Sunday Worship Scriptures Commentary (October 13)

October 13 Sermon – “You Shall Be My Witness”

Colossians 4:5-6

The Apostle Paul wrote this short letter to the Christians in Colossae. He probably wrote this from prison in Ephesus which was about a hundred miles away.

In this letter, Paul lets this new church know that he is glad to hear that the good news of Christ is taking shape in Colossae and it is bearing fruit. In this letter, Paul wants to help this church know how to continue to bear fruit and grow.

As new Christians, Paul wants them to take on new responsibilities of sharing their faith with others.

Look at v. 2 earlier in this same chapter in which Paul encourages them to pray. Prayer and sharing our faith are interwoven. Prayer is what provides opportunities for us to share our faith with others.  Prayer and evangelism go hand in hand!

Verses 5-6 – Paul wants the Colossians to do as he does which is to make the “mystery of the King (Jesus) clear.” (See back to v. 3)

Paul says to speak with grace and salt – In other words, don’t be boring! This involves being good listeners of people’s questions and responding in appropriate ways.

Matthew 28:19-20

This is commonly known as “The Great Commission.”

Notice that this scene of Jesus with his disciples takes place on a mountain which is the place where so many significant things have already taken place in Matthew’s Gospel such as the sermon on the mount and the transfiguration of Jesus. This scene where Jesus commissions the disciples is equally important.

Jesus is giving the disciples all authority in heaven and earth. This reminds us of when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness to be given all power. Since that was before his victory over sin and death through the cross, Jesus chose to not receive all this power. Now that the victory has been won, Jesus claims this power and we are called to live out the power of the gospel.

We are called to make disciples. Just as Jesus called the first disciples, he now calls them to make disciples! Jesus calls us to baptize. Baptism is what marks us as belonging to Christ. Jesus also calls us to teach. He has already taught the disciples so much in the Gospel of Matthew. Now, they are to share these teachings with others.

Jesus assures the disciples they can do these things because of the authority that has been given him and them and because he will be with them always.

The Worship After the Worship Service

As I was picking up my worship folder and hymnal following our last worship service this past Sunday, I noticed an impromptu mini-worship service taking place in the front pew section of the sanctuary.  Usually when the benediction is given, people scamper out to the parking lot, or grab a donut and some coffee in the parlor, or have polite conversation before heading home.

Not this group of youth and adults. They were forming a circle and offering prayers for one of our youth who will be moving to another state this week. As I watched this take place, I was reminded that worship isn't meant to end following the benediction. The benediction really marks the beginning of a new week where we continue to offer our support and encouragement for each other in the name of Christ. As I walked out of the sanctuary, a smile came to my face as I thought about that sacred moment for our young people.

Later that afternoon, I led a worship service at one of our local nursing homes for the residents, many of whom come in their wheelchairs. Only about half of the people were there because the Baptists had traveled to a special church event that day. I always miss the Baptists when they're not there because they know their bibles and they like to sing out!

Even though we were small in number, worship was really special that afternoon. One of my church members has been making a miraculous recovery from a massive stroke. When I visited her a few days before this service, she was able to drink coffee for the first time since her stroke several months ago. She has come a long way!

I brought communion elements with me to this Sunday afternoon service since it was World Communion Sunday. Together, we celebrated the Sacrament as part of our service.  Following the service, the church member who is recovering from a stroke said to me, Thank you for sharing Holy Communion. It meant so much to receive it with my two daughters this afternoon. It was a priceless moment as the daughters smiled back at their mom.

I left that nursing home, praising God for the gift of worship, not just for the two services I led earlier that day in my church, but also for the impromptu worship of our youth as well as the afternoon service at the nursing home.

This past week, our church focused on the importance of weekly communal worship as part of our "Committed to Christ" seven week church-wide focus. Yesterday, I was reminded why it's so vitally important.

Sunday Worship Preview - October 27

Sunday, October 27 - (9:00 & 10:30 Services); Wednesday, October 30  (6:30 pm Casual Service @ Crossroads, 2095 Fair Avenue)

Sermon - "Are You Ready to Get Blisters for Jesus?"

Features - 23rd Sunday After Pentecost & Concluding Sunday of Church-Wide 40 Day "Committed to Christ" Focus

Scripture - I Corinthians 12:12-20 & Mark 1:14-20

Theme - If we want to be committed to Christ,there are six vital areas in which we need to give our time and focus. Each of these areas will help us to become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. One of these areas is in our commitment to serving others through the life of the church.

Sunday Worship Preview - October 20

Sunday, October 20 - (9:00 & 10:30 Services); Wednesday, October 23  (6:30 pm Casual Service @ Crossroads, 2095 Fair Avenue)

Sermon - "Give Till It Feels Good"

Features - 22nd Sunday After Pentecost & 6th Sunday of Church-Wide 40 Day "Committed to Christ" Focus

Scripture - Deuteronomy 14:22-29 & Luke 21:1-4

Theme - If we want to be committed to Christ,there are six vital areas in which we need to give our time and focus. Each of these areas will help us to become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. One of these areas is in our commitment to financial giving.

Churches Helping Churches - A Thank You Letter

Thanks to a generous memorial gift, our church added an electronic sign at our Crossroads ministry center on West Fair Avenue. We donated the previous message board to Hockingport United Methodist Church which was in need of this type of sign for their church facility.

Here is a thank you letter to our church from the wonderful people at Hockingport UMC. The message on their new sign was a creative way of thanking us!

We would like to thank the members of your church for giving us your announcement board sign which you got your new digital one.

Our church is very small and therefore don't have a lot of extra money to purchase things like this. We had been using an old sign that we had for years to announce activities going on in our fellowship hall and it was getting in bad shape.

We have heard many comments and compliments from members of the community on how nice it looks. Again, thank you so much for this very generous gift and may God bless you all!

Dave's Deep Thoughts - A Faith Lesson for Type A Personalities

Here's Pastor Dave McDowell's weekly devotional that he sends out to members of his church. Dave is my brother and serves as the Music Minister at Stewartstown UMC in PA.

Now I am all for bargains,

but some days you get more than you bargain for.

It was an 8am doctor appointment on a Wednesday in late May.

A few days earlier, I had noticed that my left leg

from the knee down had begun to swell.

I had gone to a local urgent care facility to have it examined.

Because they couldn't immediately ascertain the type of infection,

they gave me a general antibiotic and drained some fluid from the knee

 to see what type of infection was causing the inflamation.

They scheduled a follow-up appointment.

When I arrived at the 8am appointment 3 days later,

I fully expected them to indentify the bacteria,

 hand me the appropriate antibiotic,

tap me on the head,

and send me home for milk and cookies.

Instead I got......

"You're going to the hospital."

I immediately let them know that that was not possible.

Late May is a very busy time for me at my work,

as I am deeply involved in getting several summer ministries started.

A trip to the hospital was neither convenient nor practical.

The response was quick....

"If you want to keep your leg, you are going to the hospital!"

There aren't too many words that stop type A personalities in their tracks,

but words like "amputation" & "prosthetics"  just might do it.

Confident that he had me at checkmate,

the doctor gave me two hours to pack,

take care of loose ends, and arrive at the hospital.

Two hours later, this Type A pastor

arrived at the local hospital

armed with lap top, spread sheets, and flash drives.

They might be taking me down

but I was determined to get my work done while doing so.

I put on the obligatory

hospital gown of embarrassment

fully aware of what was coming next.....

the poking/prodding session.

Let me say this about poking and prodding.

Nothing is left to chance.

NOTHING.

If I thought I was thorough in my work,

I was about to meet my match in Nurse No-Nonsense.

She marched into the room armed

with thermometers, blood pressure monitors

and a few unknown tools that immediately struck the fear of God into my heart.

If I was type A, she was Type AAA.

It was revival time

and Nurse No-Nonsense was determined to cast out whatever affliction she could find

in the name of science.

Soonafter, the doctor arrived,

and the interogation began.....

Every childhood disease was scrutinized,

every family member's medical history was brought into question,

every medical procedure, every vaccination was investigated

They wanted information

and I just wanted an intravenous  antibiotic drip.

But what I got was a trip, not a drip....

a trip on a guerney to someplace deep within the bowels of the hospital.

They started talking about possible blood clots.....

 and that meant a trip to the sonogram room.

This day was getting more complicated by the minute.

Six hours earlier,

I was intent on getting some pills and getting back to work,

but instead, I was now in a dark room with a guy named Jacque and a hot oil massage.

To this day, I have no idea what a hot oil leg massage

has to do with finding blood clots,

but all I can say is that sometimes life takes you to some very strange places.

Type A personalities like to be in charge

and  be in control of their environment and their lives.

Type A people do not like poking, prodding, and surprise hot oil massages.

Three hours later,

I got my I V drip and within hours, my leg showed improvement.

After a one night stay, I was home once again.

Life is full of twists and turns.

You can't be sure what each day will bring.

As a Christian, I am sure though, who walks with me through each day.

My issue isn't trusting that Jesus is with me.......

it is in trusting that He knows better how to use my day than He does.

I know that sounds arrogant

but that is the challenge for me and likely, other type A people.

Lesson learned.

Somehow, the world still turned with me in the hospital overnight.

Somehow, the summer ministries were able to start on time.

Somehow, life still went on.

It's a humbling lesson.

We aren't as important as we think.

We aren't as needed as we think we might be.

And yet, it is God that gives us our importance and purpose,

and it has nothing to do with our personality type, abilities, or job position.

                                                           

                                        Sometimes we get more than we bargained for in a day.

                  But the real bargain is the One who will carry us through the day, if only we allow Him.

        

                                              And that is what I learned in the hospital. 

    

                                             Oh, I learned one other thing in the hospital.

        Never  ever get into untreated pool water to fix a leak.

Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,

for God is opposed to the proud,

but gives grace to the humble.

                                       I Peter 5:6b

Upcoming Sunday Scripture Commentary (October 6)

October 6 Sermon – “It’s a Privilege to be Here!”

Hebrews 10:19-25

The author of the Letter of Hebrews wants us to see that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Jewish expectation of a coming High Priest who will save us from our sins. In our passage for today, the author highlights the importance of gathering on a regular basis for worship and encouragement.

Verse 22 is what we are invited to do based on everything that has been shared to this point in the Letter of Hebrews – worship! “Drawing near” is another way of saying, “come to worship!”

How should we come to worship?

1) True Heart –  This reminds us of Jeremiah 31:33.

2) Complete assurance of faith – We don’t have to come up with faith. It’s provided for us through Jesus Christ and what he has done for us through his life, death, and resurrection.

3) Hearts sprinkled clean – This means forgiveness!

4) Bodies washed in pure water – A reference to baptism and how we have been initiated into God’s new covenant community in Christ.

Verse 25 – There is no such thing as “solo Christianity.” We need each other. Worship has a communal dimension.

Luke 19:45-48

In our Gospel reading, Luke tells us of the time when Jesus cleansed the Temple from the corrupt money changers. The Temple was the central place of worship for the Jewish people. Jesus' actions show how important our gathering for worship is to God.

Jesus was not only reacting to the corrupt money changers of the Temple. He was also making a symbolic protest against the ideology that the Temple had come to represent which was a nationalistic belief that the people of Israel were more special than anyone else. They had forgotten that they were to be a light to the world and not unto themselves.

When Jesus entered into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he was fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy that God would one day enter the holy city and bring salvation. Jesus embodied this prophecy. This text helps us to understand that Jesus was the embodiment of God.