4 Simple Reminders: A Final Sermon

Today, I share "Some Simple Reminders" as my final message. Since we sang some of my favorite hymns and praise songs, I have included the order of worship as well.

Order of Worship

Pentecost Sunday

June 4, 2017 8:30 AM – Cross~Wind UMC 

Welcome / Announcements / Passing of Peace          (Worship Leader:  Dave)

 

Prelude                                                            (Claudia) 

Call to Worship           (Worship Leader / Congregation Rise) 

Leader:            The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

People:                        And also with you.

Leader:            The risen Christ is with us.

People:            Praise the Lord.

Hymn of Praise           “Seek Ye First” (#405) vs 1-2 

                                    (Please seat the congregation) – Worship Leader

Opening Prayer

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, 

creator of heaven and earth. 

 

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, 

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, 

born of the Virgin Mary, 

suffered under Pontius Pilate, 

was crucified, died, and was buried; 

he descended to the dead. 

On the third day he rose again; 

he ascended into heaven, 

he is seated at the right hand of the Father, 

and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. 

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, 

the holy catholic church, 

the communion of saints, 

the forgiveness of sins, 

the resurrection of the body, 

and the life everlasting. AMEN.

 

Offering/Offertory      “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” (#384) vs 1,2,4

 

Doxology and Prayer

 

Response to Prayer                 “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart” (#399) vs 1

 

Scripture:                     ?

 

Sermon:           “”         — Pastor George

 

Prayer of Confession (Pastor George)

Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart: We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Silent Confession/ Intercessory Prayer/ The Great Thanksgiving (Pastor George)

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.   Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.   Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.   And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.   For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever.   Amen.

 

Receiving the Bread and Cup                         Music: (Mike) #347 Spirit Song (1 verse)

                                                                                    (Claudia) Communion Music 

                        (Congregation Stands)

 

Closing Hymns (Medley)                                “Be Thou My Vision” (#451) vs 1 (Eb)

                                                            “This Is My Father’s World” (#144) vs 1 (Eb) to F7 chord

                                                            “How Great Thou Art” (#77) vs. 1 (Bb)

Benediction                                         (Pastor George)

Postlude                                              (Claudia)

 

June 4th, 2017 10:50 AM – Cross~Wind UMC

Prelude            (CD Music prior to service)    

(Timer counts down - CD Music Fades– Praise Team on platform)

Welcome, Announcements, Passing of Peace

 

Praise & Worship — Praise Team                               (Usher lights candles)

            Holy Spirit      —       (Children stay for Communion)         

            Come Holy Spirit Let the Fire Fall

            10,000 Reasons

Video – Pentecost Video

Offering/Offertory (WL seats congregation & Ushers come forward to collect offering)

            Cornerstone                             — Praise Team

Prayer over Offering — Pastor George (w/string incidental music)

Scripture          ?

Sermon            “”         — Pastor George 

Communion               Revive Us, O God      — Praise Team

Closing Medley           In Christ Alone,

Thy Wonderful Cross,

This is Amazing Grace            — Praise Team

Benediction                 Pastor George

Postlude          This is Amazing Grace            — Praise Team

Sermon

I have appreciated so much the past month. Karen Waldron stressed to me that, when it came to the retirement celebration, the main thing was what I wanted. I jokingly said that the introvert in me would want nothing and just let me slip quietly away. I am so glad that did not happen. It gave an opportunity for people to share how my ministry has touched them. Many of you took an opportunity to do that in person or in notes. I have a blog in which I posted some of these comments. Some people surprised me at the retirement celebration by traveling from a distance to be here. Some would have had a six hour round trip to be here, knowing they would have little personal time with me. It was such a blessing.  

The long-time pastor at Meridian Street UMC in Indianapolis picked the final six months to preach from the portions of the Bible he found most meaningful. One pastor I know, during his final Administrative Council meeting, compared himself to Moses and the same Meridian Street UMC to the rebellious, complaining Hebrew people in the wilderness. Two quite different approaches to the same church. I recall a comic that has the pastor in the pulpit, the wife in the moving van just outside the church, and the caption has the pastor saying, “I have wanted to give this sermon for a long time.” One member of a parish said to me that the final sermons should have a theme of something like, “Now, let me tell you what I really think.”  

I wanted this final sermon as a full-time pastor to be simple. I have been sharing with you in various settings “what I really think,” whether in worship, in men’s groups, in meetings, and in Triple S. If I was bolder and maybe more fun, I would have worn some beach gear and sandals today. Instead, I want to offer two reminders.  

 

One reminder involves Holy Communion. We offer an open invitation in the United Methodist Church so that anyone who wants to draw closer to Jesus can come. I had the reminder in one of the churches of how important this is. A couple attended the church for the first time. They came forward to receive communion, and they were in tears. It was the first time they had done so in 15 years of marriage. They had been going to her home church, but they were part of a denomination that did not allow him to join them in communion because he was not a member. This table belongs to the Lord, not to the United Methodist Church.

The mission of the church remains. We are to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  

The vision of the church presently is to help people believe in Jesus, to grow in their faith, hope, and love, and to go forth into the world to witness and serve.  

I have shared with you that when I was around 10 years old I received Jesus into my life. I have spent my life learning what that means at each stage of my life. When in prayer, in Holy Communion, in the Body of Christ, or in service in the world, we can nurture that relation with Jesus. You will make no more important decision in your life than to make your primary vocation to follow Jesus. Regardless of your avocation, your job, you need to learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus in your family, neighborhood, and work. 

 

Many of you referred to the help I offered you in understanding the Bible better. I have often said that people need to have a wise and discerning reading of the Bible. Such a posture includes a receptive, meditative, and prayerful approach. Such an approach is open to the present work of the Spirit in our lives, as well as how the Spirit inspired biblical authors to write what they did. The following passages in the Bible emerge from the many verses in the Bible as passages that help me interpret the Bible in a way that I hope is spiritually forming. In your bulletins, you have a list of the scriptures. I am not going to read all of them! However, I am going to refer to a few of them. I have printed out a text with the verses. If you want a copy of that, you can just ask Barb Hudson to run it off for you. The list of scriptures has grown over the past few weeks. I keep thinking of other important verses. I would encourage you to add your own verses.

These are the verses we read, although I made a few comments on each passage.

Deuteronomy 6:4  Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. ⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

Leviticus 19:18b you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Matthew 5 [Beatitudes]:³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely^[b] on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

Matthew 25:35-36 ³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’

 

Romans 8: ²⁸ We know that all things work together for good^[u] for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.^{[v] 30} And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

³¹ What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? ³² He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? ³³ Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.^{[w] 35} Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all day long;
    we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Philippians 4: ⁸ Finally, beloved,^[e] whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about^[f] these things.