Three Questions - One More Time

 Read Jeremiah 31:3

John 3:16-17

John 13:34-35

James 4:8

 

 

Three Questions -- One More Time...

 We continue through the book of Genesis and are up to chapter 42.  If you want to hear me preach that chapter, you will have to go to the Burns Flat CPC Facebook page and watch the 9:00 am service.

Why not preach it here?  We had this wonderful thing happen this week.  It was called camp.  We sent 27 young people to camp, and as far as I know, we brought the same number home without any stowaways.

So, this morning, I give you three questions.  They will be familiar to some.

The questions are:

How long will God love you?

How much does God love you?

What are you going to do about it?

To the first question. How long will God love us?

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:

I have loved you with an everlasting love;

    I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

Here it is in The Message translation.

God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will.

    Expect love, love, and more love!

It seems that our world is going absolutely bonkers, but our God just won’t stop loving us.  It’s not about how well the world is doing.  It’s not about our performance, though our very lives should be a living sacrifice—an ongoing offering—to God.  It’s not about how well we scored on our Law of Moses test.

It’s about love.  It’s all about love.  Why?

God is love!

God wants us to have his divine nature. He wants us to know love and to be love and to do that he just keeps on loving us. 

Mark your calendars.  Tom just worked REO Speedwagon into the sermon.

And I'm gonna keep on loving you

'Cause it's the only thing I wanna do

I don't wanna sleep

I just wanna keep on loving you

Evidently, God thinks that we are worth it. Go figure.

Question 2.  How much does God love us? We know this answer by heart.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

I can comprehend my own child or grandchild going into the service and perhaps risking his life for his country.  I get that.

I have a hard time comprehending the trust that Abraham had in God when he told him to sacrifice his one and only son, Isaac. That’s some stuff right there.

Risk of death is one thing.  Giving your son over to death is another.  I am glad that God called me to be a Marine officer and to pastor a church in Burns Flat, America instead of what he asked Abraham to do.

I don’t know if I would have it in me to sacrifice my own son.  As much as I preach trust in the Lord and as much as I try to live trust in the Lord, sacrificing your own son just seems like a bridge too far.

Yes, there were some teenage years when it might have been easier, but sacrificing your own son is too much.

When it came to loving us, God said that no price is too high. He paid the price in his own blood—the blood of Christ Jesus.

When you wonder how much God loves you, visualize Jesus on the cross.  His arms are stretched out wide to make it difficult to breathe.  The Romans were devious like that.  They built good roads and aqueducts, but they knew how to maximize pain as they killed you.

But as you visualize Jesus being executed on the cross think of his arms stretched out for you. How much does God love you?  More than you can imagine.

So now, to my favorite question.  What are you going to do about it?  What are you going to do in response to this fantastic, unbelievable love of God that we know in Christ Jesus?

Our salvation rests in our belief.  We believe in Jesus and the One who sent him.  In our profession of faith resides our salvation.

But we are promised more than just being saved from the flames of hell.  We are promised fullness. We are promised abundant life.

Our salvation is one thing. Our response to salvation is another.  Our response is our discipleship and our discipleship begs the question:  Do we realize how much God loves us?

Do you realize how many Christians have a casual response to their salvation? Jesus died for me.  That’s cool, bru.  What’s for lunch.

How could our response be anything less than everything we have given willingly to God.  Yes, we tithe and make offerings and sing hymns of praise and sometimes stay awake for the sermon, but I am talking about more. 

I am talking about in everything we do, doing it for the Lord.  Our jobs, our school, our time with our families, and our time alone is all meant to be an offering to God.

God wants to see us bring glory to his name and enjoy him while we do it.

Do we comprehend that?  God wants us to enjoy bringing glory to his name.  It’s not a gotta-do.  It’s a get-to-do—a blessed-to-do.

Even our loving response to God’s unfathomable love is designed to be a blessing to us.

Let’s respond to God’s love by living fully for him and enjoying him every step of the way! That doesn’t mean that we quit school, quit our jobs, or begin our lives as homeless people.  We live fully for God in whatever it is that we think or do.  Our thoughts, attitudes, and actions belong to God.

That’s generally where I stop.  If I am asked to speak at an event that I thought I was just attending, I rely on the three questions.

If I am meeting with a group for just about any purpose, somehow, I work in these three questions.

Today, I want to ask you a fourth question.  Did you grow nearer to God over the past week?

Was it just fun with friends or was there something more?  You might not believe the number of people in this world that just go to the next thing.

They don’t understand purpose.  They have no purpose in their lives.  They just do whatever is next.

These words come to mind.

Adrift

Rudderless

Lost

You who believe in the God who is above all love are people of purpose—God’s purpose.  His purpose for you is woven with love.

God is love and he wants to manifest his love in this world through you.

So, I ask again, did you draw closer to God this week.

If you didn’t, it’s time to take inventory of your life.  Do you have a relationship with God or do you just know about him?

If you did draw nearer to God this week, build upon that momentum.  Keep moving nearer to God.  He is coming nearer to you.  Build upon what you have accomplished.

Some of you might be thinking, he’s just talking to the campers… No such luck!

The three questions are for us all as is the fourth.  Did we grow nearer to God this week?  We were not at camp but we are people of purpose.

Did we draw nearer to God?

If the answer is no, then it’s time we take inventory of our lives. If we find ourselves just going on to the next thing without regard to the purpose that God has given us, take inventory.

If it’s yes, then we too should build upon that momentum.

God will never stop loving you.

He loves you so much that he sacrificed his Son for you.

He has commanded us to love each other as much as he loved us.

Are we getting to know this God of love better each day?  Did we draw nearer to him this week?

Consider that the God of all the universe wants a very close relationship with you. Come to know him better each day.

Amen.

Ruth and Hebrews Sermon Planning and Reading Plan

 

DATE	SCRIPTURE	NOTES
5 May 2024	Ruth 1
12 May	Ruth 2
19 May	Ruth 3	Pentecost Sunday
26 May	Ruth 4
2 June	Hebrews 1
9 June	Hebrews 2
16 June	Hebrews 3
23 June	Hebrews 4
30 June	Hebrews 6	Pulpit Supply – Danny Rush
7 July	Hebrews 6	Celebrate Independence
14 July	Hebrews 7
21 July	Hebrews 8
28 July	Hebrews 9
4 August	Hebrews 10
11 August	Hebrews 11
18 August	Hebrews 12
25 August	Hebrews 13
1 September	Pulpit Supply	Pulpit Supply choice/Gideons
8 September	Titus 2	Transition message
15 September	Revelation1
22 September	Revelation 2	The 7 Churches
29 September	Revelation 3	The 7 Churches

 

To maximize the impact of these divine directions, please read the assigned chapter each day of the week. Adult Sunday school classes should study in parallel to the week’s assignment.

This might seem redundant. That’s because it is. Repetition is critical to much learning. How many of you learned your multiplication tables with just one time through?

And here’s the thing about redundancy… Every commander or logistician knows that redundancy of critical supplies or systems is essential in combat. It’s the same for Spiritual Warfare.  We are reading to win!

Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas 2023 Sermon Planner

 

DATE	SCRIPTURE	NOTES
29 Oct	Matthew 25:14-30	Video – Talents
5 Nov	Matthew 25:14-30	Parable of the Talents
12 Nov	Ephesians 6:10-20	Veterans Day
19 Nov	Psalm 100	Thanksgiving 1
26 Nov	Luke 17:11-19	Thanksgiving 2
3 Dec	Isaiah 64:1-9	First Sunday of Advent
10 Dec	2 Peter 3:8-15	Second Sunday of Advent- Video
17 Dec	Isaiah 61:1-11	Third Sunday of Advent - Video
24 Dec	Luke 1:26-38	Fourth Sunday of Advent/Christmas

Words of Jesus Sermon Planner

 

DATE	SCRIPTURE	NOTES
31 Dec 23	Matthew 7:24-27	INTRODUCTION
7 Jan 24	Matthew 7:7-8	Video
14 Jan	Matthew 12:46-50	Video
21 Jan	Mark 11:12-25
28 Jan	Luke 15	Lost and Found
4 Feb	John 4:1-26	CPC Birthday
11 Feb	Matthew 6:25-34
18 Feb	Matthew 22:34-40
25 Feb	John 10:10-11
3 Mar	John 10:22-30
10 Mar	Mark 10:17-31
17 Mar	2 Corinthians 12:1-10
24 Mar	Mark 1:1-11; Luke 19:28-44	Palm Sunday
31 Mar	Mark 16	Resurrection Sunday
7 Apr	Luke 6:27-28
14 Apr	John 8:1-11
21 Apr	Matthew 6:19-21
28 Apr	Matthew 11:25-28	Wrap up

Arkansas Amendments

 Just so people know what presbyteries will be voting on in the coming year, here is what is affectionately referred to as the Arkansas Amendments.

1. That the Constitution of the CPC/CPCA be amended by adding the following Paragraph 2.92 and renumbering subsequent sections as appropriate: 2.92 When a person is in a sexual relationship that is outside the boundaries of marriage as described in the Confession of Faith 6.17, then such a situation makes that person ineligible to be ordained to the office of elder.

2. That the Constitution of the CPC/CPCA be amended by adding the following sentence at the end of the current Paragraph 2.73: 2.73 When a person is in a sexual relationship that is outside the boundaries of marriage as described in the Confession of Faith 6.17, then such a situation makes that person ineligible to serve as an elder on the session of a church.

3. That the Constitution of the CPC/CPCA be amended by adding the following Paragraph 6.35 and renumbering subsequent sections as appropriate: 2023 THE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 99 6.35 No licentiate shall be ordained who is in a sexual relationship that is outside the boundaries of marriage as described in the Confession of Faith 6.17. Such a situation makes that person ineligible to be ordained as a minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

4. That the Constitution of the CPC/CPCA be amended by adding the following new Paragraph 7.02 and renumbering subsequent sections as appropriate: 7.02 When a person is in a sexual relationship that is outside the boundaries of marriage as described in the Confession of Faith 6.17, then such a situation makes that person ineligible to serve a church in any of the relationships stated in 7.01

F4 Review and the Beginning of Planning for the 23-24 F4 Schedule

 When you think of your recent F4 experience, what comes to find.  This is the time for those 1 or 2 things that have your attention and concern now.  There will be some specific topics later.

This is a time for first thoughts and the beginning of ideas.  If you have a new idea or a new spin on an old one, put a little meat on the bone but don’t plan an entire menu (yes this is metaphorical.  I’m not talking about the F4 meal.  Well not yet anyway).

We have many voices to hear and this is not the time to get fixed on a single course of action or eliminate other approaches this early.  Let’s see what everyone thinks.

Often, if people are open to new ideas, the first idea or two will lead to other ideas, and eventually to something that many will agree on.  This is just the beginning of a process.

We will have a get down to the nuts and bolts of this at a meeting sometime in July.  For now, let’s see what’s on your mind. Please complete by 15 May 2023.

PLEASE USE THE REPLY ALL MODE TO SHARE YOUR INPUT.

 

Please consider this past year’s F4 program (Sep-Apr) and make one or two concise comments in these areas:  PLUS, MINUS, INTERESTING.

 

Topic #1:                                                                             

PLUS (The things that went well and we want to continue).

 

 

 

MINUS (The negative stuff that needs to be eliminated or fixed)

 

 

INTERESTING (The creative part of you that looks at both problems and successes and says, “What if?”)

 

 

Topic #2:                                                                             

 

PLUS (The things that went well and we want to continue).

 

 

 

MINUS (The negative stuff that needs to be eliminated or fixed)

 

 

INTERESTING (The creative part of you that looks at both problems and successes and says, “What if?”)

 

Headliners.

The Meal. 

The gathering. This is too many people in one place at one time, at least in this age when children come from chaos to what should be reverence and order.  We are outnumbered when they are all here at once.  We are glad that they are here and want to make the most of our time with them, but need to outsmart them into order and reverence.

The mass gathering of sometimes 80+ children at once is currently not manageable.  Please think on what we can do to bring order and reverence to our Wednesday evenings.

The meal itself.  Even a simple meal can be taxing.  Clean-up is hit-and-miss at best.  Some groups are better than others.  None read the checklist.  Please think on options here.

PLUS (The things that went well and we want to continue).

 

 

 

MINUS (The negative stuff that needs eliminated or fixed)

 

 

INTERESTING (The creative part of you that looks at both problems and successes and says, “What if?”)

 

 

Classroom size

The men’s group has sufficient room for the moment.  The women have stopped meeting.  The senior youth have atrophied as well.  Junior high and below are bursting at the seams most Wednesdays.  The Junior high has adapted by using the sanctuary.  Others can go outside when the weather is good.  Any new facility is years down the road.

Please put your creative thoughts to work on this one.

PLUS (The things that went well and we want to continue).

 

 

 

MINUS (The negative stuff that needs eliminated or fixed)

 

 

INTERESTING (The creative part of you that looks at both problems and successes and says, “What if?”)

 

Movement and Activity.

Children, especially young children, need some scheduled movement and activities outside of the classroom.  These students have been in class all day and keeping them tuned in for a full hour has proved to be too much on some days.

Having a time for music for the elementary-age children was good but we have not done that for a while and the sanctuary is currently in use for the junior high. Energizers are good, but we use teachers from older classes to lead them.

Please put your creative thoughts to work on this one as well.

PLUS (The things that went well and we want to continue).

 

 

 

MINUS (The negative stuff that needs to be eliminated or fixed)

 

 

INTERESTING (The creative part of you that looks at both problems and successes and says, “What if?”)

 

The Chaos

Those whose parents are members or worship here bring their children and those children have expectations of reverence and order.  They still have fun.

Those who come from homes without God in the center often have grown comfortable with chaos.

Parents that I have talked with just don’t want to come.  Some work but many just drop their children off for the daycare.

Biblical teaching are not being reinforced in these homes.

This is a tough one, but we are smart enough to get on top of this.  We will likely need to be bold here and might ruffle some feathers.  Please think and pray on how to address the chaos and how to address the ambivalent parents.

 

PLUS (The things that went well and we want to continue).

 

 

 

MINUS (The negative stuff that needs to be eliminated or fixed)

 

 

INTERESTING (The creative part of you that looks at both problems and successes and says, “What if?”)

 

 

Some ideas already afloat. We have some responses already, but need a full PMI.

 

Once a month F4.  On the first Wednesday of each month (10 out of 12) we would have an F4 in its current format.  There would be a fun meal (pizza, breakfast, etc.).  It would be followed by classes or worship.

The rest of the month, the men, women, and junior and senior high could meet as desired with oru with0out a meal (each group would be responsible for their own meal/snacks)

ALL WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND ON SUNDAY MORNINGS.

PLUS (The things that went well and we want to continue).

 

 

 

MINUS (The negative stuff that needs to be eliminated or fixed)

 

 

INTERESTING (The creative part of you that looks at both problems and successes and says, “What if?”)

 

 

F4 without a meal.

All adults and children would be asked to bring a Bible and come hungry for the word of God.  The gathering area would be the sanctuary which would open at 5:45 for prayer.  Children would sit aprart to promote stillness and reverence.

Classes would begin at 6 pm and end at 7 pm.

PLUS (The things that went well and we want to continue).

 

 

 

MINUS (The negative stuff that needs to be eliminated or fixed)

 

 

INTERESTING (The creative part of you that looks at both problems and successes and says, “What if?”)

 

 

Half Class/Half Worship & energizers

Every Wednesday would be part in the classroom and part in the sanctuary regardless of whether there was a meal or not.

PLUS (The things that went well and we want to continue).

 

 

 

MINUS (The negative stuff that needs to be eliminated or fixed)

 

 

INTERESTING (The creative part of you that looks at both problems and successes and says, “What if?”)

 

 

Wednesday Worship Only

There would be no meal.  There would be a worship service much like a Sunday morning Service.  This sets the expectation that the sanctuary is a special place where God is worshiped. 

PLUS (The things that went well and we want to continue).

 

 

 

MINUS (The negative stuff that needs to be eliminated or fixed)

 

 

INTERESTING (The creative part of you that looks at both problems and successes and says, “What if?”)

 

All Children must be accompanied by at least one Parent

This eliminates the daycare aspect and likely reduces our numbers.  Many parents won’t come and it would seem to be all negative, except, we have set an expectation.  This is a family gathering. We would take some flak for this, but that’s not all bad. 

In this model, a discussion of what ages would require the presence of a parent would be required.

 

PLUS (The things that went well and we want to continue).

 

 

 

MINUS (The negative stuff that needs to be eliminated or fixed)

 

 

INTERESTING (The creative part of you that looks at both problems and successes and says, “What if?”)

 

 

Thanks for sharing your input.  Now please take some time to consider the input and perspectives of other participants.

The F4 plannng meeting is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, 19 July 2023.

Greeter Schedule

Below are listed our greeters for the remainder of 2023.

No current schedule.