Don’t give up just yet

“Many Promise, Few Follow Through” (Messages from the pulpit)

Read Matthew 21: 28-32

This passage tells a story of 2 sons. The father asks his first son to go out into the vineyard to work. At first, the son thinks about it. His initial reaction is to decline, but after some thought the first son changes his mind and decides to work in the vineyard. The second son promises to work the fields for his father, but doesn’t follow through. The passage goes further to say that tax collectors (which in those days were very greedy and dishonest) and prostitutes followed Jesus without hesitation. These people have been seen as the worst of humanity. But Jesus turns no one away. All one needs to do is come with a humble heart and ask forgiveness for your sins and then do what it takes to follow after the ways of God.

Then look at Luke 15: 11-32

This parable tells of 2 sons. Both are given an inheritance– one son takes his inheritance and squanders it. He is filled with shame, penniless to the point of eating scraps of food with swine. He doesn’t even feel worthy of that! With no other choice, the son returns to his father for even the slimmest chance of being the lowliest of servants. Much to the surprise of the prodigal son, his father welcomes him back with a wonderful, extravagant feast.

Do you ever feel so ashamed of mistakes you’ve made that you couldn’t possibly return to the Grace of God? Well, to be perfectly honest and blunt, that is nonsense.

Psalm 136:1 “Praise The Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.” God will not turn you away. After all, John 3:17 says, “For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that through Him the world would be saved.”

Pride not only goes before a fall– it seems that pride can prevent us from getting back up, dusting ourselves off and getting back on track. There is no sin too great that God will not wipe out.Anyone who has spent time with God knows that when we separate ourselves from the loving presence of God our lives become empty. Eventually we become convinced that we’re too far gone and it doesn’t matter. But, speaking from personal experience, I know that when you put your pride aside, you get back into the loving arms of God. We can go to a place of worship, where we can join with people who most likely have gone through the same exact thing. As believers, we are a community of people that come together for the purpose of serving God.

See Good Friday Together Buffalo pictures and half hour video

Good Friday Together Buffalo was the first time “the Church at Buffalo” gathered together en masse. In a historic moment for the region, whites, blacks, Hispanics and Asians were all in one giant room together, getting along like brothers and sisters, singing together, hugging one another, and celebrating Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. If you weren’t there, you missed a momentous, memorable, utterly amazing event.

That said, I was there and took lots of pictures and videos, so you, too, could experience it, after the fact. I spent a lot of time creating a 1/2 hour video that will give you a great idea of what was said, and what the place looked like on Good Friday 2013.

Pastor Hennings from Zion Dominion said we need to be “demonstrative” with our faith. It’s all well and good to get together and praise Jesus, but lets not forget to be His hands and feet in the world, showing Christ’s love to those who desperately need it. With that in mind…

Recently, the African Children’s Choir came to Buffalo for a week. I decided to raise money for them. BuffaloChristian.com is currently collecting donations to support the work of the African Children’s Choir. If you feel led to contribute any amount to the choir thru BuffaloChristian.com, click here. Thanks. You will be emailed at a later date to let you know how much in total was sent to the Choir. –Mark Weber

African Children’s Choir at Kenmore United Methodist Church