Sunday, January 23, 2005
Seed of the Promise and of the Faith
CHURCH ART BY TINNEY CHAPEL KIDS: Madison, Kenny and J.T.Crow. All photos on this post are by Angela Wylie.
CHILDREN'S SERMON TODAY:
Today, Senior Pastor Duncan Graham asked if any of the children were familiar with the saying: Spare the rod and spoil the child. The answer: No. Not a single one of the kids had ever heard it. “Well, my family believed in it,” quipped the Pastor, who told the children that the saying is actually based on Scripture:
Proverbs 13:24 He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly. --–New King James Version
“I wish I could have been a better son,” said the Pastor. “Oh, it isn’t that I was incorrigible, but I didn’t obey promptly. If my mother told me to take out the trash, I would procrastinate and grumble until I forgot about it. That attitude got me in trouble. I remember once when I misbehaved in church, my mother hauled me outside, broke a limb off a hedge and taught me the nature of not sparing the rod. And, you know what: She never had to do that again.”
The Pastor speculated about why that Scriptural saying is not as well-known as it once was, and perhaps not as often observed: “Nowadays, people worry about child abuse, and that’s a legitimate worry, but some say the bottom side is made for correction.” The Pastor mentioned another Scriptural reference that’s applicable:
Ephesians 6: 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: 3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." ---New King James Version
“My take on this Scripture is that we should honor our parents, and always do what will bring a good report to them about our behavior,” added Pastor Graham. “My grandmother used to send us off with the reminder to not forget WHOSE we are. That was her way of encouraging us to do what is right to protect our reputation. And, never forget that God desires us to honor our mothers and our fathers.”
In his closing prayer, the Pastor asked of the Lord that our young people grow up not to be rebellious and not to go astray, but rather that they grow up blessed with sound reasoning and raised in righteousness: “May they conduct their lives in ways that will cause the world to say they must come from very good families. All of this we ask in the Name of Jesus our Savior. Amen.”
Greeters: L. R. Kemp & George Jordan.
Soundman: Bob Deitering.
Ushers: George Jordan & L.R. Kemp.
MUSIC
Pianist: Pat Hollingsworth.
Songleader for hymns: Angela Wylie.
Songs: Glory To His Name; Holy Holy Holy; How Great Thou Art; Pass It On.
Morning Prayer & Lord’s Prayer: Pastor Duncan Graham
LITURGY BY ASSOCIATE PASTOR GENE MILLER:
Call To Worship
Offertory Prayer
Doxology
Gloria Patri
Apostles Creed
Senior Pastor Duncan Graham’s sermon today was untitled, but he examined faith from the perspective of Abraham’s call in the Old Testament Book of Genesis, as clarified by the New Testament Books of Hebrews and Romans, beginning with this reading:
Romans 4: 7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin."
9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. 13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
17 (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations"*) in the presence of Him whom he believed--God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be." 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
Romans 5: 1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have* peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ---New King James Version
“The good news, dearly beloved, is that we have yet a place to attain to,” declared Pastor Graham. “Faith is a wonderful Word that brings closeness to God, and there we can rejoice in sharing the Word of God, in and through us, to a world in great need. Abraham, as a child, was moved by his father, from Ur to Haran, and God spoke to the adult Abraham as described in Genesis 11 and 12, telling him that He would make of him a great nation, meaning that God would give him an heir, and through Abraham all nations would be blessed.
“When Abraham received that offer from God, he was already 75 years old,” added the Pastor. “By our standards, Abraham was past retirement age and long since eligible for Social Security. He could have easily told God that he was too old to pull up stakes and move again, which is what God told him to do. If any of us received such a call from God today, our first reaction would likely be: Who is that speaking to me, really?
“And, you might think that Abraham would doubt that God would give him an heir at age 75,” emphasized Pastor Graham. “But, Abraham’s faith never wavered. He trusted God, and believed what God told him. If God spoke it, that settled it for Abraham. So, Abraham takes his wife, Sara, his nephew Lot and his considerable belongings, loads up and heads out. By faith, Abraham believed the Promise of God.
“And, Abraham believed for the next...25 years without ever beginning to see the fulfillment of that Promise,” said Pastor Graham. “By this time, he was a 100 year old man and Sara was a 95 year old woman, so the prospect of an heir must have seemed even more remote than ever. No wonder Sara laughed when God said that she would deliver a son to her husband Abraham. Sara did not have the faith that Abraham had.
“But, of course, we know that it all came to pass: Sara, in her old age, did have a son, Isaac, the Seed of the Promise, and of the Faith that got us into the Kingdom...because Abraham believed. Think of it: For 25 long, hard years, without a clue that it would ever come to pass, and only the Word of God to hang onto! If only we could stand on the Word of God like Abraham, and believe as he did: Nothing would be impossible for us!
“The Word teaches us there is only one way to get all that God has,” said the Pastor. “It is only though such a faith relationship with God. You may have all the knowledge in the world, but it will not get what you need from God. Without faith, it is impossible to please God! How often have we looked at the circumstances and said: It can’t be done! Abraham, on the other hand, looked at the circumstances, and saw opportunity.
“What we must learn is to believe that God is more important than all the circumstances in the world,” declared Pastor Graham. “Jesus tells us that our mountains can be moved if we have faith. He tells us we can eat the best of the vine. He tells us we can have what we ask for in prayer. He tells us that we can do the works that He did. But, make no mistake; all this requires our devoted relationship with God. We must give up our self-indulgence and get to know Him intimately.
“If we do that, we will see our own faith grow as we get closer to God,” added the Pastor. “Faith is the greatest attribute of a church with regard to its character. Faith links us with God. Where faith is present there is fact, and then there is joy. You can have what you desire if you believe according to the Will of the Father. We can be a church that is most assuredly full of the glory of God, serving Him in a variety of ways. But He waits on us to make a choice...like Abraham. Then, we may enjoy fulfillment of the Promise.”
In his closing prayer, the Pastor said: “Oh, Heavenly Father, we need to be all we can be through You, gloriously serving the Kingdom for the benefit of others who have needs, and need Your Salvation here in this place with Your power, Your greatness, Your glory, Your grace. In Jesus Name, our Savior and our Lord, Amen.”
SANCTUARY AT TINNEY CHAPEL UMC.
BIBLE READINGS TODAY:
Readings for the third Sunday after the Epiphany:
Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1, 4-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23.
OVERCOMERS SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS at Tinney Chapel UMC.
CLASSES TODAY:
SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS TOPICS:
WISE ONES, Frankie Brewer: Giving Your All.
LADIES BYKOTA, Peggy Boyd: Heaven’s Rewards.
Tinney Chapel Men, Bill Knoop: The Case For Christ, a study by Lee Strobel. (A multiple-week study.)
OVERCOMERS: Jenna Nelson: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. (A multiple-week study.)
YOUTH: Stephen Graham: Fellowship.
CHILDREN: Linda Hallman: The Baptism of Jesus.
REMNANT RIGHTEOUSNESS
MAY THE GOOD LORD BLESS & KEEP YOU
Life Lessons # 252 from Psalm 33:12 & related Scripture.
1. Sing joyfully to the Lord.
2. God bless America.
3. The word of the Lord is right & true.
4. This land is your land.
5. The Lord loves righteousness & justice.
6. There’s a star-spangled banner waving somewhere.
7. The plans of the Lord stand firm forever.
8. God blessed America for you & me.
9. Sing to Him a new song.
10. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.
The Remnant
Sunday School Class
Tinney Chapel UMC
Winnsboro, Texas
READ: Matthew 5:1-12, “The Beatitudes,” (blessed means happy), which describe the inner condition of a follower of Christ and promise him/her blessings in the future.
Afterwards, reflect upon these things:
1. Slices of Kingdom Life.
2. When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down.
3. His disciples came to Him, and he began to teach them, saying:...
4. Poor in spirit, mourners, meek, seekers, merciful, pure, peacemakers, persecuted, victims, rewards.
5. Salt & light.
