FILL MY CUP LORD

Scripture Reference: Philippians 2:5-11 (New International Version)
(The last sermon preached by Rev. Clyde Smith)

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.


[Context is crucial in understanding this passage. This is not an isolated theological statement about the person and work of Christ. The previous paragraph (2:1-4) contains Paul's appeal to put aside selfish ambition and the pursuit of empty glory and to embrace self-sacrificial humility in the interests of others and with a view to unity in the body of Christ. Verse 5 is a transition to the premier example of such a life. When Paul says, "Have this attitude in yourselves," he has in view the attitude just described in vv. 1-4. The most perfect illustration of "this" attitude or mindset is Jesus himself ("which was also in Christ Jesus"), whose self-giving for the sake of others is explained by Paul.]

How do we or anyone else know what we think? It becomes readily apparent by what we say, how we feel about things, and what we do (actions).

Many are confused about what they really think. One may assume that he thinks a certain way without realizing that it is very easy to mislead even oneself, and actually think quite differently (self-delusion).

The ordinary mind is not one that is with or “like” God’s. Ask yourself: What do you think about during your ordinary hours? Does God occupy much of your daily thinking? Does His will and His way lead you in your daily activities?

Paul points to the mind of Christ as the absolute model of what we should aspire to be. (5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.)

Jesus existed as essentially one with God (vs. 6). He existed in eternity before creation. He was identified with the being, nature, and personality of God. This form of God Christ laid aside in His incarnation, renouncing the dignity, and resigning the glories of heaven. He was willing to regard himself as nothing by taking on the form of man, considering the work of love a greater thing than the manifestation of power and glory of heaven. [And as far as the context is concerned, Paul's point is that this is precisely the attitude (v. 5) we are to have toward one another in the church!]

In verse 6, “…did not consider equality with God something to be grasped”, the meaning of “to be grasped” is not taking hold of, but of holding on to, or clinging to. He already had all the rights and privileges of God, which He could never lose. But He refused to selfishly cling to His favored position as the divine Son of God as a possession to be used for Himself. He laid aside the form of God, and took upon Himself the nature of man; making Himself nothing – of no consequence.

The emphasis here is upon his humiliation. His great object was to identify himself with humanity; not to appear to men as DIVINE but as HUMAN. Had He come into the world emphasizing His equality with God, the world would have been amazed, but not saved. He counted humanity as His prize, and so He laid aside the conditions of His preexistent state to become “fully” man.

Jesus also made Himself of no reputation (v. 7). Literally, He emptied himself. He laid aside the existence which was proper and peculiar to Him as one with God. It was the complete and characteristic expression of the slave’s being. What Christ grasped at in His incarnation was not divine sovereignty, but service.

One of the keys to humility is found in this verse. He “emptied himself.” He didn’t stop being God but He did empty Himself of His self interests and His privileges to take the form of a servant to become a man. He didn’t come so others could serve Him but so He could serve others. He became really and essentially the servant of man. The totality of His being could not appear to men, for that involved the form of God.

Vs. 8 “…became obedient to death—even death on a cross.” After He had assumed the conditions the conditions of humanity, and man’s attention was drawn by Him, they found Him to be like a man. Not being found a man but as a Man, keeping up the idea of semblance expressed in likeness. He humbled himself: Not the same as emptied Himself. It defines that word, showing how the self-empting manifests itself.

Christ became obedient unto death – up to the point of. His obedience to God was rendered to the extent of laying down his life.

As to the death on a cross – this formed a climax of humiliation. Not only was he surrendered to death, but to the death reserved for a malefactor. This was the “offence” or “stumbling block” of the cross. To a Greek, accustomed to clothing their deities with every outward attribute of grace and beauty, the summons to worship a crucified malefactor appealed to “foolishness.” (I Cor. 1:23)

Because of this humiliation, God freely bestowed on Him the most exalted, high place. This honor given just as freely as Christ humbled himself to death on the cross. God gave Him a name that is above every other name. A name that is so high that all in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth would bow. The name of Jesus is “Lord” and it is a powerful name.

[Verse 10 affirms that the whole intelligent universe is called to worship Christ; they that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. The whole universe of intelligent beings will bow the knee and confess Jesus Christ is Lord. John MacArthur says: “Those in heaven consists of two groups: the angels and the spirits of redeemed believers (who await the resurrection of their bodies). Those who are in heaven already acknowledge Jesus is Lord. Those on the earth is us – the obedient believers who have confessed Jesus as Lord. It’s also means the disobedient on earth will bow…by compulsion. When He comes again and is revealed from heaven, those who have not accepted Christ will bow, before they are removed from the earth and cast into hell. They will know the truth. "Under the earth" refers to hell, the place of eternal punishment, which is occupied by damned demons and men. They also will acknowledge the lordship of Christ--not by enjoying His reign, but by bearing the unending expression of His wrath.]

Christians sing: Fill my cup Lord. I lift it up, Lord. Come and fill the longing of my soul, etc. Have you emptied yourself? Do you have the mind of Christ? What have you given up because of your faith in Him? What is different about your life now from what it was before you became a Christian?

Is Your "Cup of Tea" Full or Empty? There is a story of a Nan-in, a Japanese master in the Meiji era (1868-1912), who received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!" "Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"

Even God cannot fill a cup that is already full; full of fears, anxieties, concerns, problems, preconceptions, deceit, selfish ambitions, self-reliance - all locked up inside. Even God cannot fill you unless you are obedient and willing to empty yourself. It takes humility, willingness, and trust. Are you humble and willing? Do you trust the Lord; enough to empty your cup and ask Him to fill it up?

Fill my cup Lord.
I lift it up Lord.
Come and fill this longing of my soul.
Bread of heaven,
Fill me till I want no more.
Fill my cup,
Fill it up and make me whole.

Life Moves On

Luke 9:28-36

by Clyde B. Smith

There are no stopping places in life. Life moves on! Physically, the organs of the body must continue to function for one to continue to live. When they stop functioning - physical life is over.

Emotionally, life in its fullest sense means that one feels (how much do you really let yourself feel?) , is aware, is sensitive. I once visited a woman in a hospital whose heart had stopped during surgery. The doctors were able to get her heart to beat again, but her brain had already been damaged. She was alive physically - but emotionally she was dead, no awareness, no feeling. If one lives a marginal life emotionally, then life is not full and meaningful.

Luke says - "sleeping for sorrow" - on account of their sorrow - their grief was too great. This interpretive remark is not in the other gospels - this written by Luke who was a doctor. Perhaps their being asleep is looked upon as either stupidity or indifference. Rather, it was proof of their great attachment, and their deep sympathy in His sorrows.

A symptom of grief is profound, deep sleep. We see this in patients when things get uncomfortable. Jesus was in profound agony while in prayer, contemplating His impending death. The disciples were experiencing loneliness, already anticipating when He would be gone. It is often more difficult for those who stay than for those who go. The disciples were heavily invested in Him and they felt the grief deeply. This is a commitment we must make of ourselves in order to be in the "inner circle" of another life; to be open to being hurt.

Life moves on! That is, it is headed somewhere. There are plans and goals. There are hopes. What are your goals? Do you have any? Life has always meant more when you were working, planning, had a definite goal! School, work, marriage, promotion, getting well, etc. This is the essential optimism in the Bible.

We see in verse 33 that Peter wanted life to somehow stop where he was. He said - "without knowing what he was saying" - probably because he was so bewildered in his state of ecstasy. Peter remarked, "Let's construct three booths here - for you, Moses, and Elijah!"

Now, let us consider again, what had been the subject of Jesus! Conversation with Moses and Elijah. He had been talking with them about his departure. This word comes from two words - "Ex" = "out of", and "odos" = "a journeying." Exodus, the word used of the migration of the Jews from Egypt. This was a journey out of Egypt, out of bondage and enslavement, and also a destination which was the Promised Land. Out of Egypt - but going somewhere - a promised place. We can't hold on to joyful moments. Neither can we be held by despair and darkness. The truth is "all things work together for good..." Believe it - LIFE GOES ON!

So when Jesus was talking of His exodus, it covers the ideas of death and ascension. In light of this, the idea of building three tents for the six of them to live on the slopes of Mt. Hermon shows truly that Peter "didn't know what he was saying."

Peter learned that life moves on! They heard a voice! Matthew records that they fell to the ground - Jesus came and touched them and said "Don't be afraid." For the pleasant moments that we would like to hold forever - health, happiness, hope - life life moves on! We can remember, but we can't hold on.

But perhaps we need this message even more. I've had many disappointments and so have you. For the moments of darkness and despair and loneliness - change one thing - life moves on! Our lives are no stagnant. In times such as these, the child of God can know that life is a pilgrimage - it is going from the Egypt of life - to the promised land. Jesus is the Joshua who leads the way.

To Peter and the other disciples - after telling them to get up and not be afraid - "Jesus was found alone." So all other teachers, helpers, guides, are lost in His sight, or drop away as the ages roll on, and He only is left. But He is left, and He is enough and eternal. Happy are we if in life we hear Him, and if in our experience, Jesus is found alone, the all-sufficient and unchanging companion and portion of our else lonely and restless spirits."

Come out of Egypt - you're going somewhere...the promised land. We can't hold on to joyful moments, but neither can we be held by despair and darkness. The Truth is - "All things work together for good..." Believe it and enter your promised land. Life moves on!

Thoughts on the Moments in our Lives

by Clyde B. Smith

Decisions...

Divided into days - but one cannot decide nor act in a day.

Divided into hours - but one cannot decide nor act in an hour.

Divided into a minutes - but one cannot decide nor act in a minute.

Divided into seconds or milliseconds - Now one can decide and act in this!

It's really the only time in which you can live and have the power of choice.

God speaks to the mind of a preacher,

Through the heart of a preacher,

By the mouth of a preacher.

God thereby speaks to the mind of a hearer,

Through the heart of a hearer,

By the action and reaction by a hearer.

There is an inevitable process. God must reach through His Word using the preacher; the Holy Spirit must breathe upon what the preacher says; there must be hearers to hear - hearers who hear with their ears, into their minds, and through their minds into their hearts, wills, and actions.

The "unspoken to" preacher has nothing to say. He does not have the motivation nor ability to say, because it's not in human wisdom. His words will be dull, lifeless, and ineffective without the Spirit. But, without Spirit-led hearers, there will be no response. Hearers who come with closed ears and unreachable hearts will not be motivated. But, when the hearers are those committed to hearing ("Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth!") receiving, responding - then there is a joyous and happy occasion.

Getting older doesn't make one wiser nor more spiritual. The chronos doesn't effect spiritual growth and development. How much of the life and thinking of childhood, teenage years, young adulthood, adulthood, etc. still predominates in your mind today? The same fears and anxieties? The same reluctances? The same negativity? It wouldn't even help if one could live their life over because one would do the same things over again, because the same thinking prevails.

But, there are pregnant moments when there is a perpendicular bolt of light which intersects the chronos - that spectacular, unforgettable experience on one's own "Road to Damascus." Those who are absolutely satisfied with who they are, where they are, and how they are, will never experience this!

But you never can anticipate when that glory-filled moment - your kairos (the right or supreme moment) - will occur - if ever. But one should always be prepared and expectant. You can't program it.

Every moment you can create a memory - an unforgettable second! Ah, that's already past. It's now history. It is either used or wasted time.

A Point of Light

Genesis 1:1-5

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let their be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day."

Churches of this nation were called upon to emphasize the idea of A Point of Light with special emphasis being placed upon our service and witness to our communities.

Surely there is not much denial of our living in the midst of moral and spiritual darkness. The churches of this land have been preaching and witnessing for the life of this nation. however, darkness seems to be more pervasive than ever before. The light still shines, and the darkness has not been able to overcome it.

Henry Nouwen in his book "The Way of the Heart" says, "We are painfully reminded of the words of John the Evangelist:

The Word...the true light... was coming into the world... that had its being through Him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own domain and his own people did not accept him. (John 1:9-11)

It seems that the darkness is thicker than ever, that the powers of evil are more blatantly visible than ever, and that the children of God are being tested more severely than ever."

During the last few years I have been wondering what it means to be a minister in such a situation. What is required of men and women who want to bring light into the darkness, to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord's year of favor (Luke 4:18-19)? What is required of a man or woman who is called to enter fully into the turmoil and agony of the times and speak a word of hope?

I apologize for this lengthy quote but it must be stated as a whole - -

"It is not difficult to see that in this fearful and painful period of our history we who minister in parishes, schools, universities, hospitals, and prisons are having a difficult time fulfilling our task of making the light of Christ shine into the darkness. Many of us have adapted ourselves too well to the general mood of lethargy. Others among us have become tired, exhausted, disappointed, bitter, resentful, or simply bored. Still others have remained active and involved -- but have ended up living more in their own name than in the name of Jesus Christ. This is not so strange. The pressures in the ministry are enormous, the demands are increasing, and the satisfactions diminishing. How can we expect to remain full of creative vitality, of zeal for the Word of God, of desire to serve, and of motivation to inspire our often numbed congregations? Where are we supposed to find nurture and strength? How can we alleviate our own spiritual hunger and thirst?"

Now I'm going to impose upon you with another long, troubling quotation. It's from Eugene Peterson in his book "Working the Angles". In the introduction he says:

"American pastors are abandoning their posts, left and right, and at an alarming rate. They are NOT LEAVING THEIR CHURCHES AND GETTING OTHER JOBS. Congregations still pay their salaries. Their names remain on the church stationary and they continue to appear on Sundays. But they are abandoning their posts, their calling. They have gone whoring after other gods. What they do with their time under the guise of pastoral ministry hasn't the remotest connection with what the church's pastors have done for most of twenty centuries.

A few of us are angry about it. We are angry because we have been deserted. The people I thought I would be working with disappeared with the work started. Being a pastor is difficult work; we want the companionship and counsel of our allies. It is bitterly disappointing to enter a room full of people whom you have every reason to expect share the quest and commitments of pastoral work and find within ten minutes that they most definitely do not. They talk of images and statistics. They drop names. They discuss influence and status. Matters of God and the soul and scripture are not grist for their mills.

The pastors of America have metamorphosed into a company of shopkeepers, and the shops they keep are churches. They are preoccupied with shopkeeper's concerns - - how to keep the customers happy, how to lure customers away from competitors down the street, how to package the goods so that the customers will lay out more money.

Some of them are very good shopkeepers. They attract a lot of customers, pull in great sums of money, develop splendid reputations. Yet it is still shopkeeping; religious shopkeeping, to be sure, but shopkeeping all the same. The marketing strategies of the fast-food franchise occupy the waking minds of their entrepreneurs; while asleep they dream of the kind of success that will get the attention of the journalists. A walloping great congregation is fine, and fun, but what most communities really need is a couple of saints. The tragedy is that they may well be there in embryo, waiting to be discovered, waiting for sound training, waiting to be emancipated from the cult of the mediocre.

The message of God is directly to the individual heart. It's a personal word that speaks to individual need. It's a word of forgiveness and hope. It's a word of reconciliation.

It came to me at age 29 -- in the darkness of my life; through influences in my life in years past; through the Word as revealed in the Scripture; through faltering prayer; through the proclaimed word. -- Dr. Greer Davis

I need the light and it began to shine into my life.

There are individuals within the community, within this church, perhaps within your own family who need that light. Who will bear the light to them? To be in the darkness is to be away from God, under judgment, without hope.

Homes within this community live in darkness. I know what that is. Scripture is not read, prayer is not uttered, religious counsel is not given, Christian hope is absent in time of distress and despair. I experienced in my own life the agony of seeing and being subject to strife between my mother and father.

Dr. Robert Coles, an eminent psychiatrist, so loving and under standing toward children was shown on television a few days ago. He got the children to draw pictures with crayons, and he talked with them. How sad to see very young boys and girls who had drawn pictures of loneliness and isolation; not belonging; not being able to trust. Children under a dark cloud of uncertainty within their own homes. The fear of listening to quarreling parents, screaming at one another. Listening to Father and Mother talking of divorce. Breaking up the family.

Pastors, churches, and all Christians should be moved to the depths of their hearts in light of this. Where is the church in this? Where do we fit in? What word, what testimony do we have? Have you ever thought of the witness you give when you back your car out of the driveway on Sunday morning and make your way to church? Others see you and conclude that God makes a difference in your life and your family life.

Have you ever thought of your witness when your car sits in your driveway on Sunday morning and doesn't move toward your church? Perhaps you emerge later with casual wear - work, beach, sports - after the church hour. They conclude that faith in God is a sometimes affair - - rather optional when one has other plans.

Can your family provide light to other families?

I want to conclude with a comment by Eugene Peterson:

"In a society in which entertainment and distraction are such important preoccupations, ministers are also tempted to join the ranks of those who consider it their primary task to keep other people busy. It is easy to perceive the young and the elderly as people who need to be kept off the streets or on the streets. And ministers frequently find themselves in fierce competition with people and institutions who offer something more exciting to do than they do.

But our task is the opposite of distraction. Our task is to help people concentrate on the real but often hidden event of God's active presence in their lives. Hence, the question that must guide all organizing activity in a parish is not how to keep people busy, but to keep them from being so busy that they can no longer hear the voice of God who speaks in a silence."

Oh, that you might see Jesus Christ; that will be enough!

Turn Back

Psalm 18:1-3a; John 3:14-18

MacBeth: "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more."

Enter stage left...

You may be part of the prop crew.

You may sing in the chorus.

You may be part of the mob scene.

But few of us have main speaking parts, and few of us have a solo to sing.

We play our part and exit stage right.

But in any event, we are not the author of the play.

Toward the end of the play we may plaintively say, "Backward, turn backward, O time, in your flight; make me a child again just for tonight!" (Elizabeth Akers Allen)

I read years ago in the writings of Marcus Aurelius that "there are those who muddy the waters and call it clear thinking."

William of Ockham said, "Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily."

A popular program used to say - "Return with me to the days of yesteryear..."

Turn back to a simpler, lovelier, more satisfying moment in time. Do you remember the warmth in your heart, when in a time gone by you came to have a simple faith and trust in Jesus? It's a child's faith - something we now find difficult to recapture. We were naive back then - we were not yet hardened by disappointments, lies, broken promises. Now we know better!

Do you ever really wish you could go back to the time when you could really believe?

Theology (doctrine of God; science of God) entered the picture. It's like not eating an apple but you look at it and study it. It's like studying about who and what a mother is but never experiencing the love and warmth of a mother. It's the tangibility of having a mother to wrap her arms about you and you just about disappear. (Skinny mamas can't do that!)

We have libraries full of books describing God: dissecting, diluting, analyzing, comparing, etc. It's dusty, myopic, splitting headache exegesis. But it's like being hugged by a skeleton!

Rollo May wrote of some who will be judged and condemned for "over simplifying." Theologians will never have that charged against them. They will be charged with "over confusing."

We didn't need a definition of Jesus - we just needed Jesus! We don't get a lot of help from talking about the word "love." We just need to experience love!

There is so much arrogant pomposity within our churches. Some who feel that all the centuries culminate in their arrival on earth. To them God may ask, as He did of Job - "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" Then he asked question after rhetorical question - no answer was given and none was expected.

Then "Will you condemn me, that you might be righteous?"

Job -

"I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now my eye sees you. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

Before the throne of God there is no place for arrogance; no place for one-upsmanship; no place to force one's way to a place of prominence.

It's really a great place for an experience of humility. "I am not worthy the last of His favors; but Jesus left heaven for me. Jesus left heaven to die in my place, What mercy, what love and what grace."

There are people to whom we are drawn - their looks are imposing; they are physically attractive; and they give off an impression of maturity and grace. Until they open their mouths and begin to talk! The words are harsh and judgmental; their tone is shrill, withering and carping. One is caused to shrink back.

Proverbs 23:6-7

"Eat though not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty means: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee."

We have all heard words within the walls of God's house that should never have been spoken. Hard, hurtful, judgmental words. Words never inspired by God.

But you see, and of this the speaker should be aware, words are the door, the window, to the mind and to the heart. More is revealed in a word - when and how spoken - than one would ever want revealed.

We have all experienced the feeling that another one's words do not convey as truthfully as the nonverbal: the eye, the face, the stance/posture, the complexion. Did you ever have someone shake your hand and say a word but you picked up a totally different message from the non-verbals they conveyed?

Christians, let your words be SIN-CERE. The word “sincere” comes from the Latin words sine cera, which means “without wax”. The phrase comes from a practice where people would hide the cracks in cheap pottery with wax in order to pass the pottery off as being worth more than it actually was. Quality products were often stamped with the words sine cera to show it had not be doctored. It would be similar to those products today that are stamped, “all natural” or “100% pure”. We, as Christians, are to love in a way that is pure and genuine.

Have you ever heard a sermon and gone up to shake the preacher's hand and tell him how much it spoke to you only to get out to your car and start picking the message and/or the presentation apart? I have been guilty of that myself. I’m embarrassed and ashamed of the fact that my love was not sincere . . . it was filled with wax! I feigned love on the outside but I was savage and unloving on the inside! We are skilled at duplicity.

First, we must focus on the truth of the gospel. It is only as we come to see the love of God for us that we will be able to love each other. As we come to understand that God loves us not because of our achievements, possessions or titles but because of who we are, we will experience true love. When we are secure in God’s love, we will find that we are better able to love others.

The Lord knows our hearts. He knows how we think and what we cherish. He knows the desires we put before him. Jesus loves us with a Love that never stops: he only wants us to love him back in return. Turn back to your first love, to the one who knows and loves you best.

Loss of First Lover: The Church of Ephesus

Revelation 2:1-7

Remember how and when it all began? Think about that man or woman who is by your side. Think about that little boy or girl at their birth.

You know, you can spot the moment. Boys begin to spruce up, digging a hole in the ground with their toe. The sudden flush when you meet a boy or girl you like. Then there is the serendipitous moment when you first see your baby's face.

Marriage can become passe and commonplace. The girl/boy goes their way to other loves. The son/daughter grow and go through the interminable stages of growth and eventually grow away.

First loves are tremendous and magical moments. One feels more alive - more loved - more hopeful. You anticipate the future. You dream. You feel the passion of truly loving and caring.

Sometimes the feelings become lingering memories after the person is gone. Maybe that's why a lot of elderly people tend to visit those times very often, reliving.

There was a tendency to turn away from the object of our first love - Christ - to lesser and demeaning things.

We had a rule in our family. When we were out with our children and they wandered away and got lost, they were to go back to the last place we were together. We, as parents, would be there waiting (although we once got help in Anadarko at an Indian festival!)

Question: When was the last time you were happily and serenely in Christ's presence? Do you even know? Now - understand this - the Scripture says that we have left our first love; that is, we were with Him and then we wandered away. He didn't leave us! The Bible says, "I will never leave you or forsake you." What condition of your heart and mind caused you to wander away? Only the workings of Satan could have done it.

We get angry at others - we turn our eyes away.

People don't meet our expectations or do what we hoped - we turn away.

We store up resentment - we turn away.

Like a sheep, we nibble our way into lostness.

Many leave the church with self-righteous indignation. Even God can't work through a loveless church!

Often one wonders - where did it all go? What happened? There are recriminations, sorrows. Lost loves can be painful.

Think back now. When did your Christian love begin and who was the recipient of that love? You are a member of a church - we are all partly "Ephesian". We all stood alone and amazed in the presence of the Christ of the Cross. We looked up - as a child does to the object of their adoration. It was sheer transcending love! Just Christ and you. Do you remember? You felt the explosive power of a new affection. You could almost drive by the church and feel the warm, radiant glow of love.

But, alas, for that we substituted disappointment in others, dashed hopes, resentment. How many members of this church are at home today nursing resentment and anger? Pray for them! Love them! If you are enlightened, if you are so close to the Lord - please don't go away! Share your light with others. Give them your light. The Bible talks about being salt and light to the world. Salt preserves. Salt enhances flavor. Have you ever put salt on food to make it taste better? Were you glad the salt was there? Did you ever have to find your way in the dark? Did you find a flashlight or other light to help you see? Were you glad to have the light? Jesus wants us to help others see Him—and they will be glad we were there to help

them. Set an example of faith. Reach out, tenderly, to encourage others, especially in the Body of Christ. Christians sometimes have a tendency to "shoot their wounded" instead of ministering gently and with love to those wounded places.

Remember - if you do not change one day in your life, you will never change your life. It must be done NOW. "Today is the day of salvation..." We all need to repent. Say "I was wrong." "I'm sorry." I promise, the sky won't fall in. Only stubborn, prideful people must wait for others to move first. Christ tell us to tearfully, honestly, faithfully confess our faults one to another.

Then all of us can return; return to our first love. What a joyous return it will be. All of us back at the foot of a cross.

"Glory be until God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Remember.

SERMONS

Romans 10:8b-17

I preached many sermons and I've heard many sermons. Often it can seem to be rather fuzzy on what its all about. Sermons involve a speaker and hearers. But, it is not, or should not be, a monologue. Many ideas move upon the hearer and the speaker.

v.15 says "How shall they preach except they be sent?" The message must be born in the heart of the preacher. The preacher should be "called by God." I heard that call 27 years ago. The preacher should feel deeply about what he preaches, it involves his own experiences.

The message must be the message of God. Preaching is not just a performance. It's not a book review or a play, but God's message. It is "glad tidings of good things", not the rantings of an angry God. The message must come through the heart and mind. I think the call of God compels one to prepare adequately to proclaim the message.

Now let's think about you - the listeners. The message goes from the heart, mind, mouth of the preacher to your ears. You need to be able to hear accurately and adequately. But, oftentimes we have problems in hearing - we hear what we want to hear; we have semantic problems. Again, it's not "I think" but "God says thus and so to me." When you hear the message, God is speaking to your mind. REPENT is God's message. It's the most difficult thing to do, but belief involves the mind.

Then through your ears, and mind, God tries to reach your heart. To feel and feel deeply; to love and love deeply. There is a truth - involvement goes before the heart is reached. To begin to study, pray, serve, often is drudgery until the heart responds. Then you have esoteric Christianity.

Finally, what you hear, believe, feel - you will practice. "God has shown thee, O man, what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." Jesus prepared his disciples. Paul spent 3 years in preparation. Otherwise there is much isogesis and not exegesis.

But it must come from the mouth of the preacher. "Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Again in speaking God's word there is a difference between "I think" and "God said." There must be congruity between what he says and the was he lives; it must be a demonstrated gospel. God's method is to send out his message from a believing, prepared, and humble person.

A Funeral Sermon

As I consider a life that spanned more than four-score years, it seems somewhat presumptuous to try to do justice to it in a few sentences. How does one find words to fittingly mark the close of an earthly life? The person whose life we celebrate today, Mr. Lambert, preached a tremendous sermon every day of his daily life. He is a source of blessing to those who knew him. I would like to give my feelings and impressions by thinking of a few words.

FRIEND - "A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother." Prov. 18:24

I had a friend in Mr. Lambert. Often it is that a preacher is downcast. This man blessed my heart on several occasions when he told me - "Preachers have enough trouble as it is. I love my preachers and I'll help them all I can." I consider him to have been one of the best friend I have here.

There is another word that is deeper and more meaningful to me than the world friend. That is the world - CHRISTIAN. There is no finer word that can be used of anyone at a time like this and used without reservation or apology. I will mention two things: 1) He love the Book. With his Bible and quarterly on the end of his sofa during the week, he studied and feasted on God's Word and thus was able to feed others. 2) He love the Lord of the Book. The next to last Sunday that he was in church - on January 3rd - he walked down the aisle and said to me during the invitation - "I couldn't hear more than half of what you said, but if the invitation is what I understood - to live a better Christian life - I'm in favor of that." And I knew he meant it.

I feel pain in this gentleman's death. But I feel joy in his testimony of Christian faith and in the Lord of the Book - the Lord he served so long and so nobly.

My garden has roses red,

My garden has roses white,

But if when the day is sped

I stand by the gate at night,

One fragrance comes, when the day is dead

From my roses white and my roses red.

The roses of joy are red,

The roses of pain are white,

But I think, when the day is sped

And I stand by the gate at night,

I shall know just this, when the day is dead,

That a rose is sweet, be it white or red.

--- Percy Ainsworth ("Roses" - from Poems and Sonnets)

Lester Weatherhead wrote a book entitled "Why Do Men Suffer?" He closed it with these words -

"So, my friend, be of good cheer! When the long day is over, you will walk in the scented dusk down the last valley; and not alone, for He, the Companion of all men, has pledged his word to be with you. And at the end of that valley, all hushed and quiet, by velvet darkness folded in, you will see, shining through the trees, the lights of home. One evening the lamps will be lighted for you in the House of New Beginnings. And when you draw near to the house, you will hear music and dancing."

"In the beginning God..." You were made by God, not forces of nature. You are loved by God, for God is love. You are forgiven by God, though many find this hard to believe. You are sustained by God; "In Him we live, and move, and have our being." He is always, always at work. You are empowered by God; "God within you is your hope of glory." He is able to move us beyond our failures and mistakes; "All things work together for God. Without that we would be undone.

He gives life meaning and purpose; otherwise it would be a journey to nowhere. He will most assuredly receive us in the end.

Life in its essence is a preparation for death - of reunion with the Heavenly Father. He will welcome all of us prodigals, who chose to return to His house, with open and loving arms.