Sermon Notes "Walk This Way"

My view from the choir loft

Today was our first Sunday for the choir to sing since summer is over...and we sang "Sweeter As The Days Go By"...

Click on the You Tube video above of Jake Hess and the Gaither Homecoming group singing this happy song. I don't think we sounded quite like this group, but it was close... :)  It was a great way to kick off our new choir season...and even though we didn't do an encore, the congregation gave us quite an ovation.  Here are the lyrics, if you'd like to sing along:

The more I trust Him, the more I love Him

Nothing good for me He'll deny

The longer I know Him, the better I can show Him

I couldn't stop now if I tried

It gets sweeter as the days go by

It gets sweeter as the moments fly

His love is richer, deeper, fuller, sweeter

Sweeter, sweeter, sweeter as the days go by

Oh, the moment He saved my His good grace He gave me

He place His love down deep in my heart

There's great joy in knowing with Him I am going

And never more from Him to depart

It gets sweeter as the days go by

It gets sweeter as the moments fly

His love is richer, deeper, fuller, sweeter

Sweeter, sweeter, sweeter as the days go by

Our text for the day was from John 14:1-4.  And since I was sitting in the choir loft, I forgot my pen to write notes...so I will have to wing this one totally from memory. This will be short and sweet...just like my memory!  LOL.  Forgive me, Pastor A.C., for not getting all the details! I will just hit the highlights that I can remember...and how they made an impression on me!  

Please read along with me:

1.  "Let not your heart be troubled; 

you believe in God, believe also in Me.

2.  In My Father's house are many mansions;

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

3.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again

and receive you to Myself,

that where I am, there you may be also.

4.  And where I go you know, and the way you know."

I could stop right there. Just those four verses are a powerful enough message in themselves.  Who among us hasn't heard these precious words of our Lord spoken at times of deep sorrow...a funeral of a dearly departed loved one most likely...and the promise of God preparing a place for us in heaven gives great comfort.  And then those words in verse 3, where Jesus assures us that as He goes to prepare that place for us, He will come again and take us there to be with Him forever! 

But then, in verse four He says, "And where I go you know, and the way you know."

At this point we read on in verses 5 and 6:

5.  "Thomas said to Him, 

'Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?'"

6.  And Jesus said to him,

"I am the way, the truth, and the life.  

No one comes to the Father except through Me."

There it is in a nutshell...how do we get to those mansions in glory someday that Jesus has gone on to prepare for each of us?  

There is only one way.  Jesus makes it very clear when He declares:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life.  

No one comes to the Father except through Me."

(That verse bears repeating!)

(Internet Photo)

Then the Pastor took this a step farther...Yes, Jesus IS The Way...the only way to the Father...and to that heavenly home.  However...we also have a responsibility to lead others in "The Way" of Christ...

as believers we are members of the Body of Christ...and as such look at this:

I Corinthians 3:16

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God 

and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

Now, the Pastor took us down an interesting path here that I had never thought of before...go back to John 14:2 

2.  In My Father's house are many mansions;

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

These "mansions" can also be called "rooms"...and they are in the temple of God...and do you "not know that you are the temple of God" ?  And perhaps...now just imagine this right now...that we, as members of the Body of Christ, are those "rooms" in the temple of God...as we make up the "temple of God"...and while we are here on earth, we are those dwelling places for God's Holy Spirit to dwell...and as such, we are also to be a light to all those who are seeking to walk in "The Way" of Christ...and to lead them to the Father through Christ...as we are His Temple, His Body...and "the way you know." (verse 4)   

Now, this is not to take away from our heavenly home in which there are "many mansions" that Jesus is preparing for us...but could it be that while we are here on earth, we are already living in those "mansions" as members of the Body of Christ...whose temple we are?  Think about it...It will make you think more seriously about the place we are dwelling in while we walk in "The Way" of Christ here on earth...You ARE the Temple of God...and the Spirit of God dwells in you!

Don't underestimate your value as a child of God here on earth...Jesus said further in John 14:12-14

12.  "Most assuredly, I say to you,

he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also;

and greater works than these he will do, 

because I go to My Father."

13.  "And whatever you ask in My name,

that I will do,

that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14.  "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

I know this gets kind of deep...but it sure got my attention...Jesus is here with us right now...in our "mansion" in the "Temple" of God, our own "body"...a member of the Body of Christ...His Holy Spirit dwells within us...and through Him we are walking in the Way of Christ, and leading others to Him as we walk this journey together...

Wow! I think I got a lot more out of this message today than I realized...even without taking any notes! Why? Because God's Holy Spirit impressed it upon my heart so that I could share it with you.

We closed our service today singing a favorite hymn:

I'll Fly Away sung here by Joey and Rory

I'll Fly Away

Some bright morning when this life is over

I'll fly away

To that home on God's celestial shore

I'll fly away

I'll fly away, oh glory

I'll fly away in the morning

When I die, Hallelujah by and by

I'll fly away

When the shadows of this life have gone

I'll fly away

Like a bird from these prison walls I'll fly

I'll fly away

I'll fly away, oh glory

I'll fly away in the morning

When I die, Hallelujah by and by

I'll fly away

Oh, how glad and happy when we meet

I'll fly away

No more cold iron shackles on my feet

I'll fly away

I'll fly away, oh glory

I'll fly away in the morning

When I die, Hallelujah by and by

I'll fly away!

I hope you are prepared to go to that place that Christ is preparing for you...where you can be where He is!  And I also hope that you will lead some others in "The Way" of Christ to our heavenly home...as well as that Temple of God where His Holy Spirit dwells here today.  Something to truly think about!

Please Note : I want to repeat this disclaimer here...the notes, outline, and content included here are based upon my own personal understanding of the message that was being given.  I am not attempting to completely quote or reproduce this message or any other message I've shared previously.  Just as each person reading these notes may glean insights and thoughts that seem to directly apply to one's own situation and interpretation, my own delivery of these messages is skewed by my hearing and translation of what is being said.  Some may read my notes here and wonder if they were hearing the same message as I...and I say, God speaks to each of us as He wills...there are things He is trying to get across to each individual that may be entirely different than what the person sitting next to you in the pew is needing to hear...  That is how the Holy Spirit works! He knows what we need to hear and how to apply it to our hearts.  So it is with that understanding that I present these sermon notes to you.

Sermon Notes, FUMC Interlachen, FL, Pastor A.C. Myers, September 16, 2018

Getting Fit? What's the Motive??

Proverbs 31:30: "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."

Today it seems as though there is so much emphasis in the world on beauty and keeping "fit and trim" (isn't that a dog food?) that I sometimes want to rebel when I hear of women going to the "Gym" and aerobics classes. I think I've already shown my rebellion by just letting myself go...I've proven my point...all that fitness jazz just isn't for me! I once had a friend who invited me to visit her health spa with her for a morning workout. I came well prepared...jogging pants and a sweatshirt, and lots of extra weight to lose. We tried out the different exercise machines, and when she saw that I couldn't even stay on the bicycle, let alone get it up to any speed, she suggested we just walk around the jogging trail. That suited me just fine! Funny, I've never heard from that "friend" since that day! I guess she found someone more her "speed".

Well, is it really a sin to try and be beautiful and charming? I guess that depends on your motive. I think a lot of us would do well to try and be a little more beautiful, charming and fit. What woman doesn't feel better about herself and her position in life when she's just had her hair done or when she has a great new outfit that she feels good in and knows it looks good on her? Sometimes even the simplest additions to our wardrobe can make a big difference in how we view the whole wardrobe. I remember one time we were invited to a 50th anniversary party at a lovely hotel restaurant for some relatives. There were many people invited that I didn't know, and as this was my husband's side of the family, I wanted to make a good impression. I didn't have an appropriate outfit for such an occasion, and we couldn't afford to buy one either. So in looking over my existing wardrobe I decided that a black skirt with a dressy blouse and accessories would be appropriate. However, my black skirt really needed a belt to finish it off properly. So I went to a local discount department store and found two great belts for a very low price...one was black velvet, and the other a beautiful tapestry with black trim. I decided on the black velvet for the dressy evening affair, but the tapestry belt made another whole outfit for church or other special events! So there were two new outfits for the price of two inexpensive belts at a discount store!

Back to the issue at hand...what was the motive? Well maybe it was vanity...I admit it...but at least I was "frugal and intelligent" (my opinion, ha!) in solving the problem! And because I felt comfortable about the way I looked, and that my clothes were appropriate for the situation, I was more at ease and able to forget about myself for the evening and enjoy the party.

The proverb says that "a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Perhaps what this is teaching us is that our goal in life should be to know and reverence (fear) the Lord, and not to desire to be noticed and admired by the eyes of the world. A woman who truly loves and knows the Lord will show it in all her ways. She will be charming and beautiful, but her charm will be the attractiveness of Christ glowing out from her, and her beauty will come from deep within her soul. Everything she touches will have a certain radiance of Christ. I've known sincere women of God who, although their physical features were plain, they were the most beautiful women I'd ever known. When we truly know Him in our hearts, all the other areas of our lives fall into the right perspective.

We don't have to be constantly "working out" to get fit, or filling our closets full of useless dresses to make us look beautiful. Certainly we will take proper care of our bodies, "the Temple of the Holy Spirit", because we are not our own since we were bought at a price (I Corinthians 6:19-20) and therefore we should "glorify God in [our bodies] and in our spirits], which are God's." Rather we should spend more time in getting our souls and minds "fit" for the Master's use, and He'll show us how to take care of the rest.

Lord, please help me to remember that You desire my beauty to come from knowing You, and not from a cosmetic or the latest hairstyle or fitness regime. I am reminded in Matthew 6:30-34 that if I will seek first the kingdom of God and Your righteousness, all these things shall be added unto me. You tell us in Your Word not to worry about tomorrow or about what we should eat, drink, or wear, because since you take care of the grass and lilies of the field, You will surely clothe us as well. Thank You, Lord, for this timely reminder. Amen.

Ok, friends, Please don't think that this was just a cop-out for not keeping myself in "shape". I truly desire to be in the best physical condition possible for my age and stage in life...and I do try to eat right, get enough exercise and fresh air, etc. It's all about keeping things in proper perspective and order in our lives...setting priorities and not letting any activity get out of control or placing us in an unbalanced position. The proper order should be:

1. My relationship with God: which includes: spiritual, emotional, and physical attitudes and concerns
2. My relationship with my husband and family
3. My relationship with my church, friends, neighbors, co-workers and others
4. Everything else

If I maintain this order...I should be in good shape!!!