Sunday, June 22, 2008

 

Announcements - George Violante
Campus - Harmony Andre baptized
Wedding yesterday - Crystal and Ian
Prayer -- surgery - Linda Robinson and Phillipa Faber; pray for the family of Dan Rice - youth pastor in St. Louis, he died suddenly, has young kids; pray for Deborah, the Espy's, they are at a worship conference in Chicago

 

Communion - Pabel & Christina Martin
They moved here from Atlanta, they have been married 1 1/2 years

He traveled with his job in Atlanta Monday - Thursday
John 10:10 satisfying life = joy and contentment not based on circumstances
It's the little decisions every day
It's not the big, dramatic decisions
Her defense mechanism was to shut down, she'd go into survival mode when he left. She guards her heart so it doesn't hurt so much.
The defense mechanisms are based on fear. Jesus knew Peter would betray him, but he still invested in him, he knew he was going to be separated from God, but he turned to him for strength Is she turning to Jesus because of fear or faith?
Noel - he is the exact opposite of his wife. He focuses on the good, and not on reality. He was excited to move here so he could see her every day, they could go on dates. But he didn't deal with their not praying together.
He wants the house, but he is not disciplined enough to save up for the down payment.
John 12:27
God's not our boss, he wants us to know him.
Watch your life and doctrine, save yourself and your hearers.
John 10:17-18 communion
Jesus lays down his life voluntarily

Ron Drabot - "Follow the Leader"
Throw away the crutches and depend on God alone.

Ron is celebrating his 26th wedding anniversary this week. Ron gave Lavonia flowers and read a poem he wrote to her.

 

Definitions of "follow the leader":
• a game we played as children
• a film made in 1930
• a song in the Peter Pan movie of 1953
• a drill used by marching bands
• a participation dances that's performed

• a hip hop artist in 1988 - Eric B. and Rakim

• 1998 album by the rock band Korn

 

The Bible also talks about leadership and followship. We are called to be great leaders and followers.
Judges 5:2 when the princes take the lead, God is glorified when we lead or follow.
Eph 4:11-13 God appointed some to be evangelists or teachers.

Eph 4:16 the body of Christ is like a physical body - grow up in love and unity when each part does his part Mark 10:45 Jesus calls us to be servant leaders

Luke 9:23 if anyone would come after me . . . follow me. This is for everyone - everyone should be a follower.

Luke 14 no one can be a disciple unless we take up our cross daily and follow Jesus. Some say they can follow Jesus but no one else.
1 Cor 11:1 follow me (Paul) as he follows Christ.
We are called to lead, and when the people willingly follow, God is praised.

Great example: David
1 Sam 16:11-13 Samuel annoints David
David was a great leader because he was a great follower, he obeyed his dad.
Samuel annointed David. How would you feel if one minute you were working for minimum wage at Burger King, and the next minute you're appointed president of the US.
1Sam 16:19 David was with the sheep, after he was told he was the king.
1 Sam 17:20+ David & Goliath - David is waiting to be King, he's obeying his father, he's with the sheep, he brings food to his brothers in the army. The next king brings the food to his brothers.
vs. 24 David ran with the other Israelites -- all ran. David leads Israel to crush the Philistines in battle.
1 Sam 18:1-7 David was on the "Israelite Idol" - the women were singing about David. The Bible says whatever Saul asked David to do, he did. He was a powerful leader because he was humble - he didn't let it go to his head.

Saul was crazy - severely depressed. No medicines then to help him. Music alters our mood.
Everything changes- David's success threatens Saul - Saul throws a spear at David in vs. 11, twice, and Saul becomes afraid of David. He knew God was with him. He starts to hunt him down.
1 Sam 18:13 David led a campaign for Saul, after Saul threw the spears.
David was still loyal and faithful. He truly is the champion. "The Champion of the World" (Queen song in background) - he's not queen, he's the king. After David gets married, Saul tells Jonathan he wants to kill David.
Michal helps David escape. David is on the run. "He's Running on Empty" music.
He can't act like a king, he's running from Saul.
David went from the champion of the world to running on empty His crutches were taken away:
- His best friend: Jonathan
- His wife, Michal
- His plans as king
- His priest and prophet, Samuel
- His praise from the maidens
God took everything away and he was just trying to do what was right. "He had a bad day" music.

 

Where does David go after losing all of the above?
Where do we go when things don't go our way?
David went into a cave - he's useless,worthless, had no strength. What does God do for him?
This life is temporary. Crutches are simply substitutes for God, that God can take away at any moment - in order to get you to be a follower and a leader.
We worship God on Sunday and use our crutches during the week.
"God, why did you do this to me?" Because he loves you. God is re-routing us. He needs us to be humble, serving. David has everything taken from him and he goes in a cave. When life doesn't go the way we want it to go - we go in the cave, too. 300-400 losers show up at David's Cave.
1 Samuel 22:1-2 along with his family - the brothers who ridiculed him and the father who forgot him. The Bible says to love and take care of your family. "David, you're our leader" - no one else wants to lead, and they're going to criticize you. If you can lead, God calls you to do it. God shows up at your door, I need you. You know if you should be more supportive, a supportive ligament in the group. This is a turning point in David's life - the group is going to be "gimmee, gimmee."
David decides to accept the situation -- 13 years he's on the run. He's about 30 years old when he becomes king. Things don't always work out the way you want them to, but God is going to hunt you down. Two newspaper articles from the Syracuse paper this week. One about his nephew - his sister has a mental issue, in a group home, unable to take care of herself and her family. Ron's brother-in-law, took his nephew August to school, said he was dizzy, died of a heart attack at 52. He lost his mom when he was 8, his dad at 14.
"Life Throws you some curve balls" was the name of the article (below)

http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1213952543306340.xml&coll=1 - Life Threw Him Curve Balls ...Friday, June 20, 2008 By Elizabeth Doran, Staff writer.

When August Cook III graduates tonight from Fayetteville-Manlius High School, he'll be thinking about his best friend and mentor - his father -and how much he'd like to share the moment with him. His father had always told him not to dwell on the negative, to take on life, and that's what Cook has tried to do. When he was 8 years old, his mother, who suffers from a mental illness, moved out. When he was a high school freshman, his father died of a heart attack after dropping him off at school. Since then, Cook, 18, has worked hard to pay tribute to his father every day by living his philosophy: Whatever life throws your way, catch it and run hard. He's done so well that he's not only graduating and going to college, but he will receive the high school's Patrick Cole Courage Award, a scholarship given to a student who has displayed true spirit and strength of character and compassion for others. It was established in memory of an F-M student who died of cancer in 2001. "My father would be the happiest person to see me graduate," said Cook of his dad, August Cook Jr., who died in 2005. "He was always there for me, and he really wanted me to succeed. He loved life, and he wanted me to love life, too. "His teachers said Cook is a determined and talented jazz musician who has excelled at F-M despite tragedies in his personal life and despite the personal obstacles he's faced. Last summer, Cook broke both his wrists attempting a stunt on a playground swing. An accomplished tenor saxophone player, he also plays piano and upright bass. His injury meant he couldn't play, so Cook took up the trumpet instead because he could play it while his arms were help upright in slings. Cook's music teacher, Rebecca Bizup, said Cook is such a good musician because he puts his life's experiences into his work. "I think you feel his joy and his pain in life in his music," she said. "Plus, he has such compassion. When my mom died recently, I could tell he felt what I was feeling. "Cook practices his instruments at least six hours a day. Playing in a jazz and combo band lets him stretch his creative muscles. "Music has always been there for me," he said. "I can't explain how much I love it." As a child, Cook remembers his mom and dad arguing a lot, and then his mom moved into a special residence when he was about 8 years old. "I would go to my dad with questions about my mom, and he was always honest with me," he said. "I was always so open with him, and I could talk to him about anything. I could even talk to my dad about girls, and he'd give me advice - usually something funny." Cook said his dad, who was in his early 50s when he died, had been treated for a heart condition. On the day he died, his dad complained of feeling dizzy while driving to school, Cook recalled, but said he was OK. When Cook got to class, he asked his teacher if he could call him because he was worried. No one answered. Later that day, he was called to the office and told the news. "It was the worst time of my life," Cook said. "I haven't really talked about it since. But he was my whole life." Cook lived with his grandmother for a bit and then moved in with his aunt and uncle, who live in Fayetteville. His relatives, including his mother, will be at graduation, but he said he'll miss his father. In the fall, Cook will attend LeMoyne College and then plans to go to New York City to study music. His dream is to be a jazz musician in a band, and he knows his dad would support that goal. "My dad wouldn't want me to be depressed," he said. "He always told me to take life as it is, and love it." This Friday was his graduation, and his mom was there.

There was a second article in the paper this week, about Ron's mother. She is 82 years old,and lives alone. She was robbed last week, they took her credit cards, her phone, her car keys and her car. They were on drugs, and totalled the car. Ron was thanking God they left her alone. God kept her asleep while they were there. She was shook up, Ron went up there to help her get through this week. She said she didn't want to live in fear when he invited her to come live with them here. Ron went to find the boys that did this, he took another nephew with him, he wanted to get the boys help, he talked to their mother. The boy wouldn't listen, Ron was wasting the boy's time. There have since been other burglaries. Ron has been tested a few times in his life about forgiveness. When his son died on the mission field. It's easier to forgive when something happens to you then when it happens to your mother. Ron challenges each and every one of us - if someone is the leader, give your heart. Whatever it takes to make the group be spiritual and godly, you be a joy. There's enough critics. God calls us to be a servant leader and a humble follower. When you lead as a servant and when you follow, you will be criticized, you will be given a hard time.

 

David's group criticized him, but that made him a great leader. Later on, he made some bad choices -- he was a good king from 30 to 50 years old, not so good from 50 to 70 years old. Psalm 40:1-2 read this. He got happy because God changed David, not his circumstances. Maybe God wants to change us, not our situation. Prov 16:7 God will give you times when even your enemies are at peace with you. Lean on the crutch or lean on the Lord. "Lean on Me" music.

 

For the Charlotte church: Lean on God. Lean on each other and support each other. Lift up the arms of those serving in the Charlotte church. The world has no answers, we cannot walk away, we cannot run away. Turn to God.