Southminster Presbyterian Church

Today we worshiped at Southminster Presbyterian Church, 799 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228, 412.343.8900, www.spchurch.org, Rev. Dr. Daniel B. Merry, Senior Pastor.

Scripture – Genesis 37:18-28 NIV

But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”

When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.

Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.

So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

Bob’s thoughts:

We were looking for an early service so we could meet up with family for a Mother’s Day lunch, and when we found this would be the senior pastor’s last Sunday preaching before a well-earned sabbatical, our choice was made. I’m glad God lead us to visit and extend our well wishes. There was also a time of recognition of the director of the children’s ministry, who is moving from the area.

We were warmly greeted and I was pleased to see so many children…so much so that I turned my chair so I could watch them at the end of the service.

I was impressed with the lead singer’s voice; I could hear the worship in her voice, and she blended wonderfully with the rest of the worship team.

The message was based on the Scripture telling of Joseph’s being sold into slavery, his attitude as the favored son and his brothers’ jealousy. Thinking of Joseph’s rise to power, fall, and rise again…we are told of Joseph’s faith but God took the time for an attitude adjustment also.

I guess my younger brother was fortunate that we had closed our well and filled it in when he was born as I’m sure the thought crossed our minds. Maybe it is having only brothers, we all want to be the favored son, and at the same time, we don’t. It is an amazing God Who can use us as we are and change us to the person He wants us to be. The things He does to us for love.

Jan’s thoughts:

It was a special day in the life of this, one of our favorite congregations, as they said good bye to one member of the staff and wished bon voyage to their senior pastor and his wife as they leave for a 3-month sabbatical.

Although we have worshiped at the Crossings service before, I noticed two things that have either changed or I missed before: instead of the children being in another room, they and their families sit and play in a space set up for them in the back of the worship area. I couldn’t help but feel the family-friendliness.

The other thing was having the congregation come forward to drop their offering in a basket but instead of marching forward to do so, we were instructed to also greet other worshipers. It gave a casual, friendly feeling to both usually stuffy and structured parts of the service.

The message was entitled “The Things We Do For Love…” but was far from sweet or sentimental. The love of money, greed, power, and influence caused Joseph’s brothers to do horrendous things to him, and those same loves can cause us to do equally atrocious things in the same context – family.

He ended with one question that we all need to ask ourselves in the midst of quarrels with family, or really, anyone…Is this what Christ calls us to do? I know the answer to that question before it is even asked.

We were delighted to be present for the loving farewell prayer and for the Litany of Sabbatical and our prayers go with both families.

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, may this church continue to mirror to others the love You shower upon them. We pray Your blessings still on the epitome of the love You show – mothers. Amen.