God's Promise of Faithfulness
This morning messages God's promise of faithfulness and this morning I'm going to do something a little different and so hopefully it works out for each point. We have a different verse in the Bible and we're basically going to look at how God is faithful to his children when we are faithful and even when we mess up God is faithful and we're going to look at some of these stories of how God has provided to his children through the generations. And we read through the Bible and we hear stories of faithful men and women and what they did for God let you know.
Right. None of them were that special you can't really read that but I can hear Jacob was a cheater. Peter had a temper David had an affair Noah got drunk Jonah ran from God. Paul was a murderer get in with insecure. Miriam was a gossip. Martha was a worrier who can relate their Thomas was a doubter. Sarah wasn't patient. Elijah was Moody. Moses had a stuttering problem. And Abraham was old and Lazarus was dead. But what all these messed up people had their life was their faithfulness to God and when they failed God put them back on track. How many of us have been there? Are we tell God what our plans are? And dad says no way. He's done it to me more than once and often it hurts. Christianity worldwide can you turn up again continues to grow every single year despite our North American context of decline because of faithful leaders and clergy preaching teaching and baptizing people all over the world and what I found interesting was every group except I believe the Orthodox Are Climbing every single year by the thousands and millions of Christians. I think I read something around 20 million people convert from another religion and Christianity. Places again like Asia and Africa, the Christian church is has a stronghold one of my faith favorite characters from the Bible is the Apostle Paul. And there he is being beheaded.
He murdered Christians and God blinded him. and used him He became the primary author of the New Testament. He was jailed and then he was beheaded. But God used him. a radical for the faith Now if God can use a murderer, what can you do with us? As we determine the future at Methodist, and we've talked a little bit about him before. This is BTW Robert. He was removed by the church for his radical thinking. To remove the Pew system and hats so this is actually a receipt that we got from ancestry.com other cutex. And so you are coming to church and the pastor would be there and maybe the finance chair like eyeless and there with the few texts and she would write her name and an authorized that rock you today.
And this was Radical. Dorothy Roberts said that the Pew tax system one. It's segregated men and women in the church husbands and wives that zip together. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Episcopal Church in St. Francisville. This is one of the town's you noticed there is a part and men and women would sit on different sides that we're not allowed to Gathering church. Now some of these worth for whites and blacks and we had we had a separation because of segregation this and particular at this time. That was for men and women and BTW Robert said no, this is wrong. We need to be able to worship as a family. All Races all genders. Everything should be together. in the body of Christ set the commercialized made in a business.
a commercialize the church for a for-profit business into it discriminated against for No, we would not want to tell a 4-person. They could not come to our church. That would be absolutely horrendous. Right we wouldn't want to tell somebody not to come. You are welcome All God's Children because we are all made in the image of God. No. Because of these radical ideas he was the Frog. And he went on kind of a circuit preaching and teaching around the country Christian camps. Making his money and I am sure his wife was probably really upset. I could just imagine traveling around broke trying to figure out how our next meal was coming about 17 years after his death the Methodist Church presenting backed his ordination and the wrongdoing but it is sweetie Roberts started the Free Methodist church gospel to a hurting room and to renew the church back to a Biblical truth which still impact us today and one of those things and I've mentioned it before is are very offering on Sunday morning. So there wasn't an offering a free will offering there was a few tax the churches around the country that now pass the offering plate at the BT Roberts. And more recently. I think my body is down in South Florida Olive. They are the real deal when it comes to Ministry. I love them dearly when their kids were about our kids as they age. They were traveling around an RV Ministry to Ministry out through the through preaching and music. They told me a story once they drove all the way out to Arizona. They were promised you no full-time job and they get there in the church was days from closing down and I stuck around for a year living in an RV not knowing what was next. Eventually move down south Florida in about four or five years ago. They open the coffee shop. I with almost no money. And they open the shop with the idea of that. It would become a church. And that's what it's become eventually partnered with recovery Church a church dedicated to helping people in recovery in addiction and they rented space out at church on Sundays and that coffee shop ran the rest of the week and the last two to three years. They expanded they were faithful took a salary. Another at three locations three churches a community center the minister to the poor kids through Fine Arts and Music. Add again, they are the real deal. They Minister and preach the word of Jesus because they love the community in which they serve and I'm just excited to continue to see them grow all throughout the region. And at one point the city of were I was like anti-christian. And they threw the coffee shop. We're running a church inside of it and they bought legally and they want it. So now they are a for-profit business and a nonprofit church that all meet there during the week and their community center is right down the road in a very bad part of town and Mike and kelly. I decided to buy a house there in this really horrible part of town that I would not feel comfortable in. But they did it so they can be in their community and get to know the people Street both for clergy and lay people. Can be crazy. Call you to some crazy thing if you just listen and keep your ears open and sometimes you want to fight it because there's no way you want to do it, but eventually got to get you there. They'll swallow you up maybe with the fish. But yeah. God is there.
If God could use a murderer on a frog faster and a coffee shop to bring glory to him. What can I do with a faithful congregation like this? What can he do with us? entry point in this small town What can you do? every single day part of this ministry
And right there I think you could see it on the right side right side. There's an old church pew but at the end, I would write my sermon every week and that church pew it was my spot. God is faithful to his children when we recognize him one true God. He is the one true God we're eating dinner tonight. No now then but the Lord your God is the one true God he is the faithful God who keeps the Covenant is loyal to everyone who loves him. I keeps his command even the Thousand generation. Not your driving through the streets of Gainesville. You have probably seen one of these stickers coexist and tolerance and other a lot of West Palm as well. And I certainly agree with the idea of existing together even having tolerance for other Faith groups here that I do think that we should work together to make this world for. Peace. I mean I have subtle body if you are Jewish rabbis, I love them dearly. We certainly do not want to eat. This was a picture or a painting of the Crusades. They were authorized by the bishop of Rome.
In order to preserve holy sites and simplicity now, they're both side and Christians are the Muslims start this war even on Christian Scholars argue. They don't really know they just know that there was a war between Muslims and Christians. And thousands and thousands and thousands of innocent blood was spilled. over people that could not tolerate one another but likewise just because we exist and have tolerance does not mean that we all worship the one true God. We read these verses that we worship the one true God the god of the Bible. Right here. No now then that the Lord your God is the only true God. You know a lot of non-christians ask me that all the time. How do I know? How do I know that I worship the one true God I worship the god of the Bible the Jews and Christians unique relationship of these Faith groups. And that we have a common parent and that is the Hebrew Bible. What are differences that we ask for Christ followers believe in this new covenant? But likewise, I don't think God forsaken him. And I honestly think we have a better deal because all we have to do is accept Jesus and we get a free pass. They have a lot more on their plate. I hear around me that the world is saying acceptance of all things and it all and all got our God. Christians are being taught of universalism and there's even. Didn't show up? There is a logo that supposed to be there update Christian Universalist Association. Christians are teaching that if God is really a god of love. How could he condemn anybody? Isn't how how was God love if he condemned? That these Pass include at being agnostic Islam Buddhism Hinduism or even worshiping the stars and the moon are ways to God. The problem is what constitutes being a good person this morning. now I started the Baptist Seminary and they were really strict on us and there was a class called practice.
And we had to watch this video of how to go out on the street and evangelize on a box. And there was this guy that got a 36 what you know, do you think you're a good person? let go.
Will have you ever stolen anything? What's that make you have you ever looked at him go down the list and buy their own words confessed. They were really not a good person. None of us are really good people. It's up to Jesus the clear our plates. It's why.
We must realize that God is a fair judge of his law. And without him or nothing now this whole universalism really came to me when I was 17 years old. And I went out west for the first time in my life. When I went out to that camp in, Oregon, I learn much more than my calling from Ministry, but there was a group called The Baha'i. Has anybody ever heard of the Baha'i? They're kind of different look and they wear these orange down. So can we look at the Circle? This actually comes off of their website teaches is that God from the very beginning has revealed made for profit and their opinion more and more by himself.
You notice that Abraham is up there. You noticed all of these people that we are up there. So it's essentially all path Lee the god in a seventeen-year-old. I don't know much biology then really that I was starting to learn it pick it up. But I question why were they trying to convert me to they're all faiths lead the guy. Why? Why can't I just remain a Christian that be okay and my other thought was why is this group utilizing the facilities of our Campground? Why are they out there for free? Using this can't but you know what it taught me a lot that summer. It's hot why I believe in God. That there was one God and that is the god of the Bible. And at universalism will fail because as we read the scripture we must love God and keep his Commandments in the road. No. Is the god of the Bible is the God will be there for your children. holding his covenants and his promises God is faithful even when we mess up we're going to do it. No, thank goodness for a help helping him because I think we'd all be in trouble. 1000 2nd Timothy 2:13 if we are just loyal he stays faithful because he can't
God will love us and be loyal to us even in our stupidity.
true repentance true repentance
is an acknowledgement of our own arguing and a desire to do different. It's a desire to get on our knees and say God forgive me. Dad gets it. When we do stupid things, it's just our nature.
But it doesn't change how much God loves you. We were eight and Luke 5:31 32. There's a lot of scriptures and Jesus answered help but sick people do. I didn't come to call the righteous people centers to change their hearts and their lives.
and again that the Apostle Paul I'm convinced that nothing can separate us from God's love and Christ. Jesus our lord not death or life nor angels are rulers present thing our future thing Howard or anything that is graded. So God knows we're going to take us to have repentant heart. But there is nothing. In this world that we can do to leave God's love. jiri
But it does.
The tax guy did Jesus told us that do not Test the Lord your God, but I'm saying it doesn't mean we should have a simple life Monday through Saturday, right? We are called to Holiness has Christian bouncing back and forth theological families nation. Everyone has different thought on this whole scripture until idea of Holiness, but the point here is I'm not going to touch the Lord. I'm going to do my best because I love God not because it's going to save me. What's this morning is how do we remain faithful? How do we in the midst of our personal struggles our struggles of the church our troubles of the nomination or how do we remain faithful to God? And I think it's really something. classic verse Teacher which man is the in the law. And he said that love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. And the second is like this love your neighbor as yourself all the law and the prophets depend on these two Commandments.
Brothers and sisters thought I sent as a teacher don't do dumb stuff, right you will pass my class. If you just don't do dumb stuff and I think if we don't stop and we love Jesus for their own heart. I think it will kind of fall into place. We overcomplicate, you know, we take the ology and we we put it up on the wall and we come up with all these great terms and ideas. But at the end of the day, you know, Jesus is not going to Quince me at my deathbed or when I get to heaven on Earth by Systematic Theology is right or wrong. He doesn't care doesn't care that that I was a Lutheran on the left of this and it doesn't matter. What matters is that I love with my heart. I love my neighbor as myself. That's what matters. He told us that he will not leave us or forsake us. He will not leave or forsake us. It may be a time and change into our society. but you know we have these application for You know where they have for many years right where you could just bring a baby drop them off somewhere. No questions asked. And person just expect somebody to take that child now, I can't judge. I haven't been in that situation where I was at Last Resort and I felt like that's what I need to do. But I personally could not imagine taking my baby leaving it at the footsteps of a church or a fire station and just expecting a random person to pick that baby up take care of. as a society we we have age kids who are fragile. middle schoolers Bachelor Who need their parents who need their grandparents? and it's like they are raising themself. They are their parents have no involvement and I get it. Just tell their parents I hate you sometimes. I guess what they still need you. They still need you to invest in their life. And sometimes we are that teenage kid. God does not abandon. God does not leave us on the steps anywhere. God does not let us go off to school by ourselves and be hounded by teachers last without being there right next to us. God is a good father. God is faithful. Never leaving us or forsaking us. It makes me think of my home Pastor when I was going. I will go to him for advice because it was the wisest man I ever.
And again, he was he thought totally different than I do and everything.
And I would say well this is going to happen if it was God from taking you this far. No, will why you think he's going to do it now? that is the key of
that. Is that loving dad? It don't matter if we do stupid stuff no matter I command up sheet to borrow. Your dad's car keys and back the truck into the ditch.
Because she was going to try it.
Dad's good father. Don't they're there for their children. And no matter if we tell God we hate him tomorrow or today. no matter if we have to repent everyday on our God is there to be faithful to us as his children. Do we have to ask ourselves? Are we returning God's faithfulness back to him who are words or actions? Are we in loving God and loving people? every single day are we looking into the world knowing that radiates all of us?
Are we being good children for God?
Be strong and courageous. Don't be terrified are afraid of them.
What is the Lord your God goes? He will not leave you or forsake you.
life in the terrifying light and be uncertain and most the time whatever happens just happens. We got to really let go and let God everyday. We don't know when we wake up. We might have a plan. I can tell you my calendar every day is usually scheduled Max. And sometimes everything gets done and sometimes it doesn't.
But God is with us. so what are we going to do at First United Methodist Church of Chiefland to continue to be faithful Children of the king. Are we going to love our neighbor? I'd like to believe so. Are we going to love God, I believe so, right. Are we going to live in fear, Maybe? Maybe not. Are we going to live in some tension for a little while yet? We just have to accept it. But guess what?
We're going to be faithful. Accepting that God uses messed up people like Moses and David and many more that we read this morning. We're going to accept that the god of the Bible is the one true God it's a non-negotiable for me. God of the Bible is the true God of the universe and that God keeps his promises to us. And lastly that God will never leave us or forsake us. Even if it means we closed the Gates of Hell God is with us. Because our God is powerful. Our God destroyed the temple Our God built the Earth you name it on his bonnet And as a congregation as we continue to walk through somewhat a path of uncertainty. We have to remain faithful. Because I do believe God has a plan. Not the cliche, you know, it's at the whole cliche and Christianity that God's got a plan but legitimately has a pathway God will guide our steps and God will keep us United for Jesus. That's what it's about this morning. butter spray Almighty and merciful god we are your children. God help us be faithful servant help us be your hands and feet. How about remain United as a family? Continue to give Josh Unity. perseverance guide our steps as we walk through this time of of the storm
God in the gospels Jesus is there and he tells the storm to stop. And they they obey they listen. Forgot we asked for your presence. To bring calmness and peace. Let us remain focus on spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to this hurting world. Help us be who you desire us to be as your church. That we love you and we pray all this in Jesus name. Amen.