answer is yes…yes I am asleep. Maybe that answer needs to change…maybe it’s time to wake up from our slumber and see the world around us…

How would we define the body of Christ? Last week we defined it as family. We asked ourselves the question “how would I define family?” We even talked about how God would view family and discovered that we sometimes don’t even come close to how God would define it. We can tend to leave out people who, for whatever reason we have, just don’t fit our idea of family. I left us with some questions to ponder and I pray we really did ponder them, because unless we do…there will be no change in the tide we are in…the scripture is clear in Matthew 25:34-46 what will happen if we don’t change… Shyanne reminded me this week of a saying from the movie “Lilo and Stitch”, Ohana means family…and family means no one is left behind or left out.

OK…so how are we going to change the tide? That seems like a really daunting task. I would say yes; it is an intimidating task but it is one that must be done. And yes…we can’t do this alone. We need God’s help to do this because if we try to this alone we will be overcome by the immensity of the problem. So…here’s where we begin…by simply waking up.

Let’s listen to a story in Acts that talk about falling asleep. It is found in chapter 20 verses 7-12…I am reading from the Message Bible Translation this morning…

Now this man Eutychus’ name means fortunate…and yes he was very fortunate that Paul was there. This story kind of symbolizes what happens when we, as the body of Christ, decide to fall asleep. We fall…we miss the mark…and die. But there is hope in this story. God can make us alive again when we decide to open our eyes again.

In order to begin to live outside our own little world…outside our walls…we need to wake up to the world around us. We need to see beyond what is right in front of us…what we see may not be what is truly there unless we look with the eyes of love and grace…through and with the eyes of God…those same eyes that looked upon us and showed mercy and grace even as we sat in sin. Sometimes we just go through the motions …in our lives…in our worship … in our fill in the blank. Maybe…just maybe…it is not so much about staying awake at church but staying awake as a church.

Look…there may be many reasons why we don’t want to wake up to the world around us, maybe there is too much pain and sorrow…maybe there is too much evil that we see…it can be overwhelming. Speak from the Spirit about the world around us…

But the problem is this…if we go numb and decided that it is better to sleep…we miss the blessings God has for us…even as we deal with the pain and despair around us. If we go numb what is going to happen to those on the outside reaching out to take hold of the rope that will pull them out of the spiraling vortex of pain and darkness into the light of a new day…a new beginning?

Here’s the Good News. God is waiting for us to wake up…He is waiting to lay across our lives…our churches…our ministries and bring them back to life…to bring us back to life…so we can truly live…! Church…as we wake up as the body of Christ…as Christ’s Church we reclaim the hope and power…we can and will make a difference.

Ok…so here’s the scenario…As we open our hearts and our doors to those who are on the outside we become family…as we become family we can work together as the body of Christ…as a family of believers who reach out to those who are looking for someone to grab their hand to pull them out of the vortex they are in…in doing so the word Ohana becomes our battle cry because no one is left out or left behind. And we do all of this in the name the One who is the heads of the coin toss of life…being the head of the church, our Risen Lord Jesus Christ… Got it?

Amen

Can We Just Get Along...?

April 24, 2016

Stetson Memorial UMC

Sermon Series:

“When in doubt…read the instructions”

Don’t Argue, Agree To Disagree

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

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Mark 9:33-35; Matthew 18:18-20

Romans 12:15-17; Philippians 4:1-3;

2 Timothy 2:22-25; Titus 3:8-9

Psalm 148

“Can We Just Get Along…”

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

1 Corinthians 1:10-16Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Divisions at Corinth

10 Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 11 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by members of Chloe’s household, that there is rivalry among you. 12 What I am saying is this: Each of you says, “I’m with Paul,” or “I’m with Apollos,” or “I’m with Cephas,” or “I’m with Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul’s name? 14 I thank God[a][b] that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one can say you were baptized in my name. 16 I did, in fact, baptize the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t know if I baptized anyone else.

It is interesting being a parent. I think many times Ray and I stand there and scratch our heads at the silliness of some of their arguments. When we try to help them with a perfect solution, it seems they don’t want to hear that. They are up for the fight and they are going to win no matter who “gets thrown under the bus” in the thick of the war. Example…arguing over who is going to make the Chrystal Light ®…

There are also times that we adults can act the same way. We think we are right and will argue until we are blue in the face even if it means hurting others in the wake of our “righteousness”.

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.

So…where have we been so far? The first instruction was on Easter Sunday to a woman called Mary Magdalene…Go, tell. Just that simple…go tell others I am alive… 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). Another is touch…heal. We may touch lives by our words or actions but either way we can bring healing to others…and to ourselves. Now the one that seems against each other…“Beware…don’t worry”. We are to beware but not worry as we are doing so…we are to “walk in the world” with our “eyes wide open” but go into it anyway…

Now here’s a real hard one and we as Christians…as Christ followers…as humanity can’t seem to get right. We live in a fallen, selfish, egotistical world…there’s no way around that fact…right now anyway… Here we go… “Don’t Argue, Agree to Disagree.” Don’t shoot the messenger it really is in God’s Word. This issue has been going on for a long time…humanity thinking that they have all the right answers and if anyone thinks differently they are wrong. Let alone if we actually have the nerve to come up against someone else’s thinking…someone else’s way of life…someone else’s “tradition”…look out!

In the letter that Paul wrote to the Christ followers in Corinth, which we read part of this morning, they were arguing over who was baptized by who…who had the best baptism…who was baptized “right”. I can just imagine what Paul must have been thinking… I left Rome for this? I became a Christ follower for this? Why are they arguing over something this trivial? They should be out making disciples in Jesus’ name not arguing over whose name is best to be baptized under. It is all in Christ’s Name…not the Methodist name…not in the Baptist name…not in the Pentecostal name…not in the (name) that we are baptized…

Even the disciples that Jesus walked with and talked with argued. In Mark 9:33-35…they argued about who was the greatest…Read…

33 Then they came to Capernaum. When He was in the house, He asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” 34 But they were silent, because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, He called the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

No really who is the greatest…shouldn’t that be Jesus…the “Duh-Ciples” were showing how much they understood Jesus…again…

OK so what happens when we agree or disagree like we do so many times? Let me take you some places where we hear about just that subject in the bible…This is not all the places…it is up to you and me to look further into this difficult issue…

·       Matthew 18:18-20Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

18 I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound[a] in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed[b] in heaven. 19 Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you[c] pray for, it will be done for you[d] by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.”

Speak from the Spirit…

·       Romans 12:15-17Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.

Speak from the Spirit…

·       2 Timothy 2:22-25Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

22 Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they breed quarrels. 24 The Lord’s slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach,[a] and patient, 25 instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth.

·       Titus 3:8-9Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

8 This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone. 9 But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

We are to work together not argue and disagree…

·       Philippians 4:1-3Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Practical Counsel

4 So then, my brothers, you are dearly loved and longed for—my joy and crown. In this manner stand firm in the Lord, dear friends. 2 I urge Euodia (yoo-OH-dih-uh) and I urge Syntyche (SIN-tih-kee) to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, true partner,[a] to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life.

Speak from the Spirit…

Maybe…just maybe…if we stopped needing to have our own way and agree to disagree…we could once again be the body of Christ working together in harmony. 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 have a bigger view of what Jesus came to do and say and give example of.

Go, tell…stay, wait, witness…touch, heal… be on guard, don’t worry…don’t argue, agree to disagree…these seem pretty simple things to do right? So what are we as the body of Christ…as the hands, feet, voice and image of Christ in the world…doing? Why do we feel that our traditions and our man made rules trump God and His Word? We need to understand the instructions and follow them to the point of us truly being that image of Christ. As I have said before…there are going to be times when we forget these instructions. One way of remembering is reading God’s Word each day…read devotionals that have God’s word embedded or you need to look up in the beginning, “Our Daily Bread” and “Upper Room” are just two that are wonderful for this and we even have copies for free in the back for people to take and read…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 hear others and respect what they have to say…to respect others… If we set aside ourselves and put on Christ…if we evict ego out of our lives…it is over-rated anyway…maybe…just maybe we can be the “Body of Christ”…working together like a well oiled machine bringing about the Kingdom. 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 and 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? Having to have your own way…thinking that you have it al right and everyone else is wrong? Or in the freedom found in and through the blood of Jesus Christ to just say “ OK…I agree to disagree with you…maybe your right…maybe I’m right…but the most important thing is this…what if were both wrong?” OK…let this be our litmus test…our indicator…our guide as we approach others…Is Jesus your Lord and Savior…do you follow Jesus? Are you “for us or against us?” As we converse with one another…how about following the “Holy Conferencing Principles” of John Wesley…you have a copy in your bulletin and now as you read these…you will realize that this has to do with everyone not just Christ followers…read through them… Perhaps maybe if we …fill in the blank…

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.

Touch...Heal

April 10, 2016

Stetson Memorial UMC

Sermon Series:

“When in doubt…read the instructions”

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

Acts 3:1-10 AMP

Mark 6:53-56 AMP

Psalm 30

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therapeutic_touch

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/reiki?q=Reiki

“Touch…Heal…”

There is a new age…a new trend in healing called touch healing. Now you don’t actually touch the person. Wikipedia tells us that:

“Therapeutic touch (commonly shortened to "TT"), known by some as "non-contact therapeutic touch" (NCTT), is a pseudoscientific energy therapy which practitioners claim promotes healing and reduces pain and anxiety. "Therapeutic Touch" is a registered trademark in Canada for the "[s]tructured and standardized healing practice performed by practitioners trained to be sensitive to the receiver's energy field that surrounds the body;...no touching is required."”

Also there are a lot of people who are receiving the alternative to medicine called Reiki. The Definition of Reiki is:

“A healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient’s body and restore physical and emotional well-being.”

I don’t think there is anything wrong with these alternatives. Our doctors seem to be giving all too many pills and not healing anyone. But what do these look like? What would happen if we were to go and have one of these treatments? Example time…I have had both treatments but I may exaggerate a little just to get my point across… show example of both...I think we as Christians are more hands on than hands off…or are we? OK…now think about Jesus. How did most of His healings happen?

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. Now Jesus wants us to “go and do likewise”…to take His example and follow it. 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).

Now the next instructions or actions may be kind of hard for some people, touch…heal. It can be hard to touch someone we don’t like. It can be hard to touch one of “those” people...Pastor trying to see where his congregation was at on loving their neighbor. One Sunday he entered his church…after not showing for a week, wearing dirty cloths…unshaven. He walked in and everyone just stared and avoided him. He went to sit down front and one of the ushers shouted from the end of the pew…please sit in the back. So he went to the back and sat in a pew by himself…no one would come near him. So as the service began He walked again to the front of the church and into the pulpit. Now the congregation was shocked and horrified that this dirty bum would do this and then he began to speak. “: good morning my church brothers and sisters. Today’s message is on loving your neighbor where they are and not where you want them to be. They hung their heads in shame…”

We are called to touch lives and in the touching bring healing. Now Jesus went around and people were healed either by His touching or theirs… Listen to one of these accounts… found in Mark 6:53-56…read scripture together… Everyone who touched was healed…all of these lives were touched and healed… Can you imagine if we decided we wanted to be the fringe...the tassel of Jesus’ robe? How much healing do you think would happen?

It is in Jesus’ name and by His power we are healed. The disciples knew this and Jesus had sent them out to heal…baptize…witness. I love the story of Peter and John as they were going up to the temple one day. The story is in Acts 3:1-10. Let’s read it together to hear what Jesus would have us do in His name as we follow Him…read scripture together…

Now people going up to the temple were all ceremonially cleaned and ready to enter. Maybe that is why no one ever stopped to help this man before but Peter knew a better way…The Way as they called it…Jesus’ way and even though Hhe was going into the temple they touched and healed this man and because of that…he walked…no he leaped praising God. How many do we pass in our “clean state” and feel that we would just get all dirty if we touched and healed…? Who is sitting waiting for a healing in their life?

Go, tell…stay, wait, witness…touch, heal…these seem pretty simple things to do right? So why are there so many still waiting for our healing touch…for Jesus’ healing touch through us? Why aren’t we telling of the great Physician of our soul? Why are we not witnessing to the saving Grace? 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. Now we are not perfect and we will forget at times. But we are less apt to forget if we read the manual of Immanuel…God with us. May be if we begin to touch the lives of those around us with what we have to offer through Jesus…as did Paul and John…maybe just maybe there would be more leaping and praising God in the lives who are waiting for the Healer…our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Perhaps then we too will be touched and healed by those who we heal. I don’t know…what do you think?

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.