Coastal Community Church is now 10 years old. That is amazing, and amazing to see what God has done over the last 10 years!
Nearly 100 people over this same period that have made professions of faith!
Including two last night!
As you saw in the slide presentation, and as I was reminded just how many people have come through this church across the years . . .many moving across state or out of state. That was one statistic that I have not tried to keep up with.
I do want you to know, if you were one of those nearly 100 conversions, you alone are worth the last 10 years!
I have said many times that our reward in heaven will be people. We certainly know that gold won’t mean a hill of beans. The streets will be paved with it!
This is what I am convinced of . . .
Whether you have been a part and moved away, or
Whether you’ve been here from the start, or
Maybe you are part of the current congregation, or
Maybe thinking about it . . .
Your life is not one of chance . . .
God has ordained it!
And, whatever part you had or have in the ministry of CCC, you had a part in these conversions!
BACKGROUND:
In the day of Jesus . . . and John the Baptist, when a boy was born . . .
It was a cause for great celebration
At the time of birth friends and musicians gathered near the house
When it was announced that it was a boy the musicians broke out into song
There was universal congratulations and rejoicing
And, in Elizabeth’s house there was double joy . . . because she gave birth at such an old age
On the 8th day the boy was circumcised and received his name
In Palestine names were very descriptive
Generally carried the significance of the circumstances surrounding the family at the time
o Esau and Jacob . . . Jacob’s name signified a baby boy who had grasped the heel of his brother as Esau was born first . . . and, came to be significant much later when Jacob took Esau’s birth-rite and blessing
Sometimes it described the child himself . . .
o Laban . . . meant blonde or white
It often described the parents joy . . .
o Saul and Samuel both mean “asked for”
Finally, sometimes it was a declaration of the parent’s faith
o Elijah means “Jehovah is my God!”
Do you remember the animated Disney movie, called “Jungle Book?”
Mobley was trying to get away from Ka, the tiger, and he runs past the group of vultures.. . And the whole time the chase is on you have these vultures in the background . . . The conversation goes something like this . . . “What do you want to do?” “I don’t know. What do you want to do?”
You get the idea . . . But, what a way to live . . Aimlessly going through life.
I shared a passage with the teens last night where the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians these words, “For I am determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
To the Galatians he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer in who, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for
Henry Blackabee, in his book, Experiencing God, says that you cannot find a story in the Bible where God asks the individual what he wants to do.
In every case God puts man in a situation where He needs them, and then calls them to the task.
He didn’t ask Abram to leave the land of Ur,
Nor did He ask Noah to build the Ark.
So it is with our text this morning . . .
Tell the story of Zachariah. . . And Elizabeth
Now read Luke 1:76-79
Before John the Baptist was born God had a plan . . . .
We read about it, and believe it to be true, yet are we willing to believe God could have a plan for us as well?
An umpire named Babe Pinelli once called Babe Ruth out on strikes. When the crowd booed with sharp disapproval at the call, the legendary Ruth turned to the umpire with disdain and said, "There’s 40,000 people here who know that the last pitch was ball, tomato head."
Suspecting that the umpire would erupt with anger, the coaches and players braced themselves for Ruth’s ejection.
However, the cool headed Pinelli replied, "Maybe so, Babe, but mine is the only opinion that counts."
