UA-29320306-1
Archive - Heart of Mesa RSS Feed

Sermon Note Sundays: A Youth-Led Service

July 24, 2011 in carry the cross, Heart of Mesa, sermon notes, youth camp with 0 Comments

The Heart of Mesa youth are the best of the best, and I’m not saying that just because two of my sons are in the youth group.

Our young people are full of heart, creativity, talent, and all-around wonderfulness! I love ‘em. I really do.

They returned from Zona Youth Camp a couple weeks ago, and today was their opportunity to share what they experienced and how God impacted them.

I was blown away by the youth praise band and their skillful and sincere worship leading. I’ve known many of them since they were tiny, so seeing them up there using their skills and heart for God made my heart swell big time!

They chose songs with such spiritual depth and devotion…truly life-altering lyrics for anyone who would truly take them to heart.

My heart and my soul, I give You control



Consume me from the inside out Lord


Let justice and praise, become my embrace


To love You from the inside out

And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us



And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?


And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us


And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?

Some of the youth shared their testimonies about how God met them at camp and how He presented them with a choice: God’s way or the world’s way.

They spoke of commitment.

They spoke of worship.

They spoke of unity.

They spoke of family…the Body of Christ.

At camp, they were confronted with a lot of “C” words.

Choice

Adam and Eve had the choice to be obedient to God’s one no-no…do not eat of the tree in the center of the garden. Their choice to disobey cursed themselves and all mankind.

Curse

The curse of sin is destructive, devastating, and downright terrifying! While doing a missions project, our youth saw evidence of the curse everywhere they turned. The youth spent time painting a house in a poor neighborhood. All around were signs of brokenness. A neighbor came by and shared with Gary Monroe, our youth minister, that three young children just around the corner, had been abandoned by their parents. I’m sure no parent ever dreams their sin would have such control over them that they’d abandon their own children, but the truth is that we’re all capable of unspeakable things because of the sin curse. Is there any hope? Any way for the curse to be broken?

Covering

In Old Testament times, the people would come together yearly to make a sacrifice as a way for their sins to be covered. One goat would be slaughtered and sacrificed and another would be released into the wilderness…a scapegoat carrying off the sins of the people. Gary brought the scene to life by asking us to imagine the crowd standing there watching the priest lay their sins on the scapegoat while immediately heaping more sins on themselves again by whispering gossip, comparing themselves to others, or feeling annoyed over missing an afternoon rest.

Now, Jesus is our covering. He suffered complete alienation from God for us so we wouldn’t have to spend an eternity without Him. The shed blood of Jesus is an eternal, once-and-for-all covering that never has to be repeated. It is finished.  We are faced with a choice…just like Adam and Eve. Will we receive that crimson covering, or will we continue to live our own way…cursed.

Carry the Cross

When we choose Christ, He commands us to take up our cross and follow Him. It’s not easy, especially for our youth who are faced with so many temptations and challenges. We may not do it right all the time. In fact, we definitely won’t! But those who choose Christ…who choose life…will keep fighting the good fight of the faith. Stumbles will come but we keep marching on carrying the cross as a testimony of Whose we are.

Many of our youth made the choice to carry their crosses with conviction and consistency. They are willing to stand for Christ, even when it’s hard.

One of our girls, Lizette, implored the church family to support the youth in their quest. To stand with them, encourage them, and guide them.

I know teens often come across as resistant to adult authority, but the deep down truth is that they crave it. They want us to show them the right way and stand beside them and behind them as they figure things out on their own. To help them stand back up again when they fall. To cheer them on when they take a stand. To be an example for them to follow.

Lord, thank you for the Heart of Mesa youth. Thank you for the way this multi-ethnic group of teens has become a family. Give them undivided hearts completely set on You and Your ways. Continue to use Gary Monroe and all the youth leaders to train them up in the way they should go. As  a parent, I’m so thankful to have help in that important task. Please empower our whole church family to follow in the footsteps of our teens who went to camp. Help us to have a spirit of unity despite our differences, and help us to take up our crosses and follow You.

Sermon Note Sundays: The Calling of All Believers: A Life of Obedience

July 17, 2011 in Heart of Mesa, obedience to Christ, sermon notes with 0 Comments



My oldest son Garrett and his posse. Jon (kneeling) created Garrett shirts. I need me one of those!

What do you think of the Garrett shirts?  Everywhere I turned at church this morning, I saw my son’s face…talk about strange!

My honorary extra son, Jon made a stencil of Garrett’s face based on a photograph. White spray paint and a black t-shirt and voila! The Garrett shirt. I can’t get over the creativity of kids these days.

I do believe I should get a Garrett shirt for free, don’t you think? I mean, I carried THE Garrett in my womb through the heat of the summer, and he was 10 pounds 7 ounces upon arrival!

Our teenagers spent the week at Zona Youth Camp in Riverside, California. They drug their weary bones home last night around nine. I can’t wait to hear all about their experience next week when the youth take over the service. Garrett and Logan already told me a little bit…it was a sweet sound to a momma’s ears to hear phrases like “use my gifts for God,” “one-on-one time with Jesus,” and “my spiritual gifts are…” from my boys. Very sweet.

One of our lay pastors, Carl Young, brought us a passionate message about living a life of obedience. Carl’s ministry to the Salt River Indian Community has given our church rich opportunities to reach out to a place plagued by darkness. At “the rez,” the evil one has had his way for generations. Carl’s passion is to see the darkness pierced by the light of truth, the light of love, the light of Jesus Christ.

Carl and his sweet family are a tremendous blessing to the Heart of Mesa.



Here’s Carl and my sweetie, Cliff, at last year’s VBS



So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me. (Philippians 2:12-18 NASB)

As Christians, we are called to a life of obedience, not self-indulgence. Not an easy thing to do in this day and age. In the United States and other prosperous countries, the pursuit of stuff and self reigns supreme.

Nevertheless, true Believers must make the decision to live life God’s way, not the world’s way.

How do we do that?

Carl pulled three main points from Paul’s words to the Philippians.

1. Live a life that loves v. 12-13

“So then, my beloved…”

Paul addresses the Philippians with such love…such commitment. The word “beloved” in this verse comes from the Greek word agapetos, which means “dearly loved one, the object of special affection and of special relationship, as with Jesus, the beloved of the Father.” (Strongs)

A lot of meaning in that little word, huh?

Christ followers have a connection stronger than blood. We are called to a sacrificial, unifying love.

I don’t know about you, but living the obedient life is WAY easier with the loving support of my brothers and sisters-in-Christ! The prayers, the spurring each other toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24), the speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). We are meant to do this thing together!

We are fully equipped to live out this life of obedience! (Hebrews 13:20-21)

Our reverent, respectful love for Christ and our commitment to each other will help us work out our salvation in a way that will illuminate Christ.
2. Live a life that shines (v. 15-16)

Let your life shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Believers all about obedience let their lights shine no matter where they are. At work and at play. In suffering and at ease.  When poured out like a drink offering and when poured into like wedding wine jars. (John 2)

 When we live a life that illuminates the hope and love of Christ, the world around us changes. When we lay down our torch, darkness prevails.

Serving with gladness? Torch up! Whining, complaining, and avoiding the hard service? Torch down.

Saying “yes” to Christ no matter what? Torch up! Picking and choosing how we want to serve? Torch down.

What we do and say is the measuring rod of our influence for Christ.

3. Live a life that rejoices! (v. 17-18)

There is nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing better than being a servant of Christ!

When we pour out our lives in complete obedience, joy fills us to overflowing, splashing out on everyone we meet!

Satan fears the power of a joyful servant of Christ. He knows how dangerous and destructive we are to his evil cause.  He will oppose us. In fact, if we’re experiencing opposition, we know we’re on the right track!

Nothing can stop us when we are all His. Not the evil one, not our personal limitations, not the trials of this world.

Listen to the words of Jesus about how to have constant, perfect joy:

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:10-12) 

In Christ, we can work with joy, play with joy, and even suffer with joy.

Lord, give me a heart of obedience, all about You and Your glory. May my life be one that loves, shines, and rejoices…all for You.