[0:00] Good morning, everybody. Let's try that again. Good morning, everybody. This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. If any kids want to sing with us, they're welcome to come on up.
[0:19] This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
[0:37] This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day that the Lord has made.
[0:59] Good morning. Welcome to our church. We have a gift for our visitors at the Connection site. Please fill out your friendship card for any prayers or concern, or just so we can get to know you.
[1:11] It is fun to be part of the welcoming committee here at Hamilton Center. We are glad to have you here this morning. There are two clipboards going around the whole sanctuary.
[1:24] So they are starting over here, they end over here, just in case you are wondering where they are going. And therefore, things like flowers and communion and stuff like that, if you would like to help with that. I also wanted to mention to you one very important announcement, so you have to listen clearly.
[1:38] Next week, next week we only have two worship services for the summer. They are at 9 o'clock and 1045. What time? 9 o'clock and 1045.
[1:50] Alright, if you come at 1115, we will be here, but you will have missed a part of it. So we do appreciate you trying to figure that out. Alright, let's pray, shall we? Dear Lord, we do thank you for this morning.
[2:02] And we pray that your blessings would be upon us in all that we do, all that we say, all that we sing, all that we pray. Be our strength, be our Holy Spirit presence. In Jesus' name we pray.
[2:13] Amen. I'd like to invite you, if you're able, to stand as we're going to sing together, Lift High the Cross. Lift High the Cross.
[2:36] The love of Christ proclaim, Till all the world adore His sacred name.
[2:50] Come, Christians, follow this triumphant sign. The love of Christ proclaim, Till all the world adore His sacred name.
[3:25] Each new-born servant of the crucified, Each new-born servant of the crucified, Bears on the prowl, The seal of Him who died.
[3:43] Lift high the cross, The love of Christ proclaim, Till all the world adore His sacred name.
[4:00] O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree, As Thou hast promised, Draw the world to Thee.
[4:18] Lift high the cross, The love of Christ proclaim, Till all the world adore His sacred name.
[4:35] So shall our Son of triumph, Thee. So shall our Son of triumph, Thee. Triumphant be praised to the crucified, For victory.
[4:52] Thee. Triumphant be praised by the cross, The love of Christ proclaim, Till all the world adore His sacred name.
[5:12] The Lord be with you. And I'll be with you. Take a moment, if you will, and greet your neighbors with the peace of the Spirit. I'd like to invite the kids to come up and join me now.
[5:37] Any of the kids want to come join me? Come on up, kids. By the way, for those of you who are parents of compliments and children, they will be coming back for the confirmation service.
[5:52] You don't have to watch for them. I just want you to know that they'll be here for their brothers and sisters to be a part of that service. All right? Good morning. How are you guys doing? Good morning. Do you know what this is?
[6:02] A helmet. Yeah. What kind? Firefighter. Yeah, a firefighter helmet. Doesn't quite fit on my head, does it? No. You know whose hat this was?
[6:14] My father's. Yeah. It's a real one. See where he got clunked with something? I'm glad he had this helmet on. He would have gotten hurt. I don't know what that was, but it dented this metal pretty good.
[6:24] So when I was your age, I wanted to be a firefighter because my dad was a hero. He fought fires. He fought in wars. I thought he was incredible. And he was. So I want to be just like him.
[6:35] But I didn't become a firefighter. Not at all. I became a pastor because God had a different idea for me. God has all kinds of dreams and ideas for you. He plans something special for your life.
[6:47] So as you get a little bit older, little by little, try out different things. See what's out there for you to do. And listen for what God wants you to do because he's got a special dream for all of you. Okay? What are you guys thankful for this morning?
[6:59] You want to share something? Raise your hand. And thank you for my family. My brother and sister. My friends and family.
[7:13] Everyone. All right. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for the blessings in our lives. We thank you for our family, our friends, all the good things you give us and the dreams you share with us.
[7:25] Bless us always in Jesus' name. Amen. Okay. You guys can go out to church school. All the children can go out to church school. And I'd like to invite Scott Dapp to come up and introduce our mission speaker. Good morning.
[7:50] All the children. Alive is a junior high youth group that runs out of Christ Community Church in Lockport, New York. There's actually three different churches involved in supporting this group.
[8:05] And we work with kids that generally don't have a church home. and I just want to thank you for your past support, your prayers, and your encouragement for those of us working in that ministry.
[8:17] I have one of our youth here, Anthony, who's going to speak to you, so give him your attention. Thank you. Hello, my name is Anthony. I would like to start off by saying thank you to you all for allowing me to be here before you.
[8:33] Thank you for supporting and helping the Alive Friday Night group. Alive is like a second home to me. It does not only help me grow spiritually, it allows the group as a whole to learn about the mighty God we serve and to fellowship together.
[8:46] I also like to give a huge thanks to our Lord. The Lord saved my life. I could have had major brain damage or possibly died. My life was covered in sin, going downhill. However, Psalms 34 states, The Lord met me more than halfway, and he freed me from my anxious fears. This Bible verse is true.
[9:04] God met me in my weakest and darkest times. Now because of the mighty God we serve, I'm in two choirs at my church. My grades are in honor roll, and I'm living my life to serve him with all my strength. Thanks again for allowing me to be up here. I hope you all have a blessed day.
[9:17] Thank you, Andy. There's actually an envelope in your bulletin for that mission, because it's a mission of our church to go out and reach people for Jesus Christ, and they're doing it with teenagers in Lockport.
[9:40] We also reach teenagers for Jesus Christ right here, which is why we're here celebrating today God's power in the lives of young people. And so we'd like to have Will Terry come up and share with us this morning.
[10:10] When you're a kid, you go to church with your parents because it's something everyone else does and something you enjoy.
[10:24] But most kids don't really know God like we say we do, but, you know, just sort of like he's there, but we don't know much about him. But confirmation changed that.
[10:38] We learn about God. We take lessons from our ancestors and the people before us, and we bring it now so we don't make the same mistakes. We meet friends, and we learn about our past in the Bible.
[10:52] Confirmation inspired me to help with other things in church, Sunday school, hot chocolate and s'mores with God, and the 30-hour famine. The longer I was there in all these activities, the more I fell in love with God.
[11:04] I know it sounds kind of cliche, but all this stuff changed my life. I went from thinking of him now and then to thinking about him always, and always having him in my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
[11:19] God is amazing in every way. Thank you. Thank you. There is so much to be thankful for, and as we reflect on just how good God is, let's return our gifts, tithes, and offerings to the Lord.
[11:39] Thank you. Thank you.
[12:16] Thank you.
[12:46] Thank you.
[13:16] Thank you.
[13:46] Thank you.
[14:16] Thank you.
[14:46] Praise him, all creatures here below. Praise him above ye heavenly hosts.
[14:58] Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. Lord, we thank you for your goodness, for your grace, for your incredible love.
[15:15] And we give these gifts back to you as a reflection of our gratitude and love. May these gifts go forward to transform the world in your name. May we be a beacon of light in this community and throughout the world.
[15:26] In your name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[15:38] Amen. Amen. will be going for surgery this week, so please keep Teresa in your prayers. Dick Anderson is doing better, but still has a long way of recovery ahead, so please continue to keep Dick Anderson in your prayers. And of course, let's pray for the joy of all of our confirmation class who have decided to make this commitment this morning. So let's pray. Gracious and loving Lord, we come this day celebrating you, celebrating everything that you have given to us and everything that you are to us. We come celebrating who you are in our lives, and we praise your name, Lord, as we come to you humbly, lifting up our requests and our concerns. Lord, there are people within our lives who are struggling, people who are hurting physically. We pray for those who are experiencing pain, that the pain will be bound up and cast aside, that your healing touch will be upon them.
[16:39] We pray for those who are going in for surgery, that you'll be with doctors and nurses and guide their hand, that the surgery will go well, and that they will heal quickly. We pray that you'll have them experience your peace and your presence throughout. We pray for those who are struggling with different diseases and ailments. We pray that your healing touch will be upon them, that they will experience your miraculous healing power and be transformed into wholeness of body. We pray, Lord, for those who are struggling in their mind with anxiety and depression. We pray that you will come and transform them by your presence and your spirit. Fill them with your love and give them your guidance and your strength and your peace and your promise. Lord, we pray for our families, that you will bind us together in your love and you will put a cover of protection over us and help us to be guided by your ways, to make good and godly decisions for our families. Help us to be always mindful of you in making our decisions and may we be filled with your love as we treat one another with your love and respect and your power and your forgiveness. Lord, we pray that you will be with this church, that you will give us your vision and give us your strength and your power to walk forward boldly into whatever area you're calling us to, that we will be a transformational force in this world. May people come to know you through us. May we experience your power and your presence. May you be a mighty force. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
[18:30] And now let's hear from the word of the Lord. Oh, good morning.
[18:47] It'll be like a man going on a journey who called his servants and has trusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags and to another one bag, each according to his ability.
[18:59] Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once, put his money to work and gained five more bags. So also the man with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. After a long time, after a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five.
[19:24] Master, he said, you entrusted me with the five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more. His master replied, well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things.
[19:35] I will put you in charge of many things. The man with two bags of gold also came. Master, he said, you entrusted me with two bags of gold.
[19:45] See, I have gained two more. His master replied, well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness.
[19:56] Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. Master, he said, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid I went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.
[20:12] His master replied, you wicked, lazy servant. So you knew that I have harvested where I have not sown and gathered where I have not scattered seed. Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned, I would have received it back with interest.
[20:28] So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they will have will be taken from them.
[20:41] And throw that worthless servant outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is the word of the Lord. Thank God. Do something with your life.
[21:03] Don't just crawl around on the ground. We are meant to be more than bugs. We're looking at questions people would ask God that were submitted from people in the church.
[21:16] And one of the questions was, how do we know what God wants to do with our life? How do we know what our purpose is, what we're supposed to be? First, we have to begin by looking at what is the goal of our lives.
[21:30] How do we measure success? A long time ago, I was working on changing an engine in a car. And I got along pretty good and was following the book, the manual.
[21:43] Back then, that's how we did these things. And I got to a place where it said to take apart the ball joint, I needed tool number 7,283. We have no internet.
[21:55] I don't know what part 7,283 is. And so I got out a pry bar, 6 foot long. And I hauled on this thing. And I pushed on this thing.
[22:06] I had a friend of mine working with me, and we both pushed on it. Now we've got two grown men pushing on this. We worked on that ball joint for six hours. We used every tool we had.
[22:17] We couldn't get it apart. I had a friend of mine who was a mechanic. And he told me that if I had any trouble, to give him a call. But I didn't want to call him. I want to get that thing apart myself.
[22:30] Finally, I called him up, and I said, I just can't do it. I can't get it apart. And he came over. He said, what you need is a pickle fork. Now, I'm thinking pickle fork, you know, little tiny. In mechanic world, there's something called a pickle fork.
[22:44] He put it up against the ball joint, went bang, and in 15 seconds, it was apart. See, in life, we don't always use the right tools. That's part of our problem.
[22:56] We're working away at things, but we're working with the wrong tools at the wrong profession. Or maybe we're working at the wrong profession. Ultimately, we're working towards the wrong goals.
[23:10] God wants us to work towards his goals. But we want to work towards our goals. The goal of that day was to change the engines, but my goal was to prove I can do anything.
[23:27] I can get this ball joint apart without using part number 7,263. And I was wrong. If we're working towards the wrong goal, even if we meet it, we fail.
[23:42] This story is about three people. Two of them succeeded and one failed. The one that failed was told that he was a wicked and lazy servant, which is the opposite of what the other two were told.
[23:59] I would submit to you that in this chapter 25 of Matthew, in verse 21, we find the purpose of life. The master replied, Well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful in a few things.
[24:12] I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness. First of all, we need to be good. And second, we need to be faithful.
[24:23] And we need to share our master's happiness. Are you good? Are you good? Could you say that your life is good?
[24:37] In this story, it talks about them getting bags of gold. Some of us who have been around longer remember this is the parable of the talents. Remember that? And it always bothered people because one guy got one talent, and the other guy got three, and the other got five.
[24:53] And it seemed unfair. He only got one crummy little talent. But so that you understand, that talent is the equivalent of three to five hundred thousand dollars of gold today.
[25:04] So that bag of gold they're talking about, even the guy that got one, it was a pretty good chunk of money. And the guy that got three and the guy that got five were getting over two million dollars.
[25:19] Now, we'd call that the good life, right? That's the good life. We can do what we want. We can live as we wish. We can have all the pleasures of life. We'll be comfortable. We'll be safe.
[25:30] And we'll probably even be able to buy some friends. Isn't that the target of every good life? Isn't that what we're taught will make us happy? And yet, so many people who even achieve that goal, who even have 50 bags of gold, worth millions of dollars, feel empty, feel lost, and feel that somehow there's a guilt, there's a sense that they're incomplete, that they don't measure up, that just won't go away.
[26:00] God is the one that makes us good. No matter what we do, no matter what we accomplish, no matter how successful we may consider ourselves to be, we never really are good until God makes us good.
[26:16] In Ephesians, it says to us in chapter 2, it's by grace you've been saved through faith. Not from yourselves, it's a gift from God. Grace is God gifting us by making us good.
[26:32] It's a work of God. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us. We can't do this ourselves.
[26:45] The only way you can become good is by the one who is ultimately good, accepting you. And when he accepts us, he makes us good.
[26:57] And how does that happen? We decide to love God. Will was talking about how he knew about God, but there's a difference about knowing about God and knowing God.
[27:09] There's a difference about having an understanding of God and actually having God be your God. Two of these people saw God as good.
[27:22] One of them saw God as a hard and difficult master. A lot of people think God is like sitting up in heaven looking around saying, I'm going to send that one to heaven and that one to hell.
[27:33] And those two go to hell too. You know, God doesn't want to send a single person to hell. God doesn't want anybody to go to hell. He wants them all to be good and all to go to eternal joy.
[27:44] But people refuse to love him, refuse to live their life in such a way that God can forgive them. And so they create the brokenness between them and God.
[27:55] God wants to fill that brokenness and make us good. And that's the ultimate core of the Christian faith. Without that, you're not even in the game. It doesn't matter what you're doing because you haven't even gotten to the place where you're part of the kingdom of God.
[28:13] But it's not that hard. All we have to do is say, we want God. And we want God's forgiveness and he does the rest. We need to be good.
[28:26] Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And then God will say, enter into my happiness. Now that's another interesting piece.
[28:36] We always think that the goal is our happiness. When I was a kid and I got my mother upset, I figured out a great way to make that go away.
[28:47] Listen, young people, because you're going to hear something that's a true lesson. I would clean something in the house. I would clean a bedroom. I would clean the kitchen floor. I would clean the counters or the dishes.
[28:59] And it always worked. Mom was always happy. Am I right, ladies? It didn't matter what we cleaned. Now I know this is being very sexist, but I'm going back a long, long ways.
[29:10] Okay? Because back in the day, we said if mom's happy, the house is happy. And the way we made her happy was by cleaning things. And if we make God happy, then we enter his happiness just like I entered my mother's happiness.
[29:28] And my mother could do wonderful things to make me happy. Do you follow? And so the goal is really God's happiness, God's joy, God's way, God's forgiveness.
[29:41] The Bible says, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all this other stuff will happen for you. In the one guy's case, that meant 11 bags of gold.
[29:51] Let's see, times about $400,000. It's $4.4 million. Pretty sweet. All these things will be added to you. So the first thing is, is we need to be good servants of God.
[30:04] The second is, we need to be faithful. Faithful. That Ephesians passage also said to us, For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus.
[30:15] He made us good to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. God has a purpose. God has a plan for your life, and he made it before you were even born.
[30:29] In the book of Jeremiah, it says, While you were in the womb, I knew you. Before you were even born, I called you. God has a specific purpose and plan for your life.
[30:40] Each person on the face of this earth has something absolutely spectacular that God has designed just for them. Their spiritual DNA, if you will, if we will be faithful and live our lives for what God wants to do with our lives.
[31:01] Sitting in the morning sun, I'll be sitting when the evening comes, watching the ships roll in, and I watch them roll away again.
[31:16] Just going to sit on the dock of the bay. Isn't that the goal? To do nothing! I won't ask you to raise your hands, but I bet a whole bunch of you would say, I would love to have a day where I just do nothing.
[31:29] Amen? I'll tell you the truth. A day is good. A day is good. In fact, God says you should take at least one day every week to do nothing, but restore yourselves and think of your God.
[31:42] But a week of it? Boring! And a life of it? You will find that your legs won't even work anymore. They'll atrophy. You'll be about, well, they'll have to use a crane to get you to move.
[31:55] It's not the kind of life you want to live. God did not make you to sit around to do nothing. Work is good. I know, this is going to freak some of you out. Work is good.
[32:07] In fact, it says that we were put in the garden to till the garden and care for it. In fact, I don't want to get you all upset here, but it says in the new creation that God is going to bless us with, we will work forever.
[32:25] I just want you to get this. Work is good. I know that's kind of bothering some of you. And that's because for some of you, for some of you, you've been working at the wrong thing.
[32:43] It doesn't mean we don't do anything. This guy was a failure because he was worthless. But we need to do something that satisfies our soul, that fills our lives.
[32:55] What's not good is spending our time working at the wrong thing. You know what a job is? A job is something you do so that you can get money.
[33:07] And if you had 11 bags of gold worth $4.4 million, you probably wouldn't even call him to work and tell him you're not coming. You'd just be like, I'm out of here. Right? A career, a career is something we do because we enjoy it.
[33:21] My father used to say that you should have the kind of work that when you get up in the morning, you love going. You're happy to go. You're glad to go because you find it meaningful. You find that you enjoy it, that it's something that you like to do.
[33:34] And if you got that $4.4 million, you'd probably work a little different, but you'd still work because you like what you do. A vocation is something entirely different. A vocation is what God has created you and made you to do.
[33:48] And you will do it whether you have money or not. People do it in this world, do it in this church, because they just love to do it. Nobody pays them to do it. They just want to do it.
[33:58] And the most amazing thing is if you can make your vocation your job, that's really cool. Then you'll be like Mike. It's Monday!
[34:11] Yes! I can't wait to go to work! I'm going to work! Uh-huh!
[34:28] I'm going to work! Thank you.
[34:59] Thank you.
[35:29] God wants for your life. God wants you to find a place in your life where you are so excited and so thrilled to do it because it touches your very soul.
[35:41] And God has gifted you to do that. God has made you with the very things you need to be that person. Mike doesn't take himself too seriously, but he takes his job very seriously.
[35:56] In this passage, it says that the master entrusted his gifts. To his servants. God takes what he thinks is precious and puts it into your lives and trusts you to do what he made you to do.
[36:14] And he reveals it. At just the right time. According to each person's ability. Not made to be anything you want to be, but made to be what God wants you to be.
[36:30] Part of our difficulty is we keep working towards the wrong tools, the wrong purpose, the wrong goals. And the wrong idea.
[36:44] Even Peanuts knows that. Peanuts know that? Peanuts. Peanuts. Peanuts know that. That's okay. There it is. I thought I was the master.
[37:02] No, that's a cat, by the way, not a dog. You see, the problem is we live our lives believing that the whole thing is about us, not about God. And so we find ourselves living for the wrong purpose.
[37:16] In the book of Romans, in chapter 9, it says to us, You, who are human, as a human being, do you talk back to God?
[37:27] Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it? Why did you make me this way? Does the potter say, or the pot say to the potter, you made me wrong? We want to tell God what we should be when God has already decided what he wants us to be.
[37:44] In 1 Corinthians, chapter 12, it says to us, God gifts us different kinds of gifts. But the same spirit, the same God, distributes all of them for his purpose.
[37:56] One got five. One got three. One got one. And we look at this and we say, that's not fair. I know. It's not fair that that one guy was blessed to only get one.
[38:10] See, you're not understanding how it works. To those who have been given much, much will be required, the Bible says. If you've got 11 abilities, do you know how many people are going to be after you all the time to do stuff?
[38:26] If you can only do one thing, man, you're off easy. Do it well and be blessed. First, God determines what our gifts will be.
[38:37] We're not equally gifted. We're gifted to, as it says in here, our ability. And it's God's decision. So, by the way, if you don't have the gifts that somebody else has, if you don't have the abilities someone else does, if you can't do what they do, it's God's fault.
[38:57] Don't worry about it. Your purpose is to do what God made you to do, not what other people say. How do we know that? How do we know what we're meant to be?
[39:09] What do you like? Why don't you try things? For our confirmation class, we asked them through the course of the year to try stuff. Try a fish fry. Try helping out with reading the Bible.
[39:21] Try doing something with one of the Sunday school classes or something. Figure out which thing you think works for you and which thing doesn't. We told them to try the heart, the soul, the mind, the strength ministries, and figure out where they belong.
[39:38] People don't want to try. You know why? They're afraid they're going to fail. That's right. But, see, we're misunderstanding. Failure is a blessing, too. I fail all the time.
[39:51] I know you don't want to hear that, but it's true. I do. Sometimes those failures are bad, but a lot of times those failures are good. They teach us what we shouldn't do. I was a four-sport athlete in high school.
[40:04] I know many of you wouldn't believe that, but I was. Football, wrestling, weightlifting, and track and field. I was no good at track and field. I tried.
[40:15] And my coach thought I should be an athlete because I was an athlete in three other sports. Well, I tried the running and the jumping things, but I don't know if you've ever noticed, I don't have any legs, man, you know. So these guys would be like, oh, like antelopes, you know.
[40:28] And I'm like, it didn't work. It didn't work. So I tried the discus, and I tried the shot, and then I tried the pole vault. I thought I should be at least able to do this.
[40:38] But I got a weird body. I don't, let me explain just how weird it was. Have you ever been to the amusement park, and they got that ride you get on, and it spins around in the circle, and you stick to the wall?
[40:49] Anybody ever ride that? Every time I rode it, when they pulled out the floor, I'd slide down the wall. Really, I'd be sitting on the floor going, well, this is no fun. They're all spinning around and stuff, and I'm like, ah.
[41:01] I don't know why I fell to the floor. But it made me not ride the ride. Do you follow? It showed me what I wasn't good at. Failure just teaches us what not to do.
[41:13] In and of itself, it can be a blessing as well. So long as we don't keep trying to do stuff, we're not gifted to do. If you're not gifted to do it, let it go. It's somebody else's responsibility, not yours.
[41:29] God gives us gifts, and we can't fail if we work towards God's gifts. This story has three people.
[41:40] Two of them went out with the gifts they were given. The one with five created five more. The one with three created three more. The only one who didn't succeed was the guy with one who did nothing.
[41:51] Do you follow? Doing nothing will cause you to fail. But if you're doing what God wants, you can't fail. There's no guy with two who went out and came back with one. It didn't happen. There's a reason for that, because what you were gifted to do by God, you cannot fail at.
[42:08] The problem is you keep working at stuff that you're not supposed to do. I'm not a good auto mechanic. I know that. That's why as soon as I could afford it, I hired somebody else who was to fix my cars.
[42:23] And I'm not saying I couldn't even fumble my way through it. I'm not good at it. We need to recognize we're not created for everything. We're created for a special purpose that leads to God's fruit appearing in this world.
[42:39] By their fruit you will know they're my servants, God says. By the fact that we increase the kingdom of God, by the fact that we offer love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
[42:52] What are they here for then?
[43:04] Right? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Well, what are they here for? What are the neighbors here for?
[43:16] They're here to make up for your dysfunction. Do you follow? You don't realize this. God made you dysfunctional. God made you limited.
[43:28] God made you without every ability, and God did it on purpose. We're called to use our gifts for God's purpose, and in doing so, we put the body of God together.
[43:41] In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, it also says, each one, the manifestation of the Spirit, is given for what? The common good. Because, you see, God doesn't want us to be able to do everything.
[43:53] That's the American idea, that we're going to be like MacGyver, and with a paper clip and a wagon and a jackknife, we can make an automobile. All right? That's not real, folks. And once we start to recognize our limitations, we start to thrive.
[44:06] Because the first thing I should have done when I read that I needed part 7,265 was called my friend who was a mechanic. And I would have been done in five minutes instead of six hours.
[44:20] See, our problem is we're stuck in our pride. Mike doesn't take himself too serious, but he takes his work very seriously. Take seriously what God called you to do.
[44:33] But don't think it's all on you. It's not. God put you in a community on purpose so that you could lighten up a little bit, take a load off, and let somebody else do what you don't do well at all.
[44:52] That's what God made us for. We get stuck in our selfish individualism. There's an image of heaven and hell. And in hell, you've got this huge table full of food, everything you could ever imagine and want to eat.
[45:05] And everybody's arms are stuck. They're stiff. So they can't get the food to their mouth. You follow? And it's really frustrating, and they're all miserable because they can't get their food to their mouth.
[45:19] But in heaven, you've got the exact same image. All the food you could ever eat, all the people have arms that are stuck, but they're all smiling and happy because they're feeding each other. See, we were not made to do this thing alone.
[45:34] God intentionally created us with different gifts so we could fulfill our purpose together. And God blesses us.
[45:47] Enter into my happiness, he says, and you will receive incredible joy. In verse 29, it says to us, For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance.
[46:04] Or as it says in 2 Corinthians 9, Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.
[46:15] Not just your money. This is about your life. And God is able to bless you, what? Abundantly, so that in all things, at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work.
[46:29] God can do what you can't do. We can't truly create something out of nothing. When we create things, all we're really doing is taking things and putting them together differently that are already there.
[46:42] God created something where there was nothing. I don't care if you even believe in the Big Bang Theory. Something made the stuff. God can make something out of nothing.
[46:55] In fact, that's what the guy complained about. He said, you're someone who reaps where you didn't sow. You can make things where they aren't. God can give us blessings where we can't even see it being possible.
[47:10] But we have to have our hearts focused on God. Why would God want to have wicked and lazy servants for all eternity and miserable people in his presence?
[47:25] God wants us to be good and faithful and enter his happiness. But one last thing. God has a dream for us.
[47:35] If we're good and if we're faithful and if we can live into God's timing. Because his timing is not always ours. Bang! It's gone! You wasted it!
[47:51] That's the way we feel. If we haven't made this happen right now, right here, then it didn't work. If God didn't make some incredible blessing happen in this moment, it didn't work. But God works in his time, in his way, not our time.
[48:07] I want to tell you a story about a man in the Old Testament, Joseph. Joseph was a good man and faithful. And he was very smart and very, very gifted.
[48:18] And that really ticked his brothers off. So they sold him into slavery. And while he was in slavery, he remained good and faithful. So he ended up working in the house of Potiphar, who saw just how talented and faithful and good that Joseph was.
[48:32] So he put him in charge of the whole household until Mrs. Potiphar got an eye for Joseph, if you know what I mean. And she wanted a little more service from Joseph than Joseph thought was right, because he was a good and faithful man.
[48:42] And so he wouldn't go along, and so he ended up getting thrown in prison for being good and faithful. And you would say, see, this isn't working. But Joseph remained good and faithful. And the jailer put him in charge of the whole jail, which isn't such a great thing to be in charge of a jail, but it's better than being not in charge, right?
[48:59] And so a servant of the king came. And the servant of the king, the steward, he was troubled by a dream he had. And so Joseph helped him, and he helped interpret the dream. And he said, remember me if you ever get out of here.
[49:10] And the guy did get out, but he forgot Joseph. And you'd think Joseph would just give up. But Joseph didn't give up. And eventually he was remembered. And eventually, Joseph became a prince of Egypt.
[49:22] And Joseph ended up saving his family from famine. God knew what he was doing with Joseph, and he knows what he's doing with us. God has a dream for you.
[49:35] God has something absolutely incredible for you. When we dream, we just accomplish normal, regular stuff. But when God dreams, caterpillars become butterflies.
[49:48] When God dreams, the winter becomes the spring. When God dreams, the stars and the sun and the moon appear in the universe. When God dreams, the dead come out of the grave and come to life for all eternity.
[50:01] When God dreams, the most amazing possibilities can happen. And God has a dream for each of you today. God has something particular and special created just for you.
[50:15] If we will be good and faithful, we will receive God's happiness. But there's one thing left that God wants you to do. You can be like the lazy servant who wouldn't go and wouldn't do it.
[50:28] God is only asking you to do one thing. To say, here I am, Lord. Send me. I am the Lord of sea and sky.
[51:00] I have heard my people cry. All who dwell in darkness and see my hand will stay.
[51:14] I who make the stars of night, I will make your darkness bright. Who will bear my light to them?
[51:28] Who shall I say? Who shall I say? Here I am, Lord.
[51:38] Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling him on fire.
[51:49] I will go, Lord. I will go, Lord. If you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
[52:08] I will re- cause... I will burn my people's pain.
[52:18] I have left for love of men. They turn away. I will break their hearts of stone.
[52:32] Give them hearts full of love. I will sing my word, dear man. Who shall I stand?
[52:47] Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the cloud.
[53:04] I will go, Lord. If you lead me, I will hold your people in my cloud.
[53:22] I will hold the wind and flame. I will tend the poor and lame. I will stand a peace for them.
[53:36] My hand will save. Finest bread I will provide. Till their hearts be satisfied.
[53:49] I will give my life to them. Whom shall I stand? Here I am, Lord.
[54:05] Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the cloud.
[54:19] I will go, Lord. If you lead me, I will hold your people in my heart.
[54:37] It all starts with us being good. With us being the people God wants us to be. But we mess up. I know even when we try to do the right thing, we mess up.
[54:48] I've already messed up today in a big way. It happens to each of us, doesn't it? And yet God has said that no matter what we have done, no matter who we might be, no matter what's broken in our lives, he wants to make it whole again.
[55:01] If we are serious and confess, if we are sincere and repent and change, if we will believe, God will change our lives. I invite you to pray with me if you will.
[55:12] Dear God in heaven, I have sinned. You know all the things I've done wrong. Even better than I do. And I know a lot of the things I've done wrong.
[55:27] Forgive me, Lord. Change me. Turn my heart around. Help me to be what you want me to be. Bless me to be a blessing.
[55:43] In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today, a fresh and new beginning, absolute new start. Everything in the past is washed away.
[55:54] In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Glory to God. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[56:10] Amen. Amen. Another day, beige isbunet a mine. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[56:23] Amen. Jesus' name is bringing and de defenses on Y случ. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Let it be. Amen. Amen. Because you were forsaken, I'm accepted, you were condemned.
[56:42] I'm alive and well, your spirit is within me, because you died and rose again.
[56:54] Amazing love, how can it be that your heart sing and die for me?
[57:10] Amazing love, I know it's true, it's my joy I honor you.
[57:25] In all I do, I honor you. In all I do, I honor you.
[57:41] In all I do, I honor you.
[58:11] I honor you. All of my days are held in your hand, crafted into your perfect plan.
[58:25] You gently call me into your presence, guiding me by. Your Holy Spirit, teach me, dear Lord, to give all my life through your honor.
[58:46] I'm captivating, your holy calling. Send me apart, I know you're drawing me to yourself.
[59:00] Leave me alone, I pray. Take me, hold me, use me, fill me.
[59:19] I give my life through the Father's hand. You gently call me into your presence, and you gently call me into your presence.
[59:30] I give my life through the Father's hand. You gently call me into your presence, and you gently call me into your presence. Your Holy Spirit, teach me, dear Lord. Lead me, walk inside me. Lead me, walk inside me. I give my life through the Father's hand.
[59:43] I give my life through the Father's hand. You gently call me into your presence, and you gently call me into your presence.
[59:57] guiding me by. Your Holy Spirit teach me dear Lord to live all my life through your eyes.
[60:13] I'm actually by your holy calling. Set me apart. I know you're drawing me to yourself.
[60:26] Leave me Lord, I pray. Take me, hold me, use me, fill me.
[60:44] I give my life to the Father's hand. Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me.
[61:05] I give my life to the Father's hand. I give my life.
[61:39] Brothers and sisters in Christ, through the sacrament of baptism, we are initiated into Christ's holy church.
[61:49] We are incorporated into God's mighty acts of salvation and given new birth through water and the Spirit. All this is God's gift offered to us without price.
[62:04] As a representative of this congregation, I present for confirmation, Andrew Raymond Birch, Anna-Sophia Nona Jane Lee, Joseph Scott Bull, Brianna Nicole Harris, Blake Frederick Cavers, Kevin Joseph Peck, Madison Mae Marshall, Kristen Audrey Hanischewski, Madeline Olivia Scalzo, Kendall William Brooks, Jacob Jong Kim Kubiak, Anne Catherine Santor, Emma Denise Curion, Abigail Brooke Johnson, William Michael Terry, Gabriel Adrian Rodriguez, and Brandon J. Rivers.
[63:10] I would invite you to join us if you're so inclined in professing our faith as contained in the Apostles' Creed.
[63:33] You guys can turn around. Turn around. Look up there. Do you believe in God the Father? I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
[63:46] Do you believe in Jesus Christ? I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, died, and was buried.
[64:04] He descended to the dead. On the third day, he rose again. He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
[64:17] Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
[64:33] Amen. Amen. Lord, bless this water as a symbol of your sanctifying and renewing grace.
[64:44] As you have used water to bless the saints of history, let it now bless these people. Pour out your Holy Spirit on this gift of water to bless these people with your grace that leads to eternal life.
[64:56] Help us know that as we die to this world, we become alive to Christ and share in his final victory over sin and death. Amen. Amen. And now we invite our members to reaffirm their vows as our compliments take their vows for the first time.
[65:40] Turn around back. Well, I guess they can look back there, but it's a lot harder. Will you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord?
[65:50] I accept the grace of Jesus Christ as my Savior and acknowledge my need for forgiveness. I reject the power of evil, repent of my sin, and promise to serve Jesus as Lord.
[66:07] Will you love the Lord with all of your soul? I will love the Lord with all my soul by praying regularly, worship regularly, and supporting the church financially with a goal toward tithing.
[66:24] Will you love the Lord with all your mind? I will love the Lord with all my mind by committing to reading the Bible and growing in my understanding of the Christian faith.
[66:36] I will participate in opportunities for learning about God through the church. Will you love the Lord your God with all of your heart? I will love the Lord with all my heart by caring for others at Pendleton Center United Methodist Church.
[66:53] I will make an effort to be involved in groups and activities, to get to know people, and develop friendships at the church. Will you love the Lord with all your strength?
[67:06] I will love the Lord with all my strength by serving the ministries of Pendleton Center United Methodist Church, using the gifts God has given me, and by sharing about Jesus with others.
[67:20] Andrew Raymond Birch. Andrew Raymond Birch, we remember your baptism and celebrate your confirmation of the vows that were made on your behalf.
[67:47] May the Holy Spirit work within you, that having been born by the water and the Spirit, you may live as a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[67:59] Amen. Amen.
[68:09] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Lee. That's a lot of names, Anna. Anna Sophia Nona Jane Lee. Very good.
[68:28] Anna Sophia, we remember your baptism and we celebrate your confirmation of the vows that were made for you on your behalf.
[68:39] May the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born through the water and the Spirit, you may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen. Joseph Scott Bull.
[69:11] Joseph Scott Bull, we remember your baptism and celebrate your confirmation of the vows that were made on your behalf. May the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born by the water and the Spirit, you may remain a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen.
[69:27] Amen. Brianna Nicole Harris. Amen. Brianna Nicole, we remember your baptism and celebrate your confirmation of the vows that were made on your behalf.
[69:57] May the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born through water and the Spirit, you may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. Blake Frederick Cavers.
[70:18] That's me. It is you. Yes. Yes. Blake Frederick Cavers, we remember your baptism and celebrate your confirmation of the vows that were made on your behalf.
[70:36] May the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born by the water and the Spirit, you may remain a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. Kevin Joseph Peck.
[70:55] Kevin Joseph we remember your baptism and we celebrate your confirmation of the vows that were made on your behalf may the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born through the water and the spirit you may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ Amen Madison May Marshall Madison May Marshall I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
[71:56] Amen Madison May the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born through the water and the spirit you may remain a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ Amen Amen Kristen Audrey Hanicheski Kristen Audrey we remember your baptism and we celebrate your confirmation of the vows that were made on your behalf may the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born through water and the spirit you may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ
[73:03] Amen Madeline Olivia Scalzo Madeline Olivia Scalzo Madeline Olivia Scalzo Madeline Olivia Scalzo we remember your baptism and celebrate your confirmation of the vows that were made on your behalf may the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born by the water and the spirit you may remain a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ Amen Amen Kendall William Brooks Kendall was baptized in our middle service by full immersion so we celebrate in his baptism today into the faith of Jesus Christ
[74:15] Kendall William Brooks I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit you gotta go some more he's not all the way down he's just fine do him again Kendall Kendall you gotta go all the way down do you oh my goodness there we go for real we're gonna go some more right after this Kendall William may the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born by the water and the Spirit you may remain a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ Amen Jacob Junkim Kubiak Jacob Junkim Kubiak we remember your baptism and celebrate your confirmation of the vows that were made on your behalf may the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born by the water and the Spirit you may remain a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ
[75:28] Amen Annie Catherine Santor Annie Catherine we remember your baptism and we celebrate in your confirmation of the vows that were made on your behalf may the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born through the water and the Spirit you may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ Amen Amen Emma Denise Corion Emma Denise Corion
[76:41] I baptize you in the name of the Father and in the name of the Son and in the name of the Holy Spirit Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen I baptize you Emma Denise may the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born by the water and the Spirit you may remain a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ Amen Abigail Brooke Johnson Abigail Brooke Johnson May the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born by the water and the Spirit you may remain a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ
[78:08] Amen William Michael Terry William Michael William Michael we remember your baptism and celebrate your confirmation of the vows that were made on your behalf May the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born through the water and the Spirit you may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ Amen Gabriel Adrian Rodriguez Gabriel was also baptized today in our 930 service by full immersion
[79:14] Gabriel Adrian Rodriguez I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit Amen Come on up Gabriel Adrian Rodriguez May the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born through the water and the Spirit you may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ Amen Brandon J. Rivers Brandon J. Rivers we remember your baptism and celebrate your confirmation of the vows that were made on your behalf
[80:27] May the Holy Spirit work within you that having been born by the water and the Spirit you may remain a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ Amen Amen And now shall we greet our newest members into the family of God okay you guys can go sit down you guys can go sit down go sit down go sit down we're in the name of God today we thank you for all to come to the table of the Lord.
[81:21] We don't care whether you're a member of this church. This could be your first time ever with us. If you seek Jesus Christ, you are welcome to come and receive the table in our church. We do also invite you and encourage you, if you wish, to stop at the rail for prayers for anointing and for healing or to light a candle.
[81:39] Today, for the first time, our comprimands will be also serving our communion by intinction. So we take the bread and we dip it in the cup and commune immediately. I've already told their parents, you guys can't crisscross all over the sanctuary trying to get to one particular, and they're rotating anyways.
[81:54] So if you happen to get the one you want, God bless you. But please don't make chaos out of this. You come by the center aisle or the outside aisle and receive communion accordingly.
[82:05] Thank you. The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord.
[82:16] Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. It is right and a good and joyful thing always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
[82:29] You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life. When we turned away and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.
[82:41] You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through the prophets. And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn.
[82:56] Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
[83:09] Hosanna in the highest. Holy are you. Blessed is your Son, Jesus Christ, who gathered with his disciples in that night when he was betrayed. In an upper room when he knew that he would be denied, he would be abandoned.
[83:23] He loved those who even hurt him. He took the bread. He gave thanks to God. He broke the bread and he gave it to his disciples and he said, Take and eat.
[83:35] This is my body, which is broken for you for the forgiveness of sin. Eat of this in remembrance of me. When the supper was over, he took the cup and he gave thanks to God.
[83:48] He gave it to his disciples and he said, Drink from this all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant. It's poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Drink of this, remembering me.
[84:01] And so in remembrance of these mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ offering for us.
[84:12] As we proclaim the mystery of faith. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and wine.
[84:26] Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.
[84:47] Through your Son, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit and your Holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. Amen. And now, as confident children of God, let us pray as our Lord taught us in saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
[85:06] Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
[85:20] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
[85:31] And now we invite the compliments to come and join us at the table. Thank you.
[85:56] Amen. Thank you. Amen. Amen,nect Jenna. Amen.
[86:11] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[86:21] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you.
[86:54] Thank you.
[87:24] Thank you.
[87:54] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[88:06] Thank you. Thank you. Now you're welcome to join us at the table of the Lord.
[88:20] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[88:54] Thank you.
[89:24] Thank you.
[89:54] Thank you.
[90:24] Thank you.
[90:54] Thank you.
[91:24] Thank you. And you would like communion brought to where you're seated.
[91:37] Please raise your hand. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[91:49] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[92:11] Girls. Girls?
[92:43] You're welcome.
[93:13] If you're able, I'm going to invite you to stand as we sing together a song that I should know.
[93:29] Rise up, O saints of God. Rise up, ye saints of God. Have done with lesser things.
[93:42] Give heart and mind and soul and strength to serve the King of kings. Rise up, ye saints of God.
[93:55] The church for you doth pay. Her strength unequal to her task. Rise up and make her great.
[94:07] We will have a reception for the Compromands out in the Fellowship Hall. We invite you all to come out and join with them. We would ask that you would just stay right where you are for one moment and let them get out first.
[94:21] May the Lord bless you. May he make your dreams so powerful that he makes you want to just get excited to do them every single day. May the Lord bless your coming and your going.
[94:33] May the Lord bless our Compromands. May the Lord be your strength, your power, and your glory. Go and dream the dreams of God. And may God make you into a mighty force in this world.
[94:45] Go in peace. Amen. Amen.