"WHAT ON EARTH...... Pentecost Sunday, May 27, 2012

50 days after Jesus had risen from the dead, and ten days after He ascended to heaven, Peter and the rest of the disciples were praying together, just as Jesus had commanded. Then, the God the Holy Spirit fell upon them and within them, and they were filled with enthusiastic joy and courage. Then they ran out into the streets proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, and then they and their successors went to the ends of the earth. For the past 4 Sundays, we have been exploring this Good News, together. So, today, we are gaping to have a pop quiz to see if you have been paying attention. If the person at the end of each pew will pass down the pens from the white baskets and everybody take out your red insert. So, let’s all work together and we can all receive an A plus Please look section A, question # 1: 1. I am here on earth because God _(created)____ me (pp 12-15), so that He could __Love_____ me (page #15) ; and so that I can __Love_______ Him back.(pp. 51-52). 2. His plan/purpose for me is to have an__abundant _______life (pp. 39-40, John 10:10), which begins when I believe and __receive__ __JESUS___ into my life (pp. 56-58). Good job. You all pass!!! Now, the next part of the Good News, as that the Bible and the Episcopal Prayer Book teach, is that we can believe and receive Christ by praying a prayer, similar to the one in section B of your sermon notes. • As ow as we have heard, God invites us to freely and voluntarily make our own faith commitments to him, to take responsibility for our own spiritual lives. Such commitments are never to be coerced or pressured, but made out of a conviction fo the heart. • Last Sunday, over 57 of us voluntarily made faith commitments or recommitments, and in doing so, we invited and received Christ into our hearts. Now, I know that some of you may be thinking that “this is no big deal,” (PAUSE)…. but a little thing can be a big deal to God. This is where your seed comes in. Please hold it in the palm of your hand, and reflect upon its profound significance: The Bible tells us that when we believe and receive Christ into our hearts, God plants the seed of the Holy Spirit into our lives. The seed of the Holy Spirit, like all seeds, has been designed to grow. Receiving the seed of God the Holy Spirit is a great honor, but to fulfill its purpose in your life, that seed must grow and mature. This happens as we each voluntarily choose to trust Jesus with more and more of our lives, by giving him greater and greater authority to guide & direct us for our great good and his great glory. To explain how this works, please look at your red sermon notes, section C. Here you see a couple diagrams, which require some explanation for the symbols. • The circles represent each person. • The black dots symbolize our personal interests, concerns, activities, emotions, problems, and all aspects of our lives. • The chair in the center of each circle is the throne of our lives, or our decision making capacity. • In the top circle, there is a big S on the throne—which represents our SELF. So, the explanation of the diagram reads, REGULAR CHRISTIAN—SELF IS ON THE THRONE: We may still primarily make decisions and take actions to satisfy our own wants and desire, like everyone else. This results in an unbalanced & conflicted life at best, and/or a life which may hurt us and/or others. The “Self” still wants and seeks money, recognition, self-serving love, and peace & happiness (based on achieving the right outward circumstances, which are unstable). Now, the cross in the circle represents Christ, in whom the regular Christian has received through prayer. However, the regular Christian has not given Christ the authority to provide the spiritual leadership each person requires us that we can live an abundant, purposeful, and meaningful life. So, now lets’ look at the second diagram. What is different about that one from the first? (Discussion) • Note—there is greater harmony and order in the Spiritually Growing Christians’ life. SPIRITUALLY GROWING -- JESUS ON THRONE: We give Jesus authority to be our Lord (manager, boss, the one in control). This results in a more harmonious & peaceful lives, as we seek his direction in making decisions and taking actions. We then see the manifestations or the “fruit” of God: the Holy Spirit: exuberance for life; agape-love; inner peace; compassion; loyalty; perseverance; clearer priorities; wisdom; generosity; and hope. (See today’s reading from Galatians 5) So, our task as Christians is to nurture the growth of the Holy Spirit within us, by learning to trust Jesus, more and more, because He invented the seed, and as the master gardener, he knows how to make it grow to the max, just like any wise farmer. Our spiritual seed grows by watering it with Word of Christ, whom the Bible calls “ THE living water.” • So, first of all, we ALL need to personally read the Bible. Now, I know that some of you think, 'Oh, the Bible is too hard. I cannot understand it.’ Well, you have to get a modern translation. Even I have a hard time understanding the 500 year old King James translation of the Bible. Get a good modern translation. Today’s reading from Galatians , which is very understandable, comes from “The Message Translation” of the Bible, which is one that I am primarily reading now. You can buy it on Amazon. Or, we have a table downstairs today where you can see my copy of the Message Bible, place an order, and we can get a copy fo you. So, first, read the Bible for yourself. I suggest that you start with the Gospel of Mark. • Secondly, come to a bible study group. This fall , CCQF will host an expanded program of Small Bible Study groups, which will be offered at different times to accommodate busy schedules. There is no better way to grow in Christ, then to participate in a small group bible study. You see, it is within such small group setting that we can grow to understand and appreciate the rich inheritance which God has planned for us. What am I on earth for? We are on earth to prepare ourselves as heirs of the Kingdom of God. When a child or older person is baptized, the sign of the cross using holy oil, will be made on the forehead of the child. In ancient times, holy oil was poured on the heads of future Kings and Queens, symbolizing their royal inheritance. This is what that oil symbolized when you were baptized. You have been chosen by God the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit to be a royal heir of Christ, because you are important to God. Amen. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On this Pentecost Sunday, churches all across the world today are witnessing to their faith by reaffirming the universal Baptismal Covenant, which we shall do, too. Please open your red prayer books to page 415. We will begin with the questions at the bottom of the page, Dear people of God