01-31-16 Three Steps to Cynicism

Scripture:  Psalm 1:1-6

PRELUDE TO “MY REDEEMER LIVES”

Psalm 1 (The MESSAGE)

How well God must like you —

          you don't hang out at Sin Saloon,

          you don't slink along Dead-End Road,

          you don't go to Smart-Mouth College.

Instead you thrill to God's Word,

          you chew on Scripture day and night.

                   You're a tree replanted in Eden,

                             bearing fresh fruit every month,

                             Never dropping a leaf,

                             always in blossom.

You're not at all like the wicked,

          who are mere windblown dust — 

          Without defense in court,

          unfit company for innocent people.

God charts the road you take.

          The road they take is Skid Row.

PRELUDE TO “TRADING MY SORROWS”

Psalm 1 (KJV)

          Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

          But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

          The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

          Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

         For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

SERMON PRELUDE

Psalm 1 (NIV)

          Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

          4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.  5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

          6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

          Think of a time you experienced joy before you graduated high school. A person – an event – a season of life – an object – a revelation. Something other than birth or your Christian journey.

          I basically just asked you to describe a time you experienced joy outside of direct impact from God. However, joy has its source in only one place – GOD!

          The opposite of joy is not being “glum” The opposite of joy in fact is a SIN – even in its name – the opposite of joy and an epidemic among Christians is Cynicism – Spelled SINicism.

Lloyd Ogilvie – STORY of a friend who went from joy to cynicism

          His wife was going to leave him unless he changed. He thought it had come from life’s disappointments and not fulfilling earlier dreams. The truth was, he was surrounded by other cynics and he slowly drifted to their side. “Misery loves company” – so does cynicism. Complainers and negative attitudes hate to be alone and work diligently to drag others into their den of critical attitudes.

3 steps to Cynicism

1)    Take eyes off Jesus and walk in the counsel of the wicked (rasha) ungodly – people who live life horizontally with no consideration for God’s way of living.

2)    Change direction and stand in the way (path) of sinners (hatta) worse than the ungodly – these choose to live by wrong values and conduct. If walking with the ungodly affects our thinking – standing with sinners affects our behavior.

3)    Give into society and sit in the seat of mockers (letsim) Worst form of cynicism – those who oppose the ways of God – or mock His way. Every negative event is further proof that God does not care so why should we.

Cure for Cynicism

1)    SLAP VIDEO or the next two possibilities

2)    Read and study the bible: vs.2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

3)    God provides all the resources you need: vs.3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

          Living in His word brings joy – living water to a parched soul – that produces JOY!

          There is even a scripture and a song about his word turning into JOY!

Isaiah 55:10-12

          As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Trees of the field #211

You shall go out with joy

And be let forth with peace, And the mountains and the hills will break forth before you.
There'll be shouts of joy and the trees of the fields will clap, will clap their hands.

And the trees of the fields will clap their hands, And the trees of the fields will clap their hands,
And the trees of the fields will clap their hands, While you go out with joy.

Do you struggle with Cynicism?

          Jesus’ response is: Matthew 7:1-5  "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” 

DO you know JOY is coming?

John 16:19-22

          Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”

01-24-16 Possessed, Sick and Dead!

Scripture   Mark 5:1-43

Galilee to Gerasenes  (Create a "living map" for the people to see the locaitons important to these three stories)

Mark 5:1-20

          They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.   2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

          6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" 8 For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"

          9 Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. 11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." 13 He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

          14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man — and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

          18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."  20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

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Mark 5:21-43

          When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23 and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." 24 So Jesus went with him.

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          A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"

          31 "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'"

          32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

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          35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?"

36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

          37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep."  40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

LEGION	TERMI	JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER
Possessed                 (Gentiles)	Sick                    (Unclean Jew)	Dying               (Righteous Jew)
Lived in tombs	Lived alone	Lived with her parents
Could not be bound (chains)	Suffered a great deal	Daughter very sick
Cry out and cut himself	Doctors & $ could not help	Pleaded with Jesus
Ran and fell at Jesus’ feet	Fell at Jesus’ feet in fear	Fell at Jesus’ feet
Legion = 6000 men	Unclean and alone	Synagogue Ruler
Spoke a word	Touched on his garment	Took her hand
People told Jesus to go away They would rather have the demoniac than one who can heal him	How can you say ‘who touched you?’ They are still bewildered by who Jesus is and what he knows.	Mourners laughed at Jesus They think Jesus can’t tell difference between sleep and death.
GO TELL Go home to your family and tell them how much the lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.	MAY TELL Daughter, your faith has heal-ed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.	NO TELL Jesus gave the parents strict orders not to tell anyone about this.
Demons Departed	Disease Destroyed	Death Defeated

CONCLUSION

Mark 4:35-41

          That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."  Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

          This is exactly what took place just after this in the 3 stories recorded in Mark 5. The storm was raging for Legion, Woman bleeding, Jairus & daughter. Jesus shows up and calms each unique storm. What storm are you facing right now? Listen to what Jesus said to the disciples in the midst of their fear after he calmed the storm – again.

40 Jesus said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

          We, like they and people in each of these stories should be struck with awe and have a holy fear and say what the disciples said:

41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

INVITATION

I WILL RISE

Mental

There's a peace I've come to know / Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul / I can say "It is well"
Physical
There's a day that's drawing near / When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear / And my faith shall be my eyes
Spiritual
Jesus has overcome / And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won / He is risen from the dead
And I hear the voice of many angels sing, / "Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart, / "Worthy is the Lamb"
Chorus

And I will rise when He calls my name No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings Before my God fall on my knees / And rise / I will rise

01-17-16 7 Tools for Personal Spiritual Wellness (Part 2)

Scripture  Psalm 119:1-18 & Psalm 119:169-176

Ps 119:1-18

          Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.  Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.  They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.  Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!  Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.  I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.  I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.

          How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.  I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.  I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.  I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

          Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word.  Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

Previous scripture to be read at the beginning of the service ******************************

7 Tools for Personal Spiritual Wellness (Part 2)

          Spiritual disciplines, like physical exercise mean nothing if you don’t use them.  Using spiritual disciplines (or tools) will grow your relationship with God.

Meditate on His word: Colossians 3:1-17

         

1) Prayer – pencil communicating with God  -  The A.C.T.S. of prayer.

2) Confession – stud/sin finder acknowledging your sin

3) Fasting – hammer a reminder of the source of all nourishment.

         

4) Simplicity – level seeking God’s Kingdom first (Matt. 6:33)

Chick-fil-a video (RNM)

A Kindle is a library of 3500 books made simple.

A.C.T.S. is prayer made simple

Bible Reading (2 books a month – 2 ½ years / Psalms alone…1, 2 & 3’s together)

5) Study – Bible (we shouldn’t call it Bible Study – because it is really God Study)

Pay careful attention to the reality that God reveals Himself to us, especially through Holy Scripture: Luke 2:43-48   After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.

Even Jesus spent time studying God, by discussing the scriptures with other students.

6) Service – tape measurer supportive action toward others   Mark 10:45   “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

          American Baptist Women's Ministries became a national organization in 1951. But women's ministries began long before 1951. For well over a century, women have been strong partners in the American Baptist family-raising money for missions at home and abroad, sending missionaries, and ministering in local churches and communities.

          Through the years, women have shaped their ministries to meet emerging needs. The Woman's Baptist Society, organized in 1871, focused on women in other lands. The Women's American Baptist Home Mission Society, formed in 1909, centered on evangelism in the United States. The World Wide Guild (now called AB girls) was established in 1915 to train, inspire, and empower girls for Christian ministry and leadership.

Pat Lucich – Mission chair – talk about ABW and how they have served.

7) Worship – square/right angle giving God glory (distinctive honor and great praise) through attitudes and actions (Worship is NEVER “I felt good” – it is always “giving glory to God through attitudes and actions…) 1 Cor 14:26  When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. (That says worship is not about what you get – but what you come prepared to give.) Have you ever thought; “I am going to church for the benefit of someone else?” Always remember this story:

          Several centuries ago in a mountain village in Europe, a wealthy nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave to his townspeople. He made a good decision. He decided to build them a church. No one was permitted to see the plans or the inside of the church until it was finished. At its grand opening, the people gathered and marvelled at the beauty of the new church.

          Everything had been thought of and included. It was a masterpiece.

          But then someone said, "Wait a minute! Where are the lamps? It is really quite dark in here. How will the church be lighted?" The nobleman pointed to some brackets in the walls, and then he gave each family a lamp, which they were to bring with them each time they came to worship. "Each time you are here'" the nobleman said, "the place where you are seated will be lighted. Each time you are not here, that place will be dark. This is to remind you that whenever you fail to come to church, some part of God's house will be dark"

Psalm 119:169-176

May my cry come before you, O Lord; / give me understanding according to your word.

May my supplication come before you; / deliver me according to your promise.

May my lips overflow with praise, / for you teach me your decrees.

May my tongue sing of your word, / for all your commands are righteous.

May your hand be ready to help me, / for I have chosen your precepts.

I long for your salvation, O Lord, / and your law is my delight.

Let me live that I may praise you, / and may your laws sustain me.

I have strayed like a lost sheep. / Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.

01-10-16 7 Tools for Personal Spiritual Wellness (part 1)

Scripture  Colossians 3:1-17 & James 5:13-16

          Spiritual disciplines, like physical exercise mean nothing if you don’t use them.  Using spiritual disciplines (or tools) will grow your relationship with God.

Meditate on His word: Colossians 3:1-17

          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 glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.   You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.  Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

7 Tools for Personal Spiritual Wellness

1) Prayer – communicating with God  -  The A.C.T.S. of prayer.

2) Confession – acknowledging your sin

          James 5:13-16     Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

3) Fasting – a reminder of the source of all nourishment.

          Scripture does not command Christians to fast. However, the Bible presents fasting as something that is beneficial. The book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important decisions (Acts 13:2; 14:23). Fasting and prayer are often linked together (Luke 2:37; 5:33). Too often, the focus of fasting is on the lack of food. Instead, the purpose of fasting should be to take your eyes off the things of this world to focus completely on God. Although fasting in Scripture is almost always a fasting from food, there are other ways to fast. Anything given up temporarily in order to focus all our attention on God can be considered a fast.  Fasting is not a way to get God to do what we want. Fasting changes us, not God.  Matthew 6:16-18   “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 4:1-2  Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Jesus was ready for the temptation after 40 days complete focus on God. No hunting / No cooking / No cleaning up – all that time with laser focus on God.

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NOTE: After this point in the worship service prayer team members were invited to come forward to pray for others who were then invited to come forward for prayer and be anointed with oil. In both services 80-90% of the people came for prayer.  Therefore - what is written below was not preached but saved for the following week - as you will see the following week some slight changes were made.

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4) Simplicity – seeking God’s Kingdom first (Matt. 6:33)

5) Study – careful attention the reality that God reveals to us, especially through Holy Scripture Luke 2:43-48   After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.

6) Service – supportive action toward others   Mark 10:45   “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

7) Worship – giving God glory through attitudes and actions 1 Cor 14:26  When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. Have you ever thought; “I am going to church for the benefit of someone else?”

Col 3:1-17

          So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. 2 Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ — that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.

          Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life — even though invisible to spectators — is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, too — the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ. And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That's a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It's because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn't long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it's all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk. Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire. Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ. So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ — the Message — have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives — words, actions, whatever — be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.