What do I do on Tuesday, 5 November 2024?

 

Read Revelation 1-3

People talk about the Apocalypse and when it will come. I tell you now that the Apocalypse has come. Yes, you heard correctly. The Apocalypse has come. For the word apocalypse means a revealing.

We can speculate and maybe sometimes determine if what has been revealed has yet been manifested on the earth, but the revelation from God came about 2000 years ago on the Isle of Patmos. John put it in writing.

The book is Revelation not Revelations. There are plenty of revelations in Revelation, but this is the revelation of things that are and are to come. We see this first part as a revelation from Christ Jesus to the church.

It comes in the form of messages to 7 churches known to John the Apostle, but we can find counsel to the church as a whole.

You got this concept in Chapter 1 which you heard via video and will forever be known in the annals of the Burns Flat Cumberland Presbyterian Church as the Squeaky Chair message.

Martin Luther thought that Revelation was too hard for the average person to understand. That means that he got a C in his Apocalypse Class in Seminary.

Luther also thought that the book of James was too hard to live by. To which I would say, “Suck it up, Buttercup. Aim high. Confess where you fell short and get back in your race.”

We’re leaning into this draw near to God business don’t tell me it’s too hard.

Back to Revelation and the counsel to the churches.

I hope you remember the short mnemonic that I gave you a couple of weeks ago:  ESP TS PL.

Ephesus.

Smyrna.

Pergamum.

That’s the ESP part.

Then we went to TS and used Top Secret as our helper to remember Thyatira and Sardis.

Finally, we get to Philadelphia and Laodicea. We remember Perfect Love as the vehicle to remember those two churches.

Ephesus was a church that John knew well. In fact, if John had a favorite, it might have been Ephesus.   

The literature surrounding this period notes that in his old age, when John could barely stand, at the end of the service in Ephesus, John would stand and say one simple sentence: “Love one another.”

I love the counsel here. Not because it’s something I would want to hear but because it cuts to the quick.

 You have lost your first Love. Remember the height from which you have fallen and repent. Other stuff is getting in the way of your mission.

Your comfort zone has consumed your passion.

Smyrna was perceived as poor by worldly standards but rich in faith and the things of God. According to Jesus' counsel, they were to get ready for some tough times. Suffering and persecution were on the horizon.

Think to the Beatitudes. If you are being persecuted for following Jesus, then you are in the company of the prophets. That’s some good company.

Pergamum and Thyatira. They were doing some things well but they tolerated so much ungodliness.  

The gods of this age were alive back then as well. What gods? The gods of apathy and ambivalence seemed to have a place in the lives of the church.

The church tolerated the practices of the Nicolaitans and Jezebel.

Rat poop in your cookies.

The church in Sardis did some good things but seldom finished what they started. It was sort of like they were content with planting seeds when they had the opportunity to water as well.

But one plants and another waters… You could have brought someone with you.

How many of you teachers would say that if he put his name on the paper and answered the first two questions on the ten-question test, that’s good enough?

Before you start building the tower, consider the cost.

Finish what you start.

Everyone wants to be the church at Philadelphia. Why?

They will be kept from the hour of trial—of testing—that comes upon the world. Wow!  We get to miss the Tribulation!

You don’t. The entire church goes through tribulation.  Tribulation means pressure. We have pressure now and will continue to have pressure. Why? Much of the world isn’t buying into this one true God stuff, and they don’t like us for proclaiming love, life, and liberty in Christ when they want to generate fear.

Now, discuss to your heart's content who is here for the Great Tribulation. The promise to the church in Philadelphia seems to be that you will be long gone for that, or much of it.

I said that everyone wants to belong to the church in Philly. That’s not true. Some are wired to be warriors or witnesses to the very end, to have the ultimate testimony for all eternity.

That’s probably not good syntax—all eternity. How much is half of eternity? How much is eternity plus a day?

Typically, when we say everyone, that’s too much generalization, except for the last church—Laodicea. They were the lukewarm church.

Jesus said oh, how I wish you were hot or cold, but you are lukewarm, and I vomit you out of my mouth.

I am longing for a well done good, and faithful servant and not a I vomit you out of my mouth because you were so comfortable in working me in where it was convenient encounter with Jesus.

We can be hot or cold, but never lukewarm.

Do you know that the United States military—the Army comes up with most of these planning factors—has a table on how much ice to take in desert operations?  Yes, I said ice.

Why take ice to the desert?  If the soldiers or Marines don’t drink enough water, they become ineffective.  People don’t drink much lukewarm water. Hot or cold, that’s the ticket to hydration in the desert and other places.

There’s the 10,000-foot flyover of 7 churches.

I am changing gears for a moment. I am still talking about the church, but there is this pending event called the General Election. I’m not talking about the election of saints.

This is politics, and for that, we must go to the Book of Second Opinions.

I have counsel for you concerning the upcoming election. It is on 5 November 2024. You might have heard about it.

Occasionally, there is an ad on television. Every so often, you might see an online ad. At least once per year, I am required by contract to use the tool of understatement.

We are bombarded by ads and accusations and adorations and a collection and confluence of terms: liberal, conservative, democrat, republican, patriot, Marxist, word salad, misogynist (and in the spirit of full disclosure, I don’t know if I am one or not. I got a massage while I was in Cozumel, but I was the one receiving the massage, so I don’t know if I am a misogynist or not).

Occasionally, a little malaprop accompanies my understatement.

Cat-eating and no service people in combat areas, borders and budgets, inflation and taxes, gas prices, and stump speeches, attempted assassinations and gun confiscation, and so much more beckon not just for your attention but your obedience to whatever doctrine is espoused.

Yes, this is a big election and it is important that you vote. Not registered?

Just Google anything, and a link to register to vote will pop up somewhere along the way. It might not be a bad thing. So far I have registered 27 times.  This thing is going my way this time, at least in Washita County.

This election is important. I hope you have been praying.  It is important to vote.

Why?

God cannot do this alone.

God cannot do this alone.

I’m going to keep saying this until someone says, Yes, he can.

Is anything too hard for God?

God does not need your vote to do what he is going to do. I think he would want you to avail yourself of the right as with anything that has been trusted to you. We will get to the Parable of the Talents soon enough.

So what am I to do on 5 November? What am I to do?

MAKE DISCIPLES!

But that’s election day!

Make disciples is still the answer.  Make sure that you are doing that on 4 and 6 November as well, as well as the other days ending in the letter Y.

Now, on November 10th, Marines need to be making disciples in their Dress Blues. All veterans should wear a My Oath Never Expires t-shirt the next day. That’s I wrote the blank check celebration day.

The only time I engage in online political discussion is with a friend, where discussion can be discussion and not mindless spewing of words. Those are one in a million these days.

Or, if there is a humorous meme or a fallacy in the thinking proffered, then it concerns me that we as a nation lost our thinking skills on my watch.

My online Nom de Guerre is Non-Sequitur.  Your point does not follow your premise.

 As we are on this rabbit trail, you may want to do the unfollow Tom thing for 30 days thing on Facebook about mid October.  My Marine Corps memes might seem a little salty for some.  Some push the envelope or dryness. OK, I confess, don’t have a dry setting on my humor. It’s arid or just a dad joke.

A while back, there was this big hubbub about Nancy Pelosi saying all veterans were deranged. I don’t know what everyone was up in arms about. I heard that and thought, “OK, what’s your point?”

I thought it was a compliment. Of course we are, some of us just enjoy it. You better do the unfollow thing. Let’s get back to making disciples.

God has commanded us to do many things, but he has commissioned us to make disciples.  What’s the difference?

Our commission is a command given with authority. Remember the end of the Gospel of Matthew before Jesus ascended into heaven, Jesus said to go and make disciples.

Before he said that he said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  The next word is therefore. It connects authority with the command.

We are commissioned to make disciples.

Why are we spending so much time and energy arguing about two people more than we invest in making disciples?

I am not saying the election is not important. I’m saying that we are spending far too much time arguing, drawing battlelines, and hating other people over the things of this world and not giving our best to the things of God.

I love being an American. I have seen much of the world in and out of the Corps and my love for this nation has only grown stronger. I loved serving America as a United States Marine Corps officer. My commission does not expire.

My first duty is to God. My commission—my authority—comes from God. My loyalty and obedience are first to God, and he sent me into the world to make disciples.

OBTW—he sent you too.

But really, don’t you love the words, We The People?

How about a government of the people, by the people, and for the people?

Wonderful words! Abe Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson. I hope I get to see both in heaven. I’m going to give Thomas Jefferson a big ole hug and tell him that his words in the Constitution were divine poetry. Then I am going to take him out back where they keep the Church of Christ so they don’t know the rest of us made it and beat the tar out of him because he denied the divinity of Christ.

I am thinking that I might be spending the first 10,000 years of eternity in the brig. Chesty will visit me.

If they put me on bread and water I know it’s the bread of life and living water, so Cool Beans!

But here’s the thing: We have a government of the people—we absolutely do! Our representatives represent the people. They are who we are. The problem is that not all of the people are seeking God, not all of them are obeying God, and not all want God in their lives or ours, but these executives and lawmakers represent who we are as a nation.

That ought to put a lump in your throat.

The Founding Fathers knew that our country would survive only as long as God was first. This beautiful thing of a democratically elected republic framed in the Constitution only works when the people seek God first.

If the people and their representatives pursue their own desires and aspirations, they might accomplish much, but it will just be another Tower of Babel.

The last time people worked hard and worked together to accomplish something big, but exactly the opposite of what God told them to do, he confused the language.

But come on, Tom, let’s take a couple of months off from making disciples and work to vote them all out. Surely we should be granted time off for that.

Absolutely not!

Do you want a godly government? Work on the recruiting pool.

What? Make disciples of all nations. As more and more come to Christ, our Republic will have more and more people who seek him serving as our representatives.

If we the people start looking more like Christ, don’t you think our government will be more godly?

And the more that the people seek God and want to draw close to him, the less important our secular government will be.

But what happens if people don’t respond to our message and invitation? What happens if our nation drifts farther and farther from God?

Then, we must be ready for persecution and suffering. We will increase our passion for God, never wanting to be known as lukewarm. We must wake up and strengthen what remains.

Before we close ranks, shore up our battle lines, and fix our fighting holes and ramparts, we better do something else.

Remember the height from which we have fallen and repent.

Do the things that we did at first.  Rekindle the passion for the Lord that we once knew. Take the love of God to the world and make disciples.

Make disciples!

If you want to talk politics, I am up for it. Or is it down for it these days, or is it something else these days?

We don’t have to agree. I am comfortable with you just being wrong.

And just so you know, the world considers me a political scientist. That’s what the piece of paper that Oklahoma State gave me said.

I didn’t go to my college graduation. I worked. I needed the money. Officers have to buy their own uniforms and that was about $2000. This was 1979.

As I didn’t get to go to graduation, OSU did something special for me. They gave me my BA in Political Science and a theme song. Hit the road, Jack, and don’t you come back…

I have made it through this message without saying this, but here goes. Let's just say I grew up middle-class—I think—but I might have been poor.

Do you know what a blessing that was? I don’t mean being middle class or being poor, but not knowing and not caring.

I knew God through Jesus. I loved school, sports, and work, and nobody had laid a social or economic label on me, at least that I knew or cared about.

And as a growing-up rabbit trail, the fashion police had no jurisdiction in my life. I have photos to prove it.

Stop by and talk politics with me. It will be a short rest from making disciples. We won’t take a brief rest from politics to talk God. That would be backward.

For we are to make disciples.

I close now, asking how many will leave the building today because the service is over. Anyone?

I hope not. I pray not, for we don’t just leave when the hour is done.

We are sent!

Sent to do what?

MAKE DISCIPLES!

 

Amen.

 

Suck it Up, Buttercup

 Read Titus 2

The paths of Paul and Titus crossed more than once, though I don’t think he traveled with Paul but for some short parts of Paul’s third missionary journey.

Paul sent Titus to Corinth on more than one occasion, so he knew he could trust Titus for independent assignments. Paul knew he could trust Titus on the most difficult of assignments.

It’s sort of the you did well with a few things, now I will put you in charge of many things sort of assignment. 

Paul had trusted Titus with business in Corinth, a congregation that surely had plenty of pagan practices, ungodly lifestyles, and a whole swing and a miss on this love business.  Titus had done well with those knuckleheads. He might be the best qualified to deal with those Cretans.

In any case, Paul sent Titus to Crete to finish the work that had begun there. It was far from finished. This was the early to mid-sixties. The temple had not yet been destroyed.

Paul was likely writing from mainland Greece, perhaps from Athens or Corinth. And what did Paul have to say to Titus?

Gentlemen, this is a football.

In 1961 the Green Bay Packers had begun their training camp. Vince Lombardi stood before his players and said: “Gentlemen, this is a football.”

The all-pro wide receiver Max McGee responded, “Could you take it a little slower, coach?”

The thing about Lombardi is that he always began with the basics, even if you were already champions.

Paul is telling Titus that he has to start with the basics. These guys didn’t ever have the law and not much of a moral compass from their culture and genealogy.

Titus, you have to teach men how to be men, conscious of their conduct and aware that they are examples to the younger men.

You have to teach wives to be faithful wives and good mothers. They too must set an example.

Together, the adults—parents—are to bring up their children in the way they should go. Vince Lombardi started with a blank slate each season.

Paul told Titus that some cultural history here will be tough to overcome. Start with the basics.

I have given you this seemingly impossible task, but with God, all things are possible, even ministry to a bunch of Cretans.

In the next service, I will look at how our Western society behaves like a bunch of Cretans than we might want to admit, but for now let’s examine Paul’s specific instructions.

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.

Once this is done, you will have laid the groundwork for raising children. The man must be the head of the household but he is not the boss. He should lead his family to God and to godly living.

Both husband and wife are to be an example to their children and bring them up in the way they should go.

Paul told Titus, when the going gets tough, get back to basics.

Amen.

 

Parents: Leading is better than Sending

 Read Titus 2

Here we go again, more directions to follow.

Teach the older men to stay on an even keel, living lives worthy of respect. Teach them to use the sound mind that God gave them.  Challenge them to stay the course and to press on towards a godly life.

Teach the older women to be respectful and mindful of what they say. I’m sure that gossip thrived as much two millennia ago as it does now. The whole like and share business was just a little more complicated.

Teach them to watch what they drink and to be good examples to their children. Children need to see a godly model of marriage in the home.

We will talk more about children in a moment. These seem like sensible guidance for all mankind. Let’s move it along. Next chapter.

What’s new here?

These sound like sensible instructions to people who had been pagans and who had tried to please false gods These might be good instructions for someone wondering if there was a God.

But these were Cretans! You have heard the term. Well, Paul left Titus on Crete to minister to these new believers. They were, as Paul said:

They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

Paul was essentially telling Titus that this is the worst duty station ever, and it’s all yours. Get these Cretans in shape so they can run their race of faith.

OBTW—Suck it up buttercup.

So you didn’t get left in Ephesus, Philippi, or even among the pagan philosophers in Athens. You are not on the short list for that opening in Honolulu.

Crete! Are you kidding me?

Can you think of a time where God sent his people into a land of g odlessness and depravity? Sure you can.

The Promised Land was a gift, but it was full of godless people with godless practices.  How did God address this? He sent the law via Moses and he drove out the armies of the godless occupants of the land. If they stayed to fight, they died.

If you have read the laws in Leviticus 18, you might wonder, “Did God really have to tell us that?”

His answer was that the people in the land now have done all of these things and they disgust me. You are to be holy as your God is holy.

So Joshua was sent into the Promised Land to drive out its pagan residents. He was to leave nobody untouched. If they ran away, they might live. If they remained, they would die.

Joshua never balked at the task given to him. He was the choose this day guy and his choice was clear. He would serve the Lord. We saw a glimpse of this when Moses sent the spies into the land.

Joshua and Caleb were ready to take the land by the power of God. Ten other men on the same reconnaissance mission saw an enemy too great for them to defeat.

No matter what the obstacle before us, the God inside of us is much greater. Now back to Crete and Titus.

The adults on this island have gone beyond rough edges and they are a challenge, but you can reach their children even if the adults act like a bunch of Cretans.

Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

So, men and women together, live wholesome lives. Be good examples. Practice self-control. Make temperate language your lexicon.

Then you will be in good shape to bring up a child in the way he or she should go. Do you want victory in your community?

Live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be a good example. Bring up kids the right way. That’s about as straightforward as it gets and it embraces the full biblical witness.

So, suck it up, buttercup, and lead those Cretans into Christian living. Good advice for two millennia ago but does it mean anything here and now?  Come on, we don’t live in a community of Cretans, do we?

How would I know?

Here’s one of my indicators. About 20-30 times a year, someone calls me and asks if we help with power bills or water bills or some other expense.

I tell them that for those who don’t have a church family, we send money through the Ministerial Alliance to the Western Oklahoma Family Care Center for those purposes.

Sometimes the answer I get is that my kids go to that church.

They do not have the dissonance that should accompany that statement. Their minds should be conflicted.

I don’t gather to worship God but I do send my kids.

The whole don’t stop gathering together business doesn’t register. This should be a conflict in the minds of one who says they follow God.

Paul told Titus: They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. I can think of anything more 2024 America than that statement.

They claim to know God but you would never know by looking at ‘em.

We have been down the vending machine road a few times in connection with several topics.  That’s too transactional. I came up with the metaphor and targeted my writing on the transactional and transformational nature of our actions to faithful believers.

Eventually, I wrote a couple things to the parents. I have put out something like this for the past several years.

Dear Mom or Dear Dad,

 

I want you to know how much I enjoy going to church.  Really, I don’t go to church.  I am a part of the church.  The church is that group of people who follow Jesus.  I learned that and like it.

I wanted to say thank you for letting me go.  I will probably go a few more years before I stop.  It’s not a thing that older people do.  It can’t be for real or you would go too, but it’s fun for now.

 

I believe in God and in Jesus and that he died to take away my sins, but that can’t mean too much or you would lead me to worship him.  It can’t be that important.

 

We make it to most of the ball games and town events and never miss a weekend of bingeing on movies.  We go to the lake and never miss a game on the big screen.  If this worshiping God was important, we would do that too.  I trust you that it can’t be that important.  I trust you!

 

I know that your life is tough, and you are tired most of the time.  I guess that is what I will be soon, once I stop this Jesus stuff.  Really, what’s the point.  You have your reasons not to go.  I will just use your reasons in a few years.  I will be just like you.

 

I really enjoy the Christmas presents and other cool stuff that you get me, but all of that stuff just wears out over time.  They tell me that Jesus wants us to live forever with him.  I wish that were true, but I’m sticking with you and not buying this God loves me stuff.

 

I will keep going to worship and classes for now so you can have a break, but don’t worry.  One day I will be just like you and skip all of this God is love nonsense.  I know it can’t be true.  You tell me that you love me and these church folks tell me that God loves me.  I want to believe but I won’t betray you.  I will be just like you and start making my list of reasons not to give up my Sunday mornings to worship God.

 

Don’t worry.  One day I will have a standing list of reasons at the ready as to why I can’t go or participate or serve God in any way.  I may take some of those excuses and expand them for work when I have a job or for my own kids to use at school when some teacher challenges them to be their best.  Don’t worry, I will be faithful to what you have taught me.

 

Just to make sure that I don't backslide into the ways of the church, I will criticize those who beckon me to come and worship the Lord or challenge people to respond to God's grace by love and obedience.  I won't fall into that trap.  I will stay on the sidelines with you and fight to remain apathetic and ambivalent about life. Maybe, I will become fatalistic and hopeless and more self-centered so I am not tempted to return to following Jesus.

 

Santa, the Easter Bunny, and even the Tooth Fairy got benched eventually. Jesus can join them soon enough. I know this is kid stuff, but…

 

If you don’t mind, I would like to keep going for a little while longer.  These people who are the church are always kind and loving to me.  They smile when they see me.  Most give me a hug.  They know what God says about just about everything.  They actually believe what God says.  It’s really cool stuff, but don’t worry, I won’t let you down.  I will stay away and be content in my reasons for not going soon enough.

 

I want to be just like you.

 

Love, Your Kid.

 

I’m just talking about gathering for worship. I haven’t even mentioned the tithe, the power of believers gathered in prayer, or iron sharpening iron—one believer sharpening another as we follow the Lord.

 

Taking the yoke of our Master , learning from him, and putting his words into practice are still a bridge too far at the moment.

 

I’m just talking about getting parents to lead their children to worship. It might seem like I am spending a lot of time on one thing. But in this build your own god world, knowing the one True God is important. Coming to worship him is even more important.

 

So, why do I need to know what you are telling the lost and disconnected? Because they need to hear it from you as well.

 

They expect it from me, but when you say this is important, it’s a different sort of endorsement.

 

People expect the preacher to preach.  They expect him to teach. They expect him to say what he says even if they don’t want to hear it.

 

The preacher is the one whom you expect to know the Bible. You expect him to study and pray and teach and more.

 

But when you say it is important, it takes on a different value. You add the value of personal experience. You are navigating the world and trying very hard to do it God’s way.

 

You value your children and are committed to making sure they are brought up in the way they should go.

 

Most of you have a secular workplace and navigate your employment seeking to keep God first in your life.

 

You get it! Our conduct and example are important. We believe. We want to follow Jesus. We want our children to know the Lord and the abundant life he has in store for us.

 

Now, share it.  Share with those whom we do not see that seeing them with their children on Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings is important. Leading your children to worship is important.

 

THIS IS IMPORTANT!

 

So many people who come seeking financial help tell me that they would do anything for their babies. I get some get me away from this guy looks when I respond, “Would you lead them to God? Would you lead them to worship? Would you lead them to serve the Lord and obey him?

 

There is a difference in directing and leading. There is a difference between sending and leading.

 

I was blessed to have served as a commissioned officer of United States Marines for over 20 years. I only needed to know 5 words.  They were: Take the hill!

 

All of that time in college and all I really needed to know was 5 words. Some of the more analytical and mathematical types are thinking, that’s only 3 words, but are not sure if they should say anything or not. That’s how you get roped into singing a special or filling the pulpit.

 

Yes, that was only 3 of the 5 words. The other 2 are the most important.

 

Follow Me!

 

Leadership by example is the best form of leadership. We need to practice this in how we live. We should be excellent examples.

 

We should be the model for bringing up a child in the way he or she should go.

 

We should be telling everyone that their relationship with God matters. Obeying God matters. Taking his yoke matters. Putting his words into practice matters.

 

There is a lot to being a faithful disciple but some people just need to get started by gathering together as believer on a regular basis.

 

So many need to lead their families to the Lord.

 

How do we do this?

 

Not by pointing a finger of condemnation and judgment, but by extending our arms in invitation.

 

We invite because we are commissioned to, but also because our hearts compel us to tell others this is important.

 

I’m talking mostly to men, but also to all the adults in the household, when I say lead your children to worship and service and abundant life.

 

Teach your children to grow in the grace of God.

 

One of the most important things we who have brought children into the world or taken on the role of parent via another route is to lead your children to God through Christ.

 

Teach them to love, obey, honor, worship, and serve, God by proclaiming Jesus is Lord and following him as his disciple.

 

This is important!

 

The world says to gratify yourselves. God’s word says to love God, please God, worship God, serve God, Obey God, and put the words of our Master into practice.

 

There is joy in living a life that brings glory to God’s name. The world does not want you to know this.  We are to love God, serve God, obey God

 

I have heard most of the excuses for not being able to do this. I started numbering them. I am up to 2234 as of the end of August.

 

How do I respond to all of those excuses?  It’s usually a one size fits all.

 

We do what’s important to us.

 

We do what is important to us.  If it is important to us, we will find a way.

 

If you want that ticket to this year’s Super Bowl. You will find a way to score the ticket.

 

If you need extra memory for the video games that you play on your computer. You will find a way to get the extra RAM chips.

 

If you really need that extra tat on your arm, you will find a way to get inked.

 

If you really will do anything for your children, then do it. Start by leading them to God through Jesus and then get them to worship, Christian education, serving others in love, obeying the one true God, and choosing to follow Jesus in response to God’s love, then do these things.

 

Start with coming to worship, then education, then service, and then you are on your way to the joy of the Lord.

 

These are important. Now make them important to you. That’s how simple our message is.

 

We don’t have to take the hill. Jesus did that for us, but we are called to follow Jesus. We are called to make disciples.

 

We are to tell others to follow us to the One that they will want to follow for all of their years. Just sending your kids tells them that this worship stuff is not important to you.

 

God is good. God is love. God loves you. God has good plans for you.

 

God wants to see you leading your family to worship week after week. He wants to see you and all who call upon his name in this community in a house of worship on Sundays, Wednesdays, or whenever the body is gathered to worship and serve God.

 

This is our message and it is important!

 

Amen.