I am taking a class on evangelism this summer at the Emory University Course of Study, and as I have been preparing and reading the material for the prework, I have been struck as never before with the need for the church to get outside the stained glass sanctuaries and into the real world where the lost are at. For too long, we have simply waited inside our hallowed ground for the lost to come to us, when they are perishing right outside under the shadow of our very own steeples. Jesus certainly carried His message to the people where they were, meeting their needs, both physical and spiritual in the villages, towns, and countryside of Judea and Samaria. Perhaps it is time for us to do the same.
This video by Casting Crowns is a poignant reminder of what we are and aren't doing, and a telling criticism of our churches today (Note: If you have a slow connection, you may need to let the video totally play through once to load it, and then replay it once it has been downloaded to your computer to view it at full-speed).
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
SERMON: THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Easter Sunday -- 8 April 2007
[Note: This sermon was prepared with an entirely different style of presentation than I normally use. My intent here was to prepare a message for seekers -- for the unchurched and the marginal Christians who usually attend in greater numbers on Easter Sunday. As such, I wrote this sermon as a narrative story, hoping to engage these people and reach past the defenses they usually put up when I go up to preach. There's just something about a preacher standing behind a pulpit that makes a non-Christian uncomfortable and sends them seeking distractions elsewhere. Unfortunately, we had no outside visitors in either worship service, and only a handful of unchurched/marginal family members who showed up for the second worship service. However, on a brighter note, the four pre-teens in our first service all came forward to receive Christ, so that makes it all worth it!]
-- this morning, I want to do something a little different -- rather than preaching a traditional Easter message -- please sit back and listen as I share with you a little tale that has been called, "The Greatest Story Ever Told"
-- Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a magical kingdom ruled by a benevolent King -- a place where evil was never known -- where there was only peace and love and perfection -- where storms were unknown and the light always shined
-- and in this kingdom, there was an enchanted garden -- the king had made it for his son's bride -- you see, in those days, kings still selected the bride for their sons -- and what a bride she was -- perfect in all her ways -- beautiful beyond compare -- pure and innocent in her heart -- the apple of his eye
-- during the cool of the day, the king would walk with his son's bride -- and they would enjoy each other's company as the king told her of the wedding to come -- of the great banquet that he had in store for her -- of the life she would live with them in the palace -- until that time, of couse, she had to stay in the garden, because there could be no whisper of impropriety between the bride and his son
-- the garden itself was filled with every flower imaginable -- roses and petunias and daffodils -- periwinkles and poppies and tulips, just to name a few -- with trees of every size and shape -- and above all, there were the animals -- big and small -- wide and tall -- mammals and birds and reptiles of all kinds lived in this garden with the bride in total peace -- the lions would lay down with the lambs -- and none who lived there even considered doing an act of violence
-- but the most remarkable thing about this garden was its centerpiece -- for you see, in the center of the garden the king had placed his wedding gift for the young couple -- off limits, of course, until the wedding -- but every day the bride wandered by just to sneak a peek and to dream of what would be
-- but outside the walls of the garden was a different place -- it was filled with darkness, and evil stalked the land -- rather than flowers, there were thorns -- rather than whispers of love, there were curses of hate -- rather than the promise of the future, there was hopelessness and despair
-- the ruler of the land outside the garden was wicked beyond belief -- he was cruel and merciless and hated all the things of life -- but he was not always that way -- once he too had lived in the magical kingdom with the good and wise king -- in fact, he was the king's right hand man -- his trusted confidant -- beautiful and talented beyond belief -- and he would charm the king's whole court with his beauty and with his songs
-- but over time, he became jealous of the king -- his pride got the best of him -- and asked himself, "Why shouldn't I be king instead?" -- so, he tried a coup -- he tried to overthrow the king -- he gathered some followers and attacked the king on his throne -- but the king's warriors fought back -- and won -- and cast the villian and all of his followers out into the darkness of the world outside the gates of the kingdom
-- hatred festered in his heart -- wicked schemes filled his mind -- plans to kill and steal and destroy were hatched -- he watched as the king walked in the garden with his son's bride -- he listened as they shared words of love and joy -- and the hatred in his heart grew deeper and deeper -- if he could not be king, then he would take away the very thing that made the king happy
-- a plan was hatched -- and he bided his time -- waiting and watching for the most opportune moment -- one day, he snuck in over the walls, disguised so none would recognize him -- he waited for the bride to come into the center of the garden, to look at the wedding gifts there -- and then he approached her, whispering poisoned lies and encouraging her to go ahead and take the gift -- it was going to be her's soon, anyway -- surely the king wouldn't mind -- it would make her royalty just like him
-- and the bride did just what the evil ruler suggested -- she took the gift and exchanged if for her innocence and purity -- as she took it, she realized it was a trap -- she had disobeyed the king, and in the process, had exchanged her loyalty to another -- her heart was broken -- and she fled in shame
-- when the king came to the garden, he couldn't find the bride -- he walked through the trees -- down the paths through the flowers that lined the way -- calling for her -- calling her name -- but she didn't answer -- finally, he caught a glimpse of her -- and he knew in an instant what had happened -- she had sold herself to another -- she had committed adultery and now belonged to the evil ruler -- and was no longer fit to be his son's bride
-- in sadness, he told her she had to go -- and she walked out of the garden never to return -- but as he watched her walk away, the heart of the king was broken -- justice had demanded that he do what he did -- the law demanded that she be punished for her crime -- but he swore to himself that he would rescue her from the grip of his enemy and make her worthy of his son once again
-- for years and years the bride lived in the dark world outside the garden -- things were hard there -- life was hard -- no longer were her days filled with love and joy and peace -- hatred and envy and strife became a way of life -- murder and evil stalked the land she now lived in -- wars and rumors of wars caught her attention -- but she couldn't leave -- she was trapped in bondage to the evil ruler -- and he continued to take from her the life of joy and love that she so desperately craved
-- there were times when she cried out with her heart to the king -- when she sought him and did everything she could think of to get back to the magical kingdom -- she thought that maybe if she was sorry enough for what she had done -- if she lived a good life and did more good things than bad -- then the king would take her back -- but, try as she might, she could never find her way back to the path that led to the garden
-- over time, she forgot why she was doing the things she was doing -- she even forgot what it was like to live in the garden -- it became a distant memory to her -- she forgot the feel of the dew under her feet -- the fragrance of the flowers -- the coolness of the trees -- she even forgot the sound of the king's voice -- of his sweet words of love -- of his promise that he would come and save her from her fate
-- oh, every now and then, she would spy a flower -- bravely splashing the darkness with color and with life -- every now and then she would watch a bird, flying freely over the canopy of the forest -- and her heart would leap -- and her mind would remember -- and she would hope -- for only the briefest of a moment -- that her prince would come -- that he would vanquish her captor and bring her home again -- and it would seem that she caught the king's voice on the wind -- but then the moment was gone -- and life went on -- and nothing ever changed
-- but the king never forgot -- he never forgot his son's bride -- he never forgot the love he had for her -- he sent messengers to the evil land -- to tell her that he still loved her and was coming for her -- that he would make a way for her to be reconciled to him and his son -- but these messengers were intercepted and killed by the enemy -- and their message died with them
-- the king wrote letters to her -- to remind her of his love -- to remind her of his promises -- some of these found their way to the bride -- but as time went on and her king did not come -- as the pages became yellow and brittle with age -- the bride began to doubt his words and tried to make the best of her life as it now was
-- finally, the king did the only thing he could do -- he sent the prince himself -- the king's only son -- the heir to the kingdom -- to wage war against the enemy on the enemy's own turf -- to destroy the power of this wicked ruler once and for all -- and to win back the heart of his bride
-- if the bride failed to listen to the messengers -- if she couldn't hear his words of love through his letters -- then maybe she would believe in his son when he came to claim his bride
-- the son was a daring young prince -- strong in character -- strong in life -- and while there was nothing about his appearance and bearing that would catch the world's attention -- no beauty or majesty -- when the prince passed through the gates to the kingdom of the evil ruler, everyone noticed his passing -- there was something about him that was different
-- and as he made his way through the darkness of the world, it seemed to brighten a little as he passed -- he did what he could to help those caught in the enemy's grasp -- he never failed to share a kind word with all those he met -- to feed those who were hungry -- to take care of those who were sick
-- you see, the prince brought something with him to this land that it was missing -- a pure and holy love -- and as he passed through the land, he shared with the people there the message and the promise of the magical kingdom -- of the garden of paradise that was there -- and he told them they could come and live there -- if they would just follow him
-- his passing did not go unnoticed, though -- the evil ruler heard of his good works -- of his words of love -- of his promise of a new life in a better place -- of his quest to bring his bride home again
-- so the evil ruler hatched an evil plan -- he laid a trap for the noble prince -- having him betrayed by one of his closest followers and turned over to the authorities -- the evil ruler bound him with chains -- he beat and whipped him and punished him severely for daring to speak life and love into the kingdom
-- and finally, when his body could bear no more, the evil ruler had the noble prince bound to a tree -- to die a slow and painful death in the presence of his very own bride
-- but there was one thing the evil ruler didn't count upon -- the power of love was greater than any power the evil ruler possessed -- and while he hung there -- nailed to that tree and suffering the most painful death imaginable -- the young prince looked down on his bride -- and said those words that penetrated her very heart -- "I love you -- I love you and I want you to know that death is not the end for a love as great as ours -- trust me -- believe in me -- and we will be together forever" -- and then he died
-- the evil ruler rejoiced at the death of his enemy -- the threat to his kingdom was gone -- the threat to take the prince's bride from him was gone -- he watched as the prince's body was buried in a cold dark tomb -- and as the stone rolled over the opening, he left to celebrate his victory
-- but, as I said, the power of love is the greatest force known to man -- known to this universe -- known to all creation -- it was love that had caused the king to create that garden for the bride -- it was love that had sent the prince to rescue her when she was in bondage to the evil ruler -- and it was love that reached across the veil of death -- reviving the prince and restoring him to full health -- causing his lungs to breathe again and his heart to beat again and for his body to rise in newness of life
-- three days after his death, as his bride made her way to the tomb to visit the body of her prince, she found the stone rolled away and the rays of the morning sun illuminating an empty tomb -- and as she turned to face the sun -- not sure of what had happened -- she saw him standing there -- full of life and full of love -- with his hand outstretched to her -- beckoning her to come
-- and off they went together -- hand in hand -- to the glorious land -- to the magical kingdom and the enchanted garden -- to live together forever in paradise -- the prince and his bride -- the king and his son
-- The End
-- as I told you in the beginning, this is the greatest story ever told -- for it is not a fairy tale -- it is not a story invented to capture the imaginations of our children -- it is a true story -- and it is a story that you are in the middle of
-- you see, this is the story about us -- the Bible tells us that we are the bride -- we were created to be the bride of Christ -- to marry Him and to spend eternity with Him in His palace
-- but we have this problem -- we are not pure and spotless brides -- we are born in sin and filled with sin -- as the Bible says in Romans 3:23, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"
-- we can't live with God as His bride if we are not holy and pure -- and there is nothing we can do to make ourselves worthy for Him -- we can't do enough good things to make up for the sins in our lives -- we can't be good enough -- we can't be holy enough -- we can't go to church enough -- to make ourselves sinless again
-- the Bible tells us that we are in bondage to sin -- held captive by sin and by death and by the evil one -- and the only way that we can be made clean again -- the only way that our chains can be broken and we can become the true bride of Christ again -- is for our sins to be totally erased and for our sin debt to be paid in full
-- you see, when you sin against God -- when you break His law -- you have to be punished -- you have to pay the price -- but the price of sin is death -- and a dead bride cannot marry a king
-- so God sent Jesus to earth to pay the price of our sins for us -- to take our punishment Himself -- to bear all of our sins and to pay the price on the cross of Calvary so that we might not die but live forever
-- as it says in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but shall have eternal life"
-- God sent Jesus to rescue us from the evil one -- to rescue us from our sin and from the penalty of death -- and so Jesus died on the cross in our place
-- but, on the third day, He rose again to prove that He had conquered sin and death and to prove that He had won for us eternal life
-- and if we want to live with Him -- if we want to leave this dark, fallen world that we are in and go to be with Him in His glorious kingdom, then all we have to do is believe and trust in Him
-- to believe that Jesus is God -- to believe that He died on the cross for our sins and rose on the third day -- to believe that He has forgiven us for our sins through His very own blood -- and to ask Him to forgive us for our sins and to give us eternal life
-- as it says in Romans 10:9-10, "if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. -- For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
-- I'm going to close now in prayer -- and I want to invite you to respond to God's word as you feel led -- as the last hymn is played, the altar is open -- and anyone who wishes to come can come and I'll be glad to pray with you
-- if you don't want to come -- if you don't feel ready yet -- if you still have questions or you just want to talk -- let me know after the service -- or give me a call or drop me an e-mail -- my contact information is on the back -- and I'd be more than happy to meet with you anytime
-- let's pray
Easter Sunday -- 8 April 2007
[Note: This sermon was prepared with an entirely different style of presentation than I normally use. My intent here was to prepare a message for seekers -- for the unchurched and the marginal Christians who usually attend in greater numbers on Easter Sunday. As such, I wrote this sermon as a narrative story, hoping to engage these people and reach past the defenses they usually put up when I go up to preach. There's just something about a preacher standing behind a pulpit that makes a non-Christian uncomfortable and sends them seeking distractions elsewhere. Unfortunately, we had no outside visitors in either worship service, and only a handful of unchurched/marginal family members who showed up for the second worship service. However, on a brighter note, the four pre-teens in our first service all came forward to receive Christ, so that makes it all worth it!]
-- this morning, I want to do something a little different -- rather than preaching a traditional Easter message -- please sit back and listen as I share with you a little tale that has been called, "The Greatest Story Ever Told"
-- Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a magical kingdom ruled by a benevolent King -- a place where evil was never known -- where there was only peace and love and perfection -- where storms were unknown and the light always shined
-- and in this kingdom, there was an enchanted garden -- the king had made it for his son's bride -- you see, in those days, kings still selected the bride for their sons -- and what a bride she was -- perfect in all her ways -- beautiful beyond compare -- pure and innocent in her heart -- the apple of his eye
-- during the cool of the day, the king would walk with his son's bride -- and they would enjoy each other's company as the king told her of the wedding to come -- of the great banquet that he had in store for her -- of the life she would live with them in the palace -- until that time, of couse, she had to stay in the garden, because there could be no whisper of impropriety between the bride and his son
-- the garden itself was filled with every flower imaginable -- roses and petunias and daffodils -- periwinkles and poppies and tulips, just to name a few -- with trees of every size and shape -- and above all, there were the animals -- big and small -- wide and tall -- mammals and birds and reptiles of all kinds lived in this garden with the bride in total peace -- the lions would lay down with the lambs -- and none who lived there even considered doing an act of violence
-- but the most remarkable thing about this garden was its centerpiece -- for you see, in the center of the garden the king had placed his wedding gift for the young couple -- off limits, of course, until the wedding -- but every day the bride wandered by just to sneak a peek and to dream of what would be
-- but outside the walls of the garden was a different place -- it was filled with darkness, and evil stalked the land -- rather than flowers, there were thorns -- rather than whispers of love, there were curses of hate -- rather than the promise of the future, there was hopelessness and despair
-- the ruler of the land outside the garden was wicked beyond belief -- he was cruel and merciless and hated all the things of life -- but he was not always that way -- once he too had lived in the magical kingdom with the good and wise king -- in fact, he was the king's right hand man -- his trusted confidant -- beautiful and talented beyond belief -- and he would charm the king's whole court with his beauty and with his songs
-- but over time, he became jealous of the king -- his pride got the best of him -- and asked himself, "Why shouldn't I be king instead?" -- so, he tried a coup -- he tried to overthrow the king -- he gathered some followers and attacked the king on his throne -- but the king's warriors fought back -- and won -- and cast the villian and all of his followers out into the darkness of the world outside the gates of the kingdom
-- hatred festered in his heart -- wicked schemes filled his mind -- plans to kill and steal and destroy were hatched -- he watched as the king walked in the garden with his son's bride -- he listened as they shared words of love and joy -- and the hatred in his heart grew deeper and deeper -- if he could not be king, then he would take away the very thing that made the king happy
-- a plan was hatched -- and he bided his time -- waiting and watching for the most opportune moment -- one day, he snuck in over the walls, disguised so none would recognize him -- he waited for the bride to come into the center of the garden, to look at the wedding gifts there -- and then he approached her, whispering poisoned lies and encouraging her to go ahead and take the gift -- it was going to be her's soon, anyway -- surely the king wouldn't mind -- it would make her royalty just like him
-- and the bride did just what the evil ruler suggested -- she took the gift and exchanged if for her innocence and purity -- as she took it, she realized it was a trap -- she had disobeyed the king, and in the process, had exchanged her loyalty to another -- her heart was broken -- and she fled in shame
-- when the king came to the garden, he couldn't find the bride -- he walked through the trees -- down the paths through the flowers that lined the way -- calling for her -- calling her name -- but she didn't answer -- finally, he caught a glimpse of her -- and he knew in an instant what had happened -- she had sold herself to another -- she had committed adultery and now belonged to the evil ruler -- and was no longer fit to be his son's bride
-- in sadness, he told her she had to go -- and she walked out of the garden never to return -- but as he watched her walk away, the heart of the king was broken -- justice had demanded that he do what he did -- the law demanded that she be punished for her crime -- but he swore to himself that he would rescue her from the grip of his enemy and make her worthy of his son once again
-- for years and years the bride lived in the dark world outside the garden -- things were hard there -- life was hard -- no longer were her days filled with love and joy and peace -- hatred and envy and strife became a way of life -- murder and evil stalked the land she now lived in -- wars and rumors of wars caught her attention -- but she couldn't leave -- she was trapped in bondage to the evil ruler -- and he continued to take from her the life of joy and love that she so desperately craved
-- there were times when she cried out with her heart to the king -- when she sought him and did everything she could think of to get back to the magical kingdom -- she thought that maybe if she was sorry enough for what she had done -- if she lived a good life and did more good things than bad -- then the king would take her back -- but, try as she might, she could never find her way back to the path that led to the garden
-- over time, she forgot why she was doing the things she was doing -- she even forgot what it was like to live in the garden -- it became a distant memory to her -- she forgot the feel of the dew under her feet -- the fragrance of the flowers -- the coolness of the trees -- she even forgot the sound of the king's voice -- of his sweet words of love -- of his promise that he would come and save her from her fate
-- oh, every now and then, she would spy a flower -- bravely splashing the darkness with color and with life -- every now and then she would watch a bird, flying freely over the canopy of the forest -- and her heart would leap -- and her mind would remember -- and she would hope -- for only the briefest of a moment -- that her prince would come -- that he would vanquish her captor and bring her home again -- and it would seem that she caught the king's voice on the wind -- but then the moment was gone -- and life went on -- and nothing ever changed
-- but the king never forgot -- he never forgot his son's bride -- he never forgot the love he had for her -- he sent messengers to the evil land -- to tell her that he still loved her and was coming for her -- that he would make a way for her to be reconciled to him and his son -- but these messengers were intercepted and killed by the enemy -- and their message died with them
-- the king wrote letters to her -- to remind her of his love -- to remind her of his promises -- some of these found their way to the bride -- but as time went on and her king did not come -- as the pages became yellow and brittle with age -- the bride began to doubt his words and tried to make the best of her life as it now was
-- finally, the king did the only thing he could do -- he sent the prince himself -- the king's only son -- the heir to the kingdom -- to wage war against the enemy on the enemy's own turf -- to destroy the power of this wicked ruler once and for all -- and to win back the heart of his bride
-- if the bride failed to listen to the messengers -- if she couldn't hear his words of love through his letters -- then maybe she would believe in his son when he came to claim his bride
-- the son was a daring young prince -- strong in character -- strong in life -- and while there was nothing about his appearance and bearing that would catch the world's attention -- no beauty or majesty -- when the prince passed through the gates to the kingdom of the evil ruler, everyone noticed his passing -- there was something about him that was different
-- and as he made his way through the darkness of the world, it seemed to brighten a little as he passed -- he did what he could to help those caught in the enemy's grasp -- he never failed to share a kind word with all those he met -- to feed those who were hungry -- to take care of those who were sick
-- you see, the prince brought something with him to this land that it was missing -- a pure and holy love -- and as he passed through the land, he shared with the people there the message and the promise of the magical kingdom -- of the garden of paradise that was there -- and he told them they could come and live there -- if they would just follow him
-- his passing did not go unnoticed, though -- the evil ruler heard of his good works -- of his words of love -- of his promise of a new life in a better place -- of his quest to bring his bride home again
-- so the evil ruler hatched an evil plan -- he laid a trap for the noble prince -- having him betrayed by one of his closest followers and turned over to the authorities -- the evil ruler bound him with chains -- he beat and whipped him and punished him severely for daring to speak life and love into the kingdom
-- and finally, when his body could bear no more, the evil ruler had the noble prince bound to a tree -- to die a slow and painful death in the presence of his very own bride
-- but there was one thing the evil ruler didn't count upon -- the power of love was greater than any power the evil ruler possessed -- and while he hung there -- nailed to that tree and suffering the most painful death imaginable -- the young prince looked down on his bride -- and said those words that penetrated her very heart -- "I love you -- I love you and I want you to know that death is not the end for a love as great as ours -- trust me -- believe in me -- and we will be together forever" -- and then he died
-- the evil ruler rejoiced at the death of his enemy -- the threat to his kingdom was gone -- the threat to take the prince's bride from him was gone -- he watched as the prince's body was buried in a cold dark tomb -- and as the stone rolled over the opening, he left to celebrate his victory
-- but, as I said, the power of love is the greatest force known to man -- known to this universe -- known to all creation -- it was love that had caused the king to create that garden for the bride -- it was love that had sent the prince to rescue her when she was in bondage to the evil ruler -- and it was love that reached across the veil of death -- reviving the prince and restoring him to full health -- causing his lungs to breathe again and his heart to beat again and for his body to rise in newness of life
-- three days after his death, as his bride made her way to the tomb to visit the body of her prince, she found the stone rolled away and the rays of the morning sun illuminating an empty tomb -- and as she turned to face the sun -- not sure of what had happened -- she saw him standing there -- full of life and full of love -- with his hand outstretched to her -- beckoning her to come
-- and off they went together -- hand in hand -- to the glorious land -- to the magical kingdom and the enchanted garden -- to live together forever in paradise -- the prince and his bride -- the king and his son
-- The End
-- as I told you in the beginning, this is the greatest story ever told -- for it is not a fairy tale -- it is not a story invented to capture the imaginations of our children -- it is a true story -- and it is a story that you are in the middle of
-- you see, this is the story about us -- the Bible tells us that we are the bride -- we were created to be the bride of Christ -- to marry Him and to spend eternity with Him in His palace
-- but we have this problem -- we are not pure and spotless brides -- we are born in sin and filled with sin -- as the Bible says in Romans 3:23, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"
-- we can't live with God as His bride if we are not holy and pure -- and there is nothing we can do to make ourselves worthy for Him -- we can't do enough good things to make up for the sins in our lives -- we can't be good enough -- we can't be holy enough -- we can't go to church enough -- to make ourselves sinless again
-- the Bible tells us that we are in bondage to sin -- held captive by sin and by death and by the evil one -- and the only way that we can be made clean again -- the only way that our chains can be broken and we can become the true bride of Christ again -- is for our sins to be totally erased and for our sin debt to be paid in full
-- you see, when you sin against God -- when you break His law -- you have to be punished -- you have to pay the price -- but the price of sin is death -- and a dead bride cannot marry a king
-- so God sent Jesus to earth to pay the price of our sins for us -- to take our punishment Himself -- to bear all of our sins and to pay the price on the cross of Calvary so that we might not die but live forever
-- as it says in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but shall have eternal life"
-- God sent Jesus to rescue us from the evil one -- to rescue us from our sin and from the penalty of death -- and so Jesus died on the cross in our place
-- but, on the third day, He rose again to prove that He had conquered sin and death and to prove that He had won for us eternal life
-- and if we want to live with Him -- if we want to leave this dark, fallen world that we are in and go to be with Him in His glorious kingdom, then all we have to do is believe and trust in Him
-- to believe that Jesus is God -- to believe that He died on the cross for our sins and rose on the third day -- to believe that He has forgiven us for our sins through His very own blood -- and to ask Him to forgive us for our sins and to give us eternal life
-- as it says in Romans 10:9-10, "if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. -- For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
-- I'm going to close now in prayer -- and I want to invite you to respond to God's word as you feel led -- as the last hymn is played, the altar is open -- and anyone who wishes to come can come and I'll be glad to pray with you
-- if you don't want to come -- if you don't feel ready yet -- if you still have questions or you just want to talk -- let me know after the service -- or give me a call or drop me an e-mail -- my contact information is on the back -- and I'd be more than happy to meet with you anytime
-- let's pray
SERMON: A CALL TO ACTION
A CALL TO ACTION
Sunrise Service -- Wright's Chapel UMC
8 April 2007
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Acts 1
1. In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
2. until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
3. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
4. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
5. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6. So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7. He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
9. After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
11. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
12. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city.
-- if you would, please listen as I read from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "Paul Revere's Ride"
"Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
He said to his friend, "If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm."
-- In the spring of 1775, the American colonies -- especially the colony of Massachusetts -- were hotbeds of sedition -- they had been preparing for open conflict with England throughout the winter -- producing and storing arms and munitions -- training milita and minutemen -- and organizing defensive positions around key American towns and villages
-- in April, General Thomas Gage -- the English military Governor of Massachusetts -- decided to counter the brewing revolution by sending a force out of Boston to consfiscate the weapons in the village of Concord and to capture John Hancock and Samuel Adams -- leaders of the patriots who were staying in Lexington
-- when word of General Gage's intentions were made known, the patriots set up a messaging system to altert the countryside of any advance by the British troops -- Paul Revere arranged for a signal to be sent by lantern from the steeple of Christ Church if the British troops were on the move -- one if by land -- and two if by sea
-- on April 18th, 1775, two lanterns were lit in the steeple -- alerting Revere that the British were coming across the harbor towards Lexington -- so Paul Revere, William Dawes, and a few other riders took the road to Lexington -- to warn the villagers that the British were coming and to alert Hancock and Adams so they could get to safety
-- as they rode through the countryside of Massachusetts in the early morning hours of April 19th, they cried out to all the villagers they passed -- "To arms -- to arms -- the British are coming -- the British are coming"
-- and in the rider's wake, church bells began to ring -- drums began to beat -- gun shots rang out -- and pots and pans were beat on to announce the danger and to call the local militias to action
-- so what does the story of Paul Revere have to do with us being gathered here this morning at the foot of the cross to watch the sun rise on Easter morning? -- in one sense, nothing -- the story of the American Revolution may be stirring and patriotic, but it has nothing to do with the resurrection of Christ
-- however, in another sense, the story of Paul Revere -- of his willingness to not just stand by while others prepared for war -- of his willingness to become actively engaged with the enemy -- of his willingness to take action against oppression -- speak to us this morning as followers of Jesus Christ
-- as we all know, after the death of Jesus on the cruel cross of Calvary on Friday, the 14th day of the Jewish month of Nisan -- He was taken from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus and was buried in Joseph's own tomb in a garden
-- in the early morning hours on the third day -- on Sunday morning -- Mary Magdelene and a few other women went to the tomb to finish anointing the body of Jesus with spices and oils in accordance with the Jewish burial traditions
-- as they approached the tomb, they saw that the rock that had been placed over the door to seal the tomb had been rolled away -- and they found the tomb empty -- Jesus' body was gone -- He had been resurrected, just as He had said -- and He subsequently appeared to Mary and to the disciples on many occasions
-- Luke tells us in this passage that Jesus continued to spend time with His disciples for 40 days after the resurrection -- teaching them through His Word and through the Holy Spirit what had happened on the cross and what it meant for mankind
-- at the end of those forty days, Jesus went with His disciples to the Mount of Olives -- a small hill located about ¾ mile from Jerusalem -- a place where they had often gathered to pray and spend time with Him
-- as they were walking toward the mount, they asked Jesus if He was going to restore the throne of Israel at that time -- in other words, they wanted to know if Jesus was about to set up His kingdom on earth
-- look back at verse 7
7. He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
-- "No," He said -- "It's not that time yet -- you don't need to worry about when that will happen -- for I have other plans for you -- I don't want you to sit around here waiting for me to set up the kingdom -- I want you to carry the message of my death and resurrection -- of the good news of the forgiveness of sins -- to Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria -- to all the ends of the earth -- tell them I have risen and that I am coming again"
-- right after He said this, Jesus ascended into heaven -- look at verse 9
9. After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
-- I want you to get the picture of what is going on in that moment -- Jesus has just been standing there talking to the disciples -- in His last words, He tells them to go and be His witnesses to all the ends of the earth -- and when He finishes speaking, He starts to rise and physically goes up into the sky towards heaven
-- and all the disciples are standing there -- looking up at the sky -- where Jesus has just been -- straining their eyes to see Him -- when all of a sudden, two men dressed in white -- angels -- messengers from God -- appeared next to them -- standing there with them on the Mount of Olives
-- verse 11
11. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
-- now this is the key verse that I want you to focus on this morning -- "Men of Gallilee -- why do you stand here looking in the sky?"
-- that is a good question -- that is a loaded question -- in other words, the angels were sent by God to the disciples standing there to find out why they were still there
-- Jesus had just given them the Great Commandment -- He had just told them to go out in His name -- in the power of the Holy Spirit -- to be His witnesses -- to testify to His death and resurrection -- to tell people the good news of the Kingdom of God and to let them know that Jesus was coming soon
-- God wanted to know why the disciples weren't moving -- why they weren't responding -- why they weren't doing what Jesus had called them to do
-- and so He sent two angels -- two Paul Reveres -- who called out to the disciples and said, "To arms -- to arms -- the Lord is coming again -- the Lord is coming again"
-- Paul Skogstrom wrote that Paul Revere became a symbol for the American Spirit -- a citizen-patriot ever ready to drop his plow, grab his musket, and awaken the sleeping masses to the danger that was at hand -- writing at the onset of the Civil war, Longfellow wanted to ignite that same spirit in his fellow countrymen -- to call them to action -- and so he tried to stir the hearts of men with his poem about Paul Revere's ride
-- the angel's words to the disciples on the Mount of Olives was a call to action -- a call from God to stir their very spirits -- to compel them to go forth in the name of Christ -- to be His witnesses and to share His message to the ends of the earth
-- these very same words are a call to us who are gathered here this morning -- I believe God is asking us, "Why are you still standing here? -- Why aren't you moving and doing what My Son called you to do? -- Why aren't you going forth in the power of My Holy Spirit to share My message of reconciliation and the forgiveness of sins? -- Why are you still here?"
-- the message of the angels tells us that Christ did not die just so we could enjoy sunrise services -- He did not die so that we could spend our lives sitting in church each Sunday
-- Christ died for the forgiveness of the sins of the world -- and He has commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations -- baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit -- and teaching them to obey everything that He has commanded us to do
-- Jesus does not want us to be like the disciples -- just standing there on the Mount of Olives -- looking up to Heaven and waiting for His return
-- He does not want us to be static Christians -- to be static churches -- content with coming to sunrise services -- content with coming to church every Sunday -- content with just sitting on the pews while the world around us is going to Hell
-- He is calling us to arms -- to battle against the spiritual forces of evil in this world -- to assail the very gates of Hell itself -- and to win souls for His kingdom
-- in the same way the angels called the disciples to action, Paul Revere called a nation to action -- let me ask you this morning, "Who among you is going to be our Paul Revere?" -- Who among you is not going to be content to just do church any longer? -- Who among you is not going to be happy just sitting in a pew, doing nothing?
-- Who among you is going to rise to the challenge -- to carry the message of God to your family and your friends -- to the cashier at the grocery store -- to the waitress who serves you?
-- Who among you is going to be stirred to action -- to fulfill the command of God?
-- God is calling us to more than we are -- to more than we do -- He is calling us to be His hands and His feet -- to be His army who responds to the call and wins the battle for Him
-- a few years ago, a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago -- they had assured their wives they would be home on Friday night in plenty of time of supper
-- well, on Friday, they were running late -- and as they were rushing through the airport, trying to make it to the gate to get on the plane which was already boarding -- one of the salesmen accidentally kicked over a table which held a display of apples
-- apples flew everywhere -- rolling all across the terminal floor -- but without stopping or looking back, the salesmen all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding -- all but one
-- this one salesman looked back -- he paused -- took a deep breath -- and felt a twinge of compassion for the girl who owned the apple stand
-- he told his buddies to go on without him and to call his wife and tell her that he would be taking a later flight and would miss supper
-- he went back to the table that they had knocked over -- and he was glad he did
-- the teenaged girl who owned the apple stand was totally blind -- she was softly crying -- tears running down her cheeks in frustration as she helplessly groped around on the floor -- trying to find her apples that had rolled away and that she couldn't see
-- the salesman knelt on the floor with her -- gathered up her apples, and put them back on the table -- as he did, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised -- he put those in another basket
-- when he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said the to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did -- are you okay?"
-- she nodded through her tears -- he said, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly -- and as he started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister" -- he paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes -- "Are you Jesus?"
-- he stopped in mid-stride and his heart skipped a beat -- he slowly made his way to the gate to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul -- "Are you Jesus?"
-- do people mistake you for Jesus? -- that's our destiny, isn't it? -- that's our calling -- that's the challenge from the angel's message to the disciples -- to be so much like Jesus that the world cannot tell the difference as we live and interact people that are blind to His love -- His life -- and His grace
-- if we claim to know Him -- if we claim to be Christians and to be part of His church -- then we should live and walk and act as He would
-- knowing Jesus is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church -- it's actually living the Word and sharing His message with others as life unfolds day to day
-- we are gathered here this morning because we are like the apples in this story -- we have been bruised and battered by a fall -- but Jesus stopped what He was doing and He picked us up on a hill called Calvary -- and He paid the price for our damaged hearts -- for the sins that we had committed -- and all He asks in return is that we do the same for others -- that we take a moment and share with them His message of salvation and forgiveness of sins
-- we can't do that sitting in our pews -- we can't do that standing at the foot of the cross looking up at the sky -- we can only do that if we leave where we are and go back into the world
-- will you be a spiritual Paul Revere today? -- Will you carry the message of Christ to this world -- letting them know that the battle has been won and that Christ is coming again? -- Will you take up your arms for Him?
-- let us pray
Sunrise Service -- Wright's Chapel UMC
8 April 2007
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Acts 1
1. In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
2. until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
3. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
4. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
5. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6. So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7. He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
9. After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
11. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
12. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city.
-- if you would, please listen as I read from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "Paul Revere's Ride"
"Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
He said to his friend, "If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm."
-- In the spring of 1775, the American colonies -- especially the colony of Massachusetts -- were hotbeds of sedition -- they had been preparing for open conflict with England throughout the winter -- producing and storing arms and munitions -- training milita and minutemen -- and organizing defensive positions around key American towns and villages
-- in April, General Thomas Gage -- the English military Governor of Massachusetts -- decided to counter the brewing revolution by sending a force out of Boston to consfiscate the weapons in the village of Concord and to capture John Hancock and Samuel Adams -- leaders of the patriots who were staying in Lexington
-- when word of General Gage's intentions were made known, the patriots set up a messaging system to altert the countryside of any advance by the British troops -- Paul Revere arranged for a signal to be sent by lantern from the steeple of Christ Church if the British troops were on the move -- one if by land -- and two if by sea
-- on April 18th, 1775, two lanterns were lit in the steeple -- alerting Revere that the British were coming across the harbor towards Lexington -- so Paul Revere, William Dawes, and a few other riders took the road to Lexington -- to warn the villagers that the British were coming and to alert Hancock and Adams so they could get to safety
-- as they rode through the countryside of Massachusetts in the early morning hours of April 19th, they cried out to all the villagers they passed -- "To arms -- to arms -- the British are coming -- the British are coming"
-- and in the rider's wake, church bells began to ring -- drums began to beat -- gun shots rang out -- and pots and pans were beat on to announce the danger and to call the local militias to action
-- so what does the story of Paul Revere have to do with us being gathered here this morning at the foot of the cross to watch the sun rise on Easter morning? -- in one sense, nothing -- the story of the American Revolution may be stirring and patriotic, but it has nothing to do with the resurrection of Christ
-- however, in another sense, the story of Paul Revere -- of his willingness to not just stand by while others prepared for war -- of his willingness to become actively engaged with the enemy -- of his willingness to take action against oppression -- speak to us this morning as followers of Jesus Christ
-- as we all know, after the death of Jesus on the cruel cross of Calvary on Friday, the 14th day of the Jewish month of Nisan -- He was taken from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus and was buried in Joseph's own tomb in a garden
-- in the early morning hours on the third day -- on Sunday morning -- Mary Magdelene and a few other women went to the tomb to finish anointing the body of Jesus with spices and oils in accordance with the Jewish burial traditions
-- as they approached the tomb, they saw that the rock that had been placed over the door to seal the tomb had been rolled away -- and they found the tomb empty -- Jesus' body was gone -- He had been resurrected, just as He had said -- and He subsequently appeared to Mary and to the disciples on many occasions
-- Luke tells us in this passage that Jesus continued to spend time with His disciples for 40 days after the resurrection -- teaching them through His Word and through the Holy Spirit what had happened on the cross and what it meant for mankind
-- at the end of those forty days, Jesus went with His disciples to the Mount of Olives -- a small hill located about ¾ mile from Jerusalem -- a place where they had often gathered to pray and spend time with Him
-- as they were walking toward the mount, they asked Jesus if He was going to restore the throne of Israel at that time -- in other words, they wanted to know if Jesus was about to set up His kingdom on earth
-- look back at verse 7
7. He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
-- "No," He said -- "It's not that time yet -- you don't need to worry about when that will happen -- for I have other plans for you -- I don't want you to sit around here waiting for me to set up the kingdom -- I want you to carry the message of my death and resurrection -- of the good news of the forgiveness of sins -- to Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria -- to all the ends of the earth -- tell them I have risen and that I am coming again"
-- right after He said this, Jesus ascended into heaven -- look at verse 9
9. After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
-- I want you to get the picture of what is going on in that moment -- Jesus has just been standing there talking to the disciples -- in His last words, He tells them to go and be His witnesses to all the ends of the earth -- and when He finishes speaking, He starts to rise and physically goes up into the sky towards heaven
-- and all the disciples are standing there -- looking up at the sky -- where Jesus has just been -- straining their eyes to see Him -- when all of a sudden, two men dressed in white -- angels -- messengers from God -- appeared next to them -- standing there with them on the Mount of Olives
-- verse 11
11. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
-- now this is the key verse that I want you to focus on this morning -- "Men of Gallilee -- why do you stand here looking in the sky?"
-- that is a good question -- that is a loaded question -- in other words, the angels were sent by God to the disciples standing there to find out why they were still there
-- Jesus had just given them the Great Commandment -- He had just told them to go out in His name -- in the power of the Holy Spirit -- to be His witnesses -- to testify to His death and resurrection -- to tell people the good news of the Kingdom of God and to let them know that Jesus was coming soon
-- God wanted to know why the disciples weren't moving -- why they weren't responding -- why they weren't doing what Jesus had called them to do
-- and so He sent two angels -- two Paul Reveres -- who called out to the disciples and said, "To arms -- to arms -- the Lord is coming again -- the Lord is coming again"
-- Paul Skogstrom wrote that Paul Revere became a symbol for the American Spirit -- a citizen-patriot ever ready to drop his plow, grab his musket, and awaken the sleeping masses to the danger that was at hand -- writing at the onset of the Civil war, Longfellow wanted to ignite that same spirit in his fellow countrymen -- to call them to action -- and so he tried to stir the hearts of men with his poem about Paul Revere's ride
-- the angel's words to the disciples on the Mount of Olives was a call to action -- a call from God to stir their very spirits -- to compel them to go forth in the name of Christ -- to be His witnesses and to share His message to the ends of the earth
-- these very same words are a call to us who are gathered here this morning -- I believe God is asking us, "Why are you still standing here? -- Why aren't you moving and doing what My Son called you to do? -- Why aren't you going forth in the power of My Holy Spirit to share My message of reconciliation and the forgiveness of sins? -- Why are you still here?"
-- the message of the angels tells us that Christ did not die just so we could enjoy sunrise services -- He did not die so that we could spend our lives sitting in church each Sunday
-- Christ died for the forgiveness of the sins of the world -- and He has commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations -- baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit -- and teaching them to obey everything that He has commanded us to do
-- Jesus does not want us to be like the disciples -- just standing there on the Mount of Olives -- looking up to Heaven and waiting for His return
-- He does not want us to be static Christians -- to be static churches -- content with coming to sunrise services -- content with coming to church every Sunday -- content with just sitting on the pews while the world around us is going to Hell
-- He is calling us to arms -- to battle against the spiritual forces of evil in this world -- to assail the very gates of Hell itself -- and to win souls for His kingdom
-- in the same way the angels called the disciples to action, Paul Revere called a nation to action -- let me ask you this morning, "Who among you is going to be our Paul Revere?" -- Who among you is not going to be content to just do church any longer? -- Who among you is not going to be happy just sitting in a pew, doing nothing?
-- Who among you is going to rise to the challenge -- to carry the message of God to your family and your friends -- to the cashier at the grocery store -- to the waitress who serves you?
-- Who among you is going to be stirred to action -- to fulfill the command of God?
-- God is calling us to more than we are -- to more than we do -- He is calling us to be His hands and His feet -- to be His army who responds to the call and wins the battle for Him
-- a few years ago, a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago -- they had assured their wives they would be home on Friday night in plenty of time of supper
-- well, on Friday, they were running late -- and as they were rushing through the airport, trying to make it to the gate to get on the plane which was already boarding -- one of the salesmen accidentally kicked over a table which held a display of apples
-- apples flew everywhere -- rolling all across the terminal floor -- but without stopping or looking back, the salesmen all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding -- all but one
-- this one salesman looked back -- he paused -- took a deep breath -- and felt a twinge of compassion for the girl who owned the apple stand
-- he told his buddies to go on without him and to call his wife and tell her that he would be taking a later flight and would miss supper
-- he went back to the table that they had knocked over -- and he was glad he did
-- the teenaged girl who owned the apple stand was totally blind -- she was softly crying -- tears running down her cheeks in frustration as she helplessly groped around on the floor -- trying to find her apples that had rolled away and that she couldn't see
-- the salesman knelt on the floor with her -- gathered up her apples, and put them back on the table -- as he did, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised -- he put those in another basket
-- when he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said the to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did -- are you okay?"
-- she nodded through her tears -- he said, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly -- and as he started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister" -- he paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes -- "Are you Jesus?"
-- he stopped in mid-stride and his heart skipped a beat -- he slowly made his way to the gate to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul -- "Are you Jesus?"
-- do people mistake you for Jesus? -- that's our destiny, isn't it? -- that's our calling -- that's the challenge from the angel's message to the disciples -- to be so much like Jesus that the world cannot tell the difference as we live and interact people that are blind to His love -- His life -- and His grace
-- if we claim to know Him -- if we claim to be Christians and to be part of His church -- then we should live and walk and act as He would
-- knowing Jesus is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church -- it's actually living the Word and sharing His message with others as life unfolds day to day
-- we are gathered here this morning because we are like the apples in this story -- we have been bruised and battered by a fall -- but Jesus stopped what He was doing and He picked us up on a hill called Calvary -- and He paid the price for our damaged hearts -- for the sins that we had committed -- and all He asks in return is that we do the same for others -- that we take a moment and share with them His message of salvation and forgiveness of sins
-- we can't do that sitting in our pews -- we can't do that standing at the foot of the cross looking up at the sky -- we can only do that if we leave where we are and go back into the world
-- will you be a spiritual Paul Revere today? -- Will you carry the message of Christ to this world -- letting them know that the battle has been won and that Christ is coming again? -- Will you take up your arms for Him?
-- let us pray
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