A stewardship point to ponder

It's a refrain that had been heard in the church ever since there has been a church: all this church is interested in is my money! I don't doubt that there are some churches whose main concern is the almighty dollar. But that hasn't been the case at Life in Christ.  Not too long ago I came across the following statement from the great C.S. Lewis.  Read carefully:

The Christian way is different: harder, and easier. Christ says, "Give me all (of you).  I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work - I want you.  No half-measures are any good.  I don't want to cut off a branch here and a branch there.  I want to have the whole tree..."

The Lord doesn't want your money.  That would be too easy.  You could write a check, make a big donation to the church and be on your way.  No, the Lord wants you.  And it's only right that He would feel that way.

Who suffered the punishment for your sins? Who humbled Himself so that you might be saved and lifted up? Who has removed the shame of your sin and the fear of your death? Who has prepared a place for you in heaven.  You know the answer - Jesus!

Jesus wants your heart and your head, your time and your attention, your worship and your praise.  When He has you in this way, supporting the ministry of the church will never be a problem! And no one will ever be tempted to say, "All this church is interested in is my money!"

The greatest waste of all

The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. The greatest waste in all our church, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.

Rev. Billy Graham, as quoted in "In A Heartbeat," page 254

Pastors - pay attention!

What have I been doing all this time? If I'm going to take 20 or 30 minutes to play something that I can play in 10 minutes, maybe I'd better play it in 10 minutes.

Jazz great John Coltrane, as quoted in "Making Records," pages 35-36

Perhaps Pastor's should look at their sermons the same way?

What goes on in Christian Churches

When Christian believers gather in churches, everything that can go wrong soon or later does. Outsiders, on observing this, conclude that there is nothing to the religion business except, perhaps, business - and dishonest business at that.  Insiders see it differently. Just as a hospital collects the sick under one roof and labels them as such, the church collects sinners.  Many of the people outside the hospital are every bit as sick as the ones inside, but their illnesses are either undiagnosed or disguised.  It's similar with sinners outside the church.

So Christian churches are not, as a rule, model communities of good behaviour.  They are, rather, places where human misbehavior is brought out into the open, faced and dealt with.

Eugene Peterson, author of "The Message" translation.

Know someone who is thinking about going to church?

Do you know someone who might come to church with you if you were to ask?

Why not invite them to Life in Christ this weekend.

We worship today at 5 pm.  Tomorrow our services with traditional hymns are at 8 & 11 am.  We also have a service that features modern songs played by a band at 9:30.

Make the invitation.  Help a friend hear about Jesus, the One who longs to be the friend of those in need of forgiveness and eternal life!

Hallowed be Thy name

The Large Catechism says, "To hallow means the same as to praise, magnify, and honor both in word and deed," (LC III 46).  God's gifts and answered prayer give us an unsurpassed joy.  I have joy that I know exactly who God is.  I know His name.  I know I am forgiven in His Son.  I know His name is mine in Holy Baptism.  I know that I am His beloved child.  I know He expects me to sanctify His name in word and deed.  I know He answers my prayer, "Hallowed be Thy name."

"Why I Am Joy:Fully Lutheran?" Matthew C. Harrison, page 93

Be on guard for self-righteousness

There is no greater temptation for those who profess to be Christians than self-righteousness,

Robert E. Fischer, "Christian Freedom - Christ Sets Us Free," page 27