PULPIT EXCHANGE SUNDAY
This Sunday, the pastors of the Arthur Ministerial Association will be switching pulpits to honor and celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. One of the most obvious acts of congregational unity is being there … at church, I mean.
Sunday morning worship is an important part of the unity of a church. Attending church every Sunday (that’s possible) builds unity and strengthens the Spirit in the congregation, but also enhances your own spiritual life by “suiting up and showing up” for something (actually someone) that’s of primary importance in your life – Jesus. After all, He showed up for you on the cross when He really didn’t have too!
A dear friend of mine sent this list to me of the best excuses that had been compiled for skipping church. Read through the list below and see if you recognize any! Even better, I plan to kick off the Morning Village this coming Sunday by asking you to share some of your own favorite excuses that you’ve heard for missing church. Be sure to bring some with you Sunday!
Here are some of the best excuses for missing church on Sunday as heard by pastors and churchgoers, and compiled by Thom Rainer of “Church Answers”:
- “I couldn’t get the lid off the peanut butter.”
- “The church is too close to drive and too far to walk.”
- “Both of my girlfriends attend church there.”
- “The Pastor stays in the Bible too much.”
- “The Pastor is too attractive. When I see him preaching, I have impure thoughts and I am distracted.”
- “My wife cooked bacon for breakfast, and our entire family smelled like bacon.”
- “The worship leader pulls up his pants too often. It’s distracting.”
- “I always get hemorrhoids on Sunday?”
- “Someone called me ‘brother’ instead of using my name.”
This Sunday morning at Vine Street, our special guest preacher will be Pastor Jill Bunker from the Arthur United Methodist Church. I hope none of these excuses are needed and many of you will suit up and show up on Sunday to worship together and hear her message.
I will be at Vine Street for Morning Village, but then I go up the street where I’ll be preaching at the Arthur Mennonite Church. Please hold me in your prayers during this time, as I will for you.
Peace & Joy,
Pastor Bob <><
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WELCOME TO EPIPHANY
FOR SUNDAY: READ JOHN 1: 29-42
When was the last time you had an Epiphany in your life? You know … a revelation of God in your presence. It seems a fair question to ask since we are now basking in the post-Christmas season of Epiphany. So, when was the last time you saw God at work in your life …. Or somewhere else in this world?
Our lectionary story from the gospels this week is about curiosity, courage, and the willingness to “Come, and see.” What if …. Someone told you that the person who can answer all your needs and fill you with the happiness and satisfaction you’ve always been looking for …. Is right over the hillside, or right around the corner, or perhaps, standing at the entrance to your heart …. And He is saying to you: “Come …. And see.”
Would you go? Or maybe the better question is, will you go? Will you come to Epiphany this year expecting to see God made visible in your midst. In our story for this Sunday, 2 young followers of John the Baptist find themselves in a precarious situation. All those things they had been hoping for and praying for, have arrived. Their trusty leader John, who has brought them out of religious rigidity and smugness, and has baptized them in water, now says to them … He has arrived. And He is right over yonder.
Would you go, and see? Andrew, and the other disciple did. They took off immediately to discover this new thing God was doing. And when they arrived at the place where “God” was, they were presented with a question: “What are you looking for?” Or, “what are you seeking?” Or, “what has motivated you to seek something new in your life?”
As we learn in the story, Andrew and his fellow disciple were not prepared for this question, so they answered His question with one of their own: “Where are you staying.” Jesus says in response, “Come … and see.”
They did.
Will you? Will you go off to an unknown destination to see what God has to offer you … Your family …. Your church? Will you be willing to open your heart and “see” and “hear” in new ways? Will you go to see … and will you stay, to discover something entirely new, from God, for you?
The season of Epiphany this year is our call to our own spiritual destiny. Each one of us is being pointed the way and told to seek and find. Imagine the 2 disciples in our story, suddenly taking off on foot with all due speed, tripping over each other and running just fast enough to be out of control, just to see what they’ve been waiting for their whole lives.
And us? Jesus asks … what are you seeking in your life? And we ask back … Teacher, where are you staying? And Jesus urges us … “Come and see.”
What else are we to do?
And so, we go ….
To where? Only time will tell ….
Over the hill and through the woods … to see what God has done,
Pastor Bob <><
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7 WAYS TO FOLLOW JESUS IN 2023
- “You don’t have to like someone to love them.” Jesus teaches us to love all people, the same as He loved us. That means: our love for others should be unconditional, all-forgiving, and never-ending. Whether we like someone or not is not the question. Our self-will teaches us to like or dislike. God’s will teaches us to love first, whether we like or not.
- Always find “the Way” to Yes! Have you noticed: Jesus never says “No” to anyone. How does He do that? Jesus gives us what we need, regardless of what we might be asking for. Jesus is “the Way” to Yes. There is always a way to serve someone with something they need, if you’re willing to look for the “Yes.”
- If you’re too busy for God … then you are too busy! I heard once that if Satan wanted to prevent God’s people from worshiping God, then he would just keep them so busy that there would never be enough time for God. Is that what’s happening to us? To you? And you know whether you’re too busy on not – don’t you?
- God’s people should never judge other people. (Matt. 7:1) That’s what God is for. Instead, God’s people are called to love each other first, and then bring the mercy. Remember, it’s the one who showed mercy that became known as the ‘Good Samaritan.” He didn’t take the time to make his own judgments, like the ones who ignored the man in the ditch and passed by. Billy Graham said one that it is God’s job to love; the Holy Spirit’s job to convict: and our job is to love. Let’s do our job. Let’s show the love and bring the mercy. Leave the judgment to God (and others!).
- Welcome and embrace everyone. Do not exclude anyone. Whether we know it or not, we are all part of one family – God’s family. We are many different colors, languages & cultures, but we are all one in God. There are no enemies in God’s family. Everyone is invited to Christ’s banquet, though most decline the invitation. We should be the people who make sure that we “invite” the ones that have been shut out, ostracized, oppressed, and forgotten. Like Jesus, we should seek and find the ones in our life that need the love of Jesus more than anything else. Then show it to them. That’s all. Let God do the rest.
- Spend more time looking for and listening to God. Jesus tells his disciples over and over that they must acquire the eyes to see and the ears to hear God. That doesn’t come natural to us. We need God’s help from the Holy Spirit to do this. This year, ask God for the eyes and ears that can see Jesus; that can hear Him; and that can know Him. Then, ask God for a heart that will trust Him.
- Follow the “Law.” When all is said and done, Jesus gave us one law we could all live by. If we so choose. No one could, or can, keep the 10 Commandments of Moses on their own. So, God gave us a new law, the one that supersedes all other laws. His name is Jesus and His law is love. He teaches that all laws are vanquished by love. If you love God with all you have, and love your neighbor as yourself – then all the other Commandments and laws fall into place. Without that love … we can do nothing.
Blessings on your journey – see you on the path!
Pastor Bob <><
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