May 17 – Via Zoom
Welcome and Opening Thoughts for Sunday School – Scott Rohrer
Scott was not only in charge of opening for Sunday school, he is also part of our tech team who was dealing with a variety of technical issues due to a recent upgrade from Zoom.
How good to know that God is God alone. Nothing needs to be added or subtracted. He is God.
During these days of dealing with the virus we are beginning to notice bad attitudes, uncertainty and anger all around us.
We don’t know what to believe about people’s opinions, but we do know that God alone is God.
He is unchangeable.
He is unstoppable.
Sunday School Teacher – Rol Longenecker
Lesson Title – Practice Justice
Scripture – Jeremiah 21:8-14
God is good all the time – even during our tech issues this morning.
I happen to be a “baby boomer” and since I am new to Zoom, I am now a “baby zoomer”. 🙂
Have you ever been talking to someone and realize they are not listening to you?
This is what was happening to God in Jeremiah 5:21 Hear this now, O foolish people, without understanding, who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not.
God wants to bless us, but He also wants us to listen to Him and to obey Him.
He wants us to stay on track.
Idolatry is placing something between you and God.
When we are stubborn and rebellious, God has a variety of ways of getting our attention.
Illustration of what happens when Jesus cleans up our lives.
For this illustration I have a pie plate (to represent the world), water (to represent us), pepper (to represent sin) and soap (to represent Jesus)
Put water in the pie plate.
Pepper is representing our sin.
Just a bit of soap on my finger will show you how God cleans up our lives when we receive Christ and follow him.
The water is again clean and the pepper went to the edges.
Practice Justice – lesson title
Practice means you do it over and over again.
It is not enough to know God’s Word, it is important to follow through and do God’s Word.
Justice
To treat others fairly
In the game of baseball, who decides what is fair or foul?
The umpire – because he has the best view.
Compare the baseball diamond to the Word of God.
God is not pleased when we are living in “foul” territory.
Did you ever hear, “That’s not fair?”
What is fair?
God says, you will reap what you sow.
If we ignore God in prosperity, can we expect Him to respond favorably when we are in trouble?
You can choose your choices, but you cannot choose the consequences of your choices.
God’s intent is to keep his children close to Him.
Practice fairness every day of the week.
Opening Announcements – David Wenger
I would love to hear you singing “How Great Thou Art” this morning, but will have to be satisfied with reading a few verses to you.
No matter what – God is worthy of our praise.
Forever and ever.
Scripture Reading – Ryan Bruckhart
Matthew 25:14-30 – Parable of the talents
Following the scripture reading, the parable was acted out in a skit by Ron and Brenda Copenhaver’s family
Ron, the master is planning a trip.
14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
His servants (Dawson and Marcy) bring him a drink and a map.
Studying his map
His servants helped him prepare for his trip.
Dawson received five talents.
15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
Marcy received two talents.
Dietrick received one talent.
The master left on his trip.
Dawson had enough money to buy farm equipment (from his saleswoman mother, Brenda).
16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
Marcy used her two talents to buy a hoe.
17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
Deitrick made a plan to hide his money.
18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
Deitrick quickly realized that he was caught squandering his money.
The other two were pleased to see their master.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Sermon: Lessons from the Attic
How would you have portrayed the parable?
More tech issues – there was no video of Ron speaking from the attic. 🙂 (I liked that someone took still photos of him sitting at their attic window so we didn’t have to look at a blank screen.)
The virus has forced us to do unusual things – thus I am finding myself in our attic when it is my responsibility to speak – because that is where we have the best internet reception.
As I sit here, I look around and think, “Hmm, I wonder what is in that box.”
As I looked at things, it took my mind back to things we use on occasion or things we used in the past: luggage, skis, an old computer keyboard, hunting chair and children’s toys.
Then I look out the window and see our barn and property.
I feel a bit convicted by this “stuff.”
Five lessons from this scripture.
Am I being a good steward of what God has given me?
Am I using these things to further God’s Kingdom?
What would I say to the Master if He came and asked me to give account for my stuff?
Being a good steward is part of God’s grace.
I remember being in my hunting chair and wrestling with God about being a preacher.
In the account of the parable, notice the servants were his own servants – not someone else’s servants.
But, we often think, “This is my money and my stuff.”
We forget that everything we have is God’s.
Our attitude toward our stuff is a heart issue, a lifestyle.
I can remember when we moved here to the farm and the many people who took time to help us – those who hung wallpaper, did carpenter work, and helped us move.
The Master is Returning
This parable could be called the parable of the returning master – instead of the parable of the talents.
While the Master is gone, it is our job to carry out the work of our master.
Separating the Sheep from the Goats
Has the thought about Jesus’ return entered your mind more in recent months – as we see signs of end times, making us more aware that we will have to give account of our lives.
A few months ago, we could not imagine that prosperity could be stopped so quickly.
All it took was a tiny “pestilence” to shake the world and our world.
How could the world go sour so quickly?
The amount given to the servant is not important.
In our skit – it didn’t matter that Dawson received enough money to buy a tractor and Marcy only received enough money for a hoe or that Detrick received only a small amount of money.
Are you faithful with what you have been given?
When we use what we have for His Kingdom, we don’t have to worry about failure or increase. God gives the increase.
God can use a cup of cold water to increase his kingdom.
A popcorn popper here in the attic reminds me that God can use a simple snack when inviting someone to your house.
An old chair here in the attic reminded Brenda of her Grandma Bertha Myer who had tea parties with her. Now Brenda does that with our grandchildren.
Judgement is coming
Thinking about judgement can be unsettling.
Why was the Master so hard on his third servant?
He even called him wicked and lazy.
What is going on with that?
God is expecting His servants to be faithful and diligent.
No action is disobedience.
He wants us to take responsibility for our own life.
Conclusion
We need reminders that we are stewards of everything we have – not just a percentage we may give to God.
May the spirit of the Lord remind us to use our talents to share the love of Christ with others so that someday we will hear, “Well done good and faithful servant.”
Closing – Jon Cassel
I apologize for the variety of technical issues today and hear that it was happening to many other churches due to an overnight upgrade with Zoom.
This reminds us of how nice it will be to all be together again.
Live in joy this week.
