Sermon
Notes for January 15, 2023:
I.
An
example of what a disciple of Jesus looks like…based upon God’s Word:
Denies self. Luke
9:23
Identifies with Christ. Matthew
10:24-25, 32
Serves others. Mark
10:42-45
Continues in God’s Word. John 8:31-32
Involved in the Great
Commission. Matthew
28:18-20
Produces much fruit. John 15:8
Loves other believers. John
13:34-35
Equip the body. John
21:15b; Ephesians 4:11-12
II.
How
do we make disciples of Jesus
A. God’s Disciple-making
plan – 2 Timothy 2:2 (NLT): 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by
many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who
will be able to pass them on to others.
B. Remember the difference
between a horse and a mule?
1.
A
horse can __________.
2.
A
mule does not __________.
3.
And
so if one is a disciple of Jesus (a wonderful disciple) but works alone, then
we will not produce another disciple of Jesus.
4.
And
so it is very important in God’s plan to invest in those younger than us in
order to pass on the faith to the next generation. We see Paul invested in
Timothy and Titus.
C. Remember…to make a
disciple of Jesus:
1.
Teach…name/share what truth of God you are
trying to teach another person.
2.
Train…invite a person to come along-side you or
someone else to see you trying to live this teaching.
3.
Equip…the person has been equipped when
you can see them do what you are trying to teach and train them.
III.
Now
in today’s Gospel of John
A. What is the Great Truth
about Jesus that John the Baptist tells his Disciples?
All Read: Behold the Lamb of God who
takes away the sin of the world.
B. From How to Forgive
Ourselves – Totally:
Let me explain what I mean by “fallen”
state. St. Augustine (354-430) put forward four stages of humankind that set
the pace for the Christian church’s doctrine of sin for hundreds of years:
1.
Posse peccare (able to sin) – that is,
Adam and Eve before the Fall in Genesis 3.
2.
Non posse non peccare (not able not to sin) –
that is, the state into which all people are born after the Fall.
3.
Posse non peccare (able not to sin) – that
is, those who have faith in Christ.
4.
Non posse peccare (not able to sin) – that
is, once we are in heaven.
C. But how did Jesus
help His disciples see how He, the Lamb of God, take away the sin of the
world? (train) What was Jesus “famous” for doing? __________with sinners.
1.
Now
in our Gospel story, Jesus turned and saw a couple of John’s disciples
following Him. Jesus asked them, “What do you want?” The said, “Where are you
staying?” Jesus said, “Come and see.”
2.
For
those disciples, a key part of their following Jesus was coming and seeing why
Jesus was famous for __________ with sinners!
3.
In
the very next chapter of John, the disciples are invited to join Jesus at a wedding
feast in Cana.
4.
Read
the Gospel stories to see how many times the disciples see Jesus (the Lamb of
God) who eats with sinner; many of whom the disciples would never imagined they
would ever eat with.
5.
What
“sinful people” have you ended up eating with because you have sought to follow
Jesus in your life?
IV.
Now
a “brief remembering” how important is “eating meals with sinners” is for us
disciples of Jesus.
A. For the first disciples
of Jesus who were Jewish, what persons did they struggle joining the Risen
Jesus and eating with them? __________(Gentiles)
1.
No
faithful Jew would ever eat in the home of a Gentile or invite a Gentile to eat
at their table.
2.
Remember
the story of Peter going to the home of Cornelius in Joppa!
B. Another challenge for
the first disciples of Jesus: Some of the early Gentile disciples of Jesus were
slave-owners and so what should they do when they gather with slaves who also
had become disciples of Jesus.
C. You can trace Church
History and see both the painful and the glorious sides of the struggle to join
Jesus in eating with sinners!
V.
Let
us go back to the basic truth about Jesus being the Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world: We are all sinners in need of Jesus! Which is at
the heart of our worship services.
A. And so, part of Jesus’
disciple-making plan is to invite us to join Him in eating with sinners that we
have been taught not to eat with or we feel “uncomfortable” eating with them.
B. For us older Christians
in our country:
1.
For
us white Christians, who were the first black people invited into our home to
eat at our table?
2.
For
us black Christians, who were the first white people invited into our home to
eat at our table?
C. A couple of stories form
the 1960’s:
1.
My
sister’s wedding.
2.
Us
priests at St. Margaret.
VI.
“Less
dramatic” but what is your “eating meals with Jesus” plan?
A. My wife Joan and I…our
home and table.
B. Our prayer for our
single-mother daughter and her daughter.
C. Our son John and Rosa.
D. Our granddaughter in
Budapest.
E. What do you think is one
of the most important ways Muslims come to know Jesus Christ?
Announcements
Pre-Confirmation/Confirmation
classes
are in session with John Toich teaching
pre-confirmation – 6th grade, and Vicki Borreson
and Todd Coppell teaching confirmation – 7th & 8th
grades. Parents are invited to attend classes to learn about what the children
are studying, or parents can attend our adult Sunday school/study or fellowship
during the Sunday school hour.
Hoagie
Sale is
on! Forms are available with any Luther League youth member or Vicki Borreson. Deadline to order is Sunday, February 5th
by 6pm. Hoagies will be made by the Luther League Youth Group this year on
February 10th, and will be available for pick-up on Saturday,
February 11th from 10am to noon or during church hours on Sunday,
February 12th.
Annual Luther League
Youth Ski Trip: We have a house on the
mountain for our upcoming ski trip, February 24th - 26th. This is a great
fellowship event for our youth filled with fun, food, and Bible studies. Oh,
and some time at the ski lodge and on the slopes. This
year, Massanutten ski resort requires lift tickets, etc. for
snowboarding and skiing to be purchased in advance. Each attendee will have to
order their lift ticket and equipment in advance with a credit card. Vicki Borreson is checking to see if that also is true for
tubing. If you need assistance with ordering or have questions, please contact
Vicki Borreson at 410-456-6735. If you are interested
in chaperoning and/or providing transportation, please contact Vicki Borreson. **ATTENDEES: It’s not too late to register for
the ski trip. Just send in/bring in a deposit of $30 to Vicki Borreson ASAP. Your remaining balance is due by Sunday,
February 19th.
Coffee
House will
be held on Friday, February 3rd at 7pm. A $5 donation per person is
requested and all are welcome! Enjoy coffee, tea and
lite refreshments during the live entertainment, including music from the Fishtones. If you would like to share your talent, please
contact Donna Jones at 410-790-9735.
“Catch-Up”
Sundays
will be held on the months that have 5 Sundays. January 29th will be
our first “Catch-Up” Sunday. This Sunday is an opportunity to catch up on any
giving that you have missed or to give a special gift to the general budget or
capital building fund. For more information, please see Helen Stevens, our
Stewardship chairperson. Thank you for your continued support of all the
ministries here at St. Matthew!!
Ash
Wednesday is
February 22nd. We will have a 10am morning service and a 7:30pm
evening service with ashes. We will also hold our traditional Soup and Salad
dinner. A donation sign-up sheet will be available for Ash Wednesday and all
Wednesdays in Lent on Sunday, January 29th.
Reminder:
If you
ordered poinsettias, please pick them up in the fellowship hall. Any
poinsettias left after this Sunday will be given away or disposed. Thank you
for making our sanctuary beautiful during the Christmas season.
Our
sympathy and prayers go
to the family and friends of Jeanne Nye, who passed away on January 8th.
There is no service or internment planned at this as her family wants to honor
her wishes. Cards can be sent to Dian Paugh @ 108 W. Center Street, Kitzmiller,
MD 21538, or Kim Crogan @ 106 W. Center Street,
Kitzmiller, MD 21538, Kathy Nye is in Delaware and her address is not recorded
in the office. Please keep her daughters, Kathy, Diane, and Kim;
and her grandson Zach in prayer. God’s blessings to all!
The
Regional WNALC
is inviting the ladies of our church to join them on the weekend of May 5-7 in
Newville, PA for their Annual Spring Women’s Retreat. Please pick up a flier in
the Narthex for details.
Our
Bible Studies for 2023
Below
is a list of the Bible Studies being offered here in our congregation. Friends
are always welcome to join us in a study.
Mondays – starting January 9th
A.
Monday
Morning Study from 9:30am to 11am
12-week
study: Experiencing God
Leaders:
Jeff Markley and Pastor Ray
B.
Monday
Evening Study from 7pm to 8:30pm
Bible Study
of Scripture
Leader:
Jeff Markley
Tuesdays – starting January 3rd
A.
Tuesday
Evening Study from 7pm to 8:30pm
Study:
Totally Forgiving Ourselves, Study of How God Forgives Us
Leader:
Irene Markley
Wednesdays – starting December 28th
A.
Wednesday
Evening Study from 6:30pm to 8pm
Study:
12-lesson study: Experiencing God
Leaders:
Keith Baughman and Jeff Markley
Thursdays
-
starting January 5th
A.
Thursday
Evening Study for Women with the Journey Sisters
Meets: the
1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 7pm to 8:30pm
Study: No
study selected yet but will post when the ladies have chosen one
Leader:
Irene Markley
B.
Thursday
Evening Study for Women with the Mary and Martha Circle
Meets: the
2nd and 4th Thursday of the month from 7pm to 8:30pm
Study: a
study on the Epiphany
Leader:
Vicki Borreson
C.
Thursday
Evening Study for Men
Meets: at
the VFW Hall on Ebenezer Road @ 7pm
Study: Leader’s Choice
– weekly picks
Leader: Any man who
steps up – coordinator is Jeff Markley
Sundays – starting on January
8th
A.
Sunday
Morning Adult Study during Sunday School Hour from 9:45am to 10:55am
Study: from
CPH: A Longer Look at the Lessons: Year A - Advent, Christmas, Epiphany
Leader:
Betty Ristau