Tuesday, May 08, 2018

sermon, "A Root of Love", by Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church, Patten, ME, May 6, 2018



May 6, 2018
Stetson Memorial UMC
John 15:9-17 (The Message)
Psalm 98
Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)


“A Root of Love…?”

The Lord be with you…
And also with you…
Let us pray…
Pray that the words spoken are not my own but God’s Words…

A reading from the gospel of according to John chapter 15, verses 9-17. Listen to and for a Word from God to His resurrected people…

Good Morning… ok quiz time…
How many of you know what the fruit of the Spirit is and the different parts of it…one fruit with many parts… Give time to answer. Ok… Galatians 5:22-23 
“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Is there on that you think may bind the rest together? And Why? Give time to answer.

As we continue our journey with the lectionary there is one theme that seems to be there…one theme as we head towards Pentecost Sunday. That theme is love. Jesus really wanted the people to understand about the Kingdom of God an all that it holds or humanity. Jesus wanted the people to understand how to treat each other and what would please God. He wanted humanity to realize that a life with God in His Kingdom is rooted in love.

In the scripture from John this morning, we hear more about this love Jesus that Jesus lived out as an example to the people in that century and ours. It hasn’t changed, we have.
1.      God prunes us and cuts away things that are not of Him so that we can bear fruit…Fruit of the Spirit…Love
2.    In the Name of Jesus we are sent forth…in love…to reach the least and lost, remembering we too were the least and lost.
3.     We are to be witness of His love…in love…o others who ae in need of he Good News of Jesus Christ.
4.    As we believe we can see the manifestation of God’s love all around us…
(As we believe we see the manifestation of God’s love all around us. We are witness to that love as we are sent forth in the love of God. Therefore, we should, with God’s help, bear the Fruit of the Spirit, which love is part of it.)

This is not n easy task within ourselves. Like the Word tells us…the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.  So how are we, who are weak, ever going to be able to take on this calling from God? Any suggestions? Give time to answer. I think our answer is found in the scripture from John I read this morning.

“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.”
Jesus loves us and wants us to make our home within His love. Now when we are home, for most of us, we are at a place here we feel safe, warm, and loved. As we obey God’s commands we will be intimately close and take on the image of Jesus. If we do not obey the commands given wo us… especially to love which brings it all together, we are separated from that homey feeling…

“This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you.”
Lovin not how we understand love but to love as Jesus loved. We, in ourselves, don’t know how to love. We need and example to follow. Jesus gave us that example on how to love.

 “But remember the root command: Love one another.
The root plan…what enables us to do God’s will and not our own…to remember the root command…love one another…and I will take is a little further…as Jesus loved us… We must be grounded in “A Root of Love”. 

We must make the sacrifice…and at times it is a sacrifice…to bring the love of God to others. We live in a world full of judgement and condemnation. Being a Christ follower has always been a “risky thing”. But Jesus risked it all because of His love. We should be willing to go and do likewise. Jesus was all about love and showing compassion, something I think many people have made a forgotten condition of the heart.

(As we believe we see the manifestation of God’s love all around us. We are witness to that love as we are sent forth in the love of God. Therefore, we should, with God’s help, bear the Fruit of the Spirit, which love is part of it, as we are rooted and grounded in love.)

Church, we, as Christ followers, those called to bear much fruit for the Kingdom, are you rooted and grounded in the world or are you rooted and grounded in God’s love that was exampled by Jesus? Is there a root of love that is making you fruitful or is there a worm root that is poisoning the crops of your life? Maybe, just maybe, if we follow our example we would be that friend of sinners as Jesus was. Jesus was a friend of sinners but that didn’t mean He agreed with their sin…it meant by love He showed them a more excellent way of life that would give them true life.  Just a thought…

Amen…

May 6, 2018
fruit that won’t spoil
May 6, 2018
we are here to bear fruit
edited May 6, 2018
we must not judge them – v2
May 6, 2018
we must not judge them
May 6, 2018
their rocks fell
8AM Live
May 6, 2018
woman caught in adultery
&
edited May 6, 2018
Joy in Jesus – v2
May 6, 2018
joy in Jesus
May 6, 2018
Sixth Sunday of Easter
John 15:9-17 (The Message)
Psalm 98
Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
and sermon: “A Root of Love…?”
video
text

&
April 29, 2018
sermon: “Pruning or Cutting…?”
video
text
&
April 22, 2018
sermon: “In the Name of Jesus”
video
text
&
April 15, 2018
sermon: “Witness Program”
video
text
&
April 8, 2018
sermon: “Is Seeing Really Believing…”
video
text
all by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
8AM Live
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog                             
Children’s Message
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
May 6, 2018
&
May 6, 2018
joy in Jesus
John 15:9-11
John 15:9-17
The Upper Room Disciplines for 2018
“A Wonderful World”
April 30, 2018 to May 6, 2018
by J. Michael Ripski
devotion for May 6, 2018
read May 6, 2018
&
edited May 5, 2018
Because Christ became flesh
edited May 5, 2018
Because Christ became mortal
May 5, 2018
because Christ became human
John 15:9-17
John 14:12
quote of Athanasius of Alexander
296AD to 373AD,
“He became what we are that we might
become what he is.”
The Upper Room Disciplines for 2018
“A Wonderful World”
April 30, 2018 to May 6, 2018
by J. Michael Ripski
devotion for May 5, 2018
read May 5, 2018


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, 2017, and 2018. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 46,920 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Christ, Faith, God, Spirit, love, grace, prayer, faith, Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church, poem, Psalm 98, John 15, Galatians 5, root, vine, connection, communion, compassion, mercy, sermon,

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