Hi friends,
Jim (JR) here. As Karen mentioned, we want to continue the Everybody Gets to Play emails as a tribute to John Trotter’s legacy. (We miss you John).
Each week we have the privilege to gather as Christ followers. We worship when we sing, celebrate communion, pray, and share words of encouragement. Here are some of the highlights from the last few weeks.
GIVING
A couple of weeks ago Allen spoke to us about “Generosity.” God loves when we are generous with our kind words, food, time, money, etc. He used the simile of generosity being like farming. You sow seeds and tend to the garden, and God blesses. Allen recounted a story he had as a young man that made an impact on his life. He had no cash to buy meals on a multi-day bus ride. He had an encounter with a man who happened to be a dwarf and learned a valuable lesson that served as a catalyst to teach Allen to ‘pay it forward.’ (If you missed this sermon, it’s available on LVC’s website – a riveting story). Through various Scriptures, along with the contemporary stories of Les Misérables and Scrooge, he reminded us that if we are generous, we WILL be rewarded whether on earth or “in a place where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 16).
Last week Pastor Karen preached on the topic: “Whose Time Is It Anyway?” She referenced Bible passages from Genesis (They – Adam and Eve – heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze) to Revelation (the time is near), and referenced the well-known passage in Ecclesiastes 3, “For everything there is a season, and la time for every matter under heaven.” She reminded us that while God transcends time, He chose to come to us as both human and God as He entered into time with us. We have a limited amount of time on this planet, and God desires we use that time to connect with Him and others. Karen painted a beautiful picture of God inviting us to “walk with Him in the garden of His goodness…. In His pasture of His provision.” (We know how Karen loves alliteration 😊).
This morning, Karen continued the GIVING theme with a message: “We Can Do Small Things With Great Love,” as Mother Teresa encouraged us. In our worship service Beth and Bart lead us in a song called “I Don’t Have Much.” The chorus: I have a heart that beats for You, I have a life I’ll give to you. So much of our willingness to share our talents (all the gifts of God – faith, hope, charity, mind, sound judgment, and a share in the mercy of God) is tied into our attitudes. As the song says, I have a life I’ll give to you, means offering our talents GENEROUSLY to God and to others. There are so many needs around us. In Pray the News, Judi prayed for the desperate immigrants often fleeing violence and persecution. Karen urged us to consider the poor (poor in spirit as well in resources). May God help us live the lyrics referenced earlier: I have a heart that beats for you; I have a life I’ll live for you. It’s a decision we must make daily.
Questions to consider:
- Can you think of a time when you were a recipient of surprised generosity? Did it make you want to be more generous to others?
- How can you (we) prioritize our time to be in sync with God’s priorities (to ‘walk’ with Him and strive for [get ready a Karen mouthful] a ‘communal explosion of love for one another’)?
- In a moment of self-reflection, how willing are you to have a conversation with God about striving to share your talents with others in disciplined habits and asking the Holy Spirit to use you as He leads?
With you on the journey,
Jim Roberson
Pastoral Care Team, Liberty Vineyard Church
(678) 469-8156
Recent Sunday sermons: