Deacon Ordination Sermon

What are deacons? How do they relate to the purpose of the church? How do we face the obstacles and temptations to be diverted from the mission?

Acts 6:1-11

"Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 

7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. 

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. Print.

Life is Short- New Years 2017

We are all tempted to ignore or abuse the transience of life. Here are some reflections from Moses in Psalm 90 on the shortness of life and what it means. Happy New Year!

Psalm 90

1     Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. 

    2     Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, 

from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 

    3     You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” 

    4     For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. 

    5     You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: 

    6     in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. 

    7     For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. 

    8     You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 

    9     For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. 

    10     The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty;  yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. 

    11     Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? 

    12     So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 

    13     Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! 

    14     Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 

    15     Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. 

    16     Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. 

    17     Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! 

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. Print.

Comsumerism, Covetousness, and a Cure

Matthew 6:19-34

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

The Garden Arrest

Luke 22:39-53

And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

The King of Glory

Psalm 24

A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah