11-29-2020 -- Waiting and Watching
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Okay, it's okay. Are we ready to start then? I'm sorry for the delays. We've set up we are actually in my home office. Kendra has been setting things up so that we can better optimize the equipment that we have available in the resources. And I think you're going to get have a once we have all this worked out have a better viewing experience tells me to tell you that face life the face life link that I sent you yesterday is the go to link from now on we are especially for the watching the live event. It'll also be there is a recording we're trying to record on face like right now, but hopefully in the future we're going to be doing that for Explain and you will watch it on you can watch the live broadcast on face wipe but not on Facebook, but you can you watch recordings on Facebook.
So that's pretty much where we're at today and let me see. I've got him and Kendra's got me doing everything so I have to push buttons to make things happen and nothing's happening.
I pushing it. Okay, so we have the zoom Advent Bible study. Where's my notes Here. We had our first Zoom Advent Bible study when it was just a handful of people from Lindsay Lorenzo, but it was the day before Thanksgiving and I was late because my family is here.
And it all went well anyone from Ralls of Lorenzo is welcome to participate in the study and we're studying Christmas in the four gospels home for homes and Advent study. It's available for the Kindle on a van with a minute. I'm pushing buttons that are going there and not getting this to move this way. How do I get this to it? I'll go there. Let's see. It's available for the Kindle on Amazon for $8 or is a book through Amazon for 299 or you can get it is a Kindle book at the Kindle Store on Google Books at 89094 print books and that price at Barnes & Noble. It can also be ordered through coax Barry somewhere. I saw it for 399, but I don't remember where that was the Kendall it's not too late to get involved in session will be 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 2nd for more information or to get the zoom lamp link. Call Donna Campbell at 8:06 words.
Okay.
So there's there's a phone number for Donna Campbell. That's what you should have been saved. Okay. Now the Ralls mobile food pantry begins at 10 a.m. That's on Friday December 4th, that's earlier than usual cuz it's usually on the second Thursday. So take note of the day of the week in the date. Anyone who wants to come help distribute food to about low 100 low-income families is welcome to help and I can't get this to move again.
Why is this movie?
All right. Now we could try Gathering prayer. We're going to begin our worship with the Gathering prayer.
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No pushing the right button, and it's not going to gather in prayer.
See if this is working yet. It isn't working this.
Okay. Well, then I can't do this.
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So Gathering prayer?
abused the Gathering prayer It's not working. Yeah, this is not working Kendra. I just know what to do about this.
Will it need to be up from there?
Gathering prayer Nick's in them Okay. Sorry about this weekend. Got me set up so that I can be reading my stuff on one screen and we have another screen going and the mouse wants to inflict what I'm seeing what you're saying. Here's the Gathering prayer God of ancient times. We find your light in the Simplicity of lighting candles. We find your love in the coziness of familiar stories and songs. We find your joy in the pleasures of decorating and gift-giving and baking and passing on Traditions that were taught to us. We find Hope as we're reminded of our route so long ago of Old Testament traditions and promises and fulfillment from long before you came into our world as the Christ child this Advent speak to us from out of the old ways and help us to find you meaning here. And now as we wait for you Who wants was who is and who is to come and who is Our Hope? Almighty, God our savior. I'm in.
Are evident called worship and it begins today and during this season we're going to do something a little different when we worshiping in our church building. We would have an Advent wreath candle lighting service and different families in the congregation like
Later, we would have a call to worship during the Advent this year. I thought we continue those two pieces of worship. I sent out a notice earlier in the week inviting you to have a candle ready to light at the appropriate time. And any color are size or candle would be fine birthday candle or votive candle or a tapered candle stick. Whatever will do the Advent reading as a call to worship. Reading responsively as we usually do and you're the end. I'll tell us to light our candles next week when we're lighting to candles. You can just like the one you have or you can have two candles or whatever. So let's join together in our Advent called worship.
We light the Advent candle of hope we will like that in a second. Okay?
Will lighting a candle here, but the rain is blowing it out.
But here's the call to worship. This is the first Sunday in Advent today. We like one purple candle the candle of Hope and then join with me as we say Advent is a time of waiting and hoping we wait for the day when we celebrate again the birth of Jesus. We hope that everyone will come to know God and to worship God if ever there was a time we needed at this is the year. We hardly know how to describe the year. We have lived through we hesitate to reflect on all the mess around us in 2020. Enjoin all we know is that nothing seems right. Nothing seems like it used to be nothing. We need Advent. The prophet Isaiah cried out for us though that you would tear open the heavens and come down to make your name known it so that Nations might tremble at your presence. Superior Through The Mists. Oh Lord and come down to us again. We long to be your people of people of Hope. And now we're riding this first handle as a sign of our hope hope that you can meet us even in the mess of our world. Hope that you can still see us that we feel we are lost in the rubble.
Let's light this candle the candle of Hope. Let it be the guy that brings us to Immanuel once more.
And if you haven't already letting your candle will then you can like it right now.
As we look at the candle of hope, we know that God fulfilled Our Hope by sending his his son to save his people a baby come to Earth as a human God become one of us.
O come O come Emmanuel
inara first Hymnal we get back to where I'm at over here.
What are the traditional hymns sung in the first Sunday of Advent is O come O come Emmanuel because Emmanuel is the Hebrew phrase that means god with us or another name for Jesus. But the song uses other words for Jesus by Dayspring in his role bringing light to the world. And in the services were not singing today wisdom desire of Nations and root of Jesse's tree and that refers to the lineage of Jesus from Abraham and his children again grandchildren. Jesse would have been almost a dozen Generations from Abraham and he was the father of Israel's first King David. Jesse was the son of the Union between Boaz & Ruth the young winner who immigrated back to Israel with her mother-in-law Rachel. So Jesus himself was multi-generations later the grandson of an immigrant and the greatest king of Israel had ever known. Will sing two verses overcome O Come Emmanuel in the spirit of this season of waiting and watching as we long for an annual to come and help and bring hope to a troubled world.
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I start a trend that's not O come O come Emmanuel. This is what you put in here. Okay. Well, then we're not seeing you song.
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This is the only song you put in your okay, we're going to just skip to the next thing. I've somehow got the wrong song in there. Okay, I'm sorry. We're we're getting all this worked out in next week will be better. We begin in the Hebrew scriptures with Isaiah 64. So we've been in a bunch of other history stuff. And now we're in Isaiah the prophets the book of Isaiah is basically divided into three parts the year before the people were taken into Exile because they have done evil in the sight of God and worship other gods. It's terrible year. After they returned from Exile and an even later. From chapters, 56 66 the people of turn back to their old patterns and have forgotten God the prophet Isaiah cried out for God to respond like in days of old to rip open the heavens and come down the mountains like God was present with Moses when the people went astray Isaac Isaiah long for the people to remember God's ways to pay attention to God. Flavor God also Isaiah also asked God to forgive the people into not remain angry for they were still God's people. Here's what we read in Isaiah 64 1 through 9.
Nash make this work. If only you would tear open the heavens and come down mountains would quite before you like firing dining Brushwood or making water boil. If you would make your name known to your enemies the nations would tremble in your presents when you accomplish wonders beyond all our expectations when you came down mountains Quake before you. From ancient times. No one is heard. No ear has proceeded. No eye has seen any God but you who acts on behalf of those who wait for him? You look after those who gladly do right. They will praise you for your ways, but you were angry when we send you hit yourself when we did wrong. We have all become like the unclean all our righteous. Deeds are like a Minstrel rag all of us with her like a leaf our sins like the wind carry us away. No one calls on your name. No one bothers to hold on to you for you have hidden yourself from us and have handed us over to our sin.
But now the Lord you are our father. We are the clay and you are our Potter all of us are the work of your hand. Don't rage so fiercely Lord don't hold our sins against us forever. But gay is now on your people all of us.
And now we come to the part where we Center our hearts and prayer.
And I'll give a report on that we go back one more time. Me again.
Monty Roberts is still in ICU and Suzanne said his blood work is not looking good both red and white blood cells are low. So keep him in your family's in your prayers. I misspoke last week Steve Mitchell is not Gloria Mason son-in-law, but rather Gloria's son cousin son-in-law but continued prayers for him. And for Susan Kirk's brother-in-law Dennis Kirk the twin brother to Lorenzo's former Pastor who was scheduled to have his I see the different Bellator implanted just before Thanksgiving Susan felde Pastor Ken United Methodist Church in my lectionary partner and friend who has Povich doing better, but we'll keep her on the list for at least another week. Emily cook remains on our list as do the family of Norm Nema Fox ride the daughter of longtime Lorenzo members Bobby, Joe and Helen Jennings and Bobby Joe Brown's Fallon's daughter and son-in-law Diane and Jim broom who both have Kobe. New to our list is the Chuck Cake family the oldest son of Charles and Gwen Kate Chuck and the wife his wife. Alicia have coded present prayers for them and the kids who's currently don't have it that they don't get it for Rawls. Continued prayers for Justin Sproles the husband wanted to his co-workers and his wife Danielle. They both had previously but he is suffering extreme Cove it after her that since she is worried and drained from taking care of him continued prayers for dying O'Leary who had covid-19.
Joy of being together even if it's in remotely and virtually because we know that you are here in our midst and we praise you for that. We praise you for the healing that has taken place in the lives of these people and the sum of the miraculous stories of the people who been near death and who come back from that because it's you have brought them back and we pray for those who are continuing to suffer in that you would be with him help them to feel your presence be with their doctors as they minister to them. So help we pray for those ones who were taking care of them and their families and we just list all of these up and ask your blessings on them. And we just pray that they will feel your presence and know that they are not alone watch over them all and keep us we pray in Christ's name on them. And now let us join together in the prayer that are that our Lord taught us to say sing 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 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 as we forgive way. Deliver Us from Evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Now is the time for tithes and offerings. And as I said last week if you will send your offering for Lorenzo to the post office box or take it too early to be at Lorenzo pump. She's there on Wednesday mornings. If you have a offering for wall send it to the post office box.
please.
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It isn't you Junction of his letter to the church in Corinth Paul speaks of God's faithfulness. And as usual give thanks for the grace of God that has been given to the Church of Corinth in particular. He speaks of how they have been enriched by the spiritual gifts of God through Jesus Christ and spiritual gifts are a main theme in this letter from Paul Christ is the one who strengthens them and by God, they are called into the fellowship of Christ later on in this letter Paul will refer to the body of Christ with many gifts join these images together, but it's important to note that Paul says those early Christians in us coming later already have all of the spiritual gifts. They need as they await their return as a savior and that God has called them and us into a partnership with Jesus to do Christ work in the world hears what Paul says in 1st Corinthians 1:3 through 9. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always for you because of God's grace that was given to you in Christ Jesus that he is. You were made Rich through him and everything and all your communication and every kind of in the same way that the testimony about Christ was confirmed with you. The result is that you weren't missing any spiritual gift while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also confirm your testimony about Christ until the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful and you were called by him to partnership with his son Jesus Christ Our Lord. Are stepping him and hopefully this one will work better is my hope is built.
Since the Advent candle for the first Sunday of Advent is all about hope we're going to sing about hope for a second him. I hope some him books called this the solid rock but there's another ham with the same name and our Hymnal. So this one goes by my hope is built. The first line says it all we can't put our trust in any good things we do but rather on the righteousness of Jesus and what he did for us and when he does come back our wishes, it would be we found dressed in his righteousness and judge. Faultless Before the Throne of judgment. We put our hope in the solid rock of Jesus. Everything else is sinking sand. We will sing two verses
What is a sinking?
When is sinking sand?
Make this move.
Every morning the Hasidic Rabbi would cross the square on his way to the temple to pray. His journey was interrupted one morning. When a large Russian Cossack soldier in a bad mood accosted him and said in a threatening manner. Hey Rabbi, where you going the rabbi answered simply. I don't know an answer that infuriated the soldier. What do you mean? You don't know every morning for 25 years. You have crossed the Village Square and gone to the temple to pray. Don't fool with me. Why are you telling me you don't know he grabbed the old Rabbi by the hold and drag him off to jail. Just as a wrap. The Cossack was about to push him into the sale the rabbi turned to him and softly said you see I didn't know. His day had begun like any other day, but it did not turned out as he expected. We never know. What a day is going to hold for us. There's a different question, but the answer isn't the same when someone asks, when will Christ return with the climax of history and a new world order straight from God be introduced in the answer is we don't know the early church thought it would be in their lifetimes. It's been two thousand years. Why does the Lord Terry mini ask we don't know we should not be surprised at that. There is much in life that God has not revealed to us.
We don't we don't even know what tomorrow might bring much less the next few weeks or months for centuries. But as Christians, we know that day will come and was it a reckoning for several weeks. We've been studying Jesus. He talks about what the Old Testament calls the day of the Lord when Jesus comes back and All His glory and judges the People based on what they have heard and what they have done and I'm not done for the least of his children on the last Sunday of ordinary time or the time he made clear that in last week's lesson on the last Sunday of ordinary time. Jesus made clear that he would be waiting and watching for the day of the Lord that we should be and now here it is the first Sunday of Advent which is supposed to be out about waiting and watching for the coming of the Messiah born is a tiny baby. God come to Earth in human form. How can it be both perhaps that's part of the mystery of Advent. It's like living in the wilderness. What was and what will be Evan is about living in this tension remembering God's promise and depending on faith even though the promise meant land may seem far off.
We hold tightly to the promise of our God for he who promised is faithful. doing
wait a minute. I'm trying to move things that I can't move on.
Over a three-year. The revised common lectionary takes us more or less through the entire Bible. I follow the revised common lectionary is do many Pastors in the Methodist tradition and from many other denominations.
People are always asking me about the lectionary and why use it in. My basic answer is that I think this is the best way to take in the major stories in the Bible. I almost always preaching the gospel because as followers of Christ, I think that's what we need most to hear. It's also sometimes what I least want to preach on but following the lectionary makes me preach on the things I might rather or not. I wanted to talk about the election. Are you bit this morning? Because we're moving into a new church year with the beginning of a then and that means a new lectionary year and a new gospel writer the first year of the lectionary cycle week. We just finished last week covers Matthew beginning today. We begin a year-long look through Mark and Advent season of Luke of 2021 will find us in Luke. Those three gospels you really take us to the life of Jesus his ministry preaching teaching and healing his final days that culminated his crucifixion and his resurrection. They often cover the same Terry Joey but because Matthew and John were Disciples of Jesus, they had a closer knowledge of his thinking the workings of the Inner Circle and his interactions with a 12 Luke knew a lot about Jesus because he did a lot of personal interviews with people who have known him including extensive time with Jesus's mother Mary the only person besides Jesus who was present at the manger and at the cross Mary he was younger than Mark who was younger than you may or may not have actually known Jesus in person was the first gospel writer and also the writer of the shortest gospel compare his 16 chapters to John's 21 Lux 24 in Matthews 28 But there are four gospel. What about John? Will you may not and you may have noticed that John is different for one thing. He was an old man when he wrote the Gospel of John and he had plenty of time to think about all that. It happened in the better understand what it all meant. John was very deep. I need perhaps all the deeper side of Jesus than the others. Did he cover some of the same ground as the other Riders but also goes off in different directions. For example, John is the only gospel writer to give the seven. I am statements. Like I am the Good Shepherd. I am the gate. I am the bread of life passages from John or ends first throughout the three-year revised common lectionary cycle. the lectionary gives us for readings each Sunday through the three-year cycle one from the gospel readings from the Old Testament in general the songs in particular and the letters of Paul and the other epistle Riders that's a little bit about the common revised lectionary for your edification and explain why we're suddenly in Mark and we're starting and we're not starting at the beginning of Mark like
Here we are and we're starting we're not starting at the beginning of Mark like we did with Matthew. That's because Matthew and Luke begin with a birth story and Mark has no birth story mark one starts with the grown-up John the Baptist and moves quickly to John baptizing the grown up Jesus and food Christ adult life and Ministry in 12 chapters. Some of those do include some of the uses of confrontations with the religious leaders, but it's not until chapter 13 that we start seeing Jesus beginning to prepare the disciples for what ahead and is that start reading For Today Chapter 14, Texas quickly through the Last Supper his arrest a mop tile before this and he and Peter's denial of Jesus three times and chapter 15 is about his death and burial most Scholars agree that Mark himself wrote only eight of the 20 verses and chapter 6. That is apparently because Mark and most early Greek New Testament ended with 8 verses in which Jesus has risen from the dead and appeared to several women who were so afraid so afraid that they told no one about his resurrection and Edition 11 or 12 verses were later added presumably by the lake by the early church fathers to describe some other appearances saying sayings of Jesus and his Ascension and how its followers have gone out and proclaim the message everywhere and did signs which usually means miracles of Mark's gospel. Our lesson 4 day is actually near the end of Mark's gospel. We will begin with Mark next week though. However, it's clear now that we're on it about the same time frame in chronological is Matthew and that means that we're hearing the same message from Jesus, but with different words and 2 final Parables. Jesus is against speaking of the coming of the son of man. I am judgement in the importance of staying alert. He keeps saying that those exact words are used four times in this short passage. So it must be important enough on the background of the legendary and moving from Matthew and Mark. Let's read our lesson today from
One Direction
Okay the gospel lesson. So let me read the gospel. Listen to become dark in the moon won't give its light the Stars will fall from the sky in the planets and other Heavenly Bodies will be shaken. Then they will see the son of man coming in the clouds with great power and Splendor. Then he will send the angels and gather together his chosen people from the corners of the Earth from the end of the Earth to the end of Heaven learn this Parable from the Fig Tree after its Branch becomes tender and it sprouts new leaves, you know, that summer is near and the same way when you see these things happening, you know that he's near at the door. I sure do that. This generation won't pass away until all these things happen Heaven and Earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away. Nobody knows when that day or hour will come not the angels in heaven and not the son only the Father Knows. Watch out. Stay alert. You don't know when the time is coming. It's as if someone took a trip left the household behind and put the servants and charge giving each one a job to do and told the doorkeeper to stay alert. Therefore stay alert. You don't know when the head of the household will come weather in the evening or at midnight or when the rooster crows are in the early morning or Daybreak. Don't let him show up when you weren't expecting and find you sleeping what I say to you. I say to all stay alert.
And now I needs to be this one next line.
It's important to remember who Jesus was talking to all this time Jews there weren't any Christians yet and all his disciples were Jews. Jesus is using terms and pictures familiar to the people of his day and most if not, all of those terms and pictures come straight from the Old Testament primarily from the books of Daniel and Joel is well as the prophet Isaiah, but maybe of the images Jesus draws here come from Daniel. In fat John F. Long time prison is Dallas Theological Seminary said Daniel 7 provides the most comprehensive and detailed prophecy of future events to be found anywhere in the Old Testament and most of the images Jesus used in our passage in Mark come from Daniel 7 terms like son of man or a figure like a human man. Name the Jesus used to call himself the book also described for Beast that would rise up the traditional view espoused by John Calvin was at these despotic government represented Babylon need of Persia Greece and Rome are passage in Mark doesn't refer to the Beast what we find them mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament, especially in Revelation. Daniel says, the son of man would come on the heavenly clouds and be presented to God and would give him rule glory and kingship of where all all over all peoples Nations and languages that was all part of Daniel's vision and Jews. Jesus used Mini parts of it in today's Gospel lesson, but there are differences. The biggest difference is the location of Prophecy of the second coming of Jesus here on Earth. But in Daniel's Vision it all takes place in heaven with God Seated on his throne sitting in judgment and then Jesus appears the difference is that in Daniel Jesus appears in heaven before God. Where Jesus where is Jesus talking about coming to Earth from heaven? Accordingly? John Calvin saw Daniel's vision is a prophecy of Christ's Ascension to the right hand of God after the resurrection as supposed to being a prophecy of the second coming of Jesus from Heaven to Earth the time when Jesus will come to establish the reign of God on Earth and gather people from all parts of the together, but there's one more aspect of Jesus talking to the Jews the way he did William Barclay my expert on Jewish tradition says the Jews never doubted that they were the chosen people and they never doubted that one day. They would occupy the place in the world in which the chosen people as they saw it deserved and we're bound to have in the end. They have long since abandoned the idea that they would ever win that place by human beings and they were confident that in the end God would directly intervene in history and win it for them. This day of God's intervention was called the day of the Lord before that day of the Lord there would be a time of Terror and trouble when the world would be shaken to its foundation and judgment would come but many be followed by New World in the new age and the new Glory it is in this context that we need to look more at what Jesus is saying.
First of all, there's a timetable of sorts in those days after the suffering of that time. The Sun will become dark in the moon won't give it's like the stars will fall from the sky and the planets and other Heavenly Bodies will be shaken. Jesus said one reason early Christians about Christ would return soon was because they interpreted after the suffering of that time to mean the Roman persecution of Christians with the persecution eventually ended but Christ Second Coming didn't arrive there have been suffering some prosecution down through the ages. Sometimes perpetrated toward Christians and sometimes by Christians, but Christ hasn't come back yet when there were eclipses of the Sun or the moon people thought that was a sign or a shooting star. I read just this week then on December 21st Jupiter and Saturn will be the closest to each other in the last fifty five hundred years and that date corresponds with the date of the winter solstice and some pastors are saying that when the end of the world will come. Of course, I guess they never read what Jesus said about nobody knowing when it's going to happen and there been starting to people who've been set dates and sold all their possessions and went to some Mountain to wait that fateful day that never came but Jesus doesn't give us a hint. Look at the Fig Tree a cam plant of that time when the fig tree sprouts leaves everyone knew that summer was on the way so look for the signs and when you see those things happening the day when he will return is near now that's not spelled out here in March shorter version in Matthew 24, Jesus name five specific things. He foretells first the destruction of And that happened in 70 AD and the signs of the ages wars and rumors of ours Wars famines and earthquakes as well as heresy. This had to do with individuals claiming to be Messiah Leading the People astray or otherwise promoting false doctrines are heresies and Leading the People astray. The third son is persecution of those who claim the name of Jesus, but the good news is that those who persevere would be saved in the gospel will be preached throughout the world and then the destruction of the temple which happened in 70 AD and the subsequent devastating Siege of the city of Jerusalem during that horrible time almost a hundred thousand people were taken captive and more than a million men women and children died of starvation the historian Josephus Helsing The fifth thing Matthew describes is the coming of the son of man just scribed in today's to Parables about knowing when the day is coming and being ready for it.
Oops, you did for me.
Two Parables. The first is really short in Jesus called it a parable. He reminds them of what they already know about the fruit tree. What's the Fig Tree? And when you see Tinder branches and new leaves, you know that Summer's just around the corner and the Fig Tree is ready to produce big. That's the way you'll know that the day of the Lord is near when you see those things that is there have been wars and rumors of wars famines in earthquakes and pastors and other leaders trying to leave the people away for centuries, but that's all the reason to stay alert because we don't know when it's coming the Angels don't know Jesus himself doesn't know only God knows when that will happen and we need to be ready continuing continuing right up to the present. And then in the next 3 verses Jesus uses the phrase stay alert four times twice in one verse and three of those are injunctions this stay alert statements. This is import. Jesus thinks it's important. So we think we need to think it's important to this section begins with another Parable. But Jesus doesn't call it a parable. He does use the familiar wording though. It's as if someone in this case, it says if someone is taking a trip is similar to a couple of Parables. We said in the several past week in that case the person taking the trip put service and charge you gave each one a job to do. These are things you need to do before I get back and this is that what really this is all about. Jesus is telling his disciples.
That he's putting them in charge. He is giving them everything. They need to be able to accomplish the task and he is except expect any expectations that those things will be done when he returned in the section. The person taking the trip tells the doorkeeper to stay alert for his return but the next day alerts seems to be more generally directed not just to the doorkeeper but to everyone because nobody knows when the head of household is coming back. It might be early evening or it midnight or when the rooster crows or the sun's right. He doesn't say in the middle of Sunday afternoon, but I think that's implied. It's coming but we don't know when so we want to be ready. We don't want to be sleeping or not prepared for his arrival when Jesus comes back. He is very emphatic when he says what I say to you I say to all stay alert.
Keep awake or stay alert is found many times in Paul's letters and in the gospels and it always refers to living as Christ taught us to live and not going back to our old selfish ways when we live is Christ taught us to live obeng both the rules and the spirit of the Ten Commandments following his teachings in The Sermon on the Mount and elsewhere and loving others as he loved us. We will be ready for his return whenever that comes and we'll get a well done thou good and faithful servant when we don't live is Christ taught us live. We will be caught by surprise that it is returned and will hear get away from me you worthless servant. I told you and told you to stay alert to be ready and here you are not ready for me at all. Those last words aren't in their passage in Mark, but they're definitely in the Peril in the face one worthless service. We read a few weeks ago.
Another way we can respond in terms of losing our lives so that we can be ready is to say the words that our Lord to say the words that we've been taught about what we believe I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried the third day. He rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. And then she shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Spirit the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints the Forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body and life Everlasting. I'm in let's sing the Gloria patri.
well Why isn't play? Outlook at his dad's wedding That's why I didn't do it.
It's not yet.
We're on. Keep going. Okay, we goes as it was in the beginning is now.
It's always people are invited to be a part of this Community of Faith.
And our invitation Lindsay here.
Our invitation him is in a way about Hope and waiting and watching but it is less about our hope and more about Jesus. Hope for us in God's waiting and watching for us to truly act all the time. His people created in His image and its people called. Be in partnership with his son and accomplishing his will on Earth and to the extent that we have failed to be the people we've been called to be in failed to serve the people we have been called to serve. Jesus is begging us to come home and in keeping with our lesson today. The song says time is now fleeting moments are passing death-beds are coming and now is the time to come home earnestly and Tenderly. Jesus is inviting. Oh sinner come home. We'll sing 2 verses
I don't know why they won't raise up there.
I don't know the new Star Trek.
watching
calling
I noticed the first of all I thank you all for coming and I appreciate your being here. I noticed on the Facebook at Betty Cypress and Christy wilmoth are watching and I don't have your email addresses and I can I'm sending stuff to everybody and I don't have been sending stuff to you cuz I didn't leave your email addresses. So if you'll get in touch with me and let me know what those are the LIE 1940 at gmail.com, or call me at the church or my phone. 512-636-6594. That can't already did it. Okay, Henderson some stuff out on faith life Faith life is going to be our primary platform. I'm paying for it and we might as well be using it. And it has so many things that are available to it that where you see the slides and you can't see them on Facebook. So we're going to come and be adjusting over although you will be able to see the Facebook recordings after the fact but you will you'll need to be looking at it on face life and I'll send all those links out if I have your email address and link is in the comments on Facebook. So let's hear this word of benediction.
Father God you have been with us in the service, even though there have been glitches and problems. You still been here with us and you have spoken to our hearts and we just pray that you will help us in this week that we will stay alert that we will try to do a better job of living the way that you taught us to live and that we will always be ready for your return knowing that we have done the best that we could and that we will indeed one day here well done thou good and faithful servant. That's the goal of each Christian to hear those words when we get to heaven and so we just pray that you will be with us in this week and bless us and use us. However you have for us to be used these things. We pray in Christ's name on men.