Scripture for June 3rd: Luke 9:23-26

Sermon Title: Myth#1, Faith Can Fix Anything

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

“You need more faith.” Christians often hear and believe this as they face challenges or trials in their lives. It’s as if faith is the “magic answer” to all that troubles them. If only I had more faith, they believe, things would be better. It doesn’t help matters when preachers give messages about the “faith promise,” i.e., the promise of good things for those who have great faith.

The truth is we as Christians need to exercise great faith. It takes faith to believe in Christ and it takes faith to continue to live faithfully the life that Christ has called us to live. But faith does not prevent bad things from happening in our lives. Whether we have faith or not, rainy days will come our way, problems will persist and we will all experience sadness at times. In fact, faith in God will cause our lives to become harder. The text says that Jesus spoke about the need to sacrifice and deny ourselves if we are truly to be followers of Him. Thus, faith doesn’t “fix” our problems; rather, faith helps us to live our lives powerfully and victoriously in the midst of our troubles, struggles and problems.

This coming Sunday we will talk more about the role sacrifice, denial and the cross plays in our faith as we begin a new sermon series entitled, “Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe.” Hope to see you then!

Scripture for May 28th: II Chronicles 7:14

Sermon to be Delivered by Mr. Rick Stayton

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

As we approach Memorial Day weekend, may we each pause to give God thanks for the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. Here’s a poem that reminds us of their work:

The Noble and the Brave:
A Memorial Day Tribute

When America had an urgent need,
These brave ones raised a hand;
No hesitation held them back;
They were proud to take a stand.
They left their friends and family;
They gave up normal life;
To serve their country and their God,
They plowed into the strife.
They fought for freedom and for peace
On strange and foreign shores;
Some lost new friends; some lost their lives
In long and brutal wars.
Other veterans answered a call
To support the ones who fought;
Their country had requirements for
The essential skills they brought.
We salute every one of them,
The noble and the brave,
The ones still with us here today,
And those who rest in a grave.
So here’s to our country’s heroes;
They’re a cut above the rest;
Let’s give the honor that is due
To our country’s very best.

By Joanna Fuchs

This coming Sunday we will honor our veterans as members of the Virden American Legion Post #386 will be in attendance. Our guest speaker will be Rick Stayton, a Vietnam-era veteran who was awarded a Purple Heart. Rick is from Carlinville and served in Vietnam with others from the Girard-Virden area. During his message he will speak about the 4 young men from Girard who lost their lives in Vietnam. Hope you will honor our veterans by being in attendance – God bless our veterans!

Scripture for May 20th: Psalm 27:1-6

Sermon Title: Overcome Fear

The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.

Why do people problems in relationships? The answer in many cases may be very simple: they are afraid. Because of past experiences, people fear becoming vulnerable and intimate in their relationships with others. The fear of experiencing yet another disappointment and hurt keeps them isolated from meaningful relationships.

Dr. Gary Smalley, in this book, “The DNA of Relationships,” speaks to this when he writes: “Fear is as old as the Garden of Eden. In the beginning, Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect and satisfying relationship with God and with one another. But the moment they disregarded God’s instructions and chose instead to follow the serpent’s advice, fear took over. It spoiled their relationship to God and to each other. And we have been feeling its destructive effects ever since.”

In the text above, the psalmist writes about overcoming fear through the Lord – it is He that provides “light”, “salvation” and truly deliverance from our oppressing fears. On Sunday we will discuss this further, as we look at overcoming our fears in relationships by not blaming others, seeking confidence from God and desiring the deliverance that God can give us as we conclude the sermon series, “The DNA of Relationships.” Hope to see you then!

Scripture for May 13th: John 4:4-13; 19-26

Sermon Title: Create a Safe Environment

Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

“I can’t accept that person.” This is something that our attitude towards someone may say without words. Too often it is this same attitude Christians have toward others as they act as if they are better than others. Non-Christians get the message and are deterred from knowing God because of it. The text shows that Christ did not have this attitude towards a woman whom His culture had said was not worthy of speaking to. Instead, Christ demonstrated the ability to see this woman as valuable, someone who He had come to “seek and save” (Luke 19:10).

Dr. Gary Smalley, in his book, “The DNA of Relationships,” speaks to this when he writes the following: “Honor is a way of accurately seeing the immense value of someone made in God’s image. God created each one of us as a one-of-kind person, with unique gifts and personality. He sees us as precious and valuable. When we see others as God sees them, when we recognize and affirm their value, we help create a safe environment that encourages relationships to grow.”

Christ created a safe environment to minister to the woman in the text by first honoring her through speaking to her and demonstrating His compassion for her. This coming Sunday we will talk more about creating a safe environment in our relationships as we continue our sermon series, “The DNA of Relationships.” We will also celebrate Mother’s Day by honoring our mothers in our congregation. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for May 6th: Luke 11:1-13; Mark 11:17

Sermon Title: My House Shall Be A House of Prayer

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

“I don’t have time to pray.” We often express this thought because we wrongly believe that what we do is more important than prayer. Nothing could be further than the truth. Prayer is not only more important than what we do, but it is so much more powerful. Why is prayer so powerful? Because in a sense, it was what you and I were created for – to be in relationship with the living God.

Rev. Rick Astle, in his book, The Priority of Kingdom-Focused Prayer, speaks to this when he writes: “The fact that God created us in order to have fellowship with us, coupled with the fact that He sent His only Son Jesus to earth to restore that fellowship after it was broken, tells you something of the priority God places on relationship! There’s no doubt about it, your Heavenly Father wants you to know Him on a level deeper than just a ‘casual acquaintance.’ His priority goal is to reveal Himself to you. So if you want to love the Lord more deeply and obey Him more readily, you will need to begin with knowing Him more intimately. The believer’s ‘Divine Domino Theory’ is really very simple and works as follows: Priority time given to Bible study and prayer moves you to know God; knowing God moves you to love God; loving God moves you to worship and obey God.”

This coming Sunday, our guest preacher, Rev. Don Evans, will speak about the importance of prayer not only in the life of individual Christians, but also in the church. I hope that you will have an opportunity to come and hear his message, and you will be encouraged to make prayer a priority in your life.