Preach the sermon everyday - if necessary, use words

"Preach the sermon everyday - if necessary, use words”    (Pres. George H.W. Bush)

For our editorial lesson today I’m going to continue with some thoughts regarding our Christian walk through whatever portion of this new year that the Lord allows us.  My thoughts here today are about being preachers - all of us.  I know, you can’t get up in front of an audience and speak, even though you might surprise yourself if you tried, but, there is another way of “preaching” that all can do.  And the rest of this lesson is aimed at showing you how this is done.

You see, one doesn’t need to physically mount a pulpit in order to preach a sermon.  One doesn’t have to stand before a class in order to “teach” a lesson.  It’s because we, as Christians, are “preaching and teaching” sermons and lessons everyday of our earthly lives by how we conduct these lives.  And remember, by our conduct, we can “preach” either a good sermon or a bad one.  And wishy-washy (lukewarm) sermons are in the bad category.

There are times when all of us need to be inspired and/or encouraged and where we get those things is from others, isn’t it?  But, that can be a two-way street, can’t it?  IE: We want to be “encouraged” not “discouraged.”  By the same token, as Christians, we want to be “encouragers” and not “discouragers.”  And that’s the general thrust of our lesson here.

Sometimes we use an oft said metaphor when talking about “encouragement” and how we’re affected by it.  It’s referred to as a “shot of adrenalin.”  Think of it this way - medically speaking, where does adrenalin go when it’s administered?  Right to the heart, doesn’t it?  Isn’t that why we say that we “take heart” when our spirits are lifted by being encouraged?

What we need to understand is that each and every one of us can do some “spirit lifting” for others by encouraging them.  And, we can do that by “preaching” a sermon.  One that others can see and be inspired by.  They can have their “heart lifted” by our “sermon.”

Or, we can look at it in the way the Apostle Paul described it in 1Cor. 16:28.  There he’s talking about some of the brethren and how their conduct affected him.  He said they, “refreshed my spirit.”  He also reminded them that they should “acknowledge ye them that are such.”  (KJV).  That simply means that we should show our appreciation to those who encourage us and “refresh our spirits.”

So, how do we preach our sermon?  Here is one thought - Did you ever consider that faithful attendance to worship service and other church activities to be a way?  As an illustration, let me tell you a little story that certainly had a positive effect on the original author of it.  He was an American serviceman stationed in Germany at the time he witnessed this “sermon.”

He said that one Sunday morning, a bitterly cold, rainy and snowy day in November, he had almost convinced himself to stay home from the church services due to the weather situation, but he remembered that he was the only song-leader at the time, so he bundled up, caught a public bus that would take him near the church building.  It was while riding on this comfortable and warm bus that he saw the “sermon” that had such a lasting impact on his spiritual life.

While riding towards the church he looked out the window and saw an elderly couple struggling to walk on the sidewalk.  He recognized them as being members of the church where he attended and that they were headed in that direction.  He knew that the man was in his 80's and blind, and his wife was 75 and was crippled in one foot. 

He also knew that they had very little income which explained why they were walking instead of taking the bus as he was doing.  But, despite their age and infirmities, they were trudging as best they could through the terrible weather to attend worship service.  He said that what they “preached” to him that day was a sermon showing their love for the Lord and their desire to do all they could to not “forsake the assembling” with their brethren.  His spirit was lifted by this “sermon” and it has remained in his heart since then.

Brethren, all of us should aspire to be “walking preachers.”  Think about it a moment.  In the realm of faithful attendance, aren’t there “walking sermons” all around us?  They’re “preached” by some walking with crutches, with walkers and even some in wheelchairs.   They’re “preached” by those who barely have enough strength and health to get out of bed, get dressed and make it to the assembly location.  They “preach” to me and they inspire and encourage me.  They “lift my heart” and they “refresh my spirit.”  God bless them.

I firmly believe that this is the reason that God designed the structure of His Church to be a “body” - a family or a congregation.  So that we can “preach & teach” to each other and thereby receive that encouragement we need.  So that, like Paul, the brethren can “refresh my spirit” and I, in turn, can do the same for them.

Consider it this way: if I forsake the assembly, I am neither encouraged nor do I encourage others.  We all have a duty as members of “the Body” to “preach” our sermons, not only to our brethren, but to all about us with which we can have influence.

Let me give you another short example of “preaching” by example.  In 1953, in Chicago, a large group of dignitaries and media gathered to welcome the Nobel Peace Prize recipient.  The train pulled into the station and the honoree, a tall, imposing man with a great bushy head of hair and mustache, stepped off. 

The cameras flashed and the officials all started telling him what a great honor it was to have him come to their city when he just walked through the crowd around him and went over to an elderly black lady struggling with two large suitcases.  He helped her get on board, wished her a safe journey and then returned to the officials and the press, apologizing for keeping them waiting.

After witnessing what Dr. Albert Schweitzer had just done, one official said to a reporter, “That’s the first time I ever saw a sermon walking.”

If you happened to need a resolution for this new year, let me recommend this one.  Let’s resolve to be “spirit refreshers” to our brethren and “walking Gospel sermons” to the world around us.

And now, let me close this lesson with some words penned by another well-known author,  Edward Albert Guest and his poem entitled, “Sermons We See.”

 “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.”

Ron Covey

What the Bible says about grandparents

To Grandma With Love"

On January 13, 2015, a precious lady by the name of Annie Laurie Henderson, passed away.  She was 92-years-old.  She is survived by three children, six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and a host of people who loved her dearly.

One of the nine great-grandchildren, Mallory, age 14, asked to speak at Ms. Annie Laurie’s funeral.  What would a great-grandchild separated by 78 years in age have to say about her aged great-grandmother? 

She had some wonderful things to say!

She spoke about how much her great-grandmother meant to her.  She mentioned some fond memories of:

listening to Englebert Humperdink and dancing together playing Boggle,

conversations about life “in general.”

She also spoke of the lessons that she learned from her great-grandmother.  Here is some of what she said:

“Grandma Henderson was the sweetest and most religious woman I have ever met. She devoted herself to God 100%.  One day she told me a story about her wedding day and how when she wore her white dress; it was pure and true.  She stayed true to God and for that, she had no shame or regrets on her wedding day.  That really sunk in with me.  It made me want to be just like her and stay true to God also, so that on my wedding day I will be wearing white because I was pure and true to God.”

Can a 92-year-old woman have an impact on a teenager?  Mallory says, “Yes!”  That is extremely significant when it comes to learning life’s most important lessons, like living for God.

The Apostle Paul was thankful for the mother and grandmother of his co-worker, Timothy.  He wrote: “ I thank God … when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Timothy 1:3-5).  Paul told Timothy that he “must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus”

(2 Timothy 3:14-15).

Thank God for mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers – like Eunice, Lois, and Annie Laurie – who teach their children and grandchildren about God and His will for their lives.

Thank God for men and women who love their children, grandchildren, and others so much that they tell them about the love of the Heavenly Father and how He gave His Son to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16).

Thank God for the elderly who will teach the younger how to respond to what Jesus did for us on the cross by placing their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turning from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).

Thank God for members of the older generations who take the time to teach younger generations about the importance of remaining faithful to the Lord throughout our lives (1 John 1:7; Revelation 2:10).

Perhaps YOU also have been influenced by godly mother, father, grandmother, or even a great-grandmother!

Won’t YOU allow those influences to motivate you to accept God’s offer of salvation and eternal life?

You will be so glad that you did.  And you’ll always be thankful for those who have helped teach you about God... just ask Mallory!

David A. Sargent

National Football League Super Sunday

"Super Sunday"

I'll need to be careful as I write this essay, for "Super Sunday" (the title of today's installment) is a registered trademark of the National Football League (as is "Super Bowl"). But since my work is not-for-profit, I think I'm safe.

The trivia in the paragraph above illustrates how huge football in general has become in America. But in case you don't yet grasp the enormity of the championship game that will be played this coming Sunday, consider these facts: (1) Last year's Super Bowl was viewed by more than 111 million, making it the most-watched program in television history. (2) A 30-second television ad will this year cost a minimum of $4 million. 30-second ads for the first Super Bowl (1967) cost a mere $40,000. (3) Sunday's game will be broadcast in 34 languages. (4) 120 footballs will be ready for the game, each of which, we suspect, will be carefully inflated (an inside joke for football fans!).

Pages could be filled with other facts and statistics which have been gathered by news outlets around the world. The point I'm trying to establish is obvious: This is one of the most-hyped days on the calendar. The world seems to stop in order to watch.

You may not be surprised to hear that I've never watched a complete Super Bowl game (not even via DVR). For one thing, I'm not a fan of football. But the larger reason is that, as a minister, I'm already booked on Sunday evenings, a schedule that clashes with the NFL's. Even if I were not a minister, I hope I would choose to honor my Lord by keeping my appointment to worship Him.

Jesus is the One who first made Sundays super. When Jesus came to earth, the Sabbath Day was the focus of religious attention for the Jewish people. All that changed after Jesus arose from the grave. Each of the four gospel writers are careful to note that it was on "the first day of the week" (e.g. Matthew 28:1) that Jesus' tomb was found empty. For all four to mention this fact underscores its importance.

Once the church came into existence, the focus of religious activity moved to Sundays for Christians. Luke tells us that Sundays were when Christians came together to "break bread", a euphemism for the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7). Paul urged Christians to "lay something aside" (i.e. make financial contributions) "on the first day of the week" (1 Corinthians 16:2). Documents written after the time of the New Testament show a universal practice among Christians to worship God on Sundays.

John began the Book of Revelation by noting that "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day" (Revelation 1:10); most are in agreement he was referring to Sunday, the day on which the Lord arose from the dead. If, therefore, Sunday is the Lord's Day, I will view it as a super day, regardless of what else may be taking place around me.

Timothy D. Hall

Stories about missionaries

WHEN GOD SAYS NO

     I heard a story about a young girl who wrote a letter to a missionary to let him know that her class had been praying for him.  But evidently she'd been told not to request a response to her letter because the missionaries were very busy.  So the missionary got a kick out of her letter.  It said, "Dear Mr. Missionary, we are praying for you.  But we are not expecting an answer."

     I can't help but think that that little girl summarized the prayer lives of many Christians. Sometimes we pray without expecting an answer, even though God has assured us that He does indeed hear our prayers.  David said, "I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications." (Psalm 116:1).  But I think many of us struggle with the nagging question, "Is God really listening to me?"   Yes, He heard David, He heard Elijah, and He heard the apostles.  But does He hear me?

     How do we really know that our prayers are answered?  Sure, there are times when we see visible results.  We may pray for someone who's sick and the next week they get well.  But more often, our prayers don't produce flashing "neon" answers.  We pray for help in financial problems, and we don't see things get any better.  We pray for guidance in making right decisions, but the decisions don't get any easier.  We pray for relationships with other people to improve, but they just seem to get worse.  How do we as Christians account for that happening?  How do we explain the fact that so many of our prayers seem to go "unanswered"?

     The truth is, for a child of God there is no such thing as an unanswered prayer.  Maybe you've heard it said before that God answers prayer in three ways.  Sometimes the answer is "yes."  Sometimes the answer is "no."  And sometimes the answer is "wait a while."  It's easy to accept an answer of "yes," but what about when God says, "no"?

     Let me suggest three principles:

     First of all, we need to trust God enough to realize that our all-loving, all-powerful Father loves us and has our best interest at heart.  So when it seems that God says "no" to our prayers, we must trust Him enough to understand that there must be a good reason for it.  It may be beyond our limited ability to understand, but we must simply trust God.

     Secondly, we must not forsake God.  Disappointment is a dangerous, powerful thing.  When we get the feeling that God isn't listening to us, that He has said "no" to some prayer, we have a tendency to feel disappointed in Him.  And Satan whispers to us, "God said He loves you, but He's not here."  And if we allow that disappointment to harbor in our hearts, it can drive a wedge between us and God.  We must continue to be faithful to our responsibility before God.

     And thirdly, we need to realize that the answer may not be "no," but only "wait a while."  God always answers our prayers immediately, but sometimes there's a delay in the giving of the answer and that can be a difficult thing for us to accept.  The ability to wait for an answer is one of the marks of maturity.  Be willing to let God answer in his own time, in his own way, and in his own power.

     Many people see God as a divine vending machine in which you deposit one prayer and out pops a blessing.  But what happens when you put your money in the Coke machine and nothing comes out?  You get angry, you kick the Coke machine.  So it's not surprising that such a view of God and prayer leads to disappointment when God says no.

     I believe that we need to foster an entirely different view of prayer from that one.  Our God is the Great God of the Universe, the Creator of all things that exist other than Himself.  For us to even venture to speak to Him is presumptuous.  For us to ask Him to pay attention to our requests and then hope for Him to meet them requires bold expectation.  In fact such would be arrogance if it were not for the simple fact that God tells us to do just that.

     Looking from the proper perspective, we will not ask "What happens when God says no?" but rather "What happens when God says yes?"  That the God of the heavens would listen to us and our needs is a great testimony to His great love for us.  And it is that love that will lead Him to say no from time to time.  At those times, we must trust Him knowing that he loves us and desires what is best for us.  We must never forsake Him nor our duty toward Him.  And we must realize that what we interpret to be an answer of "no" may just be God telling us to wait a while.

     "This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." (I John 5:14)

Have a great day!

Alan Smith