Transcription downloaded from https://services.pcumc.org/sermons/27621/sharing-the-faith/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] Thank you.

[0:30] Thank you.

[1:00] Thank you.

[1:30] Thank you.

[2:00] Thank you.

[2:30] Thank you.

[2:59] This is the day. This is the day. That the Lord has made. That the Lord has made. Let us rejoice.

[3:10] Let us rejoice. And be glad in it. And be glad in it. This is the day.

[3:30] This is the day. This is the day. Let us pray. Let us pray. Glorious God. We rejoice in your presence and lift up your holy name.

[3:44] Fill us with your spirit. Cover us with your grace and reveal to us your will as we worship and celebrate you in Jesus's name. Amen.

[3:54] Amen. Amen. Amen. I'd like to invite you all to stand if you're able. Stand up and let's worship God together by singing Heralds of Christ. Heralds of Christ.

[4:10] Heralds of Christ. Who bear the king's commands. Immortal tidings in your mortal hands.

[4:26] Hands on and carry us with the news you bring. Make straight, make straight the highway of the king.

[4:41] Through desert waves, dark and dimly rams.

[4:55] Through jungles, sluggish seas and mountain paths. Build now the road and falter not nor shame.

[5:13] We bear across the earth the king's highway. Lord, give us faith and strength the road to live.

[5:34] To see the promise of the day fulfilled. When war shall be, no war and strife shall cease.

[5:53] Upon the highway of the Prince of the Year. The scripture says we're to prepare a way for the coming of the Lord.

[6:06] Lift high the valleys. Bring down the mountains. Make every crooked way straight. God calls you to prepare a way for the Lord to come to you. The Lord be with you.

[6:18] And with you. Please be seated. We do welcome you this morning. Worshiping along with us. And we want to say to you, everyone, fill out your friendship card.

[6:30] There is a link there for that. So whether you're one of the people that have been a member of our church for a long time, we want to know that you're here with us. And if you are new with us, we'd love to know that as well. So click on that link.

[6:42] Fill out the information. If you have any blessings that you'd like to proclaim, write those down there. Because we project that in the next service. And if you have any prayer concerns, put that on there as well.

[6:54] Because we do make sure that we are praying over all the concerns of our church family. Also, there is a link for the children's activity page. So you can download that. We want to make sure that our children are worshiping along with us.

[7:07] So if you've got children, gather them up and worship along with them. And be engaged together as a family. And that activity page is there for them as well. We want to make sure also that in this time that we are making sure that we are growing in our faith.

[7:22] And we want to make sure that discipleship is a priority. So we want to direct your attention to the Facebook group that has lots of different things to participate in. For devotion and music and prayer.

[7:34] And it's a wonderful community that's gathering there. We also want to make sure that we have the opportunity for small groups to meet. So that they can talk about their faith and share with one another.

[7:45] So if you're interested in joining a small group, please let the office know. Because we want to get that started very soon. And at this time in worship, one of the things we do in worship is we give back to God.

[7:58] A gratitude for all the many blessings that God has given to us already. And with that gratitude, we reflect our love. And so there is a link there if you want to give online.

[8:09] Or you can just send it in the mail. However you want to give. But I ask you to please reflect upon the blessings that God has given to you. As we take this time to have an offering for our God.

[8:20] Thank you. Thank you. Amen. Amen.

[9:26] Amen. Amen.

[10:26] Amen. Amen.

[11:26] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Let us pray.

[11:37] Lord, we thank you for your many blessings. We thank you for your love and your grace. And we give back to you with gratitude. Gratitude from the depths of our hearts for all that you have done for us and all that you continue to do.

[11:52] We pray that you will receive these gifts, Lord, and bless them to spread your good news, to share your love and your grace, that this world will become transformed in the name of Jesus.

[12:04] Amen. Good morning, Junior Church.

[12:15] I'm so glad to be with you to worship this morning. Now, before we get started, I need you to go and get something. I don't know. Maybe you've got a maraca. That would be a good thing to get. Or a tambourine.

[12:27] Maybe a tambourine would work. Or even if you have two sticks to click together like that, or even like pots and pans or something like that, or two spoons to click together.

[12:39] We're going to have a parade because we want to be entering into the presence of God in a special and wonderful way. Remember, the word of the Lord says we're supposed to make a joyful noise to the Lord.

[12:53] A noise! A noise! Make a joyful noise to the Lord and serve the Lord with gladness. When we enter in, when we make time to tell God how much God has made us glad about his love for us, we enter into his presence and we can get filled up with his love.

[13:14] So that's what we're going to do right now. Have you got something? Are you going to sing real loud? Everybody sing, He has made me glad! Yeah, that's right! I can hear you!

[13:25] He has made me glad too! And so I want you to get your maracas or your sticks or your spoons, and I want you to start in singing and march all the way around your house singing, He has made me glad!

[13:40] And get your folks up too! Come on everybody, even if you don't have little ones in your house, you can get up too, you can clap your hands, you can wave your hands and sing for joy about how the Lord has made you glad this morning.

[13:55] I will enter his faith in my heart, I will enter his courts in my heart, I will enter his courts in my heart, I will say this is the day that the Lord has made, I will know that he has made me glad.

[14:13] He has made me glad, he has made me glad, I will rejoice for he has made me glad, He has made me glad, he has made me glad, I will rejoice for he has made me glad.

[14:31] I will enter his faith in my healing in my heart, I will enter his courts in my heart, I will say this is the day that the Lord has made, I will know that he has made me glad.

[14:49] He has made me glad, he has made me glad, I will rejoice for he has made me glad. Well I bet you noticed that we've brought our hands back again.

[15:04] Remember these hands? They were made out of olive wood from Jerusalem and the area around Bethlehem actually really. And we have the scripture in here and the scripture that's in here is the Lord's Prayer.

[15:18] And we were talking about some of the Lord's Prayer before and today we're going to talk about a very, very special scripture. That it says in the Lord's Prayer, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

[15:36] That is so important to remember to forgive. Forgiveness is a very, very important way that we show God's love. I want to tell you a little story about forgiveness.

[15:48] I know you've all been home for a really long time. You've been home from school, you've been home just staying at your house or maybe going out in your yard, but not going to many other places at all.

[15:59] And when we're together with the same people a lot, have you noticed that maybe sometimes you get a little cranky? I've noticed that I sometimes get a little cranky and I have to be very careful.

[16:11] I have to forgive the people who I'm feeling cranky at so that I can have my heart set free and filled with love. Now you know what else I noticed about when I'm holding in my heart not forgiving people?

[16:27] What usually happens is my stomach starts to feel funny. I start to feel like I'm just not really hungry. And then when I sit down to eat with my family because I'm angry or I'm upset and I haven't forgiven the person who needs me to forgive them, well, I just don't really feel like eating at all.

[16:51] I wonder if you've ever felt like that. Well, whether you have or not, I think you need to remember to forgive. I bet you've noticed that I'm wearing my robe today.

[17:03] You know that I usually wear that robe when I'm upstairs in the big sanctuary and it's time for us to have communion. Communion is the Lord's Supper, isn't it?

[17:15] And when we sit down to supper with the Lord, we want to make sure that he has forgiven our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.

[17:28] That's a very, very important thing to do. It's important to do with our families and it's important to do when we come to the Lord's table. So here's what I'm hoping that you'll begin to do.

[17:41] I'm hoping that you will practice forgiving the people in your family who maybe did something to make you mad or maybe did something to make you sad.

[17:53] You forgive them the way God forgives you. And then they'll forgive you too. And we'll all be able to sit down to a supper with tummies that really feel good and really feel hungry.

[18:08] I think that that's a good way to practice being ready to come to the Lord's table when we get back to church. And then we'll all be so filled with God's love from forgiving one another that we can look through that heart that is God's love.

[18:27] We can look through God's love and say to one another, Jesus loves you very much. Can you say that to someone right now? I hope someone will say it to the screen to me too.

[18:39] And I'll say it to you. Ready? Jesus loves you very much. Now let's sing about giving God's love away because it's such a good thing to do.

[18:57] I'm feeling good, good, good in a crazy way. God's love changed me more than I can say. I can't keep this in. Gotta let it out.

[19:08] Gonna tell the whole world that your love is spinning me round and round. Yeah, it's turning me upside down. I can't believe the way you love me more than I can contain.

[19:22] CD's is all this world to anything can take. I'm gonna turn around and give in. Give it away. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, I'm gonna give it away Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, I'm gonna give it away I want the world to know just how I feel They gotta know, know, know your love is real You love me just the way I am Gonna tell the whole world that Your love is spinning me round and round Yeah, you're turning me upside down I can't believe the way you love me more than I can contain I'm gonna turn around and give in Give it away Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh I'm gonna give it away Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

[20:25] Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Your love is spinning me round and round Yeah, you're turning me upside down I can't believe the way you love me more than I can contain I'm gonna turn around and give in Your love is spinning me round and round Yeah, you're turning me upside down I can't believe the way you love me more than I can contain I'm gonna turn around and give it away Give it away I'm gonna give it away I'm gonna give it away As we begin our time in prayer, I'd like to remind you that you can send your prayer requests into the church and trust that there will be people who will be praying for your needs.

[21:25] You want to send those through pendletonchurch.org slash friendship card. And if you're watching on the website, there's a button that you can press to click on to get yourself to that friendship card easily.

[21:40] We do look at them every single week and make sure that they are prayed over. As we are remembering our ongoing prayer vigil, and we're hoping that everyone, if you haven't begun to get involved with that, it's easy.

[21:56] You just have to set aside a little bit of time each week to pray for the church, to pray for the world, to pray for all that's going on in the midst of this pandemic. And each week, we're bringing a special focus to your ongoing prayer vigil, prayer time.

[22:12] This week's comes from our prayer team member, Leslie Wagner. She asked that we would look at Philippians chapter 4, verse 8, which says, Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.

[22:42] You know, there's so much information coming at us right now that's negative. We won't be opening up. You won't be going back to school. This won't happen.

[22:53] That can't happen. What if we started thinking about the things that can happen, the things that are happening in the midst of us, in the midst of all that's going on, that we can say thank you, God, for.

[23:09] God is with us in the midst of everything, the good and the bad. And Leslie is calling us to pray, to pray that people will be aware of the concerns, but mainly focused on how we can bring good into the world in the midst of all of this, how we can bring God's presence into the middle of the trouble because we are looking at whatever is excellent or praiseworthy.

[23:42] And we're thinking mostly about those things. Amen. Will you pray about that this week? There are many concerns within our church family. Some that have come up just within the past few days are to pray for Richard Loring after he had surgery the other day and as he continues to have testing done for serious health issues.

[24:04] And also pray for Bob Pelkey and for his family. Bob's granddaughter, Jolene, passed away a few days ago. And now we know that you have so many needs.

[24:16] Pastor Sherry has given us some of them. And we know that God hears and answers our prayers. So let's turn to the Lord in prayer. Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for this time to come into your throne room to present our request before you.

[24:47] knowing that you want us to pray. Knowing that you want us to find peace in your presence by coming to you.

[24:59] Acknowledging that everything that we have comes from you. Everything that is good and pure and holy and wonderful. And so we enter in, Lord, and we pray.

[25:11] We lift up all of those people who are in need of help. Whether it might be financial need or health needs, physical health needs, needs of schooling, needs to finish those things that they have started, we pray that they have started, but they can't right now.

[25:35] We pray that their anxiety would be lifted. We pray that fear would be dissipated wherever it might be. We just ask in Jesus' name, Lord God, that you would fill our hearts with hope.

[25:52] Fill our hearts with your love and joy and peace. We pray in Jesus' name for those who are in need of those things in their lives.

[26:04] We pray for all of those who are sick and infirm. We pray for those who are in trouble and sick because of this COVID-19 virus, but, Lord, we also pray for those who are sick and infirm with other things.

[26:21] There are many, many troubles in this world, Lord, and we ask that you would touch each one who is in need of relief from trouble.

[26:31] Whether it might be some kind of trouble with a cancer or some kind of trouble with vision, Lord, some kind of trouble with hearing, with circulation, cardiovascular issues, Lord, whatever kinds of troubles there may be, we ask that you would come in and touch people and make them whole.

[26:59] We pray, Lord God, for those who are suffering from depression and who are feeling confined and needing to get out.

[27:10] We just ask in Jesus' name, Lord, that you would comfort them. Give them outlets that will help to relieve their tension and their trouble.

[27:25] We pray for all of these people, Lord, that they would be made whole in their spirits and their souls and their bodies. that they would be made whole as only you can make them whole.

[27:37] We pray, Lord God, now also for those who are grieving losses. And there are many, Lord. Many people are passing on from this world for all kinds of reasons.

[27:56] And we just ask in Jesus' name that you would grant to those people who are here, who are left grieving the loss of a loved one.

[28:08] Grant them in their hearts, in their spirits, in the place where they have great assurance, Lord God, that there is hope in you. There is the hope of eternal life in Christ Jesus.

[28:22] Help them, Lord. Help each one. Help us all too, Lord, as members of the body of Christ, as your church, Lord, help us, strengthen us, so that we may be witnesses of your love and grace and mercy.

[28:42] So that when we encounter family members, friends, if we're at work, coworkers, people in medical professions, Lord God, when they encounter patients and other people, just, or even those people who are patients, Lord, but who are members of your body, give us the grace to show your great love so that people will see and wonder why the light of Christ shines in us.

[29:15] Help them to be able to see you through us. Help us to not get ourselves in the way of being light in this world.

[29:31] And we pray, Lord God, as our government officials move us as a society gradually back into a more normal pattern of life, we just ask in Jesus' name that you would grant them wisdom.

[29:49] That they would not hold back more than needs to be held back. that they would not let go more than needs to be let go. But that there would be balance and wisdom that comes from you.

[30:04] Help, Lord. Help, Lord, so that no one perishes unnecessarily. Help, Lord, so that all will be well.

[30:21] Help your people, Lord, the people of your creation, the people of your world to come to you. Strengthen the relationship between yourself and those who are strong in you already.

[30:37] Draw back closer to yourself, Lord, those who have wandered away, those who are not as strong as they could be. and, Lord, draw to yourself those who do not know you or have never known you, those who have maybe turned away from you for whatever reason.

[31:00] Just draw your people to yourself, Lord. Soften their hearts and teach your church to pray for them and to always show kindness and mercy to all people.

[31:17] Now we pray that you will be with us as we continue to worship, as we continue in singing songs of praise, in praying, as you call us and draw us to pray.

[31:28] As we hear your word, let it wash over us and transform us. As we hear the message that will be brought this day, we just ask in Jesus' name that the message would be blessed and that most of all, Lord God, all of our worship would be a blessing to you.

[31:50] And so we pray together in Jesus' name the prayer that he taught us, praying it carefully, slowly so that those who don't know it well would be able to join in and those of us who know it well and pray it often, that we would have time to reflect on the words, to take to heart what we're praying out loud to you this day as your church.

[32:22] And so we pray, our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

[32:48] Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

[33:19] For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.

[33:32] Amen. Shall we hear from the Lord? Amen. Amen.

[33:57] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Today's scripture is from Matthew chapter 9 verses 35 through 38. Jesus went through all the towns and villages teaching in their synagogues preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore to send out workers into his harvest field. This is the word of our Lord. Thanks be to God.

[34:53] In the Bible there's a parable about a seed, a mustard seed. You see it here? It's a little tiny thing. You can't see it. Anyways, a mustard seed is a tiny little seed that grows into a huge bush and becomes the biggest plant in the garden. And then there's another one that says you mix in a little bit of leaven and you can mix it into it fills a batch of dough, 60 pounds. And that the kingdom of God is like that. It grows in us and it grows in the world around us until it becomes something huge. Like the Christian church that now has 2 billion, 2 billion people who believe in Jesus Christ. Starting from just a few people 2,000 years ago.

[35:39] And it changes us inside. My wife is planting a victory garden. Maybe you're doing this. I'm hearing a lot of people want to do this. We're building a little garden out by our lake home and she's going to plant little seeds in it. I don't know if you've ever done that. You go and you plant them in their little rows and you put them just the right depth down and then you water them and they grow into a big plant like cucumbers or beans or whatever. And they're this huge plant but they started with this tiny, tiny little seed. It says the kingdom of God is very much the same. Jesus went through all the towns and villages teaching in the synagogues proclaiming the good news of the kingdom. Proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and saying it's harvest time.

[36:31] The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. There's no shortage to God's blessing. God can bless beyond anything we can imagine. But sometimes it's a shortage to our faith and belief in God's blessing. The other day I was talking to my grandson. He said there was no food in his house. Now I know there's food in his house. And his mother was telling me about it and I said I remember a young girl who would go to the cupboards and open them up and say there's no food in this house. When there was food in this house. But they couldn't see the food because it wasn't the food that they wanted to see. Sometimes it's hard to see God's blessing in something we don't want to see.

[37:17] Like this little girl. Fine. No one leaves the table till you're finished. Fine. We'll sleep here. That's not how it worked in my house. Mom didn't go over to the refrigerator and get cheese and sprinkle it on so that we'd be happy. My father said you don't eat that food you're not eating until you eat that food. We might go all night. We ate the food. Whatever was put before us. And then he would always say this. Maybe you never heard this. You know there's people starving in India.

[37:54] And of course once in a while we'd be wise guys and say well put them in a manila envelope and ship it to them. You know the truth of the matter is we have had an amazing thing occur. When my father said those words to me 60 years 50 years ago 70 percent of the world 70 percent of the world did not have enough financial resources to purchase enough meals to feed themselves for the day.

[38:25] Now that number is 10 percent. 10 percent. We never believed it was possible to wipe out world hunger when we were kids. Now it was 70 percent of the world without food. And yet now it's 10 percent.

[38:42] Jesus fed thousands from a couple of fish and a handful of loaves of bread. God can make something out of nothing. He created the universe for us out of nothing. He created us from the dust of the earth.

[39:04] But it's not just about the bread we eat. In the book of Matthew it says Jesus answered it. It is written people shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

[39:17] Jesus went through the villages and the towns teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom. The good news or or the word we sometimes use is gospel which means good news. I'd like some good news. We turn on the television and it seems we see bad news.

[39:40] Something broken here. Something broken there. Something terrible here. Something somebody did wrong there. Jesus is bringing good news in the towns, in the villages, in the synagogues, out in the fields to everyone. Not a selected group. Good news for everyone. And sometimes, sometimes even the people who think they've already heard about Jesus need good news like you and like me. In John chapter 6, right after Jesus had fed the thousands, they came to him and they said, Jesus, our ancestors ate manna in the wilderness. As it is written, he gave them bread from heaven to eat.

[40:23] And Jesus said, very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it's my father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. And they said, sir, always give us this bread.

[40:41] And Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our physical needs, in our worries and concerns about our body and about our health. This coronavirus has us so upset that we forget that the real good news, that transformational good news, the good news where God changes us from the inside out is the gospel that he gives to us. I know that there's frustration and I know that there are people that don't have as much food to eat as they'd like. I've seen the people who are waiting in bread lines.

[41:27] I know that we have more people we're feeding in Niagara Falls this week than we were four weeks ago. I know that. But I have to tell you for many of us, it's not the fact that we're hungry in our bellies.

[41:42] It's that somehow something seems broken. We're frustrated. Our life just doesn't feel right. In verse 36, it said, when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them. And the good news is that God still has compassion on us. Even in the midst of our brokenness, our despair, our struggles, God cares about us.

[42:13] Harvest is plentiful. There's plenty of blessings. But not everyone has heard about it. There's a harvest in this world around that needs to hear about the gospel, that needs to hear about how God can change them.

[42:29] Because God can transform us and take us from glory to glory to glory. In Corinthians, Paul says, Now the Lord is the Spirit.

[42:41] And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who are unveiled faces, contemplate the Lord's glory. We're being transformed in his image with ever-increasing glory, glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

[42:58] The glory of God. And it changes things. It heals us. It heals us. It says that he went from village to village.

[43:09] Not only was he preaching the good news, he was healing every disease and sickness. When I get hungry, I can get kind of mean. I don't know about you.

[43:21] I get a little irritable. You know? I got an emptiness deep inside. And I've tried, but it won't let me go. I wish that was just about food.

[43:32] Because I can fix that. I can have a sandwich. I can eat some snack. But sometimes there's an emptiness, a brokenness deep inside of us. And the gospel can bring healing to that.

[43:45] Transform us. Even a lot of our physical sicknesses can be healed. When we're healed emotionally and spiritually, God has the power to transform our lives.

[43:56] Body, mind, heart, and soul. What a transformation it can make. When we're feeling broken, when we're feeling like our lives are somehow not right, and God can come in, reach in with the good news of the kingdom of God, and break through our brokenness, and give us the kingdom.

[44:18] The kingdom of God, which is a blessing that surpasses anything, anything that the rest of life can offer us.

[44:29] When I was very young, there was a play. It became a movie. We're talking about kingdom living. And I remember this song like it was yesterday.

[44:41] Allah was made a distant moon ago here. July and August cannot be too hot. And there's a legal limit to the snow here.

[44:52] In Camelot, the winter is forbidden till December. And exit March the 2nd on the dot. By order summer lingers through September.

[45:05] In Camelot, Camelot. I know it sounds a bit bizarre. But in Camelot, that is the way conditions are.

[45:19] The rain may never fall till after sundown. By 8 a.m. the morning fog must disappear. In short, there's simply not a more congenial spot.

[45:32] For happily ever aftering than here in God's kingdom. It's not a fantasy.

[45:43] It's not a song. It's not something we're making up. It's not us somehow giving you some false illusions of daisies and flowers where there's never any problems. It's the true power of the living God breaking into our lives from eternity to transform who and what we are.

[46:02] To heal our sicknesses, our disease, to break through our brokenness. And take us out of our sorrow and our struggle and our pain.

[46:14] And Jesus offers that. But so many people, they don't know about it. They've never heard about it. They've been listening to all those voices that talk constantly.

[46:28] Like the television going on and on and on and on and on and on and on. And they haven't heard the good news. So Jesus says, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

[46:44] The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. And it takes work. It takes work to grow a mustard bush. It takes work to knead leaven into 60 pounds of dough.

[46:59] It's kind of a tragedy that we're hearing about farmers who are actually plowing their crops under. Pouring their milk out.

[47:13] Letting the meat go bad. Because there's not enough work. There's not enough workers to process it. Do you know that 100 years ago, 40% of the country was engaged in agricultural production?

[47:30] Do you know what that percentage of the population is today? 1%. 1%. There's plenty of food. But there's not plenty of people to get it from the farms to us.

[47:47] That's the same with the gospel. We need workers. And it talks about how the people don't have shepherds. We need shepherds and workers. We need to ask God to send the workers and the shepherds for the people.

[48:02] So what qualifies someone to be a worker in the kingdom? What qualifies someone to be a shepherd? I have a Master's of Divinity degree.

[48:14] That's what makes me qualified to be a pastor in the United Methodist Church. In fact, I had to go through a three-year process of being reviewed by the Board of Ordained Ministry, too.

[48:25] Now, New York State says, if you can find some people that call you a pastor, you can be a pastor. So the state doesn't really have much rules about it. But our church does. Shepherds are important.

[48:37] Because without a proper shepherd, we have brokenness. It says, when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without shepherds.

[48:49] Or even worse, like sheep with false shepherds. Misguided, manipulated, abused. Sheep without a shepherd, they wander from the truth. They get mixed up in the agendas of the people who are trying to manipulate them.

[49:09] Sometimes it's hard to know what we believe about all this coronavirus stuff, isn't it? Should we just open up and see what happens? Should we stay closed for the next 10 years?

[49:22] Should we open the church? Should we keep the church closed? Should I wear a mask? I'm not wearing one now because there's nobody in the air around me. Should we wash our hands 15 times a day?

[49:38] Will we hurt ourselves if we touch our face? What's the truth? What's the cure? And it seems like truth always has an agenda.

[49:49] I can give you a truth that's always true. And it comes from the book of the Bible. And in the book of Romans, it says, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Everyone who calls out to God, everyone who calls out to Jesus, will be saved.

[50:08] Saved from brokenness. Saved from loneliness. He said, He will not leave us. He will be with us to the end of the age. Saved from our confusion, our fear. Saved from death itself.

[50:21] Saved from punishment. Saved from evil. Saved from evil. But Romans chapter 10 also says, How can they call on the one they have not believed in?

[50:32] And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? How can anyone preach unless they are sent? It is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news.

[50:47] So we need people who are sent. We need shepherds. We need people that are willing to make this a commitment of their lives. I have spent my entire working life and then some preaching the gospel.

[51:04] We need people who will be experts to lead us and guide us and help us to know where we need to go. We need experts to guide us out of the wilderness of the coronavirus.

[51:16] But we need experts to lead us out of the wilderness in our heart and the brokenness of our heart. So we need shepherds. Good shepherds. But there is a problem in our culture.

[51:26] When we hired the professionals, somehow we forgot how to do the basic things of life. I have never butchered an animal.

[51:39] Years ago, they all did. I have never processed wheat. I don't think I know how to make flour out of wheat. I don't know how to do it. I just don't know those things anymore.

[51:55] We need workers. We need workers that can do the things that we sometimes think belong to the shepherds, but they're simple and they're things that everyone can and should do.

[52:09] The interesting thing about kingdom living is back hundreds of years ago, all the kings and the kingdoms had one main goal, and that was that the kingdom would survive and thrive, that they would be self-sufficient, able to take care of themselves.

[52:29] I've got an old Boy Scout manual. I keep it on my shelf in my office. I've had this thing since I was a kid. Do you know why I keep it? It tells me in that book what I can go out into the fields and eat and what's poisonous.

[52:45] It tells me how to make a fire. It tells me how to do things that I don't know how to do anymore. So I keep it because if we ever get into like a complete meltdown as a society, I'm going to take that book out and I'm going to find something to eat.

[53:02] We've lost some of the simplest of skills, and we've lost them when it comes to sharing the gospel. You know, the early church wasn't started by a group of clergy persons.

[53:16] There were some fishermen and small business owners. There were some housewives. There were some folks that really didn't have much of a background in any of these things.

[53:31] But they knew how to share the story that had changed their lives and that had turned their heart to God.

[53:45] We need to do the same. Now, I know how to plant a garden. Maybe some of you don't. Because, see, when we were kids, everybody had a garden. We might not have been planting farms anymore, but everybody had a vegetable garden in their backyard.

[54:01] Everybody did. All our parents taught us how to plant. They taught us that you just put the seeds down a little bit, not too far. They taught us how to water. They taught us how to fertilize.

[54:11] They taught us how to make roast. They taught us how to pull out the weeds. They taught us how to make food. So I know my wife and I can do it. We've done it before.

[54:23] And I think other people need to learn the basics. Because when we get away from that too far, we somehow lose something of who we are. And it's not just about growing food.

[54:35] The basics of our faith. Now, some people say they have all this time. I don't have a lot of time. I'm not home just doing nothing. I don't have a lot of time. I'm very busy.

[54:45] I'm trying real hard. There's so much I'm not getting to. I haven't called all of you. I'm going to try. I'd like to. But the truth of the matter is, some of you do have time.

[54:58] And if not, you should make it. This would be a good time to read the Bible. This would be a good time to study what the Christian faith is about.

[55:10] In fact, you can even just go on the internet and you'd probably find out some good information. Just make sure it's not some from strange, weird place. Because there's false shepherds out there too. But the basics of our faith, praying to God and believing in Jesus Christ and being saved because we have a faith in Jesus Christ and we trust him to forgive our sins.

[55:31] This is simple stuff. You've all heard it. You've heard it from me again and again. And if you haven't heard it, God wants to forgive your sins. God wants to take away your brokenness. God wants to grant you life in eternity.

[55:44] But God also wants you to grant you life in this world and healing and health and power. And he gives us all that opportunity. All we have to do is turn to him.

[55:55] We should do that right now. Shall we? Dear God in heaven, I have sinned. I've not always been what you want. I get distracted by all the other voices.

[56:11] Help me to just hear your voice. Forgive my sins. Give me your Holy Spirit. Help me to live with you.

[56:25] And you in me. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. God wants to live in us. God wants to transform us.

[56:36] God wants to change us. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. It's glory. Glory to God.

[56:48] Absolutely. The truth of the matter is we can all do this. We can sit down and teach our family and talk to them about Jesus. When was the last time you had a real conversation about God with your children, with your brothers and sisters, with your parents?

[57:09] We can encourage our neighbors. We can share God with them in our actions and our words. We can go feed the hungry and help somebody who's broken.

[57:22] We can look for a place where we can reach out. And every week when we do these worship services, I go to the Facebook one because I know there's people there that I can communicate back and forth with.

[57:37] But I also push the share button. Every single time, I push the share button. All my friends, all my family, they all see that they can come to church.

[57:47] Now here's the interesting part. And most of the people in this church wouldn't even know it. I keep hearing about friends all over the country, family all over the country that told me that they watched the service.

[57:58] I just had a woman in North Carolina tell me that her son and his wife and children watch our service every week before they watch the Catholic service on the internet.

[58:11] I think that's great. Well, because we share it. You can share the gospel in so many simple ways. You don't have to go to seminary and become a pastor.

[58:23] God just wants you to take those little seeds and plant them in the hearts of somebody else. You're blessed. But not just blessed for you. You're blessed to be a blessing for others in this world.

[58:37] Verse 38 says, Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Ask God to provide workers and ask God to show us how we can be workers too.

[58:52] God, where do you want me to do your work? Where do you want me to do something different? In a little while, I won't be a pastor of a church anymore.

[59:05] That doesn't mean that somehow I'm not obligated to share about Jesus. That doesn't mean that in some way I don't have to tell people about what's transformed my life.

[59:21] I had a friend of mine, he said, he's looking forward to retire. He's a pastor. He said, I'm looking forward to retire. I'm going to get myself a pickup truck and drive around and tell people about Jesus instead of doing all the work of the church. That was kind of an interesting thought.

[59:33] You never retire from sharing the good news. We're never excluded from it. You don't have to be a professional. In fact, it means more when it comes from you than when it comes from me.

[59:50] There's no shortage of blessing. God can make something out of nothing. You see, we can see brokenness or we can see victory.

[60:00] We can see pain or we can see opportunity. Here's one of the most amazing things about this coronavirus thing. We have almost no one in the church when I'm preaching.

[60:13] One, two, three. But I know that more people will watch this worship service than I genuinely will see in these chairs if this was just a weekend in May.

[60:29] I can guarantee you that more people are now hearing about the gospel because God has caused us to do things differently. God takes our brokenness and makes it into blessing.

[60:42] God takes our struggles and makes it into victory. It's harvest time. We want to be a part of God's victory, God's blessing, because God can make a dream happen in your life and the lives of the people around you.

[61:02] When God dreamed, the stars appeared in the sky, the oceans appeared on the earth. Life came up from that earth and we were created out of a pile of dirt and became the amazing creature that God could make us.

[61:19] If God can dream and make amazing things like that happen, don't you think that through us the glory of God can spread to the ends of the earth?

[61:31] We all who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

[61:44] God's Spirit dwells in you. Now take that glory and make that glory go from glory to glory to glory for your life and for all the lives of the people you touch because that's a blessing that you can be a part of and God will make a dream happen through you.

[62:05] created from dust you came and you lived among us you took on our frame you walked in our faith now you're taking us higher you stepped into time you laid down your life to save us you took all our shame on the cross it was laid now you're taking us higher we go from glory to glory to glory we'll never be the same we'll never be the same we go from glory to glory to glory we're forever changed forever changed you called me your friend brought into your endless kingdom

[63:31] God Until we reach that day, God conquers everything We'll cry and anthem singing, Ho, re, ho, re And when we see that day, we're standing praise to you We'll shout and anthem singing, Ho, re, ho, re Until we reach that day, God conquers everything We'll cry and anthem singing, Ho, re, ho, re

[64:35] And when we see that day, we're standing praise to you We'll shout and anthem singing, Ho, re, ho, re You took off the grave So not even death can shake us The victor has won And heaven has come Now you're taking us higher Now you're taking us higher We go from glory to glory to glory We'll never be the same We'll never be the same You take us higher and higher and higher We'll forever change, forever change

[65:36] We go from glory to glory We go from glory to glory We go from glory to glory to glory You take us higher and higher and higher We're forever changed, forever changed All the colors of the rainbow All the voices of the wind Every dream that reaches out That reaches out to find where love begins Every word of every story

[66:39] Every star in every sky Every corner of creation Live to testify Live to testify For as long as I shall live I will testify to love I'll be with this in the sky And so to which I love With every breath I take We'll give thanks to God above For as long as I shall live I will testify to love From the mountains to the valley From the rivers to the sea Every hand that reaches out Every hand that reaches out to our feet Every simple act of mercy

[67:44] Every receptive kingdom come All the hope in every heart will Speak above as come For as long as I shall live I will testify to love I'll be with this in the silence When you're not in love With every breath I take We'll give thanks to God above For as long as I shall live I will testify to love For as long as I shall live I will testify to love I'll be with this in the silence When you're not in love With every breath I take We'll give thanks to God above For as long as I shall live For as long as I shall live I will testify to love The Lord be with you

[68:51] Lift up your hearts Let us give thanks to the Lord our God It is right It's a good and a joyful thing Always and everywhere to give thanks to God Even as we're in the midst of this crisis This pandemic We give thanks to God Because God can turn everything into a blessing I don't believe that God is somehow punishing us With this crisis, this virus I think that's just part of the world we live in However, I do believe that we can take this As I said, and use it to bring more people to Jesus Christ We can take this to show people the love of God in our hearts By helping our neighbors Some of you are still making the mask I think that's wonderful You should continue doing that I see that every time you make them Somebody takes them They're doing a lot of good out there Making a lot of people feel comfortable Being able to do what they've been asked to do

[69:52] People are still making chalk drawings They see them from time to time They make me smile if no one else There are many things that we can do To help the people around us To help people in our community You can give a gift if you'd like To help with some of the outreach ministry We're trying to do To feed the hungry We can pray Someone asked me Why aren't we praying for a miracle?

[70:19] Yes, we should pray for a miracle Dear God in heaven Take away this pandemic Take away this pain and this struggle Heal the broken Heal our land And help us To use this experience To turn closer to you, God Bless us In all that we do In Jesus' name Amen There are many things that God calls us to do Many things that we should be doing And in all that we are And everything that we do We should be turning our lives More and more over to Jesus That we can become glorified More And glorified more Our Father Who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done On earth as it is in heaven Give us this day Our daily bread

[71:19] And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive those who trespass against us 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 Lift high the cross The love of Christ proclaim Till all the world adore His sacred name Come, Christians follow This triumphant sign The hosts of God need

[72:23] Unity combined Lift high the cross The love of Christ proclaim Till all the world adore His sacred name Each newborn servant Of the crucified There is God God once lifted

[73:23] On the glorious tree As thou hast promised From the world to thee Lift high the cross The love of Christ proclaim Till all the world adore Till all the world adore His sacred name Till all the world adore His sacred name So shall our song of triumph Ever be praise Till the crucified Christ Christ And the love of Christ proclaim Till all the world adore His sacred name Till all the world adore His sacred name

[74:24] God adore His sacred name You know, for the past few years I've gone on a mission trip Where we do construction work And some people say to me Oh, you have to do that kind of work I said, you don't understand I love that work And when I get a young person there Who takes a tool they've never used before And I show them how to do something And I see the look on their face When they realize that now they can do I'm gonna go show my parents I can do sighting I can do demo I can paint I can do construction Their lives light up And my heart lights up When we share the gospel It's not something we do Because we feel obligated to do It's because when we share the gospel Amazing things happen And to see the light of Christ Light up in a person's heart Their eyes It's the most wonderful experience We will ever have We get to share the gospel Go and share the good news

[75:26] The good news That God has broken through the brokenness That God will take us out of this problem And this struggle And give us victory And take us to glory forever and ever Go in His peace Amen Mhm Woah , Thank you.