8:30 A.M. Service
Before the service began there was contemporary Christian music playing on speakers and a countdown to the service on the overhead screen. The worship band consisted of a choir, guitar, small band with trumpet, clarinet, etc. and piano. We began by singing “Song Of The Redeemed”. The song leader who played the piano said that he was thankful for us being there. He said he had a new child this last week and shows a picture of the baby on the overhead screen. We then had a time of greeting. We sang “Better Than Life” We had a prayer and the offering was taken. We sang “You Are God Alone” and “Near The Cross”. The song leader gave a prayer and the preacher said that it was great to see everyone. The preachers name is Homer Murray. He said that some of the families in the church were in an accident and to remember them in our prayers. He gave a prayer for the worship service and the families.
He read Matthew 22. Sermon notes as follows: Are you willing to do whatever it takes to take one step closer to Jesus. This is part of a sermon series. In the past he has talked about several things including daily reading and accountability. Last week he talked about hidden things and washing hands of things. He quoted John 10:10 and Matthew 22:34-39. It is easy for us to say that we love our neighbors, but it is also easy for us to fake it. Jesus said you have to love him and love others. It can be possible that there is somebody in your life that you hate. They may have wounded you, but you have to love the one you hate. It is tough to do. We have to destroy the myth that we can be O.K. With God but hate others. We are commanded to love and forgive others. He made a reference to Luke 10 and asked who is my neighbor. Those who it is hardest to love and those who hurt you the most.
He said we have to ask: Am I in danger? We think that everything is O.K. with us. He mentions Matthew 5:21 and the sermon on the mount. He said he doubts anyone here has murdered anyone, but how many people here are married. They have at least thought about murder before. He made a reference to verse 22 and asked if that meant that we can not get angry. It is not a sin to get angry. God's anger is a righteous anger. However we should be slow to anger. James 1 says that we should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Homer mentioned that some people who make him angry are the people who pass him on the road and then get in front of him and slow down. Another group of people who make him angry are people that have 30 items in the 10 items or less line at the grocery store. There are always going to be people in our lives that are going to anger us. When the anger starts to build however, bitterness also builds. We have issues with people in our past. Jesus says twice that we are in danger of the fires of Hell. The 1st danger is that we have a false perception of power. He said he was having an argument with his wife the other day and he thought he was right, but it turned out he was wrong. We all want to be right.
Some of you have been hurt bad. Maybe you had someone walk out of your life, or someone stole from you. They hurt you and that caused you anger. In your mind your anger is justified, but if we go on hating we are not hurting them, but hurting ourselves. This causes Satan to have power over you. It gives the enemy control. He quoted Ephesians 4:26-27. When we are not willing to let go, Satan climbs all over us. Some here today are mad at God. We think that God owes us an explanation. He said that he can imagine that God would maybe say: “Do you really want me to tell you what I owe you? Hell”. Everything else we receive is because he have a merciful, loving God. Some people here may be arguing with the preacher. But where does that attitude come from, it does not come from God. Another thing it can do is prevent salvation. If you have things that you are not willing to deal with, you can't be a Christian and have that kind of attitude. He quoted 1 John 2:9-11, 1 John 3:10, and Matthew 6:14-15. If you do not forgive men their sins, God will not forgive us.
The second question to ask is: Am I Procrastinating? To actually have hatred in your heart is outright wrong. Some may say “I'm not going to them. They are going to have to come crawling back to me”. This is not the right attitude however. We need to make things right. We can't have hatred in our hearts. We want to put things off. He quoted Matthew 5:23 and said that we cannot have hatred in our hearts and offer a gift to God at the alter. He said he believed everyone here wanted to make things right with God. He quoted verse 25 and said we should settle matters quickly. God doesn't want us to worship him with our hands and then punch others with the same hands. We may ask who would actually pursue someone who hurt them, but Jesus did that very thing. We need to imitate his behavior. We were at war with God but Jesus died for our sins. We did him wrong, but he pursued us. Forgiving is not an option, but a command. Jesus did not die so we could be comfortable but committed. This means letting go of bitterness and anger. At the end of Jesus life, he cried “It is finished.” Many of us need to go to the individual that hurt us and say “You hurt me, but I let it go. You don't owe me anymore”.
The third question we need to ask is “Am I Free”. He quoted verse 26 and said that we think we are putting those people who hurt us in prison but we are actually putting ourselves in prison. Some of us go as far as we can go, but we can't take one step closer to God until we forgive those who hurt us. We can stay right where we are for the next 5, 10, 20, or 30 years. Until we let go of the grudge we are stuck. We don't have the option to hold a grudge. When we say that we don't care and won't do it, it doesn't matter how many services we attend, when we disobey God in this way, we are done walking. He gave us a slip of paper before the service. He asked if there is any un-forgiveness towards somebody in our hearts. He said if have heard everything he has said, but can't forgive, we are done walking. Some here need to come to Christ for the 1st time. With every head bowed and every eye closed, the preacher prayed a prayer for Jesus to come into our hearts. He said that if you are a newcomer to Christ to repeat the prayer. After the prayer he said that if you prayed that prayer to slip your hand up. He said that maybe you have un-forgiveness in your heart. You can write a letter or call somebody today. Today is the day of cutting lose. He said to write their names on the paper. He said we may need to write our own name down to forgive ourselves. He said to pray in our hearts for forgiveness. He prayed and said that on the count of three to rip up the paper in half. He said the sound of ripping was the sound of being riped free of the grip Satan has on our lives.
When we have a right relationship with God and others we can move forward. He prayed for the invitation and said that if God was speaking to us and we want to come and pray to come forward. If we need a church home, we can come forward during the invitation. We sand “Heart Of Worship” and had a closing prayer. Announcements were made and we were dismissed.
Holly Springs website is http://www.hsbc-tx.com
No comments:
Post a Comment