Good things happening on College Campuses:

Tonya Prewitt, founder of UniteUS, explained,

"We started last year at Auburn University. We had 5,000 students show up, and over 200 got baptized. We next went to FSU – Florida State, the second biggest party school in the nation. We had 4,500 students come, and I believe about 350 students got baptized at that event."

The movement then swept through the universities of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina, with numbers growing along the way. Tonya calls the mission a simple one: Bring hope to a generation.

Gen Z, as they are called, make up the majority of today's college students. Barna Research shows only 17% of that generation call themselves Christians, but more than half of all Gen Zers have a positive view of Jesus. UniteUS is designed to turn that positive view into a personal commitment.

Pastor Jonathan Pokluda, a speaker for UniteUS, highlighted the struggles students face. "They're coming in with guilt and shame – STDs, unwanted pregnancies, abortions. They're carrying guilt from even last night, from pornography. And they come here, and we're showing them the One – the only One – who can really deal with their sin, who is Jesus Christ."

Latest:

In the fourth major collegiate revival in less than a month, 10,000 students representing 37 colleges gathered at the University of Arkansas on Thursday night, Sept. 19, to seek Jesus Christ and find salvation in His name.

With hundreds saved and baptized in water

I have already mentioned Ohio State University.

Also, earlier this month Texas A & M and the University of South Carolina

Just in the last 12 months in multiple student gatherings on campuses, there have been more than 2,000 salvations and 800 water baptisms

We can be appalled, and rightly so, at the pro-terrorist gatherings at universities, but let’s NOT neglect to give God thanks for the GOOD thing He is doing on university campuses.

Lift up hands, hearts and voices of praise!

Identity - What Will I Choose?

This morning I want to continue to look at who God says we are.

If we have repented of our sins and surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus, we ABIDE IN CHRIST.

That choice completely changes identity.

And the change of identity because of being IN CHRIST, affects further choices.

Because of who I am IN CHRIST, I ask God to help me make choices that align with God’s will for me. (Repeat)

As I mentioned a few weeks ago:

We are to walk according to example of Jesus,

Which is commanded in: 1 John 2:4–6 (LSB) The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are IN HIM: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

So, if we would walk according to the way of Jesus, we will reflect Jesus’ nature and character, and …

Have our thinking conformed to His way of thinking

Have our words conformed to His way of speaking

Have our behaviors in alignment with His behaviors.

Ultimately, our words and behaviors flow out of our thinking.

That is why it SO important that…

Romans 12:2 (ISV)Do not be conformed to this world, but continually be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God’s will is—what is proper, pleasing, and perfect.

Ephesians 4:17–24 (LSB) Therefore this I say, and testify in the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their mind, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart. 19 And they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way— 21 if indeed you heard Him and were taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 to lay aside, in reference to your former conduct, the old man, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and to put on the new man, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

When we are IN CHRIST, and surrender our minds to be renewed through the Holy Spirit we will make different choices.

Choices that radically affect how we live.

Choices We Face

Like the choice Moses told Israel to make in:

Deuteronomy 30:19–20 (NLT) “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

This morning, like Moses encouraged Israel to do, let’s choose the life of God — the abundant life of Jesus.

As Jesus said in: John 10:9–10 (LSB) “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Abundant life — IN CHRIST!

In the same way, let’s make the same choice Joshua made when he told the nation of Israel in:

Joshua 24:14–15 (NLT) “So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”

Like Joshua of old, let’s embrace what God told Joshua about his identity in Joshua 1

Let US be strong and courageous, a study-er of the Word of God — and obedient to all it teaches.

Then, even if everyone else falls away, we will choose to follow and serve God.

Choose to Know Who and Whose We Are

We can make right choices as we believe and embrace who God says we are and to Whom He says we belong.

We need to start each day choosing to know who we really are.

This is a foundational question: “who am I?”

DO I KNOW MY IDENTITY?

Other people will often be quick to label us as they see us.

If we are not careful we will just accept the identity they place on us.

However, the way people see us is not who we really are.

When we accept an identity placed upon us by other we lose our REAL identity and forget who and whose we really are.

We have ALL been identified by others:

Culture says I’m insignificant—just one person among 8 and 1/4 billion people currently alive.

Biologists say I’m a bag of chemicals worth about $2; I’m just the product of evolutionary chance, a monkey’s great uncle.

The boss may tell me I’m replaceable.

While the bank calls me a bread winner one day and a debtor the next.

The government says I’m a number: social security number 123-45-6789—just another taxpayer.

Insurance companies say I’m a medical liability or even an at risk driver.

Retailers say I’m a consumer.

The church calls me a prospect, a visitor, a guest, an adherent or a member.

If I like you I call you friend, if not I call you enemy.

My wife calls me Honey, my kids call me dad, my parents called me son, and you all call me Pastor.

Is it any wonder we are having an identity crisis?

Who am I really?

Our identity is not based in who others say we are—if you look to other people when you ask the question “who am I” you will get the wrong answer.

Likewise your identity is not found within yourself!

Some days my bones tell me I’m older; other days my heart wants to play.

Sometimes I feel confident while at others times I’m insecure.

One moment I’m happy the next I’m depressed.

In the morning I’m tired and at the end of the day I’m exhausted. Somewhere along the way I had some energy—I think.

My conscience tells my I’m guilty; my faith tells my I’m forgiven, but do I really know?

I’m a failure and success all rolled up in one; it’s iffy about which one comes out each day and it may depend upon the weather.

Sometimes I think I’m ok looking, but the mirror reminds me I’m definitely not the fairest in the land.

We can’t look to others and we can’t turn to ourselves to know who we are.

We need to daily even MOMENT BY MOMENT look toward heaven and let God tell us who we really are.

WE NEED TO LET GOD ESTABLISH OUR IDENTITY.

Who does God say we are? The Bible tells us…

We are a blood bought child of the living God—the Almighty, the Creator and lover of the human soul.

We are His and He is ours.

We are the center of God’s affection, created in His image.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made by the ultimate craftsman; God made us to fulfill His divine purpose.

We are an heir of the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Our citizenship is from heaven and we are seated in heavenly places!

We are an eternal being who will never really die.

We are the temple of the Holy Spirit filled and empowered to be Christ’s witness.

We bear the seal of the Holy Spirit so that nothing can ever take us out of His hand.

Consider again the few things we have already reviewed, the things the Word of God has told us — things that are really just the tip of the ice burg of who God has made us to be. That …

I am a child of God

I am a child who regularly comes to this Table to remember the sacrifice of Jesus

I am created, accepted, secure and significant.

I belong to the One who made everything

I have a divine purpose — I am a masterpiece of God created on purpose BY Him and FOR Him to accomplish HIS purpose in my life.

And that purpose is so the power of God could be seen in us.

So that the glory of God will be displayed in and through us.

I am first and foremost a citizen of the Kingdom of God, even if in this world I am considered a stranger and an exile.

I have, as 1 Peter 1:4 says: an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, .... kept in heaven for me…

As we understand and embrace our identity in Christ, let’s choose to BE like Jesus by following Christ and choosing to:

Be holy, righteous

Good — which, as Jesus said, means: godly

Faithful ,True, Just

Obedient to the Father

Submissive to those whom God has placed over me

Victorious over sin

Humble, Self-denying

Zealous — passionate about and for God

Be loving, Compassionate, Merciful, Forgiving and Patient

Watching what I say

Careful about what I see and hear

The Lord’s Supper

The Lord willing, we will look at all of these things and more over the coming weeks and months.

But this morning, let’s choose to imitate a characteristic that Jesus often displayed: thankfulness.

Like Jesus, let’s be thankful for God’s many blessings.

Thankfulness is NOT just something we do at the November holiday we call Thanksgiving.

It’s something we do all year long.

The Apostle Paul warned us about the identity of people of these last days in:

2 Timothy 3:1–5 (NLT) You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

Oh, Church! Let’s walk in a different identity, the identity we have when we are IN CHRIST

The identity of being grateful — of being a thankful people.

Thankful for, as says Lamentations 3:22–24 (NLT) [reminds us, of] The faithful love of the LORD [that] never ends! His mercies [that] never cease. 23 Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

But especially, let’s be thankful for the sacrifice of Jesus.

Jesus WILLINGLY laid down His life

He WILLINGLY shed His blood.

We express thankfulness for the sacrifices of Jesus by partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

Preparation

To partake we need to FIRST prepare our hearts.

When Jesus was about to observe the Last Supper with His disciples we read that:

Luke 22:8 (LSB) … Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.”

Jews always PREPARED for the Passover — on which the Lord’s Supper is built.

And so should we!

1 Corinthians 11:27–32 (TPT) … whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in the wrong spirit will be guilty of dishonoring the body and blood of the Lord. 28 So let each individual first evaluate his own attitude and only then eat the bread and drink the cup. 29 For continually eating and drinking with a wrong spirit will bring judgment upon yourself by not recognizing the body. 30 This insensitivity is why many of you are weak, chronically ill, and some even dying. 31 If you do not sit in judgment of others, you will avoid judgment yourself. 32 But when we are judged, it is the Lord’s training so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

Let’s ask the Lord to cleanse us and put a right spirit in us.

Prayer

Distribute the Elements

You don’t have to be a member to partake of The Lord’s Supper with us.

Are you in right relationship with Jesus?

Have you asked the Lord to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness?

If you have, sing this song in remembrance as you come to receive and HOLD the elements so we can all partake together.

Sister Becky could you come serve us?

Worship Team, please come

Sing: Mercy

Bread

Jesus said in: John 6:47–51 (LSB) “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes [in Me] has eternal life. 48 “I am the bread of life. 49 “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 “This is the bread which comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and also the bread which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

John 6:57–58 (LSB) “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

At the Last Supper: Luke 22:19 (LSB) [tells us that] … when [Jesus] had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”

Prayer (Cecelia Funderburk)

As Jesus would have prayed (from Seder): Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who brings forth bread from the earth.

Let us partake.

Cup

Jesus went on to say in: John 6:53–56 (LSB) So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

Also at the Last Supper: Matthew 26:27–29 (LSB) [tells us that] … when [Jesus] had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Again, as Jesus would have prayed ( from Seder): Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Let us partake.

Jesus Is Coming Back!

1 Corinthians 11:26(Phillips)… whenever you eat this bread or drink of this cup, you are proclaiming that the Lord has died for you, and you will do that until He comes again.

Folks, Jesus is coming again!

Until He comes, let’s praise, glorify, thank and worship Him.

He created us to do so.

On Wednesday at sundown the Jews will celebrate the New Year.

Rosh Hashanah

The Feast of Trumpets

I’ve always thought: what a great time for Jesus to return because as says:

1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 (TPT) For the Lord Himself will appear with the declaration of victory, the shout of an archangel, and the trumpet blast of God. He will descend from the heavenly realm and command those who are dead in Christ to rise first. 17 Then we who are alive will join them, transported together in clouds to have an encounter with the Lord in the air, and we will be forever joined with the Lord. 18 So encourage one another with these truths.

Sing: I Was Made to Praise You