November 21, 2010

11-21-10 Sunday, 5:58 am Springfield, 55 degrees, breezy.

I am looking forward to this morning of worship, praise and fellowship. My sermon still needs a little work, and I have the time and energy for what I need to do today. Guide me Lord as I serve You in the church.

II Cor 4:13-16
I read this scripture earlier this fall in The One Year Bible, and God impressed upon me to use this as the text for this thanksgiving week. “… grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving to the glory of God.” (4:15)
Rather than emphasize being thankful because we have enough to eat and drink, shelter and transportation (all of which are subjects of gratitude) this verse states that as grace extends to more and more people, there will be an increase in thanksgiving to the glory of God. I desire to be involved in the increase of thanksgiving through the work of the church which extends grace to more and more people in the coming months and years.

It is so easy to be complacent. William Bradford and his group were forced by the English government to meet privately, then move out of the country so as to worship God as they deemed authentic. With the laws on the books that required attendance at the Church of England, these separatists wanted to order their lives around a church that was not an extension of the government. Sojourning in the Netherlands, they eventually decided to form a colony in North America.

Nearly 400 years later, we have the privilege to worship however we determine is pleasing to God. In large, small, historic, new, young, old churches we gather together today to ask the Lord’s blessing, He chastens and hastens His will to make known… Thank you Lord for this freedom, guide me as I serve you within and beyond the Wesley United Methodist Church today.