Good day dear friends. I neglected to mention for our out-of-town readers the devasation that visited San Marcos with the hail storm that blew through here last Thursday. The area most affected was South San Marcos at the outlets and those neighborhoods nearby. The Rev. Del Brown was attending a camping outing in Boerne and he was called home because his brand new car was totalled by hail damage. Several church members had damage to cars and property. We thank God that no one we know was seriously injured but grapefruit sized hail was falling in the area mentioned. On Friday, Nellie and I toured the mall area and saw nothing but broken car glass in the parking lots and several tow trucks still hauling cars away. The car dealerships in that area of town also suffered major losses. Again, we're thankful for the reports of no loss of life and also for the rain that came with that storm.
We continued our season of Easter with a message of peace. In the John 20 passage, Jesus appears to the Disciples (minus one, good ole Thomas), and shares with them a message of peace: "Peace be with you" Jesus says in verses 19 and 21. Eight days later when Thomas is finally with the disciples the risen Lord greets Thomas with the same message: Peace be with you.
Peace is ours was the theme and we continue that this morning with this study guide:
Monday: Peace is ours! What a wonderful declaration from the Lord for us! Reread the passage from yesterday again. Then look up the passage from Matthew 6:25-34. Take careful note of all that was shared by Jesus on His Sermon on the Mount to those who were on the hillside listening as well as what Jesus is sharing with you and me. What do you hear the Lord saying to you about worry?
Here is the John passage (RSV):19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
And here is the Matthew passage:
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
I mentioned in my sermon the messages brought by Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher at this year's Bishop's Convocation. She had a very timely message about peace and how the lack of peace affects our lives. This week's (April 24, 2006) Newsweek magazine had a cover story on "Why Women Can't Sleep." And what Jesus shared with the disciples is also shared with us: We must be people of peace. If we receive the Lord's peace it carries over into our personal lives and we can be the people God intended us to be. We're the generation that might just be remembered as the most stressed-out. Our children may, sadly say, "My parents were always too busy, and too worried...about everything...I never had them like I wanted, with joy and peace. They rarely smiled and always frowned. I remembered that they never really slept like they should; many were the nights they kept me up with the noises of their disagreements, they're going to the bathroom..." etc.
Jesus' Easter message is ours as well: Peace be with you. As we face all that we face, especially those things that trouble and worry us, we should always remember that we face nothing alone and that God provides for us. I shared the story Bishop Christopher shared about WWII orphans and how when they slept clutching a piece of bread they were able to sleep the entire night, and how that story reminded me of a conversation I overheard at the graveside of one of my sister-in-law's relatives' funeral: Two brothers, raised by the same mother had grown up quite differently. One chose to stay close to home and he was blessed financially for that decision by his mom (whose funeral we were attending); the other chose not to live near and was not blessed, in fact, he suffered much and his appearance gave him away. One of his longtime friend, a friend from the Valley told him, "why don't you move back to the Valley; we don't have much, but there's always beans and tortillas!" To demonstrate that (and this will help if you hear the sermon online), I tossed some tortillas into the congregation as a reminder of God's love and care for us.
Peace is ours.
PRAYER: God of life and peace, we thank You for the timeless Easter message of Jesus, that peace is ours. Let that be true today and all days as we learn to trust You and walk with You that in all things and in all ways we might bless You by blessing others with the same message of peace. We pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a blessed and great day!
e.v.
PS: The sermon is online at www.fumcsm.org. Please allow some time for the sermon to download onto your computer. You could also save it to your desktop.
Monday, April 24, 2006
THE TIMELESS MESSAGE OF EASTER:PEACE IS OURS!
Good day dear friends. I neglected to mention for our out-of-town readers the devasation that visited San Marcos with the hail storm that blew through here last Thursday. The area most affected was South San Marcos at the outlets and those neighborhoods nearby. The Rev. Del Brown was attending a camping outing in Boerne and he was called home because his brand new car was totalled by hail damage. Several church members had damage to cars and property. We thank God that no one we know was seriously injured but grapefruit sized hail was falling in the area mentioned. On Friday, Nellie and I toured the mall area and saw nothing but broken car glass in the parking lots and several tow trucks still hauling cars away. The car dealerships in that area of town also suffered major losses. Again, we're thankful for the reports of no loss of life and also for the rain that came with that storm.
We continued our season of Easter with a message of peace. In the John 20 passage, Jesus appears to the Disciples (minus one, good ole Thomas), and shares with them a message of peace: "Peace be with you" Jesus says in verses 19 and 21. Eight days later when Thomas is finally with the disciples the risen Lord greets Thomas with the same message: Peace be with you.
Peace is ours was the theme and we continue that this morning with this study guide:
Monday: Peace is ours! What a wonderful declaration from the Lord for us! Reread the passage from yesterday again. Then look up the passage from Matthew 6:25-34. Take careful note of all that was shared by Jesus on His Sermon on the Mount to those who were on the hillside listening as well as what Jesus is sharing with you and me. What do you hear the Lord saying to you about worry?
Here is the John passage (RSV):19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
And here is the Matthew passage:
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
I mentioned in my sermon the messages brought by Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher at this year's Bishop's Convocation. She had a very timely message about peace and how the lack of peace affects our lives. This week's (April 24, 2006) Newsweek magazine had a cover story on "Why Women Can't Sleep." And what Jesus shared with the disciples is also shared with us: We must be people of peace. If we receive the Lord's peace it carries over into our personal lives and we can be the people God intended us to be. We're the generation that might just be remembered as the most stressed-out. Our children may, sadly say, "My parents were always too busy, and too worried...about everything...I never had them like I wanted, with joy and peace. They rarely smiled and always frowned. I remembered that they never really slept like they should; many were the nights they kept me up with the noises of their disagreements, they're going to the bathroom..." etc.
Jesus' Easter message is ours as well: Peace be with you. As we face all that we face, especially those things that trouble and worry us, we should always remember that we face nothing alone and that God provides for us. I shared the story Bishop Christopher shared about WWII orphans and how when they slept clutching a piece of bread they were able to sleep the entire night, and how that story reminded me of a conversation I overheard at the graveside of one of my sister-in-law's relatives' funeral: Two brothers, raised by the same mother had grown up quite differently. One chose to stay close to home and he was blessed financially for that decision by his mom (whose funeral we were attending); the other chose not to live near and was not blessed, in fact, he suffered much and his appearance gave him away. One of his longtime friend, a friend from the Valley told him, "why don't you move back to the Valley; we don't have much, but there's always beans and tortillas!" To demonstrate that (and this will help if you hear the sermon online), I tossed some tortillas into the congregation as a reminder of God's love and care for us.
Peace is ours.
PRAYER: God of life and peace, we thank You for the timeless Easter message of Jesus, that peace is ours. Let that be true today and all days as we learn to trust You and walk with You that in all things and in all ways we might bless You by blessing others with the same message of peace. We pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a blessed and great day!
e.v.
PS: The sermon is online at www.fumcsm.org. Please allow some time for the sermon to download onto your computer. You could also save it to your desktop.
We continued our season of Easter with a message of peace. In the John 20 passage, Jesus appears to the Disciples (minus one, good ole Thomas), and shares with them a message of peace: "Peace be with you" Jesus says in verses 19 and 21. Eight days later when Thomas is finally with the disciples the risen Lord greets Thomas with the same message: Peace be with you.
Peace is ours was the theme and we continue that this morning with this study guide:
Monday: Peace is ours! What a wonderful declaration from the Lord for us! Reread the passage from yesterday again. Then look up the passage from Matthew 6:25-34. Take careful note of all that was shared by Jesus on His Sermon on the Mount to those who were on the hillside listening as well as what Jesus is sharing with you and me. What do you hear the Lord saying to you about worry?
Here is the John passage (RSV):19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
And here is the Matthew passage:
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
I mentioned in my sermon the messages brought by Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher at this year's Bishop's Convocation. She had a very timely message about peace and how the lack of peace affects our lives. This week's (April 24, 2006) Newsweek magazine had a cover story on "Why Women Can't Sleep." And what Jesus shared with the disciples is also shared with us: We must be people of peace. If we receive the Lord's peace it carries over into our personal lives and we can be the people God intended us to be. We're the generation that might just be remembered as the most stressed-out. Our children may, sadly say, "My parents were always too busy, and too worried...about everything...I never had them like I wanted, with joy and peace. They rarely smiled and always frowned. I remembered that they never really slept like they should; many were the nights they kept me up with the noises of their disagreements, they're going to the bathroom..." etc.
Jesus' Easter message is ours as well: Peace be with you. As we face all that we face, especially those things that trouble and worry us, we should always remember that we face nothing alone and that God provides for us. I shared the story Bishop Christopher shared about WWII orphans and how when they slept clutching a piece of bread they were able to sleep the entire night, and how that story reminded me of a conversation I overheard at the graveside of one of my sister-in-law's relatives' funeral: Two brothers, raised by the same mother had grown up quite differently. One chose to stay close to home and he was blessed financially for that decision by his mom (whose funeral we were attending); the other chose not to live near and was not blessed, in fact, he suffered much and his appearance gave him away. One of his longtime friend, a friend from the Valley told him, "why don't you move back to the Valley; we don't have much, but there's always beans and tortillas!" To demonstrate that (and this will help if you hear the sermon online), I tossed some tortillas into the congregation as a reminder of God's love and care for us.
Peace is ours.
PRAYER: God of life and peace, we thank You for the timeless Easter message of Jesus, that peace is ours. Let that be true today and all days as we learn to trust You and walk with You that in all things and in all ways we might bless You by blessing others with the same message of peace. We pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a blessed and great day!
e.v.
PS: The sermon is online at www.fumcsm.org. Please allow some time for the sermon to download onto your computer. You could also save it to your desktop.
THE TIMELESS MESSAGE OF EASTER:PEACE IS OURS!
Good day dear friends. I neglected to mention for our out-of-town readers the devasation that visited San Marcos with the hail storm that blew through here last Thursday. The area most affected was South San Marcos at the outlets and those neighborhoods nearby. The Rev. Del Brown was attending a camping outing in Boerne and he was called home because his brand new car was totalled by hail damage. Several church members had damage to cars and property. We thank God that no one we know was seriously injured but grapefruit sized hail was falling in the area mentioned. On Friday, Nellie and I toured the mall area and saw nothing but broken car glass in the parking lots and several tow trucks still hauling cars away. The car dealerships in that area of town also suffered major losses. Again, we're thankful for the reports of no loss of life and also for the rain that came with that storm.
We continued our season of Easter with a message of peace. In the John 20 passage, Jesus appears to the Disciples (minus one, good ole Thomas), and shares with them a message of peace: "Peace be with you" Jesus says in verses 19 and 21. Eight days later when Thomas is finally with the disciples the risen Lord greets Thomas with the same message: Peace be with you.
Peace is ours was the theme and we continue that this morning with this study guide:
Monday: Peace is ours! What a wonderful declaration from the Lord for us! Reread the passage from yesterday again. Then look up the passage from Matthew 6:25-34. Take careful note of all that was shared by Jesus on His Sermon on the Mount to those who were on the hillside listening as well as what Jesus is sharing with you and me. What do you hear the Lord saying to you about worry?
Here is the John passage (RSV):19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
And here is the Matthew passage:
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
I mentioned in my sermon the messages brought by Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher at this year's Bishop's Convocation. She had a very timely message about peace and how the lack of peace affects our lives. This week's (April 24, 2006) Newsweek magazine had a cover story on "Why Women Can't Sleep." And what Jesus shared with the disciples is also shared with us: We must be people of peace. If we receive the Lord's peace it carries over into our personal lives and we can be the people God intended us to be. We're the generation that might just be remembered as the most stressed-out. Our children may, sadly say, "My parents were always too busy, and too worried...about everything...I never had them like I wanted, with joy and peace. They rarely smiled and always frowned. I remembered that they never really slept like they should; many were the nights they kept me up with the noises of their disagreements, they're going to the bathroom..." etc.
Jesus' Easter message is ours as well: Peace be with you. As we face all that we face, especially those things that trouble and worry us, we should always remember that we face nothing alone and that God provides for us. I shared the story Bishop Christopher shared about WWII orphans and how when they slept clutching a piece of bread they were able to sleep the entire night, and how that story reminded me of a conversation I overheard at the graveside of one of my sister-in-law's relatives' funeral: Two brothers, raised by the same mother had grown up quite differently. One chose to stay close to home and he was blessed financially for that decision by his mom (whose funeral we were attending); the other chose not to live near and was not blessed, in fact, he suffered much and his appearance gave him away. One of his longtime friend, a friend from the Valley told him, "why don't you move back to the Valley; we don't have much, but there's always beans and tortillas!" To demonstrate that (and this will help if you hear the sermon online), I tossed some tortillas into the congregation as a reminder of God's love and care for us.
Peace is ours.
PRAYER: God of life and peace, we thank You for the timeless Easter message of Jesus, that peace is ours. Let that be true today and all days as we learn to trust You and walk with You that in all things and in all ways we might bless You by blessing others with the same message of peace. We pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a blessed and great day!
e.v.
PS: The sermon is online at www.fumcsm.org. Please allow some time for the sermon to download onto your computer. You could also save it to your desktop.
We continued our season of Easter with a message of peace. In the John 20 passage, Jesus appears to the Disciples (minus one, good ole Thomas), and shares with them a message of peace: "Peace be with you" Jesus says in verses 19 and 21. Eight days later when Thomas is finally with the disciples the risen Lord greets Thomas with the same message: Peace be with you.
Peace is ours was the theme and we continue that this morning with this study guide:
Monday: Peace is ours! What a wonderful declaration from the Lord for us! Reread the passage from yesterday again. Then look up the passage from Matthew 6:25-34. Take careful note of all that was shared by Jesus on His Sermon on the Mount to those who were on the hillside listening as well as what Jesus is sharing with you and me. What do you hear the Lord saying to you about worry?
Here is the John passage (RSV):19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
And here is the Matthew passage:
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
I mentioned in my sermon the messages brought by Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher at this year's Bishop's Convocation. She had a very timely message about peace and how the lack of peace affects our lives. This week's (April 24, 2006) Newsweek magazine had a cover story on "Why Women Can't Sleep." And what Jesus shared with the disciples is also shared with us: We must be people of peace. If we receive the Lord's peace it carries over into our personal lives and we can be the people God intended us to be. We're the generation that might just be remembered as the most stressed-out. Our children may, sadly say, "My parents were always too busy, and too worried...about everything...I never had them like I wanted, with joy and peace. They rarely smiled and always frowned. I remembered that they never really slept like they should; many were the nights they kept me up with the noises of their disagreements, they're going to the bathroom..." etc.
Jesus' Easter message is ours as well: Peace be with you. As we face all that we face, especially those things that trouble and worry us, we should always remember that we face nothing alone and that God provides for us. I shared the story Bishop Christopher shared about WWII orphans and how when they slept clutching a piece of bread they were able to sleep the entire night, and how that story reminded me of a conversation I overheard at the graveside of one of my sister-in-law's relatives' funeral: Two brothers, raised by the same mother had grown up quite differently. One chose to stay close to home and he was blessed financially for that decision by his mom (whose funeral we were attending); the other chose not to live near and was not blessed, in fact, he suffered much and his appearance gave him away. One of his longtime friend, a friend from the Valley told him, "why don't you move back to the Valley; we don't have much, but there's always beans and tortillas!" To demonstrate that (and this will help if you hear the sermon online), I tossed some tortillas into the congregation as a reminder of God's love and care for us.
Peace is ours.
PRAYER: God of life and peace, we thank You for the timeless Easter message of Jesus, that peace is ours. Let that be true today and all days as we learn to trust You and walk with You that in all things and in all ways we might bless You by blessing others with the same message of peace. We pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a blessed and great day!
e.v.
PS: The sermon is online at www.fumcsm.org. Please allow some time for the sermon to download onto your computer. You could also save it to your desktop.
THE TIMELESS EASTER MESSAGE: PEACE IS OURS!
Good day dear friends. I neglected to mention for our out-of-town readers the devasation that visited San Marcos with the hail storm that blew through here last Thursday. The area most affected was South San Marcos at the outlets and those neighborhoods nearby. The Rev. Del Brown was attending a camping outing in Boerne and he was called home because his brand new car was totalled by hail damage. Several church members had damage to cars and property. We thank God that no one we know was seriously injured but grapefruit sized hail was falling in the area mentioned. On Friday, Nellie and I toured the mall area and saw nothing but broken car glass in the parking lots and several tow trucks still hauling cars away. The car dealerships in that area of town also suffered major losses. Again, we're thankful for the reports of no loss of life and also for the rain that came with that storm.
We continued our season of Easter with a message of peace. In the John 20 passage, Jesus appears to the Disciples (minus one, good ole Thomas), and shares with them a message of peace: "Peace be with you" Jesus says in verses 19 and 21. Eight days later when Thomas is finally with the disciples the risen Lord greets Thomas with the same message: Peace be with you.
Peace is ours was the theme and we continue that this morning with this study guide:
Monday: Peace is ours! What a wonderful declaration from the Lord for us! Reread the passage from yesterday again. Then look up the passage from Matthew 6:25-34. Take careful note of all that was shared by Jesus on His Sermon on the Mount to those who were on the hillside listening as well as what Jesus is sharing with you and me. What do you hear the Lord saying to you about worry?
Here is the John passage (RSV):19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
And here is the Matthew passage:
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
I mentioned in my sermon the messages brought by Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher at this year's Bishop's Convocation. She had a very timely message about peace and how the lack of peace affects our lives. This week's (April 24, 2006) Newsweek magazine had a cover story on "Why Women Can't Sleep." And what Jesus shared with the disciples is also shared with us: We must be people of peace. If we receive the Lord's peace it carries over into our personal lives and we can be the people God intended us to be. We're the generation that might just be remembered as the most stressed-out. Our children may, sadly say, "My parents were always too busy, and too worried...about everything...I never had them like I wanted, with joy and peace. They rarely smiled and always frowned. I remembered that they never really slept like they should; many were the nights they kept me up with the noises of their disagreements, they're going to the bathroom..." etc.
Jesus' Easter message is ours as well: Peace be with you. As we face all that we face, especially those things that trouble and worry us, we should always remember that we face nothing alone and that God provides for us. I shared the story Bishop Christopher shared about WWII orphans and how when they slept clutching a piece of bread they were able to sleep the entire night, and how that story reminded me of a conversation I overheard at the graveside of one of my sister-in-law's relatives' funeral: Two brothers, raised by the same mother had grown up quite differently. One chose to stay close to home and he was blessed financially for that decision by his mom (whose funeral we were attending); the other chose not to live near and was not blessed, in fact, he suffered much and his appearance gave him away. One of his longtime friend, a friend from the Valley told him, "why don't you move back to the Valley; we don't have much, but there's always beans and tortillas!" To demonstrate that (and this will help if you hear the sermon online), I tossed some tortillas into the congregation as a reminder of God's love and care for us.
Peace is ours.
PRAYER: God of life and peace, we thank You for the timeless Easter message of Jesus, that peace is ours. Let that be true today and all days as we learn to trust You and walk with You that in all things and in all ways we might bless You by blessing others with the same message of peace. We pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a blessed and great day!
e.v.
PS: The sermon is online at www.fumcsm.org. Please allow some time for the sermon to download onto your computer. You could also save it to your desktop.
We continued our season of Easter with a message of peace. In the John 20 passage, Jesus appears to the Disciples (minus one, good ole Thomas), and shares with them a message of peace: "Peace be with you" Jesus says in verses 19 and 21. Eight days later when Thomas is finally with the disciples the risen Lord greets Thomas with the same message: Peace be with you.
Peace is ours was the theme and we continue that this morning with this study guide:
Monday: Peace is ours! What a wonderful declaration from the Lord for us! Reread the passage from yesterday again. Then look up the passage from Matthew 6:25-34. Take careful note of all that was shared by Jesus on His Sermon on the Mount to those who were on the hillside listening as well as what Jesus is sharing with you and me. What do you hear the Lord saying to you about worry?
Here is the John passage (RSV):19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
And here is the Matthew passage:
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
I mentioned in my sermon the messages brought by Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher at this year's Bishop's Convocation. She had a very timely message about peace and how the lack of peace affects our lives. This week's (April 24, 2006) Newsweek magazine had a cover story on "Why Women Can't Sleep." And what Jesus shared with the disciples is also shared with us: We must be people of peace. If we receive the Lord's peace it carries over into our personal lives and we can be the people God intended us to be. We're the generation that might just be remembered as the most stressed-out. Our children may, sadly say, "My parents were always too busy, and too worried...about everything...I never had them like I wanted, with joy and peace. They rarely smiled and always frowned. I remembered that they never really slept like they should; many were the nights they kept me up with the noises of their disagreements, they're going to the bathroom..." etc.
Jesus' Easter message is ours as well: Peace be with you. As we face all that we face, especially those things that trouble and worry us, we should always remember that we face nothing alone and that God provides for us. I shared the story Bishop Christopher shared about WWII orphans and how when they slept clutching a piece of bread they were able to sleep the entire night, and how that story reminded me of a conversation I overheard at the graveside of one of my sister-in-law's relatives' funeral: Two brothers, raised by the same mother had grown up quite differently. One chose to stay close to home and he was blessed financially for that decision by his mom (whose funeral we were attending); the other chose not to live near and was not blessed, in fact, he suffered much and his appearance gave him away. One of his longtime friend, a friend from the Valley told him, "why don't you move back to the Valley; we don't have much, but there's always beans and tortillas!" To demonstrate that (and this will help if you hear the sermon online), I tossed some tortillas into the congregation as a reminder of God's love and care for us.
Peace is ours.
PRAYER: God of life and peace, we thank You for the timeless Easter message of Jesus, that peace is ours. Let that be true today and all days as we learn to trust You and walk with You that in all things and in all ways we might bless You by blessing others with the same message of peace. We pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a blessed and great day!
e.v.
PS: The sermon is online at www.fumcsm.org. Please allow some time for the sermon to download onto your computer. You could also save it to your desktop.
Friday, April 21, 2006
OUR DAY OF PRAYER
Good day dear friends.
Jesus is alive! Here is our prayer guide for today:
Friday: Today is our day of prayer and let’s pray that the joy of resurrection might be felt in every heart. If you know Jesus rose from the dead, live your life in that way. Ask God to share with you that positive strength to face the challenges of today. Let your prayer be one that prepares you for sharing hope with someone else. And then, invite someone to come to church with you this coming Sunday!
Have a great and blessed day, a safe and wonderful weekend, and we'll see you in church!
Blessings,
e.v.
Jesus is alive! Here is our prayer guide for today:
Friday: Today is our day of prayer and let’s pray that the joy of resurrection might be felt in every heart. If you know Jesus rose from the dead, live your life in that way. Ask God to share with you that positive strength to face the challenges of today. Let your prayer be one that prepares you for sharing hope with someone else. And then, invite someone to come to church with you this coming Sunday!
Have a great and blessed day, a safe and wonderful weekend, and we'll see you in church!
Blessings,
e.v.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
DON'T LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED. JESUS IS PREPARING A PLACE
Good day dear friends. Many of us have been praying for Annabell Ferrell, granddaughter of Chad Neff, and he tells us there is a website to monitor her progress: http://www.annabellferrell.com/. Daily updates by the mom will be posted. Continue to hold her in prayer as she was born prematurely and is holding her own.
We continue to shout, "Jesus is alive!" and here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: Please study again the passage from John 14 in which Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for His death. Underline those words of hope and promise that He shares that speak about life beyond this life. Read the entire chapter and let it be a blessing of hope and promise for your life.
Here is that chapter from RSV: "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him." 8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. 12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; 14 if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. 15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you. 18 "I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" 23 Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. 25 "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, `I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go hence.
This program does not let me underline sentences or verses that I find especially hopeful in this chapter, but if I could I would underline the whole chapter. Spoken as words to prepare the disciples for His coming death, Jesus shares comfort ahead of time to the disciples that did not know what was coming their way. Read again those first verses: (To paraphrase) "Don't be troubled, have faith in God and in me. In my Father's house are many rooms, enough for you, and I'm preparing room for you. Where I am, there you will be also... etc."
To summarize it all, Jesus is saying death is not the end. Death is that passage from this life into the Father's house. Ours is a God of life, who loves us enough to want us to be with Him. Of what should we be afraid?
Read the chapter again! Let it speak to your heart.
PRAYER: God of life, speak to me those words I need to hear. Let me move beyond fear into fullness. Let me live my life as a sermon for others to hear that You love us all. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
We continue to shout, "Jesus is alive!" and here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: Please study again the passage from John 14 in which Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for His death. Underline those words of hope and promise that He shares that speak about life beyond this life. Read the entire chapter and let it be a blessing of hope and promise for your life.
Here is that chapter from RSV: "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him." 8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. 12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; 14 if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. 15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you. 18 "I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" 23 Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. 25 "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, `I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go hence.
This program does not let me underline sentences or verses that I find especially hopeful in this chapter, but if I could I would underline the whole chapter. Spoken as words to prepare the disciples for His coming death, Jesus shares comfort ahead of time to the disciples that did not know what was coming their way. Read again those first verses: (To paraphrase) "Don't be troubled, have faith in God and in me. In my Father's house are many rooms, enough for you, and I'm preparing room for you. Where I am, there you will be also... etc."
To summarize it all, Jesus is saying death is not the end. Death is that passage from this life into the Father's house. Ours is a God of life, who loves us enough to want us to be with Him. Of what should we be afraid?
Read the chapter again! Let it speak to your heart.
PRAYER: God of life, speak to me those words I need to hear. Let me move beyond fear into fullness. Let me live my life as a sermon for others to hear that You love us all. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
OUR DAY OF PRAYER
Good day dear friends.
We continue to proclaim that Jesus is alive! Here is our prayer guide:
Wednesday: For our day of prayer and purpose, let’s be in prayer for those on our prayer list who have recently lost loved ones. The death of a loved one is a difficult thing for the living to endure. Could you imagine the prayers of the other Lazarus as he might have prayed for the families he knew who had lost loved ones? Plan to send a note of condolence to those who are listed or to someone you know from your circle of friends who might benefit from this.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
We continue to proclaim that Jesus is alive! Here is our prayer guide:
Wednesday: For our day of prayer and purpose, let’s be in prayer for those on our prayer list who have recently lost loved ones. The death of a loved one is a difficult thing for the living to endure. Could you imagine the prayers of the other Lazarus as he might have prayed for the families he knew who had lost loved ones? Plan to send a note of condolence to those who are listed or to someone you know from your circle of friends who might benefit from this.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
SELFISH ACTS KILL!
Good day dear friends.
We continue to affirm that Jesus is alive! And here is our Tuesday study guide to help us:
Tuesday: In Luke 16:19-31, there is a parable from Jesus about death and what happens afterwards. Please read that story and see what that story says to you. What were the sins of the rich man that caused him to end up where he did? What do you think of the suffering that was his in “the other place” when he asks for Lazarus to “dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,” when in real life he was so grossed out about the way Lazarus looked? What lessons can be drawn from this parable for our lives today?
Here is that passage in the RSV:19 "There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, full of sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom. 24 And he called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said, `Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' 27 And he said, `Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29 But Abraham said, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30 And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"
The most obvious sin of the rich man, and please notice he's not even named, has to be that of selfishness. Guided by self-centeredness, he cared only about his clothes and his food. At his gate was a poor man, Lazarus, whose physical condition kept him from being too appealing to anyone, especially this rich man. The man cared nothing for Lazarus and did nothing to help him or feed him. This passage does not come out and say it directly, but we have to wonder, did Lazarus starve to death? Note the verse that said, he "desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table." It does not say that this ever happened. It could possibly be that the sin of selfishness led this other man to die. The rich man also died, though he went to Hades, and Lazarus to the Abraham's bosom. The man suffered much in torment there and he happened to glance up and see Abraham and Lazarus in his bosom. The rich man cries out asking for just a drop of water to cool his torment, but this was not allowed. What he asks for next shows a belated compassion, if not for everyone, at least for his five brothers. This too, is not necessarily denied, but the reality is shared: They have Moses (the Law) and the prophets (the writings), all geared to get people away from Hades. If they won't listent to these, then to whom will they listen?
Have you ever stopped to consider how selfish acts may kill someone else? This happens all the time in places you'd think would know better like the church. An action taken by the church council, not approved by everyone, leads some to hold back on their givings. While they may think they're making a point, what they're really doing is hurting themselves and possibly not helping the lives of others. Selfish acts kill. Selfish acts lead those doing them to places not desired.
The call from Christ is to love one another. This was a commandment of life. In it we find the positiveness of life, to get along, and to help others along. Nowhere in love do we find room to think only of ourselves and our desires. Love points us to God and to God's creatures.
PRAYER: Come, God of love to my heart. Fill me with that love that points me to you and to others. Let me be guided by knowing that I should be all about sharing and giving life, not death. Lead me to fulness of life through Jesus Christ, in Whose name I pray. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
We continue to affirm that Jesus is alive! And here is our Tuesday study guide to help us:
Tuesday: In Luke 16:19-31, there is a parable from Jesus about death and what happens afterwards. Please read that story and see what that story says to you. What were the sins of the rich man that caused him to end up where he did? What do you think of the suffering that was his in “the other place” when he asks for Lazarus to “dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,” when in real life he was so grossed out about the way Lazarus looked? What lessons can be drawn from this parable for our lives today?
Here is that passage in the RSV:19 "There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, full of sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom. 24 And he called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said, `Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' 27 And he said, `Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29 But Abraham said, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30 And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"
The most obvious sin of the rich man, and please notice he's not even named, has to be that of selfishness. Guided by self-centeredness, he cared only about his clothes and his food. At his gate was a poor man, Lazarus, whose physical condition kept him from being too appealing to anyone, especially this rich man. The man cared nothing for Lazarus and did nothing to help him or feed him. This passage does not come out and say it directly, but we have to wonder, did Lazarus starve to death? Note the verse that said, he "desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table." It does not say that this ever happened. It could possibly be that the sin of selfishness led this other man to die. The rich man also died, though he went to Hades, and Lazarus to the Abraham's bosom. The man suffered much in torment there and he happened to glance up and see Abraham and Lazarus in his bosom. The rich man cries out asking for just a drop of water to cool his torment, but this was not allowed. What he asks for next shows a belated compassion, if not for everyone, at least for his five brothers. This too, is not necessarily denied, but the reality is shared: They have Moses (the Law) and the prophets (the writings), all geared to get people away from Hades. If they won't listent to these, then to whom will they listen?
Have you ever stopped to consider how selfish acts may kill someone else? This happens all the time in places you'd think would know better like the church. An action taken by the church council, not approved by everyone, leads some to hold back on their givings. While they may think they're making a point, what they're really doing is hurting themselves and possibly not helping the lives of others. Selfish acts kill. Selfish acts lead those doing them to places not desired.
The call from Christ is to love one another. This was a commandment of life. In it we find the positiveness of life, to get along, and to help others along. Nowhere in love do we find room to think only of ourselves and our desires. Love points us to God and to God's creatures.
PRAYER: Come, God of love to my heart. Fill me with that love that points me to you and to others. Let me be guided by knowing that I should be all about sharing and giving life, not death. Lead me to fulness of life through Jesus Christ, in Whose name I pray. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Monday, April 17, 2006
WHY IS DEATH SCARY?
Good day dear friends.
Happy Easter to you all! The proper Easter day is over, but the Easter season has just begun! For fifty days we will be celebrating Jesus' resurrection and presence with the disciples. Our sermon yesterday was entitled, "Jesus is Alive!" and it dealt with common conclusions about death and the unexpected joy of resurrection.
Here is our study guide for today:
Monday: Death is first mentioned as a deterrent from disobeying God. Quite honestly in Genesis 2:17, God says if you mess up, you die. And a little later on, God mentions the need to remove the people from the Garden so that they don’t eat from the Tree of Life (Gen. 3:22-24). The fear is that people would live forever here on the earth. Why is death such a scary thing?
Here is that verse: "17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die."
The fear of the unknown has always scared us. In this seventeenth verse of chapter 2 of Genesis which comes after God has given the positive command, "You shall freely of any tree in the garden except...God has said, Don't eat from this tree or something bad will happen to you. Did God mention death as something as bad in those afternoon walks with the creatures? Did Adam and Eve understand death? Did they understand anything at all? Had God told them death might be introduced and this is the way that death made its appearance after disobeying Him? Whatever God may have told them, it didn't work. They still disobeyed God and declared their independence from Him. It leads us to Genesis 3:22-24:Then the LORD God said, "See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"-- 23 therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life."
Death became part of life. The growing old of our bodies and the eventual shutting down of our bodies became a part of life. What may have been God's plan for Adam and Eve to live forever in this garden with God was now no longer possible. And if you think about it, with the growing old and slowing down of our bodies, death becomes a friend; a liberation from this earthly body for our spirits so they may return to God.
Is death scary to you? I mentioned the fact that death is permanent and it separates us from our loved ones. And we've had no one to come back from the dead to explain it all to us. We have Jesus and His victory and the words from John 11 and 14 to speak of that place that is being prepared for us. We honestly can not call death the great unknown, for we have from He who conquered it, the promise of "that where I am you may be also."
PRAYER: Loving God of life, speak to my mortal heart again those promises of He who conquered death. Let me live my life confident that I am a Resurrection person, in You I have life; in abundance now and in heaven eternally. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day.
e.v.
Happy Easter to you all! The proper Easter day is over, but the Easter season has just begun! For fifty days we will be celebrating Jesus' resurrection and presence with the disciples. Our sermon yesterday was entitled, "Jesus is Alive!" and it dealt with common conclusions about death and the unexpected joy of resurrection.
Here is our study guide for today:
Monday: Death is first mentioned as a deterrent from disobeying God. Quite honestly in Genesis 2:17, God says if you mess up, you die. And a little later on, God mentions the need to remove the people from the Garden so that they don’t eat from the Tree of Life (Gen. 3:22-24). The fear is that people would live forever here on the earth. Why is death such a scary thing?
Here is that verse: "17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die."
The fear of the unknown has always scared us. In this seventeenth verse of chapter 2 of Genesis which comes after God has given the positive command, "You shall freely of any tree in the garden except...God has said, Don't eat from this tree or something bad will happen to you. Did God mention death as something as bad in those afternoon walks with the creatures? Did Adam and Eve understand death? Did they understand anything at all? Had God told them death might be introduced and this is the way that death made its appearance after disobeying Him? Whatever God may have told them, it didn't work. They still disobeyed God and declared their independence from Him. It leads us to Genesis 3:22-24:Then the LORD God said, "See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"-- 23 therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life."
Death became part of life. The growing old of our bodies and the eventual shutting down of our bodies became a part of life. What may have been God's plan for Adam and Eve to live forever in this garden with God was now no longer possible. And if you think about it, with the growing old and slowing down of our bodies, death becomes a friend; a liberation from this earthly body for our spirits so they may return to God.
Is death scary to you? I mentioned the fact that death is permanent and it separates us from our loved ones. And we've had no one to come back from the dead to explain it all to us. We have Jesus and His victory and the words from John 11 and 14 to speak of that place that is being prepared for us. We honestly can not call death the great unknown, for we have from He who conquered it, the promise of "that where I am you may be also."
PRAYER: Loving God of life, speak to my mortal heart again those promises of He who conquered death. Let me live my life confident that I am a Resurrection person, in You I have life; in abundance now and in heaven eternally. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day.
e.v.
Friday, April 14, 2006
OUR DAY OF PRAYER
Good day dear friends. We had a wonderful worship experience last night and we look forward to our worship tonight at 7 p.m. You are all invited to come.
Friday: Today is what many would call the most difficult in anyone’s life. Today is Crucifixion Day. The faith we have calls it, “GOOD FRIDAY.” You’re invited tonight at 7 to our church to fully celebrate what God did and can do for you!
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Friday: Today is what many would call the most difficult in anyone’s life. Today is Crucifixion Day. The faith we have calls it, “GOOD FRIDAY.” You’re invited tonight at 7 to our church to fully celebrate what God did and can do for you!
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
GOOD NEWS!!
Good day dear friends.
We continue to study the Entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem as an entry of victory.
Here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: Please find Luke 4:18, read in there what Jesus believed to be His purpose in having come to the world. Underline that verse in your study Bible and let it speak to your heart today about all Jesus offers, with love, to you. Come to worship tonight at 7 for Communion.
Here is that passage from the New Revised Standard Version: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free."
What a purpose Jesus had! In Him we find the fulfillment of the OT prophecy written by Isaiah. Led by the Holy Spirit, anointed by Him "to bring good news to the poor;" "release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free." Let those words speak to your heart. Where do you find yourself in that which Jesus offers? Are you poor in some way? If not financially, spiritually, perhaps? Do you find yourself captive to a habit or addiction you alone can't break? Do you find that spiritually you are blind to seeing the goodness of God in your life? Do you feel oppressed in spirit by something you've said or done?
Hear again: This is GOOD NEWS! God acted on our behalf, through Jesus Christ to deliver us from all that is mentioned above. We don't have to stay poor! We don't have to be anyone or anything's captive! We don't have to stay blind! We can see! What do we do to receive all this? Simply ask.
PRAYER: Come, Lord Jesus to my plea. You know what I need and this is what I claim for my life today. Speak lovingly to me and let me know all you offer for me. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
We continue to study the Entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem as an entry of victory.
Here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: Please find Luke 4:18, read in there what Jesus believed to be His purpose in having come to the world. Underline that verse in your study Bible and let it speak to your heart today about all Jesus offers, with love, to you. Come to worship tonight at 7 for Communion.
Here is that passage from the New Revised Standard Version: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free."
What a purpose Jesus had! In Him we find the fulfillment of the OT prophecy written by Isaiah. Led by the Holy Spirit, anointed by Him "to bring good news to the poor;" "release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free." Let those words speak to your heart. Where do you find yourself in that which Jesus offers? Are you poor in some way? If not financially, spiritually, perhaps? Do you find yourself captive to a habit or addiction you alone can't break? Do you find that spiritually you are blind to seeing the goodness of God in your life? Do you feel oppressed in spirit by something you've said or done?
Hear again: This is GOOD NEWS! God acted on our behalf, through Jesus Christ to deliver us from all that is mentioned above. We don't have to stay poor! We don't have to be anyone or anything's captive! We don't have to stay blind! We can see! What do we do to receive all this? Simply ask.
PRAYER: Come, Lord Jesus to my plea. You know what I need and this is what I claim for my life today. Speak lovingly to me and let me know all you offer for me. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
OUR DAY OF PRAYER AND PURPOSE
Good day dear friends.
Please continue in prayer for baby Annabelle Dorothy Ferrell. She is the granddaughter of Chad Neff, whom many know as the computer guru around the church. Annabelle was born at 23 weeks and weighed a little over one pound at birth. To quote grandpa, "She's holding her own," and all brain exams and the like came back positive. We know that prayer will see her through.
Here is our prayer and purpose guide for today:
Wednesday: For our day of prayer and purpose, pray about the parade in your heart for Jesus. If you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior some years ago, what celebration did you have for Him? Did you allow all the pathways to your heart to be celebrating the arrival of He who died for you? If you just recently accepted the Lord, have you celebrated this important arrival in your life? Are you living a life that continues to glorify Jesus as Lord of your life. This is the day to be in prayer about it and to decide to make Jesus’ Lordship a priority for your purpose in life.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
PS Today at noon, Pastor Leslie is preaching at First Christian Church on Ranch Road 12 for the ecumenical worship and stations of the cross. Friday at noon is when all SM churches are invited to come and participate in the stations of the cross live presentations.
Tomorrow at 7 and Friday at 7 we have our Holy Week service at First UMC.
Please continue in prayer for baby Annabelle Dorothy Ferrell. She is the granddaughter of Chad Neff, whom many know as the computer guru around the church. Annabelle was born at 23 weeks and weighed a little over one pound at birth. To quote grandpa, "She's holding her own," and all brain exams and the like came back positive. We know that prayer will see her through.
Here is our prayer and purpose guide for today:
Wednesday: For our day of prayer and purpose, pray about the parade in your heart for Jesus. If you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior some years ago, what celebration did you have for Him? Did you allow all the pathways to your heart to be celebrating the arrival of He who died for you? If you just recently accepted the Lord, have you celebrated this important arrival in your life? Are you living a life that continues to glorify Jesus as Lord of your life. This is the day to be in prayer about it and to decide to make Jesus’ Lordship a priority for your purpose in life.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
PS Today at noon, Pastor Leslie is preaching at First Christian Church on Ranch Road 12 for the ecumenical worship and stations of the cross. Friday at noon is when all SM churches are invited to come and participate in the stations of the cross live presentations.
Tomorrow at 7 and Friday at 7 we have our Holy Week service at First UMC.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
DO YOU WANT TO BE INCLUDED?
Good day dear friends. This comes at the end of the day rather than the beginning. It's all good.
Here is the study guide as we continue to study the theme, Entrance of Victory:
Tuesday: If you think about it, this parade of Jesus was not like the kind we’re used to or would imagine would be appropriate for a celebrity of any standing or stature. Jesus didn’t march in arm-in-arm with city officials nor did he ride in on a prancing, majestic horse. Jesus came in with a band of fishermen, some rural folks from Galilee, and a former tax collector. What a parade! Read Isaiah 62:11 to learn more of this that Jesus did by coming into Jerusalem.
Here is the Isaiah 62:11 verse: "The LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion, 'See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.'"
Salvation came riding on that colt! Salvation and the "reward" of the Lord with Him. Jesus' entry was in some sense a very humble thing, but given what we know now about what the Lord has shared with us, it was anything but humble; it was a life-giving, life-changing event. And those who marched in with Him were proof of those who needed, like you and me, to be included in God's love. God acted on our behalf in a manner that perhaps made no logical sense for the day or even today, but God acted in this way not to make sense but to share salvation. God loves us so much that He wants to include us all, even those marked as un-include-able.
As we continue in Holy Week, stop and ponder that fact: God wants to include you. Do you want to be included? Do you want to include God in your life?
PRAYER: Inclusive God, include me in Your plan. Let me include You in my life. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed night! See you in the morning!
e.v.
Here is the study guide as we continue to study the theme, Entrance of Victory:
Tuesday: If you think about it, this parade of Jesus was not like the kind we’re used to or would imagine would be appropriate for a celebrity of any standing or stature. Jesus didn’t march in arm-in-arm with city officials nor did he ride in on a prancing, majestic horse. Jesus came in with a band of fishermen, some rural folks from Galilee, and a former tax collector. What a parade! Read Isaiah 62:11 to learn more of this that Jesus did by coming into Jerusalem.
Here is the Isaiah 62:11 verse: "The LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion, 'See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.'"
Salvation came riding on that colt! Salvation and the "reward" of the Lord with Him. Jesus' entry was in some sense a very humble thing, but given what we know now about what the Lord has shared with us, it was anything but humble; it was a life-giving, life-changing event. And those who marched in with Him were proof of those who needed, like you and me, to be included in God's love. God acted on our behalf in a manner that perhaps made no logical sense for the day or even today, but God acted in this way not to make sense but to share salvation. God loves us so much that He wants to include us all, even those marked as un-include-able.
As we continue in Holy Week, stop and ponder that fact: God wants to include you. Do you want to be included? Do you want to include God in your life?
PRAYER: Inclusive God, include me in Your plan. Let me include You in my life. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed night! See you in the morning!
e.v.
Monday, April 10, 2006
ENTRANCE OF VICTORY!
Good day dear friends. We celebrated a great Palm Sunday yesterday. We were blessed by the procession of children and the great music of our choir and we even sang one of my favorite Spanish hymns, "Mantos y Palmas."
The sermon was called "Entry of Victory" given all that Christ did on our behalf during this Holy Week. Our study guide for today is this:
Monday: Yesterday’s passage from Mark tells of the fulfillment of God’s purpose for Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Let’s visit the passage from the Old Testament. Please find and read Zechariah 9:9 and Psalm 118:26. What do those verses say about this coming Messiah? Do you believe them to be fulfillment of prophecy? Another interesting item about this entry by Jesus, if you were to visit Jerusalem today, the gate believed to be the one used by Jesus is now shut and a Muslim cemetery is there. A Jewish messiah will never use this gate to pass due to the presence of this cemetery. Read what Ezekiel 44:1-2 says about that.
Zechariah 9:9 says, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
Psalm 118:26 reads, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD."
I shared with the congregation that some believe there are 300 propheices about the coming Messiah in the Old Testament. A French mathematician, George Heron, calculated that the odds of one man fulfilling only 40 of those prophecies are 1 in 10 to the power of 157. That is a 1 followed by 157 zeros. Compare it to this; your odds on winning the state lottery are 14 followed by 6 zeros. We see two of those in the above OT passages. Zachariah's word was that rejoicing should come to Jerusalem because of her "king" coming to her "triumphant and victorious...humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." After the first service, Dr. Tom House, our veterinarian said I could have spent half a sermon just on the miracle of riding a colt that had never been ridden before. The Psalm was the shouting by the crowd as Jesus entered, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord."
What struck me as the most interesting is that if one goes to Jerusalem today, the gate used by Jesus to enter the city is now closed. And in its place is a Muslim cemetery. The commentator sharing this said, logically, no Jewish messiah would ever enter through there even if the gate were open. This follows what the OT passage from Eze. 44:1-2: "Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east; and it was shut. 2 The LORD said to me: This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall remain shut." Shut now because "the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall remain shut." Hmm. In spite of what recent "discoveries" and books published about Jesus and His divinity, the Bible remains true to what God said about this coming Messiah and His entrance into the holy city of Jerusalem. In Christ Jesus we have the fulfillment of God's purpose, and the start of all the events of this week.
Our Lenten journey is drawing to an end. Those of you who gave us things to eat or drink, have only until Sunday to wait. But for now rejoice in what the Lord God did for you and me through Jesus Christ. Please be in prayer for our special services Thursday and Friday at 7 pm, may God use us to bring others to the saving knowledge of Jesus.
PRAYER: Loving God, we thank you for all You did through Jesus Christ. Let us not take any of it for granted, let us rejoice in Your love and the victory You offer to us over sin and death. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
LIVING A LIFE THAT GIVES
Good day dear friends.
A special prayer for those going before district committees on ministry. A dear friend of many from FUMC and this area, Steve Peyton, is going before the San Antonio dCOM this morning at 10:45 a.m. Steve surprised our Emmaus reunion group this morning, arriving in a suit with best friend, Michael Pearce. May the Lord bless Steve and others going through this process. Steve is a student at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY, and flew in for this important day.
Here is our study guide for today as we continue to help those who wish to see Jesus:
Thursday: Read Luke 17:11-19. Here again someone comes to seek the Lord. Read this story and see who it is who has come to see Jesus and the reason for which they sought Him. Are you living your life in a grateful way for all that He has done for you? Or do you have an “entitlement” mentality that ‘we deserve this and more!” about all that God does?
Here is that passage from Luke 17:11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13 they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16 He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18 Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."
This is a passage that comes to us usually on Thanksgiving holidays. It is so recognized during this time that as a young preacher invited to fill in for an ailing colleague on Thanksgiving, one elderly lady came to me as I'm sitting down at the start of the service, "Mother has asked that you not preach on the ten lepers because she loses her appetite for Thanksgiving dinner." Here I add what we use online: LOL. I can Laugh Out Loud now, then it terrified me. I had already written (literally) my sermon. It was typed, double-spaced and in my folder and there was no way I could access a typewriter (kids ask your parents what that is)! I had no choice but to preach it!
It is a powerful story of gratefulness and about seeking Jesus. To have this dreaded skin disease in those days was to face a life among the dead. To have leprosy in Jesus' day meant you had to live among the tombs away from "normal" society. To get close to clean people was forbidden and frowned above. Your very appearance would terrify most. So, to seek this One who had the power to heal was a bold thing. They had no other option. There was no known cure, and to have been declared unclean by your priests/rabbi meant you lived among the tombs until you went permanently into one. So, as Jesus walked by they cried out to him, and notice the scripture says they kept their distance. Jesus simply told them to go show themselves to their priests. This meant taking steps of faith to go to the one who had declared them unclean, for he was the only one who could declare them clean again. It was only one, who realized all that had happened to him. Not only did he have new skin, he now had a new life. And this new life was marked by a new faith in God. Luke is sure we know that this one grateful person was not a Jew but a Samaritan. The other nine simply went home with that "I deserve this and more" mentality that plagues our society. The one man who realized all God had done for him for the only one who humbled himself before Jesus to thank Him.
As people seek Jesus in us, we need to live a life that is thankful for all things. They need to see the spirit of joy and gratitude in all that God has done for us. If we are to share Jesus we must do it first in living a life that glorifies God for all God does for us. They won't see Jesus in a life that wants more and more and is never satisfied with what we have. A life of possessions that possess us is not one others want to live. Possessions are not evil in and of themselves, but when they dictate how we live, then they are. One can be rich both financially and spiritually, if we control our wealth and live a life that is grateful and shares what God has shared with us.
PRAYER: Lord, all this week we have been around those who are seeking You in us. We've been true to You in some cases, but not in others. We pray that you help us today to live a life of gratitude for all You have done, so that others will see in us that life that glorifies You. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
Please don't forget our noon Lenten Liturgy and Luncheon. It starts at 12 noon in Lowman Chapel, followed by a soup luncheon in Todd Hall.
e.v.
A special prayer for those going before district committees on ministry. A dear friend of many from FUMC and this area, Steve Peyton, is going before the San Antonio dCOM this morning at 10:45 a.m. Steve surprised our Emmaus reunion group this morning, arriving in a suit with best friend, Michael Pearce. May the Lord bless Steve and others going through this process. Steve is a student at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY, and flew in for this important day.
Here is our study guide for today as we continue to help those who wish to see Jesus:
Thursday: Read Luke 17:11-19. Here again someone comes to seek the Lord. Read this story and see who it is who has come to see Jesus and the reason for which they sought Him. Are you living your life in a grateful way for all that He has done for you? Or do you have an “entitlement” mentality that ‘we deserve this and more!” about all that God does?
Here is that passage from Luke 17:11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13 they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16 He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18 Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."
This is a passage that comes to us usually on Thanksgiving holidays. It is so recognized during this time that as a young preacher invited to fill in for an ailing colleague on Thanksgiving, one elderly lady came to me as I'm sitting down at the start of the service, "Mother has asked that you not preach on the ten lepers because she loses her appetite for Thanksgiving dinner." Here I add what we use online: LOL. I can Laugh Out Loud now, then it terrified me. I had already written (literally) my sermon. It was typed, double-spaced and in my folder and there was no way I could access a typewriter (kids ask your parents what that is)! I had no choice but to preach it!
It is a powerful story of gratefulness and about seeking Jesus. To have this dreaded skin disease in those days was to face a life among the dead. To have leprosy in Jesus' day meant you had to live among the tombs away from "normal" society. To get close to clean people was forbidden and frowned above. Your very appearance would terrify most. So, to seek this One who had the power to heal was a bold thing. They had no other option. There was no known cure, and to have been declared unclean by your priests/rabbi meant you lived among the tombs until you went permanently into one. So, as Jesus walked by they cried out to him, and notice the scripture says they kept their distance. Jesus simply told them to go show themselves to their priests. This meant taking steps of faith to go to the one who had declared them unclean, for he was the only one who could declare them clean again. It was only one, who realized all that had happened to him. Not only did he have new skin, he now had a new life. And this new life was marked by a new faith in God. Luke is sure we know that this one grateful person was not a Jew but a Samaritan. The other nine simply went home with that "I deserve this and more" mentality that plagues our society. The one man who realized all God had done for him for the only one who humbled himself before Jesus to thank Him.
As people seek Jesus in us, we need to live a life that is thankful for all things. They need to see the spirit of joy and gratitude in all that God has done for us. If we are to share Jesus we must do it first in living a life that glorifies God for all God does for us. They won't see Jesus in a life that wants more and more and is never satisfied with what we have. A life of possessions that possess us is not one others want to live. Possessions are not evil in and of themselves, but when they dictate how we live, then they are. One can be rich both financially and spiritually, if we control our wealth and live a life that is grateful and shares what God has shared with us.
PRAYER: Lord, all this week we have been around those who are seeking You in us. We've been true to You in some cases, but not in others. We pray that you help us today to live a life of gratitude for all You have done, so that others will see in us that life that glorifies You. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
Please don't forget our noon Lenten Liturgy and Luncheon. It starts at 12 noon in Lowman Chapel, followed by a soup luncheon in Todd Hall.
e.v.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
THE GREAT BANQUET: YOU COMING? BRINGING SOMEONE?
Good day dear friends. I spoke with Bill Barber and Madeline West, and both are doing well, thanks to God. Both are in good spirits. Madeline will visit a specialist to see how her wrist is healing and see what else is needed. She suffered a fall in her home.
We continue to study those who wish to see Jesus and here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Read Luke 14:15-24. Here is a parable from Jesus about the Great Banquet. What is this story saying to us about the Good News today? What are you doing to help spread the invitation to others who might want to come and be blessed by Jesus? How do you interpret the excuses people give for not coming to this banquet?
Here is that passage from Luke 14:15 One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, "Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" 16 Then Jesus said to him, "Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. 17 At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, "Come; for everything is ready now.' 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, "I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my regrets.' 19 Another said, "I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my regrets.' 20 Another said, "I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.' 21 So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, "Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.' 22 And the slave said, "Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.' 23 Then the master said to the slave, "Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.' "
A great banquet is given in your honor and you refuse to attend. You have your reasons for missing out on fine food, fine fellowship, and fine instruction. But are these reasons or excuses worth missing this? Jesus is comparing what God offers to us with a great banquet and so many will be missing out because they had their reasons: I bought some property and must go and see it (that's clever planning, buying some property without having first seen it!). I bought some farm equipment and must see how it performs is the second.(The dealer didn't let you try it out on his lot?) The third says, "I'm on my honeymoon and can't make it." (You know how it is, newlyweds don't need to eat!). And they all missed out! Who then, got invited? Those on the streets and lanes of the town; the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. All these accepted and there was still room! The master then said, go and get people to come in so that "my house may be filled."
Are you doing your part to be present at every celebration of the Lord? Are you doing your part in "compelling" others to come and join you in these celebrations? If you're not present, you're missing out and if you're not inviting, you and too many others, are missing out as well. Do your part!
PRAYER: Loving God of the great banquet, let me do my part. I can't do it alone, share with me all that I need to be an effective servant. I ask it in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
We continue to study those who wish to see Jesus and here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Read Luke 14:15-24. Here is a parable from Jesus about the Great Banquet. What is this story saying to us about the Good News today? What are you doing to help spread the invitation to others who might want to come and be blessed by Jesus? How do you interpret the excuses people give for not coming to this banquet?
Here is that passage from Luke 14:15 One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, "Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" 16 Then Jesus said to him, "Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. 17 At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, "Come; for everything is ready now.' 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, "I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my regrets.' 19 Another said, "I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my regrets.' 20 Another said, "I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.' 21 So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, "Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.' 22 And the slave said, "Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.' 23 Then the master said to the slave, "Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.' "
A great banquet is given in your honor and you refuse to attend. You have your reasons for missing out on fine food, fine fellowship, and fine instruction. But are these reasons or excuses worth missing this? Jesus is comparing what God offers to us with a great banquet and so many will be missing out because they had their reasons: I bought some property and must go and see it (that's clever planning, buying some property without having first seen it!). I bought some farm equipment and must see how it performs is the second.(The dealer didn't let you try it out on his lot?) The third says, "I'm on my honeymoon and can't make it." (You know how it is, newlyweds don't need to eat!). And they all missed out! Who then, got invited? Those on the streets and lanes of the town; the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. All these accepted and there was still room! The master then said, go and get people to come in so that "my house may be filled."
Are you doing your part to be present at every celebration of the Lord? Are you doing your part in "compelling" others to come and join you in these celebrations? If you're not present, you're missing out and if you're not inviting, you and too many others, are missing out as well. Do your part!
PRAYER: Loving God of the great banquet, let me do my part. I can't do it alone, share with me all that I need to be an effective servant. I ask it in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Monday, April 03, 2006
SHOW ME JESUS!
Good day dear friends. What a day yesterday! I think most folks in
the USA forgot to "Spring forward!" I'm in that number. My associate
sent me a card earlier in the week reminding me to do that, but I
didn't mark it down and our unplanned trip to Galveston to see our
daughter and son-in-law didn't help us remember. We left late
Saturday and arrived at 11 p.m., I set the alarm for 6 a.m., slept
soundly until 4 a.m., checked the clock and thought, nah, too early,
got plenty of time. The alarm awoke me and while walking to the
bathroom, it hit me that it was not six but 7! Rush, rush, rush. Our
new candlelighters have no windshield and the first use of them at
8:30 showed how necessary a windshield is, and our acolyte stood there
mouthing to our liturgist, Julie, that the fire had gone out. We usually have a lighter in the pulpit storage area, but not one that could be found. Julie had to run down the aisle to the narthex and bring back a lighter and relight the candle. From that moment to the shift towards the candle, the light went out again...
We wish to see Jesus was our theme for worship. Based on the passage from John 12:20ff, the petition of the Greeks at the Passover Festival becomes that petition of so many with whom we work, live, play, etc. How do we show them a living, loving Jesus in our lives?
Here is our study guide for today:
Monday: In Luke 4:42-44, we see, like we saw yesterday during worship, that there was a crowd wishing to see Jesus. The reasons may have not been the most sincere or the best, but they still knew Jesus offered something they were not receiving anywhere else. Where do you seek Jesus? Or do people seek Jesus in you? Read the passage from yesterday (John 12:20-33) and see if you can’t grasp what the Lord stands ready to offer you for your life. Jesus is still the most sought after person for what God intended to share with the earth. Are you among that number?
Here is that passage: 42 At daybreak he departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowds were looking for him; and when they reached him, they wanted to prevent him from leaving them. 43 But he said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose." 44 So he continued proclaiming the message in the synagogues of Judea.
In both passages of John 12 and Luke 4, people sought Jesus. Some for good reasons, others for the "show" of doing unexplainable things, others for the food that He sometimes provided in miraculous ways. Yet, they knew Jesus brought with Him something no one else was providing, a message of hope and love from above. Jesus was offering a new way to live, and people were anxious to hear it. Jesus was offering healing and wholeness to so many and folks flocked to that. Jesus sought to share that with whomever wanted it.
So many in our midst need Jesus. Some may have already said, maybe not in so many words, that they want to see Jesus to help them in dealing with life and some of life's challenges, and what have we done to show them Jesus? If you've ever sought the Lord and found Him, then you know what Jesus can do. If you've ever been blessed by the Lord, then you have a word of hope to share with someone who hasn't heard.
Get out of your comfort zone today and show someone Jesus!
PRAYER: Loving God of life, I thank you for Jesus and for having shared Him with me when I needed Him the most. Let me in turn, share Him with someone whom I know is hurting and needing Him like never before. I pray for courage and wisdom and sharing Jesus. And I pray in His name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day.
e.v.
Friday, March 31, 2006
SPECIAL DOUBLE ISSUE!
Good day dear friends. Sorry your ConCafe didn't arrive yesterday. Thursdays are my Emmaus Reunion days and I had to travel to get to it, then back to where we were and with other church things pending, I did not have a chance to write one.
So, here are the two study guides:
Thursday: Read John 19:38-42. Two interesting character appear in this Good Friday story. Read this short passage, in fact, you can start at verse one, as it’s not that long, and see what is going on. Notice who the second character is in that passage recommended above. Why do you suppose he was present for this event? Would you have been there?
Here is that passage from John 19(NRSV):38 After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. 39 Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. 40 They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. 42 And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Nick at Nite comes through! We read in verse 39 that this second character is Nicodemus, and it says who he is, "who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes." The first character was a secret service sort of disciple, and Nick wasn't too far behind, but he does come forward at the end, to help in the burial of Jesus' body. That took courage. Perhaps the life and purpose of Jesus did not yet make sense, but they were convinced of Jesus' sincerity and service. They knew Jesus was of God and for that reason helped in this compassionate action. They did now understand the meaning of Christ's suffering and how they were involved in it.
Do you now understand that your sinfulness, and mine, caused the death of this good man? Do you realize the depth of God's love for you and me through what Jesus suffered? I can't honestly say what I would have done had I been in either Joseph of Arimathea or Nick's place. It took boldness and compassion and love, to step forward at the end of this bloody and painful execution to claim Jesus' body.
Lent is leading us to get ready to claim Jesus' body for ourselves and what we need to be about, in terms of God loving us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, so that we might have life. Don't let this Lent be just another time of having given up something; let it be the Lent where we took up the love of God and entered into a fuller, deeper, richer relationship with our God of life and love.
PRAYER: God of life and love, fill me with Your wisdom to better understand Lent and all that is Yours for me today. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Here's the next prayer guide:
Friday: As we spend our time in prayer, let God speak to your heart about the meaning of Lent and especially about the meaning of Christ’s passion for you and me. Let the Holy Spirit prepare you for the fullness of the celebrations that will be ours in a few short weeks. May this year’s Holy Week come alive for you! See you in church!
Have a blessed and great weekend!
e.v.
So, here are the two study guides:
Thursday: Read John 19:38-42. Two interesting character appear in this Good Friday story. Read this short passage, in fact, you can start at verse one, as it’s not that long, and see what is going on. Notice who the second character is in that passage recommended above. Why do you suppose he was present for this event? Would you have been there?
Here is that passage from John 19(NRSV):38 After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. 39 Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. 40 They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. 42 And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Nick at Nite comes through! We read in verse 39 that this second character is Nicodemus, and it says who he is, "who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes." The first character was a secret service sort of disciple, and Nick wasn't too far behind, but he does come forward at the end, to help in the burial of Jesus' body. That took courage. Perhaps the life and purpose of Jesus did not yet make sense, but they were convinced of Jesus' sincerity and service. They knew Jesus was of God and for that reason helped in this compassionate action. They did now understand the meaning of Christ's suffering and how they were involved in it.
Do you now understand that your sinfulness, and mine, caused the death of this good man? Do you realize the depth of God's love for you and me through what Jesus suffered? I can't honestly say what I would have done had I been in either Joseph of Arimathea or Nick's place. It took boldness and compassion and love, to step forward at the end of this bloody and painful execution to claim Jesus' body.
Lent is leading us to get ready to claim Jesus' body for ourselves and what we need to be about, in terms of God loving us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, so that we might have life. Don't let this Lent be just another time of having given up something; let it be the Lent where we took up the love of God and entered into a fuller, deeper, richer relationship with our God of life and love.
PRAYER: God of life and love, fill me with Your wisdom to better understand Lent and all that is Yours for me today. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Here's the next prayer guide:
Friday: As we spend our time in prayer, let God speak to your heart about the meaning of Lent and especially about the meaning of Christ’s passion for you and me. Let the Holy Spirit prepare you for the fullness of the celebrations that will be ours in a few short weeks. May this year’s Holy Week come alive for you! See you in church!
Have a blessed and great weekend!
e.v.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
LIFE GIVING EXPERIENCES
Good day dear friends. We thank the Lord for the needed rain! Though it is a bit uneasy for this servant as we're staying right on the Guadalupe River on a mini-retreat. I shared with you that Rev. Barbara Galloway-Edgar had suffered a mild stroke and she is home and undergoing more tests during this week. I believe nothing permanent has affected her and we thank God that she is up and around. Please continue to hold her in your thoughts and prayers. Tomorrow, Wednesday, our brother Hal Blythe is undergoing eye surgery in San Marcos. Please pray for Hal and his successful operation and recovery.
We continue to talk about Christ's suffering and today's study guide takes us to the Old Testament:
Tuesday: Read Numbers 21:4-9. This is the story of Moses having to make a pole with a serpent on it. Read why this was necessary and the outcome of this interesting story. There is life on that pole, is what the story is saying. Compare that to the “pole” where Christ was lifted up. Is there not life on that pole for you and me?
Here is that passage (NRSV): Numbers 21:4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5 The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." 6 Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live."
The Old Testament understanding was that if you spoke against God you would suffer the consequences of that action. In this passage, the people "became impatient" and "spoke against God and against Moses." The complaint was there was no food and no water, yet they say in the same sentence they detested "this miserable food." They had food and the water was coming, but it was not to their liking and not to their timing. The area in which they were walking was infested with snakes and the snakes began to bite many and many died. This caused the people to reflect on their thoughts and actions and they realized they shouldn't have said what they did against God and came to Moeses to pray on their behalf to take away the snakes from them.
The Lord directed Moses to make a bronze serpent (this from other versions, this one says "a poisonous serpent"), and to put it upon a pole. That pole once lifted up would serve as a life-giving instrument. Those bit by the snakes could look upon it and be healed from their snake bites.
Jesus knew this story and he knew the comparison one could draw from this experience in the wilderness and the one awaiting Him. In the same way that life was received by those who looked upon that pole in the desert, so could those who, with faith, looked upon the cross upon which He was to be lifted. To look upon the cross of Jesus in remembrance and thankfulness, and to ask that our sins be nailed there with Christ, is to receive the fullness of life. With the death of those sins comes the death of our guilt, shame, etc. that for too long we've carried around because of our sins. For the ancient Hebrew to look upon that pole was to admit his/her sin against God and to, at the same time, receive life and new opportunities to live as a faithful child of God. In the same way, we can look to Christ for forgiveness and new life in Him.
PRAYER: GOD of life, come to me and set me free. Let me see with faith that on that cross Your Son Jesus died for me and has delivered a new opportunity for reconcilation and relationship with You. Put to death the guilt and shame that for too long I've carried around with me because of my sin. Give me the fullness of life. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
We continue to talk about Christ's suffering and today's study guide takes us to the Old Testament:
Tuesday: Read Numbers 21:4-9. This is the story of Moses having to make a pole with a serpent on it. Read why this was necessary and the outcome of this interesting story. There is life on that pole, is what the story is saying. Compare that to the “pole” where Christ was lifted up. Is there not life on that pole for you and me?
Here is that passage (NRSV): Numbers 21:4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5 The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." 6 Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live."
The Old Testament understanding was that if you spoke against God you would suffer the consequences of that action. In this passage, the people "became impatient" and "spoke against God and against Moses." The complaint was there was no food and no water, yet they say in the same sentence they detested "this miserable food." They had food and the water was coming, but it was not to their liking and not to their timing. The area in which they were walking was infested with snakes and the snakes began to bite many and many died. This caused the people to reflect on their thoughts and actions and they realized they shouldn't have said what they did against God and came to Moeses to pray on their behalf to take away the snakes from them.
The Lord directed Moses to make a bronze serpent (this from other versions, this one says "a poisonous serpent"), and to put it upon a pole. That pole once lifted up would serve as a life-giving instrument. Those bit by the snakes could look upon it and be healed from their snake bites.
Jesus knew this story and he knew the comparison one could draw from this experience in the wilderness and the one awaiting Him. In the same way that life was received by those who looked upon that pole in the desert, so could those who, with faith, looked upon the cross upon which He was to be lifted. To look upon the cross of Jesus in remembrance and thankfulness, and to ask that our sins be nailed there with Christ, is to receive the fullness of life. With the death of those sins comes the death of our guilt, shame, etc. that for too long we've carried around because of our sins. For the ancient Hebrew to look upon that pole was to admit his/her sin against God and to, at the same time, receive life and new opportunities to live as a faithful child of God. In the same way, we can look to Christ for forgiveness and new life in Him.
PRAYER: GOD of life, come to me and set me free. Let me see with faith that on that cross Your Son Jesus died for me and has delivered a new opportunity for reconcilation and relationship with You. Put to death the guilt and shame that for too long I've carried around with me because of my sin. Give me the fullness of life. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Monday, March 27, 2006
THE FULLNESS OF LIFE IS YOURS!
Good day dear friends. We're still rejoicing over a very wonderful time together during our PIE with the Pastor and our Fellowship Luncheon yesterday. We even had supper at the Festival Finale and I wondered if there wasn't a breakfast of some sort at the church.
I got word that The Rev. Barbara Galloway-Edgar, pastor of First UMC in Boerne, TX, suffered a mild stroke yesterday morning, but no details were yet available as to any damage. The phone message I received said tests were being run. Please hold Barbara in your prayers.
Yesterday we talked about the meaning of Christ's suffering and it boils down to our being sinful and our needing to repent from our sins and receive the fullness of life through Jesus Christ.
Here is that study guide: Monday: It becomes so easy to accumulate debt, especially of the spiritual kind because we aren’t concerned or aware about it. Yesterday’s passage came as a word of hope and promise for all who would receive it. Read again the entire third chapter of John. Keep a spiritual mind as you read it. Remember Nick at Nite didn’t get it because he wasn’t trained, though he was a Pharisee, to be spiritual. How often being “practical” keeps us from enjoying the fullness of life through Christ. What is keeping you from that fullness today? Which parts of John 3 speak to you? Why?
Here is that passage John 3:1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." 3 Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." 4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, "You must be born from above.' 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" 10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11 "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God." 22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized 24 —John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Now a discussion about purification arose between John's disciples and a Jew. 26 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him." 27 John answered, "No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, "I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.' 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease." 31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. 34 He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God's wrath.
The recommended passage was John 3:14-21. I shared how in my seminary days I fell so easily into debt. I paid off my credit card bill and was tempted to buy a pair of boots for $36. Before I realized it the debt went into the thousands. So it is with our spiritual debt. Something tempts us, we give in, and before we know it, we owe God a lot. As Jesus tried to explain to Nicodemus, we face death because of our sins. Just as the Israelites found life in looking up to the raised serpent on the pole in the wilderness, so can we find life in the sacrifice paid on our behalf by Jesus' death on the cross.
Lent teaches us to see things in the spiritual realm beyond the "practical" and physical. Nicodemus, though he was a Pharisee, did not have the ability to see with spiritual eyes, thus his missing all of what Jesus said in that initial meeting. If anything, during Lent as we examine all things, especially ourselves, we need to see the debt owed to God and how God has paid that through Jesus Christ.
What's keeping you for the fullness of life? Why keep on living in shame and guilt over things that can be erased from your life through Jesus Christ? You owe no one nothing when it comes to God's forgiveness. It's yours for the taking.
PRAYER: God of life, speak to my heart today as I seek You spiritually. Let me know that the fullness of life can be mine if I would turn away from the death that awaits me becuase of my sinfulness. I thank you for Jesus and for how He paid the price and gave me life. Let me receive that today. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day.
e.v.
I got word that The Rev. Barbara Galloway-Edgar, pastor of First UMC in Boerne, TX, suffered a mild stroke yesterday morning, but no details were yet available as to any damage. The phone message I received said tests were being run. Please hold Barbara in your prayers.
Yesterday we talked about the meaning of Christ's suffering and it boils down to our being sinful and our needing to repent from our sins and receive the fullness of life through Jesus Christ.
Here is that study guide: Monday: It becomes so easy to accumulate debt, especially of the spiritual kind because we aren’t concerned or aware about it. Yesterday’s passage came as a word of hope and promise for all who would receive it. Read again the entire third chapter of John. Keep a spiritual mind as you read it. Remember Nick at Nite didn’t get it because he wasn’t trained, though he was a Pharisee, to be spiritual. How often being “practical” keeps us from enjoying the fullness of life through Christ. What is keeping you from that fullness today? Which parts of John 3 speak to you? Why?
Here is that passage John 3:1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." 3 Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." 4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, "You must be born from above.' 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" 10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11 "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God." 22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized 24 —John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Now a discussion about purification arose between John's disciples and a Jew. 26 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him." 27 John answered, "No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, "I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.' 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease." 31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. 34 He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God's wrath.
The recommended passage was John 3:14-21. I shared how in my seminary days I fell so easily into debt. I paid off my credit card bill and was tempted to buy a pair of boots for $36. Before I realized it the debt went into the thousands. So it is with our spiritual debt. Something tempts us, we give in, and before we know it, we owe God a lot. As Jesus tried to explain to Nicodemus, we face death because of our sins. Just as the Israelites found life in looking up to the raised serpent on the pole in the wilderness, so can we find life in the sacrifice paid on our behalf by Jesus' death on the cross.
Lent teaches us to see things in the spiritual realm beyond the "practical" and physical. Nicodemus, though he was a Pharisee, did not have the ability to see with spiritual eyes, thus his missing all of what Jesus said in that initial meeting. If anything, during Lent as we examine all things, especially ourselves, we need to see the debt owed to God and how God has paid that through Jesus Christ.
What's keeping you for the fullness of life? Why keep on living in shame and guilt over things that can be erased from your life through Jesus Christ? You owe no one nothing when it comes to God's forgiveness. It's yours for the taking.
PRAYER: God of life, speak to my heart today as I seek You spiritually. Let me know that the fullness of life can be mine if I would turn away from the death that awaits me becuase of my sinfulness. I thank you for Jesus and for how He paid the price and gave me life. Let me receive that today. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day.
e.v.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
OF PRAYER AND MEMBERSHIP MEALS
Good Lord's Day everyone! I trust this finds you checking your early email before you head to church. I just wanted to give you a very quick update on our PIE* with the PASTOR retreat we had yesterday. It went very well, thanks to God, and the people present felt it was not long enough. I've been in ministry long enough to find that a very, very rare thing! Usually folks want to be the first in line out of the door! Yesterday the 25 or so who came to learn more about prayer said they wanted another retreat, perhaps an overnight one, where all the topics presented could be shared again. Several wonderful ideas were shared as a result of the workshops presented, and for that we give glory to God! Please be aware of prayer opportunities that might be mentioned today in different settings. Please be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit to be a pray-er.
Also, after the 11 o'clock worship service we've got our Fellowship Meal. We try to have these on a regular rotation basis and today's the day. It's also a welcome meal for new members and all who have joined in the last six months will be honored. Bring a covered dish according to your last name, the meat will be provided. Everyone is welcome and invited. More importantly, come out and make our new members feel at home!
See you in church!
e.v.
Also, after the 11 o'clock worship service we've got our Fellowship Meal. We try to have these on a regular rotation basis and today's the day. It's also a welcome meal for new members and all who have joined in the last six months will be honored. Bring a covered dish according to your last name, the meat will be provided. Everyone is welcome and invited. More importantly, come out and make our new members feel at home!
See you in church!
e.v.
Friday, March 24, 2006
OUR DAY OF PRAYER
Good day dear friends. Please don't forget tomorrow's Leadership event, PIE* with the PASTOR (*Prayer In Everything!). We've ordered ten of the most delicious pies in San Marcos and I should know I stuck my finger in all ten of 'em! Just kidding! They're on order and will be fresh for tomorrow. But more importantly the event is geared to help us develop our leadership skills in prayer. A leader who does not pray is not really a leader. A good leader is one who is led by God. That will be our focus and you will be blessed. Everyone is invited and welcome. We begin at 8:30 in the Activities Building.
Here is our prayer guide for today:
Friday: As we spend our time in prayer, let God speak to you anew the meaning of worship. Let the meaning and heart of worship be all about God. Let God bless your life, your home, your family with a freshness about humbling yourself before entering God’s house. Let God be real in your prayer time for prayer is a pure form of worship. Worship God today as you pray! See you in church!
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Here is our prayer guide for today:
Friday: As we spend our time in prayer, let God speak to you anew the meaning of worship. Let the meaning and heart of worship be all about God. Let God bless your life, your home, your family with a freshness about humbling yourself before entering God’s house. Let God be real in your prayer time for prayer is a pure form of worship. Worship God today as you pray! See you in church!
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
Good day dear friends. Just a friendly reminder to be present today at noon for our Lenten Litury and Luncheon. The Rev. Santiago Heredia of El Buen Pastor UMC is presenting the talk. A delicious soup, bread, and water meal follows as does great fellowship!
We've been talking about the meaning of worship and here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: Read John 4:7-26. Read each verse carefully as we tend to focus on the more celebrated part of this story, namely Jesus talking to this woman, but pay close attention to the worship references in this passage. What is this saying to you as a modern person? What can we learn about worship in this passage?
Here is that passage from the NRSV: John 4:7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) {Other ancient authorities lack this sentence} 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, "Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?" 13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water." 16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come back." 17 The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, "I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!" 19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." 25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us." 26 Jesus said to her, "I am he, {Gk [I am]} the one who is speaking to you."
We tend to overlook the worship references in this passage. It is the Samaritan woman who brings them up as a way of changing the subject regarding her marital status. She believes Jesus is a prophet and then shares perhaps the little she knew about worship and that was that worship occurred on the mountain on which they stood. She also adds that Jesus had said people "must worship...in Jerusalem." Jesus replied that the hour was coming when worship would take place in the hearts and spirits of people and that it would be done "in spirit and truth." Jesus knew the coming end of Jerusalem as people at that time knew it, and the Temple would no longer be the same as it once was. But it was that God had revealed grace in Jesus and now face-to-face with Jesus she was a recipient in receiving that grace and begins to understand how we are to worship once we know grace: in our souls (fully surrendered to God) and in truth (hiding nothing, baring our souls to God).
Location is not as important as is the condition of our spirit and heart. That is not to say we don't have to go to church, rather whatever church you choose is not as important as the way you come to worship. Do you come as a "seeker" as was mentioned in the sermon? Do we come excited and expectant to what God can share with us during all that is offered to us? Or do we come with a set list of things WE want? That encounter with Jesus changed the woman. She is known afterwards not as the immoral woman but as the woman whose testimony changed the lives of those in her village.
PRAYER: Come, loving God of life, to my life. Open my soul and heart to Your presence. Let me know how you seek to bless me and use me to give testimony of all You offer. Thank you for the faith of that woman. Thank you for Jesus and what Jesus did for the Samaritans and for us. We praise You in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
We've been talking about the meaning of worship and here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: Read John 4:7-26. Read each verse carefully as we tend to focus on the more celebrated part of this story, namely Jesus talking to this woman, but pay close attention to the worship references in this passage. What is this saying to you as a modern person? What can we learn about worship in this passage?
Here is that passage from the NRSV: John 4:7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) {Other ancient authorities lack this sentence} 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, "Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?" 13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water." 16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come back." 17 The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, "I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!" 19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." 25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us." 26 Jesus said to her, "I am he, {Gk [I am]} the one who is speaking to you."
We tend to overlook the worship references in this passage. It is the Samaritan woman who brings them up as a way of changing the subject regarding her marital status. She believes Jesus is a prophet and then shares perhaps the little she knew about worship and that was that worship occurred on the mountain on which they stood. She also adds that Jesus had said people "must worship...in Jerusalem." Jesus replied that the hour was coming when worship would take place in the hearts and spirits of people and that it would be done "in spirit and truth." Jesus knew the coming end of Jerusalem as people at that time knew it, and the Temple would no longer be the same as it once was. But it was that God had revealed grace in Jesus and now face-to-face with Jesus she was a recipient in receiving that grace and begins to understand how we are to worship once we know grace: in our souls (fully surrendered to God) and in truth (hiding nothing, baring our souls to God).
Location is not as important as is the condition of our spirit and heart. That is not to say we don't have to go to church, rather whatever church you choose is not as important as the way you come to worship. Do you come as a "seeker" as was mentioned in the sermon? Do we come excited and expectant to what God can share with us during all that is offered to us? Or do we come with a set list of things WE want? That encounter with Jesus changed the woman. She is known afterwards not as the immoral woman but as the woman whose testimony changed the lives of those in her village.
PRAYER: Come, loving God of life, to my life. Open my soul and heart to Your presence. Let me know how you seek to bless me and use me to give testimony of all You offer. Thank you for the faith of that woman. Thank you for Jesus and what Jesus did for the Samaritans and for us. We praise You in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
OUR DAY OF PRAYER AND PURPOSE
Good day dear friends.
We continue our Lenten journey discovering the meaning of worship.
Today is our day of prayer and purpose. Here is our prayer and purpose guide:
Wednesday: For our day of prayer and purpose, be in prayer for our church, which means every individual member, to truly understand the heart and purpose of worship. Pray that God will bring a freshness of His Holy Spirit among us to revitalize our worship time. Pray that God would touch those hearts who still think worship is about them being pleased instead of God being the center of our worship.
Please don't forget you're invited to our Lenten Liturgy and Luncheon, 12 noon at Lowman Chapel/Todd Hall tomorrow. We'd love to see you there.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
We continue our Lenten journey discovering the meaning of worship.
Today is our day of prayer and purpose. Here is our prayer and purpose guide:
Wednesday: For our day of prayer and purpose, be in prayer for our church, which means every individual member, to truly understand the heart and purpose of worship. Pray that God will bring a freshness of His Holy Spirit among us to revitalize our worship time. Pray that God would touch those hearts who still think worship is about them being pleased instead of God being the center of our worship.
Please don't forget you're invited to our Lenten Liturgy and Luncheon, 12 noon at Lowman Chapel/Todd Hall tomorrow. We'd love to see you there.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
WHEN IS YOUR SABBATH?
Good day dear friends. Let us be in a spirit of worship and praise today as we thank God for all God has shared with us and as we acknowledge that He is God!
A special prayer request from our daughter Sarai Cortez, whose boss, Mrs. Jackson, suffered a major heart attack on Sunday morning in Galveston. She remains in ICU with a poor prognosis. Pray for her and her daughter and grandchildren during this time.
Also, the funeral for Mrs. Joan Spraigins will be Saturday at 1:30 at Pennington Funeral Home. Those of you who can attend are invited.
We continue our Lenten journey with our study of the meaning of worship. Here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Read Exodus 20:8. This is one of the Big Ten! What do you suppose God intended for us when God says, “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy”? Do you keep a “sabbath” for yourself, a day when your entire focus is on God and God’s word for your life? Is it Sunday or another day? In other words, when do you and God have a day set aside to meet and be blessed?
That passage says: Exodus 20:8 "Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy."
The sabbath for the Jews is Saturday. The Spanish word for Saturday is sabado. We don't argue that. As Christians, we're Resurrection People, who celebrate our Lord's day on Sunday, the day of Jesus' resurrection. We won't argue which day is truly a "sabbath." The question is, when is YOUR sabbath? When is it that you put aside an entire day to spend with God?
Most of you reading this are old enough to remember Texas' blue law. Its intent was to limit commercial sales on Sundays. Yes, boys and girls, there was a time the mall was closed the whole day of Sunday! Shock! I remember going to the grocery store and seeing flags draped across entire aisles of merchandise signifying that those products were not available for purchase. (I also remember when H.E.B. (Helping Every Baptist) didn't sell beer or wine or any liquor on any day). If you want to read something interesting about the term "blue law" go http://www.answers.com/topic/blue-law and read there about the history of such laws.
The point is having a sabbath for our lives is about rest and renewal with God. God rested on the seventh day as Genesis tells us. Jesus modeled a life where He rested as often as possible, seeking time alone with God and with the disciples. His ministry could not have been physically possible had He not made time to spend with God in prayer and in quiet time with the twelve.
A good sabbath for me involves worship. I've shared with you that those Sundays that I cannot be in worship my week is not the same. Being in worship adds a blessing that is not possible if I'm not with fellow believers singing, praying, and praising God. And after worship I try, as often as possible, to spend quiet time with the family. Those days when it is possible to do those things makes for a better person physically to do what God directs.
Luke 4:16 shares that Jesus' custom was to be in worship every sabbath. The Son desiring to stay connected with His father. Why should we be exempt from that ourselves?
PRAYER: God of life and fullness of life, help me to realize all that is mine through worship and through a careful observation of a sabbath. Let me make time to spend as much time as I can with You. Let those moments be a time of renewal and rest and a refreshing of my spirit so I can best serve You. I can't do it alone, so help me. I pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
A special prayer request from our daughter Sarai Cortez, whose boss, Mrs. Jackson, suffered a major heart attack on Sunday morning in Galveston. She remains in ICU with a poor prognosis. Pray for her and her daughter and grandchildren during this time.
Also, the funeral for Mrs. Joan Spraigins will be Saturday at 1:30 at Pennington Funeral Home. Those of you who can attend are invited.
We continue our Lenten journey with our study of the meaning of worship. Here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Read Exodus 20:8. This is one of the Big Ten! What do you suppose God intended for us when God says, “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy”? Do you keep a “sabbath” for yourself, a day when your entire focus is on God and God’s word for your life? Is it Sunday or another day? In other words, when do you and God have a day set aside to meet and be blessed?
That passage says: Exodus 20:8 "Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy."
The sabbath for the Jews is Saturday. The Spanish word for Saturday is sabado. We don't argue that. As Christians, we're Resurrection People, who celebrate our Lord's day on Sunday, the day of Jesus' resurrection. We won't argue which day is truly a "sabbath." The question is, when is YOUR sabbath? When is it that you put aside an entire day to spend with God?
Most of you reading this are old enough to remember Texas' blue law. Its intent was to limit commercial sales on Sundays. Yes, boys and girls, there was a time the mall was closed the whole day of Sunday! Shock! I remember going to the grocery store and seeing flags draped across entire aisles of merchandise signifying that those products were not available for purchase. (I also remember when H.E.B. (Helping Every Baptist) didn't sell beer or wine or any liquor on any day). If you want to read something interesting about the term "blue law" go http://www.answers.com/topic/blue-law and read there about the history of such laws.
The point is having a sabbath for our lives is about rest and renewal with God. God rested on the seventh day as Genesis tells us. Jesus modeled a life where He rested as often as possible, seeking time alone with God and with the disciples. His ministry could not have been physically possible had He not made time to spend with God in prayer and in quiet time with the twelve.
A good sabbath for me involves worship. I've shared with you that those Sundays that I cannot be in worship my week is not the same. Being in worship adds a blessing that is not possible if I'm not with fellow believers singing, praying, and praising God. And after worship I try, as often as possible, to spend quiet time with the family. Those days when it is possible to do those things makes for a better person physically to do what God directs.
Luke 4:16 shares that Jesus' custom was to be in worship every sabbath. The Son desiring to stay connected with His father. Why should we be exempt from that ourselves?
PRAYER: God of life and fullness of life, help me to realize all that is mine through worship and through a careful observation of a sabbath. Let me make time to spend as much time as I can with You. Let those moments be a time of renewal and rest and a refreshing of my spirit so I can best serve You. I can't do it alone, so help me. I pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Monday, March 20, 2006
YOU READY TO SERVE?
Good day dear friends. What a storm blew through San Marcos last night! It was 12:55 when the thunder and lightning awoke us and brought some much needed rain. We had had some drizzle but I guess God decided to turn on the faucet and bring some nice rain.
We studied the meaning of worship yesterday. Interesting how sometimes the best ideas come on Sunday morning. Sometimes the ideas aren't the most popular. For example, I asked God in my morning prayers, "Lord, what kinds of people come to worship?" I didn't get an immediate answer and so after reading The Upper Room online, I did a Google search of 'Types of people who attend worship' and got nothing to speak of or much less, preach on. Then it was as if God was saying, there's three types of people: seekers, streakers, and reekers. I knew what that meant and I said, that won't be too popular! Yes, God replied, but there's Good News, for folks don't have to stay there; that's why I sent Jesus. The text was from John 2:13-22 about Jesus going to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover and finding a permanent bazaar/livestock auction/cattleshow, etc. For your reference, that passage will appear at the bottom of today's email. I also will include Luke 4:16 which I mentioned stresses the importance of worship for Jesus.
Here's our study guide for today:
Monday: In yesterday’s sermon we studied the passage from John 2 dealing with what had taken the place of worship. It is very easy for fellowship and social purposes to take the place of the real reason for worshiping together as a community. It is up to the individual to make the purpose of worship meaningful for his/herself. It’s not about what we “get out” of worship, but what we bring. We leave it to God to bless and use our time in worship, because it is all about God and not about us. Read Exodus 8:1-2. In most versions of the Bible the word for “worship” is “serve.” It is more modern versions such as The Message that uses “worship” instead of “serve.” What notion do you suppose is intended in using “serve” to mean worship?
Here is Exodus 8:1-2 in The Message: God said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him, 'God's Message: Release my people so they can worship me. 2 If you refuse to release them, I'm warning you, I'll hit the whole country with frogs."
"I don't get anything out of worship!" How many times have you heard or said that? I love hearing church people, and I'm referring to the unpaid kind, speak against that. I've had dedicated church people in all the churches that I've served. This would fall under the category "seekers" that I mentioned yesterday. But these folks, who love God and everything dealing with God, especially worship, would say things like, "You can go to Luby's (a cafeteria), and see all that is laid out before you and 'not get anything out of it' because you're not hungry." And that would make me think about days growing up when my mother would make something that someone didn't like (I loved everything! Can't you tell?) and they would say, "I don't like that!" And Mom would say, "Then you're not hungry!"
When God called Moses to lead His people, God first asked Moses to get permission to go out of the city, into the wilderness, to worship Him. As I mentioned in the study guide most versions say "serve" instead of worship. In understanding this, we must remember worship is all about God and not about us. If we love God and seek God's blessing each time we go into worship, we should enter in with a servant's heart. And I'm talking about a servant that loves his/her job, and can't wait to get to the next assignment. If you worship in a traditional setting, I know you won't love ALL the hymns, especially some that don't get sung that often, but that shouldn't ruin your worship experience. And in the contemporary setting, the band may not play all your favorites every Sunday and the same is true. If we enter into God's house, expectant and excited to be alive and to have that wonderful opportunity to reach spiritual heights in praise, we're going to be lessed. (Notice I used one of the acronyms from yesterday: W.O.R.S.H.I.P.: Wonderful Opportunity to Reach Spiritual Heights In Praise). To a certain extent, how "hungry" do you come to worship? And I'm not talking about physically hungry, because at 11 most folks are hungry; but how spiritually hungry are you to be fed by God in all that has been prepared for you in worship? Can you be fed by a hymn, a prayer, a reading, the children's sermon, the sermon, etc? Yes, you can! But it depends on you and how you enter.
PRAYER: Loving God, let me seek to serve You today in my devotional time and in the rest of the day. Let me know worship is all about my surrendering to You and seeking You. Let this spill over to others, so that Your Kingdom might grow. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
John 2:13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade." 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for thy house will consume me." 18 The Jews then said to him, "What sign have you to show us for doing this?" 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20 The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?" 21 But he spoke of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
WHERE AM I?
Good day dear friends. I have not received any updates other than the ones sent last night regarding Ashtyn and Francis. We continue to keep them in our prayers.
Here is our study guide as we continue to study self-denial.
Tuesday: In Luke 9:57-62 Jesus is followed by someone who cries out that he would follow Him. Read Jesus’ response to him and what it might say to you. In your setting today, are those words ringing true for your life or do you find yourself in the midst of a more servant role? Read the passage slowly and allow each condition mentioned there speak to your spirit. Pray that God would share a blessing to you as you learn to surrender more to Him.
Here is that passage:
Luke 9:57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." 59 To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 60 But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." 62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
The first one volunteered to go with Jesus. Jesus explains the reality of the itinerant ministry in which he was involved; "you might not get a bed every night." Jesus invites the second one and this one replies he must return home to bury his father. To this one Jesus replies that the urgency of the gospel is to go and proclaim now the kingdom of God and to "let the dead bury their own dead." The third one volunteered with a condition, I will follow you after I go and say my goodbyes to my family. To this one Jesus says, once you set after me, don't look back.
To follow Christ means to do so wholeheartedly; with a commitment that isn't easily shaken. To follow Christ is a journey best traveled forward and not back. The realities of self-denial is putting God first may not always bring you want you want or think you need; but it does bring satisfaction and fulfillment not measured with beds or places to stay. To follow Christ means to fulfill the will of your heavenly Father not your earthly one. Barclay has said that this saying of "let me go and first bury my father" really means to return home to work and fulfill his family obligation until the father dies, the estate and situation is settled, someone is found to stay in charge of the rest of the family, and then he can follow. Jesus knew that could take some time. And the more time one takes away from the calling of God the less one will be able to do the will of God. And to the third Jesus said, once you start out with me, don't look back at what could have been; ours is to move towards 'the best is yet to come.'
As you have read the passage and my comments on it, where do you find yourself? Are you like the first, ready to go but not so sure you're ready for some of the hazards or limitations of physical accomodations involved in ministry? Are you like the second who still has many obligations to your family that you can't start yet? Or are you hesitating because you have it good now and you think if you leave now, you'll miss out on more?
Only you can answer that question in conversation with God, and that is your assignment for today.
PRAYER: Come, loving God, speak to my heart. Let me see through Your eyes where I am. Open my spirit to minister to all regardless of my situation, but if You want me somewhere else in ministry, then reveal that to me now. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Here is our study guide as we continue to study self-denial.
Tuesday: In Luke 9:57-62 Jesus is followed by someone who cries out that he would follow Him. Read Jesus’ response to him and what it might say to you. In your setting today, are those words ringing true for your life or do you find yourself in the midst of a more servant role? Read the passage slowly and allow each condition mentioned there speak to your spirit. Pray that God would share a blessing to you as you learn to surrender more to Him.
Here is that passage:
Luke 9:57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." 59 To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 60 But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." 62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
The first one volunteered to go with Jesus. Jesus explains the reality of the itinerant ministry in which he was involved; "you might not get a bed every night." Jesus invites the second one and this one replies he must return home to bury his father. To this one Jesus replies that the urgency of the gospel is to go and proclaim now the kingdom of God and to "let the dead bury their own dead." The third one volunteered with a condition, I will follow you after I go and say my goodbyes to my family. To this one Jesus says, once you set after me, don't look back.
To follow Christ means to do so wholeheartedly; with a commitment that isn't easily shaken. To follow Christ is a journey best traveled forward and not back. The realities of self-denial is putting God first may not always bring you want you want or think you need; but it does bring satisfaction and fulfillment not measured with beds or places to stay. To follow Christ means to fulfill the will of your heavenly Father not your earthly one. Barclay has said that this saying of "let me go and first bury my father" really means to return home to work and fulfill his family obligation until the father dies, the estate and situation is settled, someone is found to stay in charge of the rest of the family, and then he can follow. Jesus knew that could take some time. And the more time one takes away from the calling of God the less one will be able to do the will of God. And to the third Jesus said, once you start out with me, don't look back at what could have been; ours is to move towards 'the best is yet to come.'
As you have read the passage and my comments on it, where do you find yourself? Are you like the first, ready to go but not so sure you're ready for some of the hazards or limitations of physical accomodations involved in ministry? Are you like the second who still has many obligations to your family that you can't start yet? Or are you hesitating because you have it good now and you think if you leave now, you'll miss out on more?
Only you can answer that question in conversation with God, and that is your assignment for today.
PRAYER: Come, loving God, speak to my heart. Let me see through Your eyes where I am. Open my spirit to minister to all regardless of my situation, but if You want me somewhere else in ministry, then reveal that to me now. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
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