Before the service, the leadership of the church presented Pastor Caroline with a gift of appreciation in Pastor Appreciation month.
Dr, Barclay: God is fair and will use anyone who will serve and follow him.
When taking a close look at the genealogy noted in Matthew chapter 1, we learn at great deal about the grace and love of God.
Acts 10:34
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Rachab was a pagan and not part of the household of Israel, she was a prostitute and yet she sheltered the spies sent by Joshua and then she married a Jew named Salmon. Rachab left her pagan ways and recognized Jehovah as divine and the all powerful, one true God ( Joshua 2:11) This marriage resulted in a son named Boaz who married Ruth, who was a pagan moabitess, yet she left the pagan ways of Moab and embraced Lord God Jehovah. Ruth and Boaz had a son named Obed and from him came Jesse and then David and this lineage traveled right on down to Jesus our Lord. This shows that God can and will use anyone, to carry out his work on this earth. Regardless of their position, status, wealth or reputation. We simply need to reject falsehoods and sin and follow Christ wholeheartedly.
Kenneth Hayden: We must go God’s way and not our own.
Exodus 16:11-21
11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13 So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. 14 And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take forthose who are in his tent.’”
17 Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. 18 So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need. 19 And Moses said, “Let no one leave any of it till morning.” 20 Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.
In this passage we learn that the children of Israel were to gather manna for their nourishment for that day. They were strictly told not to hoard or store away any for the next day. Yet some people disobeyed and the manna they thought they were saving, was destroyed. We learn here; if we want success we must do things God’s way, not our own, or the way we see fit.
John 6:31-35
31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
Jesus is the spiritual bread, and yet he also supplies the earthly needs such as health, friends, jobs etc. Jesus wants us to live a pure and holy life, not stagnant and defiled. God wants our lives to be like pure water, with sin filtered out. God wants the church to purify itself and live a holy life.
John 4:14
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Our lives should spring up a well that touches others and testifies of the power of Christ. For we are powerless in our own physical strength,without Christ truly dwelling within, we cannot be an effective christian. Like the old hymn our prayer should be
Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway.
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway.
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!
Adelaide A. Pollard (1906) |
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