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 19th 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 32nd 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:
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District:
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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.
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