August 24, 2014
Stetson Memorial United Methodist
Church
Sermon
Series on “All My Day: A Summer of Prayer”
Inspired
by Marcia McFee
Sermon
8 of series-
“Love”
Luke 6:27-36 NIV
Bible
1 John 3:11-18
NIV Bible
“The Loveable Unlovable”
Let us pray. . . (Pray for God’s illumination. . . )
We are one in the
Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the
Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all
unity may one day be restored
And they'll know we are
Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are
Christians by our love
I
have been talking about the Devo Magazine
that the youth have been reading and how thoughtful these writers have been.
They are just kids but their understanding of God is just astounding. I mean
these kids really have a lot to say and they are very profound. For instance,
in the March thru April edition, there was one week al about love. . . .radical
love. They talked about radical love and stepping out in faith and love to and
for others. They understood that love is a verb and when you love it is an action
rather than an emotion. One even talked about how love is life changing not
only for the other person but for the giver as well. They understood that
Jesus’ love was radical. . . something that was different from what the
religious leaders taught in the Synagogue. It is hard to love sometimes.
Especially when someone is “unlovable”.
This
summer, we are invited to pray “All My Days” and to make a habit of prayer
wherever you are. Each Sunday in worship we have focused on one of the steps of
the prayer beads. My continued hope is that our Summer Sermon Series “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer” will
help us learn a way of prayer that will bring us closer to the maker of all we
see.
I
hope we have learned a few things as we have been going through the beads on the
string. Let’s see. . . the Gold Bead. .
. which reminds us to begin with adoration . . . .the bumpy beady. . . .that is
to remind us to let go and let God. . . .the embrace of silence with the “holey
Bead” . . . the stepping
stone bead. . . our journey of faith. . . leaving well-lit stones behind us for those
downstream to follow . . . the black...the black and white...the grey bead...we
are to bring our spiritual struggles to God. . . .and the green bead,
represents concern. . . not worries but concerns.
This
week. . . the first red one on the string. . . is a bead. . . a prayer. . . that
may be difficult. Now it is the bead for love but not just the love you feel
for family and friends. This bead is also about love of the “unlovable” people
in our lives. You know those people that just get under our skin. . . those who
we just can’t stand. . . who you don’t want to be around. . . those who may
have caused us harm in the past.
We will work with each
other, we will work side by side
We will work with each
other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each
one's dignity and save each one's pride
And they'll know we are
Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are
Christians by our love
The
scripture I read this morning is all about loving. But it is not about your
every day type of love, everyone can feel that, it is about that love that
stretches you. . . about a love that has nothing to do with how you feel. . . it
is an intentional love. It is easy to love those who are nice to you and are
your friends but it is a whole other ball game when we are told to love those
who we. . . well. . . really can’t stand. We all have those “unlovable” people
in our lives. But it is how we react towards them that really truly matters.
1st
John talks more about this kind of love. The epistle talks about a love that is
in action. Let me read to you what it has to say about this love action. I am reading from chapter 3 verses 11 thru
18. . . listen about this radical way of loving and see if this is a kind of
love may be what Christians need in our lives. . .
More
on Love and Hatred
11 For this is the
message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be
like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did
he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were
righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates
you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each
other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother
or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life
residing in him.
16 This is how we know
what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down
our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions
and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love
of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or
speech but with actions and in truth.
It
is all about an action not just a “thing” called love.
We will walk with each
other, we will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each
other, we will walk hand in hand
And together we'll
spread the news that God is in our land
And they'll know we are
Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are
Christians by our love
As
a matter of fact, God loves us so much that we are pursued by His love for us.
In the book study from this summer “Having
A Mary Heart In A Martha World”, we have read and heard about this type of
love God has for us. There was one week that the video that we watched got me
really thinking. It stated “because of
the fall, God’s holiness required separation in the form of the temple veil.
But then Jesus came as the final sacrifice to reconcile us to God. The veil was
“torn in two from top to bottom” when Jesus breathed His last breath.” God
pursed humanity and still does to this day because of the radical love that He
has for us. Now if God has showed us this kind of love, how can we, in
gratitude for what He has done, not show the same love for those who are the
“unlovable” in our own lives. Remember
how Jesus acted on the Cross. Remember His prayer. . . forgive them Father for
they know not what they (we) do. . . radical love in action.
I’m
going to do little rap. . .
Love is patient, love
is kind
Never boasts, not full
of pride
Always hopes, and it
always trusts
The evidence of Christ
in us
This is my commandment
that you love one another
That your joy may be
full
Love,
this is what we are called to do. To love one another. Not just that emotional
love but that radical love that causes us to act in love even when we don’t
want to, when we don’t feel so loving towards others. As we pray for those we
love and not so much love, we grow in love. As we pray for those unlovable
people in our lives we begin to actually love them in spite of themselves. As
we pray for those who are not “part of our circle of friends” we begin to let
them into that very same circle. We may need to begin by praying for ourselves.
. . praying that we will begin to love those unlovable people. Maybe if we
start there we can not only change how we feel but have a radical change and
new vision of what love really is. You see love is not just a word, it’s a noun
and also a verb, and hiding it is absurd.
Maybe.
. . just maybe. . . as we learn to pray for and love one another, lives will be
changed. Maybe if we show that radical love that Jesus showed from the Cross
our lives will be changed. Perhaps then we will truly be known by our love. . .
perhaps that is when the tide will change for humanity. Perhaps then and only
then God’s Kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven. But it begins with
you and it begins with me as well deciding to be radical in how we love and
view others. Let us look to the example of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ. . . the
perfector of our faith for it is through Him we can do all things. . . even
love and pray for the unlovables that are in our lives and that are in the
world. Maybe. . . if we do that, . . . just
maybe. . .
Let
us pray. . . pray about those we love and
not so much love in our lives. . .
And
they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They
will know we are Christians by our love
Amen
====
August
24, 2014
1
John 3:11-18
“More
on Love and Hatred” (NIV)
Luke
6:27-36
“Love for Enemies” (NIV)
Hymn – “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love”
Sermon 8 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Red
Bead – People You Love
children’s
message
-
Mystery Box – a stone with the word “unforgiveness” on it
(from exercise from book study, Having a Mary Heart
in a Martha World
-
God wants us to forgive; God has forgiven us;
-
ask for forgiveness; forgive even if they haven’t asked
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
and sermon, “The Loveable UnLoveables”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
August 24, 2014
&
John
17:6-19
Christ’s
prayer for his disciples
John
17:20-25
Christ’s
prayer for all believers
Sermon 7 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Green
Bead – Your Special Concern
children’s
message
-
Mystery Box – picture of our cat Moe
sleeping
-
God wants us to be at rest, at peace
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
and sermon, “A Weight Upon the Heart”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
August 17, 2014
&
prayer
of the people printed in the bulletin,
including
the following prayer:
“For
our church that it may be safe for all people
and
an active witness to the truth of Jesus Christ.”
Genesis
32:22-28 Common English Bible
Psalm
139:1-14 NIV Bible
Sermon 6 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Grey,
Black and White, Day and Night Bead – Spiritual Struggles
children’s
message
-
Mystery Box – dog treats and squeaky
ball
-
God gives us treats
-
God wants us to play
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
and sermon, “G.W.E.” (God Wrestling Entertainment)
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
August 3, 2014
&
Romans
10:12-15 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
Luke
12:12-15
Luke 12:1-6 Common English Bible
“The Long and Winding Road” The Beatles
Sermon 5 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Stepping
Stone Bead – Journey of Faith
children’s
message by Ellen Alward Dickinson
reading
story – A Black Bear and Four Boys
and sermon, “A Long And Winding Road”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
July 27, 2014
&
Psalm 37:5-7 (Common English Bible)
1 Kings 19:9-23 (NIV Bible)
Sermon 4 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Bead
with a Hole - Silence
children’s
message by Pastor Ruth Foss
-
Mystery Box - a blank space
-
God starts with a blank canvas,
God fills in the picture until a masterpiece
is created and we come home
and sermon, “Is Silence Really Golden?”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
July 20, 2014
&
Psalm 33:30-22
Psalm 25:1-3
Romans 8:30-32
Matthew 11:28-30
Sermon 3 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Bumpy
Bead – Letting Go
children’s
message by Pastor Ruth Foss
-
Mystery Box – a broken set of prayer
beads
-
God can make something beautiful of all the broken pieces:
-
Dad can you fix this? Yes I can…
and sermon, “In the Letting Go We Find”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
July 13, 2014
&
June 29, 2014
Psalm 105:1-6 Common English Bible
Exodus 15:1-3 The Living Bible
Psalm 89:1-18 The Message Bible
Closing Hymn – “As the Deer”
Sermon 2 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
children’s
message by Pastor Ruth Foss
-
Mystery Box –
-
Sabbath rest, time with God outdoors, in nature
and sermon, “All My Adoration. . . !”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
June 29, 2014
&
June
22, 2014
Matthew
6:5-14
“Jesus
Teaches About Prayer” (NCV)
(including
Lord’s Prayer)
Romans
12:12
Ephesians
6:11-18
Sermon 1 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
children’s
message by Ray Foss
-
God fills in the words we pray
based
on Upper Room Daily Devotional for June 9, 2014
Romans
8:26 (NRSV)
Romans
8:22-27
Upper
Room Daily Devotional
“Guided
by the Spirit”
by
Milly Ibanda
for
March and April 2014
-
spontaneous prayer, wait for God’s answer
(based
on Shanequa’s prayer for a puppy July 21, 2006)
opening
and welcome by Pastor Ruth Foss
and sermon, “Stop, Look and Listen”
by Sally Drew
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
June
22, 2014
All
of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights
reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
See all 31,950+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
No comments:
Post a Comment