April 14,
2013
Third
Sunday of Easter
Worship Theme: Amazing Grace
Acts 9:1-6 CEB
John 21:1-19 ESV
Revelation 5:11-14 the Message Bible
Genesis 2:6
John 4:1-42
Christianity: A Very worldly Religion
A
reading from the Book of Revelation, chapter 5, verses 11 through 15, I am
reading from the Message Bible this morning. . . listen to the Word of God to
you and me the people of God. . .
Have you ever seen
anything that just completely took your breath away? Something that only God
could have done and you are just in total awe of Him and the love that God
showers upon you? The grace that God shows all of creation that makes you want
to just sing praises to God?
When Ray and I went on
our honeymoon we went to St. Lucia. I
think that St. Lucia is one of the most beautiful places that I have seen thus
far in my life. We would get up each morning before the sun and we would
sit on the beach to watch the day begin. It would start with a little glimmer
of light on the horizon. Then something awe inspiring would begin. We would
watch as the sky morph into something that only a Master painter could do. It
would begin with a hint of color. . . yellow and orange with blue in the
background. . . then would come the pinks and reds. It would change into a
color that I really can’t describe but it was beautiful. We would sit in awe as
we watched the morning begin its song of joy and we would end up standing on
our feet applauding God for a beautiful display of Majesty! It was like morning
was brought forth in song. What amazing
grace God showed the world and still shows the world each and every morning. Oh
how creation sings a song of love each day. . .
When you think about it.
. . Christianity is truly a worldly religion. Not because Christianity follows
the way of the world but because all of creation is included. . . all of
creation sings praises to Jesus the Lamb and for the amazing grace of God
through Jesus. Creation is invited into the song of praise because of the
unconditional love of God seen through the work of Christ on the Cross. It is praise inspiring this work of love. .
. this gift of grace. Let me explain. . .
From the Acts reading
this morning, we see Saul. . . soon to be Paul. . . on his way to take prisoner
those who believe in the “Way”. . . the Way of Christ, when suddenly there is
this flash of light and he falls to the ground. He then hears the voice of
Jesus telling him to get up and go into the city. Now. . . he could have been
struck dead right where he was. But God had another plan for him, even though
he had spent his life imprisoning those who believed. By God’s grace to Saul. .
. now Paul. . . he was saved and believed. Now instead of imprisoning those of
the Way he was preaching the Way. Even
though he was against Jesus, he was included in the plan to spread the word.
Paul became the writer of most of the New Testament we read in the bible. God’s
amazing grace is for everyone and all of creation can sing a salvation song.
In the Revelation
scripture we heard about the “singing in heaven”. . . we heard creations song
of praise. Now this scripture does not say it was just the saints that sang but
it tells us that ALL of creation. Every creature in heaven and earth, in
underworld and sea, the Angels. .
. the animals. . . the Elders thousands. . . tens of thousands. . . singing
praises. . . falling to their knees in worship. Can you imagine the scene in
heaven? Can you imagine the sound? Can you imagine the beauty of that song? A
few years ago I went to a women’s conference and with one voice 4,000+ women
were saying “If the Son sets you free you are free indeed”. . . I am sure that
it didn’t. . . it couldn’t compare to the sound in heaven! God’s amazing grace is for everyone and all of creation can sing a
salvation song.
So what are we to do with
this amazing love and grace we receive from our God and King? How do we to
react. . . how are we to sing. . . our praise? Well. . . I think that the John
scripture from this morning gives some insight on these questions. After Peter
had denied Christ three times, Jesus asks three times if Peter loved Him. . . and I think He asks humanity today the same
question. . . do you love me? Well of course Peter’s answer was yes. But
what I find interesting is the statements of Christ after each answer. It is
within these statements that we find our answer.
Do you love me? Yes. Feed my Lambs. . . We are to include
all of creation in our worship. . . we worship God when we take care of what
God has given us. This includes our land. . . our water. . . our brothers and
sisters in Christ. But we see how humanity exploits others and the land in
which we live. I find it ironic that in
Genesis 2:6 the bible tells us that we are created out of the dust of the earth
but we still tend to exploit the very thing we are made of. . . does that mean
we are exploiting ourselves?
Do you love me? Yes. Tend my sheep. . . all of creation
was created by God. When Adam and Eve were set in the garden they were there to
“tend the garden”. . . to tend what God has created. . . to take care of God’s
created order. But we still end to destroy and not take care of this precious
thing we call earth. . . we destroy the very thing that gives life to God’s
creatures. . . the ones we are to protect and nurture.
Do you love me? Yes. Feed my sheep. . . we, as humanity
have a tendency to be exclusive instead of inclusive. Jesus was the first to show
inclusiveness where as He came for the outcast and sinner and not the
“Religious Elite”. We need to invite humanity to the manger. . . to the feeding
trough. . . of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. We are to offer them the Living
water that Jesus offered the Samaritan woman at the well. . . the outcast that
was living a life of sin. Who by the way
changed her ways. . . was baptized with everyone else in her house and came to
know the saving grace of God. . . just by extending that invitation to a new
way of life.
Christianity truly is a
worldly Religion. . . but not in the way of the world but in the fact that the
entire world is invited to sing salvation’s song and salvation’s praise. It
involves not only our relationship with God but our relationship in and to the
world around us. Now I am not preaching or “demanding’ and neither is God
demanding that we need to be economically sensitive. Our God is not a demanding
God. We serve a God that loved the world.
. . the whole world. . . so much that God sent his Son Jesus to save the world.
But maybe. . . just maybe. . . we need to rethink our salvation song. Are you
grateful for what God has done in your life? Are you grateful for the grace. .
. the amazing grace. . . that has been showered upon you? Are you thankful?
Then. . . how can we not want to care for the things of earth? How can we not
be concerned for our “fellow human”? God’s
amazing grace is for everyone and everything. Yes. . . all of creation can and
does sing a salvation song.
Amen. . .
=----------------
April
15, 2013
Worship
Theme: “Amazing Grace”
Revelations
5:11-14 (The Message Bible)
John
21:1-19 (English Standard Version Bible)
Act
9:1-6 (Common English Bible)
Call
to Worship (Psalm 30:1-2, 4, 12a (CEB))
Unison
Prayer (Worship & Song 2011)
Prayer
of Dedication (GBOD April 2013)
Message
for Children - “different ways to say I love you”
and
sermon “Christianity: A Very Worldly Religion”
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
A Handmaiden of the Lord
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
April 14, 2013
Third Sunday of Easter
Eastertide
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of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,
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Contact me at Ray
Foss for usage. See all 22,800+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
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