June 17, 2018
Stetson Memorial UMC
Father’s
Day
Psalm
20
Luke
15:11-27 MSG
Various
Scriptures
Good,
Good, Father…
The Lord be with
you
And also with you
Let us pray…
Please stand, as
you are able, for the reading of the Gospel according to Luke 15, verses 11-27.
Listen to and for the Word of God to you and me, His beloved children.
Hope…
Last week we talked about how Jesus
reinvented the family and what it consists of…who make up that family. The only
thing that is missing is anything about a father. Why do you think He would
leave that out? There must be someone that is considered as a “father figure.”
The only father figure in the family of God is the Good Father, our Heavenly
Father…God the Father.
Today we celebrate Father’s Day. I would
like all the fathers in the room to stand up…all those who re like fathers
stand with them…all those who the younger generation consider a father or
grandfather please stand also. You are the image of our heavenly father to
those around you. Thank you for showing the love of God to those whom our
Heavenly Father have entrusted you with.
But the name father doesn’t always resonate
well. We have earthly fathers that are just that...earthly. Being such, they
are just as human as the rest of us and will make mistakes. Unfortunately,
there are some that fail miserably and leave their children with a foul taste
in their mouths when the word father is mentioned. We live in a sinful world and there are those who only care for
themselves and don’t care how their actions affect others…
Sometimes because of this when the word
Father is used in conjunction with God, it makes some people think of their
past and that bad taste comes back making them run in the other direction. Some
people are like Hope. They have been hurt and the very word “father”, sends
chills down their spine. There is no way that they would want to have anything
to do with anyone called father. As I
said, we live in a fallen world and sometimes we, as humans, just don’t get it
right… Or, also like Hope, the feel unworthy of a father’s love because of
their life or what they may have done or not done.
Jesus knew the fact that there were those
who had a problem with their earthly father’s. Jesus wanted them to know of a
more excellent Father who would never do anything to harm them. So, He told the
parable of the “Prodigal Son” … a “recklessly
spendthrift” son… Now this son demanded everything…spent it recklessly…lost
everything…then decided he was so wrong in his decision so wanted to go back
but was not sure of his father’s reaction.
Well as it read in the scripture from this
morning, the father acted in a way that was more than likely unusual. I am sure
that normally the father would not have taken the sin back. I am sure that if
he was taken back he would not have been a son but a servant. But Jesus was
trying to get a point across then and is still trying to get that same point
across…
This scripture comes after two parables
that talks of God the Father’s heart…The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin… God the
Father looks for the lost and there is a celebration when the lost is found.
How appropriate that this lost son was celebrated when he was found by his
father.
The point that Jesus is getting across is
this…
1. You are never too lost for God to find you. God will
search until His precious sheep is found…His precious coin.
2. God is like that father that is looking for His lost
child on the horizon. At even the smallest glimpse of the prodigal on the
horizon, God the Father runs to this wayward child d accepts them back with
great celebration.
3. God is not like the earthly father whereas He can’t do
harm…it’s not in His character…
Today is Father’s Day when we celebrate the
earthly fathers and like fathers in our lives. Have you stopped to thank your
heavenly Father today for His goodness and mercy in your life? Sometimes we
kind of forget all that our heavenly Father does. So today I challenge you to
take some time out just reflect and be thankful.
Beloved…if today is a day that brings
chills to your spine…if this is a day that brings that bad taste back to your
mouth, I appeal to you…I pray and beg that you would give our Heavenly Father a
chance. I plead with you to open your heart up…just one more time to taste and
see that our Father is Good.
Our God is Father and so much more…
©
“Your Father knows what you need before you ask
him.” (Matthew 6:8)
©
“A Father to the fatherless, a defender of
widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he
leads forth the prisoners with singing.” (Psalm 68:5-6)
©
“O Lord you are our Father. We are the
clay, you are the potter; we are the work of your hands.” (Isaiah 64:8)
©
“Your Father in heaven is not willing that any
one of these little ones should be lost.” (Matthew 18:14)
©
“I will be a Father to you and you will be my
sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:18 & 2 Samuel
7:14)
©
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual
blessing in Christ. For he chose us…. In love he predestined us to be
adopted as his [children].” (Ephesians 1:3-5)
©
“[God is] the Father from whom all fatherhood
derives its name.” (Ephesians 3:15)
©
“Now to [the Father] who is able to do
immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at
work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout
all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
©
“How great is the love the Father has lavished
on us that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1)
©
“Jesus answered, `I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No one comes to the Father except through me…. Anyone who has
seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:6,9)
©
“If you then, though you are evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give
good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11)
©
“Your Father knows what you need before you ask
him.” (Matthew 6:8)
We have a God, Good, Father… We are dearly
loved and protected… He is perfect in all of His ways to us…
Amen!
==================
June 30, 2018
edited June 30, 2018
push through our struggles
edited June 29, 2018
pushing through his struggles – v2
edited June 29, 2018
how blessed we are – v3
edited June 29, 2018
how blessed we are – v2
edited June 29, 2018
how blessed it is – v2
edited June 29, 2018
all the flawed pieces – v3
edited June 28, 2018
I have hope – v2
June 28, 2018
I have hope
edited June 27, 2018
all the flawed pieces – v2
June 27, 2018
all the flawed pieces
edited June 27, 2018
how blessed it is
edited June 27, 2018
how blessed it would be – v2
edited June 26, 2018
how blessed we are
edited June 26, 2018
how blessed we would be – v2
edited June 26, 2018
how blessed we would be
June 26, 2018
how blessed it would be
June 26, 2018
pushing through his struggles
June 24, 2018
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Psalm 133
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
and sermon: “Can We Just Get Along Here…”
video
text
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
June
24, 2018
&
June 24, 2018
God cannot do harm
June 24, 2018
God will search
June 24, 2018
searching for us - 2
edited June 24, 2018
This is our perfect Father – v2
edited June 23, 2018
stitched into the family – v2
edited/resorted June 23, 2018
This is our perfect Father
edited June 23, 2018
a more excellent Father – v2
edited June 23, 2018
never too lost – v2
June 23, 2018
searching for us – v2
edited June 21, 2018
our Father runs to each wayward child – v2
June 21, 2018
our Father runs to each wayward child
June 21, 2018
searching for us
June 21, 2018
never too lost
edited June 19, 2018
God runs to us – v3
edited June 19, 2018
the Good Father – v2
June 19, 2018
a more excellent Father
edited June 18, 2018
God runs to us – v2
June 18, 2018
God runs to us
June 18, 2018
the Good Father
edited June 18, 2018
The Perfect Father – v2
June 18, 2018
the perfect father
June 18, 2018
stitched into the family
June 17, 2018
Father’s Day
(and John Wesley’s 315th birthday)
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Psalm 20
Luke 15:11-27
the Prodigal Son
and lots of other scripture
on references to God as Father
and sermon: “Good, Good Father”
video
text
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
sermon blog
8AM Live
meditation
blog
“God’s
Whisper” blog
Children’s Message
(a nickel in
the mystery box – In God We Trust)
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten,
ME
June
17, 2018
Father’s
Day
&
June 16, 2018
All who do the will of God
June 16, 2018
These are the ones
edited June 16, 2018
the blood of the vine – v2
June 13, 2018
kinship by choice
June 13, 2018
the blood of the vine
June 13, 2018
blood of the vine
June 13, 2018
not by blood
June 13, 2018
not by blood but by choice
June 13, 2018
not of blood but of Spirit
June 10, 2018
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Psalm 138
Mark 3:20, 31-35
“The True Family of Jesus” (New
Living Translation)
and sermon: “Family Ties”
video
text
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
June
10, 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 47,180 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
blood, choice,
Christ, Faith, Family, Father, God, grace, love, 2 Corinthians 6, Pastor Ruth
Foss, Psalm 133, sacrifice, Spirit, Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church,
prayer, hope, sermon,
#sermon #Good Good #Father #Jesus
#Christ #Spirit #Faith #Family #God #grace #love #2Corinthians6 #Psalm133
#sacrifice #prayer #hope #vine #choice #fire #water #bonds #kinship #children
#baptism #adoption #resurrection #Son #life #child #seeking @pastorruthfoss
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