A week ago I shared my opp to preach 4 sermons at a Baptist about 35 min from home.
Brenda drove me down to the church building and we made it in time for Sunday School. The idea is that I like to meet some members and learn a few names, in case I need them during the sermon.
We enjoyed Sunday School and participated a bit. The service started with some good choruses and hymns and the choir did a nice special. They gave a brief intro of Brenda and I, then Gary prayed for me, and for the congregation. Now it was MY turn.
I began with quoting Hebrews 4:12, "The word of G^d is alive and powerful..." then went on to 2 Tim 3:16-17, "All Scripture is G^d-breathed and useful...". Brenda's former pastor Melvin Frady used to start his sermons that way when I visited her church in 1971-72. Pastor Frady performed our wedding, and I stole his sermon intro.
I then went into the Beatitudes. I had mentioned to one of our dear missionary friends about preaching on this passage and she had recently learned that the Beatitudes give an outline of the Gospel. Take a look at Matt 5:2-12 and check it out. I think this is a great illustration of the value of WORKING on teaching well in advance, so we can utilize what the L^rd has given to others also.
From the Beatitudes I went to the "You are the light of the world" and asked HOW we do that M-Saturday (most people do pretty well on Sunday). Then we went to vs 20, "Exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, and then to 27 about the TRUE standard of G^d, wherein even looking on another in lust is the same as adultery.
Finally I got to the PUNCH line for Matt 5, which is in the last verse, "Therefore be you perfect, even as YOUR FATHER in heaven is perfect!"
What? Think about it. What do we learn? Let me summarize, "We in TROUBLE!"
And that concludes Sunday morning. I won't outline the evening sermon, but will post another about this episode of life.
Brenda drove me down to the church building and we made it in time for Sunday School. The idea is that I like to meet some members and learn a few names, in case I need them during the sermon.
We enjoyed Sunday School and participated a bit. The service started with some good choruses and hymns and the choir did a nice special. They gave a brief intro of Brenda and I, then Gary prayed for me, and for the congregation. Now it was MY turn.
I began with quoting Hebrews 4:12, "The word of G^d is alive and powerful..." then went on to 2 Tim 3:16-17, "All Scripture is G^d-breathed and useful...". Brenda's former pastor Melvin Frady used to start his sermons that way when I visited her church in 1971-72. Pastor Frady performed our wedding, and I stole his sermon intro.
I then went into the Beatitudes. I had mentioned to one of our dear missionary friends about preaching on this passage and she had recently learned that the Beatitudes give an outline of the Gospel. Take a look at Matt 5:2-12 and check it out. I think this is a great illustration of the value of WORKING on teaching well in advance, so we can utilize what the L^rd has given to others also.
From the Beatitudes I went to the "You are the light of the world" and asked HOW we do that M-Saturday (most people do pretty well on Sunday). Then we went to vs 20, "Exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, and then to 27 about the TRUE standard of G^d, wherein even looking on another in lust is the same as adultery.
Finally I got to the PUNCH line for Matt 5, which is in the last verse, "Therefore be you perfect, even as YOUR FATHER in heaven is perfect!"
What? Think about it. What do we learn? Let me summarize, "We in TROUBLE!"
And that concludes Sunday morning. I won't outline the evening sermon, but will post another about this episode of life.
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