Transcription downloaded from https://services.pcumc.org/sermons/27389/march-13-2016/.

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[0:00] We do welcome you to church this morning.

[0:22] If you're wondering why so many people are at the 8.15 service, it's actually 9.30 in the morning, so welcome to church this morning. We are glad to have you all with us. There's a few quick things I want to mention.

[0:33] We did have a great fish fry last week. We have two more to come if you want to come enjoy it. It was 607 dinners. Somebody said that's not very many. That's more than we served any time last year, so it's still a great fish fry.

[0:45] We thank you for all your help. I also wanted to say that Holy Week is coming up starting next Sunday, Palm Sunday, and then next Thursday, a week from this Thursday, we're going to have our Seder re-experience.

[0:59] This is the first celebration of the First Communion. A little understanding of that, we do invite and encourage you to that. If you're a gentleman and you'd like to help, small little part, see Pastor Sherry.

[1:11] Good Friday, we have our wonderful, amazingly moving service at the cross at 8 o'clock at night. We have a good fish fry if you want to come for dinner beforehand. Saturday, we have a giant Easter egg hunt.

[1:22] About a thousand people or more will be here. You'll see a sign-up sheet to help with that if you'd like to participate in that as well. Easter Sunday, I need to mention, there's only two services at 9 and 11.

[1:34] Somebody said, why do we only do two on Easter? Because we can't move the people in and out fast enough to do three, okay? So we do two big services, 9 and 11, figure out which one you're going to come to.

[1:46] Let's turn to the Lord in prayer. Dear God in heaven, pour your Holy Spirit into this place. Bless us, be with us, touch us, move us, help us to experience the living God in this place. For it's in Jesus' name we pray, amen.

[1:59] I'm going to invite you to stand if you're able as we sing together, make me a captive Lord. Please please laugh and hmm. Answer me in any city 삶ant Dad.

[2:10] I'm heading to stand if you're able as we sing together, I tonight show you the Lord. Death of Prince, how amazing heaven's snow Now we sing together, make me a captive Lord.

[2:23] Make me a captive Lord. Make me a captive Lord, and then I shall be free.

[2:39] Force me to render up my sword, and I shall conquer thee. I sink in life's alums, when by myself I stand.

[2:54] Imprison me within thine arms, and strong shall be my hand. My heart is weak and poor, until it mastermind.

[3:11] It has no spring of action, sure, it varies with the wind. It cannot freely move, till thou hast brought its chain.

[3:27] Enslave it with thy matchless love, and deathless it shall reign. My power's faint and low, till I have learned to serve.

[3:43] It lacks the needed fire to blow, it lacks the breeze to burn. It cannot dry the world, until its health be driven.

[3:59] Its plan can only be unfurled, when thou shalt breathe from hell. My will is not my own, till thou hast made it thine.

[4:16] If it would reach a monarch's throne, it must its crown reside. It only stands on bed, amidst our plastic stride.

[4:31] When I am thy woods of wind as light, and bound in thee, it's mine. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under heaven, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[5:28] Lord be with you.

[5:47] Take a moment and greet your neighbor with the peace of the spirit. Amen. Thank you.

[6:00] I would like to invite our kids to come up and join us now, if any of the kids want to join me, you're welcome, come up now. Come on.

[6:36] Come on.

[7:06] Have you seen any flowers lately? You saw one? Cool. There aren't many out yet. But you know the idea is if we put the food on them now and it feeds them down in their roots so that they come up later on in the spring.

[7:20] April showers bring May. And what do May flowers bring? Pilgrims. Oh, that's a bad joke. But anyways, so we feed them even though we don't know that they're coming yet.

[7:34] Well, that's what God wants us to do is to prepare our lives and our world and all that we are for what it's going to be. Not necessarily what we are. So little by little you're supposed to learn and get all kinds of stuff in your mind and in your heart about God and about the world so that when you get older you can do some amazing things for God.

[7:51] But actually some of you are old enough to start doing some things right now. Okay? What are you all thankful for? You want to share something you're thankful for this morning? Raise your hand if you want to share. My mom and dad.

[8:03] My mommy. My family. My family and friends. My friends. My new sister.

[8:15] My dad. My mom and dad. All right. And I'm thankful for Girl Scouts this morning too. Lord, we thank you for the blessings of all the people that we have in our lives.

[8:29] All the good things we put in our lives. Be with us. Bless us. And help us to always experience your life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Okay. You guys go out to church school. The kids are welcome to come out.

[8:39] Go out to church school now. We have a Girl Scout. And we now have a Girl Scout coming up to share our thankful moment, right? Right? Right there. Right there. Right there.

[8:52] Right there. Right there. Right there. Right there. Right there. Right there. Right there. Right there. Right there. Right there. Right there. Right there. Right there. Hi.

[9:04] I'm Erin Fisher, and I've been a Girl Scout for 10 years. I am very thankful for Girl Scouts. Being involved with Girl Scouts has taught me so much. Not surprisingly, Girl Scouts emphasizes many of the same principles as Christianity.

[9:19] The Girl Scout law says, I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, friendly and caring, friendly and caring, responsible for what I do and say, respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, and make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

[9:39] The first law is to be honest and fair. The first law is to be honest and fair. Since I was a child, I've been taught to be honest. Most parents tell their children not to lie. This can cover telling the truth about everything from sneaking chocolates from the candy dish to cutting class.

[9:52] But it's really about taking responsibility for your choices and actions in life. Being fair means making sure everyone is accepted for who they are. Among the 20 or so girls in my scout troop, we have some that are interested in music or sports, and girls of all academic levels.

[10:09] But we all get along and enjoy each other's company when we are together. In fact, we learn from each other and value each other's opinion. This church does that victoriously. And for that, I am thankful.

[10:21] Next on the list is friendly and helpful. Over the years, I have come to realize that girls come into our troop and our church for many different reasons. One of these being needing a friend.

[10:34] Just like PCOMC, Girl Scouts is a place where there is always a friend. I know in my heart that the friends that I have made through Scouts, as well as those at PCOMC, will be the friends for the rest of my life.

[10:46] As for helpful, we learn to help the least, the lost, and the little ones. Sound familiar? In Scouts, we call it helping those in need.

[10:58] My scout troop has joined with PCOMC for many years to prepare and serve Thanksgiving dinner for Seneca Street Mission, and we have completed countless service projects for Lockport Cares, Niagara Hospice, Roswell Park, Canine Helpers, and more.

[11:15] For the satisfaction that I feel when I reach out to help those less fortunate, I am thankful. Considerate and caring. Being considerate means being thoughtful, sensitive, mindful, kind.

[11:27] All of these attributes are part of what every young woman aspires to be. Unlike most Girl Scout troops, my troop has girls of all ages.

[11:38] The Daisies are 5-6 years old, and the seniors, like myself, are 14-16. We all consider each other despite our age differences, and we have learned that the younger girls have just as much to offer as the older girls.

[11:53] For the friendship of girls of all ages, I am thankful. Courageous and strong. A synonym for courageous is brave. This means you stick up for what you believe in.

[12:04] Don't let others put you down. Many women throughout history have been put down and limited in their potentials. Many Christians throughout history have suffered much worse. Girl Scouts creates an environment that allows girls to be independent.

[12:17] To believe that they have the strength and power to be what they choose in life, to stay calm in all situations and make sound decisions in my life, I might add, with the help of God to that statement.

[12:28] There are so many girls my age and Christians in this world who don't have the opportunity to be what they choose in life. For the chance to be brave and dream about my future, I am thankful.

[12:39] Responsible for what I do and say. I am accountable for what I say, and I accept the consequences of my actions. Inevitably, we are all going to make mistakes, but we need to be responsible and correct those mistakes to the best of our abilities.

[12:54] God forgives us just as we forgive those. For that I am thankful. Respect myself and others. Respecting yourself is very important. You have to come up with your own thoughts about yourself and not let others shape who you are.

[13:07] God loves you, respects you, and creates you perfectly the way you were meant to be. Respecting others goes along with the golden rule. Treat others the way you'd like to be treated. Value their opinion, listen to them, and be sensitive to their feelings.

[13:21] For being my own person and being the Girl Scout and the Christian that God created me to be, I am thankful. Respect authority. This does mean your parents.

[13:34] But it's more than that. Authority includes Girl Scouts, leaders, pastors, youth leaders, teachers. They are all my role models and have each left an imprint on my life. For having fantastic guidance in my life, I am thankful.

[13:48] Use resources wisely. Don't take what you have for granted. Only use what you really need. This goes beyond saving the earth. It includes making connections with people in your life.

[14:01] When I went on the mission trip last summer, we learned this constantly. We used our resources to help others who didn't have resources. For the blessing that I have received in my life, I am thankful.

[14:12] My favorite part, making the world a better place. Every girl does this in her own way. I try to do it by being happy and smiling most of the time in hopes that it might brighten someone else's day.

[14:23] For the experiences and people in my life that make me smile, I am thankful. But last but not least, be a sister to every Girl Scout. You apply all of the rest of the rules to this one.

[14:34] It teaches you how to be a good friend as well as a good Christian. The Girl Scout law and the Girl Scouts in general are teaching me how to be a successful young woman. I am thankful because PCUMC and Girl Scouts and my parents have taught me all these things and it has been such a privilege.

[14:52] Thank you. Thank you Erin. And it's a blessing to be able to host our Girl Scouts and celebrate with them this morning.

[15:08] And as we remember all of the blessings we have as a part of this church and all the work that we can do in the world, let's bring our gift, tithes and offerings before the Lord as an act of worship.

[15:22] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[15:53] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[16:08] Sean . Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing Your love is surprising, I can feel it rising All the joy that's growing deep inside of me Every time I see you, all your goodness shines through I can feel this candle rising up in me Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing

[17:09] Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing Your love makes me sing Lord, you make me sing Sing today How you make me sing Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing Gloria, you're the next mister

[18:12] You're the next mister Don't you miss me, sir I miss me, sir Thank you Dear Heavenly Father, we do give you thanks and praise for this day and for the opportunity to gather and worship you

[19:24] We ask that you would bless these gifts, tithes, and offerings Give us wisdom to know how to best use them for the furtherance of your kingdom And Lord, bless our Girl Scouts as well and all of the good work that they do that they offer up to you We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen Please be seated We have such a blessing with our youth band and our Girl Scouts And all of the excitement and blessings of God that God pours out into our lives today Isn't that right? Amen?

[20:03] Amen And you all made it on time Nobody was late because you all remember to turn your clocks where they had to go And what a blessing it is What a blessing it is to live in this beautiful world Spring is here next week Next week Spring Next week And I know I'm blessed I'm blessed and excited about all of that too And I know you have many blessings in your life that God is aware of And that God just celebrates with you We also have some concerns that we want to bring before the congregation this morning Lee Brave is home recuperating from surgery That's a great thing Richard Gondek, Jim's brother, is continuing to heal And he is clear of cancer at this point Amen Amen An answer to prayer This is great Shirley Dusharra is out of the hospital And she's doing better too So we are blessed to hear that And I know Connie and Mike are blessed too And all the family Sherry Wailed has continuing health concerns And we need to keep her in our prayers as well Jim Schlemmer is recuperating from surgery I saw him and Dottie on Sunday last week

[21:06] And he's hanging in there He's hanging in there And things went well And everything's going to be just fine And we're grateful for that as well With these concerns and joys And those that are in your heart Let's turn to the Lord in prayer Heavenly Father What a blessing it is to be with your people To know that we can gather together in this place And be uplifted and supported And receive all that we need from you For the coming week We are grateful, Lord, for your grace And your mercy And for your faithfulness You are God A wonderful and loving God Who cares about every aspect of our lives And is with us Whether we see you or not

[22:07] Whether we think we can feel you or not And give us faith To know that you are there All we have to do is ask So we're asking, Lord And we're coming before you On behalf of all of the folks in our lives Those mentioned and those in our hearts Who are sick and infirm And in need of your healing touch We pray in Jesus' name That you would touch them And make them whole In their spirits In their souls And in their bodies And whatever it is That they need this day That they would have healing From the top of their heads To the souls of their feet We pray, Lord For wisdom for their caregivers And compassion as well And pray that the doctors And nurses And other medical professionals Would know how to best care for them That they would have the support Of their loved ones

[23:07] That they need We pray also, Lord For those who are grieving losses Of all kinds Be with them by your Holy Spirit And bring them comfort and peace Fill their hearts and their minds With memories of love With memories of beauty Bring them peace, Lord Father, right now we pray We pray for this nation We pray that you will move In this place That you will remove from it All of the strife And the striving All of the seeking after self All of the evil ways That people attack one another In order to promote themselves

[24:08] And their agenda We just pray, Lord In Jesus' name That you would give us Godly leaders Leaders that would follow Your ways Leaders that would know Right from wrong And would choose right We pray, Lord God That you would give us wisdom That you would give us wisdom To know how to elect And support those Who will follow you We pray, Father For our own little corner Of the world here The places that we work The places we go to school Our neighborhoods And in our families, Lord We just ask That you would give us What we need To reach them for you

[25:08] That we can be messengers Of your peace That we can be messengers Of your faithfulness Your grace And your salvation Give us the faith we need, Lord Give us the power we need To be your witnesses In this world To go boldly Into every circumstance And every environment So that Jesus can be seen In us and through us Lord God, as we hear your word Let it transform us Let it give us Everything that we need To do your work In this world To be your people In this world According to your good purpose For us That your world Would be blessed Be with Pastor Thomas

[26:09] He delivers the word The message that you have Given him for us this day Let it be a blessing to him And a blessing to us May all our worship, Lord Be a blessing to you Not that it's by anything We can do out of our own triumph But that you make it To do so We trust you, Lord We love you, Lord In Jesus' name we pray Amen Shall we hear from the word of the Lord?

[26:47] Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Good morning.

[27:25] Good morning. Deuteronomy verses 30, chapter 30, verses 11 through 20.

[27:37] Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult, for you were beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?

[27:50] Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it? No, the word is very near to you.

[28:01] It is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees, and laws.

[28:19] Then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you on this day that you will certainly be destroyed.

[28:37] You will not live long in the land you are crossing to Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.

[28:53] Now choose life so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God. Listen to his voice and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

[29:11] This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[29:22] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That's named after the wisdom of God. Thank you. Thank you. This morning I was thinking about all the things I had to do last fall that we undo this time of year.

[29:40] How many of you drain your hoses or have to fix up the gardens in a particular way or bring in the patio furniture or cover things over or do something to the lawn?

[29:51] We do all this because we know winter's coming, and winter is one of the most destructive seasons in our environment, right? It tears into things and wrecks things, and something is always broken in the summer.

[30:04] So we have to prepare for it. And preparation is a good thing. It gets us to a place where we can go through the struggles and storms of life without being destroyed by that.

[30:17] For the last ten weeks, we've been talking about the lessons we've learned from the desert. When the people of Israel had forgotten God, and so God took them out into the wilderness where they spent time learning who God was again and how they were supposed to relate to him, how they were supposed to consecrate themselves and be holy and carry values and rules that God had made, and that they were supposed to have the Holy Spirit in their lives, and that they were supposed to work on believing in God and God alone, have the right leadership and learn what sacrifice meant.

[30:51] And even we talked about taking a Sabbath day, a day of rest to remember whose we are, which is what we're doing today, to come to God and remember that we're his.

[31:04] The whole point of this series is that we don't want to forget God because we've been living in a culture that's forgetting God. And it's not just the culture around us. Even the people in the churches are forgetting God.

[31:17] God is becoming a second thought and afterthought in our lives. In verse 17 of this passage, it says, If your hearts turn away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed, and you'll not live long in the land.

[31:42] We need God. We need to remember God, and we need to take time to pull ourselves away from the distractions of the world so that we can become the people God intended for us to be.

[31:53] In the book of Hebrews, in chapter 10, it says to us, Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, and not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another all the more as you see the day we're going to meet God in glory coming.

[32:12] We need to work with each other. We need to grow together. We need to develop our faith. It's essential. Even taking a day of rest.

[32:23] A day to renew ourselves in the Lord. But we're not supposed to take Sabbath rest all the time. We're not supposed to spend our whole time just sitting around waiting for something to happen.

[32:37] They worked six days. They took a Sabbath rest. And on the eighth day, they went out and changed the world. And God is also calling us to live in the eighth day. And so this morning, as we come to the end of this sermon series about lessons from the desert, we want to talk about the fact that winter is over.

[33:01] Little darling, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here.

[33:14] We made it.

[33:27] It looks as if winter will soon be coming to a close. It's me again, Bob Sled, with a lesson to share about the goodness of the spring that's coming. For months now, we've been going through winter.

[33:38] Thankfully, it hasn't been a horrible winter this year. But the lessons we learned are still the same. It was important to take that time and refocus and learn. And we're stronger because of that.

[33:49] We know what really matters and how we should live our lives because we've experienced those lessons of winter. While we hold on to those lessons, we should go out into this gorgeous weather and celebrate. We can choose to be grumpy and stay inside.

[34:02] Or we can choose to go live in the new creation that's bursting into our world. Now I know, it might get cold again. It might even snow a little still. But we know we can handle it. I suppose we could choose to pout because we had to spring forward with daylight savings time.

[34:17] We lost an hour of sleep. But I say, losing that hour was worth it because here comes the sun. Now choose this day to go and experience all the great things that come with spring. The signs are all there that spring really is coming.

[34:30] You don't want to miss it. Birds chirping. The sun shining. Warmer weather. It's going to be nice, isn't it? Soon there will be flowers budding and the grass and trees will be green.

[34:40] There's a warm breeze begging us to go out and enjoy. Now, I know I certainly will. So smile and appreciate this wonderful weather. Now it's been a joy making these videos for you guys.

[34:52] This is Bob Sled signing off. Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces. Little darling, it seems like it's since it's been here.

[35:10] Here comes the sun. Here comes the sun. And I say, it's alright. Here comes the last lesson from Bob Sled.

[35:24] Otherwise known as Tim McSadwitch, by the way. Winter's over. I know people say, oh, well, be careful.

[35:37] You don't want to say that. Winter is over. It's done. I looked at the long-range forecast. It's done. Spring is here. Praise the Lord.

[35:47] Amen. You know, we have to choose in life how we're going to live. In verse 15, it says, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.

[35:58] Choose life. Every fall, I prepare my home. I prepare my yard. I prepare my gardens. But I don't prepare them for winter. I prepare them for spring.

[36:11] I prepare them because I know a time is going to come when I'm going out of the house, into the yard, into the gardens, onto the patio, and I'm going to enjoy life the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

[36:25] We don't want to live our lives hoistered away. We don't want to live as a church in fear that there's something out there in the world around us that's going to hurt us when we had the power of God in our lives.

[36:42] Churches are interesting institutions. They build these places that we call churches, these buildings, and their architecture often reflects who and what they are and what they think.

[36:56] In the early part of the last century, they were building these little tiny churches all over the place. Little prairie churches because they saw churches as a small, little, tiny community thing where you gathered with your family and friends throughout the week.

[37:12] At some point in time, the nation became something of a Christian nation, and you'll notice that the churches became huge and magnificent. When you walked into them, you could feel the glory of God.

[37:25] They were adorned with incredible things that said, God has won. And back in the day, they had steeples. You remember steeples? They would point to heaven and they would say, we believe in God and we think you should too.

[37:39] We're going to put a steeple on our church this year, good Lord willing. When you build a church, it reflects a lot of who and what you are and what we are as churches and as Christians.

[37:54] People build churches nowadays that look a lot like a Walmart store. Have you seen them? They're a box. They're a big box. And you know what they don't have?

[38:06] They don't have windows. I was told when we were actually constructing this sanctuary, we shouldn't have windows. Because the problem with windows is you're distracted by what's going on outside the church.

[38:19] And you can't darken the room. And you need to darken the room or else people won't, you know, get up and dance and raise their hands and stuff like that. Because they'll be afraid that other people will see them.

[38:31] I want you to see each other. We've in fact designed things so that you look at each other. We want you to be with each other. We don't want to send a message that we don't like each other or we're afraid of what people might think of us.

[38:44] In fact, if you haven't noticed, we designed our church so you can't even see most of it from any spot on the road. Because we want to look like a little country church where everybody's welcome. And we have clear glass windows not because we couldn't afford a stained glass.

[38:58] Because we want to see out there and we want out there to see in here. Because we believe that the ministry of God happens out there easily as much, maybe more, than it happens in here.

[39:12] You see, the world we design declares who we are. And the problem with the church in the last few decades is the church has been designing itself to say, We're going to go inside some little fortress and hide from the scary world around us.

[39:29] God doesn't want us to hide. It's not wintertime. It's springtime. You're not supposed to hide in your house. You're supposed to blow open the windows, walk out the door, and enjoy the world we live in.

[39:41] Faith isn't about hiding. Faith is about going out in the name of our Lord. This is what Jesus himself said. Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I've commanded you.

[39:58] And I'll be with you all the way down the line. God calls us to go. Because the world is broken, and it needs somebody to do something about it.

[40:11] We have a mission. We're on a mission with God. We're out. We're out. For me and the Lord, we're going to understand.

[40:22] We're on a mission with God. We're putting the band back together.

[40:37] We're on a mission with God. We're on a mission with God. We're on a mission with God. We're on a mission with God. We're on a mission with God.

[40:49] We're on a mission with God. It's a lot bigger than any domestic problems you might experience. It makes you feel like you're asking Matthew to do as a holy thing.

[40:59] We're on a mission with God. We're on a mission with God. We're on a mission with God. We're on a mission with God. Now, if the Blues Brothers can be on a mission from God, we can be on a mission from God. Amen?

[41:09] Amen. We're not going to let a couple of guys in cheap suits out to us. That's kind of a little ridiculous, isn't it? God has a mission. The mission of God, which is to bring the wonder, the power, the grace, the transforming springtime blessing of resurrection to a broken, hurting world.

[41:32] And God dares to dream his dreams through you. God dares to dream his dreams through who and what we were created by him to do.

[41:44] Every one of us, every one of you was created before you were even born, was called by God to some specific thing that only you can do for God.

[41:55] 1 Corinthians chapter 12 says it this way. There's different kinds of gifts, but the same spirit distributes that. Different kinds of service, but the same Lord. Different kinds of working, but in all of them and in every one, is the same God at work.

[42:09] And each one, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good, for the purpose, for the mission of God. God has given us the abilities.

[42:21] God isn't expecting you to do something greater than what you're capable of. He's expecting you to do what you were specifically designed for. Joshua says to them, what I'm commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.

[42:37] It's not up in heaven so that you have to ask, who will ascend into heaven and get it and proclaim it to us so that we might obey it. Nor is it beyond the sea so that you have to ask, who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we might obey it.

[42:51] Somewhere beyond the sea, somewhere waiting for me. That's the way we seem to look at our faith. Somewhere beyond our life.

[43:04] Somewhere in a new creation. Somewhere in a day to come. That's when blessing will occur. But God has declared he wants his blessing to occur right here, right now, through us.

[43:20] We come apart. We go out into the wilderness. We come for worship so that we can get recharged to go back out into the world to do the amazing things God intended of us.

[43:31] We need to step into God's sunshine. Into the blessing that God intends to us because the world needs it. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

[43:52] Could you imagine a world that lived by those rules? Could you imagine a world where that's how everyone treated each other? We wouldn't need laws. We wouldn't need police.

[44:02] We wouldn't need crazy politics. I mean, we wouldn't need to fight with one another anymore. Our world needs a witness. And the problem is the church has been retreating and hiding away in their little boxes, in their little kingdoms within a kingdom.

[44:23] The world's getting the wrong idea. The wrong idea about life. The wrong idea about God. Satan has been perpetrating a deception, a lie.

[44:35] Even sometimes in the form of the very people who say that they're there representing God, when what they're saying is not godly at all. This is what Jeremiah said.

[44:46] The Lord said to me, the prophets are preaching lies in my name. I haven't sent them or appointed them or spoken them. They're preaching to you false visions, divination, idolatries, and the delusions of their own mind.

[45:01] Anybody hear any delusions lately? People are making stuff up. People are making stuff up. And people are making stuff up about God and misrepresenting God.

[45:13] And that, in and of itself, is probably the worst thing. And it's happening because there's no one there to say it isn't so.

[45:24] Some people ask me, why do we have so many Bible studies in our church? Do you know why? God, I want you to know what's in this book. I want you to be able to say, that sounds like a delusion of your mind.

[45:36] Even to me. If I'm wrong, I want you to tell me so. I want you to show me so. Because we need to live in the truth of God. And if we do that, the world will change.

[45:49] God doesn't want us to go out there and be self-righteous and judgmental and put people down and sound like nasty, weird, kind of strange, obnoxious folks. I was walking through Toronto a few years back and some guy starts yelling at me on the sidewalk.

[46:05] You're going to hell! Jesus says you're going to hell! I'm like, dude, really? Seriously, you know? Take a prozac. I mean, this is a little over the edge.

[46:16] God doesn't want us to be coming across as angry, as hurtful. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

[46:34] You need to have people who are willing to stand up against injustice and oppression, but also to show how to love and be loved. Peter says this is what it will be like.

[46:45] Who's going to harm you if you're eager to do good? But even if you're not afraid to do good? Don't fear their threats.

[46:55] Don't fear their threats. Don't fear their threats. Don't fear their threats. But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have.

[47:06] God calls us to be the people doing that.

[47:19] Why is the world raging and going crazy? Because the Christians are standing back and hiding instead of speaking out in the truth and love that God has given us to do.

[47:33] God calls us. God gives us. God gives us the answers the world needs to hear. People have forgotten God.

[47:46] The world has forgotten God. I think sometimes the church has forgotten God. It's gotten all caught up in the wrong things, the wrong agendas, to the point to which the truth isn't the truth.

[48:01] Instead, we've got all these deceptions and these things that people are saying that are kind of twisted and mixed up. Has anybody ever been to Florida in the spring?

[48:13] You know, people that live in Florida think that the spring is an awful time of the year. They say that's when all the yellow pollen gets all over everything. And the bugs come out.

[48:24] And the weather gets miserable. And you've got to hide inside your house. Spring is miserable? Spring is an awful time to live where you've got to hide inside your house?

[48:35] They've got it all turned around. What a wacky idea. Spring is fantastic. We live in a part of the world that teaches us what resurrection is every year.

[48:48] We see new life. We experience the glory and wonder. This is the time that lifts our soul the most. I know you'd say it's summer. But summer, we know it's coming.

[48:59] This is the one that says life is coming into the darkness. Hope is coming into the brokenness. Hope is coming into the darkness. And people need to see the hope of God.

[49:11] Remember that passage from Peter? It said, people ask you, why do you have hope? Why do you have hope? Why are you smiling? Why do you have a positive outlook?

[49:21] Why are you looking at the world and not complaining and miserable? I talk to a lot of young people through the course of time. And they've not quite had as much time to experience life.

[49:32] And you've got to explain to them that there will be difficult things that happen to people. And there will be good things that will happen to people. If we spend our time focused on all the negative and broken things, we will become broken and negative.

[49:44] But if we focus on the hope, the resurrection, the springtime, the possibilities of God, the world will be drawn to hear that hope and experience that hope.

[49:58] God needs us to do it. It says in verse 14, he put it in our mouth. He put it on our hearts. All we have to do is let it out. And not just because we should, not even because we want to, but because God tells us to.

[50:14] In the book of Micah, he tells us exactly what he requires. What does the Lord require of you? To act justly. Love mercy. And walk humbly with your Lord.

[50:28] Could you imagine a world that started doing that again? A nation that started doing that. A people that care for one another. Do you know what the law says about your requirement to help people when they're struggling?

[50:44] There was a guy who was on his boat. He actually had taken courses in life saving. He was a strong swimmer. He had one of those life preserver things sitting right next to him.

[50:56] And he saw a guy fall off the dock alongside of him. And he watched him as the guy was yelling, Help, I'm drowning. Help, I'm drowning. And he finished his drink and watched the guy drown him.

[51:08] His family took him to court. You know, you could at least throw him a life preserver. Don't we all have at least that responsibility? And the court said, No.

[51:19] You have no responsibility for anyone. The law does not require you to care or help a single person in the world. But what does God require of us?

[51:30] You remember in the very beginning when two brothers got in a fight and Cain said to God, Am I my brother's keeper? And you know what the answer is? Yes. Yes. The law of God says yes.

[51:42] We're supposed to do something to show and demonstrate that God loves us so we can love each other. We're selling these little bouquets of flowers for hospice.

[51:54] One of the women in our church was sitting there. She says, One of our members just gave these to me. I said, Why are you buying these flowers? And she said, She told me, I love you.

[52:07] And she started getting tears in her eyes. She says, Why did you do that? Because that's what we're supposed to do. I read about a young teenager just the other day in a magazine who was in a coffee shop and insisted on paying for the coffee for the lady in front of her.

[52:24] That's what we're supposed to do. Some guy was in a restaurant and heard that the fellow who worked there needed his car fixed, but he couldn't possibly afford it. There was no way he could fix his car.

[52:35] And so he gave him a card and sent him to a repair shop and paid the repair bill. Now maybe you can do that. Maybe you can't do that. But there are things we can do. You can listen to a person who needs to talk.

[52:47] You can be a friend to somebody who needs somebody to be a friend. You can love somebody who might seem like they're not loved by anybody else. You can care. God requires that of us.

[53:01] The government doesn't. Our world doesn't care. We don't live in a country like that. We live in the kingdom of God. But our king says this is what we're supposed to do.

[53:12] We're Christians. We need to be bold and we can be bold because we have a community to love us and care for us. We have a place when we go out into the world and get beaten up, which we will, by the way.

[53:25] Just like winter beats us up. We'll get beaten up when we go out there. We have a place we can come back to. That's why we come each week, you know, is because the world beats us up. It kicks us around. And we come back and get recharged and reconnected.

[53:38] Amen? And remember whose we are. But it's not so that we can stay here. It's so we can go back boldly out there. In our next sermon series, we're going to talk about bringing the kingdom of heaven on earth as it is in heaven.

[53:53] And we're going to use the book of Acts. The bold book of the Bible where it talks about how in the early days of Christianity, they didn't live as cowards. They went out into the world and transformed the world because they had each other and because they had God with them.

[54:11] And they lived in a world that struggled just like ours. Doesn't this sound familiar from the book of Acts? Why do the nations rage and the people plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his holy ones.

[54:26] Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Stretch out your hand. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.

[54:37] Jesus, after they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God wholly. We need to be shaken up.

[54:50] We need to be shaken out of our complacency. Shaken out of our fear. Shaken out of our it's none of my business attitude. Shaken out of our faith. Shaken out of our wavelength. Shaken out of our faith.

[55:01] Shaken out of our faith. Shaken out of our faith. Shaken out of our faith. Shaken out of our faith. And we need to go out and live in this world the way God intended. Verse 20, it says, we do this so that God may love us. Listen to his voice and hold fast to him.

[55:14] You hold on to Jesus, Jesus is going to hold on to you and take you for a ride in your life like nothing you can imagine. a ride that will transform you and transform this world.

[55:27] God promises that. This day, Joshua said, I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I've set before you life and death, blessings and curses.

[55:40] Now choose life that you and your children may live. Choose life. Don't choose the curses. Choose God. The promises he's already made and intends to keep through you.

[55:56] What you choose is going to affect more than just you. It'll affect our children and our children's children and our neighbors and the people we work with.

[56:09] It will affect our church. It will affect our whole community. It can change this nation and of course it's not. The church in the book of Acts was a small group of people.

[56:24] No bigger than our church. They transformed the entire world. It's springtime in New York.

[56:35] What a glorious season where we're reborn from darkness, from the cold, from the winter, from the pain, from the brokenness, into the new life, into the amazing world that God wants to give us.

[56:53] We see the world come back to life, new life, out of dirt. And God makes new life out of dirt.

[57:04] All this pain, I wonder if I'll ever find my way.

[57:37] I wonder if my life could really change at all. All this earth, could all that is lost ever be found?

[57:57] Could a garden come up from this ground alone.いっしみなさい今日は họに incluy Airesをさせるし Cristo 大垣に All around, perfect springing up from this old ground Out of chaos, life is becoming you You make beautiful things

[58:59] You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things You make beautiful things out of dust You make me new You are making me new You make me new You are making me new You make beautiful things You make beautiful things out of dust

[60:05] You make beautiful things You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things out of dust

[61:48] You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things out of dust You make beautiful things out of dust You're rich in love You're rich in love You're rich in love You're rich in love You're rich in love For all your goodness I will keep on singing.

[62:34] Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find. Bless the Lord, oh my soul, oh my soul.

[62:50] Worship His holy name. Sing like never before, oh my soul.

[63:02] I'll worship Your holy name. And on that day when my strength is failing.

[63:18] Me and Joss here and my time has come. Still my soul will sing Your praise unending.

[63:31] Ten thousand years and then forevermore. Bless the Lord, oh my soul, oh my soul.

[63:46] Worship His holy name. Sing like never before, oh my soul.

[63:57] I'll worship Your holy name. I'll worship Your holy name.

[64:09] I'll worship Your holy name. May I please rise in. In the Bible it says that we need to repent.

[64:23] It means we need to change directions. We need to repent not just of what we've done, but what we've neglected to do. Because all too often it's not the sins of commission that are the biggest problems of our churches.

[64:39] It's the sins of commission. The fact that we don't do that we stand by and watch as the world drowns. And let the world just go to perdition.

[64:52] God is calling us to be the ones who change and transform this world. You, the people who have been given springtime and understanding to transform the world.

[65:03] We need to change and we need to become the people God intends with us. So let's pray to God, shall we? Dear God in heaven, I have sinned by the things I do and by the things I don't do.

[65:20] Forgive me God. Turn me around. Help me to repent that I might bring the love of God to the world of God.

[65:33] In Jesus name we pray. Amen. God has decided on a springtime for your life. God has decided to take brokenness and darkness and turn it into life and hope.

[65:46] God has decided to take the darkness of sin and turn it into the fresh new life of resurrection. In the name of Jesus Christ your sins are forgiven. In the name of Jesus Christ your sins are forgiven.

[65:58] Glory to God. Amen. God has decided to take brokenness and healing. Amen. Amen.

[66:09] Jesus Christ your sins are forgiven. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[66:20] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[66:31] Amen. The pain of toil, the bread of care. If hope that sets the shining ray, Far down the future's broadening way, It needs that holy love and skill with thee, O Master, let me live.

[67:26] Jesus invites us here. We come to partake of all that God has promised us. You can come expecting to receive, and you will receive, Everything you need to be what God calls you to be in this world.

[67:43] Everyone is welcome to come to the table and receive blessing. In the United Methodist Church, you don't have to be a member. You don't have to have been coming for a certain length of time or been to a special class.

[67:56] You are welcome to come to the table. If you love God, earnestly repent of your sin, And seek to live in peace as a disciple of Jesus Christ, Come to the table this morning.

[68:09] You're welcome to be with us. The Lord be with you. Lift up your hearts. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

[68:20] It is right to give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right, and the good and joyful thing always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

[68:31] In love you made us for yourself, And when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, Your love remained steadfast. You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts and prepare with joy for the coming Easter Feast, That renewed by your word and sacraments, And fernive and prayer and works of justice and mercy, We may come to the fullness of grace that you have prepared for those who love you.

[69:01] And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, We praise your name and join their unending hymn. Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

[69:18] Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Holy are you and blessed is your Son, Jesus Christ, Whom you sent into the fullness of time to redeem the world.

[69:34] He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, Being born in our likeness. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, Even death on a cross.

[69:47] He took upon himself our sin and death And offered himself a perfect sacrifice for the sin of the whole world. By the baptism of his suffering, death and resurrection, You gave birth to your church, Delivered us from slavery to sin and death, And made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

[70:09] On the night in which he gave himself up for us, He took bread and he gave thanks to you. He broke the bread and gave it to his disciples.

[70:21] He said, Take, eat. This is my body which is given to you. Do this in remembrance.

[70:37] And when the supper was over, he took the cup, And he gave you thanks and praise, And he gave it to his disciples saying, Drink from this all of you. This is the cup of my blood. The blood of the new covenant poured out for you.

[70:51] It is poured out for many. For the forgiveness of sin. Do this as often as you drink it. In remembrance of me. And so in remembrance of these, Your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, We offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving, As a holy and living sacrifice.

[71:13] In union with Christ's offering for us, As we proclaim the mystery of faith. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

[71:24] Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here. And on these gifts of bread and wine. 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.

[71:39] 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.

[71:50] And we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your son Jesus Christ, With the Holy Spirit in your holy church. All honor and glory is yours almighty Father.

[72:02] Now and forever. Amen. So we pray together. As disciples of Jesus Christ, the prayer he taught us. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

[72:17] 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.

[72:29] As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever.

[72:44] Amen. Will those serving this morning please come forward. Come forward. Come forward.

[72:56] Come forward. I want to ask you, Agnes.

[73:15] Come forward. Thank you.

[73:47] Thank you.

[74:17] Thank you. Now God himself invites you to the table with rails for prayer, for healing, and for joining, and to light a candle. Come and join us.

[74:28] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[74:50] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[75:30] Thank you.

[76:00] Thank you.

[76:30] Thank you.

[77:00] Thank you.

[77:30] Thank you.

[78:00] Thank you.

[78:30] Don't wish your life away. God didn't call us to survive. God called us to people that in the midst of the storms, in the midst of the darkness and the brokenness of the chaos, we're the people of this world that are going to thrive.

[78:48] Amen? Amen? Amen. Stand and sing with us, will you? Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[79:04] Oh oh oh oh, oh oh Oh oh oh, oh oh oh Here in this warm and weary land Where many dream has died Like a tree planted by the water We never will run dry So living water flowing through God, we thirst for more of you Fill our hearts and flood our souls With one desire Just to know you and to make you know We lift your name on high Shine like the sun may die

[80:04] This blood and high We know we were made for so much more In ordinary lives It's time for us to mourn And just survive We were made to thrive Into your world we're digging deep To know our Father's love Into the world we're reaching out To show them who you are So living water flowing through God, we thirst for more of you

[81:06] Fill our hearts and flood our souls With one desire Just to know you and to make you know We lift your name on high Shine like the sun may die This sun and high We know we were made for so much more Than ordinary lives It's time for us to mourn And just survive We were made to thrive Joy unseedable Joy unseedable Faith unseedable Love unstoppable Anything is possible Joy unseedable Faith unseedable Love unstoppable Anything is possible.

[82:33] Like the sun may die, it's rolling out. We know we were made for so much more than ordinary lives.

[82:48] It's time for us to more than just survive. We were made to thrive. Hey!

[83:03] Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! We were made to thrive.

[83:16] It's springtime in New York. It's springtime in New York. There is nothing better than to go out and enjoy this world.

[83:30] Go live in this world like you were meant to live. Go love in this world like you were meant to love. Go be in this world as God made you to be. Change this world.

[83:42]  God's way. God's way. It will make a huge difference. Go out and enjoy the springtime. Go in peace. Amen. Cleanated Halfway HD Punk's Red Squareei Ryan Elliott прис bridge is the so-called