Walking In The Light

A blue sky and sunshine lifts spirits on this lovely late autumn day. The floor is now in place in the church sanctuary, but not yet ready for use. This week the baseboards will be installed and next Sunday we will gather again in the main hall.

Announcements
~ Darlene is seeking to assemble a choir for the Christmas season.
~ This Wednesday is the last Family Night till the new year. This week they will be assembling shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
December 13 at 4:00 p.m.
~ Next week is last Sunday School so that the time can be used for practices for the Christmas program.
~ There is also a quilting/sewing group forming. See Amy.

The quartet led us in worship today. Chuck shared a few thoughts beforehand, ending with this pearl, "Our relationship with God is the foundation upon which everything else rests."

After several choruses an offering was taken and it was time for our annual puppet theater with. Ruthanne and Pearl. This week's theme was Gratefulness.... Two bears played a game in which they thought up things they were thankful for beginning with each letter of the alphabet.

We began our time of prayer by calling to mind the suffering taking place as a result of the tragic events in Paris this past week.

Walking In The Light

Do you believe that God directs your life?

Today's sermon was about Saul's conversion in Acts 9. But first, Brad told a little background about Saul's life. Saul was born in Tarsus, a top student who studied under a top teacher. The best of the best in his studies, and also a Pharisee who kept all the Pharisaical commandments that were added to the ten commandments. But he was also the worst of the worst, leading the charge against Christians, breaking up the believers and taking the lead in the stoning of Stephen.

Saul's track record was such that people likely thought he was the last person ever who would get saved. But sometimes what is happening on the inside is very different than what you think based on their external behavior and God is at work within.

In verse 3 Saul was breathing out murderous threats, but on the road to Damascus God brings him down.

In our lives, too, God makes the first move. Christ pursues us while we were yet sinners. Saul was persecuting Christians one minute and became a Christian in the next. In a moment, any person in this room (or reading this here online) can be changed by the power of God.

In verse 6 Saul is told, "Get up and go to the city and you will be told what to do."

It's one step at a time. Jesus didn't lay out Saul's life plan right off, but told him to obey one simple instruction.

God's Word is a lamp unto our feet, and the light shines ahead of us one step at a time. "Get up and go to the city," Jesus says, "and I will show you...." Sometimes we don't know what to do because we still haven't followed the last step.

Saul was blinded by the light, by the Lord, and had to be led to the city. He could not physically see, but for the first time he is dealing with Christ in a different sort of way.

Next, we are taken to the story of Ananias whom the Lord called out to in a vision. Ananias replied, "Yes, Lord." If we want to be used by God, this is the way to respond when He speaks to us.

God instructs him to go to a house on Straight Street and ask for a man named Saul. Ananias explains that this instruction doesn't make sense. This is a man who was coming to Damascus to kill Christians.

But the Lord affirms that this is what Ananias is to do. Sometimes what we are called to do may seem too crazy or insignificant, but we are to trust. We walk by faith.

We often think God wants extraordinary and important people like Saul to change the world, but God needs the ordinary Ananiases of the world who simply say "Yes, Lord."

So it is that Ananias obeys, and he goes to pray for Saul, and the scales fall from Saul's eyes. He is healed of his blindness and changes his name to Paul.

Brad said, "I believe that today can be a day where you also see again."

* * * *

Note: Feel far from God? Who moved?

Finishing Well

Overcast skies did not deter us from filling the sanctuary this morning, this seventh Sunday after Pentecost. Pastor Brad greeted us with his usual warmth and reminded us that our theme this summer was the heart of David, a man after God's own heart. Today was the second part of a message on Saul, the king whom David saw decline and decay.

Announcements included a few remarks about the funeral of Jeanette Ciaccio and a thank you for the way in which the church family stepped up. It was also mentioned that the Shannons have expanded their family with the birth of Kaitlyn Elizabeth this week. Darlene stated that there will be a Tuesday morning Women's Bible Study beginning in September, but that we'd like sign ups by August 8 so there would be time to order study books.

Brad also commented on the breakfast meetings we have been having this summer. In addition to free breakfast (no cost and no clean up responsibilities!) we have been having a significant dialogue each week about the role of the church in our community and the vision for the future. Everyone is invited. Breakfast begins at 8:15.

Here are some notes your faithful blogger recorded from this morning's breakfast dialogue.

Brad set the stage for this morning's discussion by citing three aspects of church life: the social chemistry, the spiritual, and the strategic planning, framework, etc. The church leadership has introduced a new mission statement intended to encompass these and help direct our future. That mission statement is, Connect, Grow & Become. The aim is to become a community of faith reflecting Christ's priorities.

He then opened the discussion with a reading from the Book of Revelations, the letter to the Church in Ephesus.

For several weeks we have been discussing a series of 25 questions aimed at helping us think about our mission and purpose as a church. Today's discussion question was, "If our church ceased to exist tomorrow, would the surrounding community weep? Would anyone notice and would anyone even care?"

There were a variety of responses and some excellent insights, discussion about finding balance between evangelism and meeting needs. It was noted that Christ meets people at their point of need. Someone brought up the value of the "Camp Model" in which a non-threatening environment is created in order to move into the deeper layers of peoples' needs. It was estimated that there are currently as many as 300 people connected to New Life Covenant in a significant way, and that the members' intersect with many times more than that.

Brad rephrased the question and asked, "What would we need to do to be a church the community would grieve if lost?"

The food was good this morning, and the food for thought even better.

After announcements, we proceeded into worship with Brad's traditional greeting and an introit by Darlene. A time of worship, the offering a passage of Scripture (Luke 10:25-37) and prayer time followed.

Finishing Well

Today's message was the second half of last week's message on the decline and fall of King Saul, who started well but finished by becoming a shell of the man he once had been. It is sad, tragic, when a business or church fails, but saddest of all is the decay of a human soul.

Last week we learned about the first stage in Saul's decline: he tolerated subtle disobedience. Today we heard about the three following stages.

(2) Saul learned to tolerate the loss of intimacy with God.

In I Samuel 16:14 we learn that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and he was tormented by an evil spirit. Some people might say it was a demon, others a troubled spirit, but whatever it is the clear message is that Saul is in disintegration as indicated by his behavior. Mood swings, paranoia anger... but he discovers when David plays his harp, it soothes his soul.

Music has enormous spiritual power. It changes us, moves us. Music helped Saul feel relief. It helped him avoid having to deal with deeper issues in his life, such as his relationship with God.

Do you have the courage that Saul didn't have? Do you have the courage to ask God, "How are things between you and me?"

(3) Saul learned to tolerate poisoned relationships.

Chapter 18 reveals Saul's jealousy of David. Three times we see references to David's successes. Sadly, Saul's relationship with David is poisoned by envy and jealousy.

Brad cited the numerous relationships in Scripture that have been poisoned by envy, going all the way back to the story of Cain and Abel, and later Jacob and Esau. Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, Leah was envious of Rachel. Jealousy and envy are corrosive. It is a toxic force. Saul's envy galls his spirit.

The truth is, an envious heart is never satisfied and Saul concludes that eliminating David would solve his problems. But, Brad asserted, you have no right to tarnish the unity for which Christ gave His life.

(4) Saul betrayed the values he once embraced.

In chapter 28 of I Samuel Saul is so distressed before a battle with the Philistines that he consults with a medium, the witch of Endor. Instead of honoring God with his obedience, he violates his conscience and everything he once believe in an effort to get what he wants. When he calls back Samuel from the grave, Samuel offers such a stern rebuke that Saul falls to the ground, filled with fear.

Saul has reached his end, having become an old, broken down wreck. Ultimately, he dies by his own hand, falling on his sort when all is lost.

When Samuel died, people wept. When Saul died, David wept, though he urged all Israel to weep as well. Brad closed by asking: When you die and there are tears, will they be tears of gratitude or regret? When Saul died, David wept... at what Saul had failed to become.

When you die, will they be tears of gratitude or regret? Of all the forms of decay known in this world, the saddest is the decay of the human spirit. Don't let it happen to you. Guard your heart, and determine that you will finish the race.

Patience

As a reminder of the greatness of the God we serve, in his opening greeting Pastor Shannon made note that the God in whose name we have gathered is the one who flung the universe into existence ex nihilo, which is to say He created everything out of nothing.

Before being ushered into worship by the quartet, there were several announcements including:
1. Sunday School will commence on September 14. There is still a need for three teachers including upper elementary thru high school.
2. An Adventure Club planning meeting will be held this coming Wednesday at the church.
3. The August 31 worship service will be held on Grand Lake at the home of Walt & Gwen Cressman, 4815 Kroll Road.

Today’s Scriptures:
Genesis 32:22-31
Matthew 14:13-21

Patience
Pastor Brad began the sermon today with a story about a woman who went ballistic when the car in front of her stopped at a traffic light rather than speed through the intersection on the yellow. Rolling down her window she began screaming obscenities and carrying on to such an extent that the man in the vehicle behind her walked up and had her arrested, bringing her to the station to be locked up. When the police apologetically released her two hours later, they said that with her car all covered with Praise the Lord bumper stickers and various Christian messages, the officer simply assumed by her behavior that the car had been stolen.

Whether true or simply designed to make a point while making us chuckle, the story illustrates the point that with or without bumper stickers, people know who we are and out behavior will be held to a higher standard because of it.

The real point Pastor Brad noted was that the woman’s impatience created a problem for her. And our impatience can likewise cause problems for us.

The series we are on is How to Love People. This week’s message is on patience. In I Corinthians 13, the Love chapter, Paul shows patience to be a pre-eminent virtue part of what it means to love. “Love is patient…”

There are two Greek words used for patience in the New Testament. The first is makrothumeo. If you break this word into its component parts, the word makro means long and thumeo is the word from which we derive the word thermometer. It conveys the notion of taking a long time to overheat.

The second NT word for patience is hupomone. Pastor Brad had intended to bring a backpack filled with rocks to illustrate this second word. Hupo means “to remain under” and mone conveys the notion of pressure, so that the two words mean “to remain under the pressure.” We patiently endure not for the sake of suffering for its own sake, but because it is the right thing to do.

And with these words in mind, Brad presented us with this definition of patience: “I take a long time to overheat, and endure patiently the unavoidable pressures of life.”

With these ideas in hand, we revisited the Old Testament story of David and Saul again. Saul started well, but when he deviated from God’s program, and persisted in this pattern of disobedience, God removed His anointing. (I Samuel 15)

In I Samuel 16 David is anointed for kingship, but it will be fourteen years before he becomes king. Why the wait? David had things to learn about thermometers and backpacks.

Saul had not ceased to be a free agent. He made choices, and was disobedient. But God nevertheless used Saul to accomplish His purposes in David.

Brad then told the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers. In spite of hardships, including years of imprisonment in Egypt, Joseph remained virtuous and trusted God. As it turns out circumstances resulted in the Pharaoh putting him in charge of the whole of Egypt. What a shock for his brothers when they go to Egypt for food due to the draught in their own homeland. These very brothers, who had sold Joseph into slavery and had forgotten him long ago, perhaps even believing him dead, expected him to put them to death. But Joseph wisely recognized “what you meant for evil, God meant for good.”

God is working out His purposes. In our own lives today, the disobedience and failings of others can work for good in our lives.

Returning to the story of Saul and David, the king even stooped so low as to use his own daughter as a lure in a scheme to get David killed. (vs 20) and when this has the undesired effect, he attempts to pin David to a wall with his spear.

But the character of David is revealed over and over again through circumstances. In chapter 24, while hiding out in a cave near Adullam, Saul enters that cave “to relieve himself.” It is an opportunity for David to eliminate his adversary. Instead, David cuts off a piece of Saul’s robe.

Two chapters later, David is handed another opportunity to slay the king while he sleeps. Abishai, David’s right hand man, says, “Surely God has delivered your enemy into your hands. I’ll pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear.” But David takes offense at such actions saying, “Don’t destroy him. Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?... The Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.”

Instead, David removes the spear and water jug that had been near Saul’s head. From across the river he calls to Abner, head of the king’s guard, and notes that he has done this, demonstrating that he had the opportunity yet again to put to death the man who had been persistently pursuing him. Even Saul is moved by this, and the army retreats from the chase.

And so, in summing up, Pastor asks, “Who or what is your Saul right now? Who is it that is pushing your buttons, trying your patience, making things difficult for you?

Three points were made from these stories. First, the Lord may be using another person or circumstances to develop you for a higher level of leadership. In James 1:2-4 the writer states, “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” ~ The Message

Second, God does not want us to do anything wrong to relieve the pressure… that is, to remove the backpack of rocks. If you have to lie or cheat, this is not pleasing to God. God is asking you to stay till its purposes are fulfilled.

Third and finally, we can take much longer time to overheat when we trust God. When we trust Him, it enables us to be more patient because we know God is working out His plan for us, in us and through us.