Sunday, February 7, 2010 - Northeast & Northwest Regional Service

 

Announcements -- Tim Kirk
Acts 17:26-28
43-50 middle schoolers meet every week
Charlotte Rescue Mission 2/9  4:00 - 6:00 pm  Contact Mike Dames  704-454-7898
Blood Drive - gave 76 pints of Blood;   124 volunteers on Martin Luther King day of service
70's party on 2/20 7-11 pm, church office;   Patric selling tickets

 

Communion -- David Raye

Jesus death - the ultimate sacrifice, never to be repeated
Heb 7:27

 

Ron Drabot
a number of disciples, friends of disciples killed in Haiti.    They are sleeping outside on the church property.    The church building collapsed.   They have baptized three people since the earthquake.  
Campus -- Jacob Massengil and Matt Haines have been baptized here in Charlotte;   in the SW, Kenya was baptized

 

Revelations 3
Letter to Sardis
angel = messenger, representative
spirits = wisdom, insight
seven = sacred
stars = destiny
God knows us -- I know your deeds
that is what should drive us
not how we look to others or how people think of us
God is watching us all the time
reputation and personal life often don't match up
what others think of you  is not necessarily the truth about you
it's not complete -- you still have a chance to find God
Remember - how quickly we forget;   obey it, critical
vs. 4  even if the majority of the church is not obeying, there are a few
Letter to Sardis = reputation
your reputation with God is between you and God
our emphasis cannot be worrying about our reputation
we take short cuts, compromise, to look good to people
if you want a great reputation for God - focus on your love for God

 

Two challenges in life:
1)  understanding your need to find and love God
2)  understanding your call from God to love
if you find God and you understand how much he loves you, you will be compelled to love and obey, to give love back
Pharisees were concerned with legalism, blame other people for where they are at
Nobody makes you not love God
God calls us to love our enemies
challenges that seem like too much, overwhelm you
seems tough, it's hard to go on
changing your character, it can take years to overcome.   Like an alcoholic, you sin tugs at you, wants to pull you down again
we are sinners
God loves us, he's willing to forgive us, God believes in us and will strengthen what remains and is about to die
when you decide to love, you will see your sinful self

 

Philadelphia Church
synagogue of Satan - claim to be Jews but are liars
vs. 11 don't let anyone steal your love for God, your joy, your crown
That's up to you
pillar in the temple = strength
Proclamation is the message
the door to preach the gospel is open
Haiti victims - they have to go on, they have no homes
they are waiting for us to share our love
what keeps us from going through the open doors that God gives us every single day?
2 Cor 2 and Col 4  - open doors
God has given you and I open doors
what we look as a tragedy is an open door to love someone
Ron wants people to say that he kept going through the open door, no matter what
Does worry about your reputation keep you from sharing your faith?  Too cool to share?
We can't make disciples, only God can
But we can go through the open door
Ron wants to be the kind of person that does the right things, the small, unnoticed things
serving our enemies; giving to the poor, loving when no energy left to love, volunteering & initiating
Do what is right on the small things, focus on that every day

 

note:   Sardis and Philadelphia were destroyed by earthquakes in AD 70

 

Laodicea Church
medicine center here, trade route;  black wool market (fashion)
mineral springs, lukewarm water
The description of the city fits the church description
hot - boiling over the pot, on fire with God
cold - better than lukewarm because then you know where you stand, you're lost
lukewarm - don't know you are lost
spit it out - doesn't meet needs, tastes bad

 

Strengthen what remains, we're not done yet
Don’t fake it, we know we are sinners