January 27, 2019 - Blended
I really identify in scripture where Jesus said you'd leave. His disciples said Lord, I believe help my unbelief. Is that the story of Our Lives each and every day I know about you but maybe for many of you that's not the case, but you know yet is the grace of God for me Spirit of faith. And even the very best prices in your heart and mind. We celebrate our gracious God for remind us in your word that are very ability to trust you is your work non are and we just Avail ourselves before we leave.
Knowing that I left you charge here in this room before you today knowing that your spirit knows what we need before we need it. but in the asking for the gifts that you have to give up your mind as it is you who is The Giver of gifts for you invite the ushers forward to receive the offering this morning guess we have is God's people and Jessica has some
electronically this past Friday printed copies can be found at the information desk. And if you're not receiving our emails every week, please provide the office with your updated email address to get on that list. Please have all calendar date and use items to the office by Tuesday January 29th. If you are sending items electronically who and where to send them can be found on the back of your bulletin getting started maybe figured out that you getting started on Sunday to Sunday. That's why it's the middle of the afternoon so directly follows worship felt up to it must be a second language affect the life of the parish in so many amazing way self. Look forward to seeing you at that meeting as well.
Lord we lift these offerings those given online those given by Auto deposit before your throne of grace that you would do with them. What you have in store at the expense of your kingdom true. I guess that you placed very into a lot right in for a lot to see if he's as a as a thank offering for all that you do for us Lord in your mercy.
We continue this morning with a prayer of the church.
A pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. Free app for any of your Holy Spirit through gray bring life into the world and our lives in our hearts and our relationship Lord in your mercy. For the world in which we live in for all who work to care for the land. Keep an old people in government and Military and all positions of public service that you would stand with him as they work wholeheartedly. Giving himself for the benefit of all Lord in your mercy. Are all that. We would identify and use our talents that you have given that each person would not see themselves as insignificant or unneeded but fine join relationship with you and within this body of Believers or any that Gather in your name, we pray that you would work within our hearts a song of multiplication and expansion of your work through our effort as you call a speech of you and you give us opportunities and resources to follow the lord in your mercy. We also pray for our first board of directors who were in meetings planning Retreat this past weekend that you would continue to bless this congregation through these acts of service and devotion that you wouldn't able to be what you call us to be at this time. And in this place board in your mercy. We pray for those who are studying. Those are homebound hospitalized are undergoing treatment awaiting surgery is a recovering from procedure. We think of Shirley cancel and Donna Mass Sam Highland Joshua Curtis Lorraine Nelson, Wally Hanks religion teach of these throat before your phone if race asking your presents with them that you would bring healing to them and peace that comes from your presence. We pray for those who are hurting because of this we think of I can listen burger and family on the death of Carol. We think is a great family on the death of former member Selma These families in your arms the care and comfort as they experience the pain of grief and the peace that comes from knowing the empty tomb. And the peace that comes from knowing that it is beyond human understanding Lord in your mercy. Are these for your church that we may be a blessing by your spirit our work you normal? the rectus before you through Jesus Christ Our Lord
Oh God, you know how love each one of these children are help them to know it's you. Shine Your Light lead the way guy their hearts and growth that they may know their worth and their value through you who claim my send acclaris to be your beloved be less than this day in your name. We pray, Okay kids. You can go out to enjoy your learning time does the word worth?
the gospel readings
Islam what the hell
Leave the lights on all year long all year long and harvest.
Neighbors
Why do you put lights on your house?
Prove it prove on.
Set my alarm.
my friend
There's actually a good point of the message today.
Make it shine. It's our fourth anniversary is rooted in light been here for all three going to be a little refresher without actually talking about the other week in rooted in life. So as the first three weeks of her tonight by the way our time here at the church in Williston Academy glad to be a part of this morning's worship. Our lesson for this morning does come from the Matthew verse which we've already read Sam. Let us through this morning. We'll look at it again in week 1 on celebrated on January 6th. You might remember talked about the Dilemma of obedience in this light the season of Light by the way, it's kind of ironic that in January where it's one of the darkest months of the year. We are talking about life. What was next Sunshine marvelous this morning, but it feel different than Darkness.
January 6th billing of obedience. We talked about the wise and how they had a dilemma because they were following the light to get to see the Savior of the world and they were following the light listening to the way it was Herod and Herod said,
Tell me so that I can worship him to.
El dilema because God was telling them go home another way. Don't go back to sleep. How many times in your life and mine and we hear mixed messages? What are we going to do? Where are we going to go? What voice are we going to listen to and even in the New Testament give this picture of two disciples Peter and John they're giving testimony to what are you doing what you're doing and they say this but Peter John replied which is right in God's eyes to listen to you or the details to be quite all you want, but we need to do a goddess Asus today.
A different version from Proverbs chapter 3 verse 5 & 6 with all your heart. You must trust the Lord and not your own judgment always let him lead you and he will clear the road for you to follow on that Sunday January 6th. We were reminded that we all have Disobedience dilemma. What voices are we going to listen to the light of the world. Ski said What scripture says follow the light of the world out of Darkness into his life for all eternity leads the way not only comes into the darkness and it shows the ugliness of the light actually shows us who we are. Did you ever have one of those magnification mirrors? Sometimes in the hotel room until Pastor Keith has talked about this before and all the hair. He sees drawing out of certain places that shouldn't be growing out of I see what's not growing out of certain places.
Does magnification merry it's like God's word actually kind of light in places where not to look away and he sends his light into the world Jesus and a cover up all those flaws and mistakes so that we can be okay with him for all eternity. We have the story of John the Baptist taking Jesus into the River Jordan and then you hear this voice from Heaven that says you are my beloved child in whom I am well pleased.
But we learned that sustain blessing that God wants to bestow on each one of us through faith in Jesus. We are his beloved children with whom he is well pleased.
John chapter 1 the True Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world to all who did receive him to those who believe in his name. He gave the right to become children of God the very God who created the universe we're told makes Ice Cube's children for the gift of faith in Jesus. I don't really understand all that other than I believe it. Somehow on my journey. The spirit is convince me of that. Because if I look at my own life, there's a lot of dark in my thoughts in my words in my account. I need the light and it's a light that leads us out of Darkness into something better.
In the verse from Isaiah that same Sunday, I the Lord and called you in righteousness that made you right I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you a covenant of the people a light magenta the lights of the world. in a minute to open the eyes and blind to freak happens to the prison to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness was the promise of the Savior Jesus and it's what he's going to do for and through those who follow last week Pastor Keith focused on the wedding in Cana in this rooted in like there is and the play on words the right light because we're people that likes to like to follow ceremony and Circumstance and you the story of the wedding in Cana where Jesus says his first miracle and he's expected to act a certain thing.
He create the best wine ever. He brings wine to the party and they celebrate he does the unexpected as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. So your God rejoices over you. When the light shines in my life, sometimes I think this over here.
I'm I know what's on in here and here. It's only through him pulling me out of that that he can Rejoice over me this gift of faith to you and to me. The Lord does not see as man sees for the man looks at the outward appearance so we can clean up really by the way. You look really good this morning cleaned up really well.
He knows what I means. But here's his promise. Is that through Jesus? He gives us a new heart. A new heart of Flesh that is filled with his love and his life went battle did battles against our hearts of stone and our human nature.
Can you watch Bring light and life? bream
today and bring us to this that we were made to shine.
We were made to shine not we're going to send her Focus this morning from Matthew Chapter 5 read along with me. You are the light of the world a town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it in your bowl instead. They put it on stand and give life to everyone in the house in the same way. Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your God.
What does shining look like in a world of Darkness? Who decides who decides what is a Shining Light and what is not? And I'm going to present you this morning when I believe it's actually God who decides what that looks like. Not the world. She looks like we just look at what God tells us to do. This verse is right up there actually come from a section. We call The Sermon on the Mount with Jesus and they're all around him hundreds of people and we get the verses from the Beatitudes raise those he will know.
And how they become the light of the world and then he goes on a whole bunch of things you can do. Not to earn his love, but because you already have it and it follows in that order. And that would be important for us as we talked about the timing light see if we want to know in the world.
That comes with a few problems for us. We're in year. One of our confirmation students are looking at the Commandments right now to see what God is asked of us in to see how shortly so that we know that we can survive on our own. That's why we need the heart of the Christian faith is that we don't do it all alone. And so there's sort of three pictures Luther says this are historical Roots. It makes sense order to society don't kill Because killing bring disorder it hurt people and ultimately hurt sucks. Don't lie.
Love the Lord your God. Love others and he says it's the most important it acts like a mirror view naturopath. It actually came here. When we looking to the Commandments or what God asks us to do we say oh my God. I'm not loved you with my whole heart and I've not love my neighbor as myself. Did you just hear what I thought about?
And yet it's easier to turn that mirror. suppose everybody else
I'd much rather pick on you can I'd much rather pick on your faults in your failures. Although you don't have money, but I'd much rather than to look at my own. Human Nature
the contest in the premise of Edward his light Will Shine On Us Jenison. Businessman. A mirror shows us our sin in our need for a savior. That's why we turn to Jesus.
We don't know where you got it all on your own. the mere purpose of the law is to show us our failures and why we need the very light that came into the world to call us out of Darkness into his like the third one is a map or a guide for a third reason to do things in the world is actually because of us not being able to follow which voice for going to listen to Because we know that he called his very own and called us out of Darkness into light because it's about celebration like the wedding in Cana wine because it's for all eternity. It's not of our own it's his gift to us. Because of all those things then how are we going to live and It the clown then say, how can I respond in thankfulness to All God's given to me in his favor? Because I already have it because through the light of the world Jesus and through his life and his death and Resurrection. He sets us free live. The rest of our days and thankfulness. Damn Don't you remember? It didn't really look like this on a t-shirt that we had t-shirts and bracelets in their 80s 90s early 2000s that said wwjd. What would Jesus do a good thing when you're thinking about how to respond to a situation or how to ask what would you do?
But here's where we get it wrong. So often as Christians will be in the world as people struggling in general to live in the world. If that's the reason that we're doing something good is to earn his favor and his forgiveness the picture is this until we've actually done this. Wow, what do you think?
That's when you want to start saying what would you?
We love to have checklist. So if I can just get up today and then God will love me more and then maybe because it all until we know how much we need the light of the world Jesus until we come to grips with our own failures and Faith with me until we know in our own hearts that we can't do it all on her own. It's at that point that we say Jesus light of the world. I need you. Thank you. What would Jesus do in response? How would I live in response to that this morning? I thought you know, what were all the different parts of a URL help you grasp something out of this. Maybe you are one that is struggling to say. Well, I don't know anything about God at all. But he's actually says that we break one of us and That because of that we're separated from him for all eternity. And so it's only through that light that brings on that for years in decade and I'd like you to be challenged to say what are the barriers we can sign in for me? And I'm going to present tree that I believe for most of our family to say and watching my own life and many of yours for 24 years in this place through the church and school together. One this is very astute shining brightly in the ways of bringing glory one is staying away from avoiding the source of light. Shimmer shine on her own like it like this my dad always when he had his work days had a suit on or dress pants and dresses nice leather shoes and eat almost had them polished every day, and it wasn't this Dollar Store little while.
My mom is dying trying to do some forms. Sometimes you take that leather paste and she grind it right down until weather. Mystic a brush scrubber down some of you are not and you know what I'm talking about. Going to take a buffer shine it up. It was acting the weather getting bad. And nurse that made them shiny. Not some superficial Dollar Store polisher.
It goes away.
Are first barrier to actually shining a dog would have a son?
I think of the darkest days in my life. I've separated myself from the source of light. I in early December when I realized his Advent. Oh my gosh, I just went through my mother's passing friend look after my dad starting a business on the side. And usually we give our kids Advent.
I don't want to write for a long time. Put this on my heart every day. And I then I woke up half hour before I normally would to go for a run and I wrote each of my girls and I
when you connect with the source of light.
It's not your life. Some superficial on the top left the dress up as message Radiance from within Jesus the light of the world. So number one barrier. Staying away from the source of the light. So how do we put ourselves in contact with the source of life? Add number two. using the Commandments of the commands of God Earnest approval we just need some of the checklist. I believe we're missing ways to shine and weighs. I glorify him. We only stand this is why I did this I did we miss out on true Source I was talking about when he says let your light shine before men may see your good works and glorify.
And thirdly I believe a barrier to a shining brightly The Community of Faith and its individuals is when we use the Commandments for the commands of God. She simply shine light on other people's faults and failures. And unfortunately we do that far too often.
As I said, it's easier to point out other people's faults both within our community and in the world around us than to just take ownership for our own. How to say I need a savior you need a savior? when we do that, we're more like
if I could put the light came into the world in the darkness has not overcome. It was the light of all life given to us for our salvation.
To the light shines in the darkness and the Darkness has not overcome it. He did not say that he rose again to New Life. Sources outside of even our Biblical contact tell us that there was this guy that did Miracles that was crucified that was heard before men afterwards with Ally that's what we celebrate and that's the light one deep into our life to give us eternal life forgiveness leads us to the light he paid for our doctor. We confess that we forget forgiveness. We are set free for set free to shine let your light so shine before others, so they may see your good works and glorify your God in heaven.
Ain't been to northern France is the place called mostly Michelle? It's just off the coast. And before you get there, it is totally flat for I don't know but a long way I've been there. That's what it looks like at night. It's like a city on a hill. It's just a little island. It's a monastery on the you could not miss this thing no matter what. What does a total power outage? That's an image that Jesus gives rest for the church on her. You should be a light on top of the hill. So no one can visit. A light shining in the darkness not a condemnation for the world but of love and forgiveness.
Upsetting people free to be all they can be under his beautiful creative power your leadership over this past the new board of directors said we're getting a new structure in line here. We're setting policy and we're also going to give direction for the church for the next 3 to 5 years until they met with some senior Ministry staff for hours Friday night and 7 hours yesterday 11 hours over the last two days is volunteer. that have given up their time and energy because they want to Help us to let our light shine in the spice and what are the things that we reviewed on Friday night 25 years or so 30 years of History even in dark times when I started in 1994.
First Lutheran Christian School, it was a. Of Darkness there was conflict pastoring people at that time. They called it was the third time in history where they tried to start a school.
Words to head light shining in the darkness 200 some students here.
Now looking at expanding because amazing Fortune to this community where we can connect people to the light of the world.
Maybe you were part of that in its initial dinner theater who have fish on God has shown through you in different ways. I always risk doing something here, but I'm going to risk offending some you for not healing.
I seen crisis care for family over the years light shining in the dark when it was meals or Transportation or money. I seen the birthing of a school and persevering over 24 years so many long-range big gift for a whole gym floor and a whole Library allowed it to be sustaining for 24 years. They'll put Portables on the old side and Bernard Avenue.
I seen people in this congregation serve for the last two years Faithfully Sunday afternoon. Second two times a month ago. Well in your eighties and nineties to shine light into the darkness. I seen meal prep for grieving families. I seen the pawn revitalization by some of our students at our school bringing light and life to the community yesterday. I was I didn't even know we have a water filtration system upstairs right outside the water filtration system.
freshwater and put the plaque. I wish I would have take a picture of it. I thought I'd remember of the phrase the phrase goes something like that your legacy. It out live your life. Does Rite Aid new something that light shines far beyond what we can get? Jesus Shine through US its last the physical care of this 50,000 square foot facility and the field and all it takes so many people but when it comes to my job to do with a speeding with sewage backup with her
The people here who unannounced visit the homebound in the shut-in to let light shine to them. We get cards of encouragement for people and they send them out at third. The way they let their light shine. There's a lady Who's the artist that she's praying for our congregation for our school first. For a volunteers light shining in the dark. If a lady here that volunteers to look at the library for church and school.
Can you get Darkness? I know we've known each other a long time before I came here. But I know when I come in at Sunday morning you were Helga. One of you is setting up the banner this morning communion two Sundays ago because we can take the set for intergenerational and the drywall on like a Friday afternoon time.
Yesterday our Friday night. You just knock entire gave us at the leaders meeting analysis of financial situation here over 10 years and I realized I was in the meeting where we invited you to remember of First Lutheran to step onto this very difficult task of being on her business administration team lead us through financial.
And he had an analysis of how God is Loretta even in tough times. lights shining in the Darkness Jeff said he feels Grace to this place and I love Prince family. There is a book out. There are so many shiny lights. It's amazing.
God shining through you and me to be light in the Darkness.
1st Peter 2:9, you are a chosen people.
a royal priesthood a holy nation people called out of Darkness into His Marvelous Light.
Naked eye. every single one of you Connected to Jesus made to shine in the world and wherever you are on that Journey. He's okay with it.
a close source of life Let it touch your places and Lead You Out Of Darkness and let it overflow so that the world can know the unconditional love and forgiveness.
You play with me?
Rachel's Garden you give so many amazing gifts and we don't often recognize. I thank you for your light shining in the darkness for us as individuals. Those have been convinced that we need your life. And goes around the journey to discover the light. Send your spirit to do exactly what you need to do in our hearts daily. Refresh our light so that we may overflow with light and love to the world. He just what it means to shine our light in the darkness your light in the darkness. So that others may see your good works and glorify you. Forgive us where we fought for where we hide in the darkness and sometimes even Revel in darkness. And bring us a fresh and a new your light that brings life. immortality to life about to let your light shine in us into this. I don't know what he was saying.
Dish Satellite
So it is my privilege Lead You In the sacrament of the altar the communion with cry?
Amen, I invited rise to the post communion blessing.