Pastor's Messages

	Pastor's Messages
Message Date: August 3, 2008 Text: Matthew 14:22-33 Theme: "Stepping Out of the Boat"	When was the last time you walked on water? Last week? Last month? Last year? For centuries, Peter has been ridiculed for not keeping his eyes on Jesus, for sinking when he should have been walking on water. Yet are we really any different today? If you were boating on Chelsea lake and Jesus came to you and said, “Come,” would you move out of the boat? The account of Jesus and Peter walking on the water teaches us about trust and moving with God. As we consider this account, we focus on our theme: “Stepping Out of the Boat.” I. Like Peter, Jesus has called each of us to step out of the boat. A. Yet we are reluctant. 1. We are reluctant because we doubt the power of God. Twelve disciples looked at the water, but only Peter walked on the water. Doubt is a powerful thing. It kept eleven disciples paralyzed in a boat, caused Peter to sink, and has crippled God’s people for centuries. We know the facts. God has unlimited power. Nothing is impossible with God. Yet when doubt arrives, everything changes. Instead of walking on water in faith, we’re dog paddling trying to keep our head above water. Instead of moving with God, we’re like Elijah, sitting in a cave ready to throw in the towel. 2. We are also reluctant to get out of the boat because our task appears impossible. As Peter looked at the water, did he say, “I can do this. All I need to do is put one foot in front of the other?” When Peter looked at the water, he knew there was no way he could walk on water unless Jesus empowered him. As we look at our task as God’s church, it looks impossible. Often we think, “How can I make a difference for Christ? How can I reach out with Christ’s love, care, and hope? How will what I do matter for Christ?” As we ask our questions, our mission appears impossible, and when we conclude that our task is impossible, we choose to sit in the boat instead of making a difference for Christ. B. How, then, do we step out of the boat? 1. We step out of the boat by facing our doubts. It may seem like your efforts don’t matter, that your work for Christ is falling on deaf ears. Yet the only way we will see God at work is by facing our doubts with Christ at our side. As we face our doubts, we tell ourselves, “God is able. God has given me this moment to make a difference for Him. He has empowered me to make my life count. I will go. I will move. I refuse to allow doubt to hinder my mission for Christ.” As we look our doubts in the eye, as we counter those doubts with Christ’s promises, we step out of the boat and make our lives count for Christ. 2. We step out of the boat by taking a risk. As Peter stepped onto the water, he took an enormous risk that could have cost him his life. Yet if Peter had never stepped out of the boat, he never would have walked on water. Making a difference for Christ, moving with Christ requires that we task risks. Christian living isn’t about being comfortable. It’s about making a difference for Christ. It’s about bringing others to the knowledge of Jesus as Lord. That challenge requires us to step outside our comfort zone. Those who are willing to take risks for Christ are those who will see God at work most clearly. To step out of the boat for Christ, we must be willing to take a risk. 3. We step out of the boat by becoming courageous Christians. Joshua 1:9 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Stepping out of the boat requires courage. Christ offers you the courage you need. As you move with Him and for Him, He remains at your side. He gives you the words when you need them. He gives you the boldness to speak when you need to speak. Instead of allowing discouragement to hamper our mission, Christ says, “Be strong. Be courageous. Share My love and care with others. Show them how I can change their lives. Be My missionary in your community!” 4. We step out of the boat by trusting God to sustain us. Elijah, in our Old Testament lesson, was tired. He had done his best to make a difference for Christ, yet it all seemed to have been done for nothing. As we step out of the boat for Christ, we, too, will face days when it seems like our efforts are pointless, that our words are not registering, that all we are trying to do is wasted effort. Yet in our lowest moments, we need to remember God’s promise to sustain us, to carry us, to use our meager efforts to touch the lives of those around us. As we lean on our God, as we go when He says, “Go,” we discover that we really are making a difference for Christ after all. 5. We step out of the boat by taking the first step. Which step was the most challenging for Peter? As we commit ourselves to moving for Christ, to making a difference for Christ, we need to take that first step in faith. We may not know what God will do next. We may have no clue how God is going to work through our words or efforts. Yet, as we step out of the boat, God promises to act. He promises to keep us from sinking, to use us as His instruments, to provide the words and actions we need to make a difference for Christ. Yet all God’s promises remain useless until we take that first step, until we step out in faith and say, “Use me, Lord. I want to make my life count for You!” 6. We step out of the boat by sticking to our mission. When Peter began to sink, what did he do? Did he reach for the boat or look to Christ? When we do our best for Christ and end up feeling like Elijah, we need to stick to our mission. Results are not what our task is about. Our task is about reaching out and leaving the results in God’s hands. Our task is to stick to our mission convinced our efforts matter, that God is using us to make a lasting difference. Regardless of what we see around us, God is at work through us. As we continue to reach out, as we do all we can to make a difference for Christ, He will enable what we do to matter in eternity. 7. We step out of the boat by expecting Jesus to guide us. Peter knew he couldn’t walk on water. Yet he expected Jesus to empower him to do the impossible. As we consider our mission as God’s church in this community, our task looks as difficult as walking on water, so difficult that it’s not worth even trying. Yet the same Jesus who enabled Peter to walk on water says, “You can make a difference for Me. What you do for Me does matter. Trust Me to guide. Expect Me to act. Remain prepared for Me to do My work through you.” As we expect Jesus to guide our words and actions, we witness great things as we step out of the boat. 8. None of us have ever walked on water. Yet, God is waiting to do great things through His church and through each one of us. It can and it will happen, but only when we step out of the boat in faith. Amen.
Message Date: July 6, 2008 Text: John 8:36 Theme: "Freedom Isn't Free"	How many hours has it been since you saw or heard the word “free”? Free shipping, free gas, buy one get one free, satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free. Free, free, free. You’d think we lived in the land of the free. Yet all the free offers we see and hear are incredibly misleading! That pen isn’t actually free. That second pair of shoes isn’t free nor is gas free after you buy 20 gallons of milk! “Free” has become such an advertising ploy that we don’t realize what free really is. As we celebrate our independence and our freedom as a nation, we need to realize that freedom isn’t free. I. As Christians living in a free country, our freedom comes with a price. A. Unfortunately, we often forget the price of freedom. 1. We forget because we fail to remember. How many lives were lost in World War I or World War II? How many soldiers have been injured or killed in the line of duty since July 4, 1776? One of the main reasons we forget the price of our freedom is because we fail to remember. We forget the cost. We forget the loss of lives and those who were injured for life. As we consider our freedom as Christians, we follow the same pattern. We forget the cost of our Christian freedom and the price paid by our Lord. It sounds impossible, yet it happens. 2. We forget because the cost doesn’t affect us. If I asked all those who have been directly affected by a war to stand, how many people would remain seated? Most of us don’t realize the cost of our freedom. Unless we have been directly affected by the affects of war, freedom appears free. It didn’t cost us anything, so it must be free. That’s what we think many times. Because the tremendous loss of life hasn’t affected us directly, it’s easy for us to overlook the price of freedom. In the Christian realm, the same holds true. Because the cost didn’t affect us, because it was Christ who suffered and Christ who died, it’s easy for us to forget that freedom isn’t free. 3. We forget because we fail to realize the value of our freedom. To the average American, how important is it to live in a free country? Suppose the USA became a communist country for a year. How would that affect the value we place on our freedom? The importance of our freedom doesn’t change. What changes is the value we place on that freedom. When we have no understanding of life without freedom, we often place little value on freedom. As Christians, we often do the same thing. Because we don’t know what life would be like without Christ, we often fail to value the Christian freedom that is ours because of the death of Christ. B. If our freedom isn’t free, how do we value of our freedom? 1. We value our freedom by remembering the price. How much emotional trauma is created in a family by the loss or injury of a serviceman? When we answer that question carefully, the price looks enormous. As we contemplate the affects war has had on this community and even on this congregation, the price looks very different. If we had been at the foot of the cross the day Christ died, these pews would be full every Sunday. People would be eagerly seeking ways to learn more of their Savior. As we carefully remember the price, we respond by placing high value on our freedom. 2. We value our freedom by thanking those who have made our freedom possible. How many people in this congregation could we thank today for our freedom as a nation? How many people in Taylor county could we offer our words of appreciation for preserving our freedom? What we could do is what we need to do as we realize that freedom isn’t free. As we make the effort to offer our thanks, as we, through some act of kindness, express our appreciation to our service men and women past and present, the value of our freedom increases significantly. The same happens as we thank our God for our Christian freedom. The more grateful we are for our freedom, the more valuable our freedom will become. 3. We value our freedom by preserving our freedom. How do we preserve the freedom we enjoy today? What can we do to maintain our present level of freedom? To value our freedom, we need to protect our freedom. That protection begins by remembering the cost. As we remember the cost, we realize what we need to protect. Our actions, our attitude, our respect – each plays a part in protecting our freedom. As Christians, we protect our freedom best by gathering where God invites us to gather. We can find excuses. We can ignore the opportunities, yet our God deserves our presence. He deserves our worship because through our worship, we realize more fully the importance of what we possess as Christians. 4. We value our freedom by appreciating our freedom. How much effort have we put forth in the past five years to appreciate our freedom? The events of 911 probably did more to spark our appreciation for freedom than any other event in recent history. Yet we don’t need events like that to wake us up each year. Each year, on the 4th of July, we celebrate our freedom as a nation. To value our freedom, we need to make an honest effort to appreciate our freedom. Freedom isn’t free. The least we can do is to appreciate the freedom we possess. Our praises, our heartfelt words of appreciation, our actions – each demonstrate to our God that we are grateful for our freedom as His people. 5. We value our freedom by teaching our freedom to the next generation. Apart from families directly affected by war, how many make a genuine effort to impart our country’s freedom to the next generation? Our children need to know the price of their freedom. They need to understand that their freedom isn’t free. Each generation to follow needs to know what we know today. Even more importantly, the next generation needs to know the value of their Christian freedom. They need us to teach them that Christ died for them, that all they have today is because of the love of their God. 6. We value our freedom by turning off the autopilot. What happens when you put your car on cruise control? Too many times, our lives run on autopilot. Instead of noticing what is around us, we simply do what we always do. Instead of considering life-altering events, we are satisfied to do little more than scratch the surface. Autopilot and valuing our freedom do not work together. To remember that freedom isn’t free, we need to turn off the autopilot. There much more to life than our little world, much more our God wants us to see, much more that will enable us to realize that freedom isn’t free after all. 7. The business world may continue to make us think that free really is free, yet we know better. As you celebrate on this fourth of July weekend, I encourage you to consider the cost of your freedom because freedom still isn’t free. Amen.
Message Date: June 29, 2008 Text: Psalm 118:1 Theme: "Turning the Pages of God's Instruction Book"	When you buy a new patio set, what do you do when you can’t figure out how to assemble it? When you buy your son or daughter that perfect birthday present and they want to play with it immediately, what do you do after the first hour of attempting to put it together? When all else fails, we read the instructions. In our text, the Psalmist provides instructions from God’s instruction book, instructions for giving thanks. As we consider appropriate times to give thanks, we focus on our theme: Turning the Pages of God’s Instruction Book. 1. As we search God’s instruction book, He reminds us that every morning is an appropriate time to give thanks. The sun may not be shining; our To Do list may be a mile long; work may be viewed as a daily grind, yet every morning remains an appropriate time to give thanks. Psalm 118 says, “This is the day that the Lord had made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Today is God’s day, a day created by God for our enjoyment. Every day is His gift to us, a gift we have not earned. As each new day arrives, our response is to give thanks, to rejoice in the gift of another day, and to make the most of each new day. It’s what His instruction book encourages us to do. 2. As we search His instruction book, we realize that every miracle is an appropriate time to give thanks. Recall the account of the ten lepers. Each witnessed a miracle, yet only one responded by giving thanks. To be more thankful, we need to be like the leper who returned. Every healing is a miracle. Whether it occurs instantaneously or over a period of time, it is still a miracle. As we recuperate from the flu, as we receive a clean bill of health following cancer surgery, as the body mends from a broken bone - each is a miracle. Each is worthy of our thankfulness. Any time we witness healing, God is at work and any time God is at work, it’s an appropriate time to offer Him our appreciation. 3. As we turn the pages of God’s instruction book, any time God is good is a proper time to give thanks. The Psalmist writes, “O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good.” How often is God good to you? We have a tendency to diminish God’s goodness, to dissect God’s goodness into minute particles that only occur on rare occasions. Yet God is good every day. He isn’t good some of the time or most of the time. God is always good. God can be nothing but good. Our challenge is to recognize God’s goodness, to notice the goodness of God. Any time something reminds us that God is good is an appropriate time to offer Him our thanks and praise. 4. As we turn the pages of God’s instruction book, His pronouncement of forgiveness is an appropriate time to give thanks. What would life be like if forgiveness didn’t exist? What if we had to carry our guilt? With Christ’s pronouncement of forgiveness comes the opportunity to lay down our burden of guilt. As we lay down that heavy load, as we unshackle ourselves from our past, as we release ourselves from our self-created prisons, thankfulness wells up in our hearts. Thankfulness is expressed in our words and song. When we realize what has occurred through Christ’s pronouncement of forgiveness, thankfulness is the only proper response. 5. As we turn the pages of God’s instruction book, we realize that every prayer is an appropriate time to give thanks. Paul writes in Philippians, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Prayer is more than making requests or demands of God. Prayer is our opportunity to thank our God. It’s our time to reflect on His goodness, His forgiveness, His love, His care, and then to respond with thanksgiving. Rather than spending our time telling God what He already knows, we gain more by using that time to thank God for what He has already done. 6. As we turn the pages of God’s instruction book, He reminds us that worship is an appropriate time to give thanks. In a typical worship service, what do we do nearly half the time? We do what the Psalmist encourages, “Sing to the Lord a new song for He has done marvelous things.” Thankful people are singing people. Imagine the sound we would hear this morning if each one of us sang with intense thankfulness. Our reasons for thankfulness already exist. What needs to occur is a response that indicates our thankfulness. That response occurs in song. As we realize our reasons for thankfulness, we respond in joy-filled, vibrant, enthusiastic song. 7. As we turn the pages of God’s instruction book, we find that our lowest moments are appropriate times to give thanks. Remember Job? That was the lowest moment in Job’s life, yet he responded with thanksgiving. Our lowest moments may not be quite like Job’s situation. We may not lose everything in a single day, yet whatever moments we face, we still have a reason for thankfulness because God remains our God, His mercy is still being poured out on us; He still cares for us; He still loves us even when life is tough and confusing. When you feel life has hit bottom, continue to give thanks because thankfulness is always the right response. 8. As we turn the pages of God’s instruction book, each time He offers us the Lord’s Supper is an appropriate time to give thanks. As you kneel at the table of the Lord, He offers you what no one else can offer. He offers you His Body and Blood as the proof, as the seal, as the guarantee that the forgiveness offered in His Sacrament is available to you. As you receive the bread and the wine, you receive Christ’s Body and Blood in a supernatural way as proof that you are forgiven. As you depart His Table, you leave with a personal guarantee that prompts your heart to rejoice, to offer your words of thanksgiving. In His Supper, He offers you a wonderful reason to give thanks. 9. As we turn the pages of God’s instruction book, we are reminded that giving thanks is what God’s people do. Giving thanks isn’t meant to occur only when we feel like it. Giving thanks needs to occur every day. No matter how bleak the circumstances, how discouraged or disappointed we may be, or how much we want things to be different, giving thanks is still what we need to do. We don’t wait for the right moment; we don’t wait until A, B and C happen. God’s people give thanks frequently and regularly. They look beyond their circumstances and remember those reasons for thankfulness that never change. 10. You may not read the instructions until all else fails when you are attempting to assemble your patio set. Yet, in the matter of thankfulness, our God continues to say, “Read My Instruction Book. Turn the pages and you will always find a reason for thankfulness.” Amen.
Message Date: June 22, 2008 Text: Psalm 27:1-14 Theme: "Looking for the Light"	It’s happening around us. It’s happening among us. We check the price of gas and it happens. We hear of the most recent layoffs and it hits us again, sometimes directly in the face. The Psalmist calls it “fear” or “being afraid.” We call it reality and we don’t find it very comfortable. We wanted to believe our community was immune, that the slumping economy wouldn’t directly affect Medford. Yet it is affecting us and it’s creating troubled times for many. In these troubled times, we look to our God for direction as we focus on our theme: Looking For The Light. I. In these troubled times, we are looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. 1. As we search for that light, we struggle with a sense of fear. Ask anyone you like. No one has the answers we want to hear. No one knows what will happen next, when it will happen, or how far reaching it will be. The possibility of life-altering events lurking out there makes us very fear-filled. We want control. We want to know the next move. We want to stay ahead of everyone else. Yet it’s not working and it’s not possible. Because we have no magic ball to gaze into, circumstances around us continue to create fears, fears that provoke us to respond to the Psalmist by saying, “Fear this!” 2. Along with our fears, comes a sense of uncertainty. How high will fuel prices go? What if my work hours get cut? What if I can’t make my payments? What if I’m permanently laid off? Then what? In these troubled times, we are developing a very good understanding of what it feels like to be looking for a light in a dark tunnel. As the uncertainties increase, so does the sense of darkness. We don’t like dark tunnels. We want to know what we are going to face. We want to brace ourselves. We want to be in control. Yet, no matter what we want, God is still in control. Our task is to continue looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. B. As we search for the light at the end of the tunnel, we remember. 1. We remember that the Lord is our Light. The Psalmist began with those very words. “The Lord is my light.” He doesn’t speak of possibility or imply that our Savior is our light occasionally. The Psalmist states an indisputable fact. The Lord is your Light. The Light at the end of the tunnel is Christ. What you need to survive these troubled times, to keep your chin up when it feels like your life has been hit by an earthquake is found in Christ. He isn’t one of your numerous options. He is your only option. He is the only light at the end of the tunnel. 2. We remember that the Lord is our fortress. “A mighty fortress is our God, a trusty shield and weapon.” We sang it moments ago, yet perhaps we missed the impact. God is your mighty fortress, your only fortress. He is the place to run in these troubled times. He is your refuge, your tornado shelter, your fallout shelter. He is what you need most. The Psalmist calls Him “the stronghold of my life.” He is the One you must cling to with all your strength. As the tornado-like winds of the devil attempt to sweep you off your feet, to pull you into the sinking sand of self-pity and bitterness, hang on to your stronghold. No one else, nothing else has the power He provides. 3. We remember that God is listening. Remember Jonah in the belly of the giant fish? Although none of us would trade places with him, Jonah knew what we need to remember. No matter how dark the tunnel, no matter how forsaken or confused we may be, God is listening. The Psalmist says, “Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me.” God is doing just that every time you stand in His presence. As you ask Him for guidance, as you acknowledge He is in control, you can know with utmost confidence that He has listened, that He is already preparing the answer to your prayer. As long as God is God, He will remain One who listens. C. As we look for the light at the end of the tunnel, we must also wait. 1. We wait with confidence. Near the end of the Psalm, we find these words, “I am still confident of this.” Waiting with confidence is much different than waiting. As we wait with confidence, our heart believes something good will occur, that there really is a light at the end of our tunnel, that when we hold on, we will see that light. As we wait with confidence, we give God control; we trust Him to carry us when we can’t walk any farther, to pick us up when we fall down, and to point us toward the light that we cannot see at the moment. 2. We also wait with expectation. The Psalmist expresses his expectation, “I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” The Psalmist may not have faced what you are facing, yet his words still speak to your heart today. No matter how dark the tunnel appears, His light will break the darkness. It’s only a matter of time. As we walk through our dark tunnels, we can do so with boldness, with a heart that says, “I can’t see the end of the tunnel, but God can. I am trusting Him to show me my next step!” As we expect God to show us the next step followed by the step after that, that expectation of the light will keep us going until we arrive at the other side. 3. We wait with patient endurance. There is a difference between survival and endurance. Survival says, “I’ll live. I don’t know how, but somehow, I will make it.” Endurance on the other hand says, “Victory is mine. My job is to hang on until I arrive!” Hang on until I arrive - that’s what we must do in these troubled times. As we look for the Light, we must persevere. We’ve already been promised the victory. We already know the crown is ours. We also know that God will never leave our side, that He will enable us to arrive at the other side, that He is our Light and our Salvation. He is our everything. 4. We wait in worship. Whatever the Psalmist faced, whatever tunnels came his way, one thing is for certain - He never stopped worshipping his God. We may not feel like offering our praises; we may not feel like gathering with others whose lives seem to be going much better than our own; we may not feel all sorts of things. Yet what we feel it not what matters most. What matters most is that we gather to worship the only One who has the power to bring us to the other side. Now is not the time to give up on God, but the time to lean on Him with all you have, to praise Him for what He is doing and what you know He will do. Now is the time to meet God where He promises to meet you. 5. It may be happening in Medford, yet we have an answer for the dark tunnels. As you face the challenges ahead, look to the Light. He is the only One who can provide what you need in these troubled times. Amen.
Message Date: June 15, 2008 Text: Philippians 4:4-8 Theme: "Let's Celebrate!"	How many of you know how to celebrate? If you were asked to plan a birthday celebration or arrange a graduation party, would you have an idea of what to plan? Or suppose you were planning a 50th wedding anniversary celebration, how many of you would know where to start? We know how to celebrate all the events I just mentioned. Yet what if I asked you, “How can you celebrate your role as a parent, grandparent, or child,” how many of would have a good answer? We know how to celebrate, yet when it comes to being a parent, a grandparent, or a child, we seldom think of those as times of celebration. Today, I hope to alter that mindset just a little as we consider our theme: “Let’s Celebrate!” Parents, grandparents, what were the first five words of our text? Do you remember them? Those five words provide all you need to celebrate! If we get the first five words right, the rest of our text will fall into place because the remainder of our text builds on those five words as it tells us how to rejoice in the Lord always. Let’s begin with the first word - rejoice. When does Paul say you are to rejoice? Does he say, “If you’re a parent, grandparent, or child it’s okay if you only rejoice on birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions?” Paul doesn’t waste time telling us when. He says, “Just do it. Rejoice. Celebrate. Be grateful. Be happy. Be proud. Be thankful. Be uplifting. Be encouraging. Be appreciative!” Get the point? As a parent, Paul is telling you, “Mom and Dad, life will never be perfect. Your kids won’t always listen. They will challenge your authority, practice selective hearing, push all the wrong buttons, create weariness and frustration, but that doesn’t matter. Rejoice anyway! Rejoice that you have them. Rejoice that God gave the gift to you. Rejoice in the blessings they bring to your life. Whatever it takes, overlook all the other stuff and rejoice!” “But that’s not always easy to do.” I realize that, but does Paul say, “If you find it difficult, it’s okay to omit rejoicing?” The words don’t get any clearer. “Rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord always.” Did you catch that second phrase? Who are we to rejoice in? Does Paul say, “Rejoice in your kids even when they mess up?” He says, “Rejoice in the Lord.” Who deserves our rejoicing no matter what the day or circumstances? Paul doesn’t say, “Wait for your kids to provide a reason to rejoice.” He says, “Rejoice because the Lord is at your side. Rejoice because He is working the nightshift just for you. He’s working out His perfect plan, even when you feel like things are out of control. Rejoice in the Lord because He’s not going to let you fail as a parent. Rejoice in the Lord because He will always provide everything you need to be all that you can be as His parent to your children.” Before you think, “That sounds easy enough. All I need to do is rejoice in the Lord,” we need to understand how that rejoicing unfolds in daily living. How does Paul say we are to display our rejoicing? Is a quiet prayer good enough? Are a few words before we fall asleep sufficient? When Paul says, “Let’s celebrate,” he immediately follows that statement with examples of celebration. Let’s celebrate by letting our gentleness be known to all men. You may not have the best day at work. You may be exhausted or weary in well doing. You may be pushing your wits end, yet Paul says, “Here’s a way to rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all.” But Paul doesn’t stop there. He immediately provides another way to celebrate as parents, a way that we typically don’t view as related to celebrating. He says, “Do not be anxious about anything. Relax. Chill out. Take it easy. Don’t get all upset. You don’t have to be a perfect parent. You don’t have to do everything just right. Don’t get so worried and uptight. Do the best you can with what I give you. Use the resources I provide; believe in yourself, and believe you have done what I wanted you to do.” Sometimes, as parents, we get so worked up about doing all the right things and whether we’re being a good parent that we have no time left to celebrate. When we learn to celebrate in the Lord always, we will find ourselves less anxious because we know God is in control and He’s not going to allow us to become out of control. He doesn’t promise that parenting will be easy, yet He does promise to give you all you need to be His kind of parent. If He promises that to each of us as parents, do we really have any reason to be anxious? As you allow these thoughts to sink in, let’s go to our God with words of praise, with words that demonstrate our celebration as we sing our hymn. Hymn: “Family Celebration” Tune #15 PART II - “Let’s Celebrate!” Now that we’ve begun to open the door into God’s storehouse of celebration, we need to open it a little further as we ask, “What else can I do to celebrate my role as mother, father, grandparent?” Paul gives us just what we need. He says, “But in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God.” Prayer - celebration? Prayer - a time to rejoice? Prayer is a time to tell God all our problems! Not according to Paul! Remember the first five words, the words that these words are expanding upon? “Rejoice in the Lord always!” Prayer is a time for rejoicing, a time to go to our God and say, “Lord, I celebrate You and Your goodness at this moment. I celebrate all the gifts You have given to me, especially the gift of my kids.” That’s all part of our celebration. Through prayer, we leave our requests at God’s throne and we walk away rejoicing because we know the Lord of the universe will take it from there. As I read Paul’s words a moment ago, I deliberately left out a key phrase in our celebration of the family. The words I left out were, “With thanksgiving.” When we do what we do with thanksgiving, we will celebrate. We will rejoice. We will enjoy our roles as parents and children. As I look at my kids today, I’m so thankful for each one of them. I’m thankful for their uniqueness. I’m thankful for their accomplishments, and I’m thankful that I can say, “Those are my kids.” Is there anyone here who thinks otherwise of their kids? When we think about it, we’re incredibly thankful, yet we don’t think about it often enough. Every day, we need to take a moment to be thankful for our kids. They may not be perfect, yet they are our kids. God gave them as a precious gift, a gift we can be thankful for. Thankfulness need not stop there. As we’re celebrating, we need to be thankful for our resources. If God gave you the gift of children, yet deprived you of those precious resources to assist you as parents, where would you be today? When we need them most, His resources are always at the right place at the right time. It’s God’s way of giving us added reason to celebrate. When you don’t know what to do, when you feel like things are out of control, when you think you’re failing as a parent, God offers you a precious resource, the resource of a friend to help set you back on the course of celebration. As we express our thankfulness for our resources, we find added reason to celebrate. Celebration can also increase when you, as children, do what you can to create peace. Just because you’re kids, doesn’t mean you’re excused from doing your part to create celebration. “But what are we supposed to do? We’re just kids! We can’t buy things for Mom and Dad. We can’t do all those things that other grown-ups can do!” Yet you can do what your parents need most. You can show them your love. Doing the dishes without complaining, cleaning up your room before they have to tell you, offering to help set the table for supper, mowing the lawn the first time you’re asked, doing your weekly chores with a smile, making an effort to get along with your brothers or sisters - those are things that bring peace, things that make Mom and Dad and even your grandparents proud. Those are things that will give each of you and your parents yet another reason for celebration. Celebrating as a family will never be complete until we learn to be content with what we have. “I want; I need. I have to have.” Those words will never promote celebration! Celebration says, “Look at all you already have. Look at all God’s blessings. Look beyond all your stuff and see the real reasons to celebrate. Forget about who has what because things will never promote lasting celebration. Enjoy the precious gifts you already have - that’s the key to celebration. The only way we will ever learn to celebrate our role as parent or child is to first learn how to be content. We already have enough. We already have more than we need. When we choose to be content, we also choose to set our hearts on celebration. Let’s celebrate now with voices that show our God and others that we are here to celebrate! We sing hymn #475 vs. 1,4
Message Date: June 8, 2008 Text: Romans 5:6-11 Theme: "In the Nick of Time"	You’ve heard the statements; you’ve probably even used the statements from time to time. “That was just in nick of time. A minute later and I would have been drenched by that thunderstorm” “Boy, that was just in the nick of time. If I had been two seconds earlier, I would have hit that deer.” In the nick of time - we know what the phrase means, yet how often do we attach that phrase to God’s work? In our text, Paul prefaces his statement about God’s demonstration of love with a reminder that it occurred at just the right time. Our message today focuses on the theme: In The Nick of Time. I. The events that led to our rescue all occurred at just the right time. A. But what made it just the right time? 1. The time was right because we were still powerless. How often do you feel powerless, that things are out of your control? How many of us like feeling helpless? None of us like to feel that way, yet before we had any inclination we could rescue ourselves, before we got the notion we could play a part in our rescue, before we even made a single move toward saving ourselves, Christ stepped in. When we had no strength, no interest in God, no ability to change our stars, as it were, Christ did the remarkable. It happened while we were still powerless. 2. The time was right because we were still numbered among the ungodly. We dislike the term “ungodly” even more than the term “powerless.” The ungodly are supposed to be the murderers, the embezzlers, the crooks, the swindlers, anyone except us. Yet, Paul describes us as he says, “Christ died for the ungodly.” The time was right because we weren’t the righteous man or the good man mentioned in our text. We were the ungodly man desperately needing to be rescued. While we were in our hopeless condition, while we were still among the ungodly, that’s when Christ stepped in. That was God’s perfect moment to rescue us and give us a reason to live. B. As God rescued us just in the nick of time, He demonstrated His incredible love. 1. He demonstrated His love by choosing to rescue us. It makes no sense! We were the ungodly, the powerless, the helpless. Yet, Christ chose to rescue us. We did nothing to earn His response, nothing to get His attention, nothing to merit His actions. We were lost in the forest, shivering beneath a tree in the pouring rain afraid of what might happen next. And suddenly, Christ appeared just in the nick of time to rescue us. He could have left us to the devil and his wolves. He could have looked the other way. Yet He demonstrated His love by choosing to rescue us in our moment of greatest need. 2. He demonstrated His love by dying in our place. “Very rarely” someone might die for a righteous man. Yet what did Christ do? He died for the undeserving. He went to the cross for people who complain, who seem to find something wrong with everything even though they have more than they deserve. It’s amazing Christ would die for us. When He took our burdens, our heartaches, and our sin to the cross in our place, He provided the most incredible demonstration of His love. Christ on the cross, our sins removed as far as the east is from the west, that’s God’s demonstration of love occurring at just the right time. 3. He demonstrated His love by setting us on a mission. Today, in the midst of all your uncertainty and struggles, God has set you on a mission. You may not notice; you might question God’s mission. Yet, because of the love of God, your life has a purpose. You are part of a mission that far exceeds the mundane. Within your heart, is a longing to know Christ, to be Christ to others, to share His love, His care and His hope. Within you, is a voice that keeps encouraging you to speak for Him, to act for Him, to demonstrate His love. Because of His love, you are on a mission for Christ, a mission that promises fantastic results. C. Because of Christ’s demonstration of love just in the nick of time, we are led to respond. 1. We respond by choosing now as the right time to serve. Some serve out of obligation; others because they know it’s the right thing to do. Yet as we realize what Christ does for us, we serve by choice. We look for opportunities to serve. Our motivation is the love of Christ, a love that motivates us to serve with joy, with praise. As we ponder what Christ has done and continues to do each day, our hearts wake each morning saying, “Make me a servant, Lord. Give me a willing heart. May all I do, be done for You. Make me a servant, I pray.” 2. We respond by choosing now as the right time to lift our hearts in praise. Suppose everyone sitting here decided that now was the perfect time to praise their God in song. Would we hear the same volume we heard moments ago or would we hear something very different? The right time to praise our God is now because praise is our expression of appreciation. It’s our way of telling God He is doing amazing things. Regardless of the circumstances, regardless of what we might feel, no matter how our day has gone so far, choosing to lift our hearts in praise is always the right thing to do. 3. We respond by choosing now as the time to go. We heard the words in our Gospel lesson, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field.” Today, we are those workers. Today, we are His missionaries in our community. We can’t wait for a better moment. As we recall the love of God, we know now is the time to go. Now is the time to be Christ with skin on to others. Now is the time to care, to provide the love of Christ by our presence and our concern. Now is the time to go. It’s what we do because God acted just in the nick of time. 4. We respond by expecting God to work through us. As Jesus sent out His twelve disciples, He gave them authority. He gave them power. Today, that same Jesus sends us out with His authority and power. We may not be able to heal the sick or cure diseases, yet we possess the power of God. When we believe God will work through us, we will see God work through us. When we expect God to do great things, God will do great things through our words and actions. God’s power is unlimited, His abilities beyond our wildest imaginations. When we expect the miraculous, we will be amazed by what God does through simple people like us. 5. Finishing a project, dashing inside just before the thunderstorm, or missing a deer may have occurred just in the nick of time. Yet as those “in the nick of time” events continue, remember what Christ did for you just in the nick of time. Amen.
Message Date: June 1, 2008 Text: Matthew 9:9-13 Theme: "Making Every Day Matter"	One morning as I was eating breakfast and paging through the mail, a phrase on the cover of one of the magazines caught my eye. In the top right corner of the JC Penny catalog, it read, “Every Day Matters.” As I thought about those words, they seemed to fit with our text. As Jesus called Matthew, He called him to action. He called him to make every day matter for his Lord. As we consider these words today, we focus on the theme: Making Every Day Matter. I. God has called each one of us to make every day we live matter. A. But to make every day matter, we need to realize who we are. 1. We are numbered among those “sinners” mentioned in our text. As we hear the word, we want to associate it with someone else. In our minds, “sinner” applies to the dirty, rotten scoundrels, to the murderers, to the thieves, to the tax evaders, to anyone but us. Because we claim the name “Christian,” we’d like to believe we have moved beyond that stage. Yet, if Jesus were here in person, He would concur that we fit the definition, that we, too, are numbered among the sinners, that we are among those sinners Christ came to save. 2. We are reluctant followers. Why wasn’t Matthew following Christ prior to this event? Had he never heard the message? Matthew had heard; Matthew knew, but Matthew was reluctant to give it all up for Christ. Are we really any different today? We know the message; we’ve heard the invitation. Yet how often do we make the most of every day? We can devise excuses, create honorable reasons for not making every day matter. Yet when we get to the heart of the issue, we fail to follow because we are reluctant, because we aren’t convinced, because we’re not sure, because we haven’t allowed the Spirit to infiltrate our lives so profoundly that we are committed to making every day matter for Christ. 3. As we consider who we are, we need to realize we are spiritually ill. Jesus said, “It’s not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” Jesus came for the sick, for the spiritually ill, for those who were overcome by the torments of Satan. As much as we don’t want to hear it, that describes us! Apart from the love and mercy of Christ, we are terminally ill. Without the ongoing intervention of our Doctor, we would die in our sins. Life would have no hope; there would be no reason to make every day or any day count. Nothing matters today unless Christ matters to us. Nothing matters tomorrow unless we admit today that we are spiritually ill, that we desperately need a doctor. B. As we realize who we are, how do we make every day matter? 1. We make every day matter by listening. When Jesus spoke, Matthew listened. Christ continues to speak today. We may not hear audible words, yet Christ speaks most often in His Word and Sacraments. As you heard His Word read today, Jesus was speaking to your heart. As you read His Word during the week, He is speaking to you. Today, as you have opportunity to receive His Body and Blood in the Lord’s Supper, He speaks to you. Yet all the words in the world will do us no good unless we listen. To make every day matter for Christ, we need to tune our hearts into His frequency. 2. We make every day matter by responding to what we hear. Jesus spoke two words to Matthew and Matthew responded. As Christ speaks to our hearts, as we hear His message, we make every day matter by responding. Hearing and doing nothing is wasting precious time. Today matters. What you say and do today matters. Time is running out. We need to respond. We need to go when Christ says, “Go.” We need to care when Christ leads us to care. We need to offer assistance wherever He leads us. There is no time for excuses, no time for “Lord, please find someone else.” When Christ speaks, we need to respond. He expects us to respond. It’s how we make every day matter for Christ. 3. We make every day matter by inviting. As good Lutherans, we have a bad habit. Rather than intentionally inviting others on a repeated basis, we have a habit of saying, “They know we are here. They can come if they want!” Yet would Matthew have come if Jesus hadn’t invited him? Out there are people who need an invitation or three or ten invitations. They know something is missing; they know life isn’t as they prefer it to be, yet they don’t know how to fill the void. As followers of Christ, we know what fills the void, what makes every day matter. Our task is to invite them to experience Christ as we experience Him each week in worship. As we invite others, we make every day we live matter to us and to Christ. 4. We make every day matter by caring enough to care. The heart of a shrewd tax collector melted as Jesus said, “Follow Me.” And as his heart melted, he opened the door for other tax collectors and “sinners” to gather at his house. We make every day matter by making time to care. It may be a smile as we hold the door open, a handshake or a hug, making that phone call you know you need to make, doing that random act of kindness, sending a thoughtful card. It’s not what we do. It’s that we do something to care. Today will matter when you have done something that demonstrates your care. Tomorrow will matter when you reach out with Christ’s care. 5. We make every day matter by choosing to make every day matter. As Jesus left Matthew’s house, did the next day matter to Matthew? What about the next week? Every day mattered because Matthew chose to make it matter. As you wake up tomorrow morning, say the simple prayer, “Lord, enable me to make this day matter for You,” and then watch Him make it happen. No matter how you feel, how busy you are, or what challenges you face, make the day matter by choosing to make it matter. Christ will use you. You may not realize He is using you. Yet when you choose to make every day matter for Christ, He will make life matter for someone else through you. 6. We make every day matter by expressing our gratefulness. Matthew, the former tax collector, was eternally grateful. As we realize what the Doctor of souls has done for us, we, too, express our gratefulness. As we recognize what He is doing today, as we become more aware of His work, as we make every day matter for Him, gratefulness and appreciation become our response throughout the day. We know the words, “This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Yet, as we make every day matter, we do the words. We rejoice. We express our gladness for the day; we ask our Lord to use us tomorrow to make that day matter. 7. Whether it’s printed on the JC Penny catalog or not, every day matters to Christ and every day needs to matter to us. As another week arrives, make every day matter. Make every day matter for Christ. Amen.