Before We Sink!

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Lord, We Need A Miracle – Part 6

“Before We Sink!”

Pastor Jerry

Mark 6:45-52 (NLT)

 

————————————- Message Synopsis ————————————-

Across America, many pastors have determined to begin moving toward reopening their churches. However, here at the Boones Mill Church of the Brethren, we have never considered ourselves to be closed. We are all simply out of our building because our people are important. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be instruments of God’s protection for the vulnerable and for the common good, to be our brother’s keeper. While we share the desire to bring people back to worship inside the building as quickly as possible, and we will be working on that, we will wait to schedule our public worship when it is safe and we are best prepared to do so.

The reality of this coronavirus pandemic is that it is a very dangerous illness and the virus is easy to be passed to one another. That’s why we wear masks and do social distancing. Here at the Boones Mill Church we are going to continue to give first priority to the protection of the sacredness of life as we strive to minister to your spiritual needs.

Therefore, we are in no way prepared to rush the process of reopening in-person services. We are committed to being responsible and doing whatever it is that we need to do to make this happen.

I have faith that this Church Family here at the Boones Mill Church will continue to engage in practices that guide us in these difficult times and not threaten the lives of those we love. I have faith in the scientific and medical community and most importantly, I have faith in a God who stands with us during this pandemic to guide us with wisdom.

As I listened to the news reports this week, I kept hearing headlines that cried out: that the economy is sinking in the US and around the globe; that businesses are going under and many companies are sinking and that people are personally sinking in debt.

And the common word I keep hearing was: Sinking!  What do you do when you’ve got that feeling …of sinking?  We are concluding our sermon series today on miracles entitled: Lord, We Need a Miracle, and today our message is entitled, “Before We Sink!”  I want us to look at a miracle that is actually recorded in three places in the Bible about the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. Jesus used this miracle to teach them about how to trust God in tough times when you feel like you are sinking.

The background of the miracle we’re going to look at today happened on the same afternoon when Jesus had fed the five thousand .  When it’s over the crowd is going berserk wanting to make Jesus the king of Israel. They want him to overthrow Rome. Jesus knows, I didn’t come here for this reason, so I’m out of here.

So Jesus says, I’m going to head up to the mountain and I’m going to pray for a while by myself. But then he also tells the disciples, I want you to get in the boat; and he immediately sends them up to Bethsaida.

We pick up the story in Mark 6:45. What we discover in the story is that a storm came up; one with gale force winds. Their intended direction gets blown off course and they’re out in the middle of the lake. And they can’t get back to shore. They’ve been straining at the oars because the wind was against them. So, Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here! Then he [Jesus] climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped.  They were totally amazed. [In other words they hadn’t learned the lesson of the previous miracle.  They were still not figuring out what he was doing here] Their hearts were too distrusting to take it in.”

What’s going on here? Jesus intentionally sends the disciples into a storm. He knows it’s going to be a storm, because he knows everything. But he has a lesson of faith he wants to teach them. A lesson about what do you do when you feel like you’re sinking. What do you do when you feel you’re going under?

We’re going to look at that today.  But before we do I want to give you quickly five signs when you’re sinking. There are five symptoms of that.  Here are the symptoms.

  • First, I know I’m sinking when I can’t see my way.

I just feel like I’m in the dark.  I’m in a cloud. Don’t have any vision. I’m confused. The Bible says in John 6 “By now it was dark.” Have you ever been lost, really lost?  One of the first characteristics of you’re going under is you can’t see your way.

  • Second, I know I’m sinking when I feel I’m on my own.

I feel alone.  I’m rowing against the storm, but I’m all by myself. No one is helping me. I don’t know where God is. I feel out of touch with God. The Bible says in John 6, “Jesus had not yet joined them.” We always get into trouble when we’re away from Jesus.

  • 3rd– I’m going to be sinking when I feel I’m out of my comfort zone.

When I start to feel insecure. The Bible tells us the boat was in the middle of the lake. When you’re in the middle of the lake, that means you’re as far away as you can get from the shore. So they’re in this storm and they can’t just bail out of the boat and swim back to shore.

  • 4th – I feel like I’m sinking when Strong forces are against me.

The Bible tells us that they were tossed and battered around by the waves. Some of you right now are being tossed by a storm in your life: financial; out of work; fear of coronavirus.

  • 5th – I feel like I’m sinking when I’m struggling, and failing.

I’m doing my best, but I’m still going under.  I’m straining, I’m struggling, I’m rowing the boat but I’m not getting back to safety.  I’m not making any progress.  Mark 6:48 says “They were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the winds and the waves.” 

I know some of you are feeling this way these days.  You’re in serious trouble.  You’ve been trying to make ends meet but it’s not happening  – whatever it is.  What does God want you to do in that situation?  I don’t know what kind of problem you’re going through. But I do know this: When we go through tough problems we typically think that God has forgotten us, that he’s not doing anything about what we’re going through. The fact is, every time you go through a storm, God is doing four things.  We find them illustrated in this story of Jesus walking on water.  Every time you’re going through a storm.

  1. Jesus prays for you before it happens.

Even before I hit the storm, Jesus prays for me before I get into it.  The Bible tells us that Jesus was up on the mountain praying for his disciples as he sent them out into the storm. Most of the time in life when we’re going through problems, pressures, difficulties, things like that – it’s because we are out of touch with God.  When I ignore what God, when I ignore what he wants me to do, it causes trouble in my life. Doing it my way causes storms. But …sometimes even when you listen to his voice, you still end up in a storm.

What is Jesus doing right now?  Have you ever thought about that?  The Bible says that right now while he’s in heaven, Jesus’ is praying for his children.  He’s praying on your behalf. He cares about you.

  1. The second thing Jesus does when you’re in a storm: he notices your struggle.

The disciples were unaware that Jesus saw what was going on in their life so they were afraid.  Because we always get afraid when we think God isn’t paying attention. God knows everything about you. The Bible says he knows every detail of your life. God notices something that’s out of whack in your life before you notice it.  He cares.

      3. The 3rd thing Jesus does while we’re in a storm: he comes at your moment of desperation. 

At the very moment I’m ready to give up, that is the time he shows up in my life. Some of you are ready to give up right now. You say I had no intention of being right here today where I am now in my job, in my health, in this Pandemic, in my finances. You’re questioning, can I make it? Some of you at the moment of desperation. What does Jesus do when you’re at your moment of desperation?  Jesus comes to you!  He doesn’t wait for me to get to him because I can’t get to him. No lectures! When you’re in a storm you don’t need advice; you need a miracle. He went out to where they were. He intervened in their storm.

You may feel alone right now, but you’re not. The Bible says this in John 14 “I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm. I will come to you.” Count on it!

4. The 4th thing Jesus does while we’re in a storm Jesus shows me his true identity.

You only learn what Jesus is really like in the storms of life. He’s not mere man. He is God. The creator of the universe. By walking on water, Jesus is revealing he’s far more than a man. He’s saying I’m God. He says “It is I.”  I AM! Seventeen times in the New Testament Jesus uses the phrase “I am.” 

If you’re in a storm right now. If you’ve got problems. You don’t need things, you need Jesus. You don’t need what the world offers, you need a Savior. The answer is not something that you can think up to get you out of a storm. All the plans in the world weren’t going to stop the waves and the wind. They needed Jesus. They needed the great I AM.

This is what you need to do if you’re sinking. Don’t set your eyes on anything else. Keep your eyes on the Lord. Because the moment you get your eyes off the Lord, you’re going under. This is what happened to Peter. If God tells you to do it, it’s going to work. You need to stop trying to figure it all out. Your primary need right now, right here is the Lord.

So here’s the question: What storm are you facing right now?  What storm is sinking you right now?  Jesus will let you know, I’m all you need.  I will come to you.  The stuff you’re afraid of. It’ll be me. I’m not asking you to walk on water. I’m going to do that for you. I am going to come to you. You just need to stop being afraid and you just need to totally trust me in faith to take care of you.

Before We Come Up Empty!

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Lord, We Need A Miracle – Part 5

“Before We Come Up Empty!”

Pastor Jerry

Luke 5:1-11 (NLT)

 

————————————- Message Synopsis ————————————-

I don’t understand why politics should drive religion. It should not be about what are we constitutionally allowed to do, but what is best? I would argue that the Christian community ought to be about thinking wisely and thoughtfully about when and where to hold worship services.

I think that is why the Boones Mill Church is doing well during this pandemic. The Church of the Brethren which has always been more concerned about the wholeness of its members, rather than, how large the crowd is. And I want to commend this church and its members for your generosity.

The church is not a building — it’s a community of people who love Jesus and love each other. So while we may not have been able to meet in person in the church building, we can stay connected with people who care about us. Thank you Church Family!

Now, Do we have anyone here this morning who likes to fish? If you’ve ever been around a fisherman, you know they have some wild stories about fishing and the big fish they catch. The more they tell the stories the bigger the fish get.

I have a fish story to tell you today. And it’s one of the great fishing stories of all times.  In our sermon series on miracles entitled: Lord, We Need a Miracle, today we are continuing with that theme with a message entitled, “Before We Come Up Empty.”

The story today is about four guys who had a fishing business in northern Israel around the beautiful lake of Galilee. They were Peter and his brother James, and John and his brother Andrew. Now they are not disciples of Jesus when this story is being told. But they’ve been out all night fishing on the Sea of Galilee.

And Jesus comes along and he’s talking to a crowd that is following Him and he asks these guys, “Can I use one of your boats?”  Jesus is attracting large crowds and they want to hear him teach. But more important than His teaching, Jesus is planning to do a miracle.

“When Jesus had finished speaking he said to Simon, ‘Now launch out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘[Sir], we’ve worked hard all night and we haven’t caught anything.”  Ever felt like this.  “I worked all night/wk/month and I haven’t got a thing to show for it.”  What discouragement!

Sometimes this happens in life.  Sometimes you work hard and you work diligently and you work long and you’ve got nothing to show for it.  The fact is this miracle story has a lot to teach us because everybody’s fishing for something.  This story teaches us what do you do when you come up empty.  This is a very powerful moment.  When these four fishermen did what Jesus tells them to do they not only receive a miracle, but they’re blessed more than they can handle.  And their lives are changed forever.  Friends, that’s a fish story! That is a Miracle!

Here’s the point: they caught more fish in ten minutes than they had tried to catch in ten hours of fishing.  The fact is, God can do more in ten minutes in your life than you can do in ten years.  If you will do it the way he tells you to do it.

What makes the difference?  What made the difference between emptiness and overflowing? Jesus says in the book of Matthew “According to your faith it will be done unto you.”  The fishermen did four things.  They took four steps of faith.  You need to learn these steps of faith when you’re going through the difficult times, when you’re coming up empty in your efforts and need a miracle.  Let’s look the four steps.

The first thing you need to do, that which Peter and Andrew and James and John did is:

  1. You need to give Jesus complete access to your life.

Notice it says “Jesus got into one of the boats, and put out a little from shore and taught the people from the boat.” Here’s the starting point. You’ve got to get Jesus in your boat (in your life). Now in ten minutes they’re catching more than they can handle.  What’s different here?  It’s the same lake.  It’s the same boat.  It’s the same nets.  The only thing that’s different between nothing and fullness is Jesus is in the boat.  Do you think that makes a difference?  Oh, yeah!  Jesus in the boat makes the difference.

This is what Matthew 6:33 says “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and then all these other things will be added unto you.”  You’ve got to get the priorities right.  You’ve got to get Jesus in the boat.  Question: Do you have Jesus in your life?  Some of you are going through tough times right now and you’re trying to change things.  The fishermen didn’t need to change their nets.  They didn’t need to change their boat.  They didn’t need to change their location.  They just needed Jesus to guide the boat.  That’s first step.

  1. Here’s the second step to receiving a miracle. I admit that my efforts aren’t working. Verse 4-5 “When Jesus had finished speaking he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon Peter answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and we haven’t caught anything.’”

Do you realize how hard it was for Peter to say this? Peter is a pro. He’s good at what he does.  He’s a professional fisherman. But sometimes even when you’re a pro & you fish all night and you catch nothing—you need more than just your own wisdom. The truth is they’re doing their best. These are good guys. But friends, sometimes our best is not good enough. And sometimes there are situations that are out of our control.  Most of the major things of your life you can’t control.

What do you need to do? You need to first do these two things. You get Jesus in your boat and then, you admit that your way isn’t working. That’s humbling. The Bible calls that confession.

  1. Here’s the third step. The third step, if you want to see God turn emptiness into fullness, and do a miracle in your life, is you obey whatever Jesus tells you to do.

In other words, I must be willing to do whatever he tells me even if it doesn’t make sense. I must obey what God tells me to do even if I don’t understand it and I’m confused and I’m scared to death.  Jesus (verse 5) told them to launch out into the deep.  Simon says “[Sir], we’ve worked hard all night and we haven’t caught anything. [We’ve come up empty.] But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”  That is the key to this miracle; because you say so.

Notice what Peter does not do. First, he doesn’t argue with Jesus. “Excuse me Lord.  You’re a carpenter. I’m a fisherman. You know wood, I know fish. I know my job better than you, Lord.” No, I’m going to trust you. Question: What has God told you to do that you’re not doing? God’s not going to tell you 3, 4, or 5 steps, if you’re not doing step 1 and 2.

God is saying to some of you, I want you to start reading My Word. And you’re not doing it. God is saying to you, I want you to forgive that person and let it go and stop holding a grudge. And you’re not doing it. God is saying I want you to tell a friend about Jesus. And you’re not doing it. I don’t know what God’s already told you to do, but you know. God is saying to some of you, you need to come to Jesus. And you’re not doing it.

When you do whatever God tells you to do, you say, YES, I will because you say so. You say YES in faith. Because without faith it’s impossible to please God.  Many people live their lives saying NO to God. And they miss out on what God has waiting for them. One of the reasons God allows difficulties in your life is to force you into deeper water. He loves you too much to let you stay in the shallows.

1st – I give Jesus complete access to my life.  2nd – I admit my efforts aren’t working.  3rd – I obey whatever Jesus tells me – “because He say so.”   Then, the 4th  step, (emptiness into fullness)

4.Then the four step …is I expect Jesus to turn things around.

If God tells you to go fishing and then he comes along with you in the boat, and then he points out where to let down your nets, do you think you’re going to come up empty?  I don’t think so!  The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians “The one who calls you is completely dependable.  If he said it, he’ll do it.”  If God can control nature and fish like this story and obviously he can, He can take care of you in a pandemic.  But you’ve got to do it his way. 

God is looking for people who trust.  “When Simon Peter saw this [miracle] he fell on his knees before Jesus…”  This miracle is the turning point in his life.

Let me point out right here. This miracle is not about getting an abundant of things. It’s about God’s purpose for your life. It’s about the kingdom of God. He said I’m going to teach you how to fish for men. I’m going to teach you how to change the world. Jesus says, I want to give you a miracle. I want to turn your emptiness to overflowing. I’m going to use you, to change the lives of people.

God is calling you to leave your nets and follow him. Are you ready to do what God wants you to do?

 

Before We Can Start Over!

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Lord, We Need A Miracle – Part 4

“Before We Can Start Over!”

Pastor Jerry

Mark 10:46-52 (NLT)

 

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Pastors who are being given permission in reopening their worship services said they were worried about exposing elderly congregants, who are especially susceptible to the deadly coronavirus. And they are concerned about whether the extensive safety restrictions would actually work.

Do any of you know what this is?  It’s dried up grass.  It’s shriveled, falling apart.  It symbolizes our days of the coronavirus? A dried up kind of a life?

We’re going to talk about that together this morning.  Do you need a miracle in your life? Do you need to start over. Psalm 145:14 says, “God gives a fresh start to those who are ready to quit.”  That is God’s promise. And that comes as a miracle. The miracle of God giving you a fresh start is one of his greatest miracles.  We’re going to examine the example of a man by the name of Bartimaeus who Jesus healed. As you see how Jesus heals this man you see the steps, the ways the things that God does in our life to cause this fresh start to happen.

Bartimaeus needed help because he lived a pretty miserable life. He needed a miracle. He was blind physically, but he could see in his heart that there was more in life to live. The truth is there are a lot of people who can see physically but can’t see what life should be. They are miserable. They’re feeling sidelined by life in this Pandemic. All of us feel lost sometimes.

Oftentimes when we feel lost, we think this: I wish I could go back, just rewind the life that I’m living right now, and start over.

The question today is how can you start over?  You can – but it takes a miracle from God – only God can give you a fresh start in your thinking, in your faith, in your life. With Bartimaeus, as we walk through what Jesus did for him, we’re going to see how God can give us the miracle we need.  There are five choices that he made that changed everything in his life.  And they can change everything in our lives too.

Do you need a miracle?  The five choices that Bartimaeus made show us how to receive a miracle. Choice number one: here’s where you start.

 “S” – Seize the moment.

You seize the moment when it comes. You don’t wait. You don’t delay. You come now. You realize when it comes to a miracle that God wants to give into your life, it is this now or never moment. Bartimaeus had this moment in his life.  He didn’t know that Jesus Christ was going to pass by that day. He hadn’t planned for it to happen, he hadn’t prepared for it to happen, he wasn’t thinking about it going to happen, but when it happened, when the opportunity arose, he seized the moment… without excuses.

The truth is there are many opportunities of faith all around us. But we miss it many times. One of the main reasons we miss it is because we just put it off one more day. Then one more day becomes a week.  hen all of a sudden it’s months and even years. Then you are out of it, lost. That’s why it’s now or never. Today is the day!

What do you need today? Do you need a miracle? What step of trust in God can you take in your life right now?  Do it now. Seize the moment. That’s the first step in starting over, you seize the moment.

Then the second step to a miracle is…

  1. “T” – Tame your fear.

Why?  Because we all face fears. In any change, in any opportunity there’s going to be some fear that goes along with it. You can’t always do away with your fear, but you can choose to not let it control you. Fear, paralyzes our decisions. It can keep you from doing what you should.

Is that the voice some of you hear in your mind today? God doesn’t have time for you. He wouldn’t be interested in you. He’s got more important things to do. When you hear that, you need to just think one word in your mind: That is a lie. That’s a lie from Satan who is a father of lies. How do I know that? Because of what God tells us. John 6:37, here’s what God says: “I will never turn away anyone who comes to me.” 

 We often live our life because of what somebody else might be thinking about us. Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of human opinion disables you: trusting in God protects you from that.” How do I stop letting the fear of other people’s opinion control me?  Here’s the way. Write down these three words: put God first. You put the importance of your relationship with Jesus first.

  1. The third choice to a miracle is –“A”- you Announce your faith.

You make a choice to clarify what you really want. Then you confess it in faith. I believe Jesus can do miracles, because only God can heal somebody of blindness.  He trusts Jesus in that moment.

Here’s the amazing thing?  Jesus Christ asks every one of us this same question today.  What do you want Jesus Christ to do for you right now?  Do you need a miracle? God wants to do great things in your life but you have to ask in faith.

The fourth thing that happens to receive a miracle is…

  1. “R” – Receive God’s grace.

Mark 10:52 “Jesus said to Bartimaeus, ‘Go your way. Your faith has made you well.’ And immediately he regained his sight.”  He received the gift of a miracle, new sight, and it got him back on the road. I have no doubt that there are many of you who are facing difficult circumstances during this pandemic.

You need God to help you start over. Regardless of the circumstances, Jesus Christ wants to give you a miracle. It is a gift. You can’t start over yourself. Ephesians 2.  Here’s how grace happens.  “For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast…”  Do you need a miracle today? God wants to give it to you.

There’s one final thing you need to do to receive a miracle…

  1. “T” – Take the next step.

What’s the next step for you?  Whatever God wants you to do and you haven’t done it yet. For some of you it is giving your life to Christ. For some of you it is fully surrendering your life to Christ, for others it is joining the church, for others it is being baptized. Do you hear Jesus calling you today?

 When it comes to taking the next step, what we often say is, I’m aiming to do that someday.  Today is the day to make that decision. This is the day to decide, I want to start over.  The truth of the matter is, Jesus is passing by right now. Do you need a miracle? Do you need to start over? Do you need Jesus? 

When life shrivels up and dies. I don’t know how to give it a fresh start. I don’t have the power to do that. But Jesus Christ does. He has the power to do what you and I can’t do. It takes a miracle. Only one person – Jesus Christ –can do that. But if it’s going to come in your life, if it’s going to happen in your life, you’re going to have to do something. James 2:14 says “If people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing.”  So my question to you is, do you need a miracle?  What are you going to do about it?

Jesus was passing by Bartimaeus that day… he had no idea what was about to happen.  He didn’t plan for it, he didn’t prepare for it. But when Jesus came into his presence the opportunity came and he took it. Jesus is passing by right now for me and for you.  What are you going to do?

7 Ways to Love Your Mom Mothers Day

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Mother’s Day Celebration

“7 Ways to Love Your Mom Mother’s Day”

Pastor Jerry

Proverbs 31: 10, 28-30 (NLT)

 

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Today is Mother’s Day! But we are going to be celebrating Mother’s Day quite different this year. The coronavirus pandemic restricts where we can go and what we can do, many past traditions will have to be postponed to another year.

But because Mother’s Day this year won’t look like it usually does, we all have an opportunity to make it more memorable and perhaps even more special, than they were in previous years. We just have to make sure our moms, grandmother’s and others who are deserving of the honor feel appreciated on this special day.

So, on this Mother’s Day I want to spend some time giving adoration to the greatest mothers ever: Our Moms!

Mark Twain, the humorist, had these words of advice on raising children. He said, “When they become teenagers put them in a barrel and fed them through the knot hole. When they turn sixteen stop up the knot hole!”

Mothers …we have to say to you today … “Thank You …for everything you did on our behalf …to love us through the thick and thin …to love us through the sick nights …to love us when we were unlovable …to love us when we thought we knew what was best for us …to love us when we were so dumb …to love us, really love us.

Today it’s our turn to love you. I am going to give us some ways you can love your mom; or, if your mother is no longer with you, ways to honor her as we remember our moms.

So, you can love her in these 7 ways:

  1. Love your Mom verbally.

You have to say it out loud! Don’t think that because you’ve said it before – that she knows you love her.  A woman needs to hear those words, “I Love You!” How often? (Everyday!)

Many men are reluctant to express the depth of their feelings. But, our spouses need to hear the words, “I love you!”; our children do too…and especially our mothers!  Love your mother verbally… by saying it out loud, “I love you!”

And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to tell her that you love her and look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and be reunited with her again.

  1. The second way to Love your Mom, is to show it.

When’s the last time you gave her a big hug w/ out her asking for it…or a kiss on the cheek, or held her hand, or just sat on the couch and looked her in the eyes as you talked? Well the coronavirus pandemic has forced us all to readjust and rethink how we would show such love to our Moms.

But think back and remember…She’s the first person who ever touched you…she wrapped you up in her womb for months, and you came out and first priority was to hold you, and she cuddled you. When you were little she would give her bear hugs and cling to her as she walked around! She wiped food off of your face years longer than she should have!

She wrapped her arms around you and she still wraps her heart around you! What can you do? Your touch would mean so much …but even without that …holding up a picture of you and your Mom hugging …or pictures of you two doing something together …laughing together … it would mean so much.

And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to tell her that you remember how lovingly she held you and hugged you and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and give her the biggest hug ever.

  1. The third way to Love your Mom is, to do it patiently.

Mothers have an incredible job w/ no pay. No position in the business world compares to the physical, emotional, and spiritual commitment she has in motherhood.

Don’t ever make the mistake of asking a lady, “Do you work, or stay at home?” The only thing worse you can ask a woman is “when she’s due” if she’s not pregnant! And many women today have to work publicly on top of the full time job at home they already have.

Here’s the point, in spite of all she does for us, we often become impatient with her…we get so used to her taking care of things we come to expect it and are outraged when something is not clean, or out of place, or not ready. Love your Mom patiently. Because she’s tender to your needs is no reason to take advantage of her, its reason to be patient and to love her all the more!

And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to tell her that you were sorry for being impatient with her at times and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and ask her personally for forgiveness.

  1. The fourth way to Love your Mom is, to do it attentively.

Mothers listen as you pour out your heart…she has a sympathetic ear and care about your feelings…and even as an adult you’ve gone to her when you want someone who will really listen and understand…and she’ll always be by your side.

But when our mothers get older, they have issues of concern of their own, and now it’s our turn to be her “rock”…and take time to listen…it’s payback time!

And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to thank her for lovingly caring for you during hard times and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and see her again.

  1. The fifth way to Love her is, to do so gratefully.

Moms needs a sincere thank you, and not just on Mother’s Day, but most every day and gratitude from a genuinely thankful heart when least expected! You won’t always have your Mom at your side. Remember her while you can with apprecition!

And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to tell her how thankful you were that she was your Mom and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and tell her so.

  1. The sixth way to Love your Mom is, to do so generously.

There’s nothing too good for her, we could never repay her, but we ought to die trying before she does! She didn’t spend on herself unless all your needs were met…she could easily do without, and now it’s time for her to have something she wants! Mothers often give up opportunities so you can have more opportunities!

And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to tell her you were so blessed by her generosity and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and share that blessing.

  1. The seventh way to Love your Mom is, to do so honorably.

Exodus 20:12  “Honor thy …mother …” Some of you might say, “Yeah, but my mother wasn’t honorable!”  I am very sorry if that may have been your experience – and for some of you it has been. But, the Bible says nothing about that qualification if she is good…it only asks, is she your mother!

When the good Lord created mothers, an angel appeared and said, “What’s taking so long?” The Lord replied, “She is real complicated to create.  God said, “I’m so close to creating something so close to myself.” Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the mother. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced. “That’s not a leak,” said the Lord, “it’s a tear.”   “What is it for?” asked the angel. The Lord replied, “It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride.” “You’re a genius!” shouted the angel. With a quiet look on his face, the Lord said, “I didn’t put it there.”    Brother and sisters …Honor thy …mother…! …while you live on this earth.                       

And for you whose mother is no longer with us, ask Jesus to tell her you are honoring her today for Mother’s Day and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and honor her every day for all eternity.

Before We Lose Our Way!

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Lord, We Need A Miracle – Part 3

“Before We Lose Our Way!”

Pastor Jerry

Mark 8:14-25 (NIV)

 

————————————- Message Synopsis ————————————-

Over the past several months we have entered a new reality where life has taken on a new normal: stay away from others and wash your hands if you touch anything, all in an effort to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. We live in very uncertain times. No one can tell us when this will all end. Are you afraid?

I often hear people say…  I just don’t see how I’m going to make it … I just don’t see what I can do to change things … When people say “I just don’t see,” they’re using a phrase of hopelessness.  How you see life determines everything in your life:  It determines how you see God.  Everything in your life is affected by your perspective, by what you see.

In the book of Matthew Jesus said it like this, Matthew 6 “The eye is the lamp of the body.  If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eyes are bad, then your whole body will be full of darkness.”   Obviously, he’s talking about more than physical sight here.  He’s talking about vision.  He’s talking about seeing with spiritual eyes.

Learning to see life from God’s viewpoint in the Bible is called wisdom.  One of my goals as your pastor is to help you see clearly the path before you. It’s my purpose to help you learn to see everything in your life from God’s point of view.

We began a sermon series two weeks ago entitled: Lord, We Need a Miracle. And today we are going to continue with that theme with a message entitled, “Before We Lose Our Way.”   From the stories in the Bible we are learning how to have Faith to face these trying times. So today I want us to look at this issue of seeing clearly, before you lose your way.

In the book of Mark (8) Jesus uses two lessons to teach us to see correctly.  He uses a miracle of misunderstanding with his disciples and He uses a miracle of healing to clarify and help people get a better vision, a better handle on what am I supposed to be doing with my life in a time of crisis?

We’ll start first with the lesson from our Scripture reading, what I would call an embarrassing misunderstanding between Jesus and the disciples.  ‘Be careful,’ Jesus warned.  ‘Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.’  The disciples concluded it was because they didn’t bring any bread. Jesus said you guys have eyes but you don’t really see.  You still don’t get it?

You can know all the facts of the Bible and still not get it. Jesus said to the Pharisees: “You know your problem, you guys? You don’t know the Scriptures, and even worse, if you know the scriptures, you don’t know God.” You can know the miracle and not know the Miracle Worker’s purpose.

Every miracle has a message in it.  Obviously the disciples didn’t get it.  They were spiritually blind.  Blindness can be a metaphor for a closed mind. The disciples weren’t physically blind. But they were spiritually blind. They had all the facts and doctrines of the Bible but they didn’t get it, they didn’t really know what God wanted from them.

What is it that keeps us from seeing clearly and causes us to lose our way as we try to follow Jesus?  Why is it that sometimes we can’t see what’s the problem in our life? Why we’re not doing what God is asking us too? Why is it that sometimes we’re headed down the wrong road and we have no idea where we’re going?

In this passage Jesus points out a barrier that cause us to not be able to see clearly: its short term memory.  Isn’t that true?  How quickly we forget: God is with us! God does something good in our lives, he answers a prayer, he bails us out of a struggle and He helps us by giving us a miracle.  Then the next time a problem comes along we act as if there is no hope for us.  In Ephesians 1:18 it says “I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened…”  He says I want you to see the way God sees, from God’s point of view.  “…In order that you may know the hope.  Lord, open the eyes of our heart.  Help us to see from your vision.

Now, let’s look at the second lesson used as a means of teaching us to see, it’s the miracle of Jesus healing the blind man. Jesus is going to use this miracle to teach us three conditions for a miracle.

It says when they came to Bethsaida; some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. Notice Jesus doesn’t go to him.  Here’s the first point we learn, the first condition for a miracle.

  1. Miracles happen when somebody cares.

This guy didn’t come on his own. He’s blind. He had to be brought. Caring friends bring hurting friends to Jesus. There’s a word for this. It’s called intercession. Who do you need to bring to Jesus?  This man who was blind would have never had his sight back, but he had some friends who cared.  Here’s the second thing we learn about miracles:

  1. Miracles happen when we get close to Jesus.

Obviously you can’t be touched by Jesus unless you’re close to Jesus. You can’t be touched by him if you’re far away. Healing comes from a relationship with Christ. The more I get to know Christ the more God’s healing is able to be done in my life. The third thing it says, “Jesus took him [the blind man] by the hand and led him outside the village.”

  1. Miracles happen when we trust Jesus to lead us.

If this guy hadn’t let Jesus lead him outside the village he would have never had the miracle.  Some of you feel that way right now. You have no idea what God’s doing right now in your life. I have no idea where he’s wanting to take me. I have no idea how long it’s going to take. Congratulations. You’re getting ready for a miracle. This is called the walk of faith. If you’ve lost your way you need to trust Jesus. He loves you. He knows what you need better than you do.

So Jesus put his hands on the man …then his eyes were opened fully, his sight was restored completely, and he saw everything clearly.  What do we learn from this story in the Bible?  We learn about seeing with spiritual eyes.  We learn that miracles happen when we bring our need to Jesus and when we get close to Him and when we trust Jesus to lead us.

Jesus asked the disciples, ‘Who do you say I am?’  Peter said, ‘You are the Christ.  You are the Messiah.”  You are the Son of God.  How we see Jesus determines how clearly we see everything else.  When you let Jesus take your hand and you stay close to Him, and you trust Him, that’s when you’re about to have a miracle.  Do you need a miracle thus morning? It’s never too late to let Jesus heal your vision and heal your life.

Before We Run Out of Everything!

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Lord, We Need A Miracle – Part 2

“Before We Run Out of Everything!”

Pastor Jerry

1 Kings 17:1-16 (NLT)

 

————————————- Message Synopsis ————————————-

The coronavirus epidemic outbreak is affecting our world on medical, financial, and political levels more than any challenge we have ever seen in my lifetime. Are you worried? If you are worried, that’s understandable. But God has reassurances for all our fears today. Our God is a God of miracles.

We began a new sermon series last week entitled: Lord, We Need a Miracle. And today we are going to continue with that theme with a message entitled, “Before We Run Out of Everything.”   Sometimes, you don’t know that God is all you need until God is all you’ve got.  Could that be why God sometimes allows a shortage, a lack in our life? If I were to ask you, “What are you lacking today?”  What would you say …(and I don’t mean toilet paper) …what would it be …I need more money… I need more love…I need more faith.”

In today’s message we’re going to look at the things that cause people to feel hopeless.  We’ll do that by looking at the life of a man named Elijah.  His story is in 1 Kings 17 and it teach us lessons on how God wants to do miracles when there are things that are happening in our lives that cause us to lack what we need.

The Bible tells us that the current king and queen were the worst of all the previous; they were named Ahab and Jezebel.  The reason why they were so bad, not only were they terrible leaders politically, economically, but spiritually-they got rid of the worship of God and they brought in a false god called Baal. Therefore, God sends Elijah as a prophet, to go confront King Ahab. And say because of your wickedness it’s not going to rain any more in this country until I, the prophet of God says so.

This message did not sit well with Ahab.  They said we’re going to kill you.  Elijah was on the run for his life. Maybe you feel that way in this coronavirus outbreak. On the run from something that’s after you …afraid of something trying to sneak up on you to kill you! During the time of Elijah’s running, God did some miracles for Elijah and taught some lessons to Elijah that you and I need.  God wants us to learn the same things. So let’s let God teach us.

The first experience in Elijah’s journey of faith is the ravine, the Kerith Ravine.  Kerith was a place and a time of separation. Elijah was to hide there.  God had great plans for Elijah.  But first he said “You need time alone.  You need time to focus on ME.  God often uses private darkness in your life to prepare you for other days of light later on. Do you need a time of getting closer to God?

During this time that Elijah’s in this lock-down experience, God supernaturally provided for him –birds – bring food over the top of the ravine and drop it.  So for a year, Elijah’s eating leftovers in this (you could say) stay-at-home experience and his only support is from God.  Remember: you don’t know God is all you need until everything is taken away and God is all you’ve got.

But then in vs7 it says “The brook dried up.”  Some of you right now are in a situation where the brook has dried up in your life.  The job has ended. The money’s stop coming. Your HOPE has dried up. Things have dried up in your life. What do you do when the brook dries up in your life?  You do three things. There are three reasons why brooks dry up in your life and you need to know this because it’s going to happen more than once in your living.

  1. Brooks dry up to keep you from depending on the brook.

That’s the first reason.  Brooks dry up in your life to keep you from depending on the worldly water instead of the living water God. So God says whatever you’re trusting in if it’s not ME, I’m going to turn it off.  I’ve been trusting in my job for my security – well that just might get turned off.  I’ve been trusting in an easy life of freedom – well that might just get turned off.

God says you must trust in ME.  Anything you put before me is a false god.  It’s an idol.  What has become the bird and the brook in your life?  It’s whatever you’re looking for to give you security and happiness.  When God gives us something and then it’s taken away, we start getting mad at God.  Saying God is unfair! No gift God gives on earth is eternal …except eternal life.  That’s the gift HE wants you to have.  Do you have that gift? First thing to remember is that the brook dries up so we don’t depend on the brook …

  1. The second reason brooks dry up…is to move you to a better place in your life.

God had no intention of leaving Elijah in the ravine, in that place of separation, for the rest of his life.  It was simply a one year temporary stay-at-home for reflection.  He was protecting Elijah.  God doesn’t intend for you to live in the place you’re in for the rest of your life.

We get very complacent about the activities and routines in our life.  Let’s admit it.  As long as the brook was bubbling and the birds were bringing food, Elijah wasn’t going to move.  And sometimes God dries up stuff in your life to move you forward.  Where is God wanting to move you to? What is God wanting you to experience new?

Remember, first, God often dries up the brook in your life to keep you from depending on the brook instead of HIM, and second, He dries up the brook to move you to a better place in your life rather than letting you remaining as you are.

  1. The third reason brooks dry up …to prove that God is God and Has a Miracle waiting for you.

The first test of Elijah’s faith is in the ravine—to stop depending on the brook.  The second test of faith is when Elijah decides to get on the road—to go to a better place.  The third test of Elijah’s faith will be an encounter with God.  1 Kings 17:8-9 says “So then the Lord said to Elijah ‘Now get up and go to Zarephath and live there.  I’ve prepared a widow there [in Zarephath] to take care of you.’”  So Elijah obeys.  He went to Zarephath.  God says, “Get ready for your miracle!”

Then God says, When you get to Zarephath, I’m going to have a very poor widow to take care of you. This is a test of faith. When you’re running out of everything and you’re scared to death, all you can do is pray, O Lord we need a Miracle!

Miracles never happen in your comfort zone, when everything’s going great, when everything’s convenient.  You don’t need a miracle when everything is settled in your life.  You only need a Miracle when you’re on the edge, when you’re scared to death, when you need help.  Are you at a place right now in your life where you need a Miracle? Do you need God?

God does miracles in ways you don’t understand.  Why?  God says in Isaiah 55 “My thoughts are completely different from yours.  My ways are far beyond anything you can imagine.”  The way you want to meet the need in your life is not the way God wants to meet the need in your life.  You don’t have to try to figure it out.  You just have faith.  You just trust God.

Every time God does a miracle …God gives you a command, he tells you to do something.  Then he gives a promise and says, if you do it here’s what I’ll do.  Then you take the risk.  You step out in faith.  You probably don’t understand it! But God says I give the command, here’s the promise.  Now you take the risk.   Then comes the miracle; then comes the fulfillment; then comes the answer.

“When he reached the town gate, Elijah asked a widow to please bring me a drink of water and a small piece of bread, too.’”  “The woman answered, ‘…I swear I have no bread.  I only have a handful of flour left in a small jar and a little olive oil left in a jug.  … I came here to gather some wood so I could go home and cook our last meal.  My son and I will eat it and then we’re going to die of hunger.’”

This is a test.  The test is do you believe God or do you believe yourself.  He says God will supernaturally replenish it.  You’re never going to run out and you’ll always have reserve.  If you’ll do what I tell you to do on the promise of God.   When Elijah obeyed God, God took care of his needs! Do you think God can take care of you?  Do you think God is asking you to do anything?

God wants to teach you about faith.  God doesn’t need anything from you.  But He wants to teach you to be like him.  He wants to teach you to trust him. It’s a test of faith. God’s saying I want your heart. Are you ready to receive your miracle?

The Bible says this “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Notice he doesn’t say God will meet all your greed.  God has said I will meet all your needs in Christ Jesus. Are you ready for your miracle?

God is going to tell you to do something.  He has a promise to fulfill for you if you do it; If you take the risk; If you step out in faith.  You probably won’t understand it all! It may not make sense at all.  But God says I give the command, here’s the promise.  Now you take the risk.   Then comes the miracle; then comes the fulfillment; then comes the answer. Are you ready?

God says I love you! I sent my Son to the cross to die for your sins! If you will accept Him as the gift I am giving you for a new life – My promise is that I will make all things new in your life – and give you eternal life. This is a miracle I want you to have, now!

Before Its Too Late

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Lord, We Need A Miracle – Part 1

“Before It’s Too Late!”

Pastor Jerry

Luke 23:44-47 (NLT)

 

————————————- Message Synopsis ————————————-

We’re in the midst of a worldwide Pandemic, with most cities and even entire countries that are shut down. It’s a frightening time. “What is going to happen next?”

For many people, and me included, the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus outbreak is the hardest thing to handle. We don’t know how exactly we’ll be impacted or how bad things might yet get.

This is especially so, when we see and hear the news stories about people out of work …people running out of money …and people running out of food.

Did you know that you can’t live a meaningful life without HOPE?  You need HOPE to keep your soul alive.  You don’t just need HOPE for when the Pandemic will be over …you need HOPE today. You need HOPE, not because you’re going to die tonight from the coronavirus, but because you’ve got to get up tomorrow and live with purpose.

HOPE is not optimism.  Optimism is psychological; HOPE is theological.  Optimism is personal trust in yourself; HOPE is personal trust in God.  Optimism is what you think you can do.  HOPE is what you know God can do.

HOPE is always honest.  I believe God wills to bring us through this.  I believe God is in control. I believe God is working on our behalf to bring something good out of the bad.

Perhaps, you really are having a tough time in your life. And for that I’m truly sorry. And I don’t mean just having a tough time because of the inconvenience with the social distancing and the stay-at-home order.  We are worried and scared for our friends and families. And all of us maybe starting to feel a little bit hopeless sometimes.  We tell ourselves “I don’t know what to do.  I am going to be stuck in this awful mess of my life.It’s never going to be better for me.” 

That’s when we lose HOPE! When we feel defeated! When we don’t know where to turn!

Where do you get real HOPE at a time like this?  You get it from what was celebrated last week.  You get it from the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the central event of all history.  When Jesus rose from the dead it was the most important event ever to happen in history. Nothing is more important. Nothing is more hopeful. Nothing helps us more—right now.

So today I want us to look at HOPE.  And what the Bible says about HOPE.

The reason we need HOPE is because we live on a broken planet.  Where do you get HOPE for all that?  Lord, we need a miracle: before it is too late! Well …here’s where we get that HOPE! You get it from Jesus and His resurrection. 

There are passages of Scripture from the Bible that talk about three people – Mary Magdalene, Thomas, and Simon Peter.  Three people, who went through hopeless situations, who needed a miracle, who thought it would never turn around, and yet, when they had an encounter with Jesus they received a miracle. How about you? Do you need a miracle today?

(I Peter 1:21) “Because God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory, your faith and HOPE can be placed confidently in God.” 

You do know the reason why people are hopeless today, don’t you? It’s not because there’s no HOPE to be found. It’s because they’re putting their HOPE in all the wrong things and they’re looking for HOPE in all the wrong places.  You’ve got to put your HOPE in something that cannot fail you.  And that is in God’s love for you.  God loves you!  Jesus came to show you that no matter what you’re going through, there’s a reason for HOPE. (He has a purpose for your life).

The very first person who saw Jesus alive after the resurrection was a woman named Mary Magdalene.  Mary Magdalene had quite a story.  All of her life Mary just wanted to be loved.  There’s nothing wrong with that, wanting to be loved. We were created to be loved. You might say she was unlucky at love, because she went from one failed relationship to the next. She couldn’t figure out, what am I doing wrong?

Until one day she meets a man named Jesus Christ.  For the first time there’s someone in her life who treats her with dignity, treats her with respect, cares about her for the right reasons.  He loves her the way she’d always wanted to be loved.  He loves her unconditionally. He loves her regardless of her faults and failures and mistakes.  He just loves her.

Jesus didn’t just love her.  He liberated her.  He set her free. He gave her a miracle!

The first thing I want you to get from this message is: it’s never too late for a miracle from God! The Bible says in Luke 18:27 “What is impossible for people to do is possible for God.”  What is it in your life you’re saying right now, my life’s impossible?  It’s too messed up.  I don’t know what to do.  I don’t know where to turn.

Jesus says to you today, like he said to Mary: “I care about what you’re going through.  It’s never too late for a miracle. It’s not hopeless.  I will be your healer.” Do you need a miracle? It’s not too late! Let Jesus do the impossible for you today!

When Jesus was crucified none of his followers understood it.  Nobody got it that HE came to earth to die on the cross for the sins of the world.  Three days later He came back to life to prove it.  But no matter how many times he said it, they didn’t get it.  One of those twelve disciples was a guy named Thomas. Thomas had honest doubts. Thomas was a guy who just didn’t accept whatever was told  to him. He wanted to check it out himself. He didn’t automatically believe everything he heard from everybody. By the way, neither should you.

Thomas had doubts.  Jesus did not criticize Thomas for his doubts.  Doubt is a good thing if it drives you to the truth.  But if doubt causes you to be arrogant, stubborn, prejudice, then, that’s not doubt, that’s pride in what you know. Doubt says, I don’t know it all but I’m open to learn.  Jesus doesn’t put Thomas down for his doubts.  He doesn’t scold him.  He just says, “Here’s your proof.  Touch my hands and my side.  See the wounds.  It’s really me. I am alive”

Thomas finally says, “Yes Jesus, “It’s You –My Lord and my God! I believe.”

Here’s the second point I want you to get from this message: It’s never too late to start believing.

One of the reasons why we often are filled with doubt is because we don’t understand how God tests our faith.  Did you know that God is testing your faith?  Faith is like a muscle.  The only way it grows is when it’s being tested.  The only way you grow in faith is when God tests it.

God can do anything because all things are possible with him. All He asks is that you have faith in HIM …that you believe! Do you believe? A lot of times we think we’re waiting on God to do something.  But actually God is waiting on us.  He’s waiting on us to make the decision to do it his way.  “The Lord isn’t late with his promises as some measure lateness…  He is being patient for your sake.  He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time to everyone to repent.” (2 Peter 3:9)

What is God waiting on you to do?  Is He waiting for you to decide to follow Him?  The Bible says when we do that it brings new HOPE in our lives.  When you invite Jesus into your life and say Jesus I believe you’re alive. I want to repent. Come into my heart and life. I want to do this your way instead of my way. Then a miracle happens! Do you need a miracle?     It’s not too late! Let Jesus come into your life today!

There’s one other person I want us to look at before we close.  His name is Simon Peter.  You had to like Peter. He was lovable, he was enthusiastic, he was energetic.  Peter was a risk taker – he’s the one who jumped out of the boat. He always wanted to be the first to do something.  Peter had this energy, creativity about him. But like a lot of enthusiastic persons, sometimes Peter got a little overconfident. One time Peter’s talking to Jesus and he says “Lord, I’d die for you!  I’d do anything for you, Lord.  But, I would never, never deny you.”  (Matthew 26:35)

And of course he did.  When put on the line, at the crucifixion, Peter was scared for his own life and he denied Jesus three different times.  And he became broken hearted and bitter with tears.  This was the biggest failure in his life. He was forever ashamed!

What’s the biggest failure you’ve ever had?  What is the thing in your life you say, man, I wish I could do that one over.  This is what it was in Peter’s life.  He had denied the man he’d lived with for three and a half years as follower of Jesus Christ, followed him everywhere.  TAnd Peter is devastated by his failure. He is filled with guilt. He’s filled with regret. Maybe, just like you are with some of the things you’ve done in your own life.

Mary was hopeless because she said it’s too late.  My life’s over. There’s no way out. Thomas was hopeless because of the doubt and the fear in his heart. Peter felt hopeless because of the guilt and the regret he was carrying, and he thought he could never be forgiven.

But Jesus had a word of HOPE for Peter. And after the resurrection he said, Peter, I’m not through with you yet. The way for you to show love to God is by loving other people.  Jesus said, “Love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength… and love your neighbor as yourself.”

This is the final point I want you to get from this message today: It’s never too late for a new start.  It’s a miracle when you let Jesus give you a new beginning!

Jesus had a word of HOPE for Mary, for Thomas, for Peter …and today Jesus has a word of HOPE for you: It’s never too late for a miracle.  It’s never too late to start believing.  It’s never too late to start over.  You can change.  You can be forgiven.  You can be given a new life.

When you come to Jesus and asks for His help, that’s when a miracle happens! Do you need a miracle?  How would you like to have a band new life today?  Have you ever wished you could start your life over?  You can …right now, today. Do it before it’s too late! Let Jesus have your heart today and receive your miracle!

Journey from Fear to Peace

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Finding Your Spiritual Journey

“Journey From Fear to Peace”

Pastor Jerry

Matthew 28:1-10

 

————————– Message Transcript ————————-

I was recently listening to a Christian radio pastor who was preaching about the Coronavirus Pandemic, and he asked the question, “Do you know what God’s most persistent commandment is? Or in other words, do you know what one commandment God makes most frequently?”   I started offering up mental answers in my head, playing my own sort of guessing game…well it’s love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind and strength…or love your neighbor…maybe it’s go and sin no more… well slowly but surely I started to run out of guesses.  And that’s when the pastor said, “The answer is Don’t Be Afraid!” Don’t be afraid!

 Are you ever afraid? Are you afraid of failure, of rejection, of meaninglessness, of not being loved, or afraid of a health problem …or …afraid of death from the coronavirus outbreak.  Many of us live our lives in fear.

Do you understand why God has to continually remind us not to be afraid? It’s because we are afraid over so many things.  God appeared in the OT to tell Abraham that his barren wife Sarah was going to conceive, and the first words out of God’s mouth were, “Don’t be afraid.” In the New Testament, the angel of the Lord appears to Mary. The first words he says? “Don’t be afraid.” The same thing happens to the disciples in the boat during a storm … “Don’t be afraid!” or even to the women at the tomb…the same phrase is uttered more than 360 times in the Bible…”Don’t be afraid!”

 So why is it that God wants us not to be afraid?  Could it be that God is concerned with those who live in fear because it takes away their ability to live?  In fear …you never really learn how to live.

Just look at the two Mary’s who went to the tomb…they were afraid. Both the angel of the Lord and Jesus have to say to them, “Don’t be afraid.”  They had discovered that Jesus had been resurrected, but they still had no idea what was going to happen next.  Would there be more arrests?  More crucifixions?  Sure it was great that he had risen and all, but now what…now what were they supposed to do?   I think Jesus would say, “Hey folks let’s face it we are all going to die, aren’t we…so don’t be afraid that your life is going to end; but rather be afraid that it will never begin.”  Be afraid it will never begin!

I’m reminded of a story about one life that had the potential to never begin.  It takes place in an old church during their Easter celebration.  Early on Easter morning everyone gathers in this huge sanctuary and at the end of their sunrise service the lights dim and then the pageant begins down the center aisle. And so on this one particular Easter pageant the congregation begins to sing “He Lives” and the procession begins, being led by the angel of the Lord, followed by Mary and the disciples who come to the tomb, and find the stone rolled away.

Sitting near the center aisle is a family known to everyone in the church, a family who are wonderful foster parents. Many a child who has been unwanted, abused, or just plain hurting, has been placed in their home by the state. And sitting with this foster family this day is a little 4-year-old girl with two broken arms and a bruised face. It’s the first time she’s ever been in church.

And when she hears “the singing,” sees the candlelight, and then sees the procession led by the angel of the Lord and followed at the very end by little angels, she is so swept up in it all that she just steps out into the aisle and joins the procession towards the tomb. Well, in the back of the sanctuary is this church’s head usher. And when he saw this little girl step out to join the pageant, he kind of panicked and became afraid and thought, “Oh, my goodness she will mess up everything,” and he began barreling down the aisle to put a stop to it all.

Well, the 17 year old girl who was dressed as the angel of the Lord, seeing what was about to happen, reached out for the hand of this 4-year-old battered child, and she said, “Don’t be afraid. It’s okay. Come up here. I have something to show you.” She leads this little child up to the tomb, and she says, “This is where Jesus was laid when he had been beaten and crucified to dead.  But he came back to life and we’re celebrating his new life, and you’re perfectly safe here. You don’t have to be afraid.” And then the 17-year-old angel of the Lord said to the little girl, “The first time I came to this church I came with your foster family, and I was hurting, and I had been beaten, and I was so scared. But I learned that they are a safe family and that this church is safe and that here you don’t have to be afraid.”

She then asked, “Would you like to hold the hand of Jesus?” And the little girl’s eyes just lit up. So the angel of the Lord lifted this 4-year-old girl onto her lap. She reached into the tomb, took the hand of Jesus, and the angel of the Lord placed the hand of Jesus into the hand of a battered child and said, “Don’t be afraid.” And it was one of those moments when God did a miracle in the hearts of His people. The Risen Lord was there! It changed lives!

Friends, it’s Easter Morning and Christ has risen, and he’s aware that many of us bring fears with us today…shattered hopes and dreams, the loss of a job, the loss of a relationship, or the loss of a loved one. Some of us come to this place carrying a whole garbage load of guilt, Some of us come concerned about what the future holds, or about a health situation, or the threat of war, or some other situation. And God’s words are the same for us today as they were on that very first Easter morning…”I’m with you. I will be with you always. I’m here to deliver you into the world of hope, so don’t be afraid.”  The message of Easter is that there is no tragedy that God cannot redeem, and there is no loss the Risen Christ cannot overcome, so whatever your situation, and whatever your circumstances hear the words of God…don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid! Jesus is alive …and He is here with you!

Let us pray…

“Lord Jesus, be risen in my heart today.  Shine your light into my darkness, extend your peace into my anxious heart. Dispel my confusion, fear, and doubt. Overcome all my reluctance or procrastination. I confess that I am a sinner and need a Savior. I turn to You right now, and I claim your sacrifice on the cross as payment for all the wrong things I’ve done, and your resurrection from the dead as the basis of my life from this moment on. I ask you to come into my heart, and take charge of my life, I will follow You. ”

“Lord God, thank you for the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  Thank you for calling us out of my fear and into your wonderful Peace. Help us to live in the care of the shadow of your wings, day by day and moment by moment, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Make us all, every one, a true bearer of your Peace, a herald of the resurrection, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Journey from Darkness to Light

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Finding Your Spiritual Journey

“Journey from Darkness to Light”

by Pastor Jerry

John 20:1-29

———————————– Message  Transcript———————————–

The Cornoavirus Pandemic hit the world by storm three months ago.  New York and New Jersey took a massive hit of deaths from the storm. So did several other states in the country. The storm of the Pandemic plunged major American cities into panic … a darkness that is still hanging over the land. This storm of darkness has taken away homes …jobs …health. The darkness that claimed thousands of lives … it’s a darkness that may well scar some individuals, families, communities, cities and countries for many years to come.

Have you ever had dark tragedy strike you or your home? Deep darkness. Crippling darkness. Heart breaking darkness. Lasting darkness. Maybe you have. But I am here today to talk about a light that has come into the world that can dispel any darkness …that can change any darkness into …something new! Something good! Something hopeful!

For the past several weeks, we have been walking through a series of stories from the Scriptures, allowing God to show us how those Bible stories are also our stories.  In our worship experiences these past weeks, we have seen how the redemption God offers to all of us can lead us from despair to hope. And today, we see another episode with the journey from darkness to light.

But the story today begins in darkness. It begins with Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion, a series of incidents that took his friends and followers by surprise. It was a dark time.  Jesus was crucified … when that happened, in Matthew’s words, “darkness came over all the land” (Matthew 27:45b, NIV). And it came over them––over their hearts, minds, and spirits. Maybe you know what darkness feels like. You might even feel that way today. Or you might know someone who does. If that is the case, I want you to know: there is hope.  Why? …because that is not the end of the story. There’s more!`

We’re going to explore the scripture story together to see something wonderful about this “great salvation” we’ve been exploring in the light of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

What’s wonderful about this salvation that comes through faith in Jesus Christ is this: I am saved from the darkness of confusion, and enter into a new purpose. A new life. In the Gospel of John 20, verse 1, it says this: Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance” (NIV).

Think about Mary’s probable state of mind that Sunday morning.  She had to have been grief-stricken; she had just two days earlier witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus, the man in whom she had placed so much hope. She had seen him suffer things that she probably couldn’t get out of her mind, and would probably never forget.

If you’ve ever lost someone close to you, someone important to you, you know that grief doesn’t go away overnight. It lingers. Sometimes, it even festers. So I think we can be pretty confident that Mary was not whistling a happy tune as she walked to the tomb that day.

She was probably in a very low state of mind, a very dark place. Maybe you can identify right now. But it’s unlikely that many, if any, of us here this morning are much worse off than Mary was that morning.

But look what happens next. The scriptures say John 20:14-16, 18 …

14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.” (NIV)

So, Mary turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. She was confused. Have you ever been confused about who Jesus is?

In any case, Mary’s initial confusion disappeared when Jesus called her by name. Her grief evaporated like the morning fog. Her darkness lifted, and in its place excitement and joy rushed in. Jesus is calling your name this morning …do you hear Him? Folks, so it is with me, and with you. You may be downhearted, confused, even depressed about many things, but if you have invited the risen Christ into your heart and life, many things become clear.

His resurrection tells you, among other things, that THIS life is not all there is. It tells you that death is not the end. It tells you that if you hope in Christ, all your hopes can be revived.

It tells you that your Savior has triumphed over the worst this world can throw at you.

And so it can be for you today.  You can be saved from the darkness of confusion, and enter into the light of a new purpose, …enter into the light of a new beginning. It all happens when your eyes are opened to the risen Christ, when your heart opens to him, when you believe.”  And you say, “I will Follow You!”

I hope that is where you are today.  I hope you will open your heart and life to the risen Christ right now. I hope you will let him guide you from darkness to light, from confusion, fear, and doubt to a new purpose, a new peace in your life, and a new beginning for you.  Will you?

Will you do that? Will you make today an Easter in your heart? I invite you to do it now by praying with me a simple prayer. Just pray this sincerely from your heart:

“Lord Jesus, be risen in my heart today.  Shine your light into my darkness. Dispel my confusion, fear, and doubt. Overcome all my reluctance or procrastination. I confess that I am a sinner and need a Savior. I turn to You right now, and I claim your sacrifice on the cross as payment for all the wrong things I’ve done, and your resurrection from the dead as the basis of my life from this moment on. I ask you to come into my heart, and take charge of my life, I will follow You. ”

“Lord God, thank you for the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  Thank you for calling us out of darkness and into your wonderful light. Help us to live in the light, day by day and moment by moment, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Make us all, every one, a true bearer of the light, a herald of the resurrection, in Jesus’ name, amen.”