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24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own;:26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:24-28 NRSV)
Happy and blessed Tuesday, ConCafe Familly! May this day be yours, Friend, is my prayer for you! I have an update on Sylvia Gaytan from Dallas. Her surgery went well, and she's still in some pain. They have given her some injections to help with the pain. After two weeks they will know if the injections worked. She still have two small vertabrae openings which need to heal. Sylvia does not want any more surgeries, so please pray that the injections work. Thank you for praying. Pray for one another; pray for your needs as well.
There was a man who not known for accompanying his wife to church. He was like many men, who did not stop his wife from worship but never bothered to join her and support her. There were suspicions about his character and behavior, but mostly his absence from church. The name used to be "church widow" for those whose husbands had other plans or ideas for Sunday or evening worship. In fact, when I first saw my wife, I thought she was one. As she was the youngest at a Thursday night prayer meeting, I thought she was married to a man who did not care for God or church worship. I knew she was beautiful but limited my thoughts to praying for her and her husband's soul. I mean it! Okay, she was and is, gorgeous! Back to Mando. Anyway, you know how the Nellie story ends! One day Mando gets sick. Very sick. And a dear friend of mine, who is his pastor, goes to visit Mando in the hospital and offers to him the Plan of Salvation. (See below for a detailed explanation.*) And Mando accepted, and gave his life to Jesus, and then he died. This made me tear up as I heard this story on Sunday before worship, but the story gets better. The sister from the church who shared this story with me said when her brother heard that Mando was saved and had died, exclaimed, "So Mando is going to Heaven??! THAT'S NOT FAIR! Mando never helped out with our BBQ fundraisers! He was never here for the 2:30 a.m. prep of the meat and the all-night work of preparing the fire, putting up with the smoke, cooking the meat, helping cut it up, preparing the plates - And he gets to go to Heaven!" Yes. Thanks be to God!
I've told you about a megachurch in Corpus Christi who creation was for the sole purpose of getting people to Heaven. All members, and especially all leaders who get selected to lead in positions of responsibility, have to commit to being a part of working together to make sure people make it to Heaven. There was one Sunday when as a district superintendent, I took Nellie with me to visit this church to see what we could borrow in their mission of getting people into Heaven. Being a megachurch, it's like a huge auditorium, and lilke a theatre it was darkened (Okay, we didn't get there late, but not exactly early!). The stage had eleven life boats and the ushers and those on the stage were wearing lifejackets. As we walked in we were given an individually wrapped white lifesaver mint candy. The usher handed those out and said, "Don't open these until next Sunday!" When the preacher took the stage he was animated and stressed over and over again that the church's mission was to get people to Heaven. He also shared how the life boats represented the number of campuses to which they had expanded. And they represent the mission of the church to save people. And he explained the lifesaver candy as being the same reminder but he said, "Do not crunch until you bring a guest with you next Sunday. Those who do bring a guest you will have a chance to loudly crunch your candy as a testimony to your faithfulness." Nice sentiment but next Sunday we were going to be busy. But what a powerful experience, and yes, for a couple of sermons in my churches to which I was invited to preach, I bought two or three bags of these individually wrapped white lifesavers.
The text is the backdrop for all we have been talking about. Our getting to Heaven and our inviting others to join us is a part of our mission; but Christ's teachings focus on our work here to make this a better place for all; bringing Heaven here on the earth. We do need to get our spiritual selves in order first; that is to say our relationship with God. The Plan of Salvation states the order as gleaned from the teachings of Christ; "all have sinned." Yes, including me. And you. We need not name our sin but we know what sin is and how it works, and how it can kill. "There is a penalty for sin." Yes, the scriptures say the "wages of sin is death." Quite a penalty. But our text today said Christ paid it all. "You cannot save yourself." No. Christ can. And did. And will. Just ask. "Salvation has been provided." Yes, at the helm of every life boat is Jesus, the captain of our souls. "The conditions are simple." We understand what we must and should do. "Now is the time for a decision." Exactly. Why put off for a tomorrow that may not come? And the "Next Steps" are what should follow the Plan; "Public profession of faith through baptism," or in most cases, a reaffirmation of the baptism made by us when we did not yet understand what was going on. "Join a church." Or get reactivated in the life of the church at which you are a member. "Start daily worship through Bible study and prayer." Welcome to ConCafe! "Share faith with others." Yes, you can forward ConCafe to those whom God shows you need such a blessing. "Live for God." Yes. Your best witness is to live the gospel. Use words when you need.
PRAYER: Loving Father; we commit ourselves whole-heartedly to You and Your love. May we fix our relationship with You and then commit our lives to a witness that brings others to the life best lived under Your salvation. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Now that you know the Plan of Salvation, share it with others. Who knows, you may shock somebody who might say, "<< Test First Name >> is going to Heaven? Yes, thanks to God!
Receive my blessings of hope and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
THE PLAN OF SALVATION as found on a bookmark: * All have sinned * There is a penalty for sin * You cannot save yourself * Salvation has been provided * The conditions are simple * Now is the time for a decision. The back includes five Next Steps including: Public profession of faith through baptism * Join a church * Start daily worship through Bible study and prayer * Share Faith with others * Live for God.
