August 27, 2017
Stetson Memorial UMC
Sermon Series: This Living Hope
(Adapted from Marcia McPhee’s
A Future With
Hope”)
“Bearing Hope”
Psalm 138
Philippians 1:9-11 GNT
Hope Bearer…
The Lord be with you…let us pray… (prayer
for the Spirit’s indwelling as bring God’s words of hope this morning…)
Please stand for the reading of the Gospel
according to St. John, chapter 15, verses 1-8. Listen to words of caution from God
to the people of God as we seek His will…
After Pastor Roy prayed, “Please bring this young woman back so that I can
get it right this time. Amen.” He knew he had not seen the last of this young
lady named Hope. About a week later there was a knock on his study door. Never
did he imagine how just a few words he spoke would help effect a change in
someone’s life…
“Hi Pastor Roy, do you have a few minutes?” the person asked. “Why I have
all the time in the world for you Hope. Come on in…” he said as he looked to
heaven and said a quiet thank you. “First I would like to apologize for how I
reacted the last time we met. I just have never had anyone really care about
what I was thinking before.” Hope said as she sat down. “No problem. How are
you? How have you been? What’s been going on?” he asked. “Well…sort of confused
and I just don’t understand all that you said.” Hope explained. “Well…what is
it that is troubling you?” “Well…you said Jesus loves you last time as I left
out the door. How can He love someone like me? I have not been all that perfect
in my life. I haven’t listened to that voice inside me. I have been or
done…fill in the blank. But you say He loves me.”
“Well actually Hope…none of us deserve Jesus’ love but He gives it
anyway…that’s what we call grace. An unmerited gift that God gives all who
believe in Jesus.” Pastor Roy explained as he thought... ”God give me the right
words to share with this young lady. Thank you for the second chance as well…”
“Ok well what if you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Savior and not sure how to
do that?” Hope said as she was looking for the grace of God to enter in.
“All you have to do Hope is ask Him in…admit you are a sinner and need Him
to save you” Pastor Roy said, “that’s it, no special anything but it has to
come from your heart.” “Can I do it now?” Hope asked as the hope within her
began to grow. “Sure, do you want me to pray with you?” asked Pastor Roy “Oh
would you please,” hope exclaimed with a tear in her eye. “Ok…here goes…
Dear Jesus, I have not been all that nice in my life. I have had a hard
life and have done some pretty hard things. But I can’t do this life thing
alone anymore. I know I am a sinner and I am sorry for all that I have done. I
need You. Please come and live in my life. Please come and help me because I
can’t help myself. Please make me new and give me hope and peace in my
life…Amen”
What
gives you hope? We live in a chaotic world full of hopelessness and despair. How do we cultivate hope in our lives...and
have enough to share with a broken world? We all now that hope doesn’t happen
overnight and it is a process. But when we begin to have this living hope in us
it is as if a light is turned on in our lives, a bright light. But the question
is…how do we hold on to this hope we have?
Over
the past few weeks, we have plowed the fields of hope and germinated the seed. As
it sprouted we have planted it in the soil…the good and cultivated soil, that
is sustained by God and His word…so that it could take root and go deep down
into the ground and watered by the Living Water. Now remember, if hope is not planted, there is no grounding…no growth.
It is shallow and when trials of life some scorching in it is dried up and
withers… The only way to withstand the pressures of life our hope has root
itself in good soil where it receives water…Living Water.
When
our hope is grounded in the good soil of God’s Word and in our Hearts, we are
filled with Joy, Love, and Faith. It is
in the tilling of the soil that the seeds of love and hope begin to grow and
sprout new hope within us and within those who God calls us to plant within.
Now the fun part, we need to take care of and nourish our gardens as well as
our hope…we need to do our part as well…
We
have talked about the fact that at times, we may feel we want to move on. We
have done what we feel needed to be done. We may even want to move on because
of a painful…fill in the blank. We
may be going through a fire and feel we are done… But…but…God says, not just yet…you need to stay put where you are. As
we bloom where we are…the fruits are shared within our community of the church
and out into the larger community of the world…
So
here we are now, rooted and planted, being watered and growing, now fruit is
becoming evident. I was looking a few
weeks ago at my butternut squash. I was excited looking at all the blooms. But
a I looked underneath I could see these tiny, little squashes on the vines…they
were bearing fruit… I was so excited that I had even had anything to do with
this growing thing…I have never done it before. But to see those tiny
squash…wow God is awesome in the way He creates…even underneath all the leaves
and flowers…
Sometimes,
there is growth underneath the chaos and mess of this world…. we need to look
underneath the looks of things and see the new creation being formed right
before our eyes. The important thing is that there is evidence of growth…the
fruit begins to appear. In the John scripture from this morning we hear a
warning of what will happen if we do not cultivate and grow. “Those who remain in me, and I in them, will
bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me. 6 Those who
do not remain in me are thrown out like a branch and dry up; such branches are
gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burned.” such
branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burned.
Now
let’s put a different spin on this whole bearing fruit thing… The word
“bearing” means (two of the definitions we will look at this morning):
1. : the act, power,
or time of bringing forth offspring or fruit
2. a : an object, surface, or point that supports
b
: a machine part in which another part (such as a journal or pin) turns
or slides
Ok…we
are bearing fruit ourselves…but…but...we
also need to be a point of support for those who need it as they bear fruit of
their own. The goodness…the fruit…has to be shared with all if we are going to
be true followers of Jesus Christ. He didn’t pick and choose and we don’t have
the option to choose if we are to bear His light in the world.
The
diversity of the fruit…the variety of fruit…should be celebrated, not judged as
not worthy. We say we love all. That means ALL. We need to vow to honor
diversity and share God’s over flowing goodness to those around us… and hold or
even carry other’s burdens. We need to become that garden of diversity that God
created so long ago.
Think about this for a
moment. God created the Garden of Eden long ago. It was beautiful in it’s
diversity and after each day God said it was good. Diversity is good. The
garden that was created was beautiful…beyond compare. Then He created human
beings, not the same but they were different and within the difference they
were compatible…not the same but they completed and complement each other.
There is completeness in diversity. We can’t all be the same
and we need to celebrate that and help nurture and bear other as they grow
within their own diversity so that we are complete…
There is hope to be found
by you and I. Where there is hope…there is possibilities…I
would like to leave you with a piece of scripture from Philippians 1:9-11. It
is a prayer that Paul had for the Christians in Philippi and one I pray for you
and I as we bear our hope and the hopes of others:
Philippians 1:9-11Good
News Translation (GNT)
9 I pray that your love will keep on
growing more and more, together with true knowledge and perfect judgment, 10 so
that you will be able to choose what is best. Then you will be free from all
impurity and blame on the Day of Christ. 11 Your lives will be
filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for
the glory and praise of God.
Amen!
edited August
29, 2017
our hope
cannot stay hidden – v2
August 29,
2017
our hope
cannot stay hidden
August 29,
2017
we are called
to witness – 2
August 29,
2017
we each are
the witness
edited August
29, 2017
only Christ
can redeem us – v2
August 29,
2017
only Christ
can redeem us
August 28,
2017
none of us are
worthy - 2
August 28,
2017
he told her
about Jesus
August 27, 2017
he shared his
faith
August 27,
2017
offering her
hope
August 27, 2017
Stetson Memorial UMC
Sermon Series: This Living Hope
(Adapted from
Marcia McPhee’s
A Future With Hope”)
“Bearing Hope”
Psalm 138
John 15:1-8 GNT
Philippians 1:9-11 GNT
and
sermon, “Hope Bearer…”
text:
video:
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
sermon blog
meditation
blog
“God’s
Whisper” blog
Children’s
Message
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
August 27,
2017
&
August 20,
2017
Help me go
grow
August 20,
2017
before I gave
my life to Christ
edited August
20, 2017
I have been
you – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2017/08/i-have-been-you-v2.html
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2017/08/i-have-been-you-v2.html
August 20,
2017
I have been
you
August 20,
2017
whatever your
station
August 20,
2017
slave or free
August 20,
2017
grow there
August 20,
2017
give to them
willingly
August 20,
2017
show them
compassion
August 20,
2017
offer mercy,
grace
August 20,
2017
do not resist
them
August 20,
2017
strip them of
power
August 20,
2017
may hope find
a home
edited August
20, 2017
may hope abide
– v2
August 20,
2017
may hope abide
August 20, 2017
Stetson Memorial UMC
Sermon Series: This Living Hope
(Adapted from
Marcia McPhee’s
A Future With Hope”)
“Residing with Hope”
Psalm 133
Luke 3:10-14
1 Corinthians 7:20-24
Jeremiah 29:4-7
and
sermon, “Where Hope Resides”
text:
video:
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Children’s
Message
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
August 20,
2017
&
August 19,
2017
nurturing hope
edited/ new
name August 19, 2017
if the
seedling isn’t planted
August 19, 2017
if the seed
isn’t planted
August 19,
2017
It is hard to
believe
August 19,
2017
Hope begins to
sprout and root
edited August
19, 2017
Hope
germinates and grows – v2
August 19,
2017
Hope
germinates and grows – v1
August 19,
2017
hope is like a
seed
August 19,
2017
a flickering
of something
edited August
19, 2017
a kernel of
hope – v3
edited August
19, 2017
a kernel of
hope – v2 (2)
August 19,
2017
a kernel of
hope (2)
August 19,
2017
seeds of hope
within us
August 13, 2017
Stetson Memorial UMC
Sermon Series: This Living Hope
(Adapted from Marcia McPhee’s
A Future With Hope”)
week 4 - “This Living Hope”
Psalm
105:1-6
Mark
4:1-8 NIV
Ephesians
3:16-19 NIV
John
4:13-14
Zephaniah
3:17
Romans
12:12
Romans
15:4
and
sermon, “Nurturing Planted Hope”
text:
video:
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Children’s
Message
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
August 13,
2017
&
August 10,
2017
our roots are
anchored in Christ
August 10,
2017
we are
grounded in Christ
August 10,
2017
our hope is
grounded
edited August
6, 2017
we must accept
the seed – v3
edited August
6, 2017
we must accept
the seed – v2
August 6, 2017
we must accept
the seed
edited August
6, 2017
for hope to
grow – v2
August 6, 2017
for hope to
grow
edited August
6, 2017
Hope is
planted – v2
August 6, 2017
Hope is
planted
August 6, 2017
the roots
going deep
new name/
edited August 6, 2017
the seedlings
planted
(editing “the
young plants planted”)
August 6, 2017
let your roots
grow down
August 6, 2017
cultivate the
hope inside
August 6, 2017
plant the
seeds of grace
August 6, 2017
plant the
seeds of love
August 6, 2017
get them in
the ground
edited August
6, 2017
germinated
seeds – v2
August 6, 2017
germinated
seeds
August 6, 2017
the seed
growing
August 6, 2017
living in hope
August 6, 2017
may our hearts
be open
edited August
6, 2017
that we might
understand – v4
August 6, 2017
the young
plants planted
August 6, 2017
Stetson Memorial UMC
Sermon Series: This Living Hope
(Adapted from Marcia McPhee’s
A Future With Hope”)
week 3 - “Planting Seeds of Hope”
Mark
4:1-8
Parable
of the Sower
Psalm 145:7-8; 14-21
Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLT
Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV
Colossians 2:6-8 NLT
Sermon, “Planting Seeds of Hope”
text:
video:
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Children’s
Message
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
August 6, 2017
&
August 2, 2017
hidden in our
flesh
August 2, 2017
growing in our
soil
edited/ new
name August 2, 2017
growing in the
good soil
August 2, 2017
growing in the
ground
August 2, 2017
hidden in the
ground
edited August 2,
2017
After the
planting – v2
August 1, 2017
We must water
and feed
August 1, 2017
Like seeds,
like yeast
August 1, 2017
that we might
understand – v3
August 1, 2017
we must
understand
August 1, 2017
not in riddles
but parables
edited July
31, 2017
that we might
understand – v2
July 31, 2017
that we might
understand
July 31, 2017
we must hear
God’s word
edited July
31, 2017
we are
seeking, searching – v2
July 31, 2017
We are
seeking, searching
July 31, 2017
We have the
seed planted
merged July
31, 2017
Before the
planting – v2
July 31, 2017
After the
planting
July 31, 2017
Before the
planting
July 30, 2017
We want to be
the good soil
July 30, 2017
we need that
hope to work within us
edited July
30, 2017
we must
embrace the seeds – v2
July 30, 2017
we must trust
in God
edited July
30, 2017
a little more
hope – v3
(editing
original again)
edited July
30, 2017
we must
embrace the seeds
edited July
30, 2017
embrace the
seeds
July 30, 2017
embrace the
seed
July 30, 2017
hope is alive
within us
July 30, 2017
hope planted
within us
&
July 29, 2017
we are the
soil – v2
July 29, 2017
do we nurture
the seed – v2
July
16, 2017
do
we nurture the seed
edited July
16, 2017
do we care for
the message – v2
July 16, 2017
do we care for
the message
July 16, 2017
do we welcome
the seed
July
16, 2017
are
we the soil
July
16, 2017
we
hold the seed
July
16, 2017
we
are the sower
July
15, 2017
we
are the soil
edited
July 15, 2017
held
by the thorns – v2
July
15, 2017
held
by the thorns
July
15, 2017
choked
by the briars
Matthew
13:18-23
Matthew
13:1-9, 18-23
The
Upper Room Disciplines for 2017
“The
Promise and Work of God’s Word”
July
10, 2017 to July 16, 2017
by
John Adcox
devotion
for July 15, 2017
read
July 15, 2017
&
edited
July 29, 2017
a
miracle in the seed – v2
July
29, 2017
searching,
seeking - 2
July
29, 2017
a
miracle in the seed
edited
July 29, 2017
seeking
treasure – v2
edited
July 29, 2017
Finding
Treasure – v2
merged/edited
July 29, 2017
Seeking
treasure, Finding treasure
July
29, 2017
seeking
treasure
July
29, 2017
Finding
Treasure
Matthew
13:44-52
The
Upper Room Disciplines for 2017
“Treasures
from God”
July
24, 2017 to July 30, 2017
by
Chris Folmsbee
devotion
for July 29, 2017
read
July 29, 2017
&
July
28, 2017
tiny
acts of love
edited
July 28, 2017
out
of God’s great love – v2
July
28, 2017
the
kingdom of God growing
Matthew
13:31-33
The
Parables of the Mustard Seed
the
Parable of the Yeast
Matthew
13:31-33, 44-52
The
Upper Room Disciplines for 2017
“Treasures
from God”
July
24, 2017 to July 30, 2017
by
Chris Folmsbee
devotion
for July 27, 2017
read
July 28, 2017
&
edited July
27, 2017
Germinating
Seeds of Hope – v2
July 27, 2017
Germinating
Seeds of Hope
July 30, 2017
Stetson Memorial UMC
Sermon Series: This Living Hope
(Adapted from Marcia McPhee’s
“A Future With Hope”)
week 2 - “This Living Hope”
opening prayer
video
Psalm 128
Matthew 13:1-9
Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13:18-24
Christ explaining the Parable of the Sower
Psalm 139:13-16
Matthew
13:31-33
Parable
of the Mustard Seed
Parable
of the Yeast
prayer
before sermon
and Sermon, “Germinating Seeds of Hope”
text:
video:
by Raymond A.
Foss
Children’s
Message
by Raymond A.
Foss
closing prayer
video
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
July 30, 2017
&
edited July 26, 2017
a little more hope – v2
July 26, 2017
a little more hope
July 26, 2017
we are imprisoned by our fears
edited/ new name July 24, 2017
we are strangled by anxiety
July 24, 2017
immobilized by fear
July 24, 2017
freed by hope
July 23, 2017
Hope is Trust
July 23, 2017
why are we so anxious
July 23, 2017
Stetson Memorial UMC
Sermon Series: This Living Hope
(Adapted from Marcia McPhee’s
“A Future With Hope”)
week 1 - “This Living Hope”
Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24
Jeremiah 29:11-14 Amplified Bible
Romans 5:1-5 Amplified Bible
John 3:16-17 Amplified Bible
and Sermon, “This Living Hope”
text:
video:
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Children’s
Message
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
July 23, 2017
All of my
poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001,
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014,
2015, 2016, and 2017. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See
all 44,830 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
Christ,
Spirit, God, Faith, love, grace, hope, prayer, Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church, Luke 3, Psalm 138, John 12, Philippians 1, poem,
seed, home,
#Christ #God
#Spirit #Faith #prayer #love #grace #hope #poem #seed #Luke3 #Psalm138
#John12 #Philippians1
Christ,
Spirit, God, Faith, love, grace, hope, prayer, Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church, Luke 3, Psalm 138, John 12, Philippians 1, poem,
seed, home,
#Christ #God
#Spirit #Faith #prayer #love #grace #hope #poem #seed #Luke3 #Psalm138
#John12 #Philippians1
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