Today is Sunday School Sunday and our lesson will take place during both Services.  Everyone is in class today.  Our teachers and children will actively participate in both services by being Greeters, Acolytes, Ushers, and Readers. Today’s sermon will be a lesson given by Sunday School Superintendent, Rosemary Molinaro.  The name of the lesson is “BE.” The word “Be” is a small word but has a powerful meaning – it describes the qualities of a person.  Good qualities are pleasing to God – to be faithful, to be honest, and to be kind, are just a few.  Everyone has hopes and dreams of being something when they grow up, but no matter what we choose to be, we can all have the same good qualities.  Reading through the Bible we can find many ways God wants us to be.  Today we will talk about how blest we are to be loved by a God who created us to be all that we can be.

  Sunday School Sunday

Following is a summary of the sermon:

Good morning everyone, and on behalf of our Sunday School Teachers and the children, I welcome you to Sunday School Sunday.  Today, you are all in class with us and Matthew tells us in Chapter 18:20  “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Pastor Choi has asked me to speak in his place, and I would like to challenge him as he does each week.  Pastor Choi, I would like you to see if you can count how many times I say the word “Be” OR “BEING” in my lesson.

Okay, the challenge starts now!

As I do each Sunday, I have prepared a lesson for everyone.  My lesson for today is called “BE.”  Tiny little word, only two letters, B-E, but has a powerful meaning.  According to the Dictionary, BE is a verb \ˈbē\

—used to indicate the identity of a person or thing

—used to describe the qualities of a person or thing

—used to indicate the condition of a person or thing”

I would like to talk about the meaning of “BE” that refers to the  “qualities of a person.”  “Qualities” means how good or bad someone is. For example, a person can have good qualities or bad qualities.  For this lesson, we will talk about good qualities and how God wants us to BE. 

So let’s talk about  a very basic question:  what do you want to BE when you grow up?  Now keep in mind, we are always growing UP, right?  No one grows down.  So whatever your age, you are always growing up and will always BE something!

Would anyone like to tell us what they would like to BE when they grow up?  Remember, you are all in class today!

(Wait for responses)

What do you need to do to become that?

(wait for responses)

What will you do in that job?

(wait for responses)

OK.  So BEING a _____________ will tell people what you do.   But it won’t tell people what kind of a person you are.  You have to show them your qualities by the way you act.

Way, way back in 1986, there was a commercial for the Army that said  “BE all that you can BE” and I think God would respond by saying “I have created you, and if you follow Me, you can BE all that you can BE.”

Everyone has hopes and dreams of being something in their lifetime.   

We have hopes and dreams when we are very young for what we want to BE when we get older – maybe its whatever our Moms or Dads are, or something completely our own; maybe you love animals and want to BE a Vet; maybe you love flowers and trees and you want to BE a landscaper or own a flower shop.

No matter what we choose to BE, God wants us to all have the same good qualities.

Someone can BE the smartest or richest person in the world, but if their qualities are not good, do you think God is pleased with that person? 

Whatever it is that you want to BE is special and important, but what matters most is how you “BE” it.   Wow, that sounds like very poor English, doesn’t it? 

So let’s see how God wants us to “BE all that we can BE….”

Where do you think you can find that?

Let’s see some of the ways the Bible tells us:

First, BE Faithful –  Deuteronomy 6:5:7  

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  Keep these words that I am commanding you in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.”

Another is BE Kind – no matter what type of job or career you have, remember to BE kind to people.  Who remembers the “Golden Rule?”  ( “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.”)  What does that mean?  (Treat people how you want to be treated.)

Matthew 7:12  

“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the Law and the prophets.”

Next BE Honest – there is an old saying “Honesty is the best policy” and that will BE true to the end of time.  Lying is hurtful in so many ways.  Telling the truth and taking responsibility for something we may have done, is not always easy, but it is always the right thing to do.

In the book of Exodus, Chapter 20:16 The Ninth Commandment given to Moses by God, tells us:

Thou shalt not bear false witness against they neighbor. 

 If something is false, what does that mean?

(wait for response)

And who is our neighbor?  Just the person who lives next door to us? 

There is a very old movie called “The Fly” and one of the lines in that movie is “BE afraid, BE very afraid” The movie wanted to scare people.  It was a silly science fiction movie, but the line is still used when people want you to think that something scary is going to happen. 

But God says in Isiah 41:10

Do not fear, for I am with you.  Do not BE afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you……”

Did you ever hear the saying “Children should BE seen and not heard?” That saying means that children can BE in a room, but they are not allowed to talk.  Who would want that?   If that were true, who would tell us funny stories to make us laugh?  How would we hear “I love you Mom and Dad” or “I miss you Grandpa.”

Jesus says in Mark 10:14:    “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”  Jesus actually got angry when the people tried to stop the children from talking to Him.

And then there is “BE careful what you wish for.”  That means you may wish for something that turns out to BE not really what we wanted.  But when Jesus taught us to pray, He said, “Give us this day our daily bread” That means we don’t have to wish for anything, God knows what we need.

What other ways to “BE” can you think of?

(wait for responses)  

BE fair, BE helpful BE good, BE happy !

BE Thankful – Pastor Choi has dedicated 2014 as the year of Gratitude.  Remember everyday to thank God for loving us and for all He has given us.

Psalm 30:12 That my glory may sing your praise and not BE silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Here is a real challenge for Pastor Choi:

No matter what you decide to BE, remember to always BE how God wants you to BE, and you will definitely BE all that you can BE.

God Bless us all.   Thank you all for coming to class!

Today Pastor Choi expounds on the meaning of being Christ’s disciple.  It is more than attending church services and claiming that we are the followers of Christ.  Being Christ’s disciple requires us to put Christ first before anything or anybody else.  Otherwise, Christ says, we cannot be His disciples.  It also means to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, to deny self, to take up own cross and follow Him daily.

  Put Christ First

Following is a summary of his sermon today:

Put Christ First: Be Christ’s Disciple (1)            Matthew 6:33, Luke 9:23

• Matthew 6:33
• New International Version (NIV)
• ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
• Luke 9:23
• New International Version (NIV)
• ²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

  Introduction

• United Methodist mission statement: “making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” –Not many of us fully understand what the word “disciple” means.
• Disciples of Jesus:  What’s that mean to be Christ’s disciple?  Simply put, it means to follow Jesus.  Jesus is the Teacher and Master and we are His followers.  To follow Jesus—what’s that mean?  We no longer follow Him physically, do we?  Does it just mean that I go to church every Sunday morning and present offerings to God?  Is it good enough to allow me to claim that I am a disciple of Jesus?
• For the next six Sundays, we are going to think about what it means to be Christ’s disciple.  In particular, we will focus on what makes a person follower of Jesus.  We will also look into what distinguishes Christ’s disciple from a mere church goer.  The six marks of Christ’s disciples are: 1) Christ first, 2) separation from the world, 3) steadfastness, 4) service for others, 5) generous giving, and 6) world vision.

  Contents

• The first mark of Christ’s disciple is to put Christ first before anything or anybody else.  Two verses demand our attention.
• First, Matthew 6:33:  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

• Context: In the preceding few verses (v. 25-v. 32), Jesus talks about daily cares and worries.  Then, he concludes His lesson on cares and worries in life with verse 33: in the midst of life’s journey, you will struggle with cares.  However, don’t get mixed up in your priorities. Keep God as your number one priority in life, then you will do well.

   

• Seek: Desire, Aim at, and Practice.  Seek Continually (Greek grammar—present tense—not one time action but on-going).  Day and night.  All the time.
• The Bible says, “Seek and you shall find” (Matthew 7:7).  Whatever you seek you shall find: you shall find material things if you seek them.  You shall find God if you seek God.  Before we seek anything, though, we need to know what exactly we are seeking.  We are called to seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness.  So, what exactly are the Kingdom of God and His righteousness all about?
• God’s Kingdom: is the kingdom where God is King.  It never ends.  It lasts forever.  It is from generation to generation.  It is the kingdom where He rules and He reigns.  He calls the shots.  No one else does.  No one can challenge Him what He has done.  He is in charge.  He is in control.  To seek God’s kingdom in our life means to desire His reign, to aim at His reign, and to practice His reign in our life.  It means to align our life and its goals with the divine will and work for the extension of God’s reign (p. 39, The Wesleyan Bible Commentary).    It also means to “Overcome the evil of care by filling the mind and heart with the concerns of the Kingdom of God” (p. 967, Abingdon Bible Commentary).  It is to pursue His reign as the ultimate goal of our daily activities (p. 646, the New Jerome Bible Commentary).

• Righteousness: Hebrew word: tzedakah– its root: speak the truth, straight, perfect, just, excellent.  Tzedek: rightness of weights and measures.  This is God’s attribute as sovereign.
• Therefore, I can safely say that God’s righteousness means whatever is right in the sight of God such as truth, justice, and mercy.
• Seek God’s righteousness: it means to desire, aim at, and practice what is right and just in the sight of God.  It means to seek what pleases God and to do what God desires in our lives such as truth, peace, justice, mercy, humility, and divine strength.  E.g. The Lord loves justice (Ps. 33:5).   So should we.  The Lord practices mercy.  So should we.  The Lord speaks the truth.  So should we.
• E.g. Micah 6:8  ⁸ He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?  King James Version (KJV)
• Self-righteousness: It is worth mentioning here what the opposite of God’s righteousness is: self-righteousness.  Self-righteousness promotes/glorifies self before God and people.  Self-righteousness seeks to please self and do what self is pleased to do.  Seeking God’s righteousness makes one desire what pleases God and do His will.   Pursuing self-righteousness makes one proud.  Pursuing God’s righteousness makes one humble.
• All these things: things that we need, not necessarily what we desire.  (Cf. Beware of health/wealth teachings.  Jesus never promises us to be rich and healthy all the time).  Rather, if God blesses us with material things, it is meant for us to share with others.  When we do what pleases the Lord, He will add all the things that we need in life.
• E.g. King Solomon asked for God’s wisdom to rule God’s people (1 Kings 3:9-13).  Pleased with the request, God added all other things that Solomon didn’t ask for such as wealth and power.  When we pursue God’s righteousness, God will grant us with strength, peace, quietness in our souls, confidence, as well as all our needs.
• My Paraphrased translation: Don’t be bogged down with daily cares and anxiety, because you may lose the focus and forget what matters most in your life on earth.  Here’s the remedy that will help you stay focused on your journey to Heaven:  Continually and pro-actively speak God’s truth and love others as God has loved you. Continually (as long as you breathe and like you eat three meals a day) and pro-actively (don’t wait until you are overwhelmed and stressed by life’s cares that would force you to make unhealthy choices) speak God’s truth and love others as He has loved you.  Then, peace, humility, confidence, wisdom, strength, and even life’s necessities will follow you.  Do it all under His leadership.  Ask for His wisdom every day and in every matter.  Walk with Him humbly and you will do well.

• Next: Luke 9:23: Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

• Disciples in Jesus’ days: They lived together with Jesus, ate together, slept together, walked together, and went wherever the Master led.  They saw all the miracles and healings that Jesus performed.  They heard all the wonderful teachings of Jesus and learned from the Master through His daily examples, and memorized the teachings and passed them on to people.  After Jesus ascended into Heaven, they boldly witnessed to the Way of Jesus to the world.
• Disciples today: Many of us have quite poor conviction of Jesus the Messiah.  We suffer from a loose understanding of who we are.  We are quick to claim that we are the followers of Jesus, yet in reality we deny His lordship: we live a life without Him most of the time.  We only seek Him when we are up against crisis.  We are still in charge of our own lives.  We are still in control in our lives.  We still call the shots, not He.  We ask Jesus to bless what we do, rather than doing what He blesses.  We are the kings/queens in our lives, not Jesus.  Jesus is the servant for us to bring what we desire, not the other way around.  That’s the modern day picture of Christ’s disciples.
• It wasn’t so when Jesus first extended His invitation to all (everyone, without restriction) to follow Him.  He set out three conditions: self-denial, bearing the cross, and obedience (p. 170, the Interpreter’s Bible).
• Meaning of self-denial: Self-denial is more than giving up chocolate during Lent.  It means a radical re-orientation of the center in your life.  It means inviting God to the center of your life.  It means stepping down from the throne of your heart and yielding the seat to the Lord.  It means serving Him and His causes as servant. It means to put ourselves in the service of God, not the other way around.  It means to put Him first and put ourselves last.  E.g. J.O.Y. (Jesus – Others – You).   It means to say “no” to our selfish desires and life-styles and say “yes” to God’s will. It means to declare that we’re dead but Christ lives in us (Galatians 2:20).   “You can’t be a self-pleaser and a Christ-pleaser.  It’s impossible” (p. 22, The Grace of Yielding, Derek Prince).
• Meaning of taking up your own cross:  Your cross is not your wife/husband/sickness.  Rather, it is the place “where your will and the will of God cross” (p. 23, Ibid.).  That is where you lay down yourself.  Some scholars put it this way: to bear the cross means to “Run the risk of being misunderstood as criminals” as Jesus did (p. 194, Jesus and the New Age, Danker).  To some of us, it may mean literal martyrdom, but for most of us it means living sacrificially: not a death wish, but obedience to the reign of God (p. 130, Interpretation, Craddock).  In the course of fulfilling God’s will, there will be “prices to be paid, pain and hurt to be accepted” (Ibid.).   Are you ready to die for Christ?  Are you willing to pay the price for the name you carry every day?
• E.g.  Nabeel Qureshi’s (a Muslim convert) testimony: his family denounced him because he became a follower of Christ (Jan. 2014, Christianity Today).
• Daily: Taking up the cross is an ongoing process in our faith journey.  It continues day in day out.  It is a daily decision.  We declare “a daily steadfast loyalty to the master and his way of life” (p. 700, the New Jerome Bible Commentary).  We submit ourselves to God’s will daily (p. 262, The Wesleyan Bible Commentary).

Conclusion:

• A disciple’s life is a life led by God and lived by kingdom priorities.  Put God first.  Pursue what God pursues.  Do what God blesses.  Live a life that is worthy of God’s name, willing to go through pain and suffering, then you will be a true follower of Christ.

For the Manahawkin Methodist Congregation, Pastor Choi designates 2014 to be the Year of Gratitude.  He begins his message with a comparison between secular understanding and biblical knowledge on words such as ‘grateful,’ ‘thankful,’ and ‘gratitude.’   He exhorts the people of God to become a character of gratitude through daily practice of being thankful to the Lord in all circumstances.

 2014- The Year of Gratitude

The following is a summary of his message:

2014—the Year of Gratitude                                    1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Introduction

• I praise and thank God for His continued loving kindness and faithfulness to our congregation throughout 2013.  I also thank every one of you for your partnership in the ministry of the good news.  We indeed work together as partners for God’s Kingdom both here at Manahawkin and in the surrounding communities.  Your presence, services, and gifts are always appreciated.  I very much look forward to working with you again this year.
• As pastor of this church, I plan to designate each year for our common goals—something that would strengthen our faith and enhance the practice of our beliefs.   I designate 2014 to be the year of gratitude: that all of us stay thankful throughout the year.  And, I chose 1 Thessalonians 5:18 for my sermon today.
• Now, I know that a lot of us have a trouble accepting 1 Thessalonians 5:18: how can I be grateful / thankful when bad things happen to me?

  Definition

• Such a question requires some study on words such as ‘grateful,’ ‘thankful,’ and ‘gratitude.’
• Let’s begin with definitions of those words that are most accepted by the people in America.
• Grateful: is “feeling or showing thanks because someone has done something kind for you or has done as you asked” (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary).
• Thankful: is “pleased about something good that has happened, or something bad that has not happened” (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary).
• Gratitude: is “the feeling of being grateful and wanting to express your thanks” (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary).
• Under such an understanding of ‘grateful,’ and ‘thankful,’ the people in America interchangeably use ‘thankful’ and ‘grateful’.  That’s the exact mindset people have, even the people of God, when they read a text such as 1 Thessalonians 5:18: be thankful in all (both good and bad) circumstances.  They cry out, “I can be grateful for all the blessings, but don’t ask me to be thankful for something bad!  I can’t do it!”  We are all conditioned to be thankful / grateful for only good things.
• This is why we need to listen to what the Bible says about gratitude so that we may understand today’s passage: to be thankful in all circumstances.
• First of all, the Bible clearly differs from the world in terms of understanding and using of those words.  The Bible, like the secular world, uses the word ‘grateful’ for things that are considered good.  When it comes down to all things both good and bad, however, unlike the secular world, the Word of God employs the word ‘thankful’ rather than ‘grateful’.  In other words, the Bible brings up and expands the secular definition of ‘gratitude’ to one higher level.  ‘Gratitude’ in the Bible and in the lives of the believers means more than ‘being grateful for something good that has happened to you.’  It, rather, means ‘being thankful’ than ‘being grateful’.  In all circumstances.
• Based on such biblical understanding, here are my own definitions of the three words:
• Grateful: is same as the Oxford Dictionary.  It is “feeling or showing thanks because someone has done something kind for you or has done as you asked” (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary).
• Thankful: is “pleased about something good that has happened,” (same as the first half of Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary) or “trusting in the Lord for something bad that has happened” (the second half is mine).   
• Gratitude: is “being thankful in all circumstances, not just in good ones.”
• Now, we are ready to talk about gratitude.  Gratitude is our call.  God has called us the Christians to be thankful in ALL circumstances.  Be thankful always.  That’s our call.
• Why?

  Why Gratitude?

• For three reasons: It is God’s will, it is better than ingratitude, and it is good for your health.
• First of all, it is God’s will for us to be thankful in all circumstances.  God wants every child of His to be thankful.  He wants you and me to stay thankful in all life situations: both good and bad.  When we live out a life of gratitude, it brings glory and honor to the Lord.  When we live out a life of thankfulness that transcends circumstances, it sets us apart from the people in the world that show their gratitude only in good circumstances.
• Sometimes, I don’t understand why bad things happen when I never want them to.  Neither do I understand why good things don’t happen when I badly need them to.  However, over the years, I’ve learned a lesson: that is, when I obey God’s command to be thankful whether I like it or not, whether I understand it or not, in the end, I always harvest wisdom and the fruit of my obedience.  I’ve seen in my life that simple obedience to God brings forth unexpected benefits.  I will get to this later in the sermon.
• Why be thankful?  Because when we are thankful, it brings us closer to God.  Because it keeps our communication lines open with God.  For instance, did you know that gratitude is a prerequisite to prayers?  Do you want your prayers answered?  Then, begin them with thanksgiving, because gratitude paves the way for our prayers to God just like when we are thankful to people, it lubricates our relationships with each other.  The more we say thanks to people, the better relationships we enjoy with each other.  Same thing with God.
• Being thankful also deepens our trust in the Lord.  Trust in the Lord means to acknowledge God even in bad circumstances when nothing makes sense to us.  Trust in the Lord means to tell God that He knows what He is doing when we don’t.  E.g. Cancer survivors.  Almost all of whom I know say that they were thankful that it happened to them, because it taught them the life’s priorities.  Gratitude is a sign of trust in God while ingratitude and grumbling is a sign of distrust in God.  By being thankful in all circumstances we declare that we believe in God’s ultimate good will for us and that the same God will make all things good in the end as He promised (Romans 8:28).
• Show me anyone who walks with the Lord, and I will show you a life filled with gratitude.
• Next, gratitude is a better option than ingratitude or grumbling.  If you continue on the path of daily complaint and grumbling, soon it will turn you into a seasoned complainer.  The opposite is true with the path of gratitude. Which character path would you like to take?
• Think of Job in the Bible: After he lost everything he owned, after all of his ten children perished in one day, and even after he lost his health, Job didn’t sin against God with his lips (c.f.  His wife wanted him to curse God and die).  His action not to complain to God in such a difficult time was more than the result of sheer human will.  Such a character wasn’t developed overnight, either.  It was rather a by-product of Job’s life-long practice of gratitude.
• Lastly, gratitude is good for your health.  It’s the real chicken soup for your soul.  A lot of us are into body exercise for our physical health hoping that it would keep us fit and healthy for the coming years.  Indeed, physical exercise is important and a bit of help for your body.  However, very few of us realize that godliness is profitable for all good things: in all areas of spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being, not only in this life but also in the life to come (1Timothy 4:8).  So, why not be thankful if you care so much about your well-being?
• Remember I promised at the beginning of my sermon to talk about unexpected benefits of obeying God’s command to be thankful?  Here we go.  E.g.  My triglycerides number was 205 three years ago.  It’s a borderline between healthy and unhealthy life style (below 200 is all right, and above 200 is not good).   Some doctors would put you on cholesterol medicine with such a number.  Instead of putting me on medication, though, my doctor wanted me to monitor my stress level for the next year.  Almost at the same time, unrelated to this medical finding, I started practicing being thankful every day.   Six months later, I had blood work done again.  This time the number went down to 150.  Mind you that there was no change in my diet or exercise habits during that time.  The only reason I can think of that contributed to this positive change was gratitude: just being thankful everyday improved my health.  When the level of gratitude goes up, the level of stress comes down, and so do the bad numbers.

  Closing

• The Year of Gratitude kicks off today.  Throughout the year, I urge everyone to be thankful in all circumstances so that we may become a character of gratitude and bring glory and honor to our Lord in Heaven.
• I plan to remind you of gratitude every other month: six times this year on the first Sunday of January, March, May, July, September, and November.
• I will also introduce you some practical ways to hone your gratitude skills daily.
• As a starter, please pick up your scroll today during communion.  One for each person.  I prayerfully have chosen 18 verses from the Bible—all are related to thankfulness.  Your scroll will have one of those verses.  You can memorize the verse or post the scroll on the most visible place where you can see it often throughout the day, such as a bathroom mirror, bedroom, even the refrigerator door so that you may ponder it throughout the year.  Let us take every opportunity to give thanks to God for His blessings, for unfulfilled dreams, and even for the things we consider bad.  In the end, we will abundantly harvest the fruit of gratitude in all areas of life: physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual.
• Let’s pray.

   

Summary:

John Parker is our guest speaker for today filling in for Pastor Choi who is on vacation.  Our text for today is a wonderful account where God steps into his creation, watches over and takes care of His children, and ensures that His plans always succeed.  It is a message of encouragement, hope, and faith as Joseph is guided by angels to protect Mary and Jesus. We can feel secure knowing that God knows what we are facing and will protect those doing His will.  Our faith is further sustained in the knowledge that while Jesus is fully God, he came to us in the most humble of circumstances showing the love that He has for us.

  Flight to Egypt