One More Thing with Pastor Tim Burchill 11.11.2024

No One Said It Would be Easy

 

         Amy Jill Levine, a New Testament teacher of some renown, said the following:

         “Jesus never said being a disciple would be easy; to the contrary. But he did assure his followers that being a disciple would be worth their while. The task of the disciple is not to take the easy road, for as the Sermon on the Mount puts it, ‘the road is easy that leads to destruction’ (Matthew 7:13).

         But he did offer a promise to those who could accept and follow him whole heartedly: “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life” (Luke 18:29-30).

 

          To love Jesus first is to learn to love all the other people in our lives with greater intensity and less selfishness; to care for our families for their sake and not our own; to exude humility when all around us are trumpeting their own horns; and to want what is best for those close to us so that we are willing to work toward what is best for them, even if it is not necessarily what is best for us.  It’s not hating Mother/Father, Sister/Brother, or child.  It is allowing Jesus to love them through us.  And that’s a whole lot better than what we are capable of on our own!

Archived Posts

Key Takeaway from Sunday

If I had to identify a specific take away from
Sunday’s sermon it would probably be this:

The Rest of the Story

          I mentioned Russell Conwell in Sunday’s message.  He was a famous preacher, educator, and lecturer.  His sermon/lecture “Acres of Diamonds” was turned into a book and sold rather well.  I used Conwell’s illustrations to talk about sharing the good news of Jesus with those closest to us first—family, friends, coworkers, and church family.  The wider world is our ultimate aim, but until you invest in the people God has already put in your life, you are unlikely to have much success. 

No One Said It Would be Easy

To love Jesus first is to learn to love all the other people in our lives with greater intensity and less selfishness

 

What’s Saved Is Often Lost         

Here’s the benediction we didn’t have time for yesterday (Sunday, November 3).  It’s one of my favorite quotations (portions of a newspaper column).  I hope you find it as inspiring as I have

Leftovers Continued…

         It’s not just the fact that God is un-impressed by our leftovers, it actually goes deeper than that.  In a sense, Jesus is passionately and purposely opposed to anything leftover.  To be a follower of Jesus Christ is to work diligently to make sure that in the end nothing at all is left over.

Less Stuff and Fewer Wants

          Here’s a point I left off Sunday’s sermon due to time and length.  In dealing with an Entitled mindset it is very helpful if you can Reduce Materialism and Consumerism.

Entitlement Can Hit You in Ways You Might Never Suspect

          The people of God (Israel) were chosen by God to fulfill a unique calling—to be a light to all the other nations of the nations of the world.  God chose them because of their willingness to be used by Him for His purposes.   But after a while the Israelites began to think that they were chosen--not because with God they could fulfill a special purpose--but because they were a special people, uniquely favored and loved for who they were.