In Good Times and In Bad
In Good Times and In Bad
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” – Romans 12:15
Who would stand with you no matter what?
Most of us like being around happy people. It can be uncomfortable, however, being around people who are sad, especially people who are mourning. You may not know what to say or do.
The Christian life, like all people’s lives, is filled with ups and downs. There are times when we feel overjoyed and there are times when we feel overwhelmed with sorrow. Yes, we have the joy of our salvation, but that doesn’t remove the sadness of hurt and loss. Rather, it carries us through the hurt and loss.
Together Through It All
Husbands and Wives make a promise to each other to stay with each other in good times and in bad, sickness and health, wealth and poverty. The Christian bond is similar. We, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we also stand together in both good times and bad, joy and mourning.
Sometimes Christians can feel like we are always supposed to be happy. After all, the Bible says to rejoice always. However, it’s alright to feel sad. It’s alright to feel loss. Even Jesus wept. We shouldn’t feel the need to hide that hurt, rather we should feel safe to share it knowing that our church family will share in that sorrow with us and help carry that burden.
What Do I Do?
On the other side, there’s the question of how, as a Christian brother or sister, to share those burdens. We may feel inadequate to help and unsure of what to say or do. That’s Okay, too.
You don’t have to have the perfect response. Honestly, there are times when there is no perfect response. There are some things you can do which can mean the world to someone hurting or mourning.
- Be There – Whatever else you do (or don’t do), simply being present may be the most meaningful thing you can do. I remember reading an article by a seminary professor who got cancer and needed emergency surgery. One of his students came to the hospital to visit. The student was so nervous he stayed less than a minute and didn’t say anything while he was there. He even threw up after he left the hospital room. The professor wasn’t upset at the shortness or awkwardness of the visit. On the contrary, he was immensely grateful that he came.
- Pray – Prayer is a powerful thing. If you can, pray with the person. If you can’t find the words, pray for them in your mind.
- Cry With Them – It’s Okay to cry and you can let them know it’s Okay for them to cry as well. Mourn with them.
- Share Jesus – Jesus is our hope and our life. You aren’t talking about Jesus and God’s love to remove the pain, but rather to give hope that there is something…someone greater than the pain. We mourn, but we mourn not as those without hope.
Life isn’t always easy. Sometimes it’s very hard, but we don’t live it alone. Jesus is with us and so are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us walk together. Let us carry each other’s burdens.
Dear Jesus,
You wept at the hurt Mary, Martha, and their friends felt as they mourned Lazerus. Help us to care for one another and be cared for by each other. Help us to rejoice with each other as well as mourn with each other.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
Praying Together – May 28 at 7pm
Praying Together, Tonight at 7pm
You are invited to join together in prayer tonight at 7pm on Facebook, Youtube, or our website.
Please submit any prayer requests to me by 6:30pm.
Thank you!
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
The Neverending Story
The Neverending Story
“But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.” – Psalm 103:17-18
What’s the thing you have had the longest?
I have a box with things from my childhood. There are some drawings, some pictures, and some toys. These things all have some sentimental value, but they will eventually fade. They will eventually crumble.
Nothing lasts forever.
Nothing, that is, except the steadfast love of the Lord. It is from everlasting to everlasting. It never ends. God’s children, those who have faith in Jesus Christ, live in that love and it will keep us forever in Him.
What Will You Hold On To?
Most of us have things we hold on to. That’s fine, but we should even more firmly hold onto God’s love. More importantly, God’s love holds on to us. In fact…
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39
Heavenly Father,
Your love is greater than all things. It never ends. Hold me in Your love until Your return when we shall live with You forever.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
Nothing Worth More
Nothing Worth More
“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” – Acts 20:24
How much does your faith mean to you?
This is a tough question. On the one hand, it can be good and cause us to re-examine our priorities. Take a couple of minutes to think/talk through these questions?
- How do I spend my time?
- How often do I read the Bible or pray?
- When did I last talk to someone about Jesus?
- Do I serve others?
- Is church/worship a priority?
- How do I spend the money God has given me?
For Paul, he wanted to share the Gospel with people and nothing else was as valuable as that.
What about the other hand?
Before I said, “On the one hand…” So, what about the other hand? Here you go.
On the other hand, questions like, “How much does your faith mean to you?” can lead us down the path of works-righteousness and either pride or depression. We have to remember the position that Paul was speaking from. He was one called by Christ and redeemed by the blood of Jesus through faith.
Paul isn’t speaking as one hoping to saved or desperate to keep his salvation. He is speaking as someone who knows that Jesus died for him, forgave him, and calls him a child of God. He is speaking as one secure in the knowledge that his salvation is not dependent on how well he lives out his faith, but rather the gift of faith that came from God.
This isn’t a message of pride that his life is so valuable because of what he does for God, quite the opposite. He realizes he has nothing to offer. This is a message of realizing what is truly valuable in life., the gifts that God has given through Jesus Christ.
Grounded in the Gospel
So, while you think about the questions above, think about them in light of the Gospel. It’s not, “I have to.” It’s, “I get to.” What amazing gifts God has given you through His Son both in what you have received and the opportunities you now have.
Heavenly Father,
There’s nothing worth more than You. I could never give enough to have what You give, but thankfully, You give it freely. Open my eyes to Your gifts that I may live in them.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
Repent!!
Repent!!
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” – John 3:17
Have you ever encountered a street preacher? What was your experience?
When I was in college there was a guy who called himself “Brother Brown.” He would show up on campus from time to time and yell at anyone who had the misfortune of walking by him.
He considered himself a prophet of sorts who was there to call everyone out about their sin. He would make wild accusations against people he didn’t know. Some Christians would try to talk to him, but he wasn’t interested. He would just accuse them of some sins just the same.
You’re Condemned!
Maybe you’ve seen someone like Brother Brown. They only seem interested in telling people they are condemned. I never once saw (or heard of) anyone actually repenting or believing due to their interaction with Brother Brown. He was quick to condemn, but I never heard him talk about forgiveness or Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Jesus Came to Bring Life
If you only heard the Brother Browns of the world, you might think Jesus came to call us out and condemn us. Jesus tells us something different. He says He came not to condemn, but to save.
Yes, we all have sin and we all need to repent, but we repent because of God’s promise of forgiveness and grace. Jesus came to bring us that forgiveness and grace and He accomplished His mission when He died for us and rose again.
That’s a different message than what Brother Brown yelled. It’s the message that Jesus proclaimed. It’s a message each of us can share.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for coming into the world with grace and mercy rather than condemnation and vengeance. We do not deserve Your love and forgiveness and yet that is what You give. I repent of my sins and ask for Your forgiveness. I trust in Your death and resurrection. Help me to share that message with others.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
The Power of Listening
The Power of Listening
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;” – James 1:19
What was the last argument you got into?
Arguments can be destructive and hurtful. They can damage or even destroy a relationship. What if there were a simple way we could prevent most arguments?
Having a Disagreement
Have you ever thought to yourself,
“If everyone would just agree with me, there wouldn’t be a problem here.” 😉
As much as we may want everyone to always agree with everything we say and do, that’s just never going to happen. We all have different experiences, knowledge, and personalities and this leads to differing opinions.
This is actually good. Differing opinions can uncover blind spots and help us improve our understanding and actions. Disagreeing isn’t bad. Where things tend to go bad is in how we deal with those disagreements.
Talking Over Each Other
I hate watching most political talk shows. Why? It’s how they are done. A host has a few people on to talk about a topic where there is disagreement. There’s only a couple minutes for the whole conversation, so everyone has one goal, to get their point across. There’s no listening or attempt to understand everyone just talks over the others and thinks they won if they yelled louder.
In the end, what is the result? No one has changed their mind and everyone got upset, maybe even hurt. It’s not just talk shows where this happens. It happens in family arguments and board meetings to name a few. It’s just as ineffective and destructive in those places. It’s also not necessary. There is another way.
The Power of Listening
There can still be differing ideas, but rather than insisting on making our point heard, we can be insistent on listening and understanding the other person’s point of view. This has huge benefits.
- Calming Emotions – When everyone is taking the time to listen to each other, it allows people to remain calm and gentle.
- Better Understanding – Surprise! You might not be right or at least not totally. There may be another perspective you can learn from. When we don’t dig-in behind our position, it gives us the freedom to modify or change our position if beneficial.
- Everyone Feels Valued – One of the effects of talking over people is that they don’t feel heard and they feel like their opinion isn’t valued. We don’t always have to agree, but we will all come out of the discussion better if we all feel like the other person listened to us and values us.
- We Remember the Other Person Isn’t Evil or Stupid – It’s likely that both parties have good intentions and good reasons for their position. When we listen, we can hear that. When we don’t listen, we start to make bad assumptions (“They just don’t care about people” etc.)
- We Can More Effectively Convince Others – If you understand why the other person disagrees, you can speak to those reasons in a way that they can understand.
- We Look Wiser – There’s an old saying, “It’s better to remain silent and have people think you’re a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt.” When we listen first, remain calm, and choose our words carefully, we are much less likely to say something foolish or regretful.
Next time you have a disagreement, try following James 1:19. Rather than being overly concerned with making your point, stay calm and listen (really listen) to the other person before speaking. You may find that you get into a lot fewer arguments and have better relationships.
Heavenly Father,
Please give me the wisdom to listen and bless the words I use with discernment.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
Receive Holy Communion This Afternoon
Receive Holy Communion
Reminder:
This afternoon (Sunday, May 24) we will be celebrating Holy Communion at 4pm in the Song and Dance, Inc. dance studio parking lot. We will remain in our cars so as to maintain social distancing.
Song and Dance Inc.
Studio of the Arts
27221 Foamflower Blvd.
Wesley Chapel, FL 33544
The Service:
At 4pm, Pastor Kurt will officiate a short Communion service, the order of which is below in this post. The bread and wine will be distributed before the service begins on small, disposable plates to each car. Pastor Kurt will wear a mask to set up and distribute the bread and wine. Near the end of the service, Pastor Kurt will speak Christ’s Words of Institution and then we will all take the bread together and then the wine together.
THE ORDER OF SERVICE
INVOCATION
P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
C: Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name.
Amen.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives You all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive You all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: Let us pray…
O God, You have prepared for those who love You such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love toward You, that we may love You above all things, and lead us, by faith, to Your eternal promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.
Amen.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
DISTRIBUTION
POST-COMMUNION COLLECT
General We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
BENEDICTION
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
Order of Service for May 24
This Week's Order Of Service
You are invited to worship with us at 11:30am on Sunday, May 24. Below, you will find the Order of Service so you can follow along and participate in the worship service. If you would prefer, you can also download a bulletin here:
Before we start, please share the live stream on Facebook and invite your friends.
Worship Service for May 24, 2020 at 11:30 AM
Welcome
Opening Song: Come, Now Is the Time for Worship
Verse:
Come, now is the time to worship
Come, now is the time to give your heart
Come, just as you are to worship
Come, just as you are before your God
Come
(Repeat)
Chorus:
One day every tongue will confess You are God
One day every knee will bow
Still the greatest treasure remains for those
Who gladly choose You now
(Repeat)
(Verse 1x)
Invocation
Confession and Forgiveness:
P: Come into the presence of the Lord our God.
C: Have mercy, O Lord. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?
P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(a time of silence to reflect and personally confess our sins)
P: I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Let us confess our sin before the Lord.
C: Heavenly Father, we confess that we are sinners. We have sinned against you and our neighbors. We have not loved you with our whole heart and we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P: The Lord is gracious and merciful. He promises to forgive our sins. Therefore, upon this, your confession, as a called and ordained servant of the Lord, in the stead and by the command of my Lord, Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen. Praise the Lord! Great are His mercies, they are new every morning. Great is His Faithfulness.
Song of Praise and Thanksgiving: Beautiful Savior
Beautiful Savior, King of creation, Son of God and Son of man.
Truly I’d love Thee, Truly I’d serve Thee
Light of my soul, my joy my crown.
Fair are the meadows, fair is the woodlands
Robed in the flow’rs of blooming spring
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer.
He makes our sorrowing spirit sing
Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations, Son of God and Son of man.
Glory and honor, praise adoration
Now and forever more be Thine!
Memorial Day Prayer
Epistle Reading – Ephesians 1:15–23
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Gospel Reading – Luke 24:44–53
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Children’s Message
Sermon Hymn – In Christ Alone
In Christ alone my hope is found.
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground.
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All. Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satis-fied
For every sin on Him was laid, Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day,
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victor-y, Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine,
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand ‘til He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
‘til He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Sermon – “Oh, To Spend One Day with Jesus”
Acts 1:1–11
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God
the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen
Benediction
Closing Song: Forever
Verse 1:
The moon and stars they wept. The morning sun was dead
The Savior of the world was fallen.
His body on the cross. His blood poured out for us.
The weight of every curse upon Him
Verse 2:
One final breath He gave, As Heaven looked away
The Son of God was laid in darkness.
A battle in the grave. The war on death was waged.
The power of hell forever broken
Pre-Chorus:
The ground began to shake. The stone was rolled away
His perfect love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting. Our resurrected King
Has rendered you defeated
Chorus:
Forever, He is glorified. Forever, He is lifted high
Forever, He is risen. He is alive; He is alive!
(Pre-Chorus)
(Chorus)
Bridge:
We sing hallelujah. We sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah. The Lamb has overcome
(Repeat 2x)
(Chorus 2x)
Online Offering
Upcoming Events
May 24, 4 PM – Communion Service
Song and Dance Dance Studio
27221 Foamflower Blvd. Wesley Chapel, FL 33544
May 28, 7 PM – A Time of Prayer
Facebook, Youtube, and FaithWesleyChapel.com
May 29, 7 PM – Growth Group Bible Study
Zoom
May 31, 11:30 AM – Worship Service
“Oh, To Spend One Day with Jesus”
Facebook, Youtube, and FaithWesleyChapel.com
May 31, 12:30 PM – Congregational Meeting
(For all people considering worshiping in person at Faith)
Zoom
Doing It For Their Good
Doing It For Their Good
“Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.” – Romans 15:2
Who can you show love to today?
Romans 15 encourages us to please our neighbor. In other words, we should be kind to them and love them.
Why?
We don’t do it for their praise or so they owe us one. We do it because it helps them and builds them up. We do it because God first loved us and so we can share God’s love with them. We do it because God loves them.
This is a pretty simple verse and I’d like to keep today’s devotional simple as well. God showed you love for your own good and He continues to build you up in Christ. This frees you to love others as Christ loved you.
Take a few minutes and think about who you can show love to today. Then do it. Write a note of encouragement. Help them out in some way. Whatever it is, do it just to show them love and encourage them.
Heavenly Father,
You have loved me more than I can even comprehend. Help me to love others.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt