Photo credit: BackdropsBeautiful.com

 

Easter is coming soon!!!  It is on April 20th this year and it will be here before we know it!  This means a busy time of year around Sandy Ridge Wesleyan Church.  As you know, our church has a beautiful Cantata and Drama each year at Easter, and we need your help.  We will need help with set up, lighting, and you guessed it...actors to be in the Drama presentation.  Our first meeting/practice will be Sunday, March 23rd at 5:00 pm.  If you are interested or are willing to participate this year please see Katie, Gene, or Phyllis. 

"Christmas' Holy Night"

December 22, 2013
Christmas' Holy Night
Lamentations 3:20-26
Scott Howard

O Holy Night!  The stars are brightly shining.
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Soul felt its worth.
A thrill of Hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night devine, the night when Christ was born.


A day with Christ can change everything!

Three Truths that will give hope to you in your weary world:

1.  A new day with Christ brings exactly what you need. 

• God is already in tomorrow and He has everything you need for tomorrow, whatever it may bring.
• A new day with Christ always brings exactly what you need and what you need is the Presence of God.

2.  A new day with Christ brings us the hope to keep going.

• "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful."  --Hebrews 10:23

3.  A new day with Christ brings the help that you're seeking.

• "The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is nearly over; the day is almost here."  --Romans 13:11-12

"I will remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.  Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." --Lamentations 3:20-26

Hope has come!  Jesus Christ came and was born to a human, whom He created, to show His faithfulness and love, and to redeem us from our sins.  He is "God with Us" and when He rose from his cruel death and ascended to Heaven, He left His Holy Spirit to be with us until He returns to bring us home.  Praise God for His love, His faithfulness, His Hope!  

God's Warning Light: Check Life Soon

November 10, 2013
"God's Warning Light: Check Life Soon"
Genesis 4:1-12
Scott Howard

"Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.  When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord.  Abel also brought a gift---the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock.  The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift.  This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.  "Why are you so angry?" the Lord asked Cain.  "Why do you look so dejected?  You will be accepted if you do what is right.  But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you.  But you must subdue it and be its master."  --Genesis 4:2b-7

• There is a difference between commands and warnings.  God's commands are clear rules.  His warnings come when we are getting close to breaking one of those rules.
• God's warnings are Personal; they are Individual; they are also Timely.

God knew where Cain's anger was taking him, He knew the path Cain wanted to take.

When we are given these warnings from God, we are not given these warnings from an angry judge, but rather from a loving Father.

"The Lord, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for He had compassion on his people and His Temple."  --2 Chronicles 36:15

God's Blinking Warning Lights:

• God will send you His Word at just the right time.  There is a supernatural power in the Bible that will bring the Word of God to your mind at times you really need it.
• God gives us the examples of others who go before us. We are warned through the lives of others when we see where their decisions lead them.
• God will use the words of someone in your life.  Your family and friends know you.  Your first reaction may be to get defensive, but maybe God put them in your life for a reason, and maybe He is using them to speak to you.
• And maybe the very thing you're most defensive about is really the thing you need to pay the most attention to. 
• A sample of future consequences.  Sometimes He will allow you to trip up and feel a small set of consequences before you mess up really big so you'll be wary of the big consequences.
• The supernatural leading from God.  We may call this a coincidence, chance, or fate.  Maybe you are deterred from doing something altogether so that you would not have to make a poor decision.

Are You Amazed? Or Do You Really Have Faith?

November 3, 2013
"Are You Amazed? Or Do You Really Have Faith?"
Mark 6:45-52
Scott Howard

• Ministry is to become your life
• How does God shape faith in us so that, as we embrace Him by faith and we live by faith, we then become useful tools in His hands?

"Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.  [after feeding the five thousand]  After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land.  He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.  About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake.  He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost.  They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.  Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I.  Don't be afraid."  Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.  They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened."
--Mark 6:45-52

• There is a significant difference between amazement and faith.  For example: you can be amazed at rollercoasters, airplanes, new inventions, but still not trust them or put your faith in them.
• The disciples weren't just to be informed; they were to be transformed by His grace.

Devine Power + Devine Compassion = Everything You Need

• There is a God of Awesome Power who, because of Devine Compassion, has invaded my life, and that means He will Deliver to me all things that I need. 
• Jesus wanted the disciples in this seemingly impossible and dangerous moment. Mk 6:45.  It was part of His plan, He was not surprised by the storm.  He knew how self reliant we humans are, and wanted them to have faith in Him, not just be amazed by His works.
• God will take us where we have not intended to go in order to produce in us what we could not achieve on our own.

               A theology of uncomfortable Grace: God's grace will come to you in uncomfortable times.
               The Grace of refinement: being loved, being changed, and being rescued.

• in verse 48, Jesus went to them.  He could have just told the storm to stop, but he wanted them to know that He will take care of them through any storm. 
• God is not so much after your situation as He is after you.
• Amazement is a function of the brain.  Faith is an investment of the heart that changes the way you live.
• The problem with many of us is we're all too easily satisfied.  It's possible to believe in Jesus and still have a hard heart; a heart resistant to the redemptive change that comes from faith in Jesus. Mk 6:52
• I don't become a better me; I become, by grace, a radically different me.

It is definitely amazing what God can do, but it can be even more amazing what He can do through people who put their faith and trust in Him!

A Deep Yearning

October 20, 2013
"A Deep Yearning"
Habakkuk 3:1-4
Scott Howard

"A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on shigionoth (musical term).  Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Oh Lord.  Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.  God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran.  His glory covered the heavens, and his praise filled the earth.  His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden."  Habakkuk 3:1-4

There is a huge difference between being captivated BY someone and being captivated by what someone can DO.

As believers in Christ, the call is to do both: To be captivated by what our God can DO, but also to be captivated by WHO our God is.

Horizontal Theology - what God does: the blessings given to us, the people and relationships around us.

Vertical Theology - who God is: the very nature of God and why He chooses to bless us.

• Yearning is birthed out of two places:

1. The things God has spoken
2. Getting caught up in the Goodness of God

The Church today is good at acknowledging the things God does, but not as good at marveling at Who He is.

Two bothersome things:

1. Biblical illiteracy  (if we don't know His Word, how will we know His character?)
2. This type of yearning for Jesus is just such a rare thing.  (When we see someone with this all-consuming yearning for Jesus, we almost label them "weird".)

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."  Proverbs 14:12

Why this lack of longing? Why this lack of desire? Why this lack of zeal?
Two primary reasons:

1.  Gospel-assaulting lies

• We believe we're not good enough and can't come to Him.  But the truth is, we aren't good enough, but we can come to Him!
• We believe we don't need Jesus.   The truth is, whether we have not yet come to Him, or we have, everyone needs Jesus.

2.  We don't understand the Cross fully

• we just don't know what we're missing

Even if we've grown up in church and know the talk and know the game and can go through the motions, we may know about God and not know who He is. 

Do we really desire to have a deeper understanding of the all powerful, loving and merciful God who saved us?  Most of the time we know more about celebrities, movies, hunting, sports, crafts, etc. than we do about God.  It takes time to learn about things that interest us.  Truthfully, if we don't know much about God, it is because we just don't want to take the time to learn.  God wants us to want a relationship with Him.  May we start yearning, longing, desiring to learn more about God and to grow deeper in our relationship with Him.

Be Motivated to a Future Hope of Glory

October 13, 2013
"Be Motivated to a Future Hope of Glory"
Romans 8:31-39
Scott Howard

What motivates God's people?

Five truths for God's people on their journey to Glory:

1.  Because God is our Sovereign Protector all of our enemies will fail!  Romans 8:28-30

We have three great enemies:

• the world
• our flesh
• Satan and all of his demonic forces

So how do you determine if God is For you (on your side)?

• Do you love God?
• Is your life in alignment with the purposes of God, or is your life in rebellion to His purposes?

2.  Because God is our Supreme Provider, all of our needs will be met! Romans 8:32

As Christ followers, we are always compelled to look to the Cross.  God gave up His own Son for us all.  If we can trust Him for our salvation, then we can trust Him to bring into our lives only that which is good for us.

3.  Because of God's Ultimate Ruling, we will never be found guilty!  Romans 8:33

When we accept His gift of salvation through Christ's sacrifice, God removes our rebellion and imparts Christ's righteousness on us.

4.  Because of God's Saving Work in Christ for us, we will never be condemned!  Romans 8:34

The passage asks who is to condemn us.  The answer given in the passage is simply that Jesus Christ has completely saved His people.  Romans 8:1

5.  Because of God's Love in Christ for us, our hope of Glory is certain!  Romans 8:37-39

You see, it is not that we won't ever face hardships or bad times in our journey, but that we have God's protection, provision, saving grace and love through it all!  So we will have victory in the midst of our trials, along with the confidence of our future hope of Glory.

What great news we can (and ought to) share with others!

The Purpose of the Cross in You / (Part #2)

October 6, 2013
The Purpose of the Cross in You / (Part #2)
1 Corinthians 9
Scott Howard

Sometimes we can get so caught up in the daily routine of living that we actually miss the ultimate reason for life.

If you are a follower of Jesus you have been saved for a Purpose: for the enjoyment of God and the spread of the Gospel from where you live to the ends of the earth.

Three Exhortations for Followers of Jesus Christ:

1.  Let's Relinquish our rights for the sake of the Gospel. 
(This was from Part #1 of this message, please see the previous sermon posting for details regarding this particular exhortation).

2.  Let's Rearrange our lives for the spread of the Gospel

• Jesus saving you frees you to be a slave
• We are freed by Jesus to be slaves of God
• We are obligated to obey

In our text, Paul changes from language about rights to language about freedom starting in verse 19.  And he defines what he means by letting us know that all kinds of people around us need to be saved, so we should make adjustments to our lives in order to be a slave to that purpose of sharing the Good News to others.

• Follower of Jesus, because you are owned by Christ, you owe Christ to the world.  (He purchased our debt on the Cross).
• "God's gracious conversion of us creates a Gospel compulsion in us."  --David Platt
• Salvation leads to mission
• We are free to be slaves of others (v.22)
• We willingly commit our lives, our families, and our church to this mission. (v.23)
• We lay aside all of our comforts for the spread of the Gospel.  We should not seclude ourselves in a "Christian Cocoon", that would be hoarding Christ all to ourselves and would be directly opposite His mission.
• We can't disconnect the two: being saved, and sharing salvation with others.

3.  Let's run this race together for the Glory of our God

Paul uses runners in a race as an example of our purpose.  Runners run for a purpose, for a prize.

The Requirements in this race:

• Sacrificial Self-Denial -- a runner does not indulge himself in anything that would hinder his progress or his training. (v.25)
• Stringent Self-Discipline -- a runner keeps control over his body (v.27)
• Single-Minded Devotion --there is one goal, one prize (v.23)

The Rewards of this race:

• Others will experience the eternal Joy of Salvation
• We will fulfill the earthly purpose of salvation

It will then be we, together with as many as we can bring with us, sharing in the riches of God and Glorifying God for all eternity.

If you allow the things in your life to distract you from spreading the Gospel, you lose out and others lose out too.  Let's not lose the race because of distractions.

Be saved today for a purpose: for the enjoyment of God and the spread of the Gospel from where you live to the ends of the earth!

The Purpose of the Cross in You (Part #1)

September 29, 2013
"The Purpose of the Cross in You" (Part #1)
1 Corinthians 9
Scott Howard

We can get so caught up in the daily routine of living that we actually miss the ultimate reason for life.  We don't want to miss the whole point.

• Are you a follower of Jesus?  Do you recognize yourself as a sinner before a Holy God who is merciful and gracious enough to send an atonement for your sins through the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior?
• If you are a follower of Jesus, you have been saved for a purpose:  To enjoy and worship God and to spread the Gospel from where you live to the ends of the Earth.

Three Exhortations for Followers of Jesus Christ:  (we'll look at one today and more next week)

1.  Let's Relinquish our rights for the sake of the Gospel.

We must think of what is best for the sake of the Gospel.  If it comes to us having to forego a certain right to which we believe we have in order to bring others to know Christ, we should let go of that right.  Within reason and the bounds of what is right according to God's will.  For example, we have the right to spend our time the way we want, but if it means an opportunity to share the Gospel with someone while taking time to sit and talk with that person, we should give up that right to go spend that time a different way.

You have rights in Hickory, NC, in the USA, and in the World around you

• Right to Life, Friends, Marriage, Family, Safety, Security, Health, and Happiness.
• Right to Eat, Drink, Watch, Wear, Read, Study, Listen to, and say whatever you want.
• Right to Organize your schedule, Spend your time, Choose your career, Earn your money, Use your money, Take your vacation, and Plan your retirement.
• Right to do what you want to do, go where you want to go, and live how you want to live.

The Cross compels you to surrender your rights for the sake of the Gospel in Hickory, and in the World around you.  Challenge:  Live radically different in your community. 

Examples: 

1. Sacrifice your time and money to foster or adopt a child
2. Sacrifice some savings and retirement planning to give to the church or missions for the sake of extending the Gospel
3. Sacrifice your time to volunteer or help others
4. Sacrifice your safety and security to go into the mission field to spread the Gospel
5. Sacrifice some time to take a friend or family member to dinner and love them with the love of
   Christ and share the Gospel with them.

1 Corinthians 9:12 "But we did not use this right.  On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the Gospel of Christ."

Colossians 1:15-16 "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created: things in Heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and FOR Him."
  
We are not our own, we are His, and our purpose is to live for His Glory.

Colossians 3:1-4  "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in gory."

If our purpose is to please God, what would please God the most?  Leading others to follow Christ and to have the salvation we ourselves are so grateful for.  Sometimes it's not easy, and it takes initiative on our part.

Luke 14:23  "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full."

The Cross and my Response, Part 2

September 15, 2013
"The Cross and My Response" part 2
1 Corinthians 1
Scott Howard

The theme of the entire book of 1 Corinthians is the Cross.

Last week we studied just the first way the Cross forms the Christian: The Cross Humbles us.

Six Ways the Cross forms the Christian:

1.  The Cross Humbles us.
2.  The Cross Satisfies us.  See 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

• Because of the Cross all of our guilt is gone
• Because of the Cross all His gifts are ours

3.  The Cross Unifies us.  See 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

• The Cross erases any reason for division among you
• The Cross exalts the only One who died for us

4.  The Cross Transforms us in Christ.

• Christ is our righteousness: Meaning, He has saved us from sin's penalty.
• Christ is our sanctification.  He is saving us from sin's power. 
• Christ is our redemption.  He will ultimately save us from sin's presence altogether.

5.  The Cross Compels us.

• We want to reflect the Holiness of God
• We want to proclaim the Hope of the Gospel

6.  The Cross assures us.  See 1 Corinthians 1:8

• The Christ who came to die on a Cross is the Christ who is coming to usher in a Kingdom.
• The Church is not living for our best life now; the Church is living for our best life later.

The Cross and My Response

September 8, 2013
"The Cross and My Response"
1 Corinthians chapter 1
Scott Howard

• What makes the Church distinct is the Cross of Jesus Christ

Ways the Cross forms the Christian:

• The Cross humbles us.

   1.  The Contrast: 1 Corinthians 1:18

• To those who are perishing (not saved), the Cross seems absurd.
• To those who are being saved, the Cross evokes awe.

   2.  The Cause:  1 Corinthians 1:26-28

• It's not the specific quality of those who are called.
• It's only the sovereign mercy of the one who calls.

The mercy of God (and our acceptance of it) is what allows us to view the Cross with awe.

   3.  The Caution:  1 Corinthians 1:30

• Recognize the initiative of God. He called, and chose us.
• Remember the responsibility of man.  Everyone is responsible for how he/she responds to the invitation and call to salvation.

Charles Spurgeon pondered these thoughts as well:

 "I am quite certain that, if God had not chosen me, I should never have chosen Him; and I am sure He chose me before I was born, or else He never would have chosen me afterwards; and He must have elected me for reasons unknown to me, for I never could find any reason in myself why He should have looked upon me with special love."

   4.  The Conclusion:  1 Corinthians 1:31

• We don't revel in the wisdom or the ways of this world
• We only revel in the Grace and Glory of our God

Again, let's look at a portion of writings by Charles Spurgeon:

"How then can we be proud? Stand at the foot of the cross, and count the purple drops by which you have been cleansed; see the thorn-crown; mark His scourged shoulders, still gushing with encrimsoned rills; see hands and feet given up to the rough iron, and His whole self to mockery and scorn; see the bitterness, and the pangs, and the throes of inward grief, showing themselves in His outward frame; hear the thrilling shriek, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" And if you do not lie prostrate on the ground before that cross, you have never seen it: if you are not humbled in the presence of Jesus, you do not know Him. You were so lost that nothing could save you but the sacrifice of God's only begotten. Think of that, and as Jesus stooped for you, bow yourself in lowliness at His feet. A sense of Christ's amazing love to us has a tendency to humble us more than even a consciousness of our own guilt. May the Lord bring us in contemplation to Calvary, then our position will no longer be that of the pompous man of pride, but we will take the humble place of one who loves much because much has been forgiven him. Pride cannot live beneath the cross.
Let us sit there and learn our lesson, and then rise and carry it into practice." 

Food for thought: Before God made the heavens, before he laid the foundations of the earth, He sought and chose you to be His child.  You are that important to Him!  Yes, man sinned and chose independence from God, but He made a way.  God opened up a pathway, through the Cross of Jesus Christ, for us to be reconciled to Him and to be made righteous through His sacrifice.  All we need to do is respond.

Our Ways or God's Ways

September 1, 2013
Our Ways or God's Ways
Isaiah 55
Scott Howard

Are we really following God's ways, or are we making our own plans, walking our own path?

• The Lord is saying through the prophet Isaiah - Five times- "Come"

This is an invitation for us all.  In Isaiah chapter 53 it is talking about Jesus coming to be our salvation.  In chapter 54 God is telling us all is forgiven.  And now in chapter 55 He is inviting us to find our fulfillment and satisfaction in relationship with Him.

• Who is this invitation extended to? "Come, everyone who thirsts..."  It's for you!  If you are searching for fulfillment, purpose, hope, joy, forgiveness; if you are brokenhearted, if you're complacent, if you are worn out, etc.

There are two types of people:

1.  They are thirsty and they know they are thirsty.
2. They are thirsty but they don't know it.

We may be chasing dreams, looking to other things in this world to satisfy any of our needs.  But they cannot and will not satisfy, we will always come back feeling empty.

• Satisfaction is found at the banqueting table of the King.  Our text talks about the feast with the King.  It represents taking care of all our tastes and our needs, and we are guests that do not have to pay!  All the costs have been taken care of, through the Good News of the Gospel.

Three pictures of the Gospel; of this invitation:

1. Water - Represents Life--in the text it is plural to imply a never ending abundance of what God provides to quench our thirst.  It is life sustaining.
2. Milk - Represents Spiritual Milk, to strengthen our weak souls.  Just as milk to an infant has all the right ingredients to strengthen muscles, bones, and nerves, this spiritual milk gives us what we need to grow.
3. Wine - Represents the enjoyment and delight of our God.  This is not a necessity for life or growth, it is for celebration and enjoyment. 

The three are specific to satisfy us in Life, Strength, and Joy.

Paul says, "For our sake he [God the Father] made him [Jesus Christ the Son] to be sin, who knew no sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God." --2 Corinthians 5:21

The way has been made.  This invitation which is extended to us is extended to us free of charge, right?  "Come buy without money and without price." Isaiah 55:1b

But it is still conditional.  There is still an element that must take place in our own lives, and that's the element of Surrender.  We must forsake our own ways and turn to the Lord.  It may be beyond our comprehension, but God's ways are higher than our ways.  Isaiah 55:8-11. 

In Isaiah 55:12-13, This part of the text is our future in Christ: joy and peace--no more death, no more pain, but paradise with God: everlasting joy and peace!

Let us align our ways and our paths to God's ways, and allow Him to fulfill and satisfy us completely.

I Have Been "Born Again;" Now What?

August 25, 2013
I Have Been "Born Again;" Now What?
John 3:1-21
Scott Howard

--How can the Gospel become a reality in our lives?
--Are you "Born Again?"

"Jesus replied [to Nicodemus], 'I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.'" 
--John 3:3

Nicodemus had been a Pharisee, and had studied the Jewish religion all his life.  He spent his life learning (intellectually) how to "do" his religion.  But after Jesus came, all his "religion" (his rules and law to live by) became meaningless.  It was a cover-up for his isolation and independence from God.  He had no spiritual life or relationship with God.  In our text, Jesus is telling Nic that he needed to be born, spiritually, to a new life and relationship with God.  This has everything to do with God and His Grace.

-God is the Supreme actor in salvation.
-God's grace permeates the whold picture of what it means to be "Born Again."  It cannot be done without His grace.
-Faith, at its core, is a gift of grace.
-Your faith is based on a God whose grace has totally captivated you and transformed your life.
    
---What happens when we are "Born Again?"

-God reveals our need
     --The new birth is necessary to know God
     --The new birth is impossible without God
     --The new birth is dependent on God  (it's not about what you do, but what God does in you!)

The phrase "born again" literally meant "to be born from above."  What a neat picture.  This is a different birth than physical, it is definitely a spiritual birth.

The Gospel is a picture of God coming to you right where you are!  God doesn't require you to "clean-up" your life first.  He comes to you in your darkness and shines His light on you.  And it's the righteousness of His Son that cleans you from the inside out.  There is no one who is beyond God's reach.

-God changes our heart.  He gives us a new heart, and fills us with His spirit which ultimately changes our lives. 

Like Nic, we tend to spend our lives trying to reform our lives on the outside, in order to look religious.  But we need God to change us from the inside out.  If we try to do things on our own and keep on failing, we lose our joy and run back to our old lives.  But it's not about improving our old nature, it's about God giving us a new nature; new likes, new dislikes, new desires, and new goals.  It may not be all at once, but if we give up our control, and let Him do the work, He will change us and mold us bit by bit, into the sons and daughters we were made to be.

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"
--Matthew 19:26

The Forgiven

August 4, 2013
The Forgiven
Luke 7:36-50
Scott Howard

God saves both the wayward and the uninterested. 

In our text, Jesus is dining at the house of a Pharisee and a "woman of the city" (or a town harlot, as The Message calls her) found out that Jesus was there.  She was so overcome by the shame and guilt of her sinful life that she wept at Jesus' feet.  When she realized she had drenched his feet with her tears, she dried them with her hair and then bathed his feet in perfume.  Probably the most expensive thing she had. 

The Pharisee, thinking silently to himself, wondered if Jesus was who he said he was because, surely he would know that this was a sinful woman touching him.  Jesus knew what he was thinking and called him out on his self-righteous attitude, adding that the woman was a better host than the Pharisee also.

"Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said. 
"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender.  One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both.  Now which of them will love him more?"
Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.  Then he turned toward the woman but said to Simon, "Do you see this woman?  I came into your house.  You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.  You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.  Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven---for she loved much.  But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
---Luke 7:40-47

Even though the woman  had many sins to be forgiven of, she was not too far into sin that forgiveness couldn't reach her.  Isaiah 59:1 says, "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear."  He hears even the silent cry for help, and reaches as far as we can go in order to save us!

God's just desserts:  Jesus leaves a few words for the woman after the meal. 
"Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."  The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." 
--Luke 48-50

• Be Forgiven -- Released from  guilt
• Be Saved -- by Faith accept His forgiveness
• Go In Peace -- Walk through life with an inner tranquility

Worship always happens at the feet of Jesus.  Worship is a preoccupation with Jesus, not some form or ritual.  And worship is more concerned about giving something than getting something.

Points of Grace

July 28, 2013
Points of Grace
Luke 15:11-32
Charles Patton

How can you explain something that is inconceivable, incomprehensible to our finite and human minds?  I'm not sure we can really ever comprehend the depth of God's unending grace.

GRACE = God's favor given to undeserved people. 

God's Riches At Christ's Expense

We can see a beautiful picture of grace in the story of the Prodigal (or Lost) Son in Luke 15:11-32.

Three Points of Grace:
1.  God's grace is Free! --see also Romans 3:23-24, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

• This free gift is attained when we admit we are sinners and ask God for forgiveness.
• When we ask for this gift we are admitting our sinful state.

Point of Grace: Though it is free, it is not cheap.  Grace is a valuable gift.  To receive this gift of grace we must realize we are sinners and ask God to forgive us.  We cannot earn it and we don't deserve it, but that is the definition of a gift.

2.  God's grace is Huge!  Luke 15:21-24, "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son."  But the father said to his servants...'Let's have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

• At his lowest point, when the son was lost, dirty, broke, starving, he realized there would be grace at his father's house, at least as a servant.  But he did not realize the depth of the grace he would receive after admitting his wrongs.

Point of Grace: There is no sin too big or too evil for God's grace to cover.  God's grace is bigger!

3.  God's grace is All Sufficient!  Luke 15:22, "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.'"

• God's grace will dramatically change you.

Point of Grace: God will receive us "just as we are" but will not leave us in that condition.

Even when the son came home in dirty rags and no shoes, his father hugged him and accepted him.  Then he got him a clean (the best) robe, sandals, and a ring to show he was still given the riches of the family.

God will help us become His holy people.  "For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." --Romans 6:14

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.  I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.  T'was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved, how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed." --John Newton

Cracked Pot Christianity

July 21, 2013
Cracked Pot Christianity
2 Corinthians 4:7-12
Scott Howard

Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, oh God, you will not despise."

What does it mean to be broken hearted, or broken in spirit?

In Hebrew, the definition of "heart" is made up of the mind, emotions and the will.  The mind is made up of your value system.  The emotions are made up of your passions.  And the will is made up of your actions based on your value system and passions.

Spiritual Brokenness = The spiritual state by which one is disarmed of one's self-dependence and pride, therefore leaving one disabled and in desperate need of help, thereby making one a viable conduit for the glory of Christ.

Signs of a person that needs to be broken:

• A life that's marked by independence  (does not need to depend on anyone)
• A life that's marked by prayerlessness  (does not need God to hear their prayers)
• A life that's marked by dry eyes  (does not cry)
• A life that's marked by isolation  (does not interact with people, or God)
• A life that's marked by being unteachable  (does not wish to learn more)
• A life that's marked by being unsynchronized  (is not in sync w/ God or His Word)
• A life that's marked by busyness  (is too busy for the things of God)

1.  God put power in the vessel (the vessel is you and I).  2 Corinthians 4:7, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay (earthen vessels) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 

• What is this treasure?  2 Corinthians 3:18, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
• The Glory of God through the Gospel---expressing the power of God, His Glory, through our weakness.  If we are broken before God, it will be His power alone that others see, not any of our own power.

2.  God puts pressure on the vessel.  2 Corinthians 4:8-9, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

Areas that God will break you in:  God will break...

• Your Plans -- He will make sure our plans don't out weigh His plans for our lives.
• Your Relationships -- if our goals for the relationship do not line up with God's goals for the relationship, some relationships need to be broken in order for there to be growth.
• Your Will -- example: Jonah put his trust in a ship that would take him away from what God was telling him to do, so God hurled a storm at that ship and caused Jonah to turn back.

3.  God pushes Jesus out of the vessel.  2 Corinthians 4:10-12, "We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.  So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."

We are broken so that the life and glory of Jesus, who is in us, can be seen through us, or rather, that Jesus is what comes out of us.  This is "Cracked Pot Christianity."

Jesus is stronger than your life---if you let God break you, He will build you back up again and restore you with Jesus' life so that you are stronger.

A Seed of Doubt?

July 14, 2013
A Seed of Doubt
1 John
Scott Howard

Have you struggled with an ongoing doubt about your relationship with Christ, or are you scared when you think about the end of your earthly life?  It is with a loving heart our Pastor shared this message with us on Sunday to make sure there is no more doubt.

3 Reasons for struggling with ongoing doubt...

1. You struggle with doubt because you're not saved.  --Matthew 7:2-23 "Not everyone who says go me, 'Lord, Lord' will not enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'  Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"

It is possible to do things in Jesus' name and not know Him at all.  If you don't hate sin in your life, if you don't love holiness, perhaps you doubt your relationship with Jesus because you should.  You may not have a heart that transforms as you seek after God.  If God is raising that alarm of doubt in your soul He is being merciful to let you know something is wrong with your relationship with Him.

      2.  You struggle with doubt because you have a hard time believing and staying dialed into the Gospel.  You have an uncertainty about God's love and affection for you.  The reality of the Gospel is that you don't save you, God saves you.  You cannot earn God's love, He gives it freely.  You do not partner with God to gain salvation, you simply say Thank You, and accept it. 

That is a spiritual truth that a lot of people struggle with: God Loves You.  Not just when you finally get your act together, He loves you because he is your Father.  You cannot earn a gift, it is given out of love.  Nothing can separate us from His love.  See Romans 8:26-35.

      3.  You struggle with doubt because you are walking in secret, indwelling, habitual sin.  If you are hiding sin, or you are simply not calling your sin what it really is, your doubt is a warning signal to examine your heart.  Read Psalm 32.  In this Psalm David is saying that secret sin is exhausting.  When you hide sin it makes you tired, but when you confess your sin, God forgives the sin and the guilt. 

So lets look at 1 John in order to be sure our hearts are aligned properly to God's word.

• Have there been and are there times in which you Love and Submit to His truth and His Word?  --See 1 John 5-10.  Do you delight in following God's plans?  Do you trust His Word?  Or do you fight, argue or make excuses?
• As you look back on your life and on your heart, do you see more and more a Moral Conformity to the life of Christ? -- See 1 John 2:1-6.  Do you hate indwelling sin?  Do you desire holiness?  Does your heart delight in what God delights in, and not that of the world? Do you desire to bring Glory to Christ and not yourself?
• Do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ?  Do you extend Grace to them?  Do you grant them the benefit of the doubt? -- See 1 John 2:9-11.  Extend the grace, mercy and love that has been extended to you by God. 

Trust and obey God's love and His Word.  Ask God to help change and mold your heart to desire His desires.  Be honest with yourself and God, confess your sins and watch Him change your doubt to absolute certainty!

God Can Use You

July 7, 2013
God Can Use You
John 17
Charles Patton

Jesus used many methods of communication, such as dialogue, parables, word pictures, and object lessons.  He even used prayer to communicate with the disciples and with us. 

John 17 is known as the High Priestly Prayer; Jesus praying.  In this prayer, Jesus reminds us that, as believers, we have many blessings, but we also have responsibilities:

Our Responsibilities:

• To reveal the nature of God to a lost and dying world. --John 17:6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world.  They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word."  Exodus 34:5-7 describes the nature of God as merciful, gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.

1. As believers, we are to reveal the nature of God in our lives.  (mercy, grace, longsuffering, goodness, forgiveness and love)
2. Does the world see Jesus in us?

• To be custodians of the Word of God.  John 17:8 "For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them.  They knew with certainty that I came from you and they believed that you sent me."
• To glorify Christ at all times in our actions and words.  John 17:10 "All I have is yours, and all you have is mine.  And glory has come to me through them."
• To take our Christianity outside the walls of the church.  John 17:18 "As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world."

Our Problem:

• We gladly accept the blessings but often neglect, or even reject, the responsibilities. 

Why?

1. We are not totally surrendered to Jesus Christ
2. We are so wrapped up in the world (work, social life, etc) that we don't have the time or the energy to be involved in God's work.
3. We don't believe that God can use us.

It all boils down to how available you are.  God is more interested in your availability than He is in your ability.

God looks for people He can count on to be there!  Make yourself available to Him, and see what God can do through you!

Confessing Sin and Banking on God's Mercy

June 30, 2013
Confessing Sin and Banking on God's Mercy
Text: Lamentations
Scott Howard

The Crisis in Lamentations:

• Sin brought about suffering in Jerusalem that was:

1. Tragic -- Lam 1:1 "How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave."
2. Just -- Lam 1:8 " Jerusalem has sinned greatly and so has become unclean. All who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns away."
3. Severe -- Lam 4:1-10 "How the gold has lost its luster...the children beg for bread...the punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom...with their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed."

• Their suffering brought about questions:

1. Profoundly Intense: "Are we forsaken?"
2. Eternally Significant: "Can we be forgiven?"

• We must find comfort in the fresh mercies of God

"There is far more mercy in Christ than there is sin in us." --Richard Sibbs

How can we be certain that God is going to be Merciful toward us?

• These mercies are rooted in the unfailing Love of God. --Lam 3:22 "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail."
• These mercies are rooted in the unceasing faithfulness of God. --Lam 3:23 "They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
• These bring about an urgent desire to repent before God. --Lam 3:39-41 "Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins? Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven."

How do we know that when we come to God, God will certainly forgive us?  We look to the cross.

• Because Christ has entered the presence of God on behalf of His people.
• Would you trust the character of God? --1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
• Would you confess the depths of your sins? --Prov 28:13 "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
• Bank on the mercies of Christ. --1 Pet 1:3-4 "Praise be to God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never parish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you."

The book of Lamentations shows us that even though we may become consumed with the ruins left behind by our sins, God is always there to give us new mercy and to forgive us and make all things new again!  Through the sacrifice of Christ we have eternal hope and joy!

Remnant Ramblings: June

Summer is now upon us and I think that is good news for most of us.  The warmer weather is a great change of pace and allows for more outdoor activities we enjoy.  Of course, we also look forward to BBQs, different types of gatherings, and family vacations over the course of the summer.  Summer can be a very relaxing and enjoyable time for most of us, but it can also be a very busy time.  It is no different for those of us involved in youth ministry.  We typically like to keep our teens busy over the summer, as one of our aims is to give our teens opportunities to fellowship, serve, and carve out many special memories.  As my wife and I were drawing up our summer calendar recently, I reflected on hard lessons learned in my early days of youth ministry.

I spent a whole summer working on youth group curriculum for the upcoming year.  I invested hours upon hours of research and writing, trying to build the perfect set of questions and reflections that would enable teens to go deeper in their relationship with Christ.  To make a long story short, this curriculum fell way short of the hopes and expectations I had envisioned.  Why?  It was too complicated.  I had spent too much time making sure it was perfect that I ended up losing focus and creating something mostly unusable.

I can recall a couple nights in particular where I was super excited about the messages I was to give.  It was so well thought out and planned, right down to games to match up with the Scripture and theme of the message.  Of course, God didn't show up and it made for miserable nights for me.  And when this happens, my students suffer as well.

What's the common denominator here?  I became so consumed with feeling pressure to perform and crafting something “perfect” that I forgot to invite God in and let him take the lead on my well-crafted plans.  It completely threw my life out of balance as a result.

Perhaps this is something you can relate to in your own life.  Many times we get so bogged down with burning the candle at both ends, the different pressures we feel, and our busy day-to-day schedules that we forget to place God in his rightful place as the center of our lives and the plans of our lives.

Does this mean we should not strive for excellence, or feel guilty about working hard, or settle for less than the absolute best we can give?  Absolutely not.  Let's just remember to allow God to work through us.  Too many times I've not included God in my plans and the results have always been fruitless.  Keeping God out front is a habit that takes time to develop; however, the more we allow him to move and work through us, the more we'll be able to move through the messiness of this life.

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”      Matthew 6:31-34

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2

“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31                                            

Yours In Christ,

Pastor Drew

Worship Leader: June

I really enjoy listening to praise and worship music, and one of my favorite worship songs is by Chris Tomlin, and it is called, “How Can I Keep From Singing”.  The message in this song is so powerful, because it says, even when we are going through storms or any type of trouble.  How can we stop singing His praises?  Jesus said if His people stop praising Him, the rocks will cry out!  This is one of the verses that really speaks to me:

I can sing in the troubled times
Sing when I win
I can sing when I lose my step
And fall down again
I can sing 'cause You pick me up
Sing 'cause You're there
I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord
When I call to You in prayer
I can sing with my last breath
Sing for I know
That I'll sing with the angels
And the saints around the throne

We serve an awesome God!  Just the fact that when we say His name, He gives us the peace that we need, no matter how big the problem!  This song begins, “There is an endless song, echoes in my soul.  I hear the music ring.  And though the storms may come, I am holding on.  To the Rock I cling.”  Are you clinging to the rock today?

Maybe you have had a bad week, gotten bad news from the doctor or maybe you just don’t know what to do.  Keep the endless song in your soul that Jesus loves and cares for you.  He knows our needs even before they come.  I am reminded of the words to this wonderful hymn,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.  Let the water and the blood, from that wounded side which flowed.  Be of sin a double cure.  Save from wrath and made me pure!

We have a Savior that will never leave us or forsake.  You can always depend on Him to lift you up and encourage you!  How can you keep from singing His praise?

Serving with You!

Gene Collins