The Church in our Hearts - repreach of New Heaven, New Earth 5/26/19

May 25, 2025 Revelation 21:1-10, 22:1-5 The Church in our Hearts 6th Sunday of Easter Year C Prelude Greeting Call to Worship Call to Worship In the beginning, the voice that whispered us into being still whispers, saying… Let there be light! In the wilderness, the voice that fed us from the heavens still feeds us. saying… Let there be light! In the story we share with this God of mystery and amazing love, the voice calls to us each and every morning, saying… Let there be light! Written by Sally Johnson, United Methodist Creation Justice Movement Opening Prayer (keep it bold) God of the stars and galaxies, God of the seed and Earth, we thank you that you continue to come to us, to amaze us, to laugh with us, to cry with us, to comfort us, and to show us that your love shines through us and your creation, bringing light to a darkened world. May this beauty and peace be reflected in this sacred circle. In the name of the Christ-presence, we pray. Amen. Written by Sally Johnson, United Methodist Creation Justice Movement Song Battle Hymn of the Republic UMH 717 A Sermon for all Ages Hello, children of God! You know what I’ve noticed? Life can be tough. It is full of challenges and difficulties. And there are a lot of things that we need in order to face the hardships that come our way. (As you describe, hold up items one by one.) For instance, tissues! Sometimes we feel sad, and need a tissue to dry our tears. Or you might get a cold and need that tissue to blow your nose. You might also feel sick and need medicine to help you get better. Or sometimes you get hurt, and you need a band-aid to patch things up. Or how about this? Flashlights! There are times when things get dark, or perhaps the power goes out. It’s important to have a flashlight ready to guide your way. Oh, and don’t forget about sustenance! We need snacks and plenty of water to keep us going. Phew, this sure is a lot of gear to lug around! Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t need all of this? In fact, wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t face sickness, or sadness, or darkness at all? Well, guess what? I have some great news for you. Someday we won’t need tissues or band-aids or medicine, or even water! We have some beautiful promises from God about how things will be in Heaven. God tells us that He is going to make all things new. When we finish this life on Earth, a new home awaits us, better than anything that we can imagine now. God says that He will wipe away every tear. We won’t need tissues! There will be no more sorrow or sickness. There won’t be pain. We won’t even need the light of flashlights or the sun, because the light of Jesus will shine brightly. We won’t need water, because God will give us living water. All of these things that trouble us now will be gone. No burdens, no hardships at all! Of course, we don’t know all of the details. We don’t know when we will go to Heaven, and we don’t know exactly what it will be like. But we have the hope that it will be wonderful. It’s sort of like when you have a rough week at school, but you know there’s something special or fun waiting for you when you get to the weekend. You can think about that special thing and feel a little better when times get rough. It is the same way in our lives. Yes, we have joyous moments, and we want to make the most of every day. But sometimes things get hard. When those times come, we know that this world is not our home, and difficulties won’t last forever. God promises us eternal life with Him, free from all trials and pain. We can rest assured that something spectacular is waiting for us! So when we feel sad or Copyright © Ministry-To-Children – Permission granted for any non-profit use. Please copy, share, upload this PDF elsewhere. I.E., upload to your church website, Facebook, Pinterest, or anywhere to bless others! Written by Kristin Schmidt . Scripture from ESV®encounter challenges, we remember that there is hope in Heaven. God will make all things new, including our lives! Let’s say a prayer to thank God for the hope of Heaven and a future with Him. Children’s Prayer Moment: (Have kids repeat each line, if desired) Dear God, Thank you for the hope of Heaven We know you will comfort us with your peace And wipe away our tears. Help us to remember that when things are hard. Thank you for loving us We love you, God! Thank you for Jesus (Ministry4children, Kristin Schmidt) Affirmation of Faith UMH 880 Scripture Revelation 21:1-10; 22:1-5 Sermon The Church in our Hearts Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today... Aha-ah... Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion, too Imagine all the people Living life in peace... You... You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world... You... You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one I am sure that many of us are familiar with this popular song by John Lennon. I have always been touched by the words – imagine a world with no war, no country, no walls – all of the things that divide us are nonexistent. I can go along with the song well until it says imagine a world with no religion. No religion – what does that mean? Interestingly enough – John Lennon is speaking of the same world that is spoken of in revelation 21 and 22. A new heaven always light. A place where everyone is happy, a place where the gates are open 24 hours a day. A place flowing with peace. But the most noticeable thing about this place - there is no temple, no church, no mosque, no place for people to gather to be in the presence of God – because God is present everywhere. People don’t have to look for God – or go anywhere to seek God – God is present in every moment, every situation every life. John Lennon says that you may say that I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one. The author of Revelation – John says that he was taken to this place in a dream. Many people have seen this place in a dream, this perfect paradise. We see it in images of the wizard of Oz – and the emerald city. In Disney land, that place where we can go where all of our dreams can come true. We speak of this place even in faith – heaven – the place where God lives. The place where there is no sun, no moon – but ever present light. Light is a universal representation of God. That is why we light so many candles in church – to show God’s presence. And where there is light, where there is God’s presence – people are naturally attracted. There is a story of a farmer, whose wife was about to give birth. It was storming outside and they had to summon the doctor to their house. As the doctor arrived, the power went out, but the baby was about to come. So the doctor asked the husband to get a candle and to hold it up, so that he could see to deliver the baby. The husband held the light, as the doctor did his work – and soon after his wife gave birth to a baby boy. They were overjoyed, but the doctor soon said wait a minute – another one is coming – and there was a little girl. And minutes later the doctor said wait – another one is coming. After the third baby was born, the husband stepped away with the candle. The doctor said o wait come back, I can’t see without the light. The husband said no – no more light, the babies are attracted to the light, it’s the light that is making them come out. I gotta stop them from coming. It is the light that attracts us all. When God created the earth, what was the first thing that God did – God said let there be light– where the light is we know that there is healing, there is peace, there is community, there is the ability to live. Heaven is the place where God is always present – a place that needs no sun, no moon, no outside life force – because God is totally present. There are many other great attributes to this city – a river, trees, a city that never sleeps, the gates are always open, there is no need for protection – because it is a place of perfect peace. When we hear of this place – it makes no sense in our world. Many of us shy away from the book of revelation, because it seems to make no sense to us. And it seems like a fantasy land in comparison to the world that we live in. This world makes no sense to us, but to those who John was talking to it made perfect sense. And it wasn’t a fantasy land, it was the promise of God coming in the future. It was a sign of hope that no matter how bad life got – there was something to look forward to. John explaining what heaven looks like was a challenge for the people – to face the present day with fear or with hope. It was a challenge for each of us to choose hope. The hope of Christ in our lives. There is one more interesting feature of heaven. It has a river running through it, but there was no sea surrounding it. The Jews are afraid of water, and think that every evil thing in the world comes out of the sea – the sea was the place of chaos, or evil, even of sin. Heaven has no sea – meaning it has no evil or ill will. Only the healing presence of God. It says that the cowardly, the vile, the murderers, will be thrown into the sea – and there is no sea in heaven. The light of heaven is God, the light of earth is those who hold God in their heart So there is that. But the best part of heaven, is the ability to see God face to face. God will dwell in heaven. Dwell literally means pitch a tent amongst us. When the scriptures speak of Christ coming into the world to be with us – it speaks of Christ being God dwelling amongst us. Not in heaven, but in earth. The scripture speaks of 4 things that will be news: a new heaven a new earth, a new Jerusalem, and new life. This story is intended to give a glimpse of heaven, but a glimpse of heaven on earth. In the challenges of life, we can face life with fear, or with hope of something better. Pastor James Moore of Houston, Texas, tells a story about a young man whose wife had died, leaving him with a small son. Back home from the cemetery, they went to bed early because there was nothing else he could bear to do. As he lay there in the darkness, grief-stricken and heartbroken, the little boy broke the stillness from his little bed with a disturbing question, “Daddy, where is mommy?” The father got up and brought the little boy to bed with him, but the child was still disturbed and restless, occasionally asking questions such as, “Why isn’t she here?” and, “When is she coming back?” Finally the little boy said, “Daddy, if your face is toward me, I think I can go to sleep now.” In a little while, he was quiet. The father lay there in the darkness, and then in childlike faith, prayed this prayer: “O God, I don’t see how I can survive this. The future looks so miserable, but if Your face is toward me, somehow I think I can make it.” That’s what the Messiah came to teach us: that God’s face is always toward us As it is in heaven, so may it be on earth. The vision of heaven in revelation 21 and 22 has been the inspiration for many modern poems, songs and movies. In the 90’s there was a movie that came out, I think it was based on a book. I know the movie was called a River Runs through it. It was an autobiographical story about the family of John McLean in Montana. He had two boys, both who loved to fish. One of the boys went on to become a professor at the University of Chicago. The other was killed in a fight. The movie ends years later with the other son, his family and his mother listening to one of their dad’s sermons. Talking about how all that we have to give to our loved ones and others is unconditional love. The river in the movie represents home, the place of true love, the place of flowing to a new future, a place the reminds us of the river ever flowing through heaven. Today we are sitting here in a temple with open doors, near a river, and trees. The lights are on, and the presence of God is here with us. – All of the symbols of heaven are right here, reminding us that heaven begins right here on earth. Heaven begins right here, with us – the light of God is inside of us. We have the power of Christ. How can we be a beacon of hope for the world today? How do we become the temples of God in the world? How do we bring the peace, hope and light to others who cannot see? By not just imagining, but living in that world today. Let’s Pray. Song Shall We Gather at the Water UMH 723 Pastoral Prayer Empowering Spirit, God of our mothers and fathers, Creator and Redeemer of all life, We pray to you for your love-grounded peace. We ask you to open our minds, free our hearts, bless our bodies, and grace all our relationships. We ask this of you because you have promised to help us, just as you illumine in Revelation's prophetic vision. You come to make a good world, a new creation-place where we can enjoy health, decency, safety, and even joy. We pray to you, O God, to inspire us into this daringly just world. We pray for new creation where love is greater than jewels and more luminous than the sun or moon. Let that love be shared around the tree of life. Bless us again in your image and free our frightened souls. So, shall we gather at the river? Shall we soak in the river of many healings? Shall we make every place where nature communes with humanity a temple for your creation? Yes, O God, we shall gather at your river and your tree of life. We shall bless the tree and the river and all living things. We pray in the name of Jesus, in the way of love-grounded peace. Amen Written by Rev. Cooper Wiggin, United Methodist Creation Justice Movement Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment God has shown us the meaning of generosity in the beautiful diversity of creation, in the overflowing love of Jesus Christ, and in the never-ending gift of the Holy Spirit. God has blessed us abundantly. Now God calls us to be a community that blesses others. Today, through the sharing of our love, our talents and our material possessions, let us rejoice in what we’ve been given and in what is ours to give as we receive our morning offering. Prayer of Thanksgiving We offer our gifts to you, Holy God. Today we offer not only our finances, but our growing community to any who are lonely, our hearts to any who are grieving, our hope to any who have lost their way, our lives to any who are tossed aside by the world. We make our offering because we have first been led, lured, lifted and loved in your Spirit. With gratitude we share our gifts and our lives, Amen (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Let us go forth knowing that our spiritual and religious journey as Christians begins with one word, one name, one person: Jesus. Now let us be an example of what that means so others can witness our compassion and solidarity to the weeping, to the joyful, and to those we don’t share common ideologies so that all might be refreshed in body and in spirit (United Church of Christ, Ellie Hutchinson) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Peace…peace I leave with you. Peace…peace I offer you. Peace…as we walk into the world to be the presence of the Holy to all we meet. Peace…peace…peace…peace. Written by Sally Johnson, United Methodist Creation Justice Movement

Her Legacy Lives On

May 11, 2025 Acts 9: 36-43 Mother’s Day Year C Her Legacy lives on Prelude Greetings Call to Worship One: Today we celebrate our mothers, grandmothers, aunties, and all the women who have loved us. Many: Thank you God for giving us mothers. One: We remember with deep gratitude all the ways they demonstrated their love for us. Many: Sometimes we did not understand them, but we know that God understood. One: We take time to remember our mothers because a mother's love is most like God's love. All: For their tears, for their hugs, for their wisdom, for their unfailing trust in our abilities, we give thanks today. (United Methodist Board of Discipleship, LaGretta Bjorn) Opening Prayer (Do not Print) Loving God, we know your love because we have mothers. We thank you for the mothers who carried us in their wombs, nourishing, protecting, and bringing us into the world. We thank you for the mothers who did not give birth to us, yet loved us just the same. With gratitude we remember their words of encouragement when we have felt unsure or afraid; we thank you for their kindness when the world has treated us unkindly; we thank you for their soft, comforting arms and the gentle way they kissed away our tears; we thank you that they protected us with the fierceness of a lioness protecting her cubs; we thank you for the times when they corrected us rather than letting us continue down wrong paths. Help us to live so that their investment in us might not be in vain. We honor our mothers with lives of service to you in the name of the Risen Christ, for it is in his Name we pray. Amen. (United Methodist Board of Discipleship, LaGretta Bjorn) Song Easter People Raise your Voices UMH 304 A Sermon for all Ages Hello, children of God! Hmm…wow. So much for my great plans. I have some special tools and equipment here, but I don’t think I have the skills to use them correctly. I thought I would try my hand at sewing, because it sounds like fun, and it would be pretty impressive to be able to create things like clothing and blankets and gifts for people. I gathered all of these items that should go with sewing. (Hold up items as described) I have some needles, and some scissors, and fabric, and thread, and string…I thought it should be simple enough. I should be able to just put these fabric pieces together. But…I think I messed up a little (exhibit attempted, but obviously failed craft). In fact, I’m not even sure I used the right kind of tools here. This looks a bit like a big mistake. I guess I’m not cut out to be a seamstress. But you know what? I know some people who are excellent at making things using sewing. I have some friends who love to create beautiful clothing and quilts. I’ll bet if I take these tools to them, they might be able to fix my mess-up and make something new and useful! In the hands of people who know what they’re doing, things will be done right. This sort of reminds me of what God can do in our lives. He creates each of us with special skills and abilities that we can use for Him. But sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes things get messed up and seem bleak and even hopeless. But God can turn our lives around and use even hardships for His glory. He can and will take all of our abilities and use them for His purposes. There’s a wonderful story in the Bible about a time that something that looked sorrowful turned joyful. In fact, this story features a lady who liked to sew. Her name was Tabitha. She’s also called Dorcas, but I kind of prefer the Tabitha name. Anyway, Tabitha made clothing for people, and she did a lot of great charitable things for people. Sadly, Tabitha got sick and died. Those around her were very sad, and they mourned as they remembered all of the wonderful things she made and did. They sent for Peter, that good old disciple of Christ, and he came to the house where Tabitha’s body was. As everyone was weeping, Peter knelt and prayed. Then he called to her and said, “Tabitha, get up!” And you know what? She did! It was like she’d just been taking a nap. Tabitha got up after being completely dead, and she was alive and well again! Naturally, word spread about this event, and it caused many people to believe in Jesus. A sad event was turned around and used for God’s glory and purposes. And I’ll bet Tabitha went back to making things for people, so that God could use her gifts for His purposes. The same thing can happen with us. God gives all of us special talents and ways to serve Him. You might feel that you are not enough for the task. Maybe you don’t know how to best live for the Lord. Maybe you’ve made mistakes and feel like things are hopeless. On your own, it might be tough to do, well, anything. But in the hands of the Master, anything is possible. God wants to use you, and will make it happen! God also wants to use all things for His purposes. Place your life and all things in His hands. No matter who you are, He can and will use you! And no matter what happens in your life, He will use that, too. Let’s say a prayer to thank God for the opportunity to use all gifts for His glory: (MinistrytoChildren.com, Kristin Highley) Prayer of Blessing for Mother’s Day (and other days): Holy One, today we pray for all who share in your creative power, your nurturing energy, your fierce protection, your unconditional love. Whatever titles they carry, Whatever genders they are, We offer this prayer for all who bear your Mothering Spirit: Protect the protectors; Comfort the comforters. Nourish those who provide nourishment for others. Grant your holy energy to those birthing new life in this world. Provide sacred rest for the weary, Divine wisdom for the bewildered, Grace upon grace for the brokenhearted. For all who gasp and pant with you in life-giving labor, Grant your blessing, Grant your peace. Amen. (From Expecting Emmanuel, Joanna Harader) Scripture Acts 9:36-43 Sermon Her Legacy Lives on May is the month of teacher appreciation, nurses appreciation, and even bus driver appreciation. In the midst of all of these appreciation days, I saw a Facebook post that said if there if your profession has to have an special appreciation day, then you are not getting paid enough for what you do for the world. I thought that sounds about right. May is also the month of rebirth. It is the month that we celebrate the gift of resurrection. – so our scripture for this morning is perfect for the fourth Sunday of Easter. It is the story of Dorcas, a woman who dedicated her life to serving those who were not celebrated, appreciated, or even acknowledged. Her mission was to make clothes for the widows. In those days, widows were a hidden part of society. They could not work, they had no means of support, they could not be seen, they were totally dependent on the kindness of others to survive. The old testament states that these are the people who we all have an obligation to take care. That was Jesus ministry – to take collect money to support the widows. That was Peter and the disciples ministry after the resurrection. That was Paul’s ministry to the gentiles – to raise money for the widows of Israel. Dorcas is the only woman in the bible who has earned the title of female disciple, because she diligently continued the mission of Jesus. You can’t tell the gospel story without acknowledging the contributions of women. In the midst of doing their work, women were the first to witness the resurrection. They were not named as disciples, and yet they were the backbone of the early church. Often times, they were behind the scenes cooking and taking care of practical things, so that the twelve disciples could be out in front telling the story and raising money for Jesus’ charity. Also they were the ones who financially supported the early church. So it is fitting that when one of these important benefactors dies, that they would call Peter to come and to do the funeral and to comfort the community. Dorcas was one of those important women. Everyone loved her, because not only did she support Jesus ministry to the widows. But she also held everyone thing together. She was known for helping the widows and for that matter anyone. She inspired others to believe and to help with the mission. When she died, the community lost a shining light that could not be replaced. Peter, not only comes to see her, he is able to put life into her body, and to bring her back to life. We never know if she returns to her ministry, or if she is as active in her new life as she was before, or if the community is just grateful to have her presence. What we do know, if that her gifts for ministry are present. At her wake, not only do the people gather to tell stories of how she helped them, they bring all of the clothes that she made for them as they honor her life and her ministry with them. This is a very fitting story for Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is one of the most emotional Sunday’s of the year. Because it is a day that can trigger so many different emotions. There are so many things going on in our heads about mothers. But this morning, we seek to honor our mothers. And while this a happy day for most, we need to realize that, for some women, Mother’s Day feels more like a day of mourning than a day of celebration. It stands as a reminder of what some have lost. Perhaps it’s a woman who lost her child through miscarriage, stillbirth, illness, or tragedy. Perhaps it’s someone who recently lost or who is estranged from his or her mother. Perhaps it’s a mother who is challenged by a rebellious child. Or perhaps, it’s an infertile woman who is pleading and praying for the gift of motherhood. Perhaps it’s a woman who had an abortion before she came to Christ. We all have different experiences that color our view of things, and so there may be some here this morning with pain and suffering that makes it difficult to celebrate. Meredith Hodge was a woman like that. She was infertile and unable to have a child. Regarding Mother’s Day, she has written, “Infertility had darkened my heart and tempted me to despair. Anticipating [Mother’s] day in fear, internally I wished over and over: ‘Please don’t make the moms stand up. Please don’t hand out flowers to moms. Please, no one wish me a happy Mother’s Day.’” She went on to say, “It wasn’t anger or jealousy, but my attention was more focused on my isolation and brokenness. I was grieving the loss of my longtime dream to be a mother. I felt as though all eyes were on me: the barren, childless woman in the congregation, the one who ‘wasn’t blessed.’ I assumed people were staring at me thinking, ‘I wonder what’s wrong with her and why she doesn’t have kids yet.’ “It wasn’t until I applied the gospel to my circumstance, prayed for guidance, and allowed the Spirit to take over my heart that I began to see heart transformation and change in my response to Mother’s Day.” As we honor the mothers in our lives, as we honor the experience of mothering and nurturing that we have received. I think that it is important for us to remember the themes of our scripture – the power of the resurrection, the gifts of the spirit, the mission to help those who can’t help themselves and the contributions of women. Mother’s Day is a chance to acknowledge all of the women in our lives, and their faithful service. Who are the women in our lives who have contributed to the tapestry of our lives, of our church. How do we say thank you for all that they have done for us. This story in Acts 9 says that Peter was here and there. In other words Peter couldn’t sit still, he needed to go out and tell everyone the story of Jesus resurrection. Everywhere the he went, he was able to who others how the spirit was alive and at work in the world. When he is called to do Dorcas’ funeral – he asks everyone to leave and then he puts the spirit back into her body. He is able to do the same things that Jesus did – and bring her back to life. That was his way of acknowledging her part in Jesus ministry, it was his way of saying thank you. Wouldn’t we love to have the power to bring back those important women of faith, who showed us what love is, who supported us and who invested in us. On this mother’s day, all that we can do is remember them in or hearts. In the midst of their grief, those who loved Dorcas, not only used words, but they also used actions to who their appreciation for all that she had done for them. They bought her work in order to spread the good news of her faithfulness. They showed all of the clothes that she had made as a testament to her character and good works. Her good works spoke far louder then her words. We are the results of all of the Dorcas in our lives, their work lives on in us. We are living sermons of those who came before us. I read of a father who often reminds his children: “Your life is God’s gift to you. What you do with your life is your gift back to God. So do something great for God with your life.”[5] That’s good advice. So do something great for God. Make a difference to others by lifting them into life. For when you do, you too will be lifted up from your problems and brought back to life. You will experience the ecstasy of generosity because you will feel a little like how God feels when we allow him to love us. And when these sacred moments of generosity occur, I believe God smiles, for he sees the world the way he created it to be. As Peter is here and there and out and about, he shares the story of Dorcas to tell the power of the holy spirit working within us. The holy spirit worked within Dorcas life in order to make a difference to others. Her life spread love to the whole community. Her life was love in action. The Apostle Paul says that none of us live to ourselves and none of us die to ourselves. There is a link, a tie that binds us together, and although it is a matter of faith, something that is unseen, that cannot be weighed or measured, it becomes visible in the ways we practice mutual aid. There's a song that says, "They'll know we are Christians by our love." Let's hope so. Let's hope they know us by the mutual aid that we practice, by the caring we display for each other, by the words that we share and the lives that we live. And our living faith. Amen. CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Sermons for Sundays in Lent and Easter: The City of Justice, by Frank Ramirez I heard about a kindergartener who was asked to define love and he responded by giving the teacher a big hug and he said, “That’s the way we define love at my house.” And that’s why motherhood is such a beautiful model for Christian love – because mothers translate love into action every day. But, as much as your mother loves you, there’s only so much she can do for you. Someone has written a piece called “Reflections of a Mother”, and in it, says such things as: I gave you life, but cannot live it for you. I can teach you things, but I cannot make you learn. I can take you to church, but I cannot make you believe. I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot always decide for you. I can love you as a child, but I cannot place you in God’s family. I can pray for you, but I cannot make you walk with God. I can teach you about Jesus, but I cannot make Jesus your Lord. And it’s true. As much as your mother may love you, she can’t follow God for you. And that’s true of our love for one another here this morning. As much as we may love one another, we can’t obey the gospel for one another. That’s something we’ve all got to do as individuals. In the midst of all of the pain and the pitfalls of Mother’s Day, it is important to honor this day. It gives us a chance To honor the love in action that we have received from so many women in our lives. But it also reminds us – to be love in action in the lives of others. We all get the chance to participate in the continued work of the spirit. Let’s pray….. Song All Hail the Power of Jesus Name UMH 155 Prayers of the People (Do not Print) On this fourth Sunday of Easter, with the scent of lilies from the flower- ing cross not yet a distant memory, hold your resurrection glory before us as our guide and hope, O God. May this season plant seeds of new life and yield growth and maturity in Christ. May the gift of your Spirit be our steady leader and faithful friend. We praise you, Savior God. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! (Revelation 7:12) For mothers around the world today, we give you thanks, O God. We give thanks for the countless ways mothers and mother-figures nurture, educate and inspire. Bless the women who hold and heal, who shelter and protect, who liberate themselves and others from that which dis- courages and curbs potential. Within our varied roles and with our differ- ing gifts, help us recognize the Divine’s image in all her people. We praise you, Savior God. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! (Revelation 7:12) Righteous God, in a world torn by war, keep us from hate that hardens and scorekeeping with human lives. When our world is troubled and vi- olence the chosen path, draw near to judge and save. Guide our leaders with your wisdom. Help us walk with humility as our constant compan- ion. Move our hearts with compassion, justice and love. p2We praise you, Savior God. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! (Revelation 7:12) As the Body of Christ, hear us now as we pray as Christ taught us, (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment In the book of Acts, Luke tells about the beginning of the life of the church. The disciples keep finding ways to share the Good News Jesus had taught. In Acts 9, we hear of Peter coming to Joppa, where Tabitha had died. Peter heard others tell how Tabitha shared her talents with the widows, providing clothing for them. Then Peter prayed and gave what he could, bringing Tabitha back to life. In our life together, what can you give to build up the community? Some of us can create, some can provide compassion and care, some can bring new life to those drowning in despair or depression. Most of us can share financially, letting our checkbooks and wallets attest to the faith we claim. This is a time to offer your gifts. With joy-full hearts, let us present signs of our own identity as disciples of Christ. Prayer of Thanksgiving God, we offer these gifts to you. Please receive them. Help us translate this offering back into ways of building up these people and the ministries to which you call us. Use us. Use our talents and our treasure. Help us each, and all, proclaim the Good News of your love, which we know best in Jesus the Living Christ. AMEN (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed! Live into the hope of Christ’s resurrection! Honor the God who calls you to new life! May the grace, hope, peace and love of God our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer be with you now and always. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction God’s hand holds us fast and will never let us go. Let us leave this place in sure and certain faith that we swim in the love of our Creator, to the east, the west, above us, below us, and within us. Written by Sally Johnson, United Methodist Creation Justice Movement Additional Illustrations She Knew the Good Shepherd Missionary Herb Schaefer tells about a thirteen-year-old Chinese girl who continued with her family to worship God secretly in their home during the Cultural Revolution in China, that time when religion was forbidden and worship was banned by the Chinese rulers. One evening the Red Guards burst into their small home and threatened them for worshiping Jesus. A small altar with a crude cross stood in one corner of the room. Determined to put a stop to their worship and command complete allegiance to the Communist state, the Red Guard lieutenant demanded they spit on the cross. They refused. The lieutenant became indignant and shouted at them that unless they spat on the cross they would be killed. Finally the elder in the group came forward, spat on the cross and left. One by one they followed, doing the same disgusting thing until only the thirteen-year-old remained. She refused to do what the others had done. "I cannot and I will not," she replied. Then she told the lieutenant the depth of her faith and said that she was willing to die for it. Remarkably the Lieutenant seemed pleased. "This is the kind of devotion we want for the new China: people who will commit themselves so totally that they are willing to die for what they believe." But he wanted that devotion directed toward Chairman Mao. "We will change you," he promised and left. She was spared, but she never saw the rest of her family again. The story doesn't end there, however. For shortly thereafter, that little girl fled to Hong Kong and was taken in. Later she entered the Lutheran seminary there and today she is a pastor of the Hong Kong Lutheran Church, serving the needs of countless souls. She prays for the day when she will be allowed to return to her village and minister to her people there and perhaps even to that Red Guard lieutenant who spared her but murdered her family. She was able to endure, to overcome that tragedy in her life, because she knew the Good Shepherd. Lee Griess, Taking The Risk Out Of Dying, CSS Publishing Company How many times have we heard, “Sorry, too late, or “The deadline has passed, or “Time has expired.” Life does not always give us a timeout to tend to urgent matters. Life does not always grant us double and triple overtime. Some things we must do now because the circumstances require immediate action. Time is the most important of all of our resources. It’s the only thing we can give to others and never get back. The clock is ticking down on all of us. We must find ways of giving our immediate attention to priorities that require our utmost urgency. Peter went with the disciples immediately and Tabitha was brought back to life. The people who loved Tabitha did not delay notifying Peter of the problem and Peter did not delay addressing the problem. They both were concerned about time. They both acted with the utmost expediency. They all had a sense of urgency in a matter of critical importance. The slightest delay could end in disaster. We feel like we know Tabitha because we all have been blessed to know someone like her somewhere along the way. Perhaps it was our grandmother, an aunt, or a neighbor lady. Perhaps it was an older gentleman from church, a customer on the paper route we carried as a youngster, or a former teacher. Some saintly soul whose skillful hands and generous spirit combined to leave behind a lovely legacy of good works. Personally, I know that all of Gladys' adult grandchildren still have Christmas stockings that she sewed for each of them when she was alive. Elizabeth's crocheted afghans are still gracing count¬less homes so many years after her death. Jack's carefully crafted stained-glass art hangs now in the windows of the homes of family and friends all over the country. And William built more book¬cases, picture frames, cabinets, and shelves than he could remem¬ber before he died, but those of us who have pieces of his crafts-manship all remember him. So it was with Tabitha. The family members, friends, and neigh¬bors gathered together in her home, clothed and armed with the good works that she had left behind. Together they admired her loving handiwork. Together they fondly remembered her. Together they showed the symbols of her goodness to the apostle. Why? Because that's what he had seen Jesus do. Years before, when Peter and the rest of the twelve had accom¬panied Jesus all along the dusty roads of Galilee, Peter had been in a similar bedroom. The twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus had died, and the house was full of mourners. But Jesus sent them away. Or at least out of the room. And then, accompanied only by a select few disciples and the grieving parents themselves, Jesus spoke to the little girl. And in speaking to her, he raised her to life. So, now, the disciple followed the example that he had seen set by the Master. He sent the mourners out of the room, and then he spoke to the corpse. "Tabitha, get up," Peter said, and the dead woman opened her eyes. Then she sat up. And then, next thing you know, Peter is leading her out to present her to her astonished friends and loved ones. Where Tabitha had been, she left behind symbols of love and generosity, tokens of thoughtfulness and sweetness. Where Peter had been, he left behind life and health, gladness and rejoicing. We consider the example of Tabitha, and we observe that the good works she left behind remind us of her Lord. For he is the original artisan, after all, and he has generously shared his handi¬work with us. We see both his skill and his sweetness in what he has made. The works of his hands inspire our praise and adoration. Likewise, we consider the example of Peter, and we see that the works he left behind also remind us of his Lord. We follow Peter, and we remember the one who sent his followers out "to proclaim the good news ... Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment" (Matthew 10:7-8). We remember the one who went about doing good (Acts 10:38) and then told Peter and the rest that they would do the works he had done and even greater works (John 14:12). The deeds and lives of his people, you see, remind us of him. For in the end, they are — we are — the good works that he leaves behind. Amen. CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Sermons on the First Readings, by David J. Kalas Now we are introduced to another woman. A woman role model? What? Right. A woman role model. She must have been a special lady, this Tabitha — Dorcas. I am not even sure if either of those was actually her given name, because both, in Aramaic or Greek, mean "Gazelle." A nickname? Was she swift? Fleet of foot? We have no idea. Perhaps the "gazelle" moniker applied because she was so quick to respond when someone needed help. "Always doing good and helping the poor" (Acts 9:36), says scripture. Good for her. A role model — a woman! Women have always been uniquely important in the life of the church, whether or not men want to admit it. It started with Mary. Women were accorded special status during Jesus' ministry; in fact, it was probably women who were major financial supporters of the itinerant rabbi and his friends. Women were the first witnesses to the resurrection. This is not a feminist statement but a factual statement: from the first day to this day, if it were not for the women, there would be no church. It is that simple. Have there been any women important in your Christian experience? What's that? Foolish question, you say. I guess, but I can think of some. Mom — it was at her urging that I knelt down by my bed one night at the age of seven and asked Jesus to be my Savior. There was Iris — Iris was our youth leader, always there, dependable as the day is long. There is my wife, Christie, of course. Her love over this past quarter-century-plus has taught me what grace is all about — she loves me no matter what. No, I cannot explain it, but no one can explain grace. There was Naomi in Fort Myers, Florida, a feisty eighty-year-old redhead who offered her preacher unfailing encouragement through difficult days. Speaking of feisty, I could never forget Mildred in Greensboro, North Carolina, who lived and breathed her church and would have eviscerated anyone who would do it harm. I also remember Judy, whose wonderful faith through some tough times was a beacon of inspiration to me. I could go on and on and on. So could you. Needless to say, no one is especially startled at such statements these days, but they would have been almost scandalous in New Testament times. Women's place in society was not much more than property, and Jesus' willingness to speak to women in public and even include women in his entourage was just a bit outrageous. Beneath the surface of this text lies several hidden treasures. Among these are service and witness, faith and resurrection, testimony and promise. Tabitha, or Dorcas as translated in the Greek, holds the distinction of being the only woman in the New Testament who is specifically referred to as a disciple. Dr. William H. Willimon writes in The Interpretation Bible Commentary, "She merits the only use of the feminine form of the Greek word for 'disciple' in the New Testament." There is also in this text a sub-theme of faith and resurrection. Faith in the promise of God to raise those who died in Christ to new life again, and faith in the power of resurrection in life's everyday disappointments. While our text tells of the personal resurrection of Tabitha, it also reveals the communal resurrections for the widows, once the down-trodden of the community. The resurrection of Tabitha represented hope in the midst of despair, faith in the midst of failure, victory in the midst of defeat. When will the breakthroughs occur -- when will we become living sermons? It must begin at the household of faith, with the people of God. During this Easter season we have an opportunity to break down barriers that separate us from one another, and demonstrate that which we say we are about. Women in ministry, pulpit exchanges, ministry in cross racial settings, ministry to persons who are homeless, ministry to persons living with AIDS, persons from different cultural groups, persons from different religious expressions, and people who need to know that God cares for them regardless of who they are, where they've been, or where they are now. God's redemptive grace is for all people. Our challenge in today's world is overcoming the temptation to follow the crowd. The desire to be among the in-crowd often damages our witness. It's so easy to discriminate against others when we have the support of the crowd. It takes real courage to confront injustice and stand for what models Christ's example. A living witness must look beyond the status quo and seek to reach people at their point of need. Taking the gospel where people are will sometimes take me into places that are unfamiliar. When we commit to "walk the walk" and not just "talk the talk," then we're released to share the good news with integrity, compassion, and love. CSS Publishing Company, TURNING OBSTACLES INTO O, by Rodney Thomas Smothe A minister recently shared with me an experience of one of his friends. His friend had cancer. He was undergoing chemotherapy treatment, and the prognosis was not very good. Then, at Christmas, he received a special treat from his nine-year-old granddaughter. His granddaughter made a Christmas stoc_esermonsking for him and she sent it to him along with this letter. Dear Granddaddy, Here is a stoc_esermonsking for you. This year the only thing I'm asking for for Christmas is for my grandfather (you!) to get better. I wanted some other stuff, but I can have that anytime I want. But there's only one of you. You're the best! Maybe Santa will come to your house and put magic stuff in your stoc_esermonsking that will make you all better. Love - Laura Just as you and I feel the pain of our loved ones, God feels our pain. Just as we reach out in tenderness to those who need it most, God reaches out to us. In our times of pain, we must continue to trust in God's loving presence in our lives. Trust In God's Power In April of 1995, our country experienced the worst act of terrorism ever exacted on U.S. soil -- the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City. Don Hull of the Oklahoma City Police Department was one of the first to arrive on the scene. As he crawled through the debris and smoke, he saw a baby that looked to be dead. The baby had a gash on the side of its face but no blood was flowing from the wound. The baby's arm was also severely twisted. Even though he was looking for possible survivors and even though he knew the baby was dead, Hull felt compelled to pick him up. As he did so, he could hear the baby gasp for air. Suddenly blood burst forth from the baby's wounds. It was as if picking the baby up had jump-started his heart. Holding the baby tightly against his chest, Hull crawled out of the wreckage of the building. Twice on the way out he had to administer CPR to keep the baby alive. The baby turned out to be Joseph Webber. Joseph's dad says that his son would not be alive today if not for the efforts of Don Hull. He goes on to say, "It is nothing less than a series of miracles that Don Hull saw Joseph, that he picked him up, that he felt hope, that he breathed life into him and carried him out. It is truly miraculous. The work of God."2 Even in the face of great adversity, God can do miraculous things through those who respond faithfully to his call. If we will follow the compelling heart and the gentle nudgings of God's spirit, we can be effective servants for the kingdom of God. We are unlimited in what we can accomplish for God, but we must seek God's empowerment of us. It is that power that enabled Peter to raise up Tabitha and it is that power that will enable us to rise above the constraints and the trauma of life in this world. Testify To God's Faithfulness When God empowers us to overcome the difficulties of life, our call is to bear witness to others. We must share the message of the good God has wrought in our lives. In this way our times of difficulty can be opportunities for bringing glory to God. A fifteen-year-old boy was taken in for open-heart surgery. His heart lacked the oxygen necessary to live an active life. The surgery would last for several hours. The boy's parents anxiously sat alone in the surgical waiting room, wondering how they would pass the time and hoping that all would be all right. After sitting alone for a few minutes, they saw a familiar form walking down the long hospital corridor toward where they sat. It was a man who was a good friend of theirs. He was also an active deacon in their church. As he got closer to them, they could see he was carrying something under his arm. He sat down with the boy's parents and he showed them that he had brought his checkerboard and checkers with him to help them pass the time. So, for the next three hours, they played checkers together. Before they knew it, the time had passed. The surgery was over and all was well. When we have experienced God's presence and God's power in our lives, we are changed. We are left wanting to witness to others about this glorious transformation in our lives. The things we do and the things we say reflect our new master. And when we encounter people in need, we can carry Christ's gracious and compassionate presence to them. Similar to Tabitha, they too may be raised from death to life." CSS Publishing, Lima, Ohio, Returning To God, by Douglas J. Deuel Dorcas, in our text, falls ill and dies, leaving behind her a whole group of poor widows to whom she has ministered and for whom she has provided clothing and support. Widows in Israel were among the destitute, having no one to protect them or to furnish them the necessities of life. Thus, there are repeated admonitions in the Old Testament to show mercy toward widows, orphans, and strangers, and Dorcas is an example of that mercy. But now Dorcas is dead, and the poor widows, whom she has helped, weep in grief, not knowing what will become of them or to whom to turn. Their grief is overcome with joy when Peter raises Dorcas from the dead and presents her alive to the bystanders and church in Joppa. The result is that many in Joppa, who do not belong to the church there, are converted to faith in the Lord. Once again, Luke, the writer of Acts, is presenting us with the on-going power of the Spirit that is rapidly converting the Mediterranean world. No one deserves a special day all to herself more than today's Mom. A cartoon showed a psychologist talking to his patient: "Let's see," he said, "You spend 50 percent of your energy on your job, 50 percent on your husband and 50 percent on your children. I think I see your problem." Source Unknown. A Sermon Opener: This is a Mothers’ Day sermon. I’m preaching without apology and with appreciation for that time—honored institution without the benefit of which we wouldn’t be here! Every Mother’s Day sermon I’ve run across starts with an explanation —— this one’s no exception. As ministers, we’re reminded not to get too sentimental about motherhood because: (a) for some, motherhood is an accident, and not always a welcome one; (b) for some, biological motherhood isn’t possible; (c) for some, mothers weren’t all that nice; (d) for some, motherhood under the very best of circumstances is still less than abed of roses and a primrose path. If I can take some liberties with poet Wilhelm Busch’s words, I’d have to say: “(Mutter) werden ist nitch schwer; (Mutter) sein dagegen sehr.” (To become a (mother) is not so difficult; on the other hand, be-ing a (mother) is very much so!) So, with all those qualifications, why bother with Mothers’ Day at all? I’ll tell you why —— because for all its stumbling blocks, pitfalls and broken dreams, for all the soiled diapers, soiled wallpaper and spoiled plans, we’re talking about a beautiful ideal, a natural part of God’s creative plan to bring love and caring to light. Motherhood is a constant demand for the gift of love and caring. Proclaim, “A Mother’s Day Sermon,” May 14, 1989. I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the loving God, who was born of the promise to a virgin named Mary.. I believe in the love Mary gave her son, that caused her to follow him in his ministry and stand by his cross as he died. I believe in the love of all mothers, and its importance in the lives of the children, they bear. It is stronger than steel, softer than down, and more resilient than a green sapling on the hillside. It closes wounds, melts disappointments, and enables the weakest child to stand tall and straight in the fields of adversity. I believe that this love, even at its best, is only a shadow of the love of God, a dark reflection of all that we can expect of him, both in this life and the next. And I believe that one of the most beautiful sights in the world is a mother who lets this greater love flow through her to her child, blessing the world with the tenderness of her touch and the tears of of her joy. An Affirmation from John Killinger's, Lost in Wonder, Love, and Praise. Illustration: "As we began to pastor our first church, my wife, Lori, and I found we were going to have a third child," Bill wrote. "Several weeks later, Lori was going through her clothes, which no longer fit. Watching her, our 5-year-old son asked, ‘Mom, now that you're going to have a baby, are you going to have to wear 'eternity' clothes?'" (Source: Bill McKibben, Woodlake, California) Eternity clothes? Yes, it seemed that way at the time!

On Behalf of Others - revise of They will know we are christians by our love 4/28/13 - update of Sharing our Differences 5/2/10

May 18, 2025 5th Sunday of Easter Acts 11:1-18 On behalf of Others Year C Revised - They will Know we Are Christians By our Love 4/28/13 Updated version of 5/2/10 – Sharing our Differences Prelude Greeting Call to Worship Leader: More than kind or charitable, or even humane this Love that calls us takes on flesh and bone and vulnerability Assembly: we gather here to practice Love’s solidarity, rising up in the valleys and shadows of death. Leader: More than nice, or agreeable, or even polite this Love that forms us risks siding with the last and the least Assembly: we come together to become Love’s liberation building collective power to resist injustice. Leader: More than tolerant or accepting, or even affirming this Love that guides us opens to new stories of harm and new visions of flourishing Assembly: we join together to embody Love’s accountability laying down our defenses to grow beyond the edges of our knowing. Leader: More than peaceful or unifying, or even friendly this Love that compels us dares to imagine beyond empire Assembly: we worship to remember Love’s future praying, praising, and protesting until Love’s kindom comes. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Sharon Fennema) Invocation Inhale: Open our hearts. Exhale: Love, dwell among us. Song They Will Know we are Christians by our Love TFWS 2223 A Sermon for all Ages Good morning! Have you ever heard someone use the phrase “when pigs fly”? It sounds sort of silly, but is basically an expression that means something is impossible. Pigs don’t fly, since they don’t have wings and they’re too bulky to get off the ground. But do you know what? The awesome thing about the Bible is that a lot of times, we see the impossible happen… So watch out for flying pigs! (Gently toss the stuffed animals into the air or towards—not at—the kids, playfully. If it is not too distracting, you can allow them to hold one during the chat. Or if you have small give-away items, they can keep them). Well, the lesson for today sort of involved flying animals…it was about Peter. Remember him? The disciple who denied Jesus, but was forgiven, and worked hard for the church. Well, some people were criticizing him because he was hanging out with what they thought was the wrong sort of crowd. You see, back in those days there were a lot of rules. They had rules for what to wear, who to talk to, things they could or could not eat, places to go…rules for everything. Some leaders approached Peter because they thought he was disobeying by talking with people who were not following the Jewish rules. So Peter told them about something that happened to him. He had been praying on the roof, and saw a vision. In it, a whole bunch of animals was coming down, and a voice told him to go ahead and eat them! Well, these were the animals that Peter knew Jews weren’t supposed to have, so he thought it was a little strange and confusing. But as he kept praying, it happened again! Was he just hungry? A third time he had this vision and heard the voice (three seems to sort of be Peter’s special number…). And then he received a visit from someone who wanted to know more about Jesus, but was not one of the rule-following Jews. Peter realized that God wanted to let him know the good news of the Gospel is for everyone! It wasn’t just for those who followed the rules or did what the Jewish people did. Peter was explaining that the message of God’s love and grace needed to be shared with everyone. He knew it wasn’t about your background, but about life now. In John 13:31-35, Jesus said the same thing. If you heard the Gospel lesson, He was reminding his disciples that they needed to love one another. He told them that they would not be recognized by words they said but by actions they did. The “new” commandment wasn’t so new at all, but is something we must always remember is important We need to demonstrate true care about people. This does not mean we have to accept and embrace things they do, or join in if they are acting negatively. But we can still show God’s love because He has made everyone and called us to value them. Let’s practice love for one another, and thank God for the good news we have. Prayer: Offer thanks that we have the good news, and ask for help in sharing it: (Have kids repeat each line, if desired) Dear God, Thank you for the amazing stories of the Bible Thank you for helping us share your good news with others Help us understand and do that Help us love one another Thank you for Jesus! In His name, amen Affirmation of Faith UMH 883 Passing of the Peace Scripture Acts 11:1-18 Sermon On Behalf of Others The sandwich swap as a story of how food separates us Salma and Lily were best friends at school. They drew pictures together. They played on the swings together. They jumped rope together. And they ate their lunches together. But just what they ate was a little different. Lily ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day for lunch. Salma ate a hummus and pita sandwich every day for lunch. And although Lily never said it out loud, she thought Salma's sandwich looked weird and yucky. She felt terrible that her friend had to eat that icky chickpea paste every day. EW. Yuck. And although Salma never said it out loud, she thought Lily's sandwich looked strange and gross. She felt just awful that her friend had to eat that gooey peanut paste every day. EW. Gross. That is an excerpt from a childrens book coming out by the Queen of Jordan called the “sandwich Swap”. It is about her experiences as a child, where she at one type of food and her best friend ate another. Both felt uncomfortable with what the other was eating. But it was through food that they came to understand one another and developed a closer relationship in the process. It is a cute little story that talks about how food separates us, and keeps us apart. The realize that their feelings about food is deeper than that, our feelings about food oftentimes harbor our personal predjudices about certain people. In the end, as they come together as friends and agree to try each other’s food, they get the whole school involved in a sandwich swap, in order to learn to be more accepting of each other. This story is a perfect example of how what we eat is one of the greatest expressions of who we are. Food can divide us and tear us apart. And food can bring us together in a very special way. When God says that we will come together in heaven with him, he says that it will be around the table at a great feast, where we share each other’s food. Scripture says that God’s greatest expression of love and care for us is to feed us. This is a perfect story for our scriptures this morning. Peter prided himself on being a good jew and making sure that everything that he ate was kosher. He considered that to be a part of what God called him to do – that is until he heard from God – which told him something different. That in the name of trying to understand others, he was free to eat whatever god’s people ate. There was nothing wrong with it But not everyone of the disciples heard that same voice, and they criticized Peter, until he explained it for them. Once again this is a demonstration of how the holy spirit works in our lives It takes something that makes sense to us (in this case food- we all understand food) in order to explain something that doesn’t make sense to us. (in this case how to get along with other people) This fits in with the gospel lesson which talks about love- Jesus tells his disciples to strive to love one another as you have been loved. – we know that there are 10 commandments – many say that this is the 11th commandment from God – to love. Love is not a concept unique to Jesus – because there are many commandments to love – love the lord the god with all of your heart, mind body and soul. Love your neighbor as you love yourself, there is even a commandment for Esau and Jacob to love one another as brothers. Jesus is just trying to get them to follow the law of love in a brand new way. Not to love because you are supposed to, but to love because you have been loved. Not to guess what love means, but to know what love means. To realize that love is not about what you do – it is about the relationship that you have. In order to love somebody, you have to identify with that person, get into their lives and know what it going on, and be willing to eat with them. For instance Peter could very well have refused to eat with the gentiles and kept his kosher habits. But somewhere along the way he realized that his relationship was more important than his beliefs. And that it was the relationship that changed him and transformed the situation. The gentiles became a part of the family, the outsiders became insiders. All because the holy spirit took something that made sense and used it to teach something that they otherwise would not have understood. Commentators point out that the story of how Peter met Cornelius and baptized his whole family is one of the longest stories in the book of Acts. It shows just how close Christianity came to being just another faction of Jews. If Peter had not had the dream, if Peter had not listened to God to try something different, If Peter had stuck to his tradition – we would have no access to the good news of Jesus. Learning how to accept love and be loved is an important mark of what it means to be a Christian. If you read and listen to the book of Acts this Easter season, you will learn the marks of a true Christian as one who follows Jesus, who trust in the teachings of Jesus, one who looks for the presence of the holy Spirit in their lives and is willing to follow it, and one who puts Christ as the center of their lives, allowing the spirit of Christ to dwell and live in them. Love is the 11th commandment. Moses gave the 10 commandments to the children of Israel so that they could live together in a community of peace. Jesus gave the 11th commandment to his disciples. – love one another as I have loved you. Love can be painful – but it still makes a difference, it still transforms people – one relationship at a time. Love is a way of speaking, a way of doing, love is who you are in Christ. Love is the one mark of a true Christian. And yet it is hardest thing in the world to love one another. Have you noticed that as Christians, we are like the two girls in the sandwich swap story – we claim to like each other and yet we find things to continue to keep us apart. And what is Jesus doing with his disciples as he is teaching them love – he just fed them as the host of the Passover. Eating is such an important part of our faith. In Acts, Peter not only encourages us to love one another, but he also encourages us to go beyond our boundaries and understanding in order to understand and accept one another. In ElkhartCounty, in the state of Indiana, there is a famous corner, the meeting of the rural two-lane highways known as County Roads 11 and 38. On three of the four corners there is a Mennonite church, but each one is different. All three share the same history of religious persecution that led them to seek America as a place of religious freedom. Each one believes in and practices simple living, peace, and service to all humanity in the name of Jesus. But one of them, the Beachy Amish congregation, refuses to use electricity in the homes. The members come in horse and buggies, and there is an outhouse and shelters for horses next to the simple, white meeting house. The people dress in the plain garb — and are pretty proud of it! The folks across the street are popularly known as the Black Car Mennonites. Each one drives an American car, and each car is black. Their building is also plain and white, and the people dress in garb that is plainer than their neighbors, although they do not conform with the fashions of the church across the street. The third church is very large, and accepts believers who dress in many different fashions. There are cars of all makes and models, and the congregation is very active in ministry to all ages, and to people around the world. Some of the women wear head coverings. This church probably has the fewest number of hoops for believers to jump through. Their influence is far greater in the community and in the world. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is a place where the old ways matter. The Amish still ride their buggies up and down the green hills. Most churches have spires, and they frame the landscape with the proclaimed piety of their people. Change comes slowly. Sometimes that's good, especially when we're talking about the basics of the faith. Sometimes that's bad. Like when people refuse to change the little things. A lot of the churches, especially the Plain People like the Amish, Brethren, and Mennonite, practice a three-part communion service that includes the feet washing, a full meal called the love feast, along with the bread and cup. The story is told how a new pastor tried to lead an old, established church in the feet washing. The men were seated around one set of tables and the women around other tables. The pastor gave the instruction for the person at the front left corner to wash the feet of the person to the left, and then to continue in a counter-clockwise fashion. No one moved. There was absolute silence. The pastor wondered what he had done wrong. The silence stretched longer and longer and the situation got more and more uncomfortable. It turned out that in that particular congregation the feet washing took place in a clockwise, not a counter-clockwise fashion. For the people in the church this was close to heresy. Even next to impossible. Finally one of the elders rescued the situation by standing up, clearing his throat, and saying, "All right. I guess we can do it this way just once." And the evening was saved. Some churches resist change. And some do more than just resist it — they fight it, clawing, kicking, and screaming the whole way. Usually we're not talking about the Virgin Birth, the Divinity of Christ, and the Resurrection. It's about practices in the kitchen, where people sit, who controls the purse strings, who's allowed in women's fellowship, and things of that nature. How open are we to accepting others? How closed are our churches, whether we admit it or not? Lots of churches say, "We're a friendly church," but what they mean is that they are friendly to each other. If a newcomer arrives, that person may not be greeted and welcomed, nor invited to return. It is possible to go to some churches and never shake a single hand or share a single word with another believer. And, it's not just because they are unfriendly at heart. Some people say, "I don't want to greet someone because I might have already met them and I don't want to make a mistake." Which is worse — to admit a mistake and laugh over it, giving time to get know a person better, or taking the chance on ignoring someone who is sincerely seeking Jesus, and who discovers that the church is every bit as unfriendly as they were told? Once people are in the church, the question is whether we have the grace to allow them to become new creatures in Chris But seriously, we truly have to be careful about how we treat one another as Christians, especially within these walls. We forget that the world is watching us. they are watching how they treat one another, and coming to a decision about whether they want to be associated with us. Love is not about who we feel about one another. It is a commandment. It is an act of obedience. Jesus had some reason for pointing to the disciples and telling them that if you don’t learn anything else from me, you need to learn how to love one another. Love is not a feeling it is an action. You cant tell someone how to feel about a situation, but you can tell then what to do and how to act. Jesus commanded us to love one another – to pay attention to our actions toward one another. A woman got a divorce and lost her family. She sank into a deep depression, and was in desperate need. The people in her church only shook their heads and pointed their fingers at her failure, so she left and began frequenting a bar. One day the preacher came and asked why she had done this. She replied, “The people at the bar smile when they see me.” We have to do the same when we come to church. Finally I just want to say – that learning to love one another is not a new commandment. We are all taught from an early age to learn to love. As jews the disciples would have been taught the importance of love for others in your community. Even as Jesus was talking – he didn’t say that you needed to love the whole world – he just said love your fellow disciples. There is nothing new about love- it has been around from the beginning of love. What is new about the commandment to love is that Jesus says to love as I have loved you. Jesus gave everything he had, so that you would know how to love. You may not have to love everyone in the world, but The world is watching us, so that they can see that example. What is it that they see – Let them know we are Christians by our love. Peter’s message to us – love one another, let the church be known by the love it shows to others, and finally let love be the bridge to reach those who we may consider different then us. If I were to start a sentence with the words, “There are two types of people in the world . . .,” how would you finish that sentence? “There are two types of people in the world . . .,” Somebody once said, “There are two types of people in the world—those who divide the world into two types of people and those who do not.” What say you? I think if I were to divide people into two types, I would say, there are rule keepers and rule breakers. Some people just have an internal compulsion to follow the rules, even if those rules are questionable. There are others who seem only to enjoy life when they are breaking the rules. There’s an old joke about a little boy named Johnny whose mother had just returned from the grocery story. Johnny pulled a box of animal crackers out of her grocery bag and spread those animal crackers all over the table. “What are you doing?” the mother asked. “I’m looking for the seal,” Johnny explained. “It says not to eat them if the seal is broken.” Little Johnny is definitely a rule-keeper. I can respect that. People like him keep society from descending into chaos. But sometimes we keep rules that no longer serve any purpose. Sometimes our rules only serve to put up walls between ourselves and others. For instance, how many Christians—consciously or unconsciously—make up rules to decide who is or is not acceptable to God? Here’s a powerful question: Are there times when you and I could be standing in God’s way? Are our beliefs, attitudes, prejudices or actions interfering with the work of God in our community? Are we withholding the love and truth of Jesus Christ from certain people or certain groups because we think they are unacceptable to God? Are we standing in God’s way or standing in God’s will? Dr. James Forbes, a pastor in New York City, came from a family of 10 children. He grew up in South Carolina, and he tells the story of how his mother would call the Forbes children to the dinner table each night. Each evening, Mrs. Forbes would stand on the front porch and yell, “Are all the children in? Are all the children in?” The meal couldn’t be blessed or eaten until all ten of the Forbes children had taken their place at the table. As Dr. Forbes says, “That is how God calls to each and every one of us in the church. ‘Are all the children in? Are all the children in?’” (3) That’s the whole reason Jesus came into this world, shared the message of God, and died on the cross—it was to gather all God’s “children” into the kingdom of God. And now that’s our job too. If you claim to be a follower of Jesus, that’s your calling, that’s your mission, that’s your life’s greatest goal and priority now: to bring as many people to the love and truth of Jesus Christ as possible. In order to do that, we have to ask ourselves the question, “How big is my spiritual family?” Actually, in God’s eyes, there’s only one type of person: greatly loved and worth dying for. In the book of Galatians 3:28, the apostle Paul writes, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” We are not God’s bouncers; we are God’s ambassadors. It’s not our job to put limits on God’s love. It’s our job to share the love and the salvation of Jesus Christ with everyone we meet, so that all God’s children can someday be gathered into His kingdom. Let us pray…. Song Help us Accept Each Other UMH 560 Pastoral Prayer Community Graduates All of our children, youth, young adults, family, others Sick and struggling Seeking God and not finding it, show love All those affected by tornadoes and the strange weather we have had St. Louis and southern illinois During mental health – pray for those affected by trauma, grief, and medical conditions Peace wherever there is violence Pray for Gaza, Ukraine, inda and Pakistan, sudan places where there is active conflict Pray for those within our hearts, pray for prayer spoken and unspoken Help us to show love, listen to places and people your are calling us to love Church – the mission of Jesus Christ which continues today Pray for the pope on first day of installation Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Peter is one of my favorite Bible figures! Why? Peter followed Jesus from early on, giving up his identity as a fisherman. Peter gave up his resistance when Jesus offered to wash his feet, blurting out, “Not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!” Following a dream which showed him “unclean” animals he could eat, it’s Peter who gives up his life-long discipline of eating only “clean” animals, as a way of opening faith life to those not called to follow Jewish food laws. Peter responded to Jesus’ call to become a follower, and then grew to recognize Jesus’ call for him to build relationships with Gentiles as well as Jews. Today, we’re invited to follow in Peter’s footsteps, not necessarily by leaving our work, nor changing our diets, but with our financial resources. Today it’s a marvelous time for each of us to reach deep into our wallets, tap our savings, share our set-aside resources, giving financial symbols of our whole lives as we receive our morning offering. When we’re filled with the Holy Spirit, as Peter was, we’ll find ways to respond to this 21st century call, and come to see what God-inspired ministries can emerge from our shared resources. Prayer of Thanksgiving (Inspired by Acts 11:1-18 & adapted from UMC Discipleship) Generous and Ever-giving God, we offer these gifts today in gratitude, knowing you have given us so much more. You gave your Son, Jesus, to us. You offer the wonder of creation to meet our needs for food and shelter. You provide your love to all. You allow us to claim “the repentance that leads to life!” Although our giving pales by comparison, we pray you will use these gifts and use each of us to build up your Realm on earth. Amen. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook People of Love, as you go from this place, let love be what blesses you, love that is not nice or polite, but knows how to sing in the midst of despair how to rise up in the midst of death how to hold fast in the midst of chaos Let love be the blessing you share, love that is not tolerant or charitable but knows how to care when all seems hopeless how to listen when others are silenced how to come alongside when no one else will. People of Love, let love be your blessing, this day and every day until glory comes. (United Church of Christ, Sharon Fennema) Community Time Joys and Concerns Benediction Here is the commandment…love one another! Here is the commandment…love the planet that sustains us. Let this love flow through the ordinary and the miraculous as we help bring into being the kin-dom of God, renewing the world. So be it. Amen. Written by Sally Johnson, United Methodist Creation Justice Movement Additional Illustrations There is the fable of the church who placed a “for members only” sign on their front lawn. No one was ever invited to attend the church. If strangers showed up for service they were harshly turned away and discouraged from ever coming again. As the congregation aged, members began to die until finally the last three members posted a notice in the obituary column which read: Dead. Forty-five-year-old, middle-class church that once had 200 members. Address: 1888 Temple Street. Cause of death: unfriendliness towards strangers, for-members-only attitude, disdain for all people who weren’t our kind of people. God forgive us for t Peter and the apostles refused to stay in the box. Paul refused to stay in his box. Even if Jack refuses to stay in his box, why do Christians want to stay in their boxes? Christ was crucified and resurrected so that we could come out of the box. Jesus refused to allow hatred, prejudice, class, race, age, ethnicity, money, power, influence, sickness, affliction, trouble, sorrow, pain, or death to keep him in a box. Jesus came and died and rose so that we would come out of the box. The box of narrow-mindedness and provincial thinking, the box of limited vision and opportunity and the box of the seven last words, “We never did it that way before,” all kill the forward movement of the spirit’s power and presence. Jesus calls us to come out of the box. The empty box is the empty tomb. Jesus is out of the box and we as disciples of Christ should come out of the box too! When Peter saw how the Holy Ghost had come, his mission to the Gentiles was confirmed. Peter knew he had the presence and power of the Holy Ghost which emboldened him to come out of the box others tried to force him into. This is our commission, to go into the world to preach, teach, and reach others for Christ; to come out of the our little boxes to spread the Good News of Christ. We can do it when the Holy Ghost comes upon us. When we are baptized by the Holy Spirit, we can come out of the box. We no longer have to allow things to box us in and keep us from taking a message of hope to all people. Come out of your box and give him the glory! CSS Publishing Company, Deformed, Disfigured, and Despised, by Carlyle Fielding Stewart I want you to think of possible times in our history when Christians actually stood in God’s way. Are there times in the church when we have behaved like Wile E. Coyote? Perhaps, for example, when we persecuted Galileo for his scientific discoveries? Or perhaps when many Christians opposed the Civil Rights movement? I’ll leave it to you to fill in the blanks of all the places we as an institution or as individuals might have been standing in God’s way. I don’t know why some religious people have such an affinity for the status quo why do we have such fear of change? Not all, of course. The church has been at the forefront of many of the positive changes that have occurred in society. However, to be fair, I don’t know of any significant progress that has taken place in human society that some religious group or another hasn’t been against it. Over two hundred years ago, in Gloucester, England, a man named Robert Raikes started a movement which was to have a far-reaching impact on the moral and religious life of the Western world. He began the Sunday School movement. He selected four women who gathered a group of children together on Sundays to instruct them in reading and in the church catechism. Believe it or not, the Sunday School movement was strongly resisted by the established church. The ruling classes, who had much influence in the church of that day, feared that such a program would lead to popular education which in turn would lead to revolution. And then there was a legalistic wing of the church that believed strongly that the Sabbath day was for worship and rest only, not for recreation or for school. One Scottish preacher feared that such Sunday Schools would “destroy all family religion.” (1) Imagine that. Sending children to Sunday School would destroy family religion. Every progressive step that has ever been made in human society has first of all been opposed by somebody in the name of Christ. Dr. R. Steven Hudder tells about a legislator in Georgia, Donald Ponder, who decided he wanted to be on God’s side. A representative to the state legislature he stood on the House floor of this conservative Southern state and implored his colleagues to pass a bill that would impose extra penalties for hate crimes committed against ethnic and racial minorities, as well as against gay and lesbian people. He confessed to the state Legislature that all his ancestors in the nineteenth century owned slaves and that his great grandfather had fought in the Civil War for the Confederacy. He told his fellow legislators of how his college fraternity had ostracized six members because they were gay. He told of his nanny, an African American woman who had raised him from birth, who had taught him more than anyone else the difference between right and wrong. He told of how one day when he was a boy about to leave for school, she had leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek, and how he had averted his head because he had been taught all his life that black people were not supposed to kiss white people. He spoke of the shame that he had carried since that day. Then Representative Donald Ponder spoke these unforgettable words: “The day came not long ago when we buried the magnificent woman who had raised me. I pledged to myself that day that never again would I look in the mirror and know that I had kept silent and let hate, prejudice, and indifference negatively impact another person’s life. I finally have figured it out. The only way we are ever going to make progress in this world is when somebody gets up and takes a stand. And so I stand before you today, my distinguished colleagues, and I urge the House of Representatives of the State of Georgia to pass this hate crimes bill.” And you know what? They did. (3) God is at work in this world anytime someone is willing to be used of God. If we will be used of God, we can see miracles occur. The way will open in front of us and we will see God’s victory. t reminds me of a story that a preacher tells. He was driving his car one time traveling north, trying to get to Fredericksburg, Virginia. Suddenly his lights went out while he was driving in North Carolina. His alternator had quit working. There he was, hundreds of miles from his destination on a dark night with no way to see where he was going. He prayed, “I don’t have an alternator, Lord, but I want to get back.” After that, he says, a Greyhound bus came by just flying. He thought to himself, “There’s my ticket to Fredericksburg.” He got right behind that big bus and laid right on the bumper of that bus and it carried him all the way to Virginia. About that experience, he says, “I just believe God. You say, weren’t you afraid of the highway patrol? No. Because the highway patrol should have been concerned about the bus as fast as it was going. They didn’t need to be concerned about me.” He concludes by saying, “Have faith in God! And believe that God is able.” (4) God is able. And God will do what he has promised. When it comes to justice and righteousness, we are either on God’s side or in God’s way. I heard somebody ask a humorous question. The question was based on archaic language in our legal system. The question was, “Can a church be insured against acts of God?” Maybe it’s not so humorous after all. A church that stands in God’s way will be flattened like Wile E. Coyote. No insurance policy in the world can protect a church or a nation that chooses to ignore the oncoming locomotive of God’s Kingdom. 1. Warren Wiersbe, The Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching (Moody Press, 1984), p. 185. 2. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2010). 3. http://www.christ congregational church.org/Sermons/Life%20Light%20and%20Love.htm. 4. When Black Preachers Preach: Leading Black Preachers Give Direction & Encouragement to a Nation That Has Lost Its Way, Vol. 2 (Kindle Edition). ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., Dynamic Preaching Second Quarter 2013, by King Duncan III. One Step At A Time The Third Step is to remember to take it: ONE STEP AT A TIME. A baby learns to scoot before it can crawl. It learns to crawl before it can walk. And it learns to walk before it can run. Why should the Christian life and parenting be any different. One of the things we learn from creation, is that God took it one step at a time. It was a Step By Step process of creating and growing a world. We have to do the same thing in raising our children. Over the long haul, what we hope our children learn from us is: A sense of destiny: We want them to know they are unique, special, so they can have confidence for daily living; We want them to have a sense of purpose; a sense of mission in life; We want them to have a sense of love and we want to leave them a legacy of love; We want them to have a sense of security. We want them to know they are safe; that their family is their refuge; no matter what. We want them to be filled with a sense of hope and a hope filled sense of the future which will allow and challenge them to take risks. And most of all, we want them to have a desire for godliness. We want them to have a deep passion for God and the gospel. But they learn these things Step By Step, not by our lecturing, not by our dropping them off at church and Sunday School, not by our teaching but by OUR EXAMPLE, AND THE STEPS WE TAKE. You see, what we do, proves what we think is important. IV. Sow Love And finally one of the most important steps is that we SOW LOVE. Someone has written A Mother's Version of 1 Corinthians 13. "I can read bedtime stories till the cow jumps over the moon and sing "Ten Little Monkeys" until I want to call the doctor - but if I don't have love, I'm as annoying as a ringing phone. I can chase a naked toddler through the house while cooking dinner and listening to voice mail. I can fix the best cookies and Kool-Aid in the neighborhood, and I can tell a sick child's temperature with one touch of my finger, but if I don't have love, I am nothing. Love is patient while watching and praying by the front window when it's 30 minutes past curfew. Love is kind when my teen says, "I hate you!" It doesn't envy the neighbors' swimming pool or their brand-new minivan, but trusts the Lord to provide every need. Love doesn't brag when other parents share their disappointments and insecurities, and love rejoices when other families succeed. It doesn't boast, even when I've multitasked all day long and my husband can't do more than one thing at a time. Love is not rude when my spouse innocently asks, "What have you done today?" It doesn't immediately seek after glory when we see talent in our children, but encourages them to get training and make wise choices. It's not easily angered, even when my 15-year-old acts like the world revolves around him. It doesn't delight in evil (is not self-righteous) when I remind my 17-year-old that he's going 83 in a 55-mph zone, but rejoices in the truth. Love doesn't give up hope. It always protects our children's self-esteem and spirit, even while doling out discipline. It always trusts God to protect our children when we cannot. It always perseveres, through blue nail polish, burps and other bodily functions, rolled eyes and crossed arms, messy rooms and sleep-overs. Love never fails. But where there are memories of thousands of diaper changes and painful labor(s), they will fade away. Where there is talking back, it will (eventually) cease. (Please, Lord?) Where there's a teenager who thinks he knows everything, there will one day be an adult who knows you did your best. For we know we fail our children, and we pray they don't end up in therapy, but when we get to heaven, our imperfect parenting will disappear. (Thank you, God!) When we were children, we needed a parent to love and protect us. Now that we're parents ourselves, we have a heavenly Father who adores, shelters us, and holds us when we need to cry. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (2) A mother's job is to SOW LOVE. Most mothers do that quite well, some do not. In a perfect world all mothers would SOW LOVE. But for those that do not, we're called lift them to God. And we're called to offer forgiveness. And being forgiven ourselves, we're called to follow Jesus STEP BY STEP into wholeness and to SOW LOVE. St. Francis of Assisi understood that, His whole life was dedicated to spreading the joyous love of God through Jesus Christ and he wrote this prayer. Follow Jesus Step By Step both as a parent and as a Disciple and SOW LOVE. Conclusion Parenting isn't easy. Being a mother is hard work. And we owe so much to our mother's. Peter really did know the secret to being both a good parent and a good disciple. And that's taking it STEP BY STEP and remembering: IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU, YOU ARE NOT ALONE, TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME, AND SOW LOVE. 1.Adapted; www.preachingplus.com, Dave Stone Motherhood: "It's Not a Job, It's an Adventure" 5/12/2002 2. Reproduced in Joyful Noiseletter, May 2004. 1 Corinthians 13 for Moms was first printed as The Story of Encouragement, an e-newsletter CSS Publishing Company, Inc., From the Pulpit, by Billy D. Strayhorn At a family gathering, a grandmother was coaxed into doing something she had never done before. After much friendly badgering, she climbed slowly up on an exercise bike. She took her time getting in just the right position. She waited a few moments. Then, nervously, she said, "All right, you can turn it on now." If only work in the church could be handled like that. If we could magically flip a switch, and then watch as the work is done for us. But work in the church requires a delicate blend of divine inspiration and human perspiration. I know a young minister who was called to a church in a small town. The church had been in decline for several years. The search committee had expressed that the church was eager to experience growth in its membership and its programs. It was also expressed that the church had a special need to reach young families and children. The church had not been effective in its ministry to young families for a number of years. The young minister brought in new energy and new ideas. Within six months worship attendance had grown forty percent! People began joining the church. A new Sunday School class was started for young couples. A new choir was started for young adults which had the added benefit of offering more contemporary music for worship. People were excited about the growth and especially all of the young families that were attending. But then a concern was raised. What could the concern be? One of the elders of the church, in all seriousness, said, "I'm concerned. All of a sudden, we have so many young people joining the church. Actually, I think we have too many young people joining the church." Is it any wonder why churches can struggle to reflect vitality? In so many ways we seek to guard the status quo. That limits the work of the Holy Spirit and it impairs our ability to be effective witnesses within the community. A young woman was eight months pregnant; she had a two-year-old son. Her son locked himself in the bathroom. This frightened his mother. The woman got a screwdriver and tried to take the door knob off. She got most of it off, but she still could not get the door open. She could see in the bathroom, though, and it scared her. Her son was trying to turn on the water in the bathtub. So, she talked him into coming away from the bathtub. Then he started climbing up on the sink, trying to get in the medicine cabinet. Finally, she was able to get him to sit still on the stool while she went to call her husband. Her husband frantically raced home from his office. He rushed in the front door to find his wife laying on the couch exhausted and his son sitting in the rocking chair, rocking away as nonchalantly as you please. He turned to his wife and said, "What happened? I thought he was locked in the bathroom." His wife said, "Well, when I hung up the phone, I had a good idea. I got an Oreo cookie, I held it up for him to see through the hole, and he opened the door just like that!" The boy had the ability to open the door all along. All he needed was the proper motivation. The same is true of the Church. We have the ability to fulfill Peter's vision of a Church that draws all people together in unity but we must be properly motivated. It will require that we set aside our personal agendas and seek God's agenda for the Church. If we can work together to determine God's vision for the Church, there is no limit to what we can accomplish for the good of God's kingdom. Who are we to stand in the way of God and God's desires for the church? So often our biases prevent us from opening our lives to the renewing presence of God. We are fearful of changes that might be required so we close our hearts. Out of fear of the unknown or a stubborn refusal to grow in new directions, we refuse to risk the vulnerability that is required if we are to be truly open to God. A woman went to her minister for counseling. She had personal problems that had been going on for several years. After the minister had met with her several times, he suspected that she was not as eager to genuinely work through her problems as she was wanting someone to listen to her. Even more than that, he sensed that she had problems beyond that with which he could help her. So he advised her to seek professional counseling. He even suggested a couple of counselors she might consider. The woman went away angry that day. The minister told her things she did not want to hear. For several years their relationship was cool at best. Then, one day, about three years later, the woman came into church and gave him a big, heartfelt hug. She said, "I want you to know that I was really angry with you when you suggested that I seek professional counseling. But in the last few months, I have been seeing a counselor and it is helping. I also want you to know that my counselor has told me that I ought to thank you because you did the absolute best thing you could do for me. I will always appreciate you for standing up and saying what I needed to hear, even though I didn't want to hear it." With that, she gave him another hug. I wonder how many blessings we miss out on because we stubbornly refuse to hear the messages God sends our way. Instead of seeking to determine God's will for our lives, we seek God's approval for what we want to do. We limit God's purpose for us with our lack of vision and our lack of expectancy about what God can do in and through us. Do you remember what Peter said? He asked, "Who am I to hinder God?" We could ask the same question of ourselves. Who are we to stand in God's way? A couple of years ago a group went on a mission trip to Honduras. They traveled to a remote village in the hills. They took medical teams to provide medical care for people who normally were not able to receive any. They also worked to put in a clean-water system that would provide good water for several villages. Clean water was the thing they identified as having the most dramatic impact on the people's health. They dug ditches and laid PVC pipe to carry water from a running stream to the local villages. The work was difficult but it was very gratifying. And the people were extremely grateful. On the last day, all the people of the village gathered together to honor the group in a special ceremony. People rode horses and walked for miles to be in attendance. The leaders of the village got up one by one to express their appreciation. Even with interpreters, they didn't understand all that was said. Finally an elderly gentleman stood up to speak. He was not an elected official. He was not a dignitary scheduled to appear in the program. He was simply a man who had lived all of his eighty years in that village. But when he spoke, everyone listened. The respect of the people was readily apparent. He began by expressing appreciation to the group of Americans for coming to his village to help. He talked about how the government had talked about developing programs to help. The president had talked about helping his people. But that's all it ever was -- talk. Then he expressed how special it was that this group of Americans had not talked about helping his people. They simply had come and done their very best for them. He concluded by saying, "You have come in the name of Christ. You have acted in love. And you have given to us what we could never earn. Because of that, we have seen in you the grace and the very spirit of Christ. Because of that, you are the most important people to ever visit our village." The entire group was moved by those words. It is so rare to be able to reflect the spirit of Christ's grace to another. As one of the doctors would later say, "That is one of those rare nights that I went to bed feeling within my soul, 'I know the Lord is pleased with me on this day.' " We must expect the unexpected with God. We too will receive unexpected blessings if we can develop God's vision for the church, if we will respond to God's leadership, and if we will have a high level of expectation regarding what God can do in and through us. With these objectives, our experience in the church will be meaningful and fulfilling. And we can work together to build a Church that fulfills Peter's vision of unifying all people in the body of Christ. What if the ones we would exclude from the fellowship of the Church are the very ones with whom God intended to bless us? Let these words of Paul be our guide: "There is one body and one Spirit ... one hope ... one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all" (Ephesians 4:4-6). CSS Publishing, Lima, Ohio, Returning To God, by Douglas J. Deuel . People, especially in small towns, have long memories. In the Acts of the Apostles there is a reference to the "Synagogue of the Freedmen" (6:9). Freedmen were former slaves, and probably the descendents of former slaves as well. Roman society was class conscious, and the fact that one had been a slave, or that one's ancestors were slaves, was never forgotten. These believers had been marginalized into their own little ghetto, and could not escape the taint of their past. The passage says that they argued with Stephen over the good news of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the fact that they had been categorized as Freedmen, recognized for their station in life instead of who they were, that made them resentful of others doing well, and of the life-giving message Stephen had brought. The eloquent preacher Tom Long tells the story of a small church-related college that held an annual event called Christian Emphasis Week. It was the task of the Christian club on campus to invite a speaker who would come and lead a college revival. This particular year they invited a preacher who had come highly recommended. They were told of his dynamism and his unique way of communicating the gospel. The first night of the revival the chapel was filled with the faithful. There were no “animal house” type fraternity characters in attendance, just the faithful. The speaker began the service the way most preachers would: he read a passage of scripture. But when he finished reading, he did something which shocked the audience. He closed the Bible, threw it across the stage and out an open window and said, “There goes your God.” Then he proceeded to preach a sermon on the difference between worshiping the Bible and worshiping the God of the Bible.[1] Imagine the surprise those students had when the preacher turned their bibliolatrous religion upside down The membership of the Christian Church is all God's doing. Have you noticed that in our readings in Acts? It was God who sent his Holy Spirit on the Gentiles and converted them to the faith. It was God who changed a Saul into Paul, and who converted a Roman centurion named Cornelius, just as he changed that Ethiopian eunuch to whom Philip preached, and that multitude on the day of Pentecost. God is at work through his Holy Spirit, multiplying his faithful throughout the world. And that action of God of which we read in Acts is still going on today. God is on the move, advancing toward his kingdom, and in all of our difficulties and sufferings, we need to keep that in mind. There’s a grand old story that many of you are familiar with of a missionary physician working in the interior regions of mainland China. One day, he performed cataract surgery on a blind man. For the first time in years, the man could see clearly, and he was overjoyed. A few weeks later, the previously blind man returned to the missionary compound. But unlike the first time he had arrived, this time he was not alone. He came dragging a long rope and holding on to this long rope were more than 50 men, women, and children—all of them blind. Some had come from as far as 250 miles away, journeying through the wilderness, holding on to the rope for their guidance. The healed man wasn’t just grateful for his own healing; he was determined to lead as many people out of the darkness as he could. And that’s exactly what Peter and the apostles were called to do when they shared the message of God with the Gentiles. When we really understand the greatness of God’s grace, we realize that we can’t leave anybody out. Do you want to be in God’s way or in God’s will? The best way to ensure you are in God’s will is to ask yourself the questions, “How big is my spiritual family?” and “How great is God’s grace?” 1. "How legalism betrays Christ, violates the Gospel and destroys people" by Joe McKeever, https://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/joe-mckeever/how-legalism-betrays-christ-violates-the-gospel-and-destroys-people.html. 2. Cal and Rose Samra, Holy Humor, p. 140. 3. St. Paul’s Letters to the Philippians by The Reverend Eric S. Ritz. 4. “Leonard Knight, artist at Salvation Mountain, dies at age 82” by Tony Perry, February 10, 2014, Los Angeles Times,https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-leonard-mountain-20140210-story.html. 5. “Salvation Mountain,” Atlas Obscura, https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/salvation-mountain ChristianGlobe Network, Inc., Dynamic Preaching Second Issue Sermons, by King Duncan ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬____________________________________________________ WE REQUIRE LOVING A little girl was making but poor progress toward recovery, though the ailment had been checked and there seemed to be no reason why she should not rapidly improve. But it didn’t happen, and the doctor in charge was keenly interested to know why. She was a very sensitive child, easily scared, responding quickly to kindness. Perhaps she was afraid of Nurse or Sister or her unfamiliar surroundings. The doctor decided it was the lack of understanding which was retarding recovery, and so wrote a directive upon the temperature chart: "This child requires loving every four hours." God is even better than that: He says, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love." (Winship Storey in his Methodist Recorder. From a sermon by Bill Butsko, God’s Infinite Love, 12/25/2010) CATHERINE LAWES: A STORY OF COMPASSION Max Lucado relates this story. When Catherine Lawes’ husband, Lewis, became the warden on Sing Sing prison in 1921, she was a young mother of three daughters. Everybody warned her never to step foot inside the walls. But she didn’t listen to them. When the first prison basketball game was held, in she went, three girls in tow, and took a seat in the bleachers with the inmates. When she heard that one convicted murderer was blind, she taught him Braille so he could read. Upon learning of inmates who were hearing impaired, she studied sign language so they could communicate. For sixteen years Catherine Lawes softened the hard hearts of the men of Sing Sing. The prisoners knew something was wrong when Lewis Lawes didn’t report to work. Quickly the word spread that Catherine had been killed in a car accident. The following day as the acting warden took his early morning walk, he noticed a large gathering at the main gate. Every prisoner pressed against the fence. Eyes awash with tears. Faces solemn. No one spoke or moved. The warden made a remarkable decision. "All right, men, you can go. Just be sure to check in tonight." These were America’s hardest criminals. But the warden unlocked the gate for them, and they walked without escort or guard to the home of Catherine Lawes to pay their last respects. And each one returned. Real love changes people. That’s genuine love. That’s true love.