Worship Service

Okay, I'm going to this is the first time that I have spoken or taught a class or anything since cataract surgery. And what I am hoping and praying for is that I can see well enough to make it to the very end now so it could be a short sermon, you know someplace along the line perhaps you heard about then I had cataract surgery on both eyes. So that that just balance things out. I guess maybe you heard about the little Chinese John. And someone went to this little Chinese fella and said, do you have a cataract? And he said no, but I do have a Lincoln Continental. Now that is probably evidently too deep for you all and this morning and she'll let me Mark that not to use that again.

I have another little thing that's cute. I'll tell you to laugh after I tell it in the service, okay?

Tomorrow, it's everyone knows September 3rd is Labor Day? It has been recognized as a national holiday to honor the labor force of this great nation of ours. It all started on June 18th 1894. And since then we have celebrated this great day, but you know, we have other special days throughout the year. We have New Year's Day. We have Valentine's Day when Mother's Day went Father's Day and we have so many of these special days. And if you just think about it on every one of those special days like like New Year's day like Mother's Day like Father's Day. We always say happy whatever day it is to someone. But have you ever realized that all Labor Day we never say to another person? Happy Labor Day. Tell this is what I want you to do. I want you to either say to the person in front of you and back of you besides you turn and say to them at this time. Happy Labor Day.

Now you all did well. And I interrupted the whole service to get that done. Okay? Now think about Labor Day. We call it Labor Day. But we get by with just a little bit of Labor that we can do at that time. There are many people who have Labor Day Off. tomorrow But if you will go around town practically every store will be open today and tomorrow as well. now When we think about this day. There's not one of us that have received this weekend a Labor Day greeting card through the mail. It's just not done. We do not decorate our homes. or Labor Day We do not exchange gifts with each other on Labor Day the florist and the greeting card manufacturers. Do not capitalize on this day and yet we all agree. It is a very special day on the calendar year. I'll call the role of Great Men of God in the scripture. And what will you find? You will find every one of them becoming a great worker in the Vanguard of Our Lord. Look to our great Patriots and those who have made our nation a great nation. They were men who labored long and labored hard in order to do it look to churches that have exceeded numerically and you will find behind all that numerical growth. There have been a lot of workers and laborers to get it there. See there is dignity in being a worker no matter what you do in life, but you know what, our motto is. in America today let George do it. And George is getting tired and but that is our motto today. We all know some individuals that are very lazy. And I'm not speaking of those who have reached a certain age and life and just not able to do things anymore. Like they used to I'm not speaking of those who are shut-in are those individuals that are but I am speaking of that. We look around us every one of us can see these people who put out no energy whatsoever during the week. Mark Twain said one time you know how I will go out in the yard. And I will sit in my chair. And after I sit there a few minutes, I look around and there is my wife chopping wood. And he says this really bothers me. So I get my chair and I go to the other side of the house and I said

You know, we would love to know. Many events that took place in the life of Our Lord. After his birth and until he reach 12 years of age. There's 12 years. That we don't know a thing about Jesus life. We do know this that day by day. He lived in his home with Mary his mother. and with Joseph and Joseph was a carpenter. But at the age of 12 you are young man at that time. It was an important age. You become at the age of 12 the son of the law and you have all the obligations of the law appalling you for that year until you reach age 13. And those responsibilities are many but they go along with the law of that day and the responsibilities of that day, but their birthday. You are accepted as a full son of the law. And the Jewish law required every male. buy every adult male physically able to leave their home and to go to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. And sometimes the entire family would go along the mother the Father the children and all under roof would travel to Jerusalem cephas. What's a great historian? And he reminds us that at the Passover time that Jerusalem that the population there at that time with a seed about 2 million people all day during the Passover. No at the age of 12, we see Mary and Joseph and Jesus going to Jerusalem. Let me read for you passage of scripture and I like for you to follow it in your Bible or in the Pew Bible where it don't have it on the screen. I just wanted you to look at the printed word. So the second chapter of Luke, we begin with verse 41 and we talked about this story. Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover when he was 12 years old. He went up to the feast according to the and after the feast was over and while his parents were returning home the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, and they were unaware thinking he was in their company. They traveled on for a day then they began looking for him among the relatives and Friends. Where they did not find them they went back to Jerusalem to look for it after 3 days. They found him in the temple chords sitting among the teachers listening to them. And asking them questions now know this Jesus is 12 years of age right now. And what is he doing? He is sitting among the Learned people of that time. He was listening to them and he was asking them some questions everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers and when his parents saw him they were astonished. And his mother said to him, son. Why have you treated me like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you. Anderson's ask him a question. Why are you searching for me? Don't you know I had to be in my father's house. But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went to Jerusalem with them. He was obedient to them but his mother treasured all these things in her heart and Jesus grew in wisdom and statue and in favor with God and man. Now we have a great lesson in those for you verses of scripture. I think the thing that we noticed the most about it. Was that Jesus at the age of 12. Had his priorities in line. He knew exactly the direction he was going. He knew what he was going to do with this life. He was going to be obedient to his heavenly father and he never backed up and you never look back and regardless of your age and my age. Let me remind you. It is never too late to get your priorities in life. No matter what age you are and you'll get more done that way well from the age of 12 Jesus understood this perfectly. He was waiting for that age to come. I look at our young people today. We start thinking what did Jesus do during this time? Well, I would say he was average young person during that day, even though he was living with Mary and Joseph. And I had some chores to do around the house and out in the field. And I would say that Jesus worked. We have young people today. Who had chores to do around the house whether they do them or not, but they still are giving chores to do. And they grow up. Would that Remembrance in their mind as I was growing up and living at home? My mom or my dad they had some work for me to do. And I became a better person. Because I accepted those responsibilities and I did them to the best of my ability. So we do the same thing in our lives. I hope and pray as we become laborers for the Lord, you know, I have I developed at about the age of 16 a good work ethic. And I have held on to that work ethic all the way through my life every Ministry that I had. I work hard at that minister. And many times not all the time, but many times should really produced because I was putting my all into that Ministry for over 16 years 16 years plus since I accepted the position as senior adult Minister here. I have done exactly the same thing. I have worked hard with our people. I have called on them. I've been by their side we have had programs that they have a nice self have enjoyed. We have taken some really great trips together. We have just gone from that point on to the present hour. And everything has worked fine last month. We had 53 in our senior adult meeting in August. And now this coming month. Let me tell you what's going to happen on the 18th of September. We're having a tremendous quartet in and they will be with us Victory Road Gospel quartet. And so late they have been with us before and if you would like gospel music and quartet music and you need to come and be with us at 6:30 on that month. I have observed all the way from the time. I met her that she also had a great work ethic. How did she develop this? He was raised on a farm. And her daddy make sure that some of the children that were still at home at that time worked on that far. And if you have ever worked on a farm, which I have not. But if you have you know, it is hard work Mighty hard work to do and it's a young person you would rather be out doing other thing. But I'm so young person with your dad. Heading up high Farm. You did what your daddy told you to do? And so she learned that at an early age. And the and just held on to it all through this all all through her life. Her dad was an elder in the church. He took his job seriously being an elder in the church and she was church pianist and that's how we met. I went to her church. They sent me from school to preach on the weekend. And so I was I went there not knowing anybody or anything and scared to death and I'm at two men they were sending out of the tree in front of the church when I got there and I woke up and introduce myself to them. I'm one of them looked at me and he says are you going to become our preacher? I said well, we'll see you later cuz I had to vote on you though, and and he looked at me and he said you look pretty good to me. But you're pretty pale and here we worked on the farm all the time there. But anyway.

There were two things that Helen made a resolution to resolution. She had as a young person growing up number one being the church pianist there, of course, but number one. She did not want to marry a farmer.

And that worked out. Well, she didn't. Number to she did not want to marry a minister. The one out of two one two bad and so but then at the age of 45 approximately when we were living in she went to Jefferson Community College, which is under the under the umbrella of the University of Kentucky after graduating their two-year. She transfer to U of L. And I told her I said when you transfer to U of L, just don't tell anybody where you go to school, you know, just keep that word U of L out of the way, but she did well and who were those next two years and got her undergraduate degree. She went on from that point with her master's and then from that point she became a social worker at Our Lady of Peace and Love. So she had a good work ethic from the time that she was in the tobacco business in Lawrenceburg are in Anderson County. Okay. Now, let's think about the Christian. and our work ethic How strong is it? How much do we put into our life as a Christian laboring for the Lord and his church? Now I coach a good coach always talks to his team and he says to them whether it's basketball football or whatever. I want you to get 100 and 10% of your time. wissports

how about it in the church? I believe the Lord would say the same thing to us today. I want you to give a hundred and 10% of yourself to me as a laborer with the church. now

for the last to work diapers We have had a great outflow of our people coming and laboring for the Lord, but not just then. I have seen many individuals during the week when I'm at church. Here working doing some tasks for the Lord and the church and let you know at the same time. We still have people sitting on the sidelines. Not putting out and could put out. For the Lord and so let's try and do this now. the employment office Hillandale Christian Church

And we are looking for people. You do various things within the church. And one nice thing about this if you go to Employment Agency to get you a job, they ask you to fill out all these forms that you got to fill out. What kind of job are you looking for? This that what flowers do you want? But in the church, it's really neat. Because you are free to work morning or not. You can choose the day. That you want to work during the week. And also the type of job that you want to do so I have put these in some categories. Because what we're talkin about today. We are honoring the labor force of our nation in the type of work that people have done. And we are talking about the laboring force. For the church and pour our Lord this morning also. Now there's manual labor that you can do. And you may look around and you say well I have no idea under the sun. What age to be done? Well, I have the answer to your problem. Kelly Chapman is heading up doing a great job coordinating everything here at the church. And all you have to do is pick up the phone and call Kelly and I'll tell you where than 10 seconds. She will have a position for you that you can do. She has been very successful not only doing this but I have noticed I have noticed she is also very successful in keeping Morgan in line. That is tougher. That is tougher than the job here in church. Okay, say you're interested in the youth program of the church and we all are but maybe you'd like to work there. Let me tell you what you can do in the jobs available. lea-ann was organized to the nth degree and a dedicated Christian individual to her job. She takes care of the young people from birth through the fifth grade. Nick was ordained to the ministry last Lord's day and a great service. And Robbie did a good job. Just giving him the send off. In the ministry for our Lord, he's already doing a good job with our youth program. And he will continue to do that and even more and then in the years ahead. I just really believe that he is going to be an outstanding Minister for many a church and then so he takes care of the young people from the 6th grade through High School. Know if you want some spiritual work to do.

The work within the spiritual aspect of the church. All you need to do is see Robbie. And Robbie will give you a job to do if you are interested in senior adults. And you see me and I'll see that we have a job for you. Then we have senior adult places around the city of Lexington and the Regent and their Sarah Village. They're always looking for volunteers. If you pick up the phone call Sharon Bailey and ask them for the activity Department talked to Marsha and she'll give you a job. If you're interested in Mayfair Manor, our own bill Hilton is assistant in marketing. You'll find a job for you. There's BJ Tracy. They have two beautiful lovely Assisted Living places in Hamburg and in Frankfurt and you can volunteer at one of those places. There's meals on Sunday to go downtown. You'll see Gary Blake and he will put you in that position to be a worker we go 3 out of 4 weeks the route for Sunday's There's music and Eren Levi music program and we have the praise team right here on the platform that you see every week. And so if you would like to get involved with the music of the church and his will take care of you. There's Grieder Jeff Cook has up a whole program all by himself, even though he spends half of a year in the state of Texas. He still gets the job done here. There is a mission program and Marlene Morton. That's great job as chairman of that Gary is on Gary Blake is on the committee. David Foster is on the committee. I dunno As I examine our mission program for the church our size. We have a tremendous Mission program helping many many people not working, but people are working. And our people our labors for the Lord and doing some things and I'm not saying everybody is a labor but I say those who can are really doing their part to get the church moving in the direction that it should do and have that the job done well. Bob left anybody out or any category out just overlooked it if you would please and don't come to the door and say hey you left me out. And I say what my fault it was Jeff. Okay, now look too successful churches today. Successful churches are growing numerically with a well-oiled machine like a well-oiled machine. And then if you should ask any of the leadership of that church, what do you attribute this to? They will say number one the Lord. Number to hard work it takes hard work. For the church to grow and be what we wanted to be. Listen to Jesus. He said I must work. The Works of him who sent me while it is day the night is coming when no man and work again. Jesus said my father is always at his work to this very day. He said I too am working till Jesus was always busy in the ministry. beat remember choosing the 12 boiled man that he saw he saw the leadership in these 12 met and he walked with them and he talked to them and he talked them. And I really produced all except Judas went off, you know on the wrong end of things but these other men produced because they had someone who was the leading them and talking to them and praying with them at all time. Now, what did Jesus say when you chose these men and some of them were fishermen? And Jesus said to those man who were fishermen follow me. And I will make you to become Fishers of Men and this is what evangelism is all about. No, what did Jesus's underwrite his ministry with? Very simple go to the Bible and it will tell you. prayer some nights Jesus spent all night long on a Mountainside in prayer. When he was with his people. He was praying. He taught them to pray also. And finally the day that Jesus went to the cross. and you suffer and he died upon back cross for your sins and for my And then on the first day of the week, he was a resurrected Lord of life. He stayed on the earth for 40 days following his resurrection and then He went back to heaven. and then one day he is coming again. Talk to him. We talked about him at the age of 12. Talk about his birth and how exciting it was. Then we talked about his ministry about 3 years is all that he spent but look what he did in that Ministry of his so when we go to the church today, we listen to the Apostle Paul who said we are laborers together with God, you know, what a lot of people say, I can't do it by myself and you don't have to say you are a part of a great team. And the Lord Jesus is our leader. He is our captain. He is our coach and he did everything just like I wanted it done. We have the same thing in our life today. Now the responsibility we know. Being in the job Force we know. But then we have to say well I will accept that challenge. And I want to do more for the Lord and his church than I have ever done before and I want to be a better Christian tomorrow than I am today. And with the Lord looks down upon me. I want him to be proud of what I am doing for him. I want you to listen carefully to this. And I've been in the ministry a long time and I've seen a whole lot of thing. Hillandale Christian Church is not going to grow spiritually and numerically. Until we are motivated. And on till we are workers in the Lord's Kingdom. And once we get to that point in life and the entire church working together as that goal in life. Then we'd start watching things happen around us all day long, but it's not true of just Hillandale. It's true of any church that you can name wherever that church maybe. So what I have tried to do it just to motivate you a little bit this morning about these things. Interception goals in your life to be a worker and and that you intend to do more than you did yesterday. You know, we should be so thrilled. that the Lord Jesus Christ allows to become a worker for him.

Now aren't we should be very thrilled about that now remember when Jesus? Just before he ascended to go back to his heavenly father. He gave us some work to do. And we call it the Great Commission. This is how the church grow personal evangelism. Let me ask you this. How long has it been since you spoke to someone else about being a Christian?

Probably a long time for some individuals maybe not too long for others. But we put the Great Commission into action now I walked away from home this morning without my watch. So I borrowed Bill Smith's which is still running. and see what I do. I really don't pay a lot of attention to time. I just preach until my last page. That's what I do. Okay. Now this is what you very sad. Luke chapter 10 First to Jesus said the Harvest truly is great. But the laborers are few, isn't that sad? The Harvest is great, but I don't have enough people who are laboring. And so he gave to us this commission and this is the marching orders of the church. Listen to it. Then Jesus came to them and said all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Therefore Go Make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything. I have commanded you and surely I will be with you to the very end of the age. Now you are not going to win every person you talk to. I am you're going to be nervous about it to begin with. I have approached homes and I had just pray the forever ring the doorbell to talk to someone about the Lord. I have just prayed give me the strength and the words to say to them and it is or nerve-racking thing, you know it until you really until you really get used to it. And I wish that every person that I have ever talked to about the Lord would become a Christian but guess what I did will get the percentage but not every person will come and so when we connect I want to think about this when we connect with people in evangelism. You are speaking to someone who is going to spend an eternity in heaven or in hell. That's how serious this is this person that you're saying. I want to tell you about Jesus. I want you to accept him as your personal savior. I want you to be immersed with him and water Graves of Christian baptism. I want you to rise to a newness of life and before doing all this you will make a good confession of faith. I wouldn't it be wonderful if every person.

That we talked to become a Christian, but I don't get discouraged. I'm tell you right now they won't. Will it be marvelous? If every Lord's day when we extend the invitation? In our worship service that we have people every Sunday at least one. Every Sunday that would step forward. I more, these how and accept Christ or transfer membership already immersed believer in the Lord Jesus and you see at Hillandale what you want to see and you like it you want to be a part of it and you can move your membership. Don't need a letter don't need nothing. Just whatever you say goes. So. In just a few minutes. We are going to extend that invitation. Now when you speak to people as an individual to another individual do it in love. Do not put pressure on people. Now. This is a true story. There was a man who said telling the story of others to others. He says, It's time when all know we have a new Minister who came to our church. I was not a Christian. And every time I looked up he was all on my doorstep. And he was putting pressure on me to become a Christian. And you said finally the only way that I could get rid of him was to let him baptized me. And he said I did and he never bother me anymore, and I never do go back to church. Now that's that when we put pressure on people to make decisions and they do it only out of pressure. It's not the real thing. They're just getting rid of when are you can think of somebody today and Poplar you can talk to this week about the Lord now. What are we doing? We we talk to a person.

Is exactly what we are doing and in 1st Corinthians 3:6 Paul said I have planted Apollos watered. God gave the increase the Lord. We don't have to worry about a whole lot of things. So let's all of us just decide today. Probably most people here are Christians. Well, let's decide today that from now on every day. I'm going to pick up the cross. And I'm going to follow Jesus. And I'm going to become a great Labor in his kingdom. And I'm going to do what he wants me to do. I'm going to close this morning with probably one of my favorite illustrations. And as I am sharing this with you the praise team can come forward to get ready for our invitation. There was a little girl. That was out on the great Streets of London, England. And became lost.

A policeman went over and saw her. He asked her her name and her address what she knew her name. But you did not know the address. I'll go home or even the name of the street. And so he continued to talk to her and he mentioned several other places around town. That was well known in the London community. And those places that he mentioned. piano aware of that whatsoever And finally all at once he thought of Charing Cross. the great cross that is there in London, England. And everybody knows about it. And her little eyes lit up. And she said oh, yes. Take Me To The Cross And I can get home from there. Take Me To The Cross and I can get home from there. My friend if we intend. to get to heaven guess where we better go first to the cross. Lacrosse till this morning. We're offering our hand of decision. Perhaps there are those individuals here today that have never accepted Christ as Lord and Savior you had never been buried with him in the baptismal grave you now need to do so are sometimes in the future to give some thought to becoming a Christian. The invitation is also extended to those who are in Christ was he going to church home and we would be more than wealth right here at So this is what the invitation is all about. We also have individuals that will be around those in the auditorium in the back and then the front that if you have a prayer concern they will be happy to meet with you and will pray with you concerning that so as we sang together if there are those who need to come to come if there are those who want to become Christians if there are those who want to move their membership and if there are those who need to be with someone for prayer this invitation is extended to you as we stand together and as we see