We get to do this!

Sunday Morning Service

Harvest Time Church

September 3rd, 2023

Good morning church! It is so good to be with you this morning, especially, see that I have the honor of sharing God’s Word with you!

I want to thank our lead Pastors Glenn & Denise for entrusting me with this huge responsibility this morning AND also for giving me the honor of having the best job ever - it’s my dream job - pastoring our Middle & High School students alongside my wife. For those of you who do not know me, I am Kurt, and my students call me PK or Pastor Kurt. I have a beautiful wife, Pastor Vivi who is a Psychologist and we have a nasty dog called Salsa. She thinks she is in charge and rightly so, but our picture is up on the screen.

We do so because we BELIEVE in this Generation. They are called by God to do greater exploits that we could have even imagined or dreamed of. At HTYouth we believe this is the generation that will turn their world upside down for Jesus our King - Acts 17:6.

So, as I’ve said, I am here to deliver what God has given me for our house this morning and I would like to go to work. Are you ready to church?!

If you have your bibles, please turn with me to Colossians 4: 12 & 13 and if you have your smart phones, you can click on the Bible app and go to Colossians 4:12 & 13.

While you make your way over there, please be sure to stop by the Welcome Center on your way out where you can purchase some Big Daddy Weave Concert tickets or find out other great ways to connect with our church and all the great ministries that happen here at HTC.

First Man to Ever Walk on the Moon:

Neil Armstrong on the MoonAt 02:56 GMT on 21 July 1969, Armstrong became the first person to step onto the Moon. He was joined by Aldrin 19 minutes later. The two spent about two hours together outside the lunar module, taking photographs and collecting 21.5 kg of lunar material to be tested back on Earth.

When Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, he said the famous words, "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

Who were the team of Engineers and Programmers who helped work in the background and made it possible for the Lunar Model to make it safely to the moon and back?

Sadie Stanley, former IBM Radar Programmer, Homer Ahr, former IBM computer programmer, Dave Proctor, former IBMer who coded the lunar descent maneuver model, Tommy Steele, former IBMer and lead engineer on the instrument unit for the Saturn Moon Rocket and Phil Pollacia, former IBMer who managed the preflight trajectory at Johnson Space Center .

Epaphras:

· Probably founded the Colossians Church

· A Native Colasse

· He worked hard on behalf of the church there – In fact, Col 1:6-7 Paul says – This same good news that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives…you learned about the Good News from Epaphras. Paul then commends Epaphras as his dear friend and a faithful minister of Christ. In fact, because of their friendship, Epaphras styed with Paul during his imprisonment and so was unable to deliver the letter to the Colossians Personally.

· Colosse:

· Large number of Jews had lived in Colossae, the church at Colossae was probably Gentile in composition.

· Since large number or Jews lived there, their synagogue had a reputation of LAXITY and OPENESS to speculation drifting in from the Hellenistic World.

· The Greek religions also flourished in Colossae.

· The FERTILITY cult of Cybele was highly popular.

· Characterized by ecstacy and excessive enthusiasm throughout the Roman Empire.

· WORSHIP of Isis, Apollo, Dionysus, Asclepius and other gods was widespread.

· Cult of Mithras, a mystery religion based on astrology and sacrifice abounded in Colossae. The church therefore in Colossae grew up in an atmosphere that blended a variety of religious traditions that may have been a source of heresy within the church.

· Paul sets the record straight from the outset and states the truth of who Christ is. And then he turns to the implications of His lordship over all and describes how his followers should live.

New Living Translation Chapter 1

7 You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. 8 He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.

Col 1:7You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf.

Col 1:8He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.

Col 4:12Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God.

Col 4:13I can assure you •that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Philem 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings.

You are not the center of it all - See reference to One builds another plants....etc.

We don’t get to do ur alone Relationships with other. God never calls us yo do it alone. Jesus understood this concept well and built a community of disciples who would continue the Mission long after He was no longer on planet earth. Jesus sent them out 2-by-2 - When we truly live out gods mission In community with other.

Colossians 4:13-14

We get to do this!

Pastor Glenn pranked me and gave me to opportunity to share the word with you the week of my birthday.

Building His Church

Give summary of what the culture was like in Colossians where Paul and Epaphras ministered

Why Epaphras - style not noted 3 times in scripture but his impact was seen and felt throughout the church as he alongside Paul planted churches in Colossians.

He placed His treasures in jars of clay - frail

Connecting in life groups this fall and throughout

Serving our HTY HTK and many other ministries.

We get to build His Church alongside others!

We get to serve - it’s a privilege and honor not to be taken lightly. Sitting at His feet is equally as important as serving His House. The problem is sometimes we get so used to sitting that our posture never changes to one of serving. Don’t get me wrong. Sitting at the Masters feet is our foremost responsibility but if we never get to serve, we never get to see the fullness of what Christ has called us to do - and that is go and make disciples.

Use examples of shadow doctors etc.

Share a story to demonstrate this!

Show pic of layminister.

Epaphras got this! Now scripture doesn’t share much about his journey but I know that during His time I’m sure he encountered hardships. I’m sure that getting to do this - is not always easy. But one of the qualities that I gleen from Epaphras life is one of faithful servant. Verse 13 says a servant of the most High.

Just a few qualities of servant hood -

Servant serve

For more than half of my life I have said yes to the call. During that time of personal time with Jesus I learnt the value of what it means to serve. Show pic of me as lay minister. I met my beautiful wife while we both served together. Side note - you looking for a wife or husband look - find someone who serves Jesus and His people. The world has enough …….

You might never be remembered for having served but that’s the idea. We get to do this. Our superintendent in our district has this life phrase - love God

Jesus himself served. From the overflow of spending alone time with his father he came out and went seeking and saving the lost.

Stop over thinking and over complicating this. We get to serve alongside other. Action point - just get busy serving!

We get to build His Church through prayer!

Action point - set time aside daily to activate your prayer muscle and you will see it grow. Ask any trainer and gym enthusiast. Join a prayer group see pastor Ruth.

Pray with others. Start a prayer huddle at your school or work. Just get busy praying and you will see the hand of God move in ways that you might never have seen before.

Gym pic with Ale

Muscle aches.

Prayer - my mom used to say I something that money can’t buy and that is praying for you.

I hear parents and loved ones saying this often -

I want to give my kids the things that I have never received.

Instead of directing that…

Intentionality is key.

Communion:

For our final act of worship today, we are going to receive the Lord’s Supper.

Hopefully you received a serving of communion at the door on your way into the sanctuary this morning, however, if you did not we have ushers in the isle and they will bring you a serving of communion. Just need you to raise your hand and they will make sure that you receive a serving. They will come and find you. While they are doing that, let’s continue worshipping our King as we sing - Jesus paid it all.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 New International Version

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Let’s pray. Pray for the Bread & Cup.

Blood of Jesus that washes away every sin stain.

By Faith in the Cross of Christ, we receive everything purchased for us on Calvary. If your heart agrees with that would you say amen. Let’s receive communion together. You can receive the Bread first and then the Cup.

After communion is received, pray for God’s people and give them the Benediction and release them.

God bless you HTC. Personal Prayer is in our reception room in the back of the foyer and we have coffee and donuts in our fellowship hall below. We can’t wait to see you next week for our Life Expo. Greet one another on your way out.