Sermon Notes for Sunday, March 29th, 2009

Matthew 27's accounting of The Crucifixion

32As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). 34There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" 41In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42"He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' " 44In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Mark 15's accounting of The Crucifixion

21A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). 23Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. 25It was the third hour when they crucified him. 26The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. 27They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. 29Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30come down from the cross and save yourself!" 31In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! 32Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Luke 23's accounting of The Crucifixion

26As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30Then " 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ‘31For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" 32Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." 36The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." 38There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

Luke’s gospel offers hope for one of the two men crucified with Jesus, and it also gives us a better understanding of why there were three crosses on the hill that day. Each cross represented something…

Here are the three “R’s” of Calvary, and what each cross means:

Rebellion

Repentance

Redemption

The three crosses represent the Thief who rejected, the Thief who repented, and the Savior who redeemed...

Rebellion, according to 1 Samuel 15:23, is as the sin of witchcraft: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”

Repentance – In Ezekiel 18:23, God asks, “23Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

Redemption is an act of God: Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Primary Scriptural Text for Sunday, March 22, 2009

John 2:13-22

13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"

17His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."

18Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"

19Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."

20The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Sermon Notes for Sunday, March 15th, 2009

Tim Lancaster preached the following message in the pastor's absence:

Receiving His Word

Proverbs 2:1-6 (King James Version): My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee. 2So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

As we move towards Easter, let’s take a moment to consider a few things, we think about Christmas and Jesus's Birth and then in a few months we then fast forward around 33 years to his death on the cross.

In reflecting back let’s think about what the Gospel of John tells us, “and the word became flesh and walked amongst us”. In thinking about that let’s remember, when the Word of God came to Mary, Gabriel gave the Word of God to Mary, let’s listen in our hearts to her response, in Luke 1: 38...

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. Ponder these words in your heart, and think about Jesus being raised in Nazareth, then at the age of 12 going with his parents to Jerusalem, staying behind for 3 days and causing worry to his parents. Let’s think about His response to his parents when they found him,

Luke 2: 49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

Now let’s move on to Jesus’s work in Capernaum, remember his was a Pagan town that had Jews living there, and their influence spread into the town so much that a Centurion a man of wealth had built the Jews a Synagogue. Check out Luke 7, the Centurion had a special servant that was sick, he not being a Jew ask for God’s favor to heal is servant knowing that he wasn’t worthy of a Jew coming to his house just ask Jesus to heal him was enough, Jesus was touched by the man’s faith and said,: “I say unto you, I have not found so great of faith, no, not in Israel.

We all know the story of the lady with this issue of blood that lived in Ceasarea of Philippi, like in Pricetown and all town news travels fast. This woman from a Pagan town heard of a miracle worker, and she knew he was a Jew, remember the people talk. The story is all so familiar with us, songs have been written about it and many messages preached. Today let’s dig deeper in the thoughts of this lady. This woman realized she wasn’t a Jew, and being that Jews lived in the area, she had picked up on some of their teachings, remember we influence the crowd around us This lady was ashamed, a woman with her disorder was considered unclean, plus she wasn’t a Jew, we remember too what Jesus said, that he came to his own and they received him not. Even though the crowds were pressing, and many around him, she commented, if I could just touch the hem of his garment, I would be made whole. Remember she wasn’t a Jew, and she had guilt of being unclean to a Jew and Jesus was a Jew. He responded when she touched Him, “Who touched me?” She came before him and fell at his feet, he responded to her Daughter, your faith has healed the, go in Peace, and be free from your plague. He not only healed her, he washed her guilt away, remember she was Gentile, and considered unclean to Jews.

As we see him in his work in Capernaum, we are reminded of his work with the gentiles, we remember when he met the lady needed his mercy, and he mentioned. Matthew 15: 22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 1. 23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. Let’s move on to what Jesus said about Capernaum, in Matthew 11

23And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

We thank you Lord for your Holy Word, we ask you Lord to have mercy on us to receive your Word,

We Come to you our Father with Psalm 51 as David came to you.

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 1. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Lord, Have Mercy on Us to received your Word.

Golden Citizen's Sunday 2009

This morning we honored our Golden Citizens with a special worship service and a special after-church luncheon. During our worship service, we presented them all with specially framed plaques that showcased the origins of their names along with a correlating Scripture reference.

The primary text this morning can be found in the Old Testament Book of Leviticus, chapter 19, verse 32: "Rise in the presence of the aged, [and] show respect for the elderly."

Among the more humorous comments shared in the service were the following:

What A Grandparent Is, according to small children:

A grandmother is a lady who has no children of her own, so she likes other people's little girls. A Grandfather is a man grandmother. He goes for walks with the boys, and they talk about fishing and tractors and like that.

Grandmas and Grandpas don't have to do anything excerpt be there. They're old, so they shouldn't play hard or run. It is enough if they drive us to market where the pretend horse is and have lots of quarters ready. Or if they take us for walks, they should slow down past pretty leaves and caterpillars. They should never, ever say "Hurry Up".

Usually they are fat, but not too fat to tie kids' shoes. They wear glasses and funny underwear. They can take off their teeth and gums.

It is better if they don't typewrite, or play cards except with us. They don't have to be smart, only answer questions like why dogs hate cats and how come God isn't married. They don't talk baby talk like visitors do, because it is hard to understand. When they read to us they don't skip or mind if it is the same story again.

Everybody should try to have one, especially if you don't have television, because grandmas are the only grownups who have time.

At a retirement home a group of seniors were sitting around talking about all their ailments:

"My arms have gotten so weak I can hardly lift this cup of coffee," said one.

"Yes, I know," said another. "My cataracts are so bad I can't even see my coffee."

"I couldn't even mark an 'X' at election time, my hands are so crippled," volunteered a third.

"What? Speak up! What? I can't hear you!" said a fourth.

"I can't turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck," said a fifth, to which several nodded weakly in agreement.

"My blood pressure pills make me so dizzy I can hardly walk!" exclaimed another.

"I forget where I am, and where I'm going," said an elderly gent.

"I guess that's the price we pay for getting old," winced an old man as he slowly shook his head. The others nodded in agreement.

"Well, count your blessings," said one woman cheerfully, "and thank the Lord we can all still drive!"

The Perks of Being 50+

• No one expects you to run - anywhere.
• People call at 9 PM and ask, "Did I wake you?"
• People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.
• There is nothing left to learn the hard way.
• Things you buy now won't wear out.
• You can eat dinner at 4 P.M.
• You enjoy hearing about other peoples' operations.
• You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.
• You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.
• You no longer have to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.
• Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather service.
• Your secrets are safe with your friends, because they can't remember them either.
  

  Other thoughts on Aging:

• Eventually we all reach a point where we stop lying about our age and we start bragging about it.
• The older we get, there are fewer things that seem worth waiting in line for.
• Some people try to turn back their odometers. But some have traveled a long way and they know that some of the roads weren't paved.
• Being young may be beautiful, but being old is comfortable.
• Old age is when former classmates are so gray and wrinkled and bald, they don't recognize each other.
• If we don't learn to laugh at trouble, we won't have anything to laugh at when we’re old.

Famous Last Words:

In the late 19th century, a Reverend Wright said, "Man will never fly. If the good Lord had wanted us to go up in the sky, He would have given us wings!" A few years later this same Rev. Wright's two sons, Orville and Wilbur made the first airplane.

In 1912, a newspaper boasted that “God, Himself, could not sink the Titanic.”

In 1945, Admiral Leahy declared, "The atomic bomb will never go off; and I speak as an expert in explosives!" No doubt this famed authority wishes he had never said those words.

One of the most amusing remarks was made by Lt. Joseph Ives in 1861, following exploration of the Grand Canyon. Ives stated emphatically, "The Grand Canyon is, of course, altogether useless. Ours has been the first, and will doubtless be the last party of white men to visit this profitless locality." Today, the Grand Canyon is one of the most popular National Parks. In fact, so many tourists come that they're trying to limit the number.

Points to Ponder:

• Winston Churchill was 65 years old when he became British Prime Minister for the first time, and he led the struggle against Hitler. At 80, he returned to the House of Commons as a member of parliament, and exhibited 62 of his paintings.
• Golda Meir was 71 years old when she became the Prime Minister of Israel.
• Grandma Moses was 80 years old when she had her first one-woman art exhibit, and she was still painting when she reached the century mark.
• Benjamin Franklin, at 81, skillfully mediated disagreeing factions in the US Constitutional Convention.
• When he was 89 years old, Albert Schweitzer was still the head of a hospital in Africa.
• When he was 92 years old, George Bernard Shaw wrote another play.
• When he was 100 years old, comedian George Burns was slated to play Carnegie Hall.

Sheol, Hades, Hell, etc.

Click on the following images from various internet sites if interested in seeing detailed diagrams of the Scripture References about the Afterlife and End-Time Eschatology...

Scripture Notes for Sunday, March 1st, 2009

1 Peter 3:18-22

18…Christ died for [our] sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Genesis 6

1 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."

4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD…

Revelation 9

1And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

2And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

3And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

4And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

5And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

6And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

7And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

8And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.

9And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

10And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

11And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon ("Destroyer").

Luke 16:19-31

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.

23In hell,[ where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.

26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

27"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

29"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

30" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

31"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "