Scripture – NIV
Luke 12:13-34 –
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Bob’s thoughts:
I was lamenting the lack of a cross but then I found it off to the side, a black cross against a black wall in the dim lights. Somehow it was special that it didn’t jump out at me.
I liked the harmony of the worship leaders, but one voice had almost too much power for the small venue. I hope to hear them after they move to their new building.
Pastor Jeff’s video message was a look at You In Five Years. It made me think of a column titled New Year Challenge by Harlon Cohen from Chicago. Instead of figuring out your resolutions, pretend it is January 2020 and write as if you have lived 2019 already…goals, fears, milestones? “Pick a date beyond the fear and look back with a sense of calm.” What do you want to accomplish this year? What can you do for Christ? I have had times where I wasn’t sure what God wanted me to do, but when I started, He moved me to what He wanted for me. Reflect on how can I make my life worth something for Christ, and start doing it.
Jan’s thoughts:
We arrived with only a little time to spare. Several people welcomed us, and we found seats quickly.
The worship space is black and the wall behind the platform boasts an attention-grabbing pattern of circles with lights that change colors to coordinate with the colors on the screen.
Music was led by a vocalist, a keyboardist, and a guitarist, whose voices blended and supported each other beautifully.
The opening Scripture was Isaiah 43:18-19 and was followed with a reminder that God is doing a new thing. Just the encouragement my heart needed today.
A number of events are planned here, including the Pasta Invitational (great name!), Vision Sunday, and next month they are moving to a newer, updated facility very nearby. An eventful time for this church!
Through the wonders of technology, the message was given by Jeff Leake, Allison Park Church’s Lead Pastor, from the Hampton location. (This multi-campus church’s sixth location will open in March.)
The current series is called You In Five Years and is an effort to encourage people to view their lives from a long-term perspective as well as from the perspective of eternity. The three issues:
1 – Are you saved?
2 – Are you purposely storing up treasure in heaven by investing in the lives of others?
3 – What will matter most in eternity are the souls we work to bring with us.
He took this opportunity to introduce/remind his listeners of local and international outreach and teaching efforts, including offering the Alpha course. After watching a video from the series, I’m sure those who participate will be enthusiastic.
We appreciated the time given by the pastor for conversation following worship.
Our prayer for this church:
Lord, we pray Your continued blessings on Your church. Please guide them as they move to their new building and bring many not-yet-believers to their door to learn about Jesus. Amen.
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