Evening of Worship

This is a presentation from Pat Humphreys, the Worship Team leader for the Sacramento Metro church of Christ; it was delivered on November 21, 2009:

Revelation 4:1ff
-Do you see how intense worshipping God is?
-Worship shows our loyalty to Him.
-We must surrender our souls to Him with a humble and contrite heart.
James 4:6-10
-You are responsible for your humility before God.
Habakkuk 3:10
-Do you stand in awe of God's deeds?
Romans 12:1
-Worship is how Christians live!
-True worship demands complete engagement to God.
I Peter 2:9-10
-Are you, as a Christian, living up to your new description?
Acts 17:24-25
-You must worship God to please Him.
James 4:8
-Draw near to God to develop a Christlike character.
Romans 12:2
-You must renew your minds in worship
-Remember, God's people are His treasured possessions.
Colossians 3;16
-Sing songs, hymns, and spiritual songs.
I Timothy 2:1
-Prayer is important to remain engaged with God.
I Corinthians 4:8-13
You can either help or hurt the body of Christ by proper worship.

Comment: If each of us worships God in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:23-24), growth occurs. The Worship team is not formed to entertain, but to edify the saints. May God bless this new ministry! -CL

Love your Neighbor

"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ,Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. " -James 2:8-10

The second part of the Great Commandment is to love our neighbors. Over the past month in the Sacramento Church, we as a congregation went through a month of repentance. As a fellowship, we have sinned greatly in not loving our neighbors, not only nonbelievers, but within the Body of Christ.

One concept that I personally struggle with is giving my heart to people. Often using my past hurts and the mistakes I made affecting others around me as an excuse, I come off a man who just doesn't want to be around humanity. I often have to fight to allow the Spirit to work with me as i interact with people. Yet, sometimes my ego and my fears conquer me. I even go as far as judging people without really getting to know them based on age, status, and even intellect.

James the Elder in the above passage of Scripture warns us that if we do not love, we are lawbreakers. I personally do not want to continue to commit this sin; I want to move forward and learn how to love as Christ loved me. -CL

Filling the Void.

Note: This is from a Bible Talk at California State University, Sacramento on October 2, 2009:

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
-What would happens if you were given all the pleasures of the world?
-How would you feel ten years from now?

Mark 8:34-38
-What is the one thing you must give up to serve God?
-What does it really cost to gain everything from the world?

The void can only be filled by Jesus Christ, not materials!

Comment: Thank you ,John and Arlene Markowski of the Los Angeles church of Christ , for leading this thought-provoking discussion. These passages of Scripture is a reminder that, while God blesses us with our talents and gifts, the ultimate fulfillment comes from Him alone.

The Battle is God's, Not Ours!

Note: This is a sermon delivered to the Sacramento Church on September 13, 2009 by Don Splitt:

II Chronicles 20:1-30
-Why is the aspects of singing, praying, and worship important?
-Do you realize that you are in a spiritual battle on a daily basis?
-Are you alarmed by the sin (especially yours)?
-Do you inquire to the Lord (pray)? Fast? Sing?
-Do you seek help from Him?
James 1:1-3
-Do you consider trials a joy?
Matthew 18:15-17
-Do you confront sin or respond to hurt feelings or pet peeves?
-Are you honest in communication?
II Chronicles 20:12, 15-16
-Are you humble enough to allow God to help you?
-Are you willing to step up?
-What are you doing with your faith in Christ?
-Are you in the game or the sidelines?
Philippians 1:6
-Are you participating in the work of God?
-Are you really prepared and focused during worship?
II Chronicles 20:18-21
-Will you stand firm?
Zephaniah 3:17
-God rejoices over singing
Psalm 136:1ff.
-Why do we sing?
-Does it move you to draw near to God?
(Don used the example of singing over his two children, Alicia and Alek and its impact on their lives.)
II Chronicles 20:29-30
-The importance of fasting.
Acts 2;42-47
-God works if you obey Him.

Comment: Worship and drawing near to God is crucial for survival of this spiritual battle. The one thing I took from it is not allowing defeats and the lack of other people's responses to God to hinder my own walk with Him. I also have to realize that worship is not to be taken lightly and I have to come to church with respect and reverence for God. I pray that you read and remember this lesson to allow God to work in your life. -CL

The Enduring Kingdom

Note: This is a sermon from the Sunday Worship service at the conclusion of the ICMC on August 9, 2009; it was delivered by Tommy Thang, Richard Buckner, and Bruce Williams. These men minister to the Los Angeles church of Christ and serve the Campus Ministries at UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, and Cal State Fullerton, respectively.

I Chronicles 17:16-19
-Gratitude is an enduring attitude.
-Are you grateful?`
-What qualities in you you can help share the message of hope in Christ?
vv 20-22
-Realize as a believer that God is with you and you have to expect victory.
I Samuel 17:34-37
-Do you have the integrity to dig deep in my walk with God?
vv.23-24
-Expect victory!
Psalm 5:3
-If you want to be part of God's enduring Kingdom, I ought to expect more from your ministry(and your fellowship).
Exodus 33:17-18
-Do I want to see god's glory on your institution (or area)?
-Matthew 7:7-11
-Do you settle when God doesn't answer prayer right away? [Note: God always answers prayer, but in His timing, not ours.]

Practicals:
-Save more souls! Set a goal [Lord willing, the SMCC Campus Ministry will double from 12 to 25].
-Get trained in the Word!

Comment: What a way to end the ICMC! Withe the 2009-2010 school year underway, it now time for us, as the Body of Christ, to proclaim the gospel. The Campus Ministry is off to a good evangelistic start with a baptism and we will allow the Spirit to work with us to seek and save the lost.

It's a Small World After All!

Note: This is the third keynote address delivered at the ICMC on August 7, 2009 by Anthony Galang. Anthony and his wife, Saun, serve the Los Angeles church of Christ and oversee the Campus Ministry at UCLA. They also were anchors in the LA Church's news program, Kingdom News Network (now Disciples Today).

Genesis 2:18
-We are designed by God to be connected.
-Who are three people you are connected to?
-If we stay connected, we'll be protected.
Matthew 6:33
-Seek first His Kingdom
Hebrews 3:12-13
-Call others to take their faith higher!
Hebrews 10:24-25
-Do not forsake meeting together in worship.
-We are ultimately responsible for staying connected.
Exodus 17:8ff
-lift each others arms up!
Ephesians 6:1ff
Global connections takes effort.

Comment: This lesson took place before everyone went to Disneyland that afternoon (Hence the title "It's a Small World"). However, the point to this that, as the body of Christ,we must stay connected in order to grow in our walk with Him. -CEL

The World's Defiance

Note: This is the second keynote address from the ICMC delivered on August 7. 2009 by John Markowski. John and his wife, Arlene, serve the Los Angeles church of Christ and oversee the Campus Ministries of USC and California State University, Los Angeles.

Revelation 12:15
-Satan is out to attack us!
Psalm 58:3-5
-How do you view Satan-a sly, mischievous character in a red suit and a pitchfork or as a dangerous serpent?
Genesis 3:1ff (the Fall of Man)
-Satan is manipulative and a liar (see also John 8:44).
II Corinthians 11:3
-Have you been led astray by Satan's lies?
-Does worldliness creep into your life (James 4:4)?
-Do you want what the world wants (I Samuel 8:1-8)?
-Are you sucked into the worldliness of the "Christian" world (i.e., if Christianity what you do or being in Christ who you are)? (see Acts 11:26 and I John 2:6).
What about us?
-On average, young people spend 3518 hours on electronic media (TV, Internet, etc)?
-Are you willing to face your fears?
James 4:7, I Peter 5:9-Resist Satan and he will flee!
Numbers 23:9
-Are you, as a Christian, set apart (holy)?

Questions:
-Are you willing to change your view of Satan?
-What specific area in your life makes you vulnerable to Satan's attacks?
-What decisions you must make to remove evil (sin) out of your life?

Comment: After hearing John's address, I had to make the decision to repent of any bitterness and resentment I have in my life and to be part of the solution rather than complain about the problems I have with people. This flaw in my character stemmed from the ordeal and constant teasing from childhood, especially after I was burned in a fire. Now in my thirties, it is now time to stop bitterness and resentment from leading me to Satan's path of destruction. -CEL.

The Battle Lines Are Drawn!

Note: This is the first keynote address of the International Campus Ministry Conference held in Irvine, CA delivered by Mike Taliaferro on August 6, 2009. Mike is the Evangelist of the Mission Point Christian Church in San Antonio, TX and was a missionary in Brazil and South Africa.

I Samuel 17:1-7
-What battle lines have been drawn?
-Realized that there are at least 600 cities with 600,000+ inhabitants, many of whom haven't heard the gospel.
-Are you going to the battle? Are you dreaming big to reach people in these cities, towns, and colleges in these areas? (The aim is to target these large cities and colleges to facilitate church plantings.)
-Have a vision for the Campus Ministry and your church!
-I Timothy 4:11-12
-Do not let youth be an excuse to do God's work!
I Timothy 6:17-18
-To much is given, there is great responsibility.
-Do not get sucked into materialism and worldliness! Seize the opportunity to help spread Christ's message of redemption!
-Remember, evangelism is a privilege, not a duty. As followers of Christ, we are announcers (angels) of Christ.
-Are you proud to be Christ's ambassador? Would you like this opportunity.
-Continue to seek advice and training from other believers (Proverbs 15:22).
Hebrews 4:16
-Remember the God's grace and remain faithful to the end.

Comment: This was a starting point for me to have a vision to spread the gospel. I also realize that I have to take this direction to help build the Sacramento Church. There is a lot of potential for growth in the Campus Ministry and I must do my part to bring others to Christ. -C.E.L.

Spur One Another On

Note: This is from a sermon I heard at the Greater Reno church of Christ on July 19, 2009:

Hebrews 10:19-31
-We must continue to spur one another on.
vv.23-25
-In order to draw near to God, we must "clean out our stalls"(using the analogy of a horse stable). In other words, we must open up about our sins and repent.
Hebrews 1:3-6
-Do We have a worldly view of Jesus? Do we view Him as a "Mister Rogers" type or someone who He expects to hold to His teachings (John 8:31-32)
Hebrews 4:15-26
-Jesus was tempted in every way during His earthly ministry, so we aren't immune to sin either.
-What sins are holding you powerless?
Ephesians 2:10
-We were created to be spurned for good works.
-God has to break us (allow the Spirit to control us) in order for Him to lead us (using the analogy of horse training).
Hebrews 10:26-31
-Realize the consequences of deliberate and unrepentant sin.
-We all must seek help and allow God to work through us.

Comment: I would like top thank the Greater Reno Church for putting together a worthwhile and thought provoking service. In the meantime, if I do not get open, sin will mount up and it will cause me to lose my faith.

You Can't; God can; We Will!

Note: This is a sermon delivered by Don Splitt on July 5, 2009. Don is a potential canidate for a ministry position in the Sacramento Church.

Judges 6:1-6
-Do you tend to drift away from God upon Him giving you a great victory?
-When you ask for God's help, do you cry out to Him?
vv.7-21
-Do you really believe that Go is with you regardless of dire circumstances?
-Do you realize circumstances worsen when you are not close to God?
-Do you use your weaknessws as an excuse to not do God's will or will you allow Him to work with the strength you have?
Bottom Line: Quit waiting for the right circumstances to be great!
Judges 7:1ff
-God gives us challenges to show us that He is the reeason for our victory.

Luke 24:49
-Remember the power of the Holy Spirit in you life.

John 12:23-26
Will you continue to give up your life to produce friut?

I Corinthians 3:5-9
Remember, we are fellow workers with God; everyone must do our part in spreading the Gospel.

Comment: I would like to thank Don and Jennifer Splitt for spending Independence Day Weekend with the Sacramento Church and especially the Campus and Singles Ministries. This lesson is a reminder that we must remain close to God in order to grow and draw people to Him. If it is His will for the Splitts to join our staff, pray that God can use them powerfully to help bring hope in the Sacramento Region through Christ Jesus.

A New Day is Dawning

Note: This is from a sermon delivered by Drew Nitchoff to the Sacramento Church on June 14, 2009:

I. The Call to Follow Jesus
-Mark 1:16-20-Jesus call us to follow Him (relationship is we are His students [disciples]).
-Hebrews 12:12-We must fix our eyes on Him.
-Luke 9:18-27-Do we really deny ourselves and carry the cross as He expects us to do?
-Matthew 16:21-28-Revival cannot happen unless we're willing to follow Jesus. (Question: Do you follow Jesus?)

II. The Call to Radical Change
-Matthew 6:24-34-Which Master do you love? Hate?
-What do you run after (vv.32)? Happiness? Comfort? Status? Material gain?
-Do you continue to seek the Kingdom (vv. 33-34)?
-James 4:1-4- Worldliness makes us enemies of God!
-James 1:22-2:11-Do you (as believers) have genuine faith in Christ?
-Matthew 18:1-4; It takes humility, faith and action for radical change.
-Isaiah 58:8- We all need revival in our lives.

Comment: This is tough to swallow, but it is Sculptural . In order for me to change, I must make radical decisions based on the Word.

Training is the key

"You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine." -Titus 2:1 NIV

The Pastoral Letters in the New Testament gives us practiclas on how to be an effective leader in the Lord's church. Titus, a protege of the Apostle Paul and a partner in the gospel, was instructed how tro train and raise up new leaders. The foundation of such training is teaching the correct doctrine, which is to say to not distort the Truth about Christ.

In verses 2 through 11, Paul instructs Titus to teach believers about specific areas in their character. Verses 3 through 5 are especially eye-opening, because Titus is instructed to not only work with the womwn of the church, but in teurn train them to teach other women about specific needs of the home (specifically, how these women can be better wives and mothers). In the past it is interpreted to men that the men in the church lead the women lead the women. However, if you look closely, this passage has nothing to do with leadership, but training and meeting specific needs. While each individual Christian has different area of their character to deal with, the Point to Paul's instruction to titus is to train other believers and facilitate spirtual growth.

Training is the key to growth. It all starts with proper teaching of the Word and our knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Glory Days

Note: this is an outline of a sermon delivered by Don Split of the San Diego church of Christ to the Sacramento Church on May 3, 2009:

Nehemiah 4: 1-5
-Is the church where you want it to be?
-Are your glory days ahead of you or behind you?
-Are you weeping or rejoicing?

There is NO deadness in God; it is time to build a new wall! It is time to thrive and not merely exist!

John 12:23-34
-Do you want to be one seed or many?
-Are you "sold out" for God?

II Peter 1:5-11
-Progress, NOT perfection! (it is all about spiritual growth).
-Examples: digging deeper in the Word, intimate prayer, sharing the gospel with new people, etc.
-Time to move on from the hurts of the past and make progress!
II Corinthians 4:16
-Focus on the unseen.
-Believe God has a lot in store for you and His church.

Personal thoughts: In the wake of the continual recovery from the hurts of the past, we as believers need to move forward. It is not only for the sake of our own salvation, but to touch people's lives through Jesus Christ. It all starts from reading the Scriptures daily, prayer, and devotion to one another (Acts 2:42-47, Hebrews 10:23-25). Growth starts NOW!

Hearing what you need to hear (not what you want to hear).

This is an outline of a lesson I gave on March 27, 2009 to the Sacramento church's Campus Ministry:

1. 2 Timothy 4:1-5
-Many will rather hear a lie to make themselves feel good than the truth to make them feel uneasy (and eventually change for the better).

2. Jeremiah 27-28
-God warns His people about trouble ahead (and assures them that He will deliver them).
-There are dire consequences for lying to people in His Name. A distorted report on His truth will actually cause more harm in the long run.

3. John 8:31-32
-The truth will set us free for those who believe it. It may be hard at first, but it will draw us closer to God (and even save our soul).

Simply put it: listen to the truth!

Excuse Making

This is an outline from a sermon I preached to the Campus Ministry of the Sacramento Church on March 20, 2009:


I. Jeremiah 20:7-18, Ezekiel 33: 1ff
-Do not allow the lack of (positive) response from others be an excuse to challenge poeple to
obey God. Ultimately, if you fail to point out sin, it will be your responsibility as well as the
offenders.
II. Judges 6:1ff (Gideon)
-Do not allow status to be an excuse for not allowing God to work powerfully through you.
-Just as Gideon was called by God to deliver the Isrealites from Midian despite his low staus,
all of us are called to serve Him regardless of ou status (whether high or low).
III. John 5:1-8
-Do not make the excuse of circumstance to disobey God.
-The man at Bethesda was told by Jesus to simply get up!
-Jesus told all of us to get up and follow Him, but why allow ailments and tough
circumstances to prevent us from answering His call?
IV. Anectdotes
- My personal backgound and negative attitude (especially after being burned in a fire)
- Learned how to turn negativity to service to the Lord's Church (i.e. this blog).
Challenge: There is no excuse for all of us as believers to ignore the will of God.

Righteousness by Service

"This is what the LORD says: 'Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.' " -Isaiah 56:1-2 NIV

What does it mean to do what is right? Is it simply an act of obedience? The above passage tells us that righteousness comes from doing what is right in God's eyes.

This past weekend, some gentlemen from the Greater Philadelphia church of Christ visited us. They were itinerant preachers of sort, simply going around the country strengthening churches and doing community service projects. Over dinner at the Sacramento Church, they shared about how they encountered a group of men recovering from substance abuse answered the call to service. Those men's task were to serve a women's shelter and to help the poor. That group and the trio from Philadelphia all understood that the call to service is an act of righteousness. They also realized that only by the saving grace of Jesus Christ that they are able to perform such vital service.

Earlier, before the Philadelphia Trio arrived, a group of people from the Sacramento Church performed similar projects in downtown Sacramento by serving the homeless and cleaning up our building. After meeting them, both groups were inspired to do more top serve our communities and to continuously spread the gospel.

(For more info about this group, log onto http://www.immanuelbymile.com to see their blog of this journey).

Acts of service is an act of righteousness. Serve someone today so you can continue to share the love of Christ and draw people to Him.

Faith of a mustard seed in spite of what people see

"[Jesus] replied, 'Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there" and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'"- Matthew 17:20 NIV

Do you lack faith? I certainly fall under this trap, especially when it comes to doing my part to advance the gospel. However, in the last few weeks, I discovered that my lack of faith is due to the lack of trust in my Savior, Jesus Christ.

At a recent devotional, I shared my difficulty moving around in the fellowship. After a decade of being in a saving relationship with Christ, I still find it difficult to take initiative with others in my congregation. Even while serving as an usher, I blew a golden opportunity to share with a seeker who came to my church for the first time. I was so afraid o pouring my heart out and answering awkward theological questions that i was stand offish. ( I pray thbat this lady can come back and visit the church again).

The real issue is that I have difficult time believing thta God can and will use me to bring others to Him. In case you do not know, I suffered severe burns all over my body twenty years ago, and I was teased and often asked annoying questions about my injuries. It has gotten to a p[ont that it would be best for me to shy away. However, if God can send His Son to the cross to die for me, and raise Him from the dead, why should I lack the faith that I can turn a personal tragedy into an evangelistic opportunity? Should I care if the seeker take me seriously as His messenger?

The point to this anecdote is that If a small amount of faith can move mountains, people who believe in Christ in spite of personal tragedies and deformities (such as myself) should have faith that someone will accept the saving grace of Christ fthrough his or her testomony.

Back to business

For the few who actually read my blog:

The time gap between post is wide due to preparations for Spring Semester at Sacramento City College.  I will attempt to recap a recent sermon I heard at my home congregation, the Sacramento Metro Church of Christ.

It opened up with what went right and what went wrong.   I came to the conclusion that, despite the positives, legalism and people-focused expectations outweighed that positives of people growing in their faith in Christ.

I will post my full perspective of the sermon at a later time, but I want teach of the readers to meditate on Acts 2:42-47 to get a glimpse of what fellowship and life in Christ should be.

(If you are interested, the sermon is posted on http://www.sacmetrococ.org under the title "Committed Christians.")