Your Faith Journey

I want to thank the elders for allowing me to not preach here on May 18th. I preached in Nashville at the South Harpeth church of Christ. It is where my grandmother has gone for years. If I understand correctly, it is the oldest church in Nashville. It was a blessing to be there and see friends and family.

I have been recently thinking about those who have played a role in where I am today. My grandmother is one of those. I remember staying with my grandparents overnight, and my grandmother would read Bible stories to me. (Noah’s ark was my favorite. I like animals.) She would take me to church, Bible classes, and VBS. I might not be here today if it had not been for the impact my grandparents made in my life and in turn the impact that congregation made on me. I was probably not candidate number one to be a preacher when I grew up. In fact, I remember laying under those pews wondering if service would ever end. Those folks were planting the word of God in my life. God bless them. I do not remember the names of all those who planted the seeds of God’s word in my life, but God knows.

I want to end by thinking about two things. Number one is who has contributed to your faith journey? Family, friends, church folks, etc. Let me encourage you to encourage them. We should not do this to be praised by men (Matthew 6:1). Church work can be tough, and you might wonder if you are making a difference. You are if you are teaching God’s word. Thank you. Number two is who are you helping along the way on their faith journey? Someone, if not many, have played a part in your faith journey, and you have a responsibility to invest in others’ faith journeys. Teach a class, invite someone to worship with you, sit down and study the Bible with someone, be Jesus to someone who does not know Him. Who are you investing in for Jesus?

Memorial Day

I thought with the holiday fast approaching I would ask: what does Memorial Day mean to you? It is supposed to be a time of remembrance about those in the military who have died serving our country. People might spend time visiting cemeteries or attending special events. We are asked to remember the sacrifice some have paid for our freedom. Some look at it as a long weekend of partying or a time to find a deal at some sell. Some just simply see it as the beginning of summer. I want to look at this holiday and see if there might be any lessons I can learn as a Christian.

The first thing that comes to mind is that we have someone who has paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Jesus sacrificed a lot for our sin problem. Jesus came from heaven (where we want to go), lived a perfect life, and died a horrible death because we have sinned. A perfect sacrifice for an imperfect people. There is no doubt we should honor that sacrifice everyday of our lives, but the Father has set up a special memorial every Sunday for us to remember Jesus’ sacrifice. That memorial is the Lord’s Supper. It is a time where we come together every Sunday to remember the body that hung on the cross and the blood that was shed for us.

Some view Sunday as just a day off work like a holiday. They have worked hard all week and have to go back on Monday so they rest instead of remember. There are all kinds of things to buy, and you might find a good deal so they shop instead of remember. They do not have much time off, and a lot of fun things are happening so they play instead of remember. Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, calls Christians to remember (1 Corinthians 11:23-34). We are called together to remember so we can refocus on our priority and that is to glorify God. When I remember what Christ has done for me, I must ask: how can I glorify Him?

Thanks

There have been so many good things going on here at Huntingdon. We just finished up Lads to Leaders and will be kicking the program off for next year. Thank you to all who participated and those who worked to make it a great weekend. Hopefully we are using this program to fulfill what Proverbs 22:6 teaches us.

We just finished honoring our graduates. Congratulations to all those who have reached this milestone in their lives, and thank you to all who worked to make this time so special. Thank you toa all of you who have helped these graduates throughout their lives and will continue to help them in the future. I hope we have encouraged you to be faithful to God in this next chapter of your lives (Hebrews 3:13).

The chicken dinner was a great day as always. It is great to see all of the community support that we receive. Thank you to all who make it possible. A lot of work goes into this effort, but a lot of good fellowship happens as well (Acts 2:42). Some folks are helped through this effort; may God be glorified (Galatians 6:10).

Mother's Daywas a great day. We are so thanksful for those mothers who sacrifice in their children's lives to show them Jesus. I hope we did what Proverbs 31:28-29 tells us to do. Thanks to those who worked to make Mother's Day so special.

I am continually thankful for the Lunch with Love program that happens here on Mondays. I am thankful for those saints who have meals delivered to them and all the work and sacrifice they have made for the Lord's cause throughout their lives. Galatians 6:10 comes to my mind.

There are so many things on the horizon, and I am thankful for those who make these things happen. I am sure there are a lot of things I did not mention. Please forgive my memory. I am thankful for you also. Are you involved? If not, find a place to glorify God!