SERMON: DAY OF PENTECOST

20200531su- DAY OF PENTECOST / Anchor: ACTS Chaps 1 & 2

CALL TO WORSHIP

SERMON SYNOPSIS It has now been 50 days since the Lord was resurrected from the dead and appeared on a Sunday evening behind locked doors to the eleven. Just 10 days before Jesus was witnessed ascending upwards, through the clouds into heaven. Jerusalem is packed with thousands of men who are gathered as required three times a year, this being the First Fruits gathering, Part of the Festival of Weeks. High on the agenda today is to select the replacement to Judas Escariot, the one who betrayed the Lord. The Apostles are eagar to learn and share of the promise to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

OPENING PRAYER Lord God Almighty, Author of the Universe, in the name of Your Son, Jesus, we gather on this Lord's day to worship and to receive the Word of Truth through the Holy Spirit that in-dwells us, by way of Holy Scripture. Open our ears to hear, open our hearts to receive as we nourish our Souls in Your very presence. On this day in Jerusalem, thousands were received into Salvation through Jesus the Christ, and the promised Holy Spirit filled these precious disciples with power and boldness. A by-product of which is LOVE from on high. O Holy Spirit, let us feel Your presence in us this day. Grant us great courage to step out and share that which we have received with others so that they too can be filled and glorify You our Creator, Amen and AMEN.

SERMON Through Biblical history, PENTECOST was the FIRST FRUITS of HARVEST, one of three annual required gatherings at the temple in Jerusalem that every of-age male must attend to present themselves before the Lord.

The first sheaf offered at the Passoverand the two leavened loaves at Pentecostmarked the beginning and ending of the grain harvest, and sanctified the interval between as the whole harvest or Pentecostal season. Psa 147:14  He makes peace in your borders; He satisfies you with the finest of the wheat. Thus God brings about a healthy harvest to satisfy the Souls of His people.

Some Theologians would argue that Pentecost marked the birth of the Church. With great respect I would submit that although the PENTECOST allowed for the Formal Public Presentation, in a GRAND manner, The miracle of the Promise that the HOLY SPIRIT is poured into all who confess CHRIST as their savior, the CHURCH had already exsisted before this day.

The Church of Jesus Christ rose to life the very moment that the 12th Disciple was anointed and pressed into service by Jesus. It was at this moment that the Master began to teach, to Disciple, His chosen core, the first congregation of His flock. With tenderness, love and with authority. Jesus began to nurture and guide these tender hearts; preparing them for this magnificient debut before thousands and thousands in Jerusalem.

A vital part of this day was to select a replacement to take the place of JUDAS ESCARIOT, the man who betrayed Jesus. Following prayer and the casting of LOTs, the 12th Disciple slot was filled; Act 1:24-26  And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen  (25)  to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place."  (26)  And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles. The eleven laid hands on their new brother and prayed commissioning him to the ministry of Almighty God.

Act 2:1-4  When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. { there were about 120 of them gathered with Peter} (2)  And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  (3)  And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.  (4)  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

NOW, my dear beloved friends, I ask you to be patient with me as I try to clearly explain how much of a REALLY BIG DEAL this speaking in TONGUES was. Not only were the impowered disciples, who having just received the Holy Spirit, SPEAKING in tongues that they had previously not known, The People HEARING them were HEARING their own language being spoken even though the speaker was not speaking in that tongue. CONFUSED? Allow me to explain:

You may not have had this amplified in this manner before, so , bear-with-me...

Lets say that YOU and another friend is standing next to me and we three are listening to a fellow speak to us. All three are hearing his speech at the very same time. Here is where it starts to get good: The fellow speaking to us is speaking in, lets say, ARAMAIC. None of us understands that language but I am hearing him speak in perfect ENGLISH. My FRENCH friend on my LEFT is hearing him speak, at the same time in perfect FRENCH. The friend to my RIGHT a HUNGARIAN and while the speaker talks in ARAMAIC, the HUNGARIAN hears in perfect HUNGARIAN. WOW!

THIS, BELOVED, SHOWS THE MAJESTY OF THE MIRACLE OF TONGUES delivered to THOUSANDS of those gathered in Jerusalem from many lands on this day of Pentecost. This was a VERY, VERY BIG DEAL! Not only were those Holy Spirit Filled speaking in foreign tongues, THE masses were Hearing them in THEIR OWN TONGUES!! AT the SAME TIME!!! Can I Get an AMEN??

Act 2:7-11  They were amazed and astonished, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?  (8)  "And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?  (9)  "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,  (10)  Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,  (11)  Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God."

Peter, also filled to the brim with the Spirit of God delivered a most eloquent sermon to the masses explaining point by point the Gospel of Christ Jesus and pointed to their connection to His death and now the Resurrection. He laid the blame for His crucifixion at their feet.

Act 2:37-41  Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?"  (38)  Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  (39)  "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself."  (40)  And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!"  (41)  So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

SUMMARY From the very first verse in Genesis, all the way to the last AMEN of Revelation JESUS is there. Thousands of years of "New Beginnings" always bringing those who stray back in correct alignment with the promise of Everlasting Life of Joy and Peace. Jesus is that common silver rope that extends from one end to the other, from the Beginning to the End, never drooping, ever straight, never listing but always being our absolute guide to eternal bliss. Three Thousand Souls were welcomed into the kingdom of God on that Pentecost day. Just before our Lord ascended into the heavens from that mountain top, He asked Peter THREE times Do you love me? Unlike that day in the Temple courtyard where Peter denied JESUS THREE TIMES, He was now whole and leading others to know the Savior in the most intimate way possible, through the Gift of Salvation. ARE YOU SAVED?

CLOSING PRAYER Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, thank-you for the blessing of sharing Your Word with us on this, Your Day. As Holy Scriputre reveals in the book of John; Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Your eternity and unchanging ways brings wonder and awe to us in unspeakable ways. As much and we know about You, O Lord, the more we know that we don't know. Our thirst for knowledge thus grows and grows. Light our paths for us, Father, as we go our way this week. Brings us back safely to gather next Sunday, on Your Day and open our souls to know Your attributes. Let us feed the hunger we have to know you more. In the Name above all names, Jesus the Christ, AMEN.

DOXOLOGY

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, Ye heav'n-ly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen

BENEDICTION AND CLOSE Rom 1:7 {Modified} to all who are beloved of God within the sound of my voice, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE Psa 147:14, Act 1: 24-26, 2:1-4, 2: 7-11, 2: 37-41, Jon 1:1, Rom 1:7

UPDATE: Summer Schedule; Tomorrow is June 1st, and with the start of a new month, we will also begin a new series of study that prayerfully will extend well into October. The title is THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. Each Sunday we will pull from several theological sources a well rounded examination of those characteristics that only our Creator can display. I think you will find it a wonderful and edifying study and bring you ever closer to a greater understanding of how Awesome and Majestic He truly is. We will get it started next Sunday, June 7th, I hope you will all be here. Finally, I'm trying to find a way to administer Holy Communion {The Lord's Supper} to you on that day as well. Pray that the Lord will open that door for us so that this Ordinance and Expression can return to our service.

Until we meet again, God go with you, AMEN.

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Medchaplain@yahoo.com

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

MEMORIAL DAY -- 2020

OPENING PRAYER

MIGHTY CREATOR, COMMANDER OF THE UNIVERSE, MAJESTY ON HIGH, WE "FALL-IN" TO FORMATION BEFORE YOU ON THIS LORD'S DAY, IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND OUR LORD JESUS. IT IS OUR PASSION TO HAVE RECEIVED YOUR SPIRIT INTO US SO THAT YOU MIGHT BE REFLECTED THROUGH US TO OTHERS. AS THE SUN PROVIDES LIGHT TO THE EARTH, THE MOON REFLECTS THAT SAME LIGHT TO THOSE WE MEET. LET US THIS DAY BE MINDFUL OF OUR GALLANT SOLDIERS, SAILORS, AIRMEN, COAST GUARD AND MARINES WHO FINISHED THIER TOURS OF DUTY, OFTEN IN FOREIGN LANDS, FIGHTING THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, WHO FAILED TO RETURN FROM WHENCE THEY CAME. GRANT US YOUR PRESENCE AS WE OPEN THE PAGES OF HOLY SCRIPTURE FINDING PEACE AND HARMONY AND LOVE THEREIN, AMEN.

Jos 5:13-15Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" He said, "No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" The captain of the LORD'S host said to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.

In 1942, during the battle of Bataan, a Chaplain named William Cummings reportedly uttered the words "There are no Atheists in foxholes", this during a field sermon. An aphorism pointing to those horrible moments in a battle to the death, every man pleads for a higher power to come to his aid. Little did they know that in less than 30 days, the Bataan Death march would begin, costing the lives of 18,000 Filipino and nearly 650 American prisoners of war would die a horrid death.

The Prayers were frequent and plenty from the Lord's elect, His Saints in uniform all through the Revolutionary, Spanish American, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and into Iraq and Afghanistan; Not counting all the wars preceding. War is a terrible thing, as it should be. Violent conflict should always be the manner of last resort. The Bible teaches us the great patience of God. His patience, however, God does have a threshold, and His wrath, when unleashed, is Horrible and all consuming. Sodom and Gomorrah can attest to that!

Gen 19:24-25Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven, (25) and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.

War finds many opportunities for our LORD to flex His mighty arm, and today we reflect on memories and compelling stories spoken about SALVATION, about FORGIVENESS, about BLESSING and of COURAGE, and of REDEMPTION.

Army Sergeant First Class John T. Anderson, born in Buffalo, NY, was about to complete his combat tour in Vietnam when his team was overrun by the Vietcong. When all the dust settled, John, who was badly wounded, was taken prisoner of war and held and tortured for five and one-half years. John would suffer the horror of his seemingly unending days at the hands of his captors. Eventually he was released, promoted to Master Sergeant then retired to continue serving as a civilian employee of the Army. One of John's many fellow prisoners was former US Senator John McCain, captured after his navy aircraft was shot down. These men well acquainted with the stench of war, that iron like smell of blood, the sound of death rattles as fellow soldiers breathe their last.

On this day, this Memorial Day observance, falling on the Lord's day, permit me to share the names of those I had the great honor of serving alongside or associating with during my 23 years wearing the uniform of the U.S. Army. Each one a precious soul, extraordinary in their own right, each of them having transferred from this life to eternal life, each one MY HERO!

My LORD and SAVIOR Jesus the Christ

First Sergeant Walter Smithson

Sgt David Darnell

LTC Harold Roeder

LTC Arthur Jones

COL Fred Odom

Sgt Dennis Hannon

A1C Michael Sutton

SP4 Bruce Scott

LT Deeann Ray

Sergeant Major Hal Fielding

Sergeant Major Larry Law

Sergeant Major John West

LTC Gus Eric Jowers

Senior Master Sergeant Johnny McDowell

Army Sgt John Henry Daniels {Doc}

Sergeant Major Clay Lacy

Army Sgt David Thompson

Airforce Sgt Michael Webster

Navy CPO Ron Hester

Sergeant Major Pappy Clark

Airforce Senior Master Sergeant Emery Frank Mortensen

LET US PRAY Especially for those who wore and still wear the uniform. Those who served and died. Those still serving, serving this great people, this great nation, and most of all our Great and Merciful GOD.

Father God, Almighty creator, We rejoice in all who have faithfully served and triumphantly died. We give thanks for all blessed memories and all enduring hopes; for the ties that bind us to the unseen world; for all the heroic dead who encompass us like a cloud of witnesses. We pray that we who have entered into the heritage of their heroism and self sacrifice may so honor their memory and so preserve and further their high purposes that the nation which they defended may stand in all coming years for righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ their Lord and ours, AMEN

DOXOLOGY

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, Ye heav'n-ly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen

BENEDICTION

Psa 19:14 Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, our rock and our Redeemer.

MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS THEM FOR ALL ETERNITY, AMEN

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

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Medchaplain@yahoo.com

SERMON -- THE ASCENSION

THE LORD'S ASCENSION CESM SERMON Sunday May 17, 2020

WELCOME NOTES Hello everyone on this Lord's day. Thank-you for permitting this tiny ministry to bring the GLORY of the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ to you as citizens of the SENIOR COMMUNITY. Before we begin our service today, here are a few admin notes pointing the direction we plan on taking as summer approaches. This is Ascension week and will be the topic of today's sermon. Next week, Lord Willing, we will do a special service for Memorial Day. Please don't miss this as we honor all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, coastguards men and Marines who paid the ultimate price in defense of this wonderful nation. The last sermon of May will be devoted to the Pentecost. Starting in June, if the Lord so blesses, we will begin a sixteen week study of the Attributes of God! That will take us to October unless the Lord directs us otherwise. SO! There you have the plan. Of course, it is the Lord's place to edit or change should He desire. Praise You Father, Praise You Jesus, Praise You Holy Spirit!

CALL TO WORSHIP On this Lord's day welcome all of those who have ears to hear our humble worship of the The Father of all creation, The Son of Salvation and the Holy Spirit of promise! We read in Pro 16:1-3  The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.  (2)  All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives.  (3)  Commit your works to the LORD And your plans will be established. JOIN US NOW as we lift our voices in songs of PRAISE: [CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS and ROCK OF AGES]: {Q}

Thank-you Lord God for receiving our voices in Your praise and in Your glory. Search our hearts and find the deep love and Awe we have for the FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, Amen.

SERMON SYNOPSIS Out of sight, out of mind. This is sometimes a very problematic expression for Christians or those who wish to be Christians. As long as Jesus was visible and in the flesh and walked amongst us here on the earth, it was far easier to believe. Once the badly beaten and naked body of Jesus was removed from the cross, having died just as the two who hung with Him did, His body was buried and no longer seen. Humans were quick to forget. The Resurrection and the subsequent ascension into heaven 40 days later is a vital part of the continuing miracle of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, Son of God. The Ascension is, dearly beloved, is....."The REST OF THE STORY"!

OPENING PRAYER Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, on this Lord's day, I pray thee to empty this vessel called my body. Empty me of me, and fill this vessel to the brim with Your TRUTH through YOUR WORD in Holy Scripture. Just as You spoke to Thomas when he doubted that You were truly alive, Your words comforted him, and blessings for others who believe WITHOUT SEEING YOU. Open our eyes and souls to knowing that You are actively interceding for us from Your throne at the Right had of the Father, and that soon, You will physically return to establish Your Kingdom on Earth. O Come quickly, Mighty Lord, Come quickly, Amen and AMEN!

SERMON The birth of Jesus was miraculous. So too was His ministry, fully man, fully GOD! Healing the blind, the deaf, raising the dead, all AWE inspiring. The ressurrection on that Sunday morning, the FIRST day of the week long ago, and His appearing to hundreds and hundreds over the next 40 days. Then came the ascension; being bodily raised up into the sky to the Kingdom of His father and our Father in Heaven, taking His seat on the throne to the right hand of God. All authority in heaven and on earth now resting in His power.

Act 1:6-12  So when they {the disciples} had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"  (7)  He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;  (8)  but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."  (9)  And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  (10)  And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.  (11)  They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."  (12)  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.

As the eleven walked along on their return, they recalled that Sunday evening when the RISEN Christ called on them behind locked and bolted doors:

Joh 20:19-22  So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, "Peace be with you."  (20)  And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  (21)  So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you."  (22)  And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Thomas, called Didymus was not with the ten this night and was not witness to this first appearance to the group. He would later have opportunity to not only see the resurrected Jesus, but lay hands on Him Joh 20:27-28  Then He *said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing."  (28)  Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" The Lord Jesus responded in Joh 20:29  ... "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."

This remarkable exchange between Thomas and His savior would mirror similiar responses over the course of the next 2,000 PLUS years! Precious souls coming to the realization that JESUS IS --IN FACT--THE LORD, and despite not seeing Him in person, in the FLESH, they believe totally and completely in the Promise uttered by the very Son of GOD! Rom 10:9  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

In the moments before Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples and He gathered on the mountain top. Mat 28:18-20  And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  (19)  "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,  (20)  teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

The ascension of Christ to the right hand of God in heaven places Jesus on His throne interceding for His church. We are His church. He is preparing for His return and to establish His kingdom and eventually to Judge those who will appear before the Great White Throne in the final judgement. His promise to those left behind on earth, to deliver to them the Holy Spirit, that Spirit to reside in them for the balance of their days would come to them at the Pentecost, now days away. He instructed them to return to Jerusalem, waiting on the Lord to fulfill this promise. We will likewise be prepared to share with you here gathered, the delivery of the Holy Spirit the last Sunday of this month, May 31st.

SUMMARY Through out the 66 books of the Holy Bible, the unmistakable cable of Jesus is ever present from the very first verse of Genesis to the last AMEN that ends the Revelation of Jesus Christ. That cable runs absolutely true, never drooping or listing to the left or the right, but traveling absolutey straight without deviation or compromise. This ascension into heaven is yet a stepping stone to our eternity in the presence of He who created us.

CLOSING PRAYER O Lord God, Almighty Sovereign, thank-You for blessing us with Your truth, Your encouragement in the promise of that which is unfolding right before our very eyes. We LOVE YOU, Jesus, the more we learn of You, the greater the hunger we have to know even more. Give us, O Father, the needed patience and stamina to weather all storms that may come our way, and to rest on You as we come through this Covid-19 pestilence. We LOVE You because You first loved us, and continue this very day. Praise You, AMEN

BENEDICTION AND CLOSE Eph 6:23-24  Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  (24)  Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

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SERMON -- MOTHER'S DAY 2020

WELCOME: Pro 31:25-30  Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future.  (26)  She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.  (27)  She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.  (28)  Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:  (29)  "Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all."  (30)  Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

WORSHIP IN MUSIC#26 (Softly and Tenderly) - #1 (Amazing Grace)


SYNOPSIS: Five years ago on May 14, 2015, I was blessed to deliver my very first formal sermon at the Beacon. Robert was one of those who shared that Mother's day celebration with so many in the community. I've reached back in time to that sermon and and bring forward some of its elements for today's message.




PRAYER: Oh Lord, our God, we lift our voices together in the name of Christ Jesus and give thanksgiving for this Lord's day and this time that you have granted us so that we might bring great glory to You on this Mother's Day. Father, it is through Your great wisdom that man was created, and from man, woman. It is through this hallowed bond, Oh Lord, that we fulfill Your commandment to be fruitful and to multiply and to receive the rich love, a mother's love, that was received first from You. Bless all those here gathered, in Your name, who wear the Title Mother or Mom, and bring richness to their days, and great respect from our collective hearts, We pray this in the Name of JESUS, AMEN.


SERMON:

Gen 2:21-24  So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.  (22)  The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.  (23)  The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."  (24)  For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

Gen 1:27-28  God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  (28)  God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Thus we have our beginning. Man and Woman, soon to be someone's Mom and Dad.

This was the start. God's mighty plan to join one man and one woman into a lifelong bond, providing THE method of producing families, children, natural brothers and sisters who themselves would grow up be joined together by the Lord and produce families all in the loving grace of a mighty and wondrous God.

In Exodus 20:12, God lays out by a commandment that we should honor our Father and our Mother. This is repeated in Leviticus and in Deuteronomy.


In (Jdg 5:7) The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. Deborah became the Chief Judge and Ruler of the Israelites and a great leader in battle. She called herself a "Mother in Israel".

In the book of Ruth, (Rth 1:14) And they (the two widowed daughters) lifted up their voices and wept; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, then returned to her people, but Ruth clung to her mother-in-law NAOMI.

In 1 Sam, a man named Elkanah had two wives. One, named Hannah, who could not have children. Hannah prayed to God while at the Temple in Shilo and God granted her favor, allowing for the birth of the future Prophet Samuel. Hannah through prayer, by the grace of GOD became a mother.

Sarah, wife of Abraham, she had been baron her whole life. In her 90's, Sahrah became a MOM. IN HER 90'S..........!!!

Then there was Mary: (Luk 1:30,31,34,35) The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.

(Luk 2:7) And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

(Luk 2:17) When they [The humble Shepherds of sheep] had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.

This Child, fully MAN, fully GOD, named JESUS was introduced to the world not to High Potentates, or Kings, or Movie stars, or any other influencial human beings, this JESUS our SAVIOR was FIRST presented to a group of SHEPHERDS who had been attending their sheep when God extended the invitation to witness this miracle, in the presence of a young MOM.

The word MOTHER appears 320 times in the Bible. Some mothers were famous. Eve, Sarah, Rebecca, Rahab, Deborah, Ruth, Bathsheeba, and of course Mary, Mother of Jesus.

On this Mother's Day, let us take a journey through the Bible, specifically to scripture highlighting Mothers of Biblical times.

King Solomon demonstrated his great God-given wisdom in the matter of the two mothers who argued over the life of a surviving baby. By the KING offering to divide the living child in two, the true mother was wisely acknowledged and the real mother of the living child was rejoined. A mother's love could not tolerate injury to her precious child.

Not all mothers of Biblical times had happy outcomes. The wife of LOT, Abraham's nephew was turned into a pillar of salt as she looked back towards Sodom and Gomorrah in defiance of a command by the Angel of the Lord.

Jezebel, wife of King Ahab set a horrible standard for her children as she became truly a terror and killer taking many lives in pursuit of her selfish and lustful Pagan beliefs and greed. Her story begins in 1 Kings, Chapter 16.

When you were a child and was hurt, or you were sick, who made it all better? It was Mom. Who taught you how to count to ten, to say thank-you and please? It was Mom. Who taught you to pray; Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take? It was Mom. Who introduced you to the power and truth of the COOKING SPOON? Of course, your loving Mom!

Now, when the Shepherds came to call on young Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, well, to say it was a bit overwhelming for Mary would be an understatement....

(Luk 2:19) But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

Mary, the Mother of Christ, the most cherished and adored MOM of all time.

It is those special and unique talents, instincts, and nurturing temperaments given to Mothers, by the grace of God, that anoints Mothers to be so very special and to hold eternal places in our hearts. Whether good or bad, strong or weak, she will always be more than just a woman, she will forever be your MOM. Happy Mother's Day.

LET US PRAY: Father, we praise You for Your great wisdom in creating Mothers. Those who carry us while You knit us together in her womb, those who nurse us, hold us, care for us, teach us, and Love us, just as you have first loved her. Continue, we pray O Lord, to hold Mothers in special regard, keeping their hearts pure and soft as the great nurturers of your Kingdom. Although visitation of family and friends is undermined presently, know that in our hearts and in the heart of our Creator, You MOM hold a very, very special place in our lives. In the name of Jesus, we lift you UP in prayer, Amen.

DOXOLOGY

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, Ye heav'n-ly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen

BENEDICTION: (Psa 89:52) Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Send your comments and or prayers to:

Medchaplain@yahoo.com

SERMON -- ANCHORED TO MY ROCK

SUNDAY SERMON---WELL ANCHORED TO MY ROCK

Hello everyone on this Lord's Day, and a brand new month, May, the month of flowers blooming. This is Chaplain Gary [CESM] broadcasting from the parking lot just outside of your building. Glory to the Lord for this marvelous technology that allows us to penetrate brick, wood and plaster with a radio signal carrying the very Word of God and His Gospel to those precious souls being protected inside. Great appreciation to all those who have been moved to support this tiny ministry to bring the Church to you every Sunday, in person or through the airwaves. It looks as though we might be taking the first "baby steps" on the journey back to a more normal lifestyle. We have to be cautious not to get the horse in front of the cart. I pray we will take our time, plan our steps and evaluate as we go. I am one of those who is pretty convinced that we will not return to the SAME NORMAL as we had before, but somewhere in between. The Lord got our global attention and the Bible has all that we need in guidance and direction.

As we prepare to raise our voices in worship, singing praise to the glory and awe of our Creator, Read with me Psa 89:1-2  I will sing of the loving kindness of the LORD forever; To all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.  (2)  For I have said, "Loving kindness will be built up forever; In the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness."

CALL TO WORSHIP- [HYMNS: -I need The Every Hour/ 30-I Love to tell the story]

SERMON SYNOPSIS

Have you ever had the distinct feeling that someone was watching you? Did it give you comfort, or did it give you the creeps? I suppose that it all really depends on where you are, what you are doing, what you are thinking when this "WATCHFUL" impression comes over you. In our sermon today, we will focus on our anchor, our protector, our constant guide, our watcher, OUR ROCK.

OPENING PRAYER Mighty God above, open our hearts, our souls and our ears to Your message this Lord's day. Increase our understanding of that which will be revealed to us in Your Word. Write a new Spiritual Eyeglass Prescription so that we might better visualize all that You bless us with each and every moment. Grant to us Peace and patience during this time of trial and testing. As Your will permits, subdue this Pestilence threat to our community, our nation and the world. In the name of JESUS, Amen

SERMON

The Lord is my ROCK. JESUS is my Savior. The Holy Spirit ...my ANCHOR and safety zone in all that I do, day by day. I see GOD in EVERYTHING! I truly do. Looking to the LEFT, to the RIGHT, UPWARDS and DOWNWARDS, the very WITNESS of His hand is undeniable and is visible everywhere and in everything. I see Him in YOU, and yes, I SEE HIM in YOU TOO!

Psa 71:3,9  Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come; You have given commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress. Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails. My ROCK gives me great confidence in knowing that no matter what, no matter the situation, I am anchored to His mighty strength, and I am NEVER alone!

No matter where I might be, inside or out, I can look most anywhere and see the unmistakable evidence of HE who made all that has ever been made. There is a mockingbird in a tree outside our house. Although this little fellow can drive you nuts after a while, I've learned to see extraordinary beauty in the sheer volume of tunes this bird can create. My favorite is his rendition of the CAR ALARM song!! I Love You my LORD! Psa 71:14  As for me, I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more. You Lord are my ROCK!

When we move about GRAVITY teaches us that it is not always our best friend! The ONLY time I can recall that FALLING is considered cute is when the person falling is 2 years old and well diapered! Age removes the shine of "cuteness" from a fall. We all do pretty good when we have at least one hand or a foot on a stable platform. This works in our spiritual life as well. JESUS is our Rock, our Anchor. Keeping Him in our field of spiritual view, we find protection and stability in a world that seems to have gone to......well......HELL! Keeping one or more hands, and feet firmly planted on the ROCK of Christ, He keeps us upright and on the path, even in darkness. Pro 4:18-19  But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.  (19)  The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble. Remember the ROCK when you move about; keep that stable platform close so you won't fall!!

I love the LORD, because He hears My voice and my supplications.  (2)  Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live. {Psa 116:1-2}

Psa 34:1  {David wrote}: ... I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Most of us who have reached the seasoning that we have attained in years have done so by the very grace of our Lord. Believe me.....LUCK had nothing to do with it at all! You did not get to this age by being stupid! Now, I will confess to you that I have done many, many stupid things in my life. Some of which were beyond stupid, but EVEN WHILE I WAS YET SINNING, Jesus had already bought me, redeemed me, cleaned me and poured His Holy Spirit into me.

Even in my nunnage I had a sense of the ROCK. The awesome power of God. It had to have come from my family. The ROCK influenced somebody to plant the seeds of the Gospel of Christ in me. I really don't know when that was. Here is what I do know. I was in my 60's when those seeds {planted long ago} finally got enough water and healthy soil around them to finally sprout and grow. Now, years later I can look into my REAR-VIEW MIRROR and see the changes that took place in me over a long period of time. THAT is the rock to which I refer. Once you acknowledge JESUS, and realize that HE truly is who HE claims to be, and this ROCK is the strongest foundation that the world has ever known, and ON THIS ROCK rests eternal life in the LIGHT of HE who created you, you will find It safe, secure, solid, immovable, unchangeable, and radiating LOVE.

There is a catch though. You have to believe! Not only in HIM, but that this valued grace given as a gift of ALMIGHTY GOD..will require your life! Your life of SIN will die. Lust and greed.....will die. Hatred, Jealously, Vengeance, Dishonesty....ALL DEAD! Not to compare this to a KENNY ROGERS SONG, but, when all the dying is done, what you have left, IF YOU BELIEVE, is LIFE. Life eternal, life in the very presence of He who made you, on that solid ROCK, The ROCK of JESUS THE CHRIST!

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord of all mercy, Creator of Life, we give thanks for the solidness and strength of the ROCK of Jesus. By keeping this spiritual anchor within our constant view, we lessen the opportunity to be tempted or error against our maker. We may soon see the beginning of change on the horizon with regard to this pestilence and how we might continue to remain as protected as possible. We place our full faith in You O Mighty Sovereign, and shall continue to TRUST and OBEY for this is Your way. Fill us with wisdom and patience as this world event continues to wane. In Jesus we pray, AMEN.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Email Comments or prayers to:

Medchaplain@yahoo.com