Today's guest speaker is Rev. Renny Domske.
Gathering Around the Word
Prelude ANNOUNCEMENTS CALL TO WORSHIP: from Psalm 36 There is no fear or respect of God before the eyes of the wicked. In his or her own eyes he flatters himself too much. The wicked person commits himself to a sinful course. He or she has ceased to be wise and to do good. Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens; Your faithfulness is like the mighty mountains. O Lord, You preserve both humans and beasts. How priceless is Your unfailing love! Continue Your love to those who know You, Your righteousness to the upright in heart. For with You is the fountains of life; in Your light we see the light of life coming in You. INVOCATION
*HYMN “Great is Thy Faithfulness” #39
(intro then 2 verses. Bells between verses) *PRAYER OF CONFESSION: O Lord, our Lord, You are amazing to love us. We, your creations, think we are the center of life. We do what is beneficial to us always, not considering what is best for our families, our neighbors, our church, our God. We are selfish. We sin. Forgive us, Father. May we see life and this world through Your Eyes. May we learn to love others as we love ourselves. May we honor You by our words. May we honor You by our actions. May we live as sons and daughters of God. Thank You for always loving us. *Time of silent prayer: *Assurance of Pardon *Response – Gloria Patri *The peace of the Lord Jesus be with you. And also, with you. *Passing of the peace Children’s Chat Prayer of illumination Scripture reading I John 2: 20 – 25 Debbie Mary Hebrews 10: 19 - 25 SERMON: “Indiana Jones Is Wrong!” *HYMN “Standing on the Promises” #838 ( a capella) *Apostles Creed Presentation of tithes and offering Offertory *Doxology *Prayer of dedication Concerns and Celebrations Prayers of the people The Lord’s Prayer * HYMN “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” #465 ( intro and 3 verses) *Benediction Postlude
SYMPATHIES
To the Family of Margaret Knabenshue Aunt of Debbie Durila Remember our food collection. And Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.” Please let Betty Fisher know of anyone within the community that may be in need at this time. VBS is coming up on July 31 to August 4, 6 to 8 pm. There will be sign-up sheets and registration forms available. Help and refreshments appreciated. There will be a service at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church at 9:30 am on Saturday, August 5. It will be at the same time as services at the South West Bethel Synod in Ethiopia. Women On Wednesday will meet August 9 at the Church at 9:30. All are welcome to have fun and fellowship. Remember Fair is next month on August 13. Church is at the fair that Sunday at 10 am. Any news for the Bulletin, Please notify Diana at Phone # is 724-255-6481 or email her at tootie2403@gmail.com.
Continuing Prayer List
Chuck Dicks, Frank Huffman, Tom Westfall, Elaine Belcastro, Sandy Stone, Sarah Wilson, Carl Weber, Jimmy Svetz, Haley Diedier Bedillion, Evelyn Wood, Fred Wilkinson, Ricci Amos, Tiffany Cipoletti, Diane Anderson, Tim Taylor, Suzy Smith, Helen Provenzano, Donna West, Judy Donaldson, Marlene McFeely, Chuck Harton, Wiley Myers, Keith McGill, Ron and Jean Westfall, Billie Wilson, Ed Horne, Sue Gregg, Wendy Willard, Marley Smith
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Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
We will not be meeting in person for Sunday School for the next two weeks.
Next week, the VBS program will be held in the sanctuary during the Sunday School hour. The following week, we will be at the fairgrounds at 10 am for the worship service at the fair.
When we meet in person, we take time to share our joys and concerns. Take some time to consider how your last week has been. If you have any prayer requests to share, please add them to this post as a comment. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started.
God, we’re so grateful to be able to meet here together and be in your presence today.
We know it’s a gift. Help us never lose sight of that. While we’re here together studying Your Word we ask that You’d open our ears and our hearts to whatever it is You are wanting to teach us. Help us to see things through Your eyes and not the lens of our own understanding. We want to know You more, God. Thank you for showing us who You are and helping us understand and walk in Your love. What we learn today we want to act on. Don’t let it become mere head knowledge. Shape our minds, hearts, and actions according to Your word. Show us how to honor you and love others well with what we learn. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
This week's lesson is on Matthew 13:44-52.
Lesson Context
This week, we will be looking at our third lesson on parables. The first two were stories with a beginning, middle, and end. This week, we will be looking at four very brief parables that are found on in the Gospel of Matthew. They include enough detail to make a point while allowing the reader to imagine other details. We might think of these as similar to a more recent phenomenon called flash fiction. A popular example of such fiction is the six word story. "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." Our book talks about reading the New Testament, and bridging the gap between "the two horizons." The first is the historical context in which the New Testament was written. The second is the modern context in which we as readers stand. We need to understand the first horizon in order to deal with the second. In the ancient world, a person's wealth was recognized by them physically possessing something tangible, like livestock, precious metals, or luxury attire. Wealth could be taken. In order to protect things like precious metals, they would be hidden somewhere. In today's society, we might still think of wealth dealing with tangible items. But it also consists of investments, property, stocks, and things that we can't really hold in our hands. Protecting wealth now has more to do with computers: keeping antivirus software and firewalls up to date, not sharing passwords, and being careful about public wi-fi.
Parable 1: Hidden Treasure
In Jesus' time, it would have been a pretty common practice to bury your money. The field the treasure is found in was a farming plot. It was likely secluded away from other people. We get the idea that the man found the treasure alone, with no witnesses. Jewish law at the time stipulated that if a treasure was lifted from the ground, it would belong to the current owner of the field. The man apparently covered the treasure, hiding it again, so there was nothing illegal about his actions. In order to obtain the treasure, the man had to sell all that he had. This was a risk. He was risking that the treasure was worth more than all his personal wealth. He was also risking at the treasure would still be there after he had made the purchase. The point of the parable is that the kingdom of heaven is of superlative inestimable value. But it requires the commitment of everything for those who would be part of it. When we follow Jesus, the rewards are far greater than what we sacrifice.
Parable 2: Costly Pearl
Pearls are made when a foreign object is trapped within an oyster's shell. The oyster secretes a substance, mother of pearl, to make the sharp fragment smooth and nonirritating. Pearls were seen as a very valuable treasure in the ancient world. A business that involves trading in such a valuable commodity has the potential for great risk and great reward. In this parable, the merchant found one pearl of great value. Like the man with the field in the previous parable, the merchant sold everything he had and bought the pearl. This might have meant everything he had with him if he was traveling. It might have meant liquidating property holdings, or other precious gems he already owned. The point of this parable is similar to the previous one. To enter the kingdom of Heaven requires relinquishing our control over everything. Spiritually, we must give up all our ungodly ways and submit fully to the Lord. Materially, nothing we own can be held back if we are fully committed to serve in the kingdom. Everything becomes the Lord's. This involves a shift of mindset from "I own" to "I am a steward." The treasure we receive is worth it!
Parable 3: Good & Bad Fish
In this third parable, Jesus compare the kingdom of heaven to commercial fishing. His listeners would have been familiar with fishing in the Sea of Galilee. Commercial fishing would have been done with a net that was dragged between two boats. Using a net would have been indiscriminate fishing -- it does not differentiate between species of fish likely to be near the surface and those at a depth. A full net would be too heavy to lift into one of the boats. Instead, the bottom would be lifted to trap the fish. Then, the boats would return to shore, beaching the net full of fish. Once on the beach, the fish would be sorted. Good fish would go to market in baskets. Bad fish would be cast aside. Our book points out that the Law of Moses said only fish with fins and scales were considered clean and could be eaten. This meant eels (no scales), various kind of catfish (no scales), and shellfish (neither scales nor fins) unclean. They had no commercial or personal value. This parable connects with last week's lesson about the weeds among the wheat. In both cases, there is a harvest. The harvest is then sorted. The good part of the harvest is kept, and the bad part of the harvest is discarded. It is all about the harvest at the end of the age, the time of final judgment.
Parable 4: Old & New Treasures
A teacher of the law was a literate person who made copies of Scripture by hand and was an expert in the law. This person is depicted as the owner of a house. In this case, the old treasures are the law of Moses, and the new treasure is Jesus. The owner bringing out his treasures is the sharing of scripture.
Conclusion
Jim Elliot was a missionary to Ecuador, where he was killed in 1956. In his journal in 1949, Elliot wrote, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." This speaks to the core point of the parables in today's lesson. To remain dedicated to the kingdom of heaven is a treasure far beyond any material possessions. But its cost is a willingness to give up what we have to follow Jesus.
Prayer
Father, grant us the wisdom to recognize the priceless nature of your kingdom! And give us the courage to yield all that we have for it. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Questions for Discussion
Benediction
This week's benediction is from the New International Version.
Next week's lesson is on Galatians 5:13-26.
Today's guest speaker is Rev. CJ Haury.
Gathering Around the Word
Prelude Carol Smith, Pianist ANNOUNCEMENTS CALL TO WORSHIP: 1 Peter 2:9 (Unison) You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of the One who called you out of darkness into God’s marvelous light. Prayer for the Day: (Unison) Eternal God, open our eyes to see Your hand at work in the splendor of creation and in the beauty of human life. Touched by your hand our world is holy. Help us to cherish the gifts that surround us, to share our blessings with our sisters and brothers, and to experience the joy of life in Your presence; through Jesus Christ of Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. AMEN *HYMN “For the Beauty of the Earth” # 14 ( Intro then 5 verses) Call to Confession Psalm 14
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION: ( Woodrow Wilson)
Almighty God, ruler of all the peoples of the earth, forgive, we pray, our shortcomings as a nation; purify our hearts to se and love truth; give wisdom t6o our counselors and steadfastness to our people; and bring us at6 last to the fair city of peace, whose foundations are mercy, justice, and goodwill, and whose builder and maker You are; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. *Time of silent prayer: *Assurance of Pardon Romans 6: 12-14 *Response – Gloria Patri *Passing of the peace Children’s Chat Prayer of illumination Scripture reading Matthew 10: 40-42 SERMON: “A Cup of Cold Water” *HYMN “O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee” # 738 (Intro then 4 verses) *Apostles Creed Presentation of tithes and offering Offertory *Doxology *Prayer of dedication Concerns and Celebrations Prayers of the people The Lord’s Prayer * HYMN “Tell Me the Old, Old Story” ( see insert on back of prayer list) *Benediction Postlude
BIRTHDAYS
Ben Hathaway, Betty Fisher SYMPATHIES To the Family of Robert Paxton Remember our food collection. And Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.” Please let Betty Fisher know of anyone within the community that may be in need at this time. VBS is coming up on July 29 to August 4th from 6 to 8 pm. There will be sign-up sheets and registration forms available. Any news for the Bulletin, Please notify Diana at Phone # is 724-255-6481 or email her at tootie2403@gmail.com.
Continuing Prayer List
Chuck Dicks, Frank Huffman, Tom Westfall, Elaine Belcastro, Sandy Stone, Matt Petrola, Sarah Wilson, Carl Weber, Jimmy Svetz, Haley Diedier Bedillion, Evelyn Wood, Fred Wilkinson, Ricci Amos, Tiffany Cipoletti, Diane Anderson, Tim Taylor, Suzy Smith, Helen Provenzano, Richard Ward, Donna West, Judy Donaldson, Marlene McFeely, Chuck Harton, Wiley Myers, Keith McGill,Ron and Jean Westfall, Billie Wilson, Ed Horne, Sue Gregg, Wendy Willard, Marley Smith
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
When we meet in person, we take some time to share about our last week. This includes our joys and concerns. If you have any prayer requests you would like to share, you can add them as a comment on this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started.
Merciful God, you plant each of us like seeds in the same field and together we are nourished and nurtured by the sun. We sway in the wind and are refreshed by the rain. We are blessed by the knowledge that you want us to grow towards what you call us to be.
When we deprive others of that same opportunity, forgive us. When we want to uproot those whom we believe do not belong in our part of the field, forgive us. When we label others as good or bad rather than accept them for who they are, forgive us. When we are reluctant to acknowledge that we ourselves are a mixture of weeds and wheat, forgive us. When we are afraid to look into the fields of our own lives to see what is growing there, forgive us. O God, you know us inside and out, through and through. You search us out and lay your hand upon us. You know what we are going to say even before we speak. So we pray that you will help us to reach out to the uprooted and rejected, the lonely and the outcast, and to develop and grow the good in ourselves, in others, and in the world. This we pray in Jesus’s name. Amen.
This week's lesson is on Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.
In this parable, Jesus is teaching here about “the kingdom of heaven” in the world. The parable is filled with spiritual significance and truth. Jesus distinctly explains that the field is not the church; it is the world. In Christ’s time, many farmers depended on the quality of their crops. An enemy sowing weeds would have sabotaged a business. The tares in the parable were likely darnel because that weed, until mature, appears as wheat. After harvesting the whole field, the tares could be separated and burned. The wheat would be saved in the barn.
In the explanation, Christ declares that He Himself is the sower. He spreads His redeemed seed, true believers, in the field of the world. Through His grace, these Christians bear the fruit of the Spirit. Their presence on earth is the reason the “kingdom of heaven” is like the field of the world. When Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” He meant the spiritual realm which exists on earth side by side with the realm of the evil one. When the kingdom of heaven comes to its fruition, heaven will be a reality and there will be no “weeds” among the “wheat.” But for now, both good and bad seeds mature in the world. The enemy is Satan, who tries to destroy Christ’s work by placing false believers and teachers in the world who lead many astray. The world is filled with professing “Christians” whose ungodly actions bring reproach on the name of Christ. But we are not to pursue such people in an effort to destroy them. We don’t know if immature and innocent believers might be injured by our efforts. The difference between true and false believers isn’t always obvious. God alone makes that decision. Christ allows them to remain until His return. At that time, angels will separate the true from false believers.
Prayer
Lord of the harvest, may we be workers in the field of your world. May we be ones who are unwilling to give up on those who seem wicked. May we not despair when evil seems to win the day. We believe the promise that your time of final judgment will allow the righteous to shine as the sun. We look forward to that day faith and anticipation. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. Thought to Remember You’re either wheat or weed. There is no in-between.
Benediction
This week's benediction is from the Good News Translation.
Next week's lesson is on Matthew 13:44-52.
Today's guest speaker is Rev. Renny Domske.
Gathering Around the Word
Prelude ANNOUNCEMENTS CALL TO WORSHIP: from Psalm 35 My soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in His salvation. My whole being will exclaim,” Who is like You, O Lord?” You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, You rescue the poor and needy from those who rob them. Contend for me, my God and Lord. Vindicate me in Your righteousness, O Lord my God. May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame; May all who exalt themselves over me to disgraced. May those who delight in You shout for joy and gladness. “The Lord delights in the well-being of His servant.” My tongue will speak of Your righteousness: My tongue will lift Your praise all day long. INVOCATION
*HYMN “God of Grace and God of Glory” # 307
( Intro verse and then 4 verses) *PRAYER OF CONFESSION: Lord, we need You every hour, every moment, every second. Our biggest sin is not acknowledging Your Presence knowing You are with us every step of our lives. We are sorry that too often we only think of You when we are in need, when we are hurting, when we are in trouble. We think too often of ourselves and too little about the One who Created us. Forgive us. Lead us on the crooked pathway through this life. Help us to turn our eyes to You, not ourselves. You are our Lord and Savior. Thank you for never deserting us. *Time of silent prayer: *Assurance of Pardon *Response – Gloria Patri *The peace of the Lord Jesus be with you. And also, with you. *Passing of the peace Children’s Chat Prayer of illumination Scripture reading Joshua 6: 1-11 Diana Donaldson Joshua 6: 12-20 SERMON: “Shouting AT God or FOR God” *HYMN “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” #216 (Intro verse then 3 verses) *Apostles Creed Presentation of tithes and offering Offertory *Doxology *Prayer of dedication Concerns and Celebrations Prayers of the people The Lord’s Prayer * HYMN “This is the Day” (a cappella) *Benediction Postlude
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
When we meet in person, we take time to share our joys and concerns. Take some time to consider your past week. If you have prayer requests, please add them as a comment to this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source: Pray the Word podcast) to get started.
God, we pray that every day as we hear your word by our spirit, you would soften our hearts and minds and our lives would indeed be fertile.
This week's lesson is on Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23.
Researchers have identified 5 to 9 different teaching methods that Jesus used. One of the methods was parables. One definition of a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Another definition is a narrative of some real or imaginary event in nature or in common life which is adaptive to suggest a moral or religious truth. Matthew 13 has been called “the parable chapter” because it has the greatest concentration of parables in the book. It has 16.
When Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake a large crowd gathered around him that he got into the boat while the people stood at the shore. The acoustic properties of the surface of the water allowed the large crowd to hear Jesus' voice clearly. Jesus began to tell the parable of the Sower. A farmer would have saved his seed from the last crop just for planting. Seeds were a precious commodity and planting day required preparation. The soil had to be tilled to receive the seeds and the soil had to be moist and warm enough to germinate and begin to grow. The crowd had this life experience to relate to. No matter how experienced the farmer sowing seeds from hand could not be perfect. Some seeds would fall along the hard packed soil of the path to the field. Having no cover for the seeds the birds would have eaten the seeds. The second word picture is that of the soil characterized as lacking depth because it is rocky. Hard bedrock might be but an inch or two under the surface in the hilly terrain of Galilee. Shallow soil can lose almost all its water content and the plants would not have a deep root system. When there was a lack of rain and a hot sun it would cause them to be scorched and wither away. A third type of soil could be dirt having noxious weeds or thorns. The sower's wheat or barley seeds would have to compete with the weeds or thorns and his crop will be choked, producing puny growth and little grain. I understand this verse because I have a garden that if not weeded regularly will be overgrown with weeds. Some seeds were cast in good soil. The soil that is not hard packed, not shallow or not full of thorns and the wheat or barley would grow quickly and produce a great return. The stated return would have been amazing to Jesus' audience. They estimated that even the best years in Palestine might have yielded a ten-fold harvest. Jesus was saying a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Such a marvelous harvest could only be miraculously accomplished through the blessing of God. Whoever has ears, let them hear. Jesus looks for those who have “spiritual ears” able to discern the truths he was teaching. They understood the deeper message. The disciples wanted to know the meaning of this parable. So Jesus explained it to them. It is not a literal farmer but as a preacher of the message about the Kingdom. No one fits this description better than Jesus himself, for he had come reaching the good news of the kingdom of God. Jesus preaching was met with various reactions. Some hearers were (and are) like the hardened soil, with hearts and minds that do not understand even the basics of what Jesus was (and is) trying to communicate. The result: being like seeds that never even sprout. There can be no faith if there is no understanding. The attack comes not from literal birds, but from the evil one – Satan himself. It is he who encourages people to dismiss the pleadings and warning of Jesus as nonsense. A second type of soil is the hearer who is initially thrilled by the good news heard in Jesus' message about the kingdom. That message is understood and creates joy and hope in this person. Despite this joyous reception, though, there are some who do not take this message to heart in a lasting way. They do not have an enduring faith. Jesus had taught that the kingdom must be received in repentance, a change in orientation toward God and away from sin. Some are buoyed by the joy they experience, but they do not have a change in heart. When there is trouble or persecution, their shallow faith will not survive. They will be like the shallowly rooted plants that cannot endure the scorching sun. The third type of reception of Jesus' message is found among those who do not forsake their worldly desires for service in the kingdom. Jesus would later say that to be his disciple one has to “deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Believers can not have divided loyalties. We can not serve two masters equally. A person who is still attached to the god of money may give the appearance of being a disciple but he or she will be an unfruitful disciple. A wheat plant that competes with weeds and thorns for water, soil, nutrients and sunlight will not flourish or produce. Three things will happen when Jesus' message falls on those with “ears to hear.” First, the people will listen sincerely and earnestly. They will truly hear the word of salvation. Second, they will understand the basis of the message and the personal consequences for disbelieving it. Third, this understanding and the faith that follows will be demonstrated in these people bearing fruit. They will be disciples who make other disciples, who do good works as service to Christ and his church. Those who seek to serve with sincere hearts will have astounding results.
Conclusion: Four Types of Hearers
A common application for the sower parable is to ask, “What kind of soil are you?” While this question may cut to the heart of being a disciple and give us pause for self-examination, the parable is more about the sower than the soils, about Jesus and other preachers who spread the divine seed of God's Word. Preachers and teachers who faithfully communicate the gospel will meet many reactions, just as the seed encountered several soils. We will not always be able to know the hearts and minds of those with whom we share the gospel. Even so, the wise and talented sower spreads the seed widely, ever knowing that some seed will not produce fruit. The wise preacher keeps preaching, and the wise teacher keeps teaching - always looking for opportunities to share the gospel. Faith is sometimes kindled and brought to a blazing fire in unlikely people. The most passionate and bitter enemy of the church may be but a few steps away from the walk of a joyous believer. God empowers our gospel proclamation. We offer the word, but God touches those having “spiritual ears” and draws them to faith. We pray for those with “ears to hear” and faithfully proclaim the gospel to “let them hear.” Prayer Lord of the harvest, may we remain faithful to the task of proclaiming the gospel. May we not prejudge potential hearers. Instead, we trust that your Spirit will work to bring others to faith. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen
Questions for discussion
Benediction
This week's benediction comes from the New English Translation.
Next week's lesson will be on Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.
Today was our picnic with Upper Buffalo. Due to the rain, we were unable to meet at the park, and instead had worship and lunch at Upper Buffalo.
Our guest speaker was RE Sarah Angelo.
Announcements
We are blessed to have RE Sarah Angelo lead us in worship and Angelina Scott provide our music. Upper Buffalo's mission partner for the month of July is the Presbyterian Senior Care. Our loose offering today will be designated for the care of seniors at the Washington campus. You are invited to the Annual Presbytery Picnic this Tuesday evening July 11th from 4-8 pm at Shelter #4 Cross Creek Park (West Middletown side) Please call the Presbytery office to RSVP 724-222-1500 Please keep in prayer the evangelists from Southwest Bethel Synod in Ethiopia who have launched a five-week evangelism campaign in Ethiopia and the US. The head of the Southwest Bethel Synod, Rev. Lukas Cham, is currently visiting the Washington Presbytery. You are invited to join your friends and neighbors for the July Community Luncheon at Upper Buffalo on Wednesday, July 12th at noon. August Community Luncheon will be held on August 9th. Please plan on attending a Strawberry Social hosted by North Buffalo on Friday, July 21st from 5-8 pm. Enjoy dessert and good music! North Buffalo is holding VBS the week of July 31 from 6-8 pm. Church at the Fair will take place on Sunday, August 13th at 10 am. The Annual Faith & Family Night at the Wild Things is scheduled for Saturday evening, September 2nd. Tickets are free to churches but must be requested in advance.
Prayer Request
Washington Presbytery and the Southwest Bethel Synod in Ethiopia have been partners for over 30 years. The Presbyterian mission there was started in 1947 by Rev. Charles Haspels whose first church was Emanuel Presbyterian in 84 PA. The church in Ethiopia is growing by leaps and bounds and Southwest Bethel Synod now has over 500,000 members! Washington Presbytery has supported this vital mission over the years through the Pumpkins for Ethiopia Literacy Centers projects, establishing an endowed chair in Rev. Haspels' honor at the Seminary, and visits back and forth. To recognize our partnership Rev. Lukas Cham, head of the Synod, has arrived in the United States and will spend the next 6 weeks visiting churches in the Washington Presbytery. Our Ethiopian Partners have begun a 6 week evangelism and prayer campaign. Thirty young evangelists will be traveling throughout the Southwest Bethel Synod area to share the good news of Jesus Christ. We are asked to uphold these evangelists in prayer. They will first go out to the towns where they live. This is inspired by the directive from Jesus to go to Jerusalem, Samaria, and the ends of the earth; they decided to start near home and move each week into harder and stranger places. After we pray, we are encouraged to send an email message to essayendrias@gmail.com letting them know we prayed for their work in Biftu. We can raise their spirits with a hundred messages, possibly one thousand. Please remember to pray not only for the work in Ethiopia, but also for renewal, revival, discipleship, witness and growth in our American church. There is great power in prayer together. Knowing that you don't pray alone, and thousands in Ethiopia are also praying for us at this time.
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
We are not meeting in person for Sunday School today. Instead, we are at Cross Creek Park for our church picnic with Upper Buffalo.
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns with each other. If you have prayer requests to share, you can add them to the comments on this post. When you are ready, use this prayer to get started.
Lord Jesus, we have many requests for the things that we want for ourselves and our neighbors. But most of all, we ask that you would change us, that you would change our hearts so that our desires and affections are more like yours. Change our words that we will always honor You, and change our actions so that we reach out to the people and the needs that you prioritize. Help us to truly repent, and guide us by your wisdom. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen
This week's lesson is on Matthew 12:22-32.
Introduction
Today’s lesson contains a statement from Jesus about the unforgivable sin. We often talk about the depth and breadth of God’s love and how “love covers over a multitude of sins,” (1 Peter 4:8). And that is true. But that is why it is so shocking and horrifying to hear that there is a sin that God cannot forgive. What is that sin? Have I committed it? How can I know? By studying Jesus’s words in context, as we will do today, we can better understand what Jesus was talking about. And perhaps we will hear a warning in his words while also gaining some relief from our fears and our worries.
Kingdom and Healing (Matthew 12:22-24)
By the time of this encounter, Jesus has already garnered acclaim as a healer. (See Matthew 4:23-25 and 12:15.) His healing ministry includes casting out demons, such as in Matthew 4:24 and 8:16. What makes this case unusual is that the man is said to be demon-possessed but also blind and mute. If you think about it, blindness is not usually associated with the inability to speak. Much more commonly, a person who is mute is also deaf because he or she has not been able to hear others speak. When the people witness the healing — presumably with the removal of the demon as well — they are, of course, astonished. They begin to wonder aloud if this might be evidence that Jesus is the “Son of David,” the Messiah. Instead of entertaining that possibility, however, the Pharisees issue an explanation that is exactly the opposite of the people’s. This healing, they say, is not evidence of Messiahship but that Jesus is in league with Satan. In other words, the healing is a crafty satanic ploy meant to deceive the people. Without even seeing the healing themselves, they are offering a counterargument based on their conviction that Jesus cannot be the Messiah. Instead of being open to the possibility that God could be moving in the world in a unique and powerful way through Jesus, the Pharisees see a potential loss of power and control over the people. By doing so, they turn a wonderful sign of God’s kingdom into a movement of Satan. They call good evil.
Kingdom and Unity (Matthew 12:25-30)
Jesus hears what the Pharisees say, but even more, he knows their thoughts and motives. He counters the their interpretation of his actions by showing how foolish it would be for Satan to inspire the people to believe in God and to worship God by offering them a sign of God’s healing and power. If this is Satan’s strategy, why not simply let Satan destroy himself? Next Jesus turns the argument on the Pharisees themselves. Some Jews of this period were also known as exorcists. They may have even had a relationship to the Pharisees. If the people accept the argument that Satan is deceiving them by allowing demons to be removed, how will they explain these other exorcisms? By saying that their own exorcisms were by God’s power, these Jews would offer judgment against the Pharisees and their hypocrisy. On the other hand, Jesus says, if his actions are by the Spirit of God, it is evidence that the kingdom of God has actually come into their midst. Therefore, this healing is physical evidence of the message that Jesus had proclaimed from the very beginning, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17) Jesus offers a more reasonable explanation of what is happening, using an analogy from the natural world. If someone wants to burglarize the home of a strong man who is still inside the home, he would first have to neutralize the strong man in some way, perhaps by tying him up. Only then could he burglarize the home. There is no question that Satan is strong and that Satan controls the world. However, God’s Spirit is much stronger than Satan, and these acts of healing are evidence that Jesus is relying on God’s Spirit to overcome Satan’s power and claim the world as God’s possession. Jesus concludes this analogy with a warning. People cannot stay neutral in this struggle between good and evil. Those who choose to twist God’s healing, freeing movement into a negative thing have chosen the side of evil. They have aligned themselves with Satan and against God. This is not a small thing. It has eternal consequences.
Kingdom and the Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32)
The final section of this passage contains a statement that has bewildered many Christians. Here Jesus talks about a sin that cannot be forgiven, which leaves many people wondering if they might have committed that sin and are therefore without hope of salvation. Without understanding the context of Jesus’s statement, we may think it refers to a particular action. But Jesus is referring to the mindset of the Pharisees here which, if not corrected, could lead them to a place where forgiveness is impossible. That is simply because they will have convinced themselves that the Spirit’s work is evil, leaving them incapable and unwilling to change their hearts and minds. What Jesus is warning us against, I believe, is not committing a particular sin — as bad as all sin is — but of shutting ourselves off from being able to see God’s Spirit moving in the world and in our lives. When that happens, people cannot respond to the Spirit because they have chosen to ignore it or even to see its life-giving work as evil. The Pharisees may not have arrived at that place yet, but Jesus warns that they are traveling down a dangerous path.
Conclusion
In Book IV of Paradise Lost, author John Milton has Satan musing at length on his situation and prospects. Satan realizes that his rebellion against God has left him without hope for redemption; thus he utters, “Farewell, hope.” Satan then reasons, “All good to me is lost.” He had begun a journey away from God from which there was no return. Therefore, he decided, “Evil, be thou my good” — one of the most chilling lines in all of literature. What does it take to commit an eternal sin, a sin that cannot be forgiven, ever? Are we in daily danger of this, always walking a tightrope between salvation and eternal damnation? Could a careless word or thought condemn us for eternity? We should recognize that some Christians fear the possibility of committing an unpardonable sin. However, we are probably not in a position to evaluate for sure whether it has been committed. Paul speaks of those who have “seared” conscience (1 Timothy 4:2), referring to those who will not and so cannot repent. They have willingly reversed the order of good and evil in the universe, becoming like those Isaiah condemns when he says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness.” (Isaiah 5:20) These are the ones who have agreed with Milton’s Satan: “Evil, be thou my good.” Some would say today that evil and depravity are celebrated more than good. But we must not turn our backs on the unrepentant people in our community, just as Jesus did not abandon the Pharisees without a warning. In the end, it is for God, not us, to judge whether or when the unforgivable sin has been committed. The old rule of thumb is that if you are concerned about it, you have not yet committed it, for you still have a conscience that discerns good from evil. God and God’s Word call us constantly to repent. If you still sense the stirring in your heart to get right with the Lord, even if the stirring is weak, you must do so. Jesus’ words remain a lesson for today’s church. Opponents of Christianity will always seek to discredit Jesus and divide his followers. Once confronted with the gospel, it is impossible to remain neutral. To reject Jesus is to be against him. This may be done subtly, however. If we’re not careful, we may end up working against Jesus to divide and scatter his followers, bringing disunity to the body of Christ.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we want to rely even more on the power of the Holy Spirit for good works and to please you. May we never be intimidated by those who refuse to recognize you and your power in their midst. We pray in the name of the one who loves us, Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Benediction
This week's benediction is from the Good News Translation.
Next week's lesson is on Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23.
Today's guest speaker was Rev. Renny Domske.
Gathering Around the Word
Prelude ANNOUNCEMENTS CALL TO WORSHIP: from Psalm 34 I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord and He answered me; the Lord has delivered me from all my fears. Those believers that look to the Lord are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. Taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man or woman who takes refuge in Him. Come, my children and listen to me; I will teach you the fear and respect of the Lord. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. INVOCATION
*HYMN “How Great Thou Art” # 625
Intro verse 1 – bar- 2nd verse *PRAYER OF CONFESSION: Most precious Jesus Christ, thank You for taking away our sins. Thank You for suffering so that we do not have to. Thank You for loving us enough to die for us. We do not deserve You and Your sacrifice. We approach almost every day in a selfish manner. We too often think of You only when we are in need. In this “Land of the Free” we have made ourselves kings and queens of our lives –not You. Forgive us. Help us. Remind us of our need of You every day and every moment. *Time of silent prayer: *Assurance of Pardon *Response – Gloria Patri *The peace of the Lord Jesus be with you. And also, with you. *Passing of the peace Children’s Chat Prayer of illumination Scripture reading Acts 11: 19 – 26 Lisa Hamilton Philippians 2: 1 – 11 SERMON: “I’ll Bet I Know Your Name” *HYMN “Come Christians, Join to Sing” # 267 (Intro then 3 verses) *Apostles Creed Presentation of tithes and offering Offertory *Doxology *Prayer of dedication Concerns and Celebrations Prayers of the people The Lord’s Prayer * HYMN “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory” # 354 (a cappella) *Benediction Postlude
BIRTHDAYS
Michael Neal, Bob Moore, Rosemary Cole ANNIVERSARIES None this week SYMPATHIES To the Family of Alma Snyder Sister of Ruby Hathaway Remember our food collection. And Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.” Please let Betty Fisher know of anyone within the community that may be in need at this time. Lets keep Debbie Durila’s Granddaughter, Daysy in our prayers. She fell off swing and broke her clavicle bone. Just a reminder for the Strawberry Festival on July 21, 2023. That is on a Friday. The time is 5 pm to 8 pm. Come enjoy the berries, music and the fun. VBS is coming up on July 29 to August 4th from 6 to 8 pm. There will be sign up sheets and registration form. Don’t forget the picnic is next Sunday July 9th at 11 am at Cross Creek Park off Route 50 in Rea. p.s. Renny is requesting deviled eggs!! Session will be meeting July 10th at 7pm. Women on Wednesday will be meeting July 12th at 11am. Going to lunch at Eat N Park.
Continuing Prayer List
Chuck Dicks, Frank Huffman, Tom Westfall, Elaine Belcastro Sandy Stone, Matt Petrola, Sarah Wilson, Carl Weber, Jimmy Svetz, Haley Diedier Bedillion, Evelyn Wood, Fred Wilkinson, Ricci Amos, Tiffany Cipoletti, Diane Anderson, Tim Taylor, Suzy Smith, Helen Provenzano, Richard Ward, Donna West, Judy Donaldson, Marlene McFeely, Chuck Harton, Robert Paxton, Wiley Myers, Keith McGill, Ron and Jean Westfall, Billie Wilson, Ed Horne, Sue Gregg, Nelson Huffman, Diane(Sarah Clifford’s Mother’s friends daughter-in-law), Wendy Willard, Ruby Hathaway, Debbie Durila’s Granddaughter Daysy
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
Next week, we will not be meeting for Sunday School in person. We will be at Cross Creek Park for our church picnic with Upper Buffalo.
When we meet together in person, we take time to share our joys and concerns. If you have any prayer requests, please add them as a comment on this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source), written by John Wesley as a prayer of thanksgiving to get started.
Almighty and eternal God, we desire to praise thy holy name, for so graciously raising us up, in soundness of body and mind, to see the light of this day. We bless thee in behalf of all thy creatures; for "the eyes of all look unto thee, and you give them their meat in due season." But above all we acknowledge thine inestimable benefits bestowed upon mankind in Christ Jesus. We thank thee for his miraculous birth, his most holy life, his bitter agony, his bloody death, his glorious resurrection on this day, his ascension into heaven, his triumph over all the powers of darkness, and his sitting at thy right hand for evermore. Amen.
This week's lesson is on Zechariah 9:9-13, 16-17.
Lesson Context
Zechariah was a prophet at the time of the return from Babylon. He had a leadership role in rebuilding the temple. The book of Zechariah is the longest of the minor prophets. It is divided into three major parts. The first part, through chapter 6, has eight night visions and is apocalyptic. The second part, chapters 7 and 8, records responses by the Lord to observances of fasting. The third part, chapters 9 through 14, is presented as two undated prophecies. Our lesson is from the first of the two undated prophecies. The first eight verses, before today's lesson text, are believed to focus on events that occurred during the time of Alexander the Great (356 - 323 BCE). This would have been roughly 150 to 200 years after Zechariah's life.
The Lord's King
(verse 9) Zechariah calls on the people to rejoice because the righteous and humble king has returned to Jerusalem. The prophecy talks about the king riding in on a donkey, while a victorious king would normally ride in on horseback. We probably recognize that particular line as being fulfilled on Palm Sunday (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19).
The Lord's Kingdom
(verses 10-13) In this section, Zechariah uses Ephraim, one of the ten northern tribes, to mean the entire northern nation of divided Israel. Jerusalem is used to mean the entire southern kingdom, instead of Judah. The coming king would bring peace to everyone, everywhere. This peace is more than the absence of human conflict. It is a reconciliation between God and all of the people. The passage talks about the "blood of my covenant." Our book points out that the prophecy could be looking to the past or to the future. In the past, in Exodus 24, God commanded Moses to go to a specific place with seventy of the elders, and worship. Part of the worship was offering sacrifices. Moses sprinkled the people with blood from the sacrifice, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” In what would be the future for Zechariah, we would probably think of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, the new covenant. At the end of this section, the prophecy talks about Greece and the rescue of God's people. Our book says that after Alexander the Great died, his Greek Empire was split among four of his generals. One of the boundaries ran through Palestine. There were revolts frequently along the boundary. For a brief period, starting in 152 BCE, the Jews regained their autonomy. However, by 63 BCE, the Roman Empire had taken control of the area.
The Lord's Care
verses 16-17 At the end, the text returns to an image we are familiar with: the shepherd of a flock of sheep. The people are precious to God. They will be a witness for all to see. They will have prosperity because of what God will do.
Conclusion
God is intent on bringing eternal life to those created in his image. But he made promises to those under the old covenant in terms of physical, earthly deliverance because that was their frame of reference. Even into the New Testament era, people had a hard time seeing the spiritual as surpassing the earthly, of seeing beyond the temporary to the eternal.
Prayer
Almighty God, as we think about Jesus as king, we resolve that our goal every day will be to remember that our citizenship is in Heaven and to be the best citizens possible of his kingdom. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Questions for Discussion
Benediction
This week's benediction is from the New International Version.
Next week's lesson will be on Matthew 12:22-32.
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