September 26 Sermon and Announcements

 

CERRO GORDO CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

September 26, 2021

 

THE BEATITUDES, Part 1

Matthews 5:1-5

We are going to be looking at the Sermon on the Mount, which begins in the 5^th chapter of Matthew and goes thru the 7^th chapter. Today we are going to look at the first 5 verses of chapter 5. The 3^rd verse thru 12^th verse is call The Beatitudes. Those of you who have gone to church and been Christians for a long time have probably read these verses and heard sermons about them many times. Theses verses form the basis for what Jesus came to earth to teach and to live as an example before the eyes of the people he would encounter during his ministry. Last week we talked about excuses we sometimes come up with to do or not do the things we should be living by. In Matthew’s account of Jesus life, the Sermon on the Mount is very early in the story of Jesus time on this earth. Jesus wanted there to be no reason for not understanding God’s views on what it took to live a godly life. In other words, no excuses. Jesus begins each point he is making in verses 3-11 with the word “Blessed”. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are the meek. “Blessed” here means that for those who, in spite of the circumstances of life that we may face, recognize the spiritual joy only God can give. There is comfort and peace knowing God is with his children through it all.

 

Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes. The first of which is to encourage God’s people who feel beat up and oppressed by the Roman Empire as well as life in general. “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Every single one of us here today and sharing with us on Facebook have needed to have Jesus assure us things are going to be alright. We feel beaten down by the circumstances of life. We think no one cares, no one sees what we are going through and here Jesus is assuring us he cares. Your God sees what is happening. Not only will it be alright but just hang in there because God is going to open up his entire kingdom for you, just wait and see.

 

With a similar theme the second Beatitude is “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”  During those dark moments of life, we find it hard to feel blessed. Yet Jesus is reminding us we will be blessed and God sees us as blessed when through it all we continue to trust in Him. When loved ones around us are going through those most difficult times, we often times do not know what to say or do, but God is there ultimately giving peace that only He can truly provide. Yes, we need to be there to support one another, and God will help use us to assist God in fulfilling what this verse says.

 

The third one is “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” The first one we read said that the poor in spirit will have the kingdom of heaven at their disposal, but the meek will inherit the earth. There is the old saying that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Jesus, however, is saying those who live a less vocal, yet faithful, life will receive their reward as well. There is a time to speak and a time to be somewhat restrained. The important thing is to know when each is appropriate. In Psalm 37:10-13 God is saying something similar but explaining it more than what we read in the 5^th verse. Starting with verse 10 of Psalm 37, we read, “A little while and the wicked will be no more, though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. The wicked will plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked for he knows their day is coming.” This meekness is a humility towards God recognizing God is in control.

 

As we begin our look at the Sermon on the Mount and what Jesus was saying to the crowd gathered on that day as well as to us today. We see Jesus telling us God sees and understands. There will be times of disappointment, times of sorrow, times to just let God be God. There are blessings in store for us, God’s people, if we will only believe. These first three Beatitudes are about choices about attitudes and about how we face what life throws at us. Will we make the right choices or choose a path opposite of God’s leading? In all of life’s ups and downs we hear the voices; we make the choices. God is there as Jesus is teaching to help us make the right choices in life. If we do that, we will be blessed. That is a promise you can always count on.

Pastor Larry

Announcements:

 

Bible Study 9:30 Tuesday

 

October 2 All church wiener roast 4:00 at Shirley & Oren Wright’s. Women’s Fellowship will provide hotdogs, buns, tableware. Beverages will also be provided.

 

October 3 World Communion Sunday—bread and cup communion during worship. If you cannot be there in person, participate with us by having your own drink and cracker or bread at home.

 

October 9 Rummage sale at Brethren Church to benefit the Lord’s Storehouse. Take items to Katie or Amy.

 

October 13 7:00 Executive Committee

 

November 5, 6 District Conference—One delegate still needed

November 10 Board Meeting

November 14 Council Meeting after worship

 

Offering plates are in the back of the sanctuary. Thank you!

 

Donation Box: Pastor’s Assistance Fund

First Sundays: food donations for food banks

 

Pastor Larry Traxler- (217) 454-2362

 

To keep up on Church of the Brethren news:

Denomination: www.brethren.org/news Sign up for Newsline by clicking link on left side of page.

District: iwdcob.org (click on newsletter link) and on facebook

Our pages: cerrogordocob.com (printed sermon, announcements, & calendar) and on facebook

 

Keep in Your Prayers

Jim (Buck) West; Jube Euastice; family of Kres Lipscomb; Marlene Schultz; Randy West; Jen Durst; Sarah Rudelick; Sydney (Nancy Gorrell’s niece); Tera Runyan; Carl and Wilma Cable; Marge Starr; Mike Gentry; Larry Albro; Mike McCleery; Mike and Carol Seidenstricker; Sonna Hall; Brittany Wright; Owen Wright; Anna Gentry Thompson; Clyde and Nancy Fansler; Adiline Young; Kim Lehmann; Doug Fansler; Liza Yore; Candy Dobson; Anna Rose Larrick; Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo & Darlene Hanaver; Zola Copeland; Patty Cripe; Lauren Gross; Stacie Warren; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; Coronavirus crisis; healthcare workers and first responders; the families of the 675,000+ people who have died from COVID-19; those who are ill from the virus; the unemployed; school teachers, staff, and students; victims of disasters; victims of shootings; nursing home residents; the Nigerian church; Haitian Brethren

 

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

 

Church of the Brethren vision statement:

Together, as the Church of the Brethren, we will passionately live and share the radical transformation and holistic peace of Jesus Christ through relationship-based neighborhood engagement. To move us forward, we will develop a culture of calling and equipping disciples who are innovative, adaptable, and fearless.

                       

Our Mission Statement:

Love God, grow with others, serve faithfully, reach the lost, find peace.

 

 

 

September 19 Sermon and Announcements

 

CERRO GORDO CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

September 19, 2021

 

What’s Your Excuse?

ACTS 19:21-41, 20:1-3

 

This is going to be the last message we do on the early church from Acts. In the future we may refer back to Acts from time to time. The final chapters of Acts talk of what Paul especially, but other apostles as well, was doing in the major regions discussed elsewhere in the New Testament.

 

In the verses we read this morning, we see yet another controversy has arisen. Early on in Acts all the people who were most upset with the early church were Jews. The Jewish leaders would try at times to stir up the Roman leaders to do their dirty work but they one way or another wanted this early church and these Christians stopped. Many of the Jewish leaders may have genuinely refused to believe Jesus was the promised Messiah. Clearly, Satan had blinded their eyes to the truth. The prophecy in the Old Testament as we call it told of a king establishing his throne on the throne of David and his kingdom would never end. Also, all of God’s enemies would be defeated when this king established his kingdom. The Jewish leaders and the Jewish people longed for this king to come. They wanted the king to put the Roman empire in its place as well as avenge all the peoples of the past who had oppressed the Jews. Jesus pointed out during his ministry that his kingdom was not of this world. So, the Jewish leaders refused to believe Jesus was the one promised by God through the prophets of old. Jesus did not do what they wanted him to do the way they wanted him to do it.

 About 1/3 of the way through Acts, God opened his kingdom up and welcomed the Gentiles in without any conditions. For the most part, the Gentile people from every city and region embraced God’s message of love, mercy, and grace. In the 19^th chapter of Acts, however, we see not everyone was happy about what Paul was sharing with the people of Ephesus. A man by the name of Demetrius figured out that if the Ephesians embraced Jesus as Lord what he and others had done to make money may suddenly disappear. Demetrius made personal images of Artemis, a god who was at the center of worship for the Ephesians. Seemingly, everyone had their own personal shrine at their homes as well as a huge temple for worship to Artemis. Demetrius said Paul had convinced and led astray large numbers of the Ephesians. Something had to be done to stop him. It was not so much because they believed in Artemis as it would seem that they were getting rich from the sale of personalized articles for worship. We can tell these people were really good at what they did. They probably could have used their talents in other ways, but they had grown comfortable doing what they had been doing and made a lot of money at it. Demetrius stirred up enough people in Ephesus and convinced many that Artemis was the true goddess worthy of worship, so the whole city was in an uproar. They grabbed one of Paul’s associates and was coming after Paul as well. The 32^nd verse shows how chaotic the situation was. It says the assembly was in confusion; some were shouting one thing, some another. Most people did not even know why they were there. Talk about getting caught up in the moment. I do not know if any of you have been part of something that started small and then just grew, sometimes to the point people are asking, “What is going on? What is everyone doing?”

 

Ultimately, we read a city clerk helped bring calm before things reached the point of no return. Paul continued to speak the word throughout Asia. To begin with we saw the Jewish leaders were against the apostles so they went to the Gentiles. Now we see there is resistance in the Gentile regions as well. The Gentiles had created gods for themselves through the years and while many Gentiles were excited to accept God’s offer of grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ, some were not ready to let go of the past. One of the things that stuck out for me from this year’s Annual Conference was the speaker who pointed out why we so often resist change is fear of the unknown. Change forces us to leave our comfort zone. These craftsmen in Ephesus resisted Paul’s message more out of fear of losing their income source than rejection of the message Paul was sharing. They refused to see God could open up new possibilities for them. They were comfortable doing what tradesman had done for centuries in Ephesus.

 

What about you and me? Do we resist change because we do not agree with the change itself? Or do we resist at times because we just do not want to be bothered? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Satan has been able to play on people’s personal comfort zones since the beginning of time. The Jewish leadership largely rejected Jesus as Messiah because he was not doing it the right way. Why is it so hard to break addictions? Because we like what that addiction does for us. Satan uses addiction to artificially fill a void God wants to fill. Excuses of all kinds to do or not do things that are best for us as well as others sneak in the same way. Satan began planting excuses in the hearts of God’s creation starting in the Garden of Eden and he is still doing it to us today. Fear of the unknown is one of the biggest causes for excuses, but pride can be another way Satan tricks God’s people as well. There is a song (see lyrics below) by the Kingsman that was done several years ago called “Excuses.” It shows how Satan is working on us in the church as well.

 

Throughout the book of Acts the apostles had obstacle after obstacle but thru the power of the Holy Spirit God’s message and messengers would not be stopped. Biblical historians tell us all but one of the apostles were killed for their testimony of Jesus Christ; only John died a natural death and he died in prison.

 

God’s reward is greater than all the excuses and persecution that might keep us from fulfilling God’s purposes here on this earth. What’s your excuse, what’s mine, that is keeping us from more completely doing what God is calling us to do? 

 

Excuses (by the Kingman)

Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.

And the Devil he'll supply them, if the church you stay away.

When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses

So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.

In the summer it's too hot. And, in the winter, it's too cold.

In the spring time when the weather's just right, you find some place else to go.

Well, it's up to the mountains or down to the beach or to visit some old friend.

Or, to just stay home and kinda relax and hope that some of the kin folks will start dropping in.

Well, the church benches are too hard. And, that choir sings way too loud.

Boy, you know how nervous you get when you're sitting in a great big crowd.

The doctor told you, "Now, you better watch them crowds. They'll set you back."

But, you go to that old ball game because you say "it helps you to relax."

Well, a headache Sunday morning and a backache Sunday night.

But by worktime Monday morning, you're feeling quite alright.

While one of the children has a cold, "Pneumonia, do you suppose?"

Why the whole family had to stay home, just to blow that poor kid's nose.

Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.

And the Devil he'll supply them if the church you stay away.

When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses

So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.

Well, the preacher he's too young. And, maybe he's too old.

The sermons they're not hard enough. And, maybe they're too bold.

His voice is much too quiet-like. Sometimes he gets too loud.

He needs to have more dignity. Or, else he's way too proud.

Well, the sermons they're too long. And, maybe they're too short.

He ought to preach the word with dignity instead of "stomp and snort."

Well, that preacher we've got must be "the world's most stuck up man."

Well, one of the lady's told me the other day, "Well, he didn't even shake my hand."

Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.

And the Devil he'll supply them if the church you stay away.

When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses

So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.

So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.

 

Well, the sermons they're too long. And, maybe they're too short.

He ought to preach the word with dignity instead of "stomp and snort."

Well, that preacher we've got must be "the world's most stuck up man."

Well, one of the lady's told me the other day, "Well, he didn't even shake my hand."

Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day.

And the Devil he'll supply them if the church you stay away.

When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses

So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.

So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.

Pastor Larry

Announcements:

 

Bible Study 9:30 Tuesday

 

Sept 29 Submissions due for October newsletter.

 

October 2 All church wiener roast 4:00 at Shirley & Oren’s. Sign up sheet for food in the back. Women’s Fellowship will provide hotdogs, buns, tableware. Beverages will also be provided.

 

October 3 World Communion Sunday—bread and cup communion during worship

 

October 9 Rummage sale at Brethren Church to benefit the Lord’s Storehouse. Take items to Katie or Amy.

 

November 5, 6 District Conference—One delegate still needed

 

Offering plates are in the back of the sanctuary. Thank you!

 

Donation Box: Pastor’s Assistance Fund

First Sundays: food donations for food banks

 

Pastor Larry Traxler- (217) 454-2362

 

To keep up on Church of the Brethren news:

Denomination: www.brethren.org/news Sign up for Newsline by clicking link on left side of page.

District: iwdcob.org (click on newsletter link) and on facebook

Our pages: cerrogordocob.com (printed sermon, announcements, & calendar) and on facebook

Keep in Your Prayers

Betty Sue Laird and family; family of Sherry Wright; Kres Lipscomb; Marlene Schultz; Randy West; Jen Durst; Sarah Rudelick; Sydney (Nancy Gorrell’s niece); Tera Runyan; Carl and Wilma Cable; Marge Starr; Mike Gentry; Larry Albro; Mike McCleery; Mike and Carol Seidenstricker; Sonna Hall; Brittany Wright; Owen Wright; Anna Gentry Thompson; Clyde and Nancy Fansler; Adiline Young; Kim Lehmann; Dylan Junior; Doug Fansler; Liza Yore; Candy Dobson; Anna Rose Larrick; Gary Jesse; Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo & Darlene Hanaver; Zola Copeland; Patty Cripe; Lauren Gross; Stacie Warren; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; Coronavirus crisis; healthcare workers and first responders; the families of the 660,000+ people who have died from COVID-19; those who are ill from the virus; the unemployed; school teachers, staff, and students; victims of disasters; victims of shootings; nursing home residents; the Nigerian church; Haitian Brethren

 

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

 

Church of the Brethren vision statement:

Together, as the Church of the Brethren, we will passionately live and share the radical transformation and holistic peace of Jesus Christ through relationship-based neighborhood engagement. To move us forward, we will develop a culture of calling and equipping disciples who are innovative, adaptable, and fearless.

                       

Our Mission Statement:

Love God, grow with others, serve faithfully, reach the lost, find peace.