Wednesday's Word
June 10, 2015
Praise and Prayers
Praise
We praise for another wonderful Sunday Service!
We give praise for Grady and Roxanne Dukes as they celebrated 30 years of marriage!
Roxanne Dukes lifts up the Arbor Pointe UMC youth mission trip, where Natalie Dukes is the youth director.
The Crossroads UMC Golf Team won their division in the Spring Golf league at Cedar Lake Golf Course. Congratulations to all who played!
Prayers
Robert and Sally Barfield are asking for prayers for their grandson, Christopher Barfield, he will be having a bone marrow transplant.
Jean Hambrick is asking for prayers for Clayton Compton, he broke his arm and jaw this past weekend.
Sally Hinkle is asking for prayers for her neighbors, Mattie Cook, she just had a heart attack and Gloria Blankenship, who is in Peidmont Hospital.
John Schaal is asking for prayers for his brother, Ted Schaal, tumor that was removed was cancer and he will undergo another surgery in two weeks.
Neal Hester is asking for prayers for Jackie Crawford who has cancer.
Joel Crissman is asking for prayers for Wayne Lewis, Cindy Brewbaker and Al Cote during their battle with cancer.
Roxanne Dukes is asking for prayers for Mr. Granberg as he is having a CT scan to determine treatment for aneurysm.
Marty Boyd lifts up his executive assistant, Lynda Britt. Lynda's niece, Belinda and Belinda’s 6-year old daughter, Bella were struck by a car crossing the road in Myrtle Beach. Bella was killed and Belinda survived but is in very serious condition.
Louise Sheriffs is in rehabilitation for strengthening her legs after hospitalization. Please--prayers only, no visitors.
Announcements
Action Ministries Summer Lunch Program
We will make sandwiches on Wednesday, June 24th. If you would like to donate food items or volunteer your time and have not already talked to Natalie Smith, please email her at njscomm@comcast.net. Natalie would like to thank everyone who has already volunteered help with the summer lunch program.
College and Career Connection
ONE SERVICE SUNDAY SCHEDULE
MUSIC CAMP "GODSPELL"
Save the Dates: June 21st-28th for our annual Music Camp. Music camp is where we combine a customized vacation bible school program to a major musical production. Rehearsals are 5:30pm-8:30pm Sunday--Friday. Saturday dress rehearsal 9:00am-12:00am Performances on Saturday at 7:00pm and Sunday at 10:00am. Cost is $50.00 per child and $25 each additional sibling. Contact the church office now to reserve your child's spot at secretary@crossroadsumc.net.
Sermon Summary
Forgiven--Mark 3:20-35
People in Jesus’ time were trying to figure out if he was a liar, lunatic, or Lord. His family wants him to come home because "people were saying he is out of his mind”(v.21)—a lunatic. Experts from Jerusalem came to debunk his ministry of healing saying that he is possessed by evil spirits. He’s a lunatic and a liar “and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons."(v22) On top of this, Jesus makes a radical claim that "people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter”(v28) except for the sin against the Holy Spirit itself--rejecting Jesus.
Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian faith. Yet some think we are lunatics for doing so. Do we really proclaim that child molesters can be forgiven? Murderers? Thieves? Could everyone we read about in the news experience forgiveness? All sins forgiven is a wonderful word of grace but we struggle with the concept.
In their book, The Faces of Forgiveness, LeRon Shults and Steven Sandage identify three different types of forgiveness: legalistic, therapeutic, and redemptive forgiveness. Legalistic forgiveness is when we give up our right to revenge, but we don’t forget the offense. It’s a transaction. Therapeutic forgiveness is when we forgive the offender even when he/she doesn’t repent. We let go and move in another direction. We usually forgive in these two limited ways. However, redemptive forgiveness is where reconciliation and restoration occur in a broken situation. God fully offers redemptive forgiveness while we struggle with it.
Christ forgave his enemies while on the cross. He forgives us for what we do and don’t do. We seek his forgiveness because we fail so often. Forgiveness is a way of life and we ought to extend it to others. As the Lord’s Prayer says, “forgive us our (sins) as we forgive those who (sin) against us.”(Matthew 6:12). A forgiving personality is the mark of person who is a part of the family of Christ. “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."(v.35) People may call you crazy like they called Jesus crazy but forgiveness is the way of Christ.
Peace,
Rev. Zack Martin