Reaching The 412

Reaching the 412

“We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you.” (41256 Barnetts Creek, 41204 Boons Camp 41222 Collista, 41222 Denver, 41216 East Point, 41219 Elna, 41219 Flatgap, 41219 Fuget, 41219 Gillem Branch, 41222 Hagerhill, 41265 Johns Creek, 41226 Keaton, 41222 Leander, 41238 Manila, 41234 Meally, 41222 Mendola Village, 41240 Nippa, 41240 Offutt, 41238 Oil Springs, 41240 Paintsville, 41219 Redbush, 41240 Riceville, 41254 River, 41255 Sitka, 41256 Staffordsville, 41257 Stambaugh, 41240 Swamp Branch, 41240 Thealka, 41260 Thelma, 41263 Tutor Key, 41265 Van Lear, 41219 Volga, 41268 West Van Lear, 41240 Whitehouse, 41271 Williamsport, 41219 Winifred, 41274 Wittensville.) 2 Corinthians 10:13

Intro: Today we are going to think about reaching out to our community.

I spoke with David Havens Postmaster here in Paintsville

and he gave me some really helpful and interesting information

about the post offices and zip codes in Johnson County.

He said if we search back through records and history to the beginning of Johnson County

Johnson County, Kentucky was established in 1843, with Paintsville as the county seat.

People resided in Floyd County, Lawrence County and Morgan County.

One day its people were in their own home county

and seemingly overnight they became citizens of Johnson County.

It looked like a group of our ancestors had moved

But what really happened was the boundaries had changed around them.

A good guess is there have been about 37 different zip codes over the years in Johnson County.

Of course many of those post offices have closed and the zip codes merged or changed.

One example is the old Win Post Office near Pickle Fork is underwater when they built the lake.

Today people are constantly moving in and out of Johnson County.

People move from Barnetts Creek to Redbush or across from Van Lear to Staffordsville.

You probably know people who have moved twice in one year.

We as a church have to keep in mind that these are all our neighbors.

We have to keep up to date about the expanding and growing and changing boundaries of our outreach.

The title of today’s sermon is “Reaching the 412.”

We are going to talk about reaching those who are at the heart beat of our church

who live in one of the 37 communities whose zip codes begin with the numbers 412.

These are people outside the walls of this church that we need to serve and reach.

John Wesley’s famous quote: “I look upon all the world as my parish;

thus far I mean, that in whatever part of it I am,

I judge it meet, right, and my bounden duty to declare unto all that are willing to hear,

the glad tidings of salvation.” –Journal, June 11, 1739.

When you attend this church.

When you attend First church you are making a commitment to serve and reach out.

When you join this Church

You made an even deeper, more intentional commitment to reach out to the people in Johnson county.

You took the vows of membership in the church.

You have made a promise.

What holds you accountable to that commitment?

First is your relationship with Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and the scripture

They remind us that we have a calling from God to serve and a duty to reach out.

Are you going to do…, what we said…, we are going to do?

It reminds me of my childhood when I would want to go play.

My mom would say…, before you can go ride your bike…,

you have to make sure your school work is done and you chores are done.

I know kids today still have school work.

I am not so sure that very many kids have chores to do.

Or that parents teach their children responsibility to homework like my parents did or your parents did.

But I was made to do my chores before I could play.

I was made to eat my vegetable before I could get up from the table.

I was made to brush my teeth before I went to bed.

I was even made to say a prayer before I went to sleep.

But much of that has changed in our society today.

I believe to the down fall of our morals and principles and our faith.

I want each of us to think about before we take time for leisure activities and time for entertainment

Do we have responsibilities?

Do we have a sense of duty first?

De we keep the obligations and do the things that we are supposed to do first?

Christ calls us to reach out to others.

The bible stories teach us kingdom truths that God wants us to learn and follow.