CERRO GORDO CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN
May 21, 2023
How Far Are You Willing to Go?
1 John 3:7-24
For a couple of different reasons, the Lord led me to this message. The
message title implies I am asking you this question. When in fact it is
the Lord asking this question to all of his followers who are willing to
honestly look at the relationship we have with the Lord and also the
relationship we have with one another. Before we get into it this
morning, ironically after I felt led to share on this question, some of
these same situations were part of the Sunday School lesson today and
I am using the almost same verses as was in the lesson. Cathy and I
went on a 4-day cruise Monday thru Thursday. It was somewhat of a
repeat of a cruise we took for our 25 th wedding anniversary. While on
the cruise we celebrated our 48 th anniversary. I mention the cruise
because as I observed the people on the cruise, I realized people of all
colors and from many different nations were on the cruise. I didn’t
notice any arguments or problems of any kind during our time on the
ship, which leads me to ask this question. Why is there so much
disagreement and even anger and hatred it seems highlighted on the
news virtually every day. I am not implying everyone on the ship was a
devoted Christian. One reason there seemed to be harmony from most
onboard is because most everyone was doing something they wanted
to do. Going on a cruise! As a result of me observing this led me to ask
the Lord why? Why is so much of America and in all honesty the rest of
the developed world fighting with one another? You can’t watch the
news without reports of threatened violence or actual violence being
highlighted every day, which leads us back to today’s sermon title. How
far are you willing to go?
The verses we read this morning talks of a concern John has about what
is creeping into the church. Gnosticism was being taught to many
believers and some were apparently buying into its beliefs. At the heart
of this belief was that Jesus did not actually die for the sins of creation
(men and women, past, present and future). That morality of any kind
is of no real value and is necessary to live by. Salvation is not achieved
by believing in God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ; instead,
salvation is achieved through being enlightened by one’s own efforts. A
greater understanding of the world and greater harmony with the
world and with yourself. To make one thing clear, Gnostics did not
believe Jesus truly lived and died like every other human who has
walked the earth so salvation couldn’t be achieved through his sacrifice
of living a perfect life, then being the perfect sacrifice. The fact is, they
did not believe that’s how you would achieve salvation, even if Jesus
did live and die as most Christians believe.
When we look at what had crept into the church way back in John’s
time can you see any similarities to what is happening today? In the
verses we read this morning John is giving everyone who will listen a
refresher course on what Christians should believe. John is one of the
original disciples and observed firsthand everything Jesus did. He also
observed Jesus’ death for the sins of the world.
Last week when we looked at Mary, Jesus’ mother’s life, it was this
same man Jesus put in charge of caring for his mom for the rest of her
life. John was there through all the ups and downs of Jesus’ ministry.
John understood and believed Jesus was God and could and did do
everything he (Jesus) promised. That is why John continued to preach
and teach salvation through Jesus alone until the day he died. John had
become aware that false teachers were coming into many of the
churches everywhere. It wasn’t an isolated case here and there. It is
quite possible John was the only original apostle alive at this time. John
is the only apostle who died of natural causes. Every other apostle was
killed for their faith. God allowed John to preach and teach even from
prison until the day he died.
We will go into detail about what was happening in the church when
John wrote this letter to the churches of his day ands see if any of this
looks similar to what is happening in our churches and in the world
today.
Next Sunday is Memorial weekend so we may not pick this up again
until the first Sunday of June. I ask for your patience as we seek the
Lord’s guidance and his wisdom to be directing our time together. The
overall message God wants the church to bring to all people is that
salvation is real and available through Jesus Christ. The message God
wants every Christian to know is that we are called to be different in a
good way and we are called to make a difference in the world. At times
that means we must go against the flow. When we pick up on John’s
message to the church that we read in the verses today, I pray we will
better understand what we are up against and what we are called to
do.
Pastor Larry
Announcements:
Tuesdays 9:30 Bible Study
Sunday School 9:00
June 4 Council Meeting immediately after worship
If you would like to contribute to Heifer International through the
church in order for the 10x match to happen, write a check to
the church with “Heifer” on the memo line (or give cash with a
note that it’s for Heifer Int) by next Sunday, May 28. Ron will
then be able to write a check from the church.
June 10 9:30 Stem strawberries, arrange tables
June 11 4:00 – 6:00 Strawberry Festival—Please look at the
donation needs in the back and sign up to donate something.
Offering plates are in the back of the sanctuary. Thank you for
your continued giving!
Donation Box: VBS
First Sundays: food donations for food banks
Pastor Larry Traxler- (217) 454-2362
Keep in Your Prayers
Chris Wright; Iva Traughber Brunner; Nora Hanaver; Todd
Henricks; Tate Sawyer; Jonah Martina; Jan Bower; Larry
Traxler; Michelle West; Michelle’s mom; Carolyn Hirsch; Eli
Brunner; Nancy Fansler; Joe Waltz; Doug Larrick; Ron &
Kathleen Petersen; Debbie Leibrock; Dorthea Wood; Tina
Wilhelm; Mindy Sawyer; Carl and Wilma Cable; Mike and Carol
Seidenstricker; Adiline Young; Kim Lehmann; Doug Fansler;
Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo & Darlene Hanaver; Patty
Cripe; Stacie Warren; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests;
healthcare workers and first responders; victims of disasters;
victims of shootings; shut-ins; the Nigerian church; Haitian
Brethren; Ukraine; Hope Welty Library
Military and Other Services and their families
Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers
District Prayer Calendar: Pray for the Rockford congregation
and for the Part-time Pastor/Full-time Church program.
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.
