Sacrifice: To sacrifice is to offer something up to God that is precious. Sacrifice involves surrender of something for the sake of something else. Sacrifice involves suffering, renouncing, and sometimes destruction for an ideal, belief or end.
On Memorial Day we remember the sacrifices made for an ideal, freedom. This is an ideal worth sacrificing for and we commemorate the men and women who gave their lives in defense of the liberty that we enjoy. Memorial Day reminds us that freedom isn’t free.
For Christians, Memorial Day also calls to our mind the sacrifice that Jesus made for us so that we could live free from sin. This Sunday, Memorial Day weekend, as we remember sacrifices made for earthly liberties, we will observe the Lord’s Supper, a reminder that who the Son sets free is free indeed (Jn. 8:36).
Our text for this Sunday is Mark 6:30-44. My focus is on the theme of “Sacrifice” that emerges out of verse 37. The disciples were confronted with a choice, to live selfishly or to live sacrificially. Jesus was teaching the disciples, and us, that nothing surrendered to God is really a sacrifice because first, God is the giver of all that we have, and second, nothing surrendered to God is ultimately sacrificed or lost. This Sunday, as we remember sacrifices made, may we rededicate our lives to surrender all that we are for the benefit of others and for the glory of our great God!
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Scripture Reading: Mark 6:30-44 (NIV)
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.
31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. "This is a remote place," they said, "and it's already very late.
36 Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat."
37 But he answered, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "That would take eight months of a man's wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?"
38 "How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five—and two fish."
39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.
40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.
41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.
42 They all ate and were satisfied,
43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.
44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
This Sunday, May 23, 2010, Amy Morrow, Missionary to Zambia
Join us this Sunday as we are pleased to have sharing with us Amy Morrow, Missionary to Zambia. You might remember last year, Amy's husband Tom shared with us concerning the work in Zambia. Amy will be speaking in both morning services (8:00 & 10:30) and she will share a special presentation with our children and youth in the Sanctuary at 9:45 a.m.
We will receive a love offering for the work of the Morrow Family in Zambia.
Check out the Morrow's web site at http://missionaryfamily.com/
We will receive a love offering for the work of the Morrow Family in Zambia.
Check out the Morrow's web site at http://missionaryfamily.com/
Thursday, May 13, 2010
(Mark 6:14-29) Sermon Text for Sunday, May 16, 2010
Success? Or Significance?
What's the difference between success and significance? Do we desire to be successful or significant? How do our desires either for success or significance shape what we do and who we become? In the story of the death of John the Baptist, we find a man who lived courageously and who desired to be significant in the eyes of God. Mark 6:14-29 provides a stark contrast between John the Baptist on the one hand and Herod and his wife Herodias on
the other. While Herod and those who surrounded him prided themselves on being successful, it was really John, the one who loses his life that lives a life of significance. Are we willing to pay the price for significance? This Sunday we invite you to join us at HBC as we embark on the journey into significance.
Mark 6:14-29 (New International Version)
14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him."
15 Others said, "He is Elijah." And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago."
16 But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!"
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married.
18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to,
20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.
21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you."
23 And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom."
24 She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered.
25At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter."
26The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.
27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison,
28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.
29 On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
What's the difference between success and significance? Do we desire to be successful or significant? How do our desires either for success or significance shape what we do and who we become? In the story of the death of John the Baptist, we find a man who lived courageously and who desired to be significant in the eyes of God. Mark 6:14-29 provides a stark contrast between John the Baptist on the one hand and Herod and his wife Herodias on
the other. While Herod and those who surrounded him prided themselves on being successful, it was really John, the one who loses his life that lives a life of significance. Are we willing to pay the price for significance? This Sunday we invite you to join us at HBC as we embark on the journey into significance.
Mark 6:14-29 (New International Version)
14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him."
15 Others said, "He is Elijah." And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago."
16 But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!"
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married.
18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to,
20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.
21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you."
23 And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom."
24 She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered.
25At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter."
26The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.
27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison,
28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.
29 On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
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