Tinney Chapel Today

Click on image above to view it in larger format or click on the arrow below to view part 1 of the Lay Speaker sermon video.


Forgive And Live

A Lay Sermon Devotional for Lent (see video), based on one of the Parables of Jesus found in Luke 7:40-47:

As an introduction, Joe Dan recited an old poem by James Henry Leigh Hunt:

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lilly in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the Presence in the room he said,
What writest thou?" The Vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?" said Abou.
"Nay, not so," replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerily still; and said, "I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow-men."

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
And, lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest!


Luke 7:40-47 (New International Version, ©2011)

40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[a] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Resource link for the above:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+7%3A40-47&version=NIV

During today's Lenten Worship service, the congregation sang "Nothing But The Blood" and "My Hope Is Built," with Angela Wylie as song leader and piano accompaniment by Molly Mathis.

After the devotional sermon, Pastor Sue Gross served Holy Communion, assisted by Lay Speaker Joe Dan Boyd.

Please scroll down for part 2 of this Lenten devotional, filmed by fellow Lay Speaker David Stanton, who also made the still photos.