The church is a family expecting guests! Every week God intentionally sends to churches those they are able and willing to welcome. He prepares the heart of the guest, prompts and invitation from a friend or neighbor and wakes them up Sunday morning walking them through your doors. Are you ready to accept these gifts from God?
Greeting, caring, and preparing for those who walk through the door as though they are walking into your own home. A family expecting guests!
Whether you are on a greeter ministry team or not, every church member (family member) has the responsibilty to accept the gifts that God sends them weekly.
The Responsibility of Every Member
Ministering to Guests
1. Speak with guests when you first see them, and again before they leave. Invite them to come again.
2. Always, Always, Always offer help to a guest that seems unsure or apprehensive.
3. Never leave a guest to find their way alone with spoken directions. Walk them to the right place and use this opportunity to get to know your guests.
4. Introduce your guest to 2 other family members.
5. After the closing prayer, turn on your “guest radars” and greet everyone in your section. Go immediately! The slightest delay could mean loss of contact!
If every family member would respond in these ways and make intentional adjustments to treat these gifts as if they were guests in your own home, I believe God will be honored. As God sends gifts to your church, what will you do with them? Be a family expecting guests!
You know, there’s something about a headline like that that reaches out and smacks you. It’s like putting a sign ‘wet cement’ or ‘wet paint’ up - it begs you to write your name in it or touch it!
So I thought I’d start this post with those words. My son (Josiah) is absolutely the most awesome kid I know (and I admit the bias right up front). Unfortunately for his wonderful mom, Josiah likes the same types of music I do. So I have the pleasure of turning my son on to some awesome tunes, and he does the same for me. This is the music that makes the two of us move, and it solidifies our bonds on many levels. It never ceases to amaze me the conversations music starts between us, and the teaching opportunities it opens up both ways.
A few months back, he calls me to his computer. ‘Dad - we’ve got to go and get the new album by this group. Listen to this!’ Hey, it was good stuff! Then the band released the video before the official release of the album. I was floored.
The song was about suicide. It’s not something we talk much about. In fact, it’s not something we think much about. But don’t think it hasn’t impacted folks - maybe even someone reading this. Less than a year ago a co-worker took his life, and I still get to see the impact it has on my circle of coworkers.
So if you were wondering what this post was about, now you know. And I hope it is thought provoking, maybe even discussion provoking.
Theologically - I have issues with this song’s lyrics. But then again, this song isn’t written (as far as I can tell) to preach. It seems to be more of a release. So I thought I’d start the discussion on some of the theological stuff.
Does the Bible speak of suicide? If so, what does it have to say? Now at this point, I could do the dirty work for you, the reader. But I don’t think I’m going to here, because this is a subject that perhaps YOU need to do the leg work on. Oh, I don’t mind answering questions (’Don’t the Catholic’s have some issues around this?’ or ‘What do other denominations say about it?’ are good questions). But I’m wondering what YOU have to say about it and how God is using His word to speak to you on the issue. That’s what I’m wondering.
I admit - I love the music. I don’t have many Christian bands that are real ‘in your face’ on this issue (and yes, I love Christian rock / metal). And for the adults reading - I’m not wanting to upset our kids (I think you know I love them too!). But I’m wondering if we have the ‘guts’ (if you will) to discuss this issue with them. They are getting information about it in the world…are you ready for the discussion? Better check The Book first! And I’m guessing it’s been a while since you looked there for much on this issue!
Here’s the link to the video below (after the lyrics). I’ve also posted the lyrics below so you see the song is ‘clean’. If you don’t make it through the video, I understand. The first part is the lead singer expressing how he was touched by this issue, and giving out information to the suicide prevention hotline. Some folks in the church may need to know that information as well, it’s hard to tell…
Lyrics
“Inside The Fire”
Band - Disturbed
Devin
Won’t go to heaven
She’s just another lost soul,
About to be mine again
Leave her
we will receive her
It is beyond your control
will you ever meet again
Devin
No longer living
Who had been rendered unwhole
As a little child,
she was taken
and then forsaken
you will remember it all
Let it fill your mind again
[Chorus:]
Devin lies beyond this portal
take the word of one immortal
Give your soul to me
For eternity
release your life
to begin another time with her
End your grief with me
there’s another way
release your life
take your place inside the fire with her
Sever
Now and forever
you’re just another lost soul about to be mine again
see her, you’ll never free her
you must surrender it all
If you’d like to meet again
Fire
For your desire
As she begins to turn cold for the final time
you will shiver
till you deliver
you will remember it all
Let it fill your mind again
[Chorus]
Give your soul to me
For eternity
release your life
to begin another time with her
End your grief with me
there’s another way
release your life
take your place inside the fire with her
Devin
No longer living
Who had been rendered unwhole
As a little child
she was taken,
and then forsaken
you will remember it all
Let it fill your mind again
Video Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R0z0H8MjAk
Or…here it is embedded so you don’t need to go anywhere.
We need to look back. In the previous lessons we looked at the authentication of Christ by His message and His miracles. Are we sure He had this authority? You betcha! He exercised it over and over again so those that were there had no doubt about it. He is The Savior, He is Sovereign! This brought some issues to the surface though. His rejection by the religious leaders broke out into the open over a running feud over the Sabbath Day controversies. What did Christ do? He revealed these leaders as false shepherds. That’s where we pick up with the rejection of the herald.
John was cast into prison by order of Herod Antipas, a little after our Lord began his public ministry (Matt 4:12) and after the first Passover (John 3:24). Word had reached him concerning the miracles Jesus had been performing. So he sent some of his disciples to ask Christ a curious question – are you the One who was to come, or should we expect someone else? So…some have postulated that John was having a crisis (or failure) of faith. What do you think?
Plummer states: John had had such convincing evidence that Jesus was the Messiah, that he could hardly doubt now. And if he did doubt, what use to send to Jesus? A false Messiah would not own that he was an imposter. More probably it was John’s patience that was failing, not his faith. He wished Jesus to come forward more publicly and decidedly as the Messiah. ‘If Thou do these things, manifest Thyself to the world.’ To do Messianic works and not claim the position of the Messiah seemed to be futile inconsistency.
Ah, if we are to mull this over in our minds, perhaps we can better see ourselves. After all, it’s been over 2,000 years…and we still cry ‘why do you tarry Lord?’ We’ve seen the miracles, experienced Your presence, have a hold of the hope of Your salvation, and carry burdens that we should put on You and not keep to ourselves – Marana tha! (1 Cor 16:22 In Aramaic the expression Come, O Lord is Marana tha) Perhaps we can better understand John’s frustration and impatience…
So what would Jesus give John as an answer? Jesus had no authentication to give John but what He had been giving to the nation. No secret handshake, no special word of encouragement. But Jesus did speak to the crowd that surrounded Him concerning John’s person and position. A tree planted and not moved by the wind (certainly not a reed), a man uninterested in seeking physical comfort or material goods (not in a palace). No, John fulfilled Malachi 3:1 and Jesus gives John the highest honor, a higher ‘position’ than anyone else had been given. Greater than any of the prophets!
Think of it. In the face of the rejection of John’s message and ministry, Jesus declares to the crowd that John fulfilled Malachi’s prophecy. He said in Matt. 11:14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. An angel had announced to John’s father, Luke 1:17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous — to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Wow…it was an ultimate stamp of authentication and reaffirmation of John’s place.
There is some controversy or continued discussion around verse 12. This verse seems to be dealing with the rejection of Christ and John rather than the reception given to them by the leaders of the nation. Why? Look at the analogy Jesus gives in verses 16-17. He likened the generation to children who desire to have their own way no matter what others do. Basically, the generation found fault no matter what was done or not done.
But in spite of the growing rumble and rejection of the truth Christ gave these folks, some still believed. These people became His children, and our brothers and sisters in the family. The truth of what He had been teaching was validated by the reception of His word on the part of some, and thus ‘wisdom was proved right by her actions.’
And us? Do we have various crises of faith or are we just impatient with the perception of the speed that God chooses to work in our world? Looking at the growing rejection of the world to His word and ways, how do we respond?
Many years ago I heard a literally unforgettable talk by Josh McDowell on Matthew 9:35-38. I can still remember the four main points, which seem to be very appropriate to Seaford Church today. The four points are:
See what Jesus saw
Feel what Jesus felt
Pray what Jesus prayed
Do what Jesus did
Four points, very simple and easy to remember. I’m going to split them up into two posts here.
The passage reads (ESV),
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
See What Jesus Saw Jesus was traveling the cities and villages, stopping in at the places of religion, which were after all the main gathering spots in those days. Chances are there was nothing out of the ordinary in any of those places: your normal mix of successful, wealthy people, along with the poor, the diseased, and the hurting. If we had been walking the streets of Capernaum, say, chances are you and I would have noticed nothing but business as usual. “This is the way things are, this is the way people are.” That’s our usual response, today in Virginia, too. I confess I’m often so preoccupied I don’t notice the most obvious things about people in the stores and restaurants; while, on the road, they’re often just obstacles to my getting where I want to be.
Jesus saw differently. When he saw the crowds, he saw people who were “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” We don’t have lots of experience with sheep these days, so the figure of speech may be partly lost on us. “Harassed and helpless” ought to communicate, though. Young’s Literal Translation says they were “faint and cast aside.” The Message says they were “confused and aimless.”
It’s a description of their spiritual state. Without Christ, they had no direction, no guidance, no way of sorting out truth from lies, no peace, no connection. Where others saw the crowds as business as usual, Jesus saw them as spiritually needy.
I wonder if he just took the time to look into their eyes? I wonder what would happen if we took the time to see what’s going on around us?
Feel What Jesus Felt
When he saw the crowds this way, Jesus “had compassion for them.” Our English word compassion comes from root words meaning “to feel with another,” to share their hurts and pains. The Greek word used there, if I recall correctly, is even stronger. It relates to the inner person, the gut. Jesus’ stomach ached, seeing the pain of the people.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t care for pain. I don’t prefer having my stomach ache. Not only that, but having a tendency to think I have enough pain of my own to deal with, I’m not often eager to give myself over to hurting for someone else. But we know that Jesus wept–for Lazarus and his family, for Jerusalem. He was willing to be vulnerable to their pain. Ultimately he took on every person’s pain and bore it on the cross.
Are we too aware of our needs? Too conscious of our own problems, our own pains? Are we willing to see the crowds for what they are (even if the “crowd” you see is just a couple of neighbors working in their yards)? Can we allow ourselves to look beyond ourselves, our family, even our church to see the deep spiritual needs of people around us? For no matter how our church is struggling, we have life and we have direction from Christ. Our problems compared to the world’s are small.
And then what? There are two more points to this borrowed talk yet to come.
Today’s notes from the Case for a Creator Sunday School class are posted here, where you can also take part in the discussion with atheists and skeptics that’s expected to follow, in the comments.
Believe it or not, this is the last ‘installment’ of the authentication of the King. We again find Jesus traveling through ‘all the towns and villages’ proclaiming the good new that the kingdom was at hand. He had done plenty of miracles, and the news of these had spread throughout the area. Folks were still curious about Him, His words, and His ministry. He was still compassionate to them, the masses because He saw them as they were – shepherdless sheep.
There were many who claimed to be shepherds. The Pharisees (follow our traditions and we’ll lead you to life). The Sadducees (follow us and through our ordinances you will become children of the kingdom). These different parties were in competition for followers. There were others who claimed to be shepherds as well. Spiritual hunger was evident in that folks were interested in the ministry of Christ.
The needs were obvious to Jesus. Workers. Seed had been sown, so now the need was to pray that God would now send out laborers into the fields that were ripe for harvest. Here is where the Twelve were given authority because they were to serve as Christ’s representatives. This is the occasion that they were sent out from Him to extend the ministry which He had been carrying out.
Before they were sent, they were given a number of instructions. First, He told them who they were to minister to. This was only – read that exclusively – to the lost sheep of Israel (Matt. 10:5-6). The covenant nation, God’s chosen people. They couldn’t experience all the promised blessings until the Messiah ruled over His people. Second, notice the message the Twelve were to preach – the kingdom of heaven is near (Matt. 10:7). This was followed by the command that they were to exercise the authority that had been conferred on them. Not only use it, but believe that all their support was to come from the One who sent them. The lack of preparation they were to make was to foster an utter dependence on the Lord.
When they entered a village they were to look for someone of decent reputation and hospitality. That was where they were to stay. You see, if they were to stay with someone who was disreputable, it could damage their testimony and jeopardize their ministry. Perhaps this is a good place to stop and ask – what do you think of that? How do you (or are you) practicing that in your life? Do you agree with this, or is this applicable to the ‘new ministry folks’ only? In practice, do you feel you can hang with the folks you hang with, maintain your faith and testimony, and not come out unscathed? If so – why?
Another ‘gotcha’ in this passage is the extended section of warning (vs. 17 et al). You see, Christ was letting them know that they would not receive the same status that they may be thinking they will get. Keep in mind that He had attained something similar to rock star status in a short time, but this came with a price. The disciples would not find the same acclaim – so Jesus gives them encouragement in the face of impending rejection and hardship. In fact, the natural reaction would be to withdraw if you knew that type of persecution Jessu spoke of was coming because we are all (as people) into self-preservation! But looking at verse 28, we are told not to fear those that can only harm us bodily. Kind of scary, isn’t it – I mean, we say we answer to a higher power, and now was that time to be reminded of this.
Protection – that is what these disciples were assured of (vs. 29-31). And so are we – protected, strengthened and sheltered under the wings of our Heavenly Father. That is comforting, and those thoughts must have strengthened these men during their times of doubt and fear.
The Prince of Peace had come to His own, but they had rejected Him. So in verse 34 we see the answer to the rejection of Him and His ministry by the religious authorities (who were influencing or leading the nation). Not peace, but a sword – Jesus had come to bring division! Not much has changed over the centuries to follow. Jesus Christ divides folks. People are divided by their attitude towards Him. Think about it, even today the name of Jesus Christ – in the media, public eye, and in private conversation – is most often heard as a pseudo-swear phrase, not in reverence, worship and awe.
After all was said and done, it was time to move out. The disciples were to go out and teach and preach. Jesus had proven His authority many times over. Now He had bestowed authority on His followers. And that filters down to us today. Have you preached recently about Christ? I would wager you have, by more than your words, by your life. Your family sees the reflection (or lack thereof) of Christ in you, as do your co-workers, boss, and others you come into contact with. The best place to hide how rotten we truly are is in the presence of others at … church! We can at least all ACT alike in our attempts to convince ourselves that we are really OK. Ah – some things never change, it was like that when Jesus walked among us. Perhaps today is a good day to reflect on the facades we erect, and to get real with the one who cared enough for us to pay the ultimate price for our sins.
Summer is over! Can you believe it?! The first Wednesday night meal of the new church year will be September 10th and we look forward to pulling the church body together for a meal and time of worship. Take advantage of this extremely important time of building relationships with each other and with our Savior. As the new church year begins, the prices of meals have increased to $4.00 for adults and $3.00 for children under 10. This ministry has always been self supporting and last year because of the rising costs of food, gas and everday necessities, the Wednesday night dinner ministry ran behind around $2000.00. Of course the bills were paid, but they had to come out of the general fund. If the prices of meals prevent you from attending dinner and you need assistance, please talk with one of your Pastors and we will make sure that your family can be a part of this vital ministry. By the way, it’s not too late to come on board! We would love to have your help! If you are interested please speak to me! Pastor Aaron
One of the first tasks of the Church Health Team is to evaluate how our church is doing. We’re preparing a church-wide survey questionnaire for that purpose. You can help us with it by letting us know of questions that you think should be included. Is there some aspect of the church’s current condition you think we should look into? Then we want to hear from you. Here’s how:
You may respond by posting a comment here or by emailing it to Tom Gilson, at tom DOT gilson AT cox DOT net (I’ve obscured that address to keep it from being picked up by spammers).
You don’t need to phrase it as a survey question. Just let us know the area of interest, and we’ll take care of the wording.
Here are some ground rules before you answer:
If you post it here on the blog, please make sure it’s a question and not an opinion, because this is not the right forum for dealing with potentially controversial opinions.
That also means to please avoid posting opinions disguised as questions (e.g., “Why does so-and-so do things in such a nonsensical way?”).
Note also that this is about the church’s general condition, not things like (for example), “What happened at the business meeting?”
If you have an opinion to express (rather than a question), you may email it to the address already given. It will be shared with the entire Church Health Team, but otherwise held in confidence.
The team will make the final decision as to which questions are included in the questionnaire.
It seems to me that we could preach on the subject of relationships between the opposite sex every week and never lack for an audience that needs to hear the subject. Such relationships touch everyone, whether you are a young person, single, married, divorced, remarried or widowed. We’re planning to talk about dating relationships for both teens and singles, marriage relationships, finances in marriage, and blocks to intimacy in marriage, and of course, we’ll do this all from God’s word. This series will begin on Sunday September 7th. Will you commit to being here this fall as we pray and strive together to encourage and develop healthy relationships?
Beginning a new church year is a good time to remind ourselves that God calls us to be generous people. It doesn’t make sense to not follow God in this area and yet it is such a struggle for so many of us. Many have gotten their personal finances into such a mess that though they would like to give more generously they feel trapped. Others have questions about how the church’s funds are spent and wonder if those making financial decisions are doing so effectively. Some have said for so long that we are not doing well financially that that many have begun to believe that to an extent not warranted by the facts. I believe that as we are faithful to follow God, he will be faithful to provide the funds to do what he calls us to do. With my personal finances, I confess that sometimes I wish God would miraculously make my bills go away. Obviously, God does not always answer prayer the way we wish he would. Perhaps the struggle to trust God with everything related to our finances, both for our families and our church, is important.
Seaford is a diverse church. People look at giving in so many different ways. Some in the body give faithfully and sacrificially no matter what else happens. Some want to give like that but are so strapped in debt that can’t see how it is possible. Perhaps some think the church is not being wise with expenditures or staff and so are not giving, and I am sure there are some that are just stubbornly disobedient. Regardless of where you stand, will you pray with me about these matters? I believe with all my heart that individuals, families and the whole church will be healthier and more full of joy as more of us get into that first category of joyful givers. God says, test me and see (Malachi 3:10). Perhaps it is time for you to take God up on that challenge.
