mySundaySermons

 Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you–unless you have come to believe in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them–though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe. [NRSV]

My Task is to Remind You about Jesus

• Jesus wants a relationship with us, brothers and sisters, join heirs.
• God has been at work before you knew it or even claim it
• God’s Good News of Jesus Christ is the footings/foundation of our faith
• God’s Good News concerning our relationship through Jesus is to be shared
• God’s Good News is the witness of God’s actions of love and saving grace.

You can believe this Good News to be true in your head and miss the power of the relationship.

• A marriage certificate is not a marriage. I marriage is covenant shared with God.
• When I hear folks at a funeral say, “At least I hear him say he had given his heart to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. So I don’t have to worry about his salvation.” I begin to worry about the salvation of the person making that statement.
• Jesus died and came back to life, raised from the dead, not to hear our words but to claim our heart and relationship.
• (Cartersville Pickup Truck Funeral: [tragic construction related death, two wives and a girl friend meet at the funeral home for the first time.] “At least we thought he was a church going man based on the bulletin in his bible.”)

Paul’s Caution #1 “if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you–unless you have come to believe in vain. 

I want to show you a simple invitation: a 9 volt battery

Did you know in the National Fire Prevention Association reported last year that 47% of wired smoke alarms are non functioning, and 56% of battery only smoke alarms were non functioning.

Nearly 80% of those had missing or worn out batteries.

On average there are 120,000 deaths related to structural fires. The potential for 96,000 fewer deaths if we knew for sure, that the smoke detectors had working batteries.

When they called people and ask them, do you have a working smoke alarm with a new battery, 74% reported yes

When a random sample went to visit the same homes to check the battery charge level, only 45% had working batteries.

What is the difference between knowing the statistics and actually plugging into the power to have device that saves lives?

-It is the same difference between knowing about Jesus, and being plugged into the power of God’s Spirit, through Jesus.

How many people think the words and say the words, but have dead or missing batteries…

How many people know the stories and see the church, but respond negatively or with apathy, just ignore the news?

If you knew that most homes don’t have a working battery would you be willing to knock on someone’s door to offer them the potentially life saving gift of a 9 volt battery, and if they would allow you to plug it in, you would both know you had doubled the chance that no one in that home would die from a fire.

If you knew that most homes don’t have a working relationship with Jesus Christ, would you be willing to knock on someone’s door or heart, to offer them the TRULY eternal life saving gift of the Risen Lord who died for their sins, and if they would allow you to start a relationship of faith with them, you would both know you had a 100% CERTAINLY that their life would not end, even when their body dies.

Paul’s Main Point: Receive and Renew your understanding of what Jesus did on the cross and LIVE in the power of the resurrection starting NOW.

CHRIST died for a purpose: to take the blame for our broken heart with God.

• GOD knows us:
• we forget,
• mess up,
• get in a jam,
• fall off the wagon,
• the dog eats our homework,
• the car breaks down,
• we loose our job,
• we forget to study,
• we miss the deadline,
• we get distracted
• and tempted…
• we sin, big ones and little ones,
• we drift or run..

God says to all that: I AM not focused on the blame.

• I give you JESUS, my child’s life to cover all the blame and brokenness.
  • I don’t want to hear the excuses. (I want see the relationship)
• I want you to see the value of the gift and return to the table.
  • I hope you will respond with appreciation/praise for the sacrifice, I your maker, have given  you.
• God wants us to see the gift and respond because God loves and claims us first.
• God’s grace is not an after thought…
  • along through the scriptures we see God continues to make covenants and we continue to break them.
• God is working with workers who don’t show up to work except on pay day.
• God exchanges the power of death, not just the death of one person, One died for all.
• God moves us past the death of this body, for a living relationship, not the life of one person, One lives for all.

This is what Easter message is about.  

• It’s not just about Jesus,
• its about God’s eternal love and value for your life and relationship.
• its about God’s eternal love and value for our lives in relationship together.
• Remember the gift and passion God exchanges for us
• Re/Claim and know/grow in the power of God’s life for us.

So it’s important to remember: Where I see Jesus… 

• I see Jesus in the work and pray of quilts
• I see Jesus going in a paper lunch bags shared with hungry
• I see Jesus in the support of small groups and classes caring and challenge growth
• I see Jesus in preventing death from illness like malaria
• I see Jesus in the middle of family crisis, when families feel they are at deadened/wall and see no hope, God opens lives, hearts and doors to find a way through the crisis into a new life, new relationships and new visions
• I see Jesus in the hands of working youth who did more than play at the beach, but opened their hearts to care for families who are hurting.
• I hear Jesus in your music and singing
• I hear Jesus in your questions, prayers and testimony
• I feel Jesus in your compassion and hospitality and generosity
• I taste Jesus around the table when we gather at his table
• He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today…. Tell the world, show the world, Jesus Christ lives in you and me. Amen.