Sunday Service

But the devil will be providing the message for us this morning. When was walking the walls hours.

recycle mark you you all may be in for a special treat this morning because I am so wired up between all this stuff that I'm not used to and hearing aids that if they're just happened to be a short involved. I may just disappear in a cloud of smoke.

Good morning. I am Duvall flowers for any of you who may not know me my wife Barbara and I have been members here for over 50 years. when Pastor Bill Originally asked me to speak a couple of weeks ago. I said no I said I told you the last time I was out of ideas. I didn't have anything else to share and I'm not one who's very good at just dreaming something up. So that was I said, no and I went to bed. And something happened overnight that I have no concept of what it was. So here I am interesting how some of those things worked out. I would like to begin this morning by reading a short a very short bible section. This is acts 6 verses 1 through 7.

the choosing of the seven and there's days when the number of disciples was increasing the Grecian Jews among them complained against the hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the 12 gathered all the disciples together and said it would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them. And will give her attention to prayer in the ministry of the word. This proposal pleased the whole group they show Stephen. I'm in full of faith and of the Holy Spirit and Phillip and prochorus and nicanor and teaming and parman has and Nicholas from Antioch a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and lay their hands on them. So the word of God spread the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

We can see in these verses that a long time ago a very long time ago. God shows people to go out and speak in his name. The Methodist Church has really been blessed and we're in open church and the laity has always been invited to speak sometimes out of need if the pastor can't be here and sometimes just because someone says to the preacher, I think I have something that people might be interested in hearing.

I don't know if other denominations do this or not, but it certainly is one of our strengths. Here particularly as heriford. We have been blessed over the years with a large number of people who were willing to step forward and speak and just recent years. I can I'll give you a handful of them just in the last 2 weeks for rooster owe me Bill Patterson, but also Joel Mason Meg Elliott Tim Patterson, Carol Bernstein Rick Bernstein. And Frank Valenti of all graced the stage with a full bit to bring a message. These people were all different in their approach. They came from different backgrounds. They had different delivery Styles and they had different topics that they wanted to share with you each and every one of them fulfilled God's desire to have everyday people like you and I go out and spread the word. I'd like to do something a little different this morning. I don't have a concise message to Frank. I'd like to go back and reflect on two or three messages that I've heard deliver by laity and just points that popped out and it really left a mark on me. The first one I have to go back a long time back in the late sixties or the early 70s. We had a gentleman in the church is not in. Our church actually was a life-long member of Weisberg United Methodist Church. His name was Clifton Burns. His wife Gladys and Clifton live right over here on Everett Road. And Clifton was well, I guess I would have been 25 30 35 and Clifton was old he may have only been 55 but I looked at him and I saw 75 80 in, Ohio. But I thought he was a true gentleman always a coat and tie never a bad word came out of his mouth and I held him up as somebody that I would like to be like in my Christian faith. What's the word occasionally speak? And he came on time and he made this statement. He said that the fact that crossed his mind once or twice that just maybe just maybe all that we believe about God in heaven might not be so.

Here is a guy who I'm putting up on a pedestal on those and he's saying that he has had doubts about his faith.

He immediately followed it with another statement with was just about as shocking. He said what difference would it make?

What if there is no future life? What if this is all there is?

And this was hard to reconcile hearing this coming from somebody speaking from the church. But I did think or how marvelous here's someone who stands up in front of his neighbors and his friends and admits that he has had occasion to doubt his face who Among Us has not it's a rare individual that you will find who puts their faith to the level that it should be where they never ever questioned any of it. They go through these people that goes through life. They are totally convinced about their face. I never have any doubts. I can remember myself as a teenager and even occasionally as an adult How's that I struggle with that whole concept of faith. Really? What impressed me the most about Clifton's comment was that does it really matter? What other plan? For living would you have if you didn't have the one that God has given us what would you follow think of the Cornerstone words of our faith?

Mercy forgiveness Brotherhood quiche the biggest one of all love if we didn't have these what what would we do with hatred?

inhumanity anger all these things that are so negative.

Stuck with me for a long time and I stand here today and say if you ever do run into a situation and there's so many horrible things that happened around the world during the media all the time were you do without your face? Do not tell me if that makes you anything of a lesser Christian. It is perfectly human nature to do that.

on another occasion

a gentleman by the name of Bob not even some of you may remember. Deliver the message. If I was a big really large man, it was a former Marine. Recently shy extremely kind. Had never spoken, but he asked to speak one time and I think Bob also was in his later years probably in his upper 70s have to stop saying that I'm ready to talk about these old people about the eleventh commandment. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you but he said you'd into the Ten Commandments after that. I just messaged triggered me to think more about the ten commandments.

One time in our small group meeting in the past year. The program called for an exercise each of the participants. I think they were to sit down and list the Ten Commandments. Now these are the Cornerstone blocks of our faith as to how we are to conduct Our Lives. And we stopped down and started writing and I whip out about five of them and then I'll sit there on the road, but it took all 10 of us to come up with the Ten Commandments. And Bob was talking about his his whole premise after you got into how is how are we doing with the Ten Commandments? And if so, I'm going to run through them very quickly for you. I'm not going to spend a lot of time with this and let you judge and don't don't take any of this personally. Don't give me think about yourself. Just think about Mankind in general because these Ten Commandments for what God put forth for all of us. Number one you shall have no other gods before me. Well, I can tell you we're not doing well with that.

drugs money breed alcohol Possessions we put all kinds of God's you can name 50 more of them probably ahead of the one true God. Number to you should not make for yourself a Graven image. I can see reminds working. What what are these 10 then you shall not take the name of the Lord in vain. That was number 3. Oh my goodness National media our president. Doesn't pay any attention to that one Everyday People number for remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. number 5 Honor your father and your mother. Does everybody do that do even adult children do that with their parents? We can excuse little children. adult children

The good one number six you shall not kill.

The last two days I've had two mass murders in the United States in two days. There was no other one this morning. I read I think I read what's on television that the city of Baltimore has 38 murders last month. That's more than one a day the people around show me all the people offering for very very little reason. Just as bad there were probably four times that many people who somebody tried to kill and just weren't successful. I wonder what God feels about all this.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness and number 10. You shall not covet anything. That is your neighbors. I missed one.

Wow. How's mankind doing? on these

where does that leave us in the eyes of God?

This is why we as the human race and certainly we who are believers have to take stock and rely on our face. And remember that our God is merciful. Our God is forgiving. He created us he knows that we don't come can never fully come up to his image.

And he knows that we have so many human weaknesses. And personally, I believe that as long as we admit our shortcomings in prayer.

with true remorse the God will forgive. And we will continue on the path to Salvation.

I'm finally. The last thing that I learned from the lady or that I remember to pull out. This is a poem. And originally I thought this was this is kind of cute cuz it's tongue-in-cheek. I can finish with that. And then I started getting worried that as I read this poem there might be somebody out here if it would think that I was implying that the poem reflects us here at heriford. So pleased that is not the intention of this I will say they're can items in this poem and over the past 50 years. I've seen at least five of the points that are made in the poem take place in this church. Our job is to recognize these things and to make sure that this point never reflects who we really are we have so many dedicated people in this church. Who in their own way till about the job of trying to make us the best we can be in this community and trying to spread the word of God?

So here we go you will you will recognize this? ten little Methodist the standing in the line one didn't like the preacher, but then there were nine. 9 go getting Methodist go in a hot debate. Someone got his feelings hurt now there are but Those eight remaining messages Val they get to heaven one said you fundamentalist and quit now.

Of those seven. It was found that one just didn't mix. He had a colored skin you see. And so that left but six. And then election time rolls around it sure start up the hive of those six one was Democrat that left only five five discourage Methodist wishing there were more the treasure said you'll have to pledge now. There's only four These four formed a committee to investigate UC. A metal one guy's bowling night horse that left with three.

Read these three Old Faithful when they met were tired and feeling blue one had a nervous breakdown friends and then there were but two. Too long faced sobre Methodist. That wasn't any fun one joined the Presbyterians leaving only one. One solitary Methodist, and that's not very many. The preacher had a funeral and then there weren't any event. leather spray

dear heavenly father. We thank you most sincerely for all the ladies people past and present who gave and continue to give today other time or talents their attendance for gifts and their prayers. We remember from the scripture today. Did you have called us to go out into the world and to be your voice plus all here and everywhere who serves Lee through faith and deeds. amen And now I believe for the praise band is back and it's time for the morning offering Heavenly Fire.