Finally Home – MercyMe
April 30th, 2009
Archive
Archive for April, 2009
Sunday Sermon … How to Give to God
April 26th, 2009
We Will Stand is our song this week. 
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I don’t know for sure if we’re done with the Gospel of John or if we’re just taking a one week break to focus on a Building People campaign.
Here, Paul is trying to collect money from the Gentile churches to give to some of the oppressed Jewish churches. A little background info can be found in Romans 15:25-28 and 1 Corinthians 16: 1-4. We see here that there seems to be a pattern of being blessed (receiving) spiritually and then giving materially.
Five Principles for Giving to God
1. 8:1-9 – Follow good role models for your giving. … The home is the best place to start. Our pastor suggested that parents start giving kids an allowance in first grade and making them tide some of it. … From this scripture we also see that it is possible to give during tough economic times such as we are in currently and the Macedonians faced way back then. The Macedonians were poor but were still able to give. They gave themselves first to God and then to others in keeping with God’s will. Some people may not be able to offer much (or any) money, but there is always a way in which they can offer themselves to God.
2. 8:10-15 – Give consistently and proportionally. … We should be eager to give and if we miss a week then we should make up for it the next week by giving two weeks worth of normal giving. … Now, not everyone has the same amount of income, so we can’t all give the same amount in offering. However we can give the same in proportion and it will be “enough.”
3. 8:16-24 – Make sure your giving is managed with integrity. … My own interpretation of this principle is “make sure that whatever cause you are giving to is legit.” Check on how they handle the money and where it goes. Don’t just let your money or time go somewhere where it won’t do any good. Put your money and time to work for God.
4. 9:1-11 – Give with the proper attitude.
- 9: 1-2 – Give eagerly (enthusiastically).
- 9:5-6 – Give generously.
- 9:7 – Give Cheerfully.
Giving with this proper attitude will bring people to thank God for what they have, no matter how small it may be.
5. 9:12-15 – Visualize the results of your giving. … The Building People campaign at our church is raising money to finish our new building which includes more sunday school rooms, an elevator, a bookstore, and even a gym. Our vision for this new building is that we will be able to reach more people than ever before in more ways than ever before. Maybe the little kids come to play basketball and at half-time they hear about Christ, about God, and a seed is planted. Maybe a member buys a book or shirt or something from the bookstore and gives it as a gift to a friend and plants a seed. Maybe we’ll get more elderly people to attend because they can actually get from one level to another with the elevator. Maybe more people will attend Sunday School and grow deeper in their relationship with Christ and with fellow Christians. … The “maybes” go on and on. … Because we give, others will (and ourselves) will praise God! … Verse 15: the “indescribable gift” is Christ. He made the ultimate offering. He died for us!
Sunday Sermon … Jesus Recycles!
April 19th, 2009
I’m gonna start doing a little more with these from now on. I’m going to link to one video of a song we sung in church.
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In order to recycle anything (unless you just use it over and over) the product must first be destroyed. Then they probably wash the peices, heat them up, and finally mold it into something new.
You are recyclable.
How?
When we face our failures, we should feel crushed, nearly useless. … Then we repent and cleansed by Jesus’ blood. … We should be on fire for God, wanting to do anything and everything for Him! … Finally, we allow Him to work through us!
Let’s see how Jesus did this to Peter.
1) Jesus calls you to face your failure. … We see this as Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Jesus. This occurs after Jesus tells the disciples (again) to fish from the other side of the net. They were fishing and had caught nothing all night, but as soon as Jesus tells them what side to fish from, the net fills up so much that they couldn’t pull it in. They had failed in their fishing alone. … Peter had failed earlier when Jesus was on trial and Peter was asked three times if he was a disciple. He had answered “no” all three times.
2) Jesus calls you to examine your love for Him. … The first two times when Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, He used the Greek word “agapeo.” Peter seemed to only be able to utter the word “phileo” when he said “love.” The third time Jesus asked, he also used “phileo.” … You ask, “what does it matter which word is used?” … Well, “agapeo” is like saying “I’ll do anything for you. I’ll give my life for you. I am fully committed to you.” However, “phileo” is more of a brotherly-love, friendship word. … How do you love God?
3) Jesus points you to a ministry in your life (no matter what). … He gives Peter instructions.
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
It probably won’t be easy, the ministry. It will be tough. There may be persecution. Peter was crucufied … upside down.
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Have you been recycled yet?
Sunday Sermon … The Resurrection of Jesus
April 12th, 2009
First things first: God showed up and showed out today during praise and worship! Go God!
19:38-42: Jesus was buried in a private tomb as a rich man would have been as prophesied in Isaiah 53:9. They used 75 pounds of spices to wrap His body in. … Jesus was dead.
20:1-9: Mary Magdalene finds the tomb is empty. Peter and another disciple (probably John) run to the empty tomb. The other disciple arrives before Peter but stops. Peter runs straight in, then the other disciple follows. … Tomb research: Closing the tomb was a simple task for two men. Opening the tomb was near impossible because of the groove it would roll into. Jesus opened it! … The disciples were excited! They ran to the tomb! However, the first one hesitated at the entrance, scared probably. Peter dove straight in. I feel that we need to “run to the tomb” more than we do currently. … Run to the tomb! Go in! See! Believe that Jesus lives!
20:10-18: Mary saw two angels but didn’t seem to realize they were angels. For some reason she turned around after she answered their question, maybe the angels stood (or fell) in respect of Jesus who had appeared behind Mary. So Mary was the first to see Jesus but didn’t recognize Him right away. Jesus then called her by name. … John 10:1-21 shows the relationship between Jesus (The Good Shepherd) and His followers (sheep). He calls His followers by name. He knows them and they know Him. … So, Marry, a woman, was the first to see Jesus after His Resurrection. Jesus did a great deal to improve the status of women in His time.
20:19-23: Jesus appears to ten of His disciples (Thomas wasn’t there and Judas had committed suicide). He still has the wounds. I (and others) believe that when Christians receive glorified bodies, they will be flawless. However, Jesus’ glorified body still had the wounds from His crucifixion. He may have kept them as signs, reminders for what He dis for us. … The disciples were overjoyed when Jesus appeared in the locked room. We should be joyful all the time because we know Hi lives!
20: 24-29: Jesus appears to Thomas. “Thomas gets a bad rep,” as my pastor would say because he wanted to see, touch, feel before believing. I don’t think Thomas had to touch or feel the wounds because he saw Jesus appear in the locked room and he believed! … The testimony of a skeptic. … Have you stopped doubting? Do you believe?
20:30-31: Believe it! Jesus is real. He lived. He Died. He saved. He lives!
Good Friday
April 10th, 2009
Sunday Sermon … Jesus is Crucified
April 6th, 2009
Sorry I’m late posting this …
v. 1-3: The crown of thorns … Thorns were produced from the ground as a result of mankind’s sin.
v. 4-7: Pilate sees no reason to crucify Jesus and tries to set him free, but the Jews want him dead. The Jews did not believe Jesus to be the Son of God and therefore wanted to crucify Him according to law since He was committing blasphemy in their eyes.
v. 8-11: Apparently, Pilate did not know that Jesus claimed to be God’s Son. So he asks where Jesus came from. … No answer. … Pilate claims to have power. Jesus says power comes from God and whoever turned Jesus in committed greater sin.
v. 12: Pilate has been in trouble with Caesar before; he doesn’t want to get in more trouble. … In other words, he’s scared.
v. 13: Pilate sits on the judges seat. … One day the table will be reversed. Pilate (and everyone else, you & me) will be in front of the True Judge, that is God (who by the way is Jesus).
v. 14-16: Pilate asks them once more if they really want to Crucify Jesus. … And they do. They claim that Caesar is their only king.
v. 17-22: Jesus carried His own cross and was crucified between two criminals. Pilate put a sign over Jesus’ head that read
|sc JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS
in three languages. … The Jews did not like this and asked him to take it down or change it. … I, personally, have a feeling that Pilate believed Jesus really was/is who He said he was/is, but he was also more concerned with wordly punishment.
v. 23-24: Pprophesied in Psalm 22:18.
v. 25-27: Jesus cared about His friends and family as He died on the cross.
v. 28: Prophesied in Psalm 22:15.
v. 29: Prophesied in Psalm 69:21. Also, the hyssop plant was used on sacrifices in the Old Testament.
v. 30: When Jesus said
It is finished.
He used it as a victory cry! That was when the battle was won! He died for you, for me, and gave us the opportunity to have eternal life at that very moment.
v. 31-37: So, the bodies were not supposed to be hanging on the day of Passover. The soldiers broke the legs of the two criminals to help them die quicker, but Jesus was already dead. It was prophesied in the Old Testament that Jesus’ bones would be broken (Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; Psalm 34:20 … the first two are in reference to the Passover lamb). … In Zechariah 12:10 it was prophesied that He would be pierced.
All of this was done just for us! Let us not take this for-granted.
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