This was a good sermon. I had to really focus on it because I had two little precious girls on my lap and in my space for the whole service. Adi wanted to help me take notes and Sammy Jo thought my nose drop container was her real bottle.
I can barely read my notes, so I may have to wing it. Two quotes PF reiterated were the following:
"Our greatest hindrances are trembling now in the presence of God."
"Most of our successes are just beyond our greatest fears."
He also said something that I am pondering. He said something about choosing to follow the compass we've been given and letting God deal with the timeline of our lives. No matter how old we are, we have a call of God in our lives, which serves as our compass. It is never too late to follow that call until He calls us home. The way the call of God works itself out in our lives may differ as we age, but it is still what gives us direction and purpose and we never should give up our call and say that we are finished now. Only God can say when we are done. I've been thinking alot about this. Sometimes, we think we've missed it. But, if we were lost in the woods and took out our compass, we would follow the direction that would lead us to our destination. We wouldn't throw the compass into the woods and say that it is too late to find the way home. We would just turn and start walking in the right direction. The compass of God is a merciful compass and every day is a new beginning.
He read from Genesis 11 and spoke about the blessing of confusion. The people on the earth came together to build a huge tower to make a name for themselves. They said that with this kind of unity, there is nothing we can't do. God came down and confused their language and soon they were scattered over the face of all the earth. That was a good thing.
Unity can do alot of damage if it is self-focused.
Unity can do alot of good if it is God-focused.
The Holy Spirit fell on the group at Pentecost as they gathered together in unity, waiting for the gift Jesus told them would come. The Holy Spirit revealed Himself like a rushing mighty wind and by cloven tongues of fire on each head, and they began to speak in other tongues. Many people believed, were baptized, and were added to the church that day, through Peter's message. The Holy Spirit completely changed Peter's perspective. He was no longer focused on self-preservation; He wanted only the things of God and He didn't care what would happen to him because of it.
Jesus prayed that we would be 'one' so that the world might know that God had sent Him and that He loves them just as much as He loves Jesus.
See what can happen when a church is unified. People will know that Jesus is who He says He is. People will know that God loves them just as much as He loves Jesus. Wow.
Disunity-Lots of energy expended putting out little fires
Unity-One big fire with enough love and light to warm everybody up
I liked this. Jesus helped people feel like they belonged and then they could relax and believe in Him if they so chose. For example, the woman caught in adultery was brought before Him. She was probably thrown on the ground. Jesus got down on her level and started writing in the dirt. I used to think that maybe he wrote the names of the men in the circle who had also sinned. But, as Pastor Frank said, if we were to know, it would have been written for us to know. The important thing is this. Jesus stooped down to be with her in the dirt. And as every man's own sinful life was confirmed by their departure, she realized that they were just as bad as she. But, He lifted her up beyond "All have sinned." He said, "No man here condemns you and neither do I. Go and sin no more."
If people know we love and accept them, then they can hear the truth.
If we preach the truth to people without first loving
and accepting them, we will be making it hard for them to hear the truth.
They need to know that they are not condemned by Him before they can hear, "Go and sin no more."
I think people who have never been to church need to feel loved and accepted.
I think people who have been to church their whole lives need to feel loved and accepted.
Christ accepted us; we should accept one another also.
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