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Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts

Monday, March 18, 2024

Building on Rock vs. Building a Life That Lasts | Matthew 7:24-29

The Introduction
I have now preached twenty-three sermons from Jesus Sermon on the Mount from Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7.  Leave it to a Methodist preacher to take one of Jesus’ sermons and turn it into 23 sermons.  But Christ’s teachings are so important it was worth soaking in each one.

Let's list Jesus' lessons from the Sermon on the Mount:

  • He said you are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
  • And Jesus said He didn’t come to abolish the Old Testament Laws but to fulfill them.  So therefore, we should live righteously—just as He lives righteously.
  • We shouldn’t murder, but we shouldn’t even be angry or curse at people.
  • Not only should we avoid adultery, we shouldn’t even lust in our hearts.
  • We should be faithful to our spouse, not take revenge, and go so far as to love our enemies.
  • We must be generous and help the needy, not in order to impress people with wealth and generosity, but do it privately so no one even knows we are giving.
  • With that same attitude, we should pray and fast privately, so no one even knows we’re doing it.
  • Store up treasures in heaven where they won’t be corrupted or stolen.
  • And don’t worry about anything, but trust God to take of you.
  • You shouldn’t be judgmental, thinking your are better than anyone else.
  • But don’t throw your pearls to pigs.
  • Treat others as you would like them to treat you.
  • Because the gate to heaven is narrow and the path to life is difficult and few ever find it.
  • And we have to be careful of false prophets, because many will sneak up like wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing saying things people like to hear.  But we can tell who is a true prophet by the fruit they produce—because bad trees can’t produce good fruit.
  • And we should produce good fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Because these are the fruits of a true disciple.  
  • Not everyone who cries out “Lord! Lord!”  will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  Only those who did the will of God the Father. 

These are the foundational teachings of Jesus Christ.  If we say we are Christians, these are the core teachings we follow.  And here’s how Jesus finished his sermon—Matthew 7:24-27.

Matthew 7:24-27
24 
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

The Solid Foundation
Jesus says, “Any who listens to my teachings and follows is wise, like a person who builds a house on a solid rock.”  Now, we’ve just finished 23 sermons based on Jesus’ core teachings in the Sermon on the Mount.  They are challenging, but not difficult to understand.  If you build your life upon these teachings, your life will stand against anything. 

We will all face many trials and tribulations in this life.  But if your life is built upon the solid rock of Christ, you will not fall even when rains and floods and wind beat against you.  Now, you know we’re not talking about rain and floods and wind.  We’re talking anything that life can throw at you:  grief, divorce, depression, unemployment, alcoholism…  You can think of hundreds of trials and tribulations you might face in your life—whether they come in your own life or in the lives of people you love.  But when these trials come against you, you will not fall if your life is firmly build upon the solid rock of Christ’s teaching.

Even when cold, dark death comes to visit you (as it comes for ever person), you will not fall if your life is built firmly upon the rock of Christ’s teaching.  For everyone “…who believes in Jesus will not perish, but have eternal life.”

But I must also point out that Jesus says, “Any who listens to my teachings and follows is wise, like a person who builds a house on a solid rock.”  You’ll notice he says, listens and follows. 

There are many people who come to church every time the door is open.  They love the experience of being at church.  They love the music.  They love the people.  They may even love to hear the words of Jesus preached and read from the Bible.  But you can’t build a solid foundation on hearing alone.  You also have to follow.

James 1:22 says, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”  Many people listen to the Word of God week after week, but never do the Word of God.  They are only fooling themselves.  It is critical we listen and follow Jesus’ teaching.  It is the only way our lives will be able to remain standing when the troubles of life assail us and when death finally comes to visit and we must face Jesus on our last day.

Sinking Sand
Jesus teaching is a solid foundation that can support your life and even lead you into eternal life in Heaven.  Everything else is sinking sand.  There are a lot of people who build their life on things beside Jesus teaching.  But it’s not a solid foundation.  It cannot stand.

You cannot build your life on a foundation of feelings, but so many try.  They base everything on how they feel.  Some even choose to follow Christ because of an emotional religious experience.  Maybe they went to a revival and heard the Word of God or some great spiritual music and it moved them and made them feel something wonderful and the experience led them to follow Christ.  But that cannot be the foundation--because the feelings change and sometimes fade.  We have highs and we have lows.  Feelings are good and can be (should be) part of our walk with Jesus, but they cannot be the foundation.

Some will say they found their faith on traditions instead.  They say traditions last generation after generation and are more permanent that feelings and emotional experiences.  Traditions can be a helpful part of our walk with Christ, but they cannot be the foundation.  Traditions change and sometimes they are wrong.  Sometimes we find our traditions are contrary to Scripture and must be discarded.  Other times our traditions lose their value when they now longer serve to connect us to Christ and the mission of His Church.  So tradition cannot be our foundation.

Others will say the build their life on ideas, reason and philosophy.  They want to use their intellect to build a reasonable foundation that doesn't rely on tradition or religion or superstition.  Some may even subscribe to the best ideas and knowledge of the modern era.  But these also are an inadequate foundation.  For we soon find we were wrong.  And the morals and values and philosophies of today are soon found by another generation to be out dated and rejected.  These too are sinking sand.

What about family?  Surely family is a sure foundation upon which we can build.  Well, family is very important.  Maybe it should be the walls or the roof or the carpet of our life, but it cannot be the foundation.  For our family is only human.  They cannot fill the void in our life that only God can fill.  And family members will disappoint, reject, or die (for they are only mortal).  Family cannot be a truly solid foundation.

Nor can the pursuit of pleasures, our careers, wealth, status, popularity, or anything else other than Jesus' teachings be the sure foundation we need to stand against the storms of life.  Everything else is sinking sand.  If you try to build your life and your faith upon them, they will fail and you will fall.

Believe in Jesus
We are told often in Church (and in the Bible), “Believe in Jesus and you will be saved.”  This is true.  I can quote many Scriptures that say this and I preach it.   But what does it mean to believe?

To believe Jesus means to trust Him enough to leave behind your life of sin and follow His way of living.  Jesus’ way of living is spelled out in the Sermon on the Mount (as well as the Gospels and the teachings of His people in the Bible).

James 2:14 puts it this way:  “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?”  You see, saving faith is listening to Jesus’ teachings and following them.

We all fall short, but God is gracious and forgiving.  In 1 John 1:8-9, it says:  “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”  

So, as we end the message today—as we end this series of messages on Jesus Sermon on the Mount—I invite you to join me in a confession of our sins.  The words to this confession are taken the new Methodist hymnal "Our Great Redeemers Praise" on pages 738-739.  This is part of the Wesley Covenant Service.

The Confession
Leader:  We are those who seek to live as true disciples of Jesus Christ, but sometimes we fall short. Let us now examine ourselves before God, humbly confessing our sins and submitting our hearts so that we do not deceive ourselves and cut ourselves away from God. Let us pray:

People:  Father God, You have set forth the way of life through Your Son Jesus Christ, whom You love dearly. We shamefully confess that we have been slow to learn of Him and have been reluctant to follow Him. You have spoken and called to us but we have not listened. You have revealed Your beauty to us, but we have been blind. You have stretched out Your hands to us through our friends, but we have passed by them. We have accepted Your gifts and offered little thanks. We are unworthy of Your unchanging love.

Leader:  We now confess to you our sins.

Please forgive us for the poverty of our worship…

for the selfishness of our prayers…

for our inconsistency and unbelief…

for the ways we neglect fellowship and Your grace…

for our hesitation to tell others about Christ….

for the ways we deceive others…

People:  Forgive us for when we waste time and when we misuse the gifts you have given us. Forgive us for when we have made excuses for the wrong things we have done and when we have purposefully avoided responsibility.

Leader:  Forgive us that we have been unwilling to overcome evil with good and that we have not been ready to carry our cross. Forgive us that we have not allowed Your love to work through us to help others and that we have not made their suffering our own. Forgive us for those times when instead of working for unity we made it hard for others to live with us because of our lack of forgiveness, inconsiderate judgment, and quick criticism.

People:  Forgive us for when we have not tried to reconcile with others and when we have been slow to seek redemption.

Leader:  Forgive us also for these sins that we silently confess to you now.

Leader:  God, the Father of all mercies, is faithful to cleanse us from our sins and restore us to Christ’s image. Praise and glory be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.

Monday, February 26, 2024

The Choice: Narrow vs. Wide Gates

Introduction
I couldn’t sleep last night.  I was very tired.  I worked outside in my garden all day Saturday and I was physically tired.  I went to bed early.  I fell asleep fast.  But I woke up just a couple hours later with this sermon and you on my mind.  In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus said we all have a choice to make.  Listen to what He said. 

Matthew 7:13-14
13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”

The Way of Eternal Life
Jesus used gates and roads as a metaphor for eternal life and eternal damnation.  The narrow gate and difficult road represents the way of life that leads to eternal life in heaven.  The narrowness of the gate represents the exclusive nature of the path to eternal life.  Jesus is the only way to eternal life.  Jesus explicitly said so in John 14:6 - “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

So, some will not go to heaven because they either reject Christ or never deliberately choose Him.  Jesus said the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult.  Living a life that adheres to Jesus' teachings requires self-discipline, sacrifice, and a willingness to go against the prevailing norms and values of society. This path is not the easiest, but it is the one that leads to true life.

Jesus wants everyone to have eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.  (I want that for you too!)  But the reality is:  the gate is narrow and the road is difficult and few people ever find it. 

The Highway to Hell
Most people choose the wide gate and take the highway to hell.  It's the route that seems easiest and most convenient, requiring little to no sacrifice or change.  It aligns with our natural desires and the immediate gratification of our wants without considering the long-term consequences.  

And besides, it’s the road most people choose.  You don’t even have to think about it.  You just go along with the crowd.  It requires no discipline, no self-examination, no repentance or transformation. 

Yeah, it’s easy; it’s convenient; and it offers the false promise of freedom.  But it’s a lie!  While the gate is wide and the path is easy, it leads to spiritual death, separation from God, and eternal punishment in Hell. 

And I woke up last night full of sorrow and concern for the multitudes of people traveling on the
highway to hell and for the very few who choose the narrow, difficult road to heaven.  
I lay in my bed thinking about how I may have failed to do my part to encourage others to choose the right path–the one that leads to Heaven.  I lay there thinking about everyone who would be sitting in my congregation  or watching online the next morning to hear this sermon, as well as everyone who might read it on my blog.  And I thought about how so many think you are walking on a path that leads to eternal life in heaven when you are not.  Maybe you think you're going to heaven because:

  • You were baptized as a baby, (or as an adult), or
  • You go to church, or
  • Your parents or grandparents were great Christians, or
  • You believe God exists, or
  • Because you’re a good person, or
  • Because you just believe everyone goes to heaven.

Listen to me.  No.  Don’t listen to me; listen to Jesus.  Jesus says it right here in our Scripture.  “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”

Few Ever Find It
Most people think it’s so easy.  They say:  Just be a good person.  Go to church if you want to.  Be nice.  You’ll go to heaven.  But Jesus says:  “The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”

You see, the idea here is, you can have good intentions and still miss the gate to life.  You can’t just casually walk through life assuming you’ll stumble through the right gate.  No sir.  You might still miss it.  You may think you went through the right gate but realize too late you chose the wrong one.  If you want to be one of the few people who find the gateway to eternal life, you better get serious about it.  You better study it so you'll recognize the right gate and the right path when you see it.  you better choose wisely.

People get serious about all kinds of things in this life.  They’ll work hard to achieve goals like:

  • Athletic achievements
  • Educational Achievements
  • Finding a mate to spend their life with 
  • Building a successful career,
  • Home ownership
  • Health and wellness
  • Travel and adventure

Perhaps you can think how you have strived for some of these in your own life.

People plan and save and study and invest themselves in all kinds of things–some things that are good and important.  But the most important thing, the thing that will literally last for all eternity, so many people approach carelessly, as if this most important thing just happens automatically.  Few things worth having just happen automatically.  You have to be committed and strive for it.

How to Find the Narrow Gate
If you really wanted to be a winning athlete, you would intentionally train to succeed.  You might practice daily to get good, maybe workout to grow stronger; you might even change the way you eat to become healthier and fuel your body. 

There are things you can do to help you be one of the few who finds the narrow gate Jesus says leads to eternal life.  And I suggest everyone be dedicated to spiritual training.

  1. Repent and seek forgiveness - Acknowledge your sins and mistakes, repent, and seek God's forgiveness. This process of turning away from sin is crucial in finding the narrow gate.  You will never find the gate until you decide to start looking.  And repentance is the the first step.

  2. Commit to Live for Jesus - Jesus chose you.  But you have to choose Jesus.  You have to consciously decide to be His disciple–to apply Jesus' teachings in your daily life, including loving your neighbor, forgiving others, practicing humility, and serving those in need.

  3. Join a faith community - Being part of a church or a spiritual community provides support, accountability, and encouragement as you strive to live a life that reflects Jesus' teachings.  Worship together.  Study together in a small group.  Serve together.  Jesus and the original Twelve Disciples worked together as a group.  If Jesus and the Twelve needed to be in a group, what makes you think you can do it alone?

  4. Read the Bible - Regularly reading and studying the Bible helps you understand God's principles and Jesus' teachings. This knowledge is foundational to discerning the narrow path.  It’s the only way you are going to know which gate to go through and which path to follow in life.

  5. Pray - Prayer is a powerful way to communicate with God, seek His guidance, and express your desire to follow Him. It aligns your heart with God's will.  Prayer is the heart of walking on the right path with Jesus. 

Closing
Some of you are already doing these things.
Some of you need to do better.
Some of you need to take a good hard look at your life and recognize, you’re just blindly walking through life along with everyone else, and you don’t even realize you are traveling on the highway to hell.
You better wake up now, before it’s too late and you find yourself suffering for all eternity!

 

Monday, February 5, 2024

Ask, Seek, Knock

Introduction
As we transition from the sacrament of infant baptism, a symbol of new beginnings and divine promise, we're reminded of our own spiritual journey. Baptism invites us into a life of asking, seeking, and knocking, a theme we'll explore further in today's sermon.  Open your hearts to the transformative power of faith as we remember the teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount and consider how they speak to us at every stage of our spiritual journey.

Slides – Matthew 7:7-11
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Ask, Seek, Knock
Jesus says:  Ask, Seek, Knock.  When it comes to the most important things in life—like your goals, your dreams, your family, your physical and spiritual well-being—you have to have humility, commitment, and persistence.  God requires it for the deepest blessings of His Kingdom.  It’s not because God is stingy.  He wants to reward you.  But your cannot handle the deepest blessings of God’s Kingdom” until you are ready for them.  Asking, seeking, knocking prepares you to receive what God wants to give you.

Wise parents do the same thing with their kids.  They don’t just give whatever their kids ask for.  Just because your 7-year-old son wants to drive a car, you don’t let them.  You might set them in your lap and let them drive around an empty parking lot for fun, but a 7-year-old is not ready to drive on their own yet.

Good parents encourage their kids to persist and develop and prove they are responsible before they give them something for which they aren't ready.

Fred Stokes
I’m pumped about our guest speaker for Super Bowl Sunday next week.  Fred Stokes, is a former defensive end who played for the Washington Redskins (now known as the Washington Commanders).  His life exemplifies Jesus lesson about asking, seeking, and knocking.  Fred grew up in poverty in rural Georgia and faced numerous challenges early in life. This fueled his desire to ask God for a better life and success.

Stokes went to college at Georgia Southern University.  He was not a highly touted prospect for the NFL, but he sought to improve, to make his mark, and to achieve his dream, despite the odds being against him.

Stokes was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the twelfth round of the 1987 NFL Draft. However, his early years in the NFL were marked by injuries and limited playing time. But He didn’t give up.  He persistently “knocked” at the door success despite the setbacks.

Stokes' perseverance paid off when he joined the Washington Redskins. He became an integral part of the team's defense and played a key role in their 1992 Super Bowl victory. The door of success finally opened for him.  Stokes' journey from a challenging childhood to a Super Bowl champion is a testament to determination, hard work, and faith. It illustrates how asking for a better life, seeking it through relentless effort, and knocking on the doors of opportunity, despite obstacles, can lead to success and fulfillment.

Ask
Jesus said “Keep on asking…”  Asking emphasizes humility.  We ask for help.  It’s a recognition that we need something.  We don’t know how to do something.  We are lost and need directions.  We’re not strong enough.  We’re worried and need peace and comfort.  And so we have to ask for help.  I hate to ask for help.  I’ve always been very independent and I just want to be able to do it myself—and I can do most things myself.  But Jesus has taught me over the years to get over it.  I need to ask for help.  He has a sense of humor too, because He made me a pastor and it’s my job to ask people for help…  God wants to give you deeper blessings than you can even imagine.  So, keep on asking.

Seek
Jesus said, “Keep on seeking.”  You’ve got to get out there and do your part to actively pursue God’s will and wisdom.  It's not just about finding answers but about growing closer to God.  It is often as we seek and pursue God that we build the spiritual muscles we need to hold the blessing God intends to give us. 



Knock
Jesus said, “Keep on knocking.”  Knocking represents persistence in our spiritual pursuit.  Don’t give up if the door doesn’t open right away.  Keep on knocking.

Have you ever had that awkward moment when you go to someone’s house and knock on the door and they don’t answer right away.  I used to deliver pizzas back before everyone had GPS.  You would get the address, look on a map, and then go out to find the house and deliver the pizza.  Sometimes the address wasn't clearly marked on a house.  You might be 95% sure it was the right house, but you would knock on the door and not know until someone answered the door.  Sometimes you had to knock two or three times before the came to the door.  It was awkward, but you couldn't just leave. Your job was to keep knocking until your delivered the pizza to the right person.  When it comes to the blessings of God's Kingdom, you have to keep on knocking with that same persistent determination.  It is good to know that Jesus is knocking on your door too.  In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears me and opens the door, I will come in and we will share a meal together."

God is a Good, Good Father
Jesus calls God our Heavenly Father, and compares Him to our earthly parents.  Most earthly parents—even the poorest examples—know how to give good gifts to their kids.  They feed them, shelter them, clothe them.  Although people are flawed and sinful, our heavenly Father is perfect love and full of wisdom and power.  He knows what we need before we even ask and has all the power of the universe at His disposal.  He will bless you, but you must get ready first.  So keep on asking, seeking, knocking so you will be ready.

Slide – Holy Communion with Guided Meditation
We had the privilege of sharing the sacrament of Holy Communion at my church Sunday.   Here is a meditation I guided them through.  Perhaps this will be useful for your too.
Relax with your eyes open and contemplate the sacrament of Holy Communion.
Breathe deeply as we rest in God’s grace.  Inhale peace.  Exhale any distractions.
Reflect on the grace of Jesus' invitation to us, an invitation to ask, to seek, to knock.

On the night Christ gave Himself up for us,
He shared His last meal with the Disciples before the crucifixion.

The Bread:  He took the bread, broke it, and asked the Lord to bless it.
Then He gave it to His Disciples and said, “Take and eat.  This is my body given for you.”
In the quiet of this sacred time, present your requests to God.
Ask Him for what you need.
Let the bread of Holy Communion remind you of God's readiness to provide everything you need.

The Cup:  After the meal, Jesus took the cup, raised it to heaven, and asked the Lord to bless it.
He gave it to His disciples and said,
“This is my blood, which confirms the New Covenant between God and His people. 
It is poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins."
Take a moment to meditate on what it means to seek God.
Imagine yourself drawing closer to the heart of Jesus,
seeking His wisdom and presence in every aspect of your life.

Receiving:  Envision yourself knocking on the door of God’s kingdom.
Feel the door of God’s blessings opening to you, inviting you into a deeper communion with Christ.

Monday, January 15, 2024

2024 State of the Communion Address


Introduction
As is our tradition each year at this time of the year, I want to review highlights and achievements of our church over the past year and also look forward to what I think should be our priorities for the coming year.  But, this is also a sermon.  It is a chance for me to share the Word of God in Holy Scripture and encourage you in your personal faith.  So I want to begin with the Scripture God placed on my heart today, something I believe should always guide Christians, and something I believe we should pay particular attention to this 2,024th year of our Lord.

John 1:1-5
1
“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

Listening to God’s Voice
I have been listening to God’s voice extra careful over the last month.  I always do this time of year as I consider what God want me to do and what God wants our church to do in the coming year.  And especially, since we have just completely the hard work to disaffiliate from the UMC and begin a new chapter in our the life of our church, I have been especially attentive to God’s voice asking: “Lord, what do you want for Your church at Pleasant Grove this year?”  And I have taken time to be alone, to be quiet, and to pray.  And I have been listening for God’s voice to answer and lead us. 
But how do I know if the voice that answers is God’s?  How can any of us know?

Jesus uses an illustration to remind people how to listen to God’s voice and ignore all the others.
The people who lived in Jesus’ day had one of the same problems we have today: there were so many voices claiming to speak for God.  The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Zealot religious radicals, the hippy Essenes who wanted to abandon society all together.  Then there were the politicians, the Greek philosophers, and the Romans occupiers.  Everyone had an opinion to share.  And all these voices swirling around were so confusing.  Do you ever feel like that?  Do you ever wonder how you can really know what God wants you to do?  How do you cut through all the clutter to get to the Truth?

Jesus says, “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.  This should be our main priority this year:  to know and listen to our Shephard’s voice.

And I want to suggest some ways you can tune in to hear God’s voice among all the distractions.

Prayer
You have to get near God to hear God.  And prayer is one of the chief ways you know you spend time with God.  Prayer is talking to God—and you don’t have to be all fancy.  Just talk.  Sometimes, prayer isn’t saying anything at all, but maybe just intentionally sitting quietly with God.  Prayer is essential for Christians.  It is our simplest way to connect with God.

I’m going down today after church to visit my Mom.  I try to call my mom every week.  By talking to her regularly, I stay in touch and know what’s going on with her.  But, my mom lives with my sister.  She’s there with her every day.  Katie knows what’s really going on with Mom way better than I do, because I only talk to her once a week.

If you want to know God voice, you’ve got to spend time with Him in prayer. If you only pray when you have a problem, you will not be very accustomed to God's presence.  But if you talked to Him all the time in prayer, you will be much more in tune with His voice.  You will know all about what He is up to and will more easily be able to tune in to His guidance.

Scripture
Scripture is another way we get near God to hear God.  Scripture is the primary way God speaks to His people.  Whereas prayer can often feel fuzzy and intangible, Scripture is solid and unchangeable.  Scripture is the foundation of all true Christian belied and practice.  The Bible tells you who God is and what He expects from you—how you are live and what you are to do.

Scripture and prayer go together.  We speak to God through prayer.  God speaks to us through the Bible.  The more you read Scripture, the easier it is to know the difference between random thoughts and insights and the true voice of God trying to lead you.

Plug in with God’s People
Another essential way we get near God to hear God is by plugging in with God’s people.  Being a Christian who follows Jesus is never something we do all by ourselves.  Jesus called 12 disciples to follow Him.  They did it in a group setting.  And that’s how we follow Jesus too.  Trying to follow Jesus all by yourself without a being part of a church community can be downright dangerous.  But when we plug in with God’s people, God speaks to us and leads us.

Hear at Pleasant Grove, there are a number of ways to plug in.  There is public worship.  But you must go deeper.  You need to be part of a small group.  We offer ways to get plugged in:  Wednesday night dinner, Thursday morning bible study, Sunday school, youth, children, Elizabeth Circle, sack lunch… 

I want to implore you to get accustomed to hearing God’s voice this year through Prayer, Scripture, and by plugging in with God’s people at church.

Review of 2023
2023 was a hard year, but God was good.  The whole year, it felt to me like we were the Israelites trying to escape from slavery Egypt.  The United Methodist denominational leadership didn’t want to let us go, even though we heard God’s voice clearly telling us it was time to leave that denomination.  And when the Bishop “paused” disaffiliation.  It seemed it would be impossible to get out of Egypt.  But God was our deliverer.  He “parted the Red Sea” so we could leave.  And God was with us as we “walked through the wilderness” of raising money to pay the disaffiliation fees and doing all the legal work required to change.  In may ways it was weary and tiresome work—but all done with great hopes for a new Promised future.

We also saw the Hand of God moving in many ways.  Even in the desert, I saw water flowing and flowers blooming.


We started out the year with a positive--with the infant baptism of Robin Starling.  It was a sign of things to come.  Through the year we had seven people publicly profess their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  And we added ten new people to our membership rolls--the largest increase since 2019 (pre-COVID).

Outreach to Kids
Our sack lunch program continued to flourish—sharing blessings with the children of our community through PGE and White’s Pediatrics.  We also helped with other needs like school supplies and improvements to the playground at PGE.  We also packed over 100 boxes for Operation Christmas Child.  Thanks to Susan Cooksey, Tom and Sherry, And Becky Haley, and all our faithful, dedicated volunteers!  (We could use a few more!)

Children’s Ministry
Our children’s ministry has flourished under the capable leadership of Melissa Starling.  One year ago, before Melissa took over leadership of the program, our children's ministry was floundering.  We needed volunteers. We needed new leadership.  We needed excitement.  Melissa has helped bring all of that since she started at the end of January last year.  Last Sunday we had 9 children at the altar for the children’s moment.  And the kids have been active and growing all year long.  Consistent

weekly classes, Sunday school, children’s church, nursery, Easter Egg hunt, VBS, Trunk or Treat.  And they even did a Christmas program and went Christmas caroling to shit-ins in December.  And I don’t want to pass up the opportunity to thank Melissa, and also Sydney Harris who we hired to teach kids on Wednesday nights.  This frees up Melissa to focus on teaching on Sunday mornings and to coordinating all the children's activities.  And the kids love Sydney on Wednesday night. 

Youth Ministry
We are blessed to have Amy Harris leading our youth ministry. We are all blessed to hear her brief, inspirational messages “to the youth” each Sunday morning, but she loves, leads, and inspires the youth each week on Wednesday nights and also helps teach youth Sunday school classes with Debra Sloan, and McKenzie Marlow.

Some of the special events Amy coordinaed for out youth were volunteering with special needs kids at the Miracle League, handing out free hot chocolate at the Dalton Christmas parade, and taking our youth to Fields of Faith.  She took the youth on a beach trip this summer, coordinated 2 yard sales, one of which was use to fund a o Christmas outreach t help families in need.  What were you doing Christmas Eve and Christmas day?  Amy was delivering assistance to families on both days.  And Amy is always the biggest helper with anything that needs to be done--even with things not associated with the youth.  And I would also be remiss if I didn't talk about some people who have been volunteering on Wednesday nights to help shepherd the youth as Amy teaches--Ricky Stack, Mike Wilson, Scott Denson, and DJ Seifert

 

Music Ministry
Another thing that I am particularly proud of is our music program at Pleasant Grove. David is humble and he doesn’t like to be pointed out, but I would be remiss if I didn’t share what a great job David does to help us have a great music program.  He makes sure we have great music throughout the year – including original music, horn and instruments, solos, and special guests musicians. 


And one thing David really focused on in 2024 was getting people involved, even people who don't sing.  David found was to include non-musicians in our Easter and Christmas cantatas.  Plus, we had a Contemporary Christmas Program, choir music at the Christmas Eve service, and contemporary music from the praise band throughout the year.  David has helped Pleasant Grove do something that many churches in our area are moving away from--having a great choir and choral music.  So many people stereotypically say, "The younger generation only wants contemporary music."  But that's not true.  If you ask many in the younger generations (like my own daughter), they will tell you they prefer hymns and choral music in worship.  So, David has helped us have both great contemporary music and great choral music and hymns.

Operation Mercy Drops

Our innovative outreach program, Operation Mercy Drops,  was a blessing to our community, helping so many.  We gave away 12 grants to people our church members sponsored in 2023.  These helped with a variety of needs like hardships--helping families with medical emergencies our when a house burned as will as honoring people who are doing great work in the community or helping charitable organizations continue to do good work to help people.  The funding for OMD was originally intended to last for 12 months.  However, generous donations extended the program out for three years.  Unfortunately, funding for OMD is now depleted (unless you decide you want to continue to program with your new funding).

Look Forward to 2024
As I said in the beginning, we need to focus on following God’s voice.  And we will know God’s voice through prayer, Scripture, and by plugging in with God’s people at church.  As I’ve heard God’s voice, He’s shared that we can be excited about what’s coming this year.  The hard work of the past year is paying off and we will see more blessings in 2024.

I also want to share some specific things we are working on or that I want to see this year.

New Hymn
The old United Methodist Hymnals were given back to the UMC as part of our disaffilation agreement.  However, that hymnal was over 40 years old and out of date.  We are getting a new hymnal in 2024.  We've already ordered 20 for the choir, and we will give our members a chance to order one in memory or in honor of someone soon.  Our sanctuary will be filled with hymnals.  And the one we've chosen, "Our Great Redeemers Praise", is a great hymnal.  It may be one of the most comprehensive hymnals published in decades and it will be an upgrade from the hymnal we were using before.  While many churches are moving away from hymnals, Pleasant Grove is going to upgrade and show our commitment to this ancient but still greatly relevant form of worship.  How exciting!

New Church Directory
We will publish a new church pictorial directory in 2024.  Our current directory is way out of date.  In fact, we were preparing to update the directory in 2020 when the pandemic hit.  This year, we are committed to finally publishing and new one so all the members of our church are properly listed so we can keep in touch and know all our church family.


Clean Up Membership Roll
We are going to clean up our church membership roll in 2024.  We have already done a great amount of work to convert our old handwritten membership books into an electronic database  This was invaluable as we went through the disaffiliation process with the UMC.  Volunteers were essential in this work.  Walker England and Matthew Head helped enter some of the names.  But the chief worker in this process was Donna Phillips, who entered 95% of the names.  Thank you Donna Phillips! 

Now that the membership roll is in electronic format, it will be much easier to audit the rolls and remove persons who have moved away, joined other churches, or who have passed away and are no longer living members of congregation.  We will do this work in 2024. 

Get Excited for 2024!
I want to encourage you to be excited about what’s happening.  We are part of a new Global Methodism Movement.  God is moving in Methodism—not just in our church, but all around the world!  That’s exciting!  We get to be part of something great!  Let’s get motivated!  Let’s get involved and be part of what God is doing!

Get excited about our church! Invite people to come and be part of the great things we are doing! 
Get excited about our music!  (We do praise music and choir and we’re getting a new hymnal!)  
Get excited about our children’s ministry!  Our youth ministry!
Get excited about our ministry with adults!  Our fellowship! 
Get Our incredible outreach to help our community! (And even the world – Pakistan!)
Get excited about how we stand upon the Truth of God’s Word
        and yet also love and accept everyone!

In 2024, we are following the voice of the Great Shepherd
        and we can be a place for others to follow Him too.