Saturday, May 19, 2018

sermon, "Jesus Pave the Way", by Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church, May 13, 2018, Mothers' Day, Ascension Sunday



 May 13, 2018

Stetson Memorial UMC
Mother’s Day
John 17:5-121 (The Voice)
Psalm 47 (The Voice)


“Jesus Pave the Way”

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 17, verses 5-21. Listen to and for a Word from God to His resurrected people… (Read Scripture)

Jesus knew His time had come. He was going to begin that journey to the garden, knowing full well that Judas would be coming with the soldiers to arrest Him. He knew what was in store for Him…the pain, the torture…crucifixion. But He wanted to make sure to pave the way for His followers, present and future. He paved the road with and in prayer…

Jesus Knew that there would be trouble and that His followers would be subject to ridicule and even death. So, He stopped for a moment to pray a hedge of protection for them. Not that hey would not have to face trouble but that they would be protected and helped as they wen through it.  Jesus prayed that they, His followers…His disciples…would be one, just as He and he Father were one. Jesus wanted to make sure that His legacy…His truth…God’s truth…would carry on in that generation and all that were to come. Jesus prayed for you and for me…for all who would believe.


Good Morning… Happy Mothers Day… How many mothers (mothers, like-mothers, adopted mothers, Spiritual mothers…all he women who have made a difference in the life on a child). Thank you for taking on the hardest job in the world…a job not for the faint at heart…the job…the ministry of mother-hood. Which is a ministry that never ends..

I know that you all must pray for your children, both by birth and by choice, and that not matter what, you will protect them, if you can, from all that this chaotic world may throw at them. It’s just something that we do. We go to war for our children because we know how hard it is out there in the world in which we all live. We are prayer warriors with a purpose and a plan…

This week, we are continuing our journey with the lectionary a we journey towards Pentecost Sunday. Which by the way is next Sunday, so wear your Pentecost red next week… The continued theme is love. As I have said, 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 about Jesus’ love for His present followers and all of those yet to become…which by the way concludes you and I… As I said earlier…parent-hood is a tough calling. Bothe mothers and fathers spend their time worrying about their children. We wan them to be safe and to keep them from danger. The best way that we do that is by praying for them…flowing Jesus’ example as He prayed for the generation of followers and those yet to be…as a parent…

His children…His followers…were already hated by society. What they were doing was radical and it rocked too many boats. It was a new way of loving others…seeing others through the eyes of God and not the letter of the law. It would mean they had to change their whole belief system… Now I know people don’t like change. I have a hard time embracing it at times too. But these followers were changing he belief system and that was too much…

Even today we see it in society…that despise of major change, especially in a belief system. Even within our churches. We see splits in the church because someone is trying to make people reevaluate their belief, their traditions. There are churches who have adapted the world into their belief system and traditions just because it is easier. Well it is not supposed to be easier. We, as disciples of Jesus, have been despised from the beginning. So why are we so concerned with what the world thinks? We have the strongest protection that even money can’t buy. We have that prayer…that Jesus prayed. How much more do we need? The Son of God prayed for our protection… How do we honor that prayer…?

Church, we, as Christ followers, those called to bear much fruit for the Kingdom, are to be rooted and grounded not in the world but in God’s love that was exampled by Jesus. And part of that love…that grounding…is to believe the love of Jesus as He prayed for us and our protection. Maybe, just maybe, if we embrace His prayer for us we would be bolder in our stand for God’s kingdom. Perhaps as we begin to take back what we have allowed the world to infest we would begin to see a change in the world.  Maybe, just maybe, we would be that example that the next generation so desperately need. Just a thought…

Amen…




May 19, 2018
bear fruit fully
edited May 19, 2018
at home in Christ’s love – v2
May 19, 2018
at home in Christ’s love
May 19, 2018
Make yourself at home in Jesus
May 14, 2018
gathering them to him
May 14, 2018
red for the fire
May 13, 2018
Ascension Sunday
John 17:5-21 (The Voice)
Psalm 47 (The Voice)
and sermon: “Jesus Paves the Way…”
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
May 13, 2018
Mother’s Day
Ascension Sunday
&
May 13, 2018
Love, to start with
May 12, 2018
the first of the fruits
edited May 9, 2018
in believing, in seeing – v2
May 9, 2018
in believing, in seeing
May 8, 2018
before the journey
May 8, 2018
held within Christ
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 46,980 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 47, John 17, vine, connection, mercy, Ascension Sunday, Mother’s Day, sermon,

#Christ #Faith #grace #Spirit #God #hope #journey #prayer #poem #Psalm47 #Galatians5 #love #joy #peace #forbearance #kindness #goodness #faithfulness #gentleness #selfcontrol #John17 #vine #fruit #connection #compassion #mercy #law #AscensionSunday #MothersDay #sermon

bear fruit fully


don’t stray from the path
keep your eyes on Christ
the prize in heaven
eternal life

bear fruit fully
your whole life
cleaving to Christ
the source of our strength

==============
May 19, 2018
bear fruit fully

edited May 19, 2018
at home in Christ’s love – v2
May 19, 2018
at home in Christ’s love
May 19, 2018
Make yourself at home in Jesus
May 14, 2018
gathering them to him
May 14, 2018
red for the fire
May 13, 2018
Ascension Sunday
John 17:5-21 (The Voice)
Psalm 47 (The Voice)
and sermon: “Jesus Paves the Way…”
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
May 13, 2018
Mother’s Day
Ascension Sunday
&
May 13, 2018
Love, to start with
May 12, 2018
the first of the fruits
edited May 9, 2018
in believing, in seeing – v2
May 9, 2018
in believing, in seeing
May 8, 2018
before the journey
May 8, 2018
held within Christ
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 46,980 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 47, John 17, vine, connection, mercy, Ascension Sunday, Mother’s Day,

#Christ #Faith #grace #Spirit #God #hope #journey #prayer #poem #Psalm47 #Galatians5 #love #joy #peace #forbearance #kindness #goodness #faithfulness #gentleness #selfcontrol #John17 #vine #fruit #connection #compassion #mercy #law #AscensionSunday #MothersDay