Sermon 12/7/14
Today we celebrated Pastor Appreciation Sunday with Pastor Barry & Sophia and Pastor Doug & Kelly. Nia and Junior Bullock sang a special song for our Pastors. We all enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the Fellowship Hall and there were opportunities for people to express their gratitude to our wonderful Pastors.
The Kids Christmas Program will be December 21. Greg Hubbard is preaching on January 4. Youth Winter Retreat will be the weekend of January 18. This summer we would like to send several of our teens to Summer Camp.
This week's sermon is titled: "Christ is the Cure", based on Mark 1:40-45. In Biblical times, leprosy had no cure. Lepers were required to announce their presence as "unclean" so that people could avoid contact with them. 1. Christ is the hope for the unclean. In this scripture passage, the leper is desperate. He had heard Jesus preaching and he hoped Jesus would heal him. When we are sinning, we need to draw near to God. Don't run to alcohol, drugs, illicit sex. Run to Jesus and worship Him. He can heal the worst sinner.
2. Christ has compassion for the unclean. The leper told Jesus, "if you are willing, you can make me clean." The leper did not know that Jesus was willing. Pastor Barry explained that in some texts Jesus is described as "indignant". To consider that Jesus would not be willing to help means the man did not know the character of Jesus. Disparaging the character of God could result in righteous anger. It is possible Jesus was both angry and compassionate. No matter how you feel - unloved, unclean, not accepted - Jesus loves you and has compassion for you.
3. Jesus came for the unclean. Romans 3:23 tells us none of us are perfect. Each of us is a sinner. Jesus came to provide forgiveness of sins, but He has a command to us to then stop sinning. We need to be ready to repent and allow Jesus to change us. Pastor Barry believes Jesus admonished the cured leper to change his lifestyle. Then he specifically instructed him to first show himself to the priest who could certify his "clean" status. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law (which specified how to determine clean and unclean) but to fulfill it. It would have been an opportunity to demonstrate to the priest that the Messiah had healed him.
Instead the man made a public statement. Jesus would have had to deal with thousands of people who desired physical healing without any desire to change their lifestyles. Instead, Jesus withdrew to a more remote area where He could minister to those who would not only be healed but would be saved as well.
We all need a touch from Jesus. Hope and trust in Him. Our Jesus came for us and loves us, and desires us to call out to Him.
Have a wonderful week, Evangel!