January 27, 2013 - A Part of the Body of Christ

This week’s scriptures are: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6,8-10, Psalms 19, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Luke 4:14-21

Please pray with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the words of this sermon are YOUR words, and not mine.  I pray that the message here touches those that need to be touched.  I pray that those receiving this sermon remember that all Honor and Glory are yours, Lord, both now and forever.  Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace to you, from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

There is a joke that I am sure most of you have heard.  The joke tells of the different body parts talking about which one is in charge.  We know how that went……………….sometimes in life, it really seems that the biggest pains in the butts are the ones “in charge”.  Reality is that person is only “in-charge” by the grace of God.

Sometimes we go to our Churches and the members who are rude, difficult to get along with or just so “sugary sweet" that it makes you want to vomit, are the same ones appointed to leadership positions.  How can this be?

In today’s readings, I found something about each one that made me want to write about it.  However, what sticks out most to me are the readings from 1 Corinthians and Nehemiah.

You see, I’ve gone to Church most of my life.  I’ve read these same scripture verses many times.  However, I don’t remember reading them on the same day.

When read back to back like this, it spoke to me.  You see, with a father in the military, we moved around.  In my childhood, we lived in Texas, New York, back to Texas, two places in Michigan, in Illinois while my Dad went to Korea, on to California and then back to Texas.  All of this was by Christmas break my third grade year.

Even while living in El Paso (the last time), we ended up at different Churches.  A Lutheran Church, a Presbyterian Church, a military Chapel………………………well, you get the hint.  Add to that I’d often go to Church with my Baptist and Catholic friends and family.  I was exposed to a lot of different ways to worship.

When I would read these scriptures before, I always thought of “body” being the Congregation at that one Church.  The parts of that body being the members of the Congregation.  Each member is important to get the work of the “body” done.

You know, I KNEW that each believer was a part of the body of Christ.  However, it wasn’t until today that I realized that each CHURCH CONGREGATION is a part of the body of Christ.

Think about it this way.  If we only had one body part, which one would it be?  Would it be the head?  Just one giant head floating around?  Or maybe it’d be the foot.  One giant foot, just………….there! 

How would that body part get anything done?  Would it be “worth” anything?

God is GREAT!  God is ALL knowing!  That is why He created us and not the other way around.  He did such a good job, that no two of us are EXACTLY alike.  Oh, we all have things in common.  We have our similarities.

Each of us has a head.  Each of us has a brain.  We each have a heart.  We all have eyes, ears, mouths and on and on.  And yet we’re all different in some way.

So it is with the body of Christ.  Each denomination is unique.  There’s similarities between the denominations, but they’re not the same.  They all believe in and worship God.  They all believe in and worship Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  But each one worships a little different.  Each one believes a little different.  Still one God the Father.  Still one Christ.  Still “Christians”.  Just different.

Break it down further.  Each congregation within a denomination has similarities, but each one is different.  They may all believe the same things about God, but not worship EXACTLY alike.  They may not have the same congregational structure.  Still one denomination.

Have you ever noticed that some denominations are very quiet and reverent during services?  Some are loud and joyous during services.  Some raise their hands in praise?  Some sit stoic throughout their service.  Some congregations do little more than sing throughout their services, while others don’t sing a single hymn.

Nehemiah 8:6 says: “Then Ezra Blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting their hands.”

 What’s so foreign to some of us, has been happening in worship services for thousands of years. 

At today’s conservative congregations, this practice would be frowned upon.  However, that congregation, that worship style, is meeting the needs of individuals within the body of Christ.

Go to a Baptist Church, a Pentecostal Church, a lot of “Non-Denominational” Churches and try to sit quietly.  You quickly feel uncomfortable just sitting there.  By the end of the service you’ll probably have one or more people ask if everything is ok or can they pray for you.

So, today I realized that not just each of us within a congregation are members of the body of Christ, I realized that each congregation, each denomination is a part of the body of Christ with a very specific purpose/job.

Each denomination has its own purpose, meeting the spiritual needs of different congregations.  Each congregation within a denomination has its own purpose, meeting the needs of different people within the individual congregations.  Each individual has their own purpose, meeting God and fulfilling His will.

Thank God that we ARE all different.  What a boring world this would be otherwise.

So this week, and every week, stand when you hear the word of God.  Say “Amen, Amen” at the end of the reading of the word.  Lift your hands when you praise Him.  Or not.  Either way, praise God for WHO you are, for WHERE you are, for what YOU can do for the body of Christ and for loving each of us enough that He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to live and die for us.  Praise God for the sunshine.  Praise Him for the rain.  Praise Him for everything.  For without God, the world would be a void that none of us would be able to imagine or survive.

I praise God for each of you reading this.  I praise God for the life I’ve lived and am still living.  I praise God for the bumps in the road.  I praise Him for the good people and the good times.

Standing if we’re able, hands held high or down at our sides, may we all praise Him throughout this week.  May we all remember that through all of our differences in the way we believe and worship, we are ALL a part of the body of Christ and may we rejoice in that knowledge.

Amen, Amen.

May the reading of this sermon bless you.  May God be with you and you with Him, until we meet again.

Amen, Amen.

January 20, 2013 - The Perfect Gift

This week’s scriptures are: Isaiah 62:1-5, Psalms 36:5-10, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11

Please pray with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the words of this sermon are YOUR words, and not mine.  I pray that the message here touches those that need to be touched.  I pray that those receiving this sermon remember that all Honor and Glory are yours, Lord, both now and forever.  Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace to you, from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Christmas just past.  How many of us gave meaningful gifts?  Did we take the time to think about what we’re giving or did we just rush out at the last minute and buy a gift, just to be able to give a gift?  What value is in that?

Maybe, you spent all year thinking and planning on the gifts you’d give.  Maybe you took the time to make the gifts.  A gift that was from the heart.  A gift that would be used and cherished.

If you have more than one child, did you give them the same gift?  Did you give your mother the same gift as your father?  Did you give everyone the same gift?

Neither did God.  That doesn’t make one gift better than the other.  It just makes them different.  It’s not important what gift you received from God, it’s important how you USE that gift.  Maybe, you were lucky enough to receive more than one gift from God.

Some people have what I’ve heard called “The Gift of Gab”.  They can talk to anyone, about anything.  Most of the people I’ve met with this gift, have never met a stranger.  These people can sometimes brighten the lives of others, just because they’re willing to say, “Hello”. 

The stranger walking down the street, feeling lonely, walks past such a person and they see that smile, they hear that greeting and it might just change their mood.  It may change their life forever. 

But what if no one had that gift?  What then?

Some people have the gift of knowledge.  They seem to know EVERYTHING.  I’m not talking about the pain in the neck that never shuts up and always THINKS they know more than anyone else.  I’m talking about the person who when times get tough, others turn to them. 

I’m talking about the person who you can turn to and ask what about this?  The person who can always find the answer no matter what the problem or situation.  The ones I’ve met who have this gift are often the quiet ones.  They’re willing to help, but don’t just jump in.

You walk in and your phone is ringing.  When you answer it, your whole world falls apart.  You don’t know what to do about the situation.  So without hesitation, you call that ONE person.  After hearing what’s going on, they calmly explain how to proceed.

What if no one had that gift?  What then?

Do you know what gift or gifts you have?  Do you know how to USE that gift?  ARE YOU using that gift?

God knew what He was doing when He gave out gifts.  You and I may have the same gifts, but we use them differently.  That doesn’t mean that one of us is wrong and the other is right.  It just means that we’re different.

I remember one day, years ago, we were discussing “GIFTS” in Sunday school.  A lady who seemed to be involved in EVERYTHING said that she wasn’t given a gift from God.

As it turns out that she was involved in everything, because she couldn’t FOCUS on anything.  She would go and do a lot of things in search of some “PASSION” for something.  ANYTHING.

Over the years, I’ve found myself involved in many different things.  For a long time I sang in choir.  Then I was involved in the Church Politics (never again, thank you very much).  I’ve been involved in Promotional Advertising, Photography, animal rescue and on and on.

But what’s MY gift?  What is it that I can do for God?  What is it that I can do that will be PLEASING to God?  I guess what I’m trying to say is, “What’s my gift TO God”?

No matter what my lot in life, the best things I can do is accept my place, my circumstances.  I can go out and be the best ME that I can.  I can go out and give glory to God for everything that I have.  I can live a life where God’s love flows through me to others.  I can let others see God through my life.  Through my actions.

My gift could seem so insignificant to me, but it could be the world to someone else.  I may not even realize my gift at the time that I’m using it, but it could be the difference between Heaven and Hell for someone else.

No matter what gift God gave you, cherish it.  Use it to His glory.  Do not envy someone else for the gift that they were given.  You may not be able to handle the pressure of that gift.  You may not be able to handle the circumstances required for that gift to be used.

No, God gave you the PERFECT gift.  He gave you the exact gift you’ll need for the situations you will encounter.  And the one gift He gave to all of us, is love. 

So use all of your gifts and share the love of God with others, in whatever way you can.

May God’s love flow through us all this week.  May that love just EXPLODE from us.  May others feel God’s love every time they are in our presence. 

Amen.

May the reading of this sermon bless you.  May God be with you and you with Him, until we meet again.

Amen.

January 13, 2013 - Be Like John

This week’s scriptures are: Isaiah 43:1-7, Psalms 29, Acts 8:14-17, Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Please pray with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the words of this sermon are YOUR words, and not mine.  I pray that the message here touches those that need to be touched.  I pray that those receiving this sermon remember that all Honor and Glory are yours, Lord, both now and forever.  Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace to you, from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Have you ever known that you were going to get something AWESOME, but didn’t know EXACTLY what it was going to be?  You knew it was coming, but didn’t know EXACTLY when it was coming?

Have you ever done good things?  God’s work?  Only to have people misunderstand what you were doing or why you were doing that?  Maybe they misunderstood how you are able to do the things you are doing.

Have you ever felt that you weren’t good enough?  Not worthy of an honor or of a job?  Maybe not worthy of being used by God?

That’s sorta what happened a long time ago.  The children of God knew they were going to get a Messiah, but didn’t know when.  They didn’t know who?

There was a man named John.  He was going about teaching, preaching and baptizing.  Doing God’s will.  He was gaining many followers.  He was a popular man.

Because he was able to move people by his words, some started wondering if he was the Messiah.  Because he was baptizing people, some started wondering if he was the Messiah.  Because he had an ever growing following, some started wondering if he was the Messiah.

John told them that there was going to be someone coming who he, John, was not worthy to unstrap His sandals.  People still couldn’t understand.

And then, John baptized Christ.  Even though John wasn’t worthy of unstrapping Jesus’ sandals, he was important enough for God’s plans.

If it was important that Jesus knowingly, willing be baptized, is it important for us to be baptized?  Of course it is.  Should we KNOWINGLY, WILINGLY be baptized?  Of course we should.

I’m not going to get into the arguments about when to baptize (baby vs any other age) or the method (sprinkle or dunk).  I’m just stating that my understanding and belief is that if Christ was baptized, His believers should be baptized.

If John was not worthy of unstrapping Christ’s sandals, how was he able to baptize Christ?  Because God can use ANYONE.  Even John.

God can use even you and even me.  Maybe God has used you when you weren’t looking.  Maybe you are an important part of God’s plan.  I’d bet on it.

I believe we are all important to God’s work.  I even believe that God can and does use non-believers.  I know that God uses sinners, because we are all sinners.

Some of the people that have reinforced my beliefs are not the Bible thumpers.  Not the ones who can quote the entire Bible from memory.

Many of the people who have reinforced my faith are people I’ve never met.  Let me explain.

When I see people struggling with life, and yet they’re smiling and not complaining, I see Christ’s love.  We need to be content with what we have and where we are in life.

When I see disaster strike and families lose everything, except each other, I see the love of God.  Because God saved what’s important, the family, the people.  Material things can be replaced.  They may be precious to us, but what’s more important.

When we can walk in the face of loss, the everyday struggles with people, the failing economy, the fight against temptation, and still smile and still give God the glory and praise, THEN, we are being used by God.

I’ve had people come to me and say that something I did meant so much to them.  How?  All I did was be me.  All I did was what I thought was right.  I didn’t know I was being used.

Who am I to be used by God?  I’m just a sinner.  I am not worthy of being used by God.  I’m not educated in theology.  I’m not the most religious person.  Heck, I struggle with my relationship with God, almost daily.

Yet God has used ME.  God has allowed me to touch lives.  Sometimes I’m not even aware I’m being used.  Sometimes God has told me to do something for someone, and I wanted nothing to do with it.  But as God used me to help that person, He taught me humility.  So God was using me to help them as He was using them to teach me.

So no matter how unworthy we are, God CAN use us.  No matter how small our view of our life, our situation, our abilities, we CAN be used.

God used John, a simple man, to reach out to people, to bring them to know God, to baptize the Messiah.  How will He use us?  Will we be ready to be used?  Will we even know that God has used us?

Sometimes we do things because we just FEEL that we should.  We don’t know why.  We just do it.  It may be just saying, “hello” to someone.  It may be something as simple as holding the door for a stranger.

We may be changing someone’s entire day or we may be changing their life.  The important thing is we are doing God’s will.  God’s work.  That’s what John did and look at the lives he touched.

My challenge to you this week, is to do God’s work, whatever that may be.  Be used by God, however He wants to use you.  Allow yourself to accept what God where God has you.  Know that even your smallest acts, may be a BIGGEST blessing to someone.

God used John, let Him use us.  Just like John, we’re not the Messiah, but we CAN lead others to the real Messiah.  Let’s be like John.

Amen.

May the reading of this sermon bless you.  May God be with you and you with Him, until we meet again.

Amen.

January 6, 2013 - Not What I Thought

This week’s scriptures are:

Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalms 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12

Please pray with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the words of this sermon are YOUR words, and not mine.  I pray that the message here touches those that need to be touched.  I pray that those receiving this sermon remember that all Honor and Glory are yours, Lord, both now and forever.  Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace to you, from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

When I first read the scriptures for this week, I THOUGHT I knew which direction God wanted this sermon to go.  “Let your light shine and others will come to you”.  Of course, that’s what I get for thinking.

When I went back and re-read the scriptures, I used my parallel Bible.  This has four translations side by side.  The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Revised English Bible, New American Bible and (my favorite) New Jerusalem Bible.  By using this Bible, I can easily compare the same passage across four translations.

The meaning is always the same.  Often there is only a little difference in the wording.  However, sometimes that small difference makes a big difference in understanding.

So it was for me when I re-read the passage from Ephesians.  You see, when I first read that passage, I missed the part about Paul calling himself “the very least of all the saints” (NRSV).  I know there is so much more to these scripture readings, but that SPOKE to me.

Let me start from the beginning. 

Hi, my name’s Daniel and I am a sinner.  (I feel like we’re at some kind of twelve-step meeting).  I often don’t want to follow God’s will, even when I know it’s what’s best for me.  This leads me to sin.  I’m not saying I’m a murderer, a thief, a blasphemer, or anything like that.  Just by not following God’s will, I’m a sinner.

Take this blog for example.  A long time ago, God told me I needed to start writing sermons.  Of course, I’m not an ordained minister.  I’m no longer the council president, responsible for having someone in the pulpit for every Church service. I don’t have a calling to start a new Church.  I’m just a sinner.  So I said “no”.

God kept at me.  He told me to write.  I told God that I hadn’t writing a sermon in years.  He reminded me that HE wrote those sermons.  I told God that I had no place to share the sermons.  He told me that HE would take care of that, too.

Then one day I decided to start blogging.  OOPS.  God said, “GOTCHA”.  He told me, “THIS is where you’ll put the sermons”.

Still not sure about this, I started this blog.  Set a date to start writing sermons and put the word out.

That’s when the Devil kicked it into high gear.  Remember, I am a sinner.  (That makes the Devil happy).  I have agreed to do God’s will.  (That makes the Devil upset).  My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak.

As the weekend approached and I hadn’t started writing, I started getting sick.

“Hey, God, I’ll just start this next week.  Okay?”  NOT okay.

God had me read and re-read the scriptures for this week.  Then He had me read them again.  And again.  When I THOUGHT I knew the message I was to give, God had me read the scriptures AGAIN and told me, “Guess again”.

I had been so focused on mankind being drawn to the light, that I missed the part about God using Paul.  I missed the part about Paul saying he was “the very least of the saints”.

You see, just like Paul, I am a sinner.  I’m not the greatest speaker in the world.  Heck if I don’t stop and think about some words, I cannot pronounce them correctly.  The older I get, the more the hillbilly comes out in me.   

And yet God used Paul to spread His message.  God used Paul to reach out to the Gentiles (non-Jews).  God used Paul to bring people to Christ.  God used Paul to reach down through the generations and touch lives.  Even though Paul has been gone from this earth for thousands of years, God is STILL using Paul today.

So who am I to say, “no”, when God wants to use me?  Who am I to say HOW God can use me?  Who am I to say WHEN God can use me? 

Remember I am a sinner.  I am the least of all of God’s people.  I love the Lord.  I try to follow the Lord.  And yet, I resist His will.

And so to me it’s fitting to have these scriptures for this week.  They talk about kings and nations being drawn to the light.  They talk about Paul being “the very least of all the saint”. 

I saw this sermon being about letting your light shine and people will being drawn to you.  Then God showed me about Paul.

Paul may have been the least of the chosen, but once he followed in God’s will, people WERE drawn to him.  The gentiles couldn’t help but listen.

So even though we are sinners, God can use us, if we let Him.  God has placed us where He wants us.  Where He needs us.  Where we can touch lives.  As long as we’ll allow God to shine through us, people will be blessed.

People will be DRAWN to us.  They’ll be DRAWN to the LIGHT.  They’ll be DRAWN to God.

On this earth, we may never know the lives we’ve touched.  We may never know HOW God used us.  Even when we think we’re such lowly sinners that we cannot POSSIBLY be used by God, God may all ready be using us.

When we are doing God’s will, God’s light will shine through us.  People will be drawn to that light, wanting to know about the light.  The more people are drawn to that light, the more they’ll be drawn to God. 

Isn’t helping people to know and love God why we’re here in the first place?  So let God’s light shine THROUGH you.

It doesn’t matter if you are the greatest person in the world or the worst sinner in the world.  As long as you are now doing GOD’S will, God will use you to reach others.  He will use you to bless others and draw others to Him.

So the next time you think that you are just a lowly sinner and that God cannot possibly use you, remember He used me to bring HIS message to you today.  Who am I, but a lowly sinner?  I am a servant of God.

Amen.

May the reading of this sermon bless you.  May God be with you and you with Him, until we meet again.

Amen