Video Chairs
Slide #1
Prayer
How many of you have noticed the poster hanging at the end of the office hallway.
16 months ago when my family and I were asked to come and see if this was the church and the community that God had prepared for us to minister in…
The caption that is printed on the poster caught my eye…it’s from a book called “No Perfect People Allowed!
In this book…the author “John Burke” …explains the steps that are necessary in “creating a come as you are culture in the Church”…
I would like to read to you the opening sentence from the book that caught my eye…
“What do a Buddhist, a biker couple, a gay-rights activist, a transient, a high-tech engineer, a Muslim, a twenty-something single mom, a Jew, a couple living together, and an atheist all have in common? They are the future church in America.”
When you walk out your own front door it becomes very clear that the “Leave it to Beaver” and the “Andy Griffith” life styles no longer exist in America.
Everything in life has changed including the church her-self and how it reaches out to the seekers (lost) of its current generation.
In the fifties and sixties it was just expected that on Sundays…every business was closed…you and your entire family would get up…put on your Sunday best and head out the door to church.
But now…50 years have passed…and instead of finding businesses closed on Sunday…It’s hard to find a business that isn’t…and very rarely do you find a family with all its members attending a Sunday morning service.
We shake our heads in despair while whispering under our breath… “What has become of this generation”
And as disappointing as it is for us…what we often fail to remember is “what’s God think about all this?”
God’s number one concern is making sure you understand that even though you personally may have failed Him.
He still desires for you to daily seek Him out and ask Him to forgive you of your past… (sin)
His intentions have always been for your best interest…Quite the opposite of the world which we all live in.
And like it or not…We all have been born into a world that has become filled with excuses…materialism…and counterfeit gods… keeping us from learning the truth about God.
After reading the opening sentence from the book “No Perfect People Allowed”…it made me begin to think…what is it that’s so special about God and the Church that attracts a person into making a life changing decision.
Is it the friendly welcome that people receive when they first walk in the front doors of the church…is it the inviting smell of fresh brewed coffee …
Is it participating in the much needed worship service…or maybe just maybe…
It’s listening to the life changing message that Jesus Christ has to offer.
You see…God has always had a plan….You are His Plan…
His plan is one of purpose…His plan is one of forgiveness…and His plan has a future…
Slide#2 His Plan Is About Purpose
His plan has always been about purpose…this is why over 2000 years ago He sent His Son to this very earth to personally show us by example the correct way to live life by.
In Romans 12:9-21 is where we find the “Marks (Responsibilities) of the true Christian” (read)
Here we read where the Apostle Paul shares with us some very important incite about how Christians should live their lives. (But what about those who don’t go to church?)
What we just read does not register with the world outside the church.
The world outside the church is filled with hurting people…people who are being mentally and emotionally beat up.
People who daily are being taken advantage of… in their jobs…by their families… and by their friends.
They feel that no one cares about them…And no matter what they do…the current situation they find themselves in will never change.
(All they know is the world will beat you up…spit you out…and leave you lying to die)
This is why it is so important for the church to do its best to create a come as you are atmosphere.
An atmosphere where people feel welcome…where they feel important…where they feel they can make a difference…and where they can find God…meet with Him and change.
Gods plan was for the church to be a place where people can seek shelter from the storms of life.
Where they can count on people to be their friends and not have to worry about being taken advantage of.
This is why it is important for the church…(Christians ) to do their best to live their lives by what Paul shared with us from Romans 12:9-21…
It’s true…Gods plan is about a Purpose …But his plan is also about Forgiveness.
Slide #3 His Plan Is About Forgiveness
Romans 6:23… “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God’s plan of forgiveness is all about you…There is not one person here today that doesn’t deserve His free gift of forgiveness.
Four Sundays ago…churches all around the world celebrated the resurrection of their Lord and Savior.(Easter Sunday)
God not only sent His Son to this earth to teach you how to live…but He sent His Son to the cross So you could live.
Because your here today…you have the opportunity of being born again…If you a guest here today or new to church…your probably looking at me thinking he’s not all there.
But believe me…this second birth is true.
We all enter this world the same way…thru our physical birth.
But once a person reaches the age of accountability (When they are old enough to make decisions for themselves)… they have a decision to make. (A/B)
Continue living life the world’s way…in (sin) or choose to be spiritually born again. (Second birth)
John 3:1-5; 16-17 (read)
When this thing every one of us calls life is over…the only thing that is going to be important is… did you ask Jesus into your life…and did YOU share Jesus with others.
Life is not about how you look…who you hang around with…what you’ve been able to accomplish…
It’s about Gods plan…and You………………..
Slide #4
In a few minutes we are going to rake communion as a church family.
Every child of God should approach the Lords Supper with a pure heart…A heart that is not being controlled by sin.
This is not only a time of personal rededication…but one of spiritual rededication as well.
Here at VP we believe in open communion.
We believe that every person (before taking communion) has the right to ask Jesus into their life and forgive them of their sins.
Explain the importance of preparation……
Personal time of Prayer (Luke 22:19 & 20)
Men if you would come down front to prepare for communion…………..
Luke 22:19 & 20
*Deacons pass out the Bread
Deacon prays for the bread
The night before His Death……………………
Read Vs. 19
Take eat.
SLIDE
*Deacons pass out the Blood
Deacon pray for the blood
Read vs.20
Take drink
Please be seated.
God is about purpose…He is about forgiveness…And He has a plan…
Slide #5 Your Future
When I was a child growing up…many times I would find myself daydreaming about the future.
Where would I work…Where would I live…Would I ever find my dream girl and get married?
Growing up was fun wasn’t it...No worries…no fears…no doubts.
But then our future quickly arrives… and in the blink of an eye…we find ourselves grown up and life begins.
Most people end up finding their sweet hearts…get married…have kids and then for the rest of their lives… they then try and control their own future.
This is why I love my Job…week after week I get to share with you that there is a God…That loves you…and does have a plan for you.
You see for many people…they go through their entire life and never get to enjoy the greatest benefits of being a Christian.
The person who never attends church or never admits their sins to God…to them …life is like the movie called (Ground hog day.)
In the movie “Groundhog Day” (the actor Bill Murray)
A weather man is reluctantly sent to cover a story about a weather forecasting "rat" (as he calls it).
This is his fourth year on the story, and he makes no effort to hide his frustration.
On awaking the 'following' day he discovers that it's Groundhog Day again, and again, and again. (Home/work)
First he uses this to his advantage, but then comes the realization that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing EVERY day.
How many of you here today love God? Are you dreading your future?
God’s plan is a winning plan…It’s a plan of purpose…forgiveness and It’s a plan with a future.
I would like to close the service today by reading from Philippians 3:20-21…
Paul reminds us that Heaven is the place where God dwells…and where Christ Is present.
It is the believer’s home…where their names have been registered…and their inheritance awaits.
Eternity is going to be for a very long time…I hope and pray that we will all be there together someday…….
