Well we were back in Omaha this morning for worship. We tried to talk Steve's mom into visiting a different church, but we had no luck and were back at the Pilgrim Christian Church. I was dreading going but found myself praying in the car on the way for the Lord to change my attitude. Worshipping God should not depend on where I am. I do think that God knew that fellowship with other believers is part of what builds us up. I did find it a little hard to focus this morning because the pews at this church have to be the most uncomfortable I have ever sat in. They are very low to the floor and seem to hurt my knees and make it very difficult to stand up from. I am used to using the pew in front of me to help pull me up and these pews are spaced so far apart you can't reach the pew in front of you (most people would find that leg room a blessing) Today a woman led singing, although I use that term loosely because basically she stood at the microphone and sang. She never looked up and did not really direct. We once again only sang 2 verses of each song. I have always had a problem with skipping verses just because I think the authors of most songs are telling a story and it is like skipping chapters in a book. You just don't get the whole message of a song when you skip verses. I did have a really cool experience as we sang "Open My Eyes Lord". I had my eyes closed and saw a silohuette of Jesus and He was reaching out and touching my face. I immediately started to cry.
The sermon was thought provoking. The text was I Peter 1:3-12. He started out by asking us what the biggest news story was this week. People from the floor said: Gas prices, the longest All Star Game in history, Obama visiting the Middle East, fires in California, and the Dark Knight breaking all movie records. He said we could take a vote and see which one would win the biggest news but they would all be wrong that the biggest news was in this reading in 1 Peter:
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things."I am not sure I have ever thought that the angels in heaven did not experience salvation. That they were in heaven watching as Jesus died, ressurected and ascended.
They are in heaven longing to understand what the prophets of old spoke about--our salvation. The preacher challenged us all to take inventory of what we spend our time thinking about. Are we more caught up in thinking about the things of this world or are we dwelling on our salvation?
Verse 8 says
"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy" Am I? Am I so focused on the prize of of my salvation that I am filled in an inexpressible and glorious joy? I am afraid I have to confess that too many times my face relfects my focus on the trials of this life instead of bubbling over in joy because of what the Lord has already done for me. I can only hope that this is a lesson that will not be short lived in my life but I can truly keep my eyes focused on eternity. 2 Peter 1:5-9:
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."For me the key words here are in verse 8, "in increasing measure", I cannot stay stagnate or ever be satisfied, I must be increasing in each of the qualities until the Lord comes again. I am glad that I have others like you to help me along that journey. Would love to hear how the Lord spoke to your heart today.