by Fleming Island United Methodist Church on Oct 13, 2024
In today's gathering, we celebrated the profound journey of faith and community within our church family. We began by welcoming Izzy and Dylan, two young individuals who have chosen to profess their faith and be baptized, marking a significant milestone in their spiritual journey. This moment was not just a personal commitment but a communal celebration, as the church family pledged to nurture and support them in their walk with Christ. The act of baptism symbolizes our adoption into God's family, reminding us that we are never alone in our faith journey.
We reflected on the parable of the sower from Matthew 13, which illustrates the different ways people receive and respond to the message of God's kingdom. This parable challenges us to examine the soil of our own hearts and the role we play in nurturing the faith of others. As a church, we are called to be fertile ground, ensuring that the seeds of faith can take root and flourish. This involves supporting one another through life's challenges and helping each other grow in faith, even when the world tries to choke out our spiritual vitality.
The service also emphasized the importance of unity and love within the church community. In a world often marked by division, we are reminded of Jesus' example of serving and loving all, even those who may seem different or difficult. Our mission is to be the hands and feet of Jesus, extending grace and love to everyone we encounter. This unity is not just for our benefit but is a powerful witness to the world of God's transformative love.
As we concluded, we were invited to partake in communion, a sacred act that unites us as one body in Christ. This act of sharing in the bread and cup is a reminder of Christ's sacrifice and the forgiveness and grace we receive through Him. It is a call to live out our faith with renewed commitment and to be a church that embodies love, unity, and service.
**Key Takeaways:**
1. **Baptism as a Community Celebration:** Baptism is not just a personal declaration of faith but a communal event where the church family commits to supporting and nurturing the individual's spiritual journey. This act symbolizes our adoption into God's family, reminding us that we are never alone in our faith walk. [12:21]
2. **The Parable of the Sower:** This parable challenges us to examine the soil of our hearts and the role we play in nurturing the faith of others. As a church, we are called to be fertile ground, ensuring that the seeds of faith can take root and flourish, supporting one another through life's challenges. [33:23]
3. **Unity and Love in the Church:** In a world marked by division, we are reminded of Jesus' example of serving and loving all, even those who may seem different or difficult. Our mission is to be the hands and feet of Jesus, extending grace and love to everyone we encounter. [46:00]
4. **Communion as a Unifying Act:** Partaking in communion unites us as one body in Christ, reminding us of His sacrifice and the forgiveness and grace we receive. It is a call to live out our faith with renewed commitment and to be a church that embodies love, unity, and service. [51:02]
5. **The Call to Be Fertile Ground:** We have a responsibility to nurture each other's faith, ensuring that the seeds of faith can grow and produce fruit. This involves supporting one another and helping each other grow in faith, even when the world tries to choke out our spiritual vitality. [35:42]
**Youtube Chapters:**
- [0:00] - Welcome
- [01:22] - Call to Worship
- [10:20] - Profession of Faith
- [12:21] - Baptism Ceremony
- [14:25] - Confirmation and Prayer
- [18:43] - Church Membership Invitation
- [19:26] - Affirmation of Faith
- [20:44] - Living Out Our Faith
- [28:24] - Children's Ministry Acknowledgment
- [30:03] - Community Service and Prayer
- [32:14] - Focus on Family and Faith
- [33:23] - Parable of the Sower
- [35:42] - Responsibility to Nurture Faith
- [46:00] - Unity and Love in the Church
- [51:02] - Communion and Forgiveness
- [58:16] - Wesley Covenant Prayer and Closing
**Bible Study Discussion Guide**
**Bible Reading:**
- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
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**Observation Questions:**
1. What are the different types of soil mentioned in the parable of the sower, and how do they affect the growth of the seeds? [33:23]
2. During the sermon, how was the act of baptism described in terms of its significance to the church community? [12:21]
3. What examples were given in the sermon to illustrate the importance of unity and love within the church community? [46:00]
4. How does the act of communion serve as a reminder of Christ's sacrifice and a call to unity? [51:02]
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**Interpretation Questions:**
1. In the parable of the sower, what might the different types of soil represent in the context of a person's spiritual life? [33:23]
2. How does the church's role in nurturing new believers, as discussed in the sermon, relate to the concept of being "fertile ground"? [35:42]
3. What challenges might a church face in striving to be a community marked by unity and love, as exemplified by Jesus? [46:00]
4. How does the sermon suggest that participating in communion can renew one's commitment to living out their faith? [51:02]
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**Application Questions:**
1. Reflect on your own spiritual journey. Which type of soil from the parable do you feel best represents your current state, and why? How can you work towards becoming more fertile ground? [33:23]
2. Baptism was described as a communal celebration. How can you actively support and nurture the faith of new believers in your church community? [12:21]
3. In what ways can you contribute to fostering unity and love within your church, especially towards those who may seem different or difficult? [46:00]
4. Communion is a call to live out our faith with renewed commitment. What specific steps can you take this week to embody love, unity, and service in your daily life? [51:02]
5. The sermon emphasized the importance of being the hands and feet of Jesus. Identify one person or group in your community that you can extend grace and love to this week. [46:00]
6. Consider the role of the church in nurturing faith. How can you personally help create an environment where the seeds of faith can take root and flourish? [35:42]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt disconnected from your faith community. What actions can you take to prevent this from happening again and to stay engaged with your church family? [40:03]
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
Day 1: Baptism as a Communal Embrace
Baptism is a profound act that signifies not only a personal declaration of faith but also a communal embrace by the church family. It is a moment where individuals like Izzy and Dylan publicly profess their faith, and the church community pledges to support and nurture them in their spiritual journey. This act symbolizes our adoption into God's family, reminding us that we are never alone in our faith walk. The church's role is to provide a nurturing environment where new believers can grow and flourish in their relationship with Christ. [12:21]
"For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your church community can you reach out to this week to offer support and encouragement in their faith journey?
Day 2: Cultivating Fertile Hearts
The parable of the sower from Matthew 13 challenges us to examine the soil of our hearts and the role we play in nurturing the faith of others. As a church, we are called to be fertile ground, ensuring that the seeds of faith can take root and flourish. This involves supporting one another through life's challenges and helping each other grow in faith, even when the world tries to choke out our spiritual vitality. We must be intentional in creating an environment where faith can thrive, both in our own lives and in the lives of those around us. [33:23]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to cultivate a more fertile heart for God's word to grow in you and those around you?
Day 3: Unity and Love as a Witness
In a world often marked by division, the church is called to be a beacon of unity and love. We are reminded of Jesus' example of serving and loving all, even those who may seem different or difficult. Our mission is to be the hands and feet of Jesus, extending grace and love to everyone we encounter. This unity is not just for our benefit but is a powerful witness to the world of God's transformative love. By living out this call, we demonstrate the reality of God's kingdom on earth. [46:00]
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one person in your life who is different from you. How can you intentionally show them love and grace this week?
Day 4: Communion as a Call to Commitment
Partaking in communion is a sacred act that unites us as one body in Christ. It is a reminder of Christ's sacrifice and the forgiveness and grace we receive through Him. This act calls us to live out our faith with renewed commitment and to be a church that embodies love, unity, and service. Communion is not just a ritual but a call to action, urging us to reflect on our lives and align them with the teachings of Christ. [51:02]
"And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'" (Luke 22:19, ESV)
Reflection: As you prepare for the next communion service, what areas of your life need realignment with the teachings of Christ?
Day 5: The Call to Be Fertile Ground
We have a responsibility to nurture each other's faith, ensuring that the seeds of faith can grow and produce fruit. This involves supporting one another and helping each other grow in faith, even when the world tries to choke out our spiritual vitality. As a community, we must be intentional in creating an environment where faith can thrive, both in our own lives and in the lives of those around us. This requires a commitment to being present, encouraging, and uplifting one another in our spiritual journeys. [35:42]
"And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!" (Mark 4:20, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively contribute to creating a supportive and nurturing environment for faith to grow within your church community this week?
If you had not yet had a conversation with us about wanting to join the church, or if you've wanted to reaffirm your baptism or be baptized, it's not too late. We don't want to exclude anyone from this that wanted to participate. After I finish this call to worship, I'll step in the back with Val, and we can still take in that information if that's something that you wanted to participate with.
So if you would now join me this morning for our call to worship, if you would stand. Do we have the call to worship, Steve? Oh, the mouse is being funny. You going to try hitting the space bar a bunch of times? Could turn out really bad. Oh, we're moving. There we go. Yay. Okay. Thank you, sirs.
All right, would you all join me now as we open the service with this word? Friends, we are marked as God's beloved ones. God's love is God's free gift to us. Always and forever. God's love never vanishes from us. Amen. Amen. Y'all can have a seat.
So I'd like to invite Izzy and Dylan to come up, and for their families that are going to join them, they can go ahead and come up and join them. And I want to say, this is an exciting time when we get to welcome young people into this stage where they've chosen to profess their faith. Amen?
Alright, so Izzy, Dylan, y'all are going to come take your space right down here. Go ahead, Neil. I know everyone's staring at you; it makes it a little awkward for you. But we're all up here because we all came. We all care and support you. Alright?
And Dylan has been doing confirmation classes with me on Wednesday nights, and Izzy is part of our pre-teen program. Through our church discipleship in her life, she just felt God telling her that she wanted to make a profession of faith and to be baptized. So we're going to celebrate that with them.
And so part of how we do that is we're going to ask them questions for them to profess their faith. And these are the historic questions of the United Methodist Church. So I know that it's going to be hard. But I'm going to have you all hold this so they can hear you, okay? Perfect, before both of you.
Alright, so friends, these are the questions we ask all people. And I'm going to ask you now, on behalf of the whole church, do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers in this world, and repent of your sin? If so, say, "I do." Wonderful.
Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you and resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves? If so, say, "I do." And do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in His grace, and promise to serve Him as your Lord, in union with the church, which Christ has opened to all people of all ages, nations, and races? If so, say, "I do."
Now, church, I have a question for you. Will you nurture these persons in Christ's holy church that, through your teaching and example, they may be guided to continue to accept God's grace? Because it's a journey, right? Amen. For themselves every single day and profess their faith openly and lead a Christian life. If so, will you say, "I will?" Amen. Good job.
Friends, now we're going to have a time because Izzy is going to be baptized. Dylan's already been baptized, so I'm going to ask Miss Katie to come up and help me. You all can stay. It's okay.
All right. So the waters of baptism are a sign of us being adopted into the family of God, just as Christ Himself was baptized. So, Izzy, this is a sign that God does, and He does for you. It is our faith in God that no matter what happens, we always have God on our side. We don't have to be good enough. We don't have to be strong enough because God is always good enough and strong enough for us.
So I'm going to ask now, Almighty God, pour out your spirit on this gift of water and those who receive it to wash away all sin and clothe us in the righteousness through the life that you give and that we may be raised with Christ and share in His final victory. Amen.
Now, because Izzy has just professed her faith, she has fulfilled the requirement of baptism. Isabel E.V. Willis, I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Now I'm going to ask all of her friends, Miss Katie and her family here, to come around as we pray for her. Would you all come join me? Izzy, we now ask for God to fill you with the Holy Spirit so that you may walk in His love and share His grace with all those that you see. We pray this in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Alright. And, Miss Katie, will you come and join me as we pray for Dylan? Dylan was baptized as an infant, which is part of our Methodist tradition. He has chosen that he believes in that baptism and he did not need to do anything else this morning. So we now affirm that in his life and his profession of faith this morning.
So would you all join me in prayer? If you'd love to hand out to Dylan this morning in his confirmation. Dylan, the Holy Spirit has now been passed down through your families. A confirmation of who you are. And this morning, as you take this step in affirming your faith, we renew God's work in your life through all of these years and renew the work that Christ will continue to raise you and affirm you. We pray this in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Alright. Now, I'd like to just give this cross and Bible, Dylan, to you. And, Izzy, this cross to you is a sign of today. That's okay. It's Wyatt's insurance. Alright.
And in just a second, we're going to invite those who are going to join the church. But we're going to give Dylan and his family just a moment to pause. Isn't that wonderful to see our young people? Now, Dylan and his family are going to join, but I know it's awkward for them to sit up here too long. So we're going to just take a moment. We're going to sing and celebrate this.
And then as this song is coming to an end, I'm going to invite all the families who want to join our church this morning to come. So you can go ahead and let's sing.
I invite y'all to have a seat. As you're having a seat, those who are going to join me to join the church membership today, I want to invite all of you to come forward. Can we celebrate this, friends? You're going to have to come up here in the center. I know some of you don't like to be in the center. Let's make sure everybody makes it up these stairs, okay? The church wants to see you. Y'all scoot together. Scoot, scoot together. They don't want to see me; they want to see you.
Alright, church. I want to ask y'all a question. I want to ask a question about us reaffirming the whole church, everyone in the room. If you would, if you are a member of our congregation, if you're not a member of our congregation, you don't have to answer these questions. I don't want to put anybody in an awkward spot. But if you're a member of our church, I'd like to ask if you would all join as we affirm our faith.
You know, we've been talking about what it means to be United Methodists. And I think it's a perfect time for us to all reaffirm what that means. So, I'm going a little out of order. I'm sorry, Steve. If you would put that question about do you believe in... God the Father, that section of questions. Could you find those for me? There we go.
Alright. So, church, I want to ask you. And if y'all can see what they see so we all see it together. Now y'all see what it looks like up here, don't you? I know. Now you see why I can't see who's out there. That's why I need y'all to talk back to me because I can't see your faces. Okay.
Alright. So, I'm going to ask you. Do you believe in God the Father Almighty? Church. Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Church, do you believe in the Holy Spirit? Amen. Amen.
So, we have affirmed what it means to be United Methodists, have we not? Amen. So, I want to ask all of you standing in front of me now. Will you continue to live out your faith to serve the world, to be Christian and United Methodist? Will you do it in this congregation? Will you do it in this congregation too? Yeah? Awesome.
So, will you do that with your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness? Yeah. Can we get enthusiasm like that from everybody? Who's got an absolutely? Love it.
Alright. Hey, church, I work so hard on the script and I'm not on script at all. Sometimes I do that. I'll just be honest with you. I'll attack people in the back. I'm sorry. I just want to say how I'm just excited to see all of you up here. I have spent the past months getting to know all of you. And I hope that all you in the room out here, as we have the picnic today, you get to know our new members because that's what today is about.
So, can we give our new family a welcome? Alright. So, friends, here we have our confirmation. Would you join me? As we give thanks for all that God has already given you, we welcome you in Christian love. As members together with you in the body of Christ and in this congregation of the United Methodist Church, we renew our covenant faithfully to participate in the ministries of the church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness. That in everything, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Alright. Y'all been in the center for more than enough. Thank you, Carol. Thank you. I know. You've been United Methodist a long time. We're glad to have you join our United Methodist family. Thanks.
Friends, our kids are staying in service, everyone but our nursery, because we want them to be present for all the things that are happening in service today. We also want to just acknowledge that children of all ages, you know, those of us who do not look like kids anymore, but still are kids, okay? I consider myself a sometimes child. Anybody with me? Okay, fantastic. You're following what I'm putting down.
So kids of all ages, we don't always sit still, we're not always quiet, and sometimes we need help staying focused. So if we have our children in the room that need a little help, please do. Don't make them feel bad for that. We want them in worship, and we celebrate that they are here. Amen? Amen.
We just witnessed the product of our children's ministry, and that's a beautiful, beautiful thing. So they don't, the young people don't see what it means to grow up in the church if they don't witness it. So let's remember that that is a thing we encourage, is them to be present, and we don't need our children to feel uncomfortable for being in this space, okay?
As we get ready to pray and go to the Lord in prayer, I just want to draw attention to a couple of things, and the first is that I brought in the flood bucket supplies, because some of you have given money to that, some of you have purchased on Amazon. I wanted you to see the product of your labors. Thank you for giving to these. The conference is still desperately calling for these cleanup buckets, and they're now needed even more than ever after the second storm.
So obviously, we're very thankful that we have been spared the last storm, but we know that much of our state has not been. There's actually teams going to serve some of our Methodist churches tomorrow, because there are many of our churches that have been damaged from flooding and from the tornado. So if you'd like to physically help, like go serve, please come talk to me afterwards. If you'd like to continue to help with these cleanup kits, the UMCOR teams go and use these kits to help clean up people's homes. They're actively used and one of the most used supplies.
So if you would like to help, please come talk to me afterwards. If you'd like to continue to fund, some people donated last week to buy those supplies. If you'd like to do that, just if you want them on flood buckets, you need to say on the gift, it's for a flood bucket. Otherwise, it will just go directly to the relief fund. So if you have questions, any of Val, myself, would be happy to answer how those funds can be used and where they go and so forth.
So let's go to the Lord in prayer. I'm so thankful as we reflect today on the fact that you've given us this opportunity to talk about your church. Your church is bigger than we know. When we talked about World Communion last Sunday, we reflected on the globalness of your church. But as I think on the response of the past two storms, I'm just looking at the reality of your church in America, talking of how the people we call United Methodists have been rallying together, hands and feet on the ground, loving like Jesus.
I know we're not in the news, so that's probably a good thing, as we're just secretly being the people who love and making impacts to the people that we interact with. But I want to ask, Lord, that you allow the recovery work in our state to happen in ways that transform all of us.
Lord, as we come to your word this morning, I pray that it fill us and uplift us and form us and grow us as individuals, as your church, to become people that transform us. To transform our community. In a season where unity is needed more than anything, allow us to be a church that is united. And send us from this place being hands and feet that love. We pray this in your holy and powerful name. Amen.
So if you'd like to follow along with this scripture, you may do so in the sermon notes there on the church app. The message this morning, though, is pretty simple, because I want the day to be very focused on the family. The fact that we have received these young people into the family of God. So I've chosen a passage out of the book of Matthew, which I think summarizes the past series that we've been in and really highlights today and lifts it up more.
So would you hear this story out of Matthew chapter 13? He, being Jesus, told many stories in the form of parables such as this one. Listen. A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across the field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rocks. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow, but the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn't have deep roots, they died.
Listen. Other seeds fell among thorns. They grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still, other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was 30, 60, and even 100 times as much as had been planted. Anyone with ears to hear should listen to this and understand.
Now, if we jump to verse 18, Jesus explains the parable. Now, listen to the explanation. Here's the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds. The seed that fell on the footpath represented those who hear the message about the kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.
The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word but are too quickly... the message is crowded out by the worries of life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.
The seed that fell on the good soil represents those who truly hear and understand. The seed that fell on the good soil represents those who believe in God's word and produce a harvest of 30, 60, or even 100 times as much as they had planted. This is one of those well-known parables of Jesus. If you've been in the church for a few years, you've probably heard it before, or you've done many Bible reading plans, you've probably read it.
But I chose it for today because, friends, we just received more people into the church. The membership of our church. And if you thought about the words you were saying in these vows, we have a responsibility to nurture each other. What that means is that when people don't grow, it's the church family's responsibility to figure out why. Because we are supposed to be the place of fertile ground.
When we're not fertile, we have to figure out which one of these situations we are. We had the first one where it said that some people hear but don't understand. This was the footpath where the seed never takes hold. And this would not be a situation for the church. This would be us trying to go out and share the good news of Jesus and share love and share grace and be good Methodists and do the outreach and do all the things, but people are just closed off to the good news of Jesus.
No matter how much we try to be good Methodists. No matter how much we try to be good Methodists. Some people just don't receive. And we just do our best, but we can't force people. Now, are there some that try to force? You've probably met some, right? That want to take the Bible and just go whack upside your head and be like, "Receive the word of God." We're not trying to do that, right? That's not our way. Our way is to be kind and loving and patient and understanding. But some just don't receive. It's not about how much we love and serve. It's about if they are open to hear.
But then Jesus goes on and he says, some understand, but they don't gain roots. Some may even have a moment in their life where life is hard and they've hit rock bottom and they hear the love and grace of Jesus and they're like, "I need that." And they turn their life over to Jesus, but they haven't done anything to gain the foundation of Christian life. And then life gets better and they leave it all behind. Because there was no foundation.
And we as a church, it's our responsibility to take young Christians and give them a foundation. It's our responsibility to help remind people that we are supposed to walk with Jesus when life is good and when life is bad. And walking with Jesus, is it easy? Do we get what we want? Is it rewarding? We have to help nurture and encourage and love and be patient.
But then Jesus goes on to say that some have roots, but they don't produce fruit because they're amidst the thorns. They have other things that are pushing their positions of their mind, other goals, other values. Their values aren't rooted just in Christianity. Their values are also rooted in the world. So their energy is choked out. This one, friends, is the hardest for the church. This one, I believe, this is the one that cripples us because the roots are there. So people continue to be a part of the life of the church. But if we're not careful, the things of the world that choke the plant keep that plant from producing.
This is where in all the years of not just me, of a life of pastoral ministry, we have lots of groups of pastors where we hear how other churches are doing. And if you ask any pastor who... I'm sure Pastor Bill will tell you, of years and years and years of being a pastor, when you hear someone say, "I'm just not getting what I used to get from church," it's because their roots aren't able to get the plant what it needs because something's choking it out. Not because the church has changed. It's because what's feeding the plant has changed.
And again, as the church, we have a responsibility not to abandon a person. We have a responsibility not to abandon a person who's trying to grow, but to try and help rid the thorns. Now, that part is painful. Has anybody tried to pull out a plant with thorns? We got some of those prickly little plants that are growing around the church. I've made that mistake of not realizing it was a prickly plant. Like, "Oh, I'm just going to pull this little thing up." And man, so you get those little thorns in your finger. They're hard to get out. I've had to invest in a lot of pairs of garden gloves because I lose those suckers like crazy. And I had to go buy a new pair.
Just like a rose. We love roses, don't we? Somebody cuts all the thorns off those suckers. Y'all know they don't grow thornless, right? But when you buy them at the grocery store, the thorns are all gone. Because we prefer the beauty without the suffering. We as a church have to help each other work through the suffering. But that is only done through the vulnerability and the openness and the desire to grow.
The last piece of this parable, though, is that some multiply. Now, I wish Jesus would do me a favor. I wish he'd give me a metric. Wouldn't that be nice? I don't like this idea of like, what's the phrase he uses here? Just the seed that fell on good soil. There's no percentage of the seed. Still other seeds fell. Other seeds. How many of the seeds? You know, did the farmer get 25% of his seeds? Did he get 15%? Did he get 40%? How good was this farmer at getting his seeds on the good soil? I'd really love to know, Jesus. You know, as a person who likes numbers, can I get an estimate? But he doesn't give us that, does he?
Be nice. Some seeds multiply fruit. And when they do, it's not just a little fruit, it's a lot of fruit. And who wants to be that one that multiplies? Is that where you want to be? Now, we just saw members super excited about being United Methodist friends. Do you want to be a seed that multiplies? Thank you. My kids are excited. Remember, we've got to have joy like a child.
Alright. We've been talking about that to be United Methodist, we've got to be the hands and feet of Jesus. And all the ways of all the things in these past five weeks, if we're doing it, then we should see multiplication of fruit. My question to you this morning is which seed are you? And there's not a wrong answer because the thing is, the glorious thing about grace is you could have started your planting in one place and God can move you. He's God. The God that makes animals like an axolotl. He can replant and transplant you from rocky soil to good soil; it's okay.
Don't you all wonder what he was thinking about when he made some of these creatures? I know, right? Like a platypus. What was he thinking when he came up with that one? If he can do what he did in the creation of the world and create such beautiful and unique and strange and mesmerizing things, he can get us where we need to be. Amen?
But the question I've been asking you in this series is, are we ready to do the work? Are you ready? Are you sure? Y'all want to see more Sundays like this one? We got to do the work, friends. I'm ready. I would love if I just had Sundays like this and I hardly ever had to preach because this Sunday makes me more excited than any Sunday I've ever shown up. I'm telling you, I was excited. I've been excited for weeks on this Sunday. People kept texting me and said, "I'm going to be up there. I'm going to be up there." And I'm like, "Yes!"
And you know what makes me even more excited? It's the people on this platform. Almost every single person up here came not because of me but because of you. They stayed because of you. Because they enjoy you. They enjoy talking to you. They enjoy spending time with you. They find you enjoyable as a people. So I'm ready. I'm ready to do all God's got to do for us. So I hope that you're ready. Because Lord knows. Lord knows. Our community, friends, our society, they need the church to be united. They don't need us to be arguing. And they don't need us to be divisive. There's enough division in our world.
I think about the table of Jesus sitting with the disciples. And those disciples argued all the time. All the time. We see it in Scripture. Who's the most important one to Jesus? Who's going to lead? Who's going to lead after he's gone? Who's right? Who's wrong? Who can jump out of the boat first? And yet, Jesus washed all their feet and broke bread with all of them, including the one who betrayed him.
And in a world today, that's the example we need to set, friends. It's my prayer that that's what we can do when we leave here today. My prayer today is to be a church that loves and unites and not a church that divides. Amen.
As we prepare to come to God's table, I hope you do so with an open heart, a celebratory heart. But also, ready to see what God's going to do in this next chapter. Because every stage of church is new and exciting. And the church continues to change as God uses us in the world.
So, would you join me as we come together and confess our sins? The one requirement of this table is our confession. So, would you join me now as we confess together? This is going to be a call and response confession, which is a little different than how we've done it in the past. So, you'll see the parts on the screen as we go back and forth.
Merciful God, you plant each of us like seeds in the same field. And together, we are nurtured and nourished. By the sun. We sway in the wind and we 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 and see what is growing there, forgive us.
Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, 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 unrooted and rejected, the lonely and the outcasts. And that they develop and grow the good in ourselves and others. Then in the world. This we pray in the name. Amen.
Take a moment. Lift anything in your heart you need to confess to God. Father God, hear the confessions of our hearts. And these words that we share as a church. And receive them by your gift of your son's sacrifice, death, and resurrection. And church, hear this word of forgiveness now. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Glory to God. Amen.
As Jesus sat with that group of family that was often very dysfunctional to witness to the church family, he broke the bread. He said, "This is my body, which has been broken for you. Eat in remembrance of me." He took the cup and he poured and he said, "This is the blood of the new covenant shed for the sins of all people. Drink as just as you eat in remembrance of me." Friends, he forgave the sins of Judas before they were committed. Judas had not yet finished the betrayal, but yet Christ forgave him in the same way that he died and rose and forgave our sins on that day before we committed them.
So we come to this table redeemed, forgiven, and loved and seen. Purely, exactly as we are. Would you pray with me? Almighty God, send your Holy Spirit upon this bread and this juice, upon those who are watching now with anything they may have before them, so we may extend our table to them. Upon us in this room who have professed our faith today, who have renewed our membership today, who have joined the church family today, who have confessed our sins, and now come forward to receive your Holy Spirit. Amen.
And to leave this space redeemed as your children. Make us be the body of Christ, redeemed by your blood so we may be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. Pray this in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
If those who are going to help me with communion would come forward, and just a word of instruction, you will get a small piece of bread to dip into the cup. If you would prefer your bread not be touched, we will have the pre-packaged communion here in the center. We'll also have gluten-free here in the center. I will serve my helpers, and after I do so, we'll invite everyone forward. Friends, we invite you all forward now to come and receive communion. If you come up the center aisle from the back, and then you can go out the outside. And of course, the prayer rails are open as well, if you'd like to stop and pray.
Amen. Alright, friends, so close us in prayer today. I would like us to share what we call the Wesley Covenant Prayer. It's what the song we sang earlier is based off of. So John Wesley wrote it, so it is old. You got some old English in it. So being what we have been doing in the service today, this felt fitting for us. Many United Methodist churches use this prayer on the very first Sunday of the year as a way to renew our commitments for the year.
So would you join me now as we say this prayer together? I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt. Rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing. Put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee. Exalt for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full. Let me be empty. Let me have all things. Let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
Amen, friends. We have lunch, I'm assuming, because I was there at seven o'clock this morning and it was empty. So I'm assuming people brought food. Yes? Okay. Great. So let me bless the food now so you don't have to wait for me to get there. Does that sound like a good plan? Alright.
Alright. Let me pray. God, I ask you to bless our table and that we may share many wonderful moments of new friendship and old friendship as we share this meal together and as we celebrate the growing of our church family. Bless the hands that prepared this food and allow it to be a nourishment to not only our bodies but also our souls. We pray this in your holy name. Amen.
If you didn't bring a chair, there's folding chairs and admin and the beautiful day. So there's lots of space outside to just enjoy the gorgeous weather. I will see everybody next door.
1) "God's love is God's free gift to us. Always and forever. God's love never vanishes from us. Amen. Amen. Y'all can have a seat. So I'd like to invite Izzy and Dylan to come up, and for their families that are going to join them, they can go ahead and come up and join them. And I want to say, this is an exciting time when we get to welcome young people into this stage where they've chosen to profess their faith. Amen?" [01:22] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2) "It's okay. All right. So the waters of baptism are a sign of us being adopted into the family of God just as Christ Himself was baptized. So, Izzy, this is a sign that God does, and He does for you. It is our faith in God that no matter what happens. We always have God on our side. We don't have to be good enough. We don't have to be strong enough because God is always good enough and strong enough for us." [12:21] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3) "The seed that fell on the good soil represents those who truly hear and understand. The seed that fell on the good soil represents those who believe in God's word and produce a harvest of 30, 60, or even 100 times as much as they had planted. This is one of those well-known parables of Jesus. If you've been in the church for a few years, you've probably heard it before, or you've done many Bible reading plans, you've probably read it." [34:25] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4) "We have a responsibility not to abandon a person who's trying to grow, but to try and help rid the thorns. Now, that part is painful. Has anybody tried to pull out a plant with thorns? We got some of those prickly little plants that are growing around the church. I've made that mistake of not realizing it was a prickly plant. Like, oh, I'm just going to pull this little thing up. And man, so you get those little thorns in your finger. They're hard to get out." [40:03] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5) "The God that makes animals like an axolotl. He can replant and transplant you from rocky soil, to good soil, it's okay. Don't you all wonder what he was thinking about when he made some of these creatures? I know, right? Like a platypus. What was he thinking when he came up with that one? If he can do what he did in the creation of the world and create such beautiful and unique and strange and mesmerizing things, he can get us where we need to be. Amen?" [43:33] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6) "Our community, friends, our society, they need the church to be united. They don't need us to be arguing. And they don't need us to be divisive. There's enough division in our world. I think about the table of Jesus sitting with the disciples. And those disciples argued all the time. All the time. We see it in Scripture. Who's the most important one to Jesus? Who's going to lead? Who's going to lead after he's gone? Who's right? Who's wrong? Who can jump out of the boat first?" [46:00] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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