sermon

My Sunday Sermon – Faith Like Children of God – in the “God’s LOVE” series

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Matthew 18:1-5 NIV – The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Mark 10:13-16 NIV – The Little Children and Jesus

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

SERMON

I am appreciative that we are in the Stories of Love section of our sermon series about LOVE – Love is God and God is Love  – and we get to talk about how love transforms us as people and guides us as followers, sometimes herds us as wayward sheep – or cats – hard to herd cats –  and how LOVE chases after us – like the one lost sheep – and how Love renews us.

Love protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres – YES!

Today we think of FAITH LIKE A CHILD – how Jesus shows us LOVE – shows us HOW to love. And asks us to come to Him like children – (and I will tell you the conclusion of this sermon at the very beginning – Jesus love requires that we love Him – love one another – and we are to follow His example.)

**And in speaking about how God is Love – God requires us to be reborn as His Children – to more fully understand His Love – and when we are HIS CHILDREN we will call Him OUR FATHER – even “ABBA” crying out to Him – He is able to fully apply His Plan and His ways and we are to know that His ways are beyond our understanding – He is God and we are not – but He wants to give us all He’s God Got!.

We have heard of the wonderful passages this morning of being children called to Jesus visiting in a house – likely Peter’s house some scholars say –  and Jesus wanting those children to come to Him freely – wanting us to come – and well – for good reason…

I would think that Jesus humanly was weary from the long roads – walking all the time – and seeing people who didn’t understand Him as Savior, let alone God, and so this was a breath of fresh air for Jesus = the children who just wanted to come and be present.

Our gospel of Wisdom from disciple John, who himself was but an older child of perhaps 14 – in his teenage formative years when Jesus walked the earth, gives us great lessons. John tells us that Jesus does want us to be born as CHILDREN of God – in the first chapter speaks of Jesus – the true Light – who gives light to every man coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

TO be born of God is truly the blessings of being of the realization that we are called into that joy of childhood – not to be un-informed or reckless – but into a JOY of childhood to know that God is our Father and we can come to Him with our needs and our hopes – and we come to Him to follow His Ways… Some of us come willingly and some hesitantly and it is a sacrifice to give up our own ways and our own agendas.

We come to God to guide us and to be raised up on spiritual milk – hopefully getting to eat solid food too – of spirituality – and may we know  that when we come, we are going to be nurtured – God does not hold back – He shares and shares and shares. And yet, in this analogy of children and babies –  the one thing God does NOT want us to be – weaned – not weaned from His advice, His plan, His narrow path. God does not want us to be separated from Him and think we can do this life thing on our own. Walking yes – but not crawling. God does not want us looking for other gods, even finding worth in other people – God does not wanting us to go for other sustenance, other fields to graze in. God wants us as HIS CHILDREN – what does love require? To worship ONE and ONLY ONE GOD.

God comes after us as sheep – or lost children – and rejoices in us. God WANTS and God KNOWS that He is our best bet in life – which is no bet at all – God wants us to know that His beckoning is our blessing.

…

Jesus called to those little children – in the scripture reading – and pointed to them as an example and said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”

Mark’s chapter reminds us that older people were trying to get time with Jesus – with demands and with hopes – and maybe even with an agenda –  and yet the little children probably just wanted to come and give hugs and give love and get love.

GIVE LOVE AND GET LOVE – no agenda – how much more we could have JOY with going to Jesus with no agenda or at least putting our agenda last – go with PRAISE – then with petitions for others – then for ourselves. JOY is found in serving Jesus Others Yourself.

And those children – children can sense the blessings of someone who cares – and if you have been blessed with being in children’s ministry, or children’s daycare – you would appreciate that the pure “pick me up” of love – that is the best…  Jesus in this case made sure that He demonstrated that LOVE requires patience – it requires pause – a lack of judgement and LOVE – LOVE IS taking the moment to LOVE the little children            and God-forbid don’t ever lead them astray.

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Just this summer, I loved my VBS helping – a little girl and her sister were calling out to me in the parking lot from their mom’s car on the way in – and they then gave me a hug – middle of the week – picked up my spirits ENOURMOUSLY…  Jesus lets the little children have the sweet spirits and we appreciate that… and I had to NOT rush into the building – NOT take on the agenda – and ALLOW that love overflow – and give it back – no agenda…

I love having my mom here for the weekend and a joy for me is to see her stop and interact and have conversations with the little children – just like yesterday we met a couple with 2 small children – and the mom needed to talk about the life with kids. My mom loves people – as you can imagine – and as I can also attest that the children have the most interesting things to say and they LOVE it when you take the time to listen to them… what do THEY want to say !!!

The gospel of Mark says “people were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them” – no handout there but a hand-up of blessing – of connecting to the Almighty aspect of Almighty God – the parents there were acknowledging that God is of love asking for a blessing. And Although just then we saw the other disciples, who became indignant, being realistically real with their agenda – common surely for them to be often realistically real because they had the eyes of their hearts shaded and blocked – the disciples rebuked not just the children but the parents of the children as well – and yet JESUS FOUND A WAY – JESUS is the direct connection to God because He is also GOD – and just as the curtain tore – there is no barrier between us and God. Jesus IS the Way.

** Jesus was then and now truly standing up for love: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

 Let us dig deeper into what that means – to receive like a child – receive not just gifts of toys and candy and all that sticky stuff like at the fair we enjoyed this weekend – cotton candy and snow cones – but to receive LOVE – and REAL nourishment. For us to receive like a child is to be dependent upon God – not have any cash flow – to not have even the height to order at the takeout windows even – to be a child might mean to not understand when too much is too much – Children especially babies are TOTALLY dependent upon others – especially their parents – their loved ones… They can come to their father God – for everything and for love.

Do we come as a child, to Jesus, hungry? Well, yes – I remember my son being born 21 years ago now and within the first half hour he had already drank 4 ounces of formula in the nursery – the nurse told me LATER she thought he just looked so hungry, and wow did he drink!!! It was OK with me – because I was in the middle of an emergency C-section – and I did nurse him later – but for this second child (whom I called my auto-pilot baby) I allowed a bottle at night of formula – because he just seemed so hungry – thus my wawa convenience store bill nowadays, LOL, that he is almost 21! Still HUNGRY!!!!!!

Is the Kingdom of God for those who are HUNGRY? Like growing children?     Well – yes! There is said to be the biggest heavenly banquet waiting for us – And our hunger nowadays is truly the hunger that food won’t satisfy – that the Lord will and does satisfy… What about thirst like for the woman at the well – Jesus said – Drink from the Living Water and you will never thirst again…

Do we come as a child, to Jesus, scared? Or sometimes disappointed?

Surely our hope in the Lord recognizes that stuff around us is stuff – the world and looking to the world for motivation and sustenance is broken – one could say the optimist in us would be depressed but rather we should approach God with realization that we don’t know everything – we don’t know how and why the world’s brokenness will play out – and honestly just click on our seatbelts and ask “Jesus to take the wheel”…

Do we come as a child, to Jesus, joyfully? JOY – isn’t that the best emotion and God-given satiation of our souls? The JOY – not necessarily happiness but JOY of understanding faith.

Do we come as a child, to Jesus, needing guidance? – do we come because we need HIM – realize He is our Way – our truth – our life – our light AND life…

And Do we come as a child to Jesus to FOLLOW Him, (yes that is the conclusion of this series of learnings from how we are to approach Jesus – to follow Him) To LEARN from Him, and give it all we have – even if it hurts? We learn from Jesus to see past the hurt…

I have a story of little 4-year-old “B”, cutest little girl, this was many years ago now – wow!

4-yr old B, I got to witness Jesus in her… a little 3 year old boy, who truly truly didn’t know any better, really was not socialized much in a group setting like school, yanked her hair so hard it pulled out a big clump. I was there – this was a VBS closing middle of the week – they were up front and we were going to get started… OH UGH –  to hear the scream, see the clump of hair in the hand, and to see the crew comfort the girl. It was SO painful. B cried so much…. [honestly I think I can still hear her painful cries 10 years later]

I called Mom, and her Grandma who had brought her emailed later to say B cried on and off the rest of the day… The little girl said she didn’t want to go back to VBS because she didn’t want to get hurt again, but she wanted to be with her friends and it was breaking her heart not to be with them. So, her family urged her to come back to VBS, and told her we would put in extra help, which we did.

Grandma replied by email to essentially say: “I don’t blame that or really anyone for what happened – at the age of these little ones anything can happen. B has never really been hurt by another child, B loves making and having friends so that maybe why she is so upset over this and she also told us that when he pulled her hair – it broke her heart…   I have always taught the kids not to be quitters, so I will bring her in the morning”

And Grandma made sure that her hair was tied back in a ponytail. SO proactive.

I replied: please tell her how happy her crew leaders and I would be to see her come back…

And yes, Praise God, she came back the next day with the biggest smile on her face. Praise Praise Praise.

For the bible lesson in VBS that day, we talked about that God has the power to heal… “He heals the broken hearted and bandages their wounds”. The next day we were to teach that God has the power to forgive. B showed the world that aspect of God by showing up.

I was told from her crew leaders that at the beginning of that next day she sat down next to this little hair-pulling boy, and said directly to him “DON’T pull my hair” and then she gave him the biggest hug…. if that’s not showing Jesus LOVE and how Jesus IS forgiving LOVE, I don’t know what is… She was being Jesus at four years old… She knew it from her family – and she KNEW it from the strong Holy Spirit inside of her – to demonstrate LOVE – even in the pain. I saw Jesus in her – and I saw how Jesus smiled to be with friends.

Jesus said and says: “I LOVE you, I don’t judge you”, and “go and sin no more”. This little girl said to the boy: “I forgive you” with her smile, “I love you” with her hug, and “go and sin no more” with her realistic words of teaching. Did she forget? I don’t know…. But that day she forgave…. just like Jesus said, “They don’t know what they do, Father forgive them… “

And that’s what Love requires: Not judge, Forgive, Love… And show it to the little children….

Grandma emailed again after VBS: “[Thank you Debbie, I am so truly happy that she forgave him. Thank you for writing about B and what happened to show how Jesus works amongst us. B is very outgoing child and loves everyone around her and she sees the good in everyone, children or adults, even in the baddest of people she still sees the good them. She actually can turn a frown upside down in a matter of seconds with her pure sweet innocence.]”

Yes, we can Come to Jesus – and do the best we can to follow.

Let us remember that LOVE comes from God – way above – Heavenly Agape Love.

May Jesus continue to shine through each of us and shine to and through our children this way – today and always!!!

AMEN

Please pray with me – Lord, Your Ways are above our ways – please help us see thru the fog of our lives and the rough spots and keep engaging with You in love that WILL shine thru. Thank you Lord for these stories of LOVE shown – and may we always keep loving – and know Your Love, Lord.    AMEN

Sermon: Love that Bears All Things

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“Love That Bears All Things” (Galatians 5:22-26; 1 Corinthians 13:7, Psalm 1, John 15)

NOTE: edited to add photos from the actual service!!!  Thankful for my church family!

The first of the Show Love series – “Love in Action” – and we will cover the spectrum of love but wow we could never comprehend or describe the whole gamut of love – AGAPE love – a LOVE so huge without measure – that God gives us…  We (our 4 sharers) will talk about Love in Action over the next few weeks starting today with “Love That Bears All Things” (Galatians 5:22-26; 1 Corinthians 13:7) – then talk about “Loving God” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Matthew 22:34-40) –  “Loving Your Neighbor” (Luke 10:25-37) – “Loving Your Enemy” (Matthew 5:43-48, Romans 12:17-21) – “Radical Hospitality” (Acts 2:42-47, Hebrews 13:2) and “The Love of Jesus” (John 13:1-17, John 15:9-17).

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TODAY IS FATHER’S DAY – HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!!

HOW WONDERFUL TO CELEBRATE OUR EARTHLY FATHERS – and our Heavenly One

AND as scripture reminds us to weep with those who weep, we send condolences to those who have lost their dads, and also those whose relationships are strained – we are in a broken world when we know of so many with strained relationships…  We ask the Lord’s mercy and healing to all these situations – if not now then in heaven…

Today – we also remember our Heavenly Father – God – who IS LOVE – and we celebrate through the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and The Holy Spirit to talk about SHOWING LOVE.

We cannot do these things I listed in the upcoming scripture series about SHOWING LOVE without God HIMSELF  – and how can we show this Love to a higher level unless we start with an understanding of how Love TO US has been shown to us – and what a fitting way to start here on Father’s Day – Our Heavenly Father Who gave us life by giving us His Love – being His Love and spreading that to us…

LOVE bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

HOW MUCH DO OUR FATHERS EMPOWER US – TO LIVE OUR LIVES AS INDEPENDENT GROWING CHILDREN – AND YET TO KEEP TRACK OF US – LIKE AS OUR PARENT I KNOW HE WILL REDUCE HIS WORRY ABOUT US BY PROVIDING FOR US…

I think of my Dad, gone few years ago now – can’t believe it but I know He is in Heaven OK – I believe that He is playing cards with the guys – I am content that he is taken care of…  In the last of my dad’s weeks – his communication was limited but his mind was still there – and his love never wavered – I visited as often as I could since it is 5 plus hours away – and on one of the last times I saw him, he said “how long will it take you?” And he looked distantly at the clock – he knew that clock… He looked at that clock and the worry on his face told me everything. Granted the roads are so much better now than when he drove up and down – but that stretch thru the mountains was what worried him – I can still hear him say “drive it in the daylight” – he cared and cares. He wanted to make sure I would be OK – I was.  

My Grandpa ALSO – as a dad –  always asked how my brakes were on my car. Always checking in.

[Also I was wearing a t-shirt that said ‘GO against the flow” with a little white fish in the background of colorful letters as a gift from my friend moving and me packing her Dad’s items – things I found that reminded us of how much she loved him – because he loved her first – and that is what Jesus tells us – that He loved us before we were even born – love by Jesus is long – longsuffering and patient…. and our path should be AGAINST the flow of the world – don’t go with the world – go with JESUS – He will bring you to places He needs you to be…]

Love bears all things – love bears the worry of a father for his children – how much more our Heavenly Father bears that love – bears concern and yes provides for us in all ways.

I am blessed to talk about the ways that God Shows us Love – so that we may show it to others – You know that saying: “He EQUIPS the called – not He calls the equipped” – meaning we can go to God with nothing and He will provide. He provides our skillsets our personalities our energy our demeaner.

We should remember to rely upon God for the gifts – and the Holy Spirit reminder to use those gifts. Here is that great scripture – but wait – I HAVE PROPS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

——–  Bring out the binder clip Words of the Fruits of the Spirit ————–

Galatians 5:22-26 NKJV      But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (also called patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

—- speak about JOY – Jesus Others Yourself – that is the order of whom we should think about

—- speak about long-suffering – our earthly troubles nothing compared to God’s Longsuffering

—- speak about self-control  – about a tube of toothpaste that is things we can not control always – but should – you can’t get it back in the tube. My friend teaching Sunday school said she would get out $100 cash and tell her Sunday school kids she would give it to them if they could figure out how to get all the toothpaste back into the tube (after squirting out all the toothpaste) that something like saying hurtful things – you can never take those back and can’t get the toothpaste back in the tube…

The next line in the scripture reminds us to “stay in line with God”  – “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” We are to experience Love in getting us through the rough stuff and to get to the forgiveness and to reduce our neediness – and increase our willingness to “let it go” – don’t sweat the small stuff… This is both in us getting what we are blessed with and NOT getting what we really would be destined for if we didn’t have this love of Jesus – this is LOVE giving us Grace and Mercy.

Thank God we have all this – and we have MORE!!!

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Read again 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.1 Corinthians 13:7-13 NKJV

YES – love that can bear these things from us – is the love that we can bear for each other – and I want to do a visual demonstration for our tree of life comes from Jesus’s sacrifice from the beginning – and we are to gain these attributes of love from His love.

We have go to make a tree – grow our tree to bear all these fruits –

How are we going to keep this tree up??? The bible has the advice of course:

Psalm 1 NKJV of David – to talk about devotion to God – it also talks about the ungodly – but I am certain here that we are in church to become more devoted – to question and to at least pause and think of the benefits of sticking close to God – to gain the fruits of the spirit.

The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly

1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 HE SHALL BE LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY THE RIVERS OF WATER, THAT BRINGS FORTH ITS FRUIT IN ITS SEASON, WHOSE LEAF ALSO SHALL NOT WITHER; AND WHATEVER HE DOES SHALL PROSPER.

4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

——- VISUAL DEMONSTRATION – with help from the audience – put the words in color bursts onto pieces of the material to symbolize wood  – how are we going to make this stand up – how do we get all these pieces together  –  (someone yells – we need a tree) – and YES – bring in the the cross made from sticks and the trunk the strong cardboard material  – and then have the volunteers help wrap the tree cross with the green vines – representing a LIVING JESUS – and then move the fruit of the spirit words on carabiner clips to the mockup of a tree – that these are fruits to bear… and we can’t do it without Jesus – we need HIM – structurally, living, giving, forgiving, whole…

Conclude with the scripture from John 15 – Jesus will be that support for our bearing of fruits – bearing the good stuff and the bad stuff. Jesus gives us the growth potential – Jesus the True Vine – and Jesus tells us that God will prune away the unproductive ness of us… Jesus tells us about Himself – that we can not do anything without Him.

Our efforts and our fruit are resulting from God pruning our branches for HIS Fruit –

Read John 15 NKJV – The True Vine

15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. AMEN – and conclude with prayer…

My Sermon from today – Knowing God as our Shepherd – John 10 and Psalm 23

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Blessed to share my sermon from today:

Knowing God Through Relationship – God as a Shepherd – Psalm 23 and John 10

Have you caught the media frenzy about the new pope, Pope Leo? WOW! Hard not to catch the news – I think it is like the FEEL-GOOD STORY for this month, before the next news cycle – but it IS exciting to see the excitement – don’t you think?

We love a local kid hits the big time story – even if we are not really local to Chicago – well most of us –  and I had to even be reminded that there were 2 baseball teams in Chicago – yeah I knew that but sure wasn’t on the forefront of my news every day – and whether or not you have figured out that the pope is a Chicago white Sox fan over the Chicago Cubs – what IS clear is that people have a thirst for info !!!  and as he becomes a pope for the people, the people find connections – and this brings them the sense of guidance. PEOPLE NEED AND FEEL GUIDANCE IS A WANT.

Why do I bring this up when we, as a community church, don’t follow the pope as an organization? Well, we can see that folks revere the office of the pope – many religious leaders – see the willingness of him and of all people of the church to serve. I bring it up because you may see there truly are people searching, searching for a shepherd- truly searching not just for a pope to give just an agenda, but for a person of faith to be a shepherd to lead. It’s a normal thing and I am intrigued and blessed to have this good news of faith displayed.

And this is where I want to speak about Jesus as our Good Shepherd – God with Jesus and the Holy Spirit – as a triune God – knew that “SHEPHERDING” WAS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED!

I have to mention another aspect of Jesus being here on earth – He was accessible – He was with the people as He is now with us – but also in the flesh – and He had disciples including brothers who may have been so surprised AFTER Jesus rose – after they realized He was the Messiah – brother James especially in his chapter of scripture is so touching in his devotion – and giving us insight – as the other disciples did…

And yes – going back to my news media frenzy last week – Insight was key for the Pope has 2 brothers still in the US, Chicago and Florida – they really look like him – and thank God they provided that immediate media frenzy need for information – good or bad the responsiveness helped and wow did we get to that white sox over the cubs controversy answer quickly –  (scary that we learned all this stuff huh? Over real issues of the day ) but that accessibility to fulfill an insatiable appetite is SO VERY HUMAN of us -and amplified by media – and amplified by our worldliness – which is ANOTHER reason why Jesus needs us to know to be a sheep to Him as shepherd and watch out for becoming a media wolf trapped in the worldliness of the world – we need to be shepherded to look to things above…

So seriously, the shepherding that Jesus took on (and takes on) was so necessary and so fitting too. We want to know the best of God’s plan and will listen for Jesus’s voice – and gratefully we can listen with our souls to the Word – which is Jesus – Jesus is the Word made flesh…  John is the gospel of wisdom, written by a seasoned John who likely told these stories for years and was urged to write it down – John would know more fully when Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.”

Jesus fully God, fully human and accessible to us through the holy spirit, His Word resonates to tell us that no one – no one can pluck us out of His hand… We pray and seek Jesus, knowing Him, reach for Him, and be shepherded by Him.

Because you know there are evil forces around – no sugar coating the wolf that comes after the sheep – the evil one in the devil is on the prowl – and yet we can speak the name of Jesus and tell the devil to stand down – that is the relationship that Jesus wants us to have with Him – with God – to know how to stay safe – Jesus tells us – also from the gospel of John that Jesus Shepherd is also the Gatekeeper. Jesus gatekeeper “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Jesus – such a GOOD Shepherd – and the Chosen one – not a chance that Jesus would turn away from His work. John 10:11-18 again records this amazing passage by Jesus: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”

Ah yes – not the hired hand – Jesus is true and forever – and being God, He will never change. You can’t fall out of God’s LOVE because God IS LOVE – that is key to our relationship because it is about God’s plan – never to be snatched out of Jesus’s hand. Here is more from Jesus:

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. “

AH – sheep from other pens  – that is Jesus speaking of the Gentiles in addition to the Jews – that is Jesus speaking about us – in addition to the people of the time – Jesus for all generations is unchanged and still the Shepherd.

“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Ah – so Jesus wasn’t forced or “voluntold” – Jesus chose this path – Jesus chose to save – Jesus chose us – Jesus chose to serve God – and to be the LOVE.

How could we ask for anything else??? 
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Our often favorite Psalm is psalm 23 – it is a tremendous reading to recite if you are able to – or us the colors to help you remember this comfort –  it is a key “go-to” it in times of trouble and in reflection – I can imagine David writing it from processing so much that God had done in his life.  Here is the beginning: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 

Yes – we shouldn’t want – and we should be grateful and see what we have FROM the Lord – we are shepherded – and provided for:

As I went to find the psalm to paste into my writing and came across a very succinct description of how encompassing these short phrases are – this is from “bibleinfo” webpage:

”The restored soul is then led on to another stage in God’s plan for his life – ‘He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.’ That is, God leads us into work, into service for Him. Rest in the green pastures and refreshment by the still waters are to fit us FOR work. – In the gospel plan, works do not precede but FOLLOW rest. The restoration of the soul comes first, then the works of righteousness. We are not saved by our works BUT WORK because we are saved. We are not justified by works, but FOR works.” 

 YES – I appreciate this – that our relationship with God is being shepherded to be MOVED.   Not just kept inside a gate but moved through life.

Here is an important part of life: the next part of Psalm 23: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…

HMMM… I question – have I walked thru the valley of the shadow of death? Don’t think we have to have a near death experience – so what does that mean to us? David experienced it –  We could take that to mean that we have been in awful situations – near death – or that we know those who were near death – or especially that we have seen the shadow of death with life but we are walking past it with salvations.

I have been watching a Netflix documentary of the “Blitz” in London – the WW2 stretch where they were bombed – unbelievable the horrors of war and the scariness of them – this but a fraction of the fear and the devastation seen in war – in any attack – the people in the streets of London went out during the day on their normal business but at night they pulled black out curtains to block the light from showing where population was – and at night they would take their families down into “the tubes” the underground train stations – they packed in for safety. And yeah the bombings were devastating – I is amazing to see the colorized film reels – brings it more to life  – These are situations where these people surely felt they were walking thru the valley of the shadow of death – needed Jesus, need peace…

And there is footage of Winston Churchill in the reels – and I remember a quotation from Winston Churchill: “If you are walking thru hell – keep walking” sounds like Psalm 23 doesn’t it – and great advice for us – to KEEP WALKING!!!

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Evil exists. Evil makes the conflict bigger.  War is awful – we can’t even imagine.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies

Yes – a rod and staff are shepherding tools – God’s ability to keep us moving in the RIGHT direction – the Holy Spirit shepherding we experience. The table – surely a heavenly banquet. And going after us – we are shepherded if we go astray:  one sheep. Even was reading this for my upcoming prep for vacation bible school this summer – Jesus will leave the 99 and go after the one sheep.
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I want to talk about a very personal time that I was shepherded – still am – by Jesus and this going after the one sheep story is so fitting – Jesus really does go find us – really loves us – really leaves the salvation up to HIM not to us wandering sheep….

I know that I was shepherded by Jesus when my dad was sick and then passing – going downhill and then just a few weeks left became a few days and even a few hours – – and I have told at least some of you previously in a sermon that I write a daily devotion – this was a whole month specifically on dealing with my dad’s death – already was prewriting in my head – I have a chapter which will eventually become a book – I feel it would help others – and it was and is extremely healing to write – and  I was and am shepherded – and clearly in journaling – which I implore all of you to try – I also found comfort in that my dad was shepherded too… the one sheep …

So – I have a friend who is like an editor and voracious reader and child of God – and she is 92 now – and I gave her this chapter about my dad – and one of the writings included Psalm 23 which we have talked about for shepherding – and the copy from my dad’s prayer card from his funeral –  And we checked this card over greatly because the misspellings of my maiden name – people put an N in it…  well – we were good – and surprised even…  the N is a running joke in my family…  OK – no N – good to go…

Well, Sue – never saying “been there done that” with scripture – she took a moment to  actually read the Psalm 23 to herself. And WOW – she showed me and said: “Debbie, there’s an extra ‘N’ !!!” WOW – I was shocked – did we miss it in our name? No. then how and why???  “… thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over…”  Psalm 23   OH  – THERE WAS THE N – AN EXTRA “N” IN ANNOINTEST – WOW

I LAUGHED SO LOUD – it was both laugh and tears because it may not mean anything to you – certainly was just a typo to sue – but to me – oh the lord found the UNIQUE littlest of shepherding – the funniest thing – to let me know he was still listening and watching and shepherding and encouraging… and being there… Shepherding is SO UNIQUE to us!!!

HOW CAN WE NOT BE THRILLED AT THE LORD SHEPHERDING US – AND PRAISE HIM ! Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23       

AMEN

PRAYER: LORD THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR SHEPHERD – FOR US TO REALIZE IT – MAY WE GROW IN RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU TO WANT TO BE SHEPHERDED TO HAVE DIRECTION – TO HAVE SECURITY – TO HAVE A FUTURE AND TO HAVE A HOPE TODAY – AND EVERY DAY – Lord – thank YOU for YOU. AMEN

FLY ELIJAH FLY – a Superbowl Sunday Sermon!

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SO EXCITED to be sharing God’s Word TODAY – Superbowl Sunday!

We will have tailgating, shaking off the pregame jitters, a good huddle, the HALFTIME SHOW, hunkering down in the 3rd quarter, chariots of fire and angel reinforcements in the 4th, OVERTIME!

Let’s cheer for Prophet ELIJAH!!! E – L – I – J – A – H ! ELIJAH! It’s a God Thing…

PREGAME – The Children’s Message

So – let’s start with TAILGATING WITH GOD! Yeah, we love game day food.  Here’s an amazing story INTERESTING way food was provided by God! Even in a drought! God called upon a man named ELIJAH – to be a prophet – which is God’s way of sending out information and advice – to talk to people thru a prophet who would tell them what is going to happen and how it would go down.

Well – God needed ELIJAH to do a lot of things – but there were people who were not supportive of either Elijah or any prophets of God – they wanted to hold the power and do their own thing…

Two people, a couple, Ahab and Jezebel were king and queen of Israel, in the time well before Jesus came to earth. Jezebel – you may have heard that name as a troublemaker – and she and and Ahab stopped listening to our One True God, in favor of the worship of Baal and Asherah – false made up gods. Jezebel was responsible for the deaths of many of God’s prophets. Prophets were holy people who listened to God and tried to help the people by telling them what God wished. Prophet Elijah – a good guy – was trying to do God’s work. But there were people chasing him… It was a bad scene – but God got him thru it and kept him safe.

Do you think it is a good thing to talk to God and trust God when we feel unsafe or scared or lacking something? Yes – we all have jobs to do – and if God asks us to go somewhere or do something – surely we are to remember that He is with us – just like now.

God said to Elijah: “… I am sending you to the children of Israel who have, as a nation, rebelled against Me; – do not be afraid of them – nor be afraid of their words – You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or not… “

So Elijah did go talk to Ahab!!! Elijah was to Announce a Great Drought – he said directly to Ahab the king, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my [God’s] word.”

So Elijah did what God asked even it was unpopular – and God protected him – then God told Elijah to hide in a Ravine. God sent THE BIRDS! Yes – football birds? NO – RAVENS – God said “You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”

What???  – YES!  The ravens – which are black birds like crows – brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

God took care of ELIJAH – God sent him “into the game” – Will God take care of us in whatever tasks He asks? Yes, He will – and He will use AMAZING ways – sometimes even the birds – All creation is in His Power – used for Good. Amen Let’s pray: Lord – you won the coin toss of this game of life before we even stepped onto the field – you have us safe and already headed home – we have the home team advantage with You, Lord.– may we always trust You – AMEN

SERMON   1st Quarter…

Now – like Football – ELIJAH is feeling out how he is going to play in this game – of course it is not a game but you know Elijah had those pre-game jitters (and middle of the game jitters too – but he hit the field!

YIKES – that football and farmer’s field would have been BONE DRY – remember God send a drought – surely to teach king Ahab a lesson about His Almighty power. – SO that brook dried up – where the ravens were bringing Elijah food and he was drinking – so God sent him to on a journey.

God said: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

“As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”  YES THINGS WERE DIRE !!!

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

AWESOME…  ELIJAH surely was strengthened in both his travels and in his assurance that God would take care of Him – and whatever God’s plan was with him and the people…

This is great because the Second Quarter? – oh – now the game was getting tougher – and tragedy struck for the widow – and it was time for Elijah to have a really important HUDDLE with God!

Second Quarter… breathing life into the game…

Here is the story: “Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. The woman said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”

“Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?”  Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”

The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and HE LIVED. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!”

Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

Now this huddle of Elijah and God was so key – Elijah could see the problem and questions God – and we too must regroup = this might seem like a retreat into the locker room sometimes and not come out until we are rehabilitated – like from an injury – or sometimes we play hurt…  We see Elijah has performed a miracle for the boy – and his mother – this is reminiscent of the miracles that Jesus performed healing the sick and raising the dead like Lazarus and Jarius’s daughter = these acts are for the people watching to understand the mercy of God and the POWER of God. We too must realize that God can breath life into our lives = into our game plans – and often uses our friends to get us rallied and back onto the field…

HALFTIME !!!!!!!!!!

Woohoo!!!  It’s TIME FOR THE HALFTIME SPECTACULAR!!! This grandeur is unparalleled – for God’s got something to show Ahab (and Jezebel and the false prophets) by – through the real Elijah devotion of working on God’s behalf. !!!

Let’s set the stage for this powerful production! Elijah is daring enough to talk to King Ahab directly – he does not believe in the almighty God of the Israelites – think Elijah is the trouble maker. But really Elijah is the truth teller – a prophet sent from God: he said to Ahab “I have not made trouble for Israel,” – “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. [that’s the fake god they worship] – Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Queen Jezebel’s table.”

And they gathered on the mountain – Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. Then Elijah said to them, “Get two bulls for us – cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”

WOW WOW WOW – what a challenge – and the false prophets of the false god called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. THAT is quite the half time spectacular song and dance but with no fire – NOTHING HAPPENED with a fake god… At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” – So they shouted louder – continued until evening – But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”

WHAT????  Did you ever see Prince doing the half time show in the POURING RAIN? Playing purple rain? This is 4 LARGE jugs of water poured all over the altar and all that dry wood he just placed!

“Do it again,” he said, “Do it a third time,” he ordered – water ran down the altar and even filled the trench.

Elijah prayed: “Lord, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.   Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.  When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”                                                                                             

This was not just a show – this was a SPECTACULAR POWER DISPLAY OF GOD – WOW !!!

***  THE POINT IS GOD WANTED THEM TO TURN THEIR HEARTS BACK TO HIM ***

3rd Quarter = time for Elijah to hunker down

WOW – you can imagine that Ahab and Jezebel are not happy with Elijah now!!!!

And Elijah had one of those “are you sure Lord that this is really the way? Am I really OK? Can I really go on?  God surely gave Elijah the knowledge and the protection – to keep moving – and the power of the Lord came on Elijah and he ran down the field – he kept moving!!!!!  Yes –

Elijah is back on the field, bit oh, the other team is chasing Elijah, YIKES

19 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and even killed false prophetss – So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life – went a day’s journey into the wilderness… Elijah said: Wait, time out time out!!! 

Elijah needs a break… 

He came to a bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.  There he went into a cave and spent the night.

Elijah is so exhausted, all this running! The chase and the people are against him… he has no strength, who does God send? The sideline crew comes running onto the field. Gatorade and medical care. Actually ANGELS came at God’s request to tend to Elijah.  Food and sleep…

Then Elijah rested… isn’t that us too, an awful day, people chasing us or maybe we just perceive the fight and our minds run away from us – it’s awful, awful. God wants us to rest, calls a time out to sleep, eat something, God says His mercies are fresh each morning.   

Elijah is watching the world in turmoil – God says well, yes, but you’re still on my team and I need you… and the people, they need you… 

And here is that scripture that gives me chills –

We are to remember that the Lord is ON the field with Elijah – and us – again from 1st Kings

The word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”  The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.  When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came. When you get there, anoint a new king  – and anoint Elisha as a new prophet to succeed you…

The Lord gave instructions to keep moving… think of the whisper- maybe in football terms Elijah and we have the best in helmet headset microphone system that connects us directly to God.

May we yield to the Holy Spirit even and especially in a whisper, listening close…

Let’s get back on the field, it’s the 4th quarter…

4th Quarter  – 2nd Kings 1-2 NIV

Elijah needs no “Hail Mary” football toss – Elijah is instructed by the Lord to keep running the ball – which you may know runs out the clock on the other team…

Elijah had a continuous mission to show the others who worshiped the false gods that the One True God was the ONLY God..  and even if others were worshiping – or wanting to worship false gods like Baal – again and again, Elijah was clearly gifted with responses that came from God’s Power. The fire of God fell from heaven and consumed more than just altars and sacrifices now – it consumed Elijah’s enemies too.

SO – here is the last game play in this earthly superbowl of Elijah –

ELIJAH PASSED THE BALL – NOT TAKING CONTINUED GLORY FOR HIMSELF – knowing he was a team player: ELIJAH PASSED THE BALL TO ELISHA – ANOTHER PROPHET –

Here is the scripture: As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

Yeah – God’s power was still on the field… and Elisha continued God’s work – Elisha even had a second experience of seeing God’s chariots of fire – the Angel Armies – later on the servant prophet Elisha would pray for another servant to see: “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

YES – we too have angel armies all around us – they are fighting for us in today’s world – fighting an invisible-to-us fight in the heavenly realms – remember that God is with you and He IS fighting for you!

FOREVER OVERTIME !!!!

SO WHAT ABOUT THE END OF THIS GAME? IT WAS A SUPER SPECTACULAR SUPERBOWL RIGHT?

BUT ELIJAH WAS TAKEN UP TO HEAVEN – HE DIDN’T DIE BUT GOT RELOCATED – GOD SENT ELIJAH INTO FOREVER OVERTIME!!!

Let us rework the song lyrics now – “FLY ELIJAH FLY!!! God has won this Victory…”

‘So in conclusion to my sermon of a prophet man who stayed in the game with God’s grace and mercy – encouraging us that we can do this too!

And it is written in the scriptures that Elijah is the messenger for Jesus to come – it is

Overtime for Elijah – and we do see him again – a special guest appearance in the transfiguration of Jesus – from Matthew 17 – Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

And all of them saw a bright cloud covering, and heard a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”  –  WOW –

Jesus said:  “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him” – the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist. John the Baptist like Elijah was calling for people to repent – to ask forgiveness for going astray – and that is us too – Jesus asks us to believe in Him – in the power of God – to worship the Almighty…

So please pray with me:

Lord, it is not a victory lap that Elijah is having in heaven but still working the sidelines of earth inside the real workings of Heaven. As Elijah is in overtime – may we also be in our bonus time – the real life experiences of living for God and keeping moving up the field…  May we know that there are sometimes turnovers and intentional grounding of strenuous times of life – but God has got this – and we will overcome with His help = with His angels tending to us too. May we, Lord, Trust and obey You – AMEN

Now What? A Sermon for the Holy Spirit Help

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Here is the sermon I was blessed to preach yesterday – thank you for reading and absorbing.

Scriptures:

John 21:15-19  Jesus Reinstates Peter

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”   Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Acts 1:1-11 Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven (early chapter written by Luke)

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

I thought starting this sermon – WOW – just like my sermon last time – WOW asks: What’s my Witness???!!!  And WOW  “What a busy week!”, I thought: “how am I going to find time to focus on a sermon?” – well thankfully God found my nooks and crannies of time – to work on witnessing His Word…  and WOW – I surely have a witness of His goodness in letting me march thru this week and keep marching… 

Well of course there are many who are in tough spots – so we count our blessings – and there are plenty of down times that I am not going to dwell on now – the truth is that we MUST keep marching thru life – the good and the bad – that is Truth – and the sermon is going to be about continuing our Journey with Jesus – this time speaking about OUR WALK WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT = and talk about a KICKSTART – WOW – it is the Holy Spirit which fuels our WOW.

Yes, I can say that if it seems that I am running on Holy Spirit fumes – it’s because I am…  And so to fuel myself and us, I want to start with this scripture from James – knowing that James too was able to experience the grace and mercy and Holy Spirit of his brother Jesus – realizing it after being sent the Holy Spirit, Jesus’s Advocate forever.

James wrote that:  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:17-18

Yes – every gift – especially for us to remember today when we celebrate the beginning of Pentecost – the birth of the church – the impetus to go out and share the Word – that the HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF is our GIFT – a gift to the disciples and gift to us.  Now everyday is a journey with Jesus because we have the Holy Spirit in our midst.

And SO a sermon about Jesus after resurrection and about the Holy Spirit is not “hard” – even if I am running on ‘Holy Spirit fumes’ – because it is the Holy Spirit Himself feeding lines and the time to write them… it’s a flow, it’s a flow WE NEED TO TAP INTO: we are blessed “to be in the know”. This sermon is called “NOW WHAT?” – because we do have to figure out what to do as we follow Jesus. And I should have named the sermon “Guess What?” because we don’t know what God has around the corner for us to work on – but we DO know that He goes with us and He equips us with our tools and gifts to work in the world. Even Jesus said: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses – … to the ends of the earth.”

So the song that triggered my refocus over the course of the last week was from Godspell – “All good things around us – are sent from heaven above”… YES!!!  And how can we not also praise the rain getting us all this green and the soon to be fruits of the summer – and our lives – and praise getting over those bad allergies this year – which of course showed how our bodies are working but ugh! So we will praise getting over the allergies and moving onto BEAUTIFUL spring weather, flowers and leaves abound… All good things … The song goes:

We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land..
But it is fed and watered by God’s almighty hand..
He sends us snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain…
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain…

All good gifts around us – Are sent from Heaven above – So thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love…

We thank thee then, O Father, for all things bright and good,
The seedtime and the harvest, our life our health our food,
No gifts have we to offer for all thy love imparts
But that which thou desirest, our humble thankful hearts!

All good gifts around us  – Are sent from Heaven above – So thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love…

It’s paramount that we thank the Holy Spirit – thank Jesus – thank God – and as we are thinking of Jesus post Easter, we are to still think always of HOW He demonstrated the greatest gift of laying down His life – yes His actions expressed and completed God’s Grace Plan. When we are appreciating this great gift of GRACE, it is of FORGIVENESS – this is the WHY that Jesus came – because we can become closest to God in all His Almighty Love in the forgiveness of His GRACE brought by His Love. It is a costly grace, freedom is not without cost to God Himself, making this choice to sacrifice BEFORE the world began – and JESUS was in on the plan – not some pawn in the plan but JESUS AND the HOLY SPIRIT and GOD the Father – all three in our Holy Trinity – put this plan into play – knowing how it wins our relationships back to God – that is why we needed and need the Holy Spirit today – to  get us individually to that reconciliation point and then keep marching forward. Jesus post resurrection walked the earth to teach and reconcile – He still does it today in our witness of the Holy Spirit God moving – in us and in others around us.

Reconciliation is real and active and participatory and necessary.

Reconciliation is Holy Spirit Conviction without the condemnation.

Reconciliation is a GIFT of Mercy and Grace. 

Think about Peter’s reconciliation, Peter denying Jesus, three times that we know of… Peter impetuous and rash – he sank not only in his walking on the water, but sank deep into denial, fear, self-justification, and pride on that night of betrayal. “Oh not me! I didn’t mingle with him, I didn’t follow him!” – yeah…  how fear overcomes us too, even when we DO know that we KNOW the Lord. Peter’s denial is 3 times but now hear the Reconciliation of Jesus also 3 times: Do you love me Peter? Oh yes Lord… Feed my sheep.  Peter was not just reconciled to feel better, to get back into fellowship, “aww, it’s OK” but PETER specifically was reconciled for a mission: Feed my sheep.  Jesus does tells many of us to “FEED MY SHEEP” – a spiritual feeding of knowledge of Jesus – to WITNESS.

I ALSO appreciate in this beach breakfast scene – a segment which moves the conversation from why to how and especially WHO – When Peter saw John, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 

In this. Jesus has a conversation with Peter about John which indicates that Jesus is clearly saying to Peter: “[STAY IN YOUR LANE]” – “[What is it to you how he lives or dies early or late – what is it to you about his mission – YOU HAVE YOUR OWN]” – and Peter was even told by Jesus the method by which He would die – In other words the message to us all is “[Do what God has picked for you to do and don’t worry about the others]” !!!  A job (jobs) given by the Holy Spirit to each of us is/are unique and God directed, our lives can be spent in giving Him Praise – and of course what we are blessedly tasked with is not just a job but a mission…

And our mission is to follow Jesus. Not necessarily to make it all 100% better in the world, although we are blessed to share and help best we can, the mission that we are being tasked with is to follow Jesus…

But without Jesus in flesh, how???  – He ascended – so are we now going to go it alone? NO….  WOW….  NO !!!

WOW – not alone – How about that Holy Spirit? Yeah – WOW – Holy Spirit is the Jesus Advocate for us in the world of people – and we do know the image of fire and tongues when the Holy Spirit came to the disciples – but we must remember that the Holy Spirit comes again and again for us to have a fresh filling – to fall onto others too – to help us when we ask that questions “Now What?!”

I had a moment about 9 years ago now – crucial to my understanding of the Holy Trinity, 3 in One, in a continual awakening to ask: WHY? WHY Jesus Why Holy Spirit, Why? What is that we need to know from Jesus’s time on the earth” – on our ground. Well, there was something that I found “on the ground” –  I found a piece of paper, likely from a Bible class, on the ground in a front pew (and weird as no one ever sits in a front pew at my old church) –that day I was being an usher and cleaning up. Well it was reference to a scripture in John 16 which has totally changed me and I how I thought about Jesus and His mission and the Holy Spirit – this paper (from the ground) taught me, led me… Found me where I was – on the ground – and I am certain that I was led to find it.  THIS IS HOLY SPIRIT at work – this is the leading that we are following – the Word that God is leaving out for us to find, ingest, remember, live by – and not return to God void.  We are living out our lives WITH the Holy Spirit to fill that void that is the life on earth today.

SO Jesus spoke to His disciples three parts in John 16:

First:

But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

OOOOHHHHHH… THAT IS WHAT I NEEDED TO HEAR… SO it wasn’t just “sad that the people killed Jesus before His time – wasn’t just “bad luck” of bad people in the world – it was PART of the PLAN – to use even evil for good…  AND WOW “unless I go away – the advocate – meaning the Holy Spirit – won’t come”…  it was a path and a plan…

Second. Verses 8-10: When he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

SATAN IS CONDEMNED!!!

Third – found in verse 12-15:   “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

The Holy Spirit points to Jesus, advocates, brings us back to Him, it’s good… all good things around us, are sent from heaven above…

Jesus says:

1) I have to go.

2) The world has people who need to understand Who I am and Why I came. And now Satan is condemned

3) The Holy Spirit will help you, tell you what to say when time is come, SO YOU even in your brokenness can hear from God, FROM Jesus, from Holy Spirit directly TO you – to move you – to witness and encourage – to help and hope.

It’s NOT about fixing the world – It’s about FEEDING the world – feeding the world with Living Water, the Bread of Life, it is not necessarily about fixing the world but about leading the world to Jesus. Jesus will not fix the world without first bringing human beings to God first and asking us to be pouring our fruits of the spirit to the world to share – all in order to point back to Him.

And here is just one more interesting thing about the Holy Spirit – demonstrating power – John was an old old man when he wrote down his gospels – he lived until his 90s – John also must have told stories in many age groups and throughout his long life – John ALSO took Mary under his household and therefore her stories were also recorded by the likes of Luke the physician. And John was exiled on Patmos – and he had visions come to him all about heaven and the vividness of his writing is amazing is in the Book of Revelation – of how Jesus returns and how the world ends and how we are taken to a new Jerusalem – new life – amazing life reconnected with God – without us showing blemish thanks to Jesus forgiveness.   JOHN was on that unique path of what Jesus was talking out – the Holy Spirit led following of Jesus even after He is gone from earth – the  “[what is it to you, Peter, in how he lives and dies?]” –“[Stay in your lane, Peter]” moment on that beach eating fish.

Yes – in Acts 1 first verses, Luke, the physician, writing from eyewitness accounts of everyone from Peter to Paul and unnamed people, wrote to his mentor Theophilus about so many moments about Jesus interacting with regular people as well as His disciples. That knowledge of Jesus ALSO came thru the Holy Spirit…  How else would we know what Jesus did and taught – Holy Spirit remined what happened the day Jesus was taken up to heaven – because imagine that you would need some Holy Spirit help too in writing any of the gospels details after you are completely in awe of a resurrection and then ascension!

Also in Acts 1, Luke wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. [YES JESUS ALSO GOT HOLY SPIRIT HELP] After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

And here is another way of how the apostles, including Peter, were so human – just like us – and can we blame the apostles for asking human questions? The disciples asked in Acts – JUST before Jesus was taken up to heaven – that age old question – a fall back into to the old vision of a savior king – a Christ – a Messiah? Fix fix fix…  “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

SO here is THEIR ASK: time “to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” [THAT IS US TOO!] After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

WOW – there was some understanding for Jesus’s mission and even yet – after all this time – it was not just a restoration of a kingdom – it was a restoration of a RELATIONSHIP between Jesus and PEOPLE – between Jesus and the Jews yes but also Jesus and the Gentiles – and to the Gentiles and to the rest of the world… Jesus and everyone – how is that knowledge going to get out? US – we are His Hands and Feet.

We also need to be the eyes of the Holy Spirit – and look for Jesus to come back  – as we have hope in His return – we also have work to do here on earth – on the ground…  If one continued to read the book of Acts – you would hear about the Acts of the Apostles and the people they meet and the places they went. We are the recipients of these travels – that is how the Word of Jesus got to us – because the HOLY SPIRIT is moving the Word with continued sharings… Holy Spirit action is in the re-pointing back to Jesus.

Now think of these opportunities!!! Think how God is placing opportunities right in front of you to both help and specially to witness!!! We CAN think about these things in JOY – even sometimes hardship times. I think about those times that we see people who have lost everything in a tornado or flood or fire and are just thankful to be alive – they see the losses but better than that they see the gains!  And we are to think back to the many tough situations that our brothers and sisters in Christ are in – some under persecution even now against living their true faith, brought to them by the Holy Spirit – think how they could be martyred killed and how yet they still witness to Jesus.

In closing – which is a new beginning, I offer thought and action – I think of these little cards that you can get with scripture verses as Holy Spirit miniatures like those chocolate miniatures – bite sized– and even thankful for big handouts like we got at our prayer gathering – BIG handouts from the Lord… Ready to be placed in the right hands by the Holy Spirit… we will continue to be the boots on the ground as Jesus was risen up. A little card itself helped me find the end of this long-winded but hopefully Holy Spirited sermon:   From David, Psalm 143:10 –

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;  may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.   

Amen – and please pray with me: May we know Lord, You ARE with us always – advocating for us – leading us – working the WOWs of Your Work – may we see the paths ahead of us – one step at a time – without our worry – just our willingness to be led and fed – to now feed and lead.  AMEN

Her Life Was a Sermon

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(One of many processing writings for my friend’s passing and her services)

For my friend’s funeral mass, the priest’s sermon was heartfelt, we could tell. The section of the sermon when my tears started, was when he essentially said: “[How can you give a sermon at a time like this. Our words are not as important compared to the sermon that her life taught us – taught us as an example of an authentic Christian – we have so many excuses for not coming to church – the weather, too busy, etc. But she attended even if she DID have the proper excuse of I’m not feeling well [because she was SO sick failing in health for years], she totally had the right excuse for not making it to church, or had the right for asking for help – but she was here – she came to explore her faith.]” He continued, “[she teaches us how to love Christ – believe in Christ – how to go towards eternal life. That should be our goal in life – how to save our souls – embrace “the One Whom God has sent” as Christ states in the Gospel]”

He continued: “[Brothers and sisters, pray for her to pray for us to have the strength in life that she had even thought she was weaker than us.]” – [“She never gave up- use her as an example – to remember the most important thing in our life, the salvation of our souls”] – “[may God bless her soul, may her memory be eternal]”

Tears and goosebumps for she surely did live a life working hard in love. I spoke to the priest at the luncheon (warm and inviting and soothing in smiles and laughter) after the solemn service (filled with singing, incense, prayer and traditions) and the cemetery internment (crisp cold with true sunshine and blue skies, the earth uncovered from the precious layer of snow). The priest recounted of the many times offered to come to her, but she came to church… “[She asked ‘how can I help you?’… when it was us that should have been helping her…]” I was blessed to see the admiration of her faith by him. I was and am so appreciative of the church family to bring their traditions to the families, support the family, the people around our luncheon table so gracious in sharing. The luncheon meal of pork, rice, soup, homemade desserts, which was as delicious as it was heartfelt, and prepared by the classic wonderful older women of the church, well it was a wonderful experience for gathering.

I’m so thankful for the example of my friend.  I’m truly touched by her life of faith… Some have sent me sympathy cards even but don’t worry about me, I’m hearing her (in my head) of her sighs of relief, of her enthusiastic voice cheering me on, and so please pray for her family – their loss is great – a mom, an organizer, a love. She was a witness and lived her life as a sermon. She had trouble in this world – but she believed that Jesus has overcome it – and He had and He has – and especially for her, I surmise her now perfected faith, which was an ongoing process, now being 100% in Jesus – no more condemnation in Heaven when Jesus has done all that He has.

None of us are perfect, but when we are perfecting life, Jesus handles the perfection, we handle the life of believing… This I truly beautifully believe. 

Amen Amen Amen