Sermon Notes 24 October, 2010

Legalistic Fidelity or Heartfelt Compassion

 

Setting of the Parable

    An expert's question

    His dialogue with Jesus

    A final task to Accomplish

    Jesus' stunning reversal of the discussion

 

Structure of the Parable

First Three visitors    Come, Do, and Go

    Robbers did what robbers are wont to do

    Priest was not obligated to do good to a Samaritan who was not

        His neighbor and had no way of knowing this man was not

        a Samaritan

    Levite would have known the priest was ahead of him and had

        Done nothing so he was justified

Final Visitor        Come, Do, and Do

    Not "The delegation of Israel" the expert would have expected

    A heretic and a hated person

    He is moved with compassion for the injured traveler

        Cares for his wounds

        Becomes a servant to him

        Risks his own life to get the stranger to safety

        Provides for the expenses of his care

        Provides for him to get out of town after his recovery

 

Significance of the parable

En ethic based on legalism is inadequate in the face of human suffering

Our discipleship must lead to merciful, compassionate love

Any attempt to justify ourselves is doomed to failure

Failing to do good when called for is as sinful as doing bad

Jesus reminds us that we must become a neighbor to anyone in need.

Family Day Update

Sunday 31 October, 2010 is also Election day here in Tanzania. In order to allow our Members from Tanzania the opportunity to participate in the elections we will postpone our next regularly scheduled Family Day. The Following Sunday, 7 November is our Monthly congregational bsiness meeting. Family Day will be celebrated on 14 November instead of the fifth Sunday in October. We will have our usual bitings and tea, coffee and juice on 31 October and will observe and celbrate the Lord's Supper on 31 October. The only change to the schedule is the date of our next Family Day.

Sermon Notes 17-10-2010

The Shrewd Manager

 

Some Basic questions to proper understanding

    Who is the Master in Verse 8?

    Where does the parable end and Jesus commentary begin?

    Why would anyone praise a person who stole from them?

 

What did this shrewd manager actually do?

    Cancel his extortion in collecting the account?

    Actually give away the Master's money?

    Most likely he did a little of both.

    Dishonest may refer only to his general character and not

    the specific action for which his master praised him.

 

 

What does this say about how we should use Money?

All the resources we have should be viewed as a stewardship from God. This includes not only money but time, abilities, and skills as well.

 

The purpose of our stewardship is to make friends in heaven so they will receive us.

 

John Wesley's advice on money

    Earn all you can,

    Save all you can,

    Give all you can.

Sermon Notes 10 October 2010

The Lost Sons

 

The prodigal son tells of a father who lost two sons

    His younger son wished his father was dead

    The older agreed with the younger brother's sentiment

 

In first century Palestinian peasant culture the younger son's request was unheard of. Kenneth E Bailey, in the book "Poet and Peasant" writes about the significance of a son asking for his inheritance while the father is still alive. "For over 15 years I have been asking people from all walks of life from Morocco to India and from Turkey to the Sudan about the implications of a son's request for his inheritance while the father is sill living. The answer has almost always been emphatically the same. The conversation runs as follows.

 

Has anyone ever made such a request in your village?

Never

Could anyone ever make such a request?

Impossible

If anyone ever did, what would happen?

The father would beat him, of course!

Why?

The request means – he wants his father to die."

 

By his actions the younger son cuts his ties with

    His father    by wishing him dead

    His brother    by refusing to farm with him after their father's death

`    His village    by shaming his family and violating customs

 

What does it mean to be lost?

    Like the sheep    separated from the shepherd's protection

    Like the coin    unavailable for use in the kingdom

    Like the prodigal    lost contact with the father

    Like the older son    self righteous and unable to rejoice in the

                Repentance of one loved by God

 

What does the prodigal think he did wrong?

    He lost the money his father had a legal right to expect his son to

    Use to care for him in his old age.

 

He plans to become a hired servant in his father's employ

    Face the village and their hatred of him

    Pay back what he lost and provide for his father

    Give up any chance of restored relationship with his brother

 

What is the father's idea of his son's return?

    He restores him to full stature as a son

    He provides at his own expense everything necessary to restore

    His son to right relationship with everyone involved

 

What does it mean to repent?

    Not trying to earn your way back into good favor

    Not merely recognizing what you have done wrong

    "Repentance turns out to be the capacity to forgo pride and

    accept graciousness." DO Via

Changes to the Sunday Morning Routine

Beginning this Sunday and continuing through the month of October we will vary our Sunday morning routine slightly. We will not have Sunday Morning bible Study classes at 9:30 am for either adults or children. Morning Worship will start at 10:30 just as before. We will still have Children's worship just as we have been doing. There will be a slight change however in how this is done.
Children 3 years of age and younger will be in a class of their own with Lucy Wambugu teaching them. They will be in their class during the entire worship service.

Children will still be dismissed for Children's worship after the offering.

Children from 4 to 9 years of age will go to one class and have a bible study and worship time just as they have been doing. This week they will have a lesson on creation and God's love . Marla Hiatt and Arthur Robert will lead this section of Children's worship.
Youth from 10 to 13 years of age will go their own Children's worship section led by Audrey Yohanni. This is a departure from our regular routine.

We are trying this new routine for one month hoping to improve the way we conduct our ministry with Children. Our Sunday school teachers have been doing a great job with the children God has brought to their classes. We have had some difficulty in securing enough teachers to adequately provide for the needs of the children God has sent our way.

Ministering to children in the bible study program of the church may look like simple fun and games, in reality it is anything but. Preschool and primary aged children may not be able to discuss the theological concepts that are the mainstay of their parent's sunday school but their classes are critical for a variety of reasons.

Minsitry to children is ministry to parents. God has entrusted these children to the care and nurture of their parents or guardians. They are responsible for teaching them the things of God. Sunday School teachers work with parents in teaching critical concepts to their children. Concepts such as the trustworthiness of scriptures, God's love for them, that church members love them and want them to know God.

Sunday school teachers and workers also teach important information about the scriptures to their students. Think back to when you were in a children's Sunday school class. You learned the books of the Bible. You heard wonderful stories like Noah's ark, Daniel in the Lion's den and Jesus' miracles. You learned Bible Verses like John 3:16 and the 23rd Psalm. Important promises and announcements of Jesus love for you. Children's Sunday School workers teach a great deal of information that changes the lives of their students and sets the foundation for a lifetime of knowing and loving Jesus. It is imperative that we get this right.

In order to insure that we "get this right" we are going to focus on delivering a quality Children's worship experience. Our goal is for parents to feel comfortable entrusting their children to our teachers and the program we have developed. We also want to insure that children learn in an age appropriate manner the great truths of the faith that will shape their adult life.

Please be in prayer for our teachers and classes as they and we strive to provide quality bible instruction and discipleship for the children God has given us.

Sermon Notes from 3 October 2010

Be Diligent

Matthew 25:14-30

The Setting    Jesus' lengthy discourse on the end times

        This is the third parable explaining our need to be ready

        A Talent is not ability or skill but a monetary measure

        Each received resources according to their ability

 

This parable teaches us several key concepts about watching and keeping ready for the Lord's return.

 

There will be a lengthy period of time between the Resurrection and the second coming.

    After a long time in v.19 could be an age or a part of a man's life

    The servants in the story doubled their master's money

    The third servant was not surprised by an early return

 

Citizens of the kingdom are expected to work for the advancement of the kingdom.

    The first servant immediately set his master's money to work

    The unfaithful servant is called wicked, slothful and unprofitable

    His master allows him no excuse

    He faces a terrible doom

 

Rewards and punishments in the kingdom are based on how citizens diligently apply themselves to the resources of the kingdom which are entrusted to them.

    Spiritual rewards keep breaking out in the master's reaction to his servants' report

    of their performance.

    To the ones who have been diligent with the resources entrusted to their care,

    More resources are entrusted.

    Equal diligence in caring for unequal endowments will receive equal rewards.

 

What you have is God's gift to you, what you make of what He has given you is your gift to Him.

Business Meeting and Mid-week Bible Studies

There will be a Congregational Business Meeting tomorrow following the fellowship time after Morning Worship. Please plan to be in attendance at the meeting.
It is also time to start up our Midweek Bible Studies. Several Locations have already been reserved and hosts chosen. During the next few weeks we will begin meeting. Katie and Francois Martins will host a bible study in their home on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM. The first meeting will be this Wednesday. We will meet informally for fellowship and choosing a study with which to begin. Katie and Francois live near the church off Rose Garden Road. For better directions and how to find their house see Either Katie or Francois during morning worship tomorrow.
Blessings,
Pastor Eric

A Closer Look at the Great Commission

Matthew 28:16-20 (HCSB)
¹⁶ The 11 disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them.
¹⁷ When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted.
¹⁸ Then Jesus came near and said to them, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
¹⁹ Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
²⁰ teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

As we think about what in the world we as a church are doing to change the world it will do us well to actually examine the great commission. Jesus gives specific clear instruction to His disciples about what activities they should undertake in building His church. A brief but thorough examination of His command will help guide us as we prioritize our efforts in "Doing" church.

First Jesus reminds the disciples of the obvious. He has all the authority He needs not only to command their performance but to empower them to carry it out. Anyone can issue a command but only the person who has the authority to issue the command can gather support for those who are obeying and carrying out the command. After God raised Him from the dead and Jesus resumed His rightful place in heaven there should be no doubting His authority.

Then in a masterful sentence, Jesus tells His disciples to MAKE DISCIPLES. A simple examination of the verbs in this command will bear out this interpretation. In the original language the verb "go" is not capable of carrying the action of the command. Baptizing and Teaching are both participles and play a supportive role in clauses. In this particular instance the participles give direction as to how to carry out the command. The other verb "to observe" is inside of a clause and is the subject of the participle teaching. To observe is the subject of the apostolic teaching.

This leaves only one verb that can carry out the sentence. Make Disciples. In English there is no noun to perform the role of Subject in this sentence. We call this an understood subject. This is common device in many commands and declarative statements. We say things like, Sit down, stand up, tell me or go away all the time without identifying the subject we want to carry out the action. The person or people we are looking at understand who we are talking to. In Greek it is a little easier to identify the subject. Each verb has an ending attached to it that identifies which noun in the sentence is the subject. If no noun is identified, the verb ending carries out that role. This is the case in this command. Make disciples has a second person plural ending. You (all) make disciples. The only you all in this conversation and therefore the subject of the command would be the disciples. This also identifies the verb as the Object of the sentence.

Blessings,

Pastor Eric