I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my supplications. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. What shall I return to the LORD for all his bounty to me? I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 116: 1, 2, 12, 17-19).
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Years ago Presbyterian pastors would tell their congregations to “count their blessings” as a spiritual practice. Every evening people would bow their heads in prayer and count up all the ways God had blessed them that day. Sadly, this practice has gone out of fashion as have so many other things we used to do. But I think “counting your blessings” should make a comeback. We should end each day by prayerfully remembering all the blessings that God has provided us.
By counting my blessings, I know that I have been richly blessed by the Lord. God has given me a wonderful church in a beautiful community and the opportunity to follow my calling to preach and teach the Word of God. I love God for all of my blessings. Because we have been blessed so much my wife and I made a difficult decision last year. We decided to tithe to the church. Each month we give the church one tenth of our income. As you might imagine this makes our personal budget very tight. But it is truly a sacrifice of thanksgiving because tithing brings us more joy than a few extra dollars in the bank ever could. We keep counting our blessings every day.
The Psalmist asks, “What shall I return to the LORD for all his bounty to me"? This is our question too. What shall we return to the Lord for all our blessings? I challenge each of you to prayerfully ask God what percentage of your income God wants you to give to the church as a matter of faith. If God says “10%” rejoice because you will know that you have been richly blessed. Start counting your blessings.
Praise the LORD!
Jeff Howard
Pastor
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Advent and Christmas at ERPC
Advent and Christmas
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
You Shall Call Him Immanuel
Sunday Worship - Wednesday Communion Vespers
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Sunday Worship
9:45AM - 5:30PM
November 30
We are Your People
Isaiah 64:1-9
December 7
Prepare the Way of the Lord
Isaiah 40:1-11
December 14
The Spirit is Upon Me
Isaiah 61:1-11
December 21
A Child is Born
Isaiah 9:2-7
Wednesday Vespers
7:00PM
December 3
Look, a Virgin Shall Conceive
Isaiah 7:10-17
December 10
The Eyes of the Blind Open
Isaiah 35
December 17
a little child will lead them
Isaiah 11:1-9
December 24
Christmas Eve
Good News of Great Joy!
Luke 2:1-14
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
You Shall Call Him Immanuel
Sunday Worship - Wednesday Communion Vespers
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Sunday Worship
9:45AM - 5:30PM
November 30
We are Your People
Isaiah 64:1-9
December 7
Prepare the Way of the Lord
Isaiah 40:1-11
December 14
The Spirit is Upon Me
Isaiah 61:1-11
December 21
A Child is Born
Isaiah 9:2-7
Wednesday Vespers
7:00PM
December 3
Look, a Virgin Shall Conceive
Isaiah 7:10-17
December 10
The Eyes of the Blind Open
Isaiah 35
December 17
a little child will lead them
Isaiah 11:1-9
December 24
Christmas Eve
Good News of Great Joy!
Luke 2:1-14
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Sermon 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Evangelism
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
October 19, 2008
This morning I would like to talk with you about a church which grew to have an important ministry in its community and region. This church was small and was part of a very diverse community just like us. One day a famous preacher and missionary came to town and began a very powerful ministry reaching out to people who were not Christian. But just three weeks later dissent within the church forced the preacher to leave. What are the odds that such a church would survive much less thrive after such an occurrence? And yet it did. The church that the Apostle Paul started in Thessalonica around 50AD grew rapidly and became one of the leading churches. What happened in those three weeks that literally turned the world upside down? We have a clue about what happened then and there. It is contained in letter Paul wrote from Corinth just months after leaving the Thessalonian church. Today we will begin looking at that letter to see how we can turn the world upside down in Eagle Rock today.
Father in heaven, we ask for your blessings to pour down upon our church this day. Help us to reach out into our community to bring the good news of your son Jesus to people who desperately need to hear it. Help us to be a welcoming community where people of all ethnic groups and income levels can worship together as we all will one day in heaven. We pray all of this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. 2 We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. 9 For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-- Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
In the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians he gave us seven important lessons that we need to learn to be effective in following Jesus’ command to “go into the world and make disciples”. Let’s look carefully and prayerfully at each of these. Here is the first.
Pray for the people in the community
The first lesson we learn from Paul is that effective evangelism starts with prayer. We need to pray for the people in our community. And we need to be thankful for everyone that comes into our doors. I have heard of a church that goes into the community and knocks on doors offering prayer for whatever concerns the family inside. They use no sales pitch to get people to come to worship. Rather they just want to pray for the community and they keep doing it. If we prayed for all the people in Eagle Rock, if we prayed for our neighbors, we would quickly become the most powerful church this community has ever seen. I urge everyone here to join us each morning at 6AM as we pray for this church and this community, it is the most important thing we can do. So prayer is where we start. Let’s now move to the second lesson.
Accept everyone and focus on the strengths of the church
In this second lesson the Apostle teaches us to always remember the virtues of the people who come to our church. Too often people in church are concerned about how someone looks or what kind of job someone has. We naturally want to be with people who dress like us and have incomes like us. Sometimes this leads to a condescending attitude when someone unlike us comes to church. When this happens we criticize people for how they appear or the kind of job they have or where they live or how much money they make. But Paul always focused his attention on the strengths of his community. No matter what obstacles Paul faced or the dissension he found in the church Paul always focused on their great faith, works and hope in Jesus Christ. So when we talk about this church to others don’t talk about our problems or the obstacles we face. Rather always talk about the faith of its members, the love we have for one another, and our hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That way people will be drawn to our church and the church’s ministries can grow. This leads us to the third lesson that Paul gives us.
Proclaim to our neighbors the good news that they have been chosen by God.
The third lesson we learn from Paul is to proclaim the good news that we have received: that we have been chosen by God. Too many churches reverse this when they do evangelism. They demand that people choose God. Some Christian even threaten others that failure to choose God will lead to eternal damnation. But Paul tells us that God has already chosen us. And therefore all we need to ask others to do is to respond in gratitude. We can proclaim this good news to our friends and neighbors without fear and threats. All we have to do is to invite people to enjoy the blessings of God and respond in gratitude. And this takes us to our fourth lesson.
Focus on the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit
The reading and proclamation of God’s Holy Word is essential in any evangelism effort. That is why it is so important to read scripture every day, attend Christian education classes, and listen as the Gospel is proclaimed every Sunday. But just reading and studying scripture is not enough. For us to engage in evangelism we must not only be firmly grounded in scripture, but we must also be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us to do evangelism and precedes us into the community where it is already preparing the hearts of people who live in our neighborhood. All we need to do is to share with our friends and neighbors the good news we have heard and the blessings we have received. The Holy Spirit will do the rest to convict people of their sins and give them the desire to respond to the forgiving love of Jesus Christ leading us to our fifth lesson.
Be a people filled with joy
Even though we experience obstacles, problems, lack of money, and dissension we must always be a people of great joy. Others will be attracted to this church only when they see that we are a joyous people. Our joy comes from the good news of the Bible where we read of our salvation in Jesus Christ. And this joy is ours because of our faith which is a gift of the Holy Spirit. So whenever we talk to others about this church always tell them about the great joy you experience when you come here. Your experience of joy is the magnetic force that will attract people in our community to our fellowship. Now, we just have two more lessons to learn from Paul. Here is number six.
Be a model for other churches to follow
When we follow these lessons that Paul has given us we become a model of faith for others to follow. The Presbyterian Church has had declining membership for forty years because we have forgotten these basic principles. We need to follow the simple strategy that Paul developed two thousand years ago. If we, in this church, follow these seven simple steps of evangelism then we will not only grow, but we will be the model for other churches to follow. It is already happening. In the last year we have doubled attendance at this church. Our evening service now has as many people as we have in the morning. We did this by following these simple steps. As we continue doing these things our church will continue to grow, and we are already being noticed by other churches in our presbytery and across the country. And this leads to our final lesson from Paul.
Bring the good news we have heard to our family, friends and neighbors
Our seventh and final lesson is that we have to take all of this outside of the walls of the church. We have to offer others a personal relationship with our loving creator God though Jesus Christ and our hope of eternal life through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. So with the power of the Holy Spirit and truth of Gospel go out into your world, your family, your clubs, your neighbors, your associations, your friends and tell them of the joy you have found in Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church. Invite people to our worship and Bible study. Tell them about our ESL programs and Sunday evening worship service and dinner. Each of you is empowered to be evangelists for this church. Though you, the Holy Spirit will work bringing others in our community to salvation in Jesus Christ. You are the chosen ones of God selected to bring the good news to all people in Eagle Rock.
Conclusion
So what are the seven step of evangelism that caused the Thessalonian church to grow and become a significant church in its city and region?
Pray for the people in the community
Accept everyone and focus on the strengths of the church
Proclaim to our neighbors the good news that they have been chosen by God.
Focus on the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit
Be a people filled with joy
Be a model for other churches to follow
Bring the good news we have heard to our family, friends and neighbors
Holy Spirit, empower us as we go out into world as your apostles. Fill us with joy and the assurance that you are already at work in our community. Allow us to assist you in this work to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to the people in this community. And we pray this in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, amen.
Sermon 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
October 19, 2008
This morning I would like to talk with you about a church which grew to have an important ministry in its community and region. This church was small and was part of a very diverse community just like us. One day a famous preacher and missionary came to town and began a very powerful ministry reaching out to people who were not Christian. But just three weeks later dissent within the church forced the preacher to leave. What are the odds that such a church would survive much less thrive after such an occurrence? And yet it did. The church that the Apostle Paul started in Thessalonica around 50AD grew rapidly and became one of the leading churches. What happened in those three weeks that literally turned the world upside down? We have a clue about what happened then and there. It is contained in letter Paul wrote from Corinth just months after leaving the Thessalonian church. Today we will begin looking at that letter to see how we can turn the world upside down in Eagle Rock today.
Father in heaven, we ask for your blessings to pour down upon our church this day. Help us to reach out into our community to bring the good news of your son Jesus to people who desperately need to hear it. Help us to be a welcoming community where people of all ethnic groups and income levels can worship together as we all will one day in heaven. We pray all of this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. 2 We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. 9 For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-- Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
In the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians he gave us seven important lessons that we need to learn to be effective in following Jesus’ command to “go into the world and make disciples”. Let’s look carefully and prayerfully at each of these. Here is the first.
Pray for the people in the community
The first lesson we learn from Paul is that effective evangelism starts with prayer. We need to pray for the people in our community. And we need to be thankful for everyone that comes into our doors. I have heard of a church that goes into the community and knocks on doors offering prayer for whatever concerns the family inside. They use no sales pitch to get people to come to worship. Rather they just want to pray for the community and they keep doing it. If we prayed for all the people in Eagle Rock, if we prayed for our neighbors, we would quickly become the most powerful church this community has ever seen. I urge everyone here to join us each morning at 6AM as we pray for this church and this community, it is the most important thing we can do. So prayer is where we start. Let’s now move to the second lesson.
Accept everyone and focus on the strengths of the church
In this second lesson the Apostle teaches us to always remember the virtues of the people who come to our church. Too often people in church are concerned about how someone looks or what kind of job someone has. We naturally want to be with people who dress like us and have incomes like us. Sometimes this leads to a condescending attitude when someone unlike us comes to church. When this happens we criticize people for how they appear or the kind of job they have or where they live or how much money they make. But Paul always focused his attention on the strengths of his community. No matter what obstacles Paul faced or the dissension he found in the church Paul always focused on their great faith, works and hope in Jesus Christ. So when we talk about this church to others don’t talk about our problems or the obstacles we face. Rather always talk about the faith of its members, the love we have for one another, and our hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That way people will be drawn to our church and the church’s ministries can grow. This leads us to the third lesson that Paul gives us.
Proclaim to our neighbors the good news that they have been chosen by God.
The third lesson we learn from Paul is to proclaim the good news that we have received: that we have been chosen by God. Too many churches reverse this when they do evangelism. They demand that people choose God. Some Christian even threaten others that failure to choose God will lead to eternal damnation. But Paul tells us that God has already chosen us. And therefore all we need to ask others to do is to respond in gratitude. We can proclaim this good news to our friends and neighbors without fear and threats. All we have to do is to invite people to enjoy the blessings of God and respond in gratitude. And this takes us to our fourth lesson.
Focus on the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit
The reading and proclamation of God’s Holy Word is essential in any evangelism effort. That is why it is so important to read scripture every day, attend Christian education classes, and listen as the Gospel is proclaimed every Sunday. But just reading and studying scripture is not enough. For us to engage in evangelism we must not only be firmly grounded in scripture, but we must also be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us to do evangelism and precedes us into the community where it is already preparing the hearts of people who live in our neighborhood. All we need to do is to share with our friends and neighbors the good news we have heard and the blessings we have received. The Holy Spirit will do the rest to convict people of their sins and give them the desire to respond to the forgiving love of Jesus Christ leading us to our fifth lesson.
Be a people filled with joy
Even though we experience obstacles, problems, lack of money, and dissension we must always be a people of great joy. Others will be attracted to this church only when they see that we are a joyous people. Our joy comes from the good news of the Bible where we read of our salvation in Jesus Christ. And this joy is ours because of our faith which is a gift of the Holy Spirit. So whenever we talk to others about this church always tell them about the great joy you experience when you come here. Your experience of joy is the magnetic force that will attract people in our community to our fellowship. Now, we just have two more lessons to learn from Paul. Here is number six.
Be a model for other churches to follow
When we follow these lessons that Paul has given us we become a model of faith for others to follow. The Presbyterian Church has had declining membership for forty years because we have forgotten these basic principles. We need to follow the simple strategy that Paul developed two thousand years ago. If we, in this church, follow these seven simple steps of evangelism then we will not only grow, but we will be the model for other churches to follow. It is already happening. In the last year we have doubled attendance at this church. Our evening service now has as many people as we have in the morning. We did this by following these simple steps. As we continue doing these things our church will continue to grow, and we are already being noticed by other churches in our presbytery and across the country. And this leads to our final lesson from Paul.
Bring the good news we have heard to our family, friends and neighbors
Our seventh and final lesson is that we have to take all of this outside of the walls of the church. We have to offer others a personal relationship with our loving creator God though Jesus Christ and our hope of eternal life through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. So with the power of the Holy Spirit and truth of Gospel go out into your world, your family, your clubs, your neighbors, your associations, your friends and tell them of the joy you have found in Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church. Invite people to our worship and Bible study. Tell them about our ESL programs and Sunday evening worship service and dinner. Each of you is empowered to be evangelists for this church. Though you, the Holy Spirit will work bringing others in our community to salvation in Jesus Christ. You are the chosen ones of God selected to bring the good news to all people in Eagle Rock.
Conclusion
So what are the seven step of evangelism that caused the Thessalonian church to grow and become a significant church in its city and region?
Pray for the people in the community
Accept everyone and focus on the strengths of the church
Proclaim to our neighbors the good news that they have been chosen by God.
Focus on the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit
Be a people filled with joy
Be a model for other churches to follow
Bring the good news we have heard to our family, friends and neighbors
Holy Spirit, empower us as we go out into world as your apostles. Fill us with joy and the assurance that you are already at work in our community. Allow us to assist you in this work to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to the people in this community. And we pray this in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, amen.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Sermon – Philippians 4:1-9 - Joy
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon – Philippians 4:1-9 - Joy
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
October 12, 2008
This morning in your bulletin I put an excerpt from C.S. Lewis’ book The Screwtape Letters in the For Reflection section. This reference requires a little explanation. I love this book very much, but you have to read it in a special way. The book consists of a series of letters supposedly written by the devil or Screwtape to his assistant Wormwood for the purpose of discouraging people from becoming Christians. So the letters are from the perspective of the devil and must be read by us in reverse. In this passage we can see the frustration of the devil when Christians experience great joy in worship. The devil, it seems, has no idea where joy comes from; it is a total mystery. So today I will be talking about where joy originates and if the devil would like to listen in he is welcome to do so.
But first let’s pray. Father in heaven bless us this day with your presence and give us the great joy of your kingdom. We have brought our concerns with us this morning and we ask that you quiet our minds so that we may experience your peace. We pray this in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Philippians 4:1-9 – My Translation
Thus, my beloved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and reason for boasting, in this way, stand firm in the Lord, beloved ones.
I urge Euodia and Syntyche to both think in the Lord. Indeed I ask you also, loyal Syzygus, help these women who in the gospel struggled with me also with Clement and with the rest of my co-workers whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always again I will say, rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to all people for the Lord is near.
Do not worry, but do everything in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving and let your requests be known to God.
And the peace of God which rises above your thinking will guard your heart and your thinking in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is praiseworthy, if something is virtuous and if something is worthy of praise, think about these things. And whatever you learned, whatever you received, whatever you heard, whatever you saw in me, do these things. And the God of peace will be with you.
According to scripture all Christians should be experiencing great joy. Joy, after all, came in the world with our blessed savior Jesus Christ. Every Christmas we sing “Joy the World the Savior Comes.” Scripture also teaches us that the reason why Jesus came into the world and taught us as he did was for us to have joy in its fullness. We first experience this joy when we realize that our sins are forgiven and the salvation of our souls is assured. And this joy continues as we continue in faith in Jesus Christ. Whenever Christians come together this joy is present and whenever a sinner repents heaven too is filled with joy. Peter tells us that the joy we experience is both indescribable and glorious. The Apostle Paul experienced this joy whenever he saw his churches growing with new believers. And he tells us that joy is a gift from God brought to us by the Holy Spirit. Joy is an integral part of the Kingdom of God. Certainly joy is to be our experience whenever we come into contact with God in worship and prayer.
But I suspect that many of us today in worship are not experiencing joy. We have come into this sanctuary with heavy hearts. We have a lot on our minds. We have all experienced troubling times when we experience sadness and grief and turn to God in prayer hoping to receive a little of the joy scripture promises. Many of us are concerned about the falling value of our investments. Others are concerned about health and family. We have so many things to think about that our minds are often overwhelmed. And when this happens it is very difficult to experience the joy God wants us to have.
In our Old Testament reading this morning the Hebrews had come into the presence of God. They stood before an exploding volcano surrounded by a great hurricane. Their God was right there with them. This was a time for great joy. Yet they experienced fear. They feared that Moses was dead. They feared for their own lives. So they decided that their joy rested not in the God of their ancestors, but in the god of their wealth. They though that joy could be found in their gold and this joy would be magnified if all their gold and wealth was molded into a golden calf. Surely a festival around the most beautiful and expensive object humanity had ever created would be the source of their greatest joy. But they were wrong because gold and wealth can never bring us great joy.
In Philippi two important women of the church were quarrelling over some issue. We don’t know what the issue was, but we know that the argument was preventing them and probably the entire church from experiencing the great joy that comes from the Holy Spirit whenever we come into the presence of God in worship and prayer. Paul addressed this situation in the passage I read earlier. He asked his loyal friend Syzygus to help these women to leave behind their cares and worries so that they could experience great joy in the Lord.
According to Paul whenever we come into the presence of God in prayer or worship we should feel and act appropriately. Our feelings should be joyous and our actions should be gentle. Gentleness is how we signal to other that the Lord has come near us. Often when we are upset, angry, or grieving we become surly, aggressive, or uncaring. This prevents us from experiencing joy as we should. So the first step in finding joy is to become gentle and caring demonstrating to others the love that God is giving you. When you act gently your feelings of sadness and grief will be lessened and you are on the road to joy.
But being gentle is just a beginning. It is not enough to bring you all the way to joy. Something more is needed. And this something more is called prayer. Whatever is troubling you and preventing you from experiencing the promised joy you should take to God in prayer. Express all your fears, your needs, and your worries to God. And as you pray always remember to thank God for all the blessings you have received. This is the second step on our way to joy, always approach God with a thankful heart for taking our cares and concerns away and leading us to joy.
When you do these two things, act gently and approach God with gratitude, a miracle will occur. We receive a gift from God. This gift is in the form of new thoughts. Here’s how it works. We are all thinking all the time. It is as if we have a tape in our heads that runs over and over again. We remember past hurts and past grieving. The same thoughts just keep coming. We can’t get them out of our minds. The tape loops on and on. I know of people still grieving the death of loved ones decades ago. I know others still reliving the awful hurts of a troubled childhood or a broken relationship. Once you begin thinking negative thoughts it is very difficult to stop. And negative thinking in incompatible with joy.
But when we act in gentleness, pray in gratitude, and receive the gift of God’s peace new thoughts will replace the old ones that have tormented us for so long. This is why it is so important to fill our thinking with Christ Jesus. Thoughts about Christ will replace the negative thoughts we have had about ourselves for years. This is why Paul exhorts us to fill our thoughts with what is true, honorable, pure, holy, pleasing and praiseworthy. These are all attributes of Christ. As we think about these things God gives us the gift of His peace.
So, how do we change our thoughts from our own problems to Christ? We do this by reading and hearing scripture and learning from it to change what we think and do. That is why it is essential to place yourself in the presence of God each day by reading and meditating on scripture. On the back table the Deacons place copies of Our Daily Bread. These are free, so take one we you leave today. Inside you will see devotions for every day. A scripture passage is recommended, read it. Read and think about the devotional article for each day. And remember to pray the prayer at the bottom of the page so that you invite God into you presence each and every day. Then take what you read in the Bible and use it in your daily life. Your regular scripture reading and prayer will be used by the Holy Spirit to transform you into what God created you to be a joyous person.
Paul’s promise is that as we act with gentleness, as we offer up our worries in prayer, as we engage in the regular spiritual practices like daily scripture reading, our thoughts will begin to change. We will leave behind all the thoughts of grief and hurt that has plagued us for years. In their place we will begin to think thoughts of Christ with their transformational power. When our minds are filled with thoughts of Jesus Christ then we can experience the presence of God in worship and prayer. And we know that whenever we come into the presence of God the gift we receive is joy. So today I urge you to trade in your old thoughts for new thoughts and begin to think in news ways in Christ. Then you will be able to “rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice”.
Sermon – Philippians 4:1-9 - Joy
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
October 12, 2008
This morning in your bulletin I put an excerpt from C.S. Lewis’ book The Screwtape Letters in the For Reflection section. This reference requires a little explanation. I love this book very much, but you have to read it in a special way. The book consists of a series of letters supposedly written by the devil or Screwtape to his assistant Wormwood for the purpose of discouraging people from becoming Christians. So the letters are from the perspective of the devil and must be read by us in reverse. In this passage we can see the frustration of the devil when Christians experience great joy in worship. The devil, it seems, has no idea where joy comes from; it is a total mystery. So today I will be talking about where joy originates and if the devil would like to listen in he is welcome to do so.
But first let’s pray. Father in heaven bless us this day with your presence and give us the great joy of your kingdom. We have brought our concerns with us this morning and we ask that you quiet our minds so that we may experience your peace. We pray this in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Philippians 4:1-9 – My Translation
Thus, my beloved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and reason for boasting, in this way, stand firm in the Lord, beloved ones.
I urge Euodia and Syntyche to both think in the Lord. Indeed I ask you also, loyal Syzygus, help these women who in the gospel struggled with me also with Clement and with the rest of my co-workers whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always again I will say, rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to all people for the Lord is near.
Do not worry, but do everything in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving and let your requests be known to God.
And the peace of God which rises above your thinking will guard your heart and your thinking in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is praiseworthy, if something is virtuous and if something is worthy of praise, think about these things. And whatever you learned, whatever you received, whatever you heard, whatever you saw in me, do these things. And the God of peace will be with you.
According to scripture all Christians should be experiencing great joy. Joy, after all, came in the world with our blessed savior Jesus Christ. Every Christmas we sing “Joy the World the Savior Comes.” Scripture also teaches us that the reason why Jesus came into the world and taught us as he did was for us to have joy in its fullness. We first experience this joy when we realize that our sins are forgiven and the salvation of our souls is assured. And this joy continues as we continue in faith in Jesus Christ. Whenever Christians come together this joy is present and whenever a sinner repents heaven too is filled with joy. Peter tells us that the joy we experience is both indescribable and glorious. The Apostle Paul experienced this joy whenever he saw his churches growing with new believers. And he tells us that joy is a gift from God brought to us by the Holy Spirit. Joy is an integral part of the Kingdom of God. Certainly joy is to be our experience whenever we come into contact with God in worship and prayer.
But I suspect that many of us today in worship are not experiencing joy. We have come into this sanctuary with heavy hearts. We have a lot on our minds. We have all experienced troubling times when we experience sadness and grief and turn to God in prayer hoping to receive a little of the joy scripture promises. Many of us are concerned about the falling value of our investments. Others are concerned about health and family. We have so many things to think about that our minds are often overwhelmed. And when this happens it is very difficult to experience the joy God wants us to have.
In our Old Testament reading this morning the Hebrews had come into the presence of God. They stood before an exploding volcano surrounded by a great hurricane. Their God was right there with them. This was a time for great joy. Yet they experienced fear. They feared that Moses was dead. They feared for their own lives. So they decided that their joy rested not in the God of their ancestors, but in the god of their wealth. They though that joy could be found in their gold and this joy would be magnified if all their gold and wealth was molded into a golden calf. Surely a festival around the most beautiful and expensive object humanity had ever created would be the source of their greatest joy. But they were wrong because gold and wealth can never bring us great joy.
In Philippi two important women of the church were quarrelling over some issue. We don’t know what the issue was, but we know that the argument was preventing them and probably the entire church from experiencing the great joy that comes from the Holy Spirit whenever we come into the presence of God in worship and prayer. Paul addressed this situation in the passage I read earlier. He asked his loyal friend Syzygus to help these women to leave behind their cares and worries so that they could experience great joy in the Lord.
According to Paul whenever we come into the presence of God in prayer or worship we should feel and act appropriately. Our feelings should be joyous and our actions should be gentle. Gentleness is how we signal to other that the Lord has come near us. Often when we are upset, angry, or grieving we become surly, aggressive, or uncaring. This prevents us from experiencing joy as we should. So the first step in finding joy is to become gentle and caring demonstrating to others the love that God is giving you. When you act gently your feelings of sadness and grief will be lessened and you are on the road to joy.
But being gentle is just a beginning. It is not enough to bring you all the way to joy. Something more is needed. And this something more is called prayer. Whatever is troubling you and preventing you from experiencing the promised joy you should take to God in prayer. Express all your fears, your needs, and your worries to God. And as you pray always remember to thank God for all the blessings you have received. This is the second step on our way to joy, always approach God with a thankful heart for taking our cares and concerns away and leading us to joy.
When you do these two things, act gently and approach God with gratitude, a miracle will occur. We receive a gift from God. This gift is in the form of new thoughts. Here’s how it works. We are all thinking all the time. It is as if we have a tape in our heads that runs over and over again. We remember past hurts and past grieving. The same thoughts just keep coming. We can’t get them out of our minds. The tape loops on and on. I know of people still grieving the death of loved ones decades ago. I know others still reliving the awful hurts of a troubled childhood or a broken relationship. Once you begin thinking negative thoughts it is very difficult to stop. And negative thinking in incompatible with joy.
But when we act in gentleness, pray in gratitude, and receive the gift of God’s peace new thoughts will replace the old ones that have tormented us for so long. This is why it is so important to fill our thinking with Christ Jesus. Thoughts about Christ will replace the negative thoughts we have had about ourselves for years. This is why Paul exhorts us to fill our thoughts with what is true, honorable, pure, holy, pleasing and praiseworthy. These are all attributes of Christ. As we think about these things God gives us the gift of His peace.
So, how do we change our thoughts from our own problems to Christ? We do this by reading and hearing scripture and learning from it to change what we think and do. That is why it is essential to place yourself in the presence of God each day by reading and meditating on scripture. On the back table the Deacons place copies of Our Daily Bread. These are free, so take one we you leave today. Inside you will see devotions for every day. A scripture passage is recommended, read it. Read and think about the devotional article for each day. And remember to pray the prayer at the bottom of the page so that you invite God into you presence each and every day. Then take what you read in the Bible and use it in your daily life. Your regular scripture reading and prayer will be used by the Holy Spirit to transform you into what God created you to be a joyous person.
Paul’s promise is that as we act with gentleness, as we offer up our worries in prayer, as we engage in the regular spiritual practices like daily scripture reading, our thoughts will begin to change. We will leave behind all the thoughts of grief and hurt that has plagued us for years. In their place we will begin to think thoughts of Christ with their transformational power. When our minds are filled with thoughts of Jesus Christ then we can experience the presence of God in worship and prayer. And we know that whenever we come into the presence of God the gift we receive is joy. So today I urge you to trade in your old thoughts for new thoughts and begin to think in news ways in Christ. Then you will be able to “rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice”.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Sermon Exodus 20, Philippians 3:1-14 – The Heavenly Call of God
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
Sermon Exodus 20, Philippians 3:1-14 – The Heavenly Call of God
October 5, 2008
This morning we are gathering together with saints from around the world to celebrate World Communion Sunday. Christians from every nation, race and class are approaching God’s throne to be in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. All of us are responding to God’s call to be here today and to accept our own identities as Christians. This is a most awesome experience because responding to God’s call is the most important we do in our lives. So as we gather around this table today let us bow our heads and pray that today we will hear and respond to God’s call.
Father in heaven your servants have come here today to approach you just as the Hebrews approached your mountain long ago. We have come here today to listen for your voice so that we may respond to your call. Call us, we ask, to lives of obedience and service so that we may glorify you. And we pray all of this in the name of our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Philippians 3:4-14 If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
When God was ready to call the Hebrews to a life of obedience and service she did so in a big way. God has already redeemed his people from slavery and humbled them by forcing them to depend on her divine providence for food and water while wandering in the wilderness. Now God was really ready to get their attention. The people were already aware of God because they saw the pillar of cloud and fire as they moved through the wilderness. But now God had a far more spectacular show in store for them. He appeared on the top of a mountain in the midst of an exploding volcano and hurricane. It is hard to miss God’s call when she does something like that.
Once God got the people’s attention he blessed them by giving them instructions for leading a good life. God has created us in very specific ways and as our creator, God know exactly how we operate. So God gave us the Ten Commandments as an instruction manual for humanity. Just as the Ford Motor Company puts an owner’s manual in each car with instructions not to put transmission fluid where motor oil should go so too does God give us a manual for living our lives. Lying, stealing, killing, adultery, drunkenness, and worshiping other gods have much the same effect on us that putting water in the gas tank would have on a car. It gums up our works and we don’t operate as planned. From the top of the mountain, God called his people to lives of obedience and service because lives of obedience and service are exactly what God created us to have.
God’s call to Paul was a little more subtle. There was no volcano or hurricane. Paul was already supremely confident in his relationship with God. He grew up in the care of obedient parents who took their eight day old baby for the required circumcism. As Paul grew older he recognized that even though he was a citizen of Rome his heart was still with the Hebrews, the people of God. Paul developed a strong love for God’s law and was sent to Jerusalem to continue his education under Gamiel, one of the great teachers of Israel. And with great zeal Paul defended his faith against heretics from the new sect of Jesus followers called Christians. Paul had done everything right. He was always obedient to God’s law. Paul saw all this as a great accomplishment and the wall of his office must have been filled with certificates and diplomas. But when Paul heard God’s call through the voice of Jesus coming from a great light he realized that all of these achievements of his were worthless because of the great value of knowing Jesus Christ.
Shortly we will gather around this table for World Communion. Celebrating this sacrament with us today are three Doctors of the Church, two ordained Ministers of the Word and Sacrament, and a couple of Candidates for the Ministry of the Word of Sacrament. Like Paul all of our walls are all filled with diplomas and certificates of achievement. Like Paul we have all tried our best to lead obedient lives. And like Paul we are all discovering that all of our accomplishments are worthless when compared to the new lives given to us by Jesus Christ.
Five years ago I was living a comfortable life. I had lots of friends, a successful business, and a loving family. I was active in my church and taught adult Bible studies for many years. But something was missing. I didn’t have enough diplomas and certificates of achievement on my wall. So I enrolled at Fuller Seminary to get an additional Masters diploma and a Certificate of Ordination from the Presbyterian Church. After years of work I finally got those two pieces of paper and they are proudly displayed with several others on the wall of my office upstairs. But as I have pursued ministry here at Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church I have come to realize, like Paul, that those pieces of paper are worthless when compared to a life of obedience and service to Jesus Christ. Let me tell you what has happened in my year of ministry that has caused me to think this.
Last year I began my ministry here at Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church with a call to make the church grow. So I did all the things I was supposed to do. I put banners on the building, started a new ESL program, passed out fliers, and launched an International and Contemporary Worship Service on Sunday evenings. My hope was that families in Eagle Rock would start coming to this church. What I did not know at that time was that Christ was calling me to a completely different kind of ministry than I had expected.
It started last winter when God began sending some of the poorest people in our community to our evening service. I began to meet people who live on the streets right here in Eagle Rock. Others were living in a dormitory for people suffering from mental health issues. Most of the people I met were desperately trying to find affordable housing. At first I worried that these people were coming just for the fellowship dinner we were servings after worship. But I quickly realized that almost all were coming to worship as well. They were participating in worship, small groups and prayers. Christ was calling those who live on the margins of society to worship God in this church. And they were responding by volunteering their services to the church and with pennies in the collection plate. I realized that Christ was calling me to be the pastor for the poorest people in our community. How was I to respond?
Nothing in my experience or education had prepared me for a ministry to the poor, homeless and marginalized of Northeast LA. So I got involved with a group of people from area churches who gather together to discuss homeless issues. I have talked with retired pastors and seminary professors about how to do this kind of ministry. I have thought about how to finance this ministry because of the strain it puts on church and my personal finances. And now Christ has given me the opportunity to talk with you, the combined churches who worship here in this sacred place.
If there is anything that World Communion Sunday teaches us it is that we are all united in the one mission of Jesus Christ. We are all called by God to a ministry of justice and righteousness. This means that all of us are called to a ministry for the poor, the marginalized, the displaced, and the homeless in our community. God has called us to this ministry by bringing the disadvantaged right here to this sacred sanctuary every Sunday evening.
We are all God’s people. Our time of worship, the name of our church, and our ethnic group have no value in God’s eyes. We are all called to lives of obedience and service. And though God’s actions in our evening worship it is clear to me that we are all called to a ministry of service to poorest in our community. So I challenge both Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church and Filipino Community Presbyterian Church to respond to God’s call to serve those who come here Sunday evenings for both real and spiritual food. Respond to the needs of the neediest in our community with your money and your time and your prayers. This is your calling from God.
When Paul responded to God’s call with a life of obedience and service he found that he was blessed more than he ever expected to be. He experienced a new and restored relationship with God and the power that comes with the knowledge of the promise of resurrection from the dead and new life. And even though he endured suffering because of his relationship with Christ he knew that Christ was faithful. So, with supreme confidence, he could live a life of obedience and service suffering death if necessary because of the promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ.
This promise is sealed upon us as we gather around this table today. As you come forward listen for the voice of the Jesus calling you to life of obedience and service. Be transformed as you eat the bread and drink the juice. And then respond, confident that Christ will be with you every step of the way, to the desperate needs of the poorest people in Eagle Rock who also will gather around this table today.
Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your love and transforming power. Help us to hear God’s Heavenly Call through the voice of Jesus Christ speaking to us through the sacrament today. Guide us as we lead lives in obedience and service to those in need in our community. Fill with confidence that even though we may experience suffering we will remember that we are heirs to resurrection of the dead, so that in Christ we have nothing to fear. We pray this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
Sermon Exodus 20, Philippians 3:1-14 – The Heavenly Call of God
October 5, 2008
This morning we are gathering together with saints from around the world to celebrate World Communion Sunday. Christians from every nation, race and class are approaching God’s throne to be in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. All of us are responding to God’s call to be here today and to accept our own identities as Christians. This is a most awesome experience because responding to God’s call is the most important we do in our lives. So as we gather around this table today let us bow our heads and pray that today we will hear and respond to God’s call.
Father in heaven your servants have come here today to approach you just as the Hebrews approached your mountain long ago. We have come here today to listen for your voice so that we may respond to your call. Call us, we ask, to lives of obedience and service so that we may glorify you. And we pray all of this in the name of our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Philippians 3:4-14 If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
When God was ready to call the Hebrews to a life of obedience and service she did so in a big way. God has already redeemed his people from slavery and humbled them by forcing them to depend on her divine providence for food and water while wandering in the wilderness. Now God was really ready to get their attention. The people were already aware of God because they saw the pillar of cloud and fire as they moved through the wilderness. But now God had a far more spectacular show in store for them. He appeared on the top of a mountain in the midst of an exploding volcano and hurricane. It is hard to miss God’s call when she does something like that.
Once God got the people’s attention he blessed them by giving them instructions for leading a good life. God has created us in very specific ways and as our creator, God know exactly how we operate. So God gave us the Ten Commandments as an instruction manual for humanity. Just as the Ford Motor Company puts an owner’s manual in each car with instructions not to put transmission fluid where motor oil should go so too does God give us a manual for living our lives. Lying, stealing, killing, adultery, drunkenness, and worshiping other gods have much the same effect on us that putting water in the gas tank would have on a car. It gums up our works and we don’t operate as planned. From the top of the mountain, God called his people to lives of obedience and service because lives of obedience and service are exactly what God created us to have.
God’s call to Paul was a little more subtle. There was no volcano or hurricane. Paul was already supremely confident in his relationship with God. He grew up in the care of obedient parents who took their eight day old baby for the required circumcism. As Paul grew older he recognized that even though he was a citizen of Rome his heart was still with the Hebrews, the people of God. Paul developed a strong love for God’s law and was sent to Jerusalem to continue his education under Gamiel, one of the great teachers of Israel. And with great zeal Paul defended his faith against heretics from the new sect of Jesus followers called Christians. Paul had done everything right. He was always obedient to God’s law. Paul saw all this as a great accomplishment and the wall of his office must have been filled with certificates and diplomas. But when Paul heard God’s call through the voice of Jesus coming from a great light he realized that all of these achievements of his were worthless because of the great value of knowing Jesus Christ.
Shortly we will gather around this table for World Communion. Celebrating this sacrament with us today are three Doctors of the Church, two ordained Ministers of the Word and Sacrament, and a couple of Candidates for the Ministry of the Word of Sacrament. Like Paul all of our walls are all filled with diplomas and certificates of achievement. Like Paul we have all tried our best to lead obedient lives. And like Paul we are all discovering that all of our accomplishments are worthless when compared to the new lives given to us by Jesus Christ.
Five years ago I was living a comfortable life. I had lots of friends, a successful business, and a loving family. I was active in my church and taught adult Bible studies for many years. But something was missing. I didn’t have enough diplomas and certificates of achievement on my wall. So I enrolled at Fuller Seminary to get an additional Masters diploma and a Certificate of Ordination from the Presbyterian Church. After years of work I finally got those two pieces of paper and they are proudly displayed with several others on the wall of my office upstairs. But as I have pursued ministry here at Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church I have come to realize, like Paul, that those pieces of paper are worthless when compared to a life of obedience and service to Jesus Christ. Let me tell you what has happened in my year of ministry that has caused me to think this.
Last year I began my ministry here at Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church with a call to make the church grow. So I did all the things I was supposed to do. I put banners on the building, started a new ESL program, passed out fliers, and launched an International and Contemporary Worship Service on Sunday evenings. My hope was that families in Eagle Rock would start coming to this church. What I did not know at that time was that Christ was calling me to a completely different kind of ministry than I had expected.
It started last winter when God began sending some of the poorest people in our community to our evening service. I began to meet people who live on the streets right here in Eagle Rock. Others were living in a dormitory for people suffering from mental health issues. Most of the people I met were desperately trying to find affordable housing. At first I worried that these people were coming just for the fellowship dinner we were servings after worship. But I quickly realized that almost all were coming to worship as well. They were participating in worship, small groups and prayers. Christ was calling those who live on the margins of society to worship God in this church. And they were responding by volunteering their services to the church and with pennies in the collection plate. I realized that Christ was calling me to be the pastor for the poorest people in our community. How was I to respond?
Nothing in my experience or education had prepared me for a ministry to the poor, homeless and marginalized of Northeast LA. So I got involved with a group of people from area churches who gather together to discuss homeless issues. I have talked with retired pastors and seminary professors about how to do this kind of ministry. I have thought about how to finance this ministry because of the strain it puts on church and my personal finances. And now Christ has given me the opportunity to talk with you, the combined churches who worship here in this sacred place.
If there is anything that World Communion Sunday teaches us it is that we are all united in the one mission of Jesus Christ. We are all called by God to a ministry of justice and righteousness. This means that all of us are called to a ministry for the poor, the marginalized, the displaced, and the homeless in our community. God has called us to this ministry by bringing the disadvantaged right here to this sacred sanctuary every Sunday evening.
We are all God’s people. Our time of worship, the name of our church, and our ethnic group have no value in God’s eyes. We are all called to lives of obedience and service. And though God’s actions in our evening worship it is clear to me that we are all called to a ministry of service to poorest in our community. So I challenge both Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church and Filipino Community Presbyterian Church to respond to God’s call to serve those who come here Sunday evenings for both real and spiritual food. Respond to the needs of the neediest in our community with your money and your time and your prayers. This is your calling from God.
When Paul responded to God’s call with a life of obedience and service he found that he was blessed more than he ever expected to be. He experienced a new and restored relationship with God and the power that comes with the knowledge of the promise of resurrection from the dead and new life. And even though he endured suffering because of his relationship with Christ he knew that Christ was faithful. So, with supreme confidence, he could live a life of obedience and service suffering death if necessary because of the promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ.
This promise is sealed upon us as we gather around this table today. As you come forward listen for the voice of the Jesus calling you to life of obedience and service. Be transformed as you eat the bread and drink the juice. And then respond, confident that Christ will be with you every step of the way, to the desperate needs of the poorest people in Eagle Rock who also will gather around this table today.
Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your love and transforming power. Help us to hear God’s Heavenly Call through the voice of Jesus Christ speaking to us through the sacrament today. Guide us as we lead lives in obedience and service to those in need in our community. Fill with confidence that even though we may experience suffering we will remember that we are heirs to resurrection of the dead, so that in Christ we have nothing to fear. We pray this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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