"Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks”
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Have you ever wondered what God’s will is for your life? When I was in college, this was a big topic of conversation for the Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship Group in which Cathy and I were members. People were reading books on how to discover the will of God for them. They were preoccupied with trying to discover what major God wanted them to pursue; what career God wanted them to have; where God was calling them to live after college; and who did God want them to marry.
This is typical for college students. Especially for those of us at a place like UC Berkeley where there were so many options to explore. However, I don’t remember anyone saying, “I have discovered that God’s will for my life is to ‘rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances.’” Looking back, I think if we had figured this out, everything else would have fallen into place.
No matter what season we find ourselves in life, there is still the nagging question, “What is God’s will for me?” And no matter what season we find ourselves in, the answer is still the same: God’s will for us is to “rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances.” If we do this, God’s will for the other areas in our life will become clear to us.
Thanksgiving is one of the reminders that God gives us to stop what we’re doing, turn to Jesus, and say “thank you” for all that He is doing in our lives. Whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, we can give God thanks because Jesus is always with us. Even in the worst of circumstances, He is holding us close and bringing good out of our suffering.
Thanksgiving is over and the Season of Advent is upon us. Even so, we can still live our lives according to God’s will for us in Christ Jesus. Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks. This is how to live in the will of God.
In Christ,
Pastor David
Reminder: Pledge Dedication Sunday is December 3. We will joyfully, prayerfully, and thankfully dedicate our 2024 Pledges to God during the worship services. Please bring your pledge cards with you. Pledge cards will also be available in the pew racks.
"A Spirit Of Thanksgiving"
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.
Psalm 136:1
As God’s people we are encouraged to remember how God has been faithful in the past. We also hold firmly to God’s promises to provide for our daily needs in the future. But this doesn’t come without some soul searching and looking to God for direction.
Each fall we hold our annual Stewardship Campaign. This year we are focusing on being thankful. We have been blessed in so many ways. As God’s people, we are thankful most of all for the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. It is out of a spirit of thanksgiving that we bring to God our tithes and offerings.
God is meeting deep needs in our community through the ministry of GMPC. Each week we provide worship services that feed the people of God spiritually. Our ministry to the military community continues to care for people physically in the name of Jesus. Our vibrant children’s programs, youth programs, young adults’ program, small groups, and Sunday School programs all enable people to experience the transforming love of Christ.
Missionaries at home and abroad are also being supported through our financial gifts, our prayers, and our friendship. And, we have seen numerous people come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We love, feed, shelter, care, sing, and teach about God’s love. Thank you for your faithfulness in reaching out to others.
Grateful for God’s love in Jesus Christ, please prayerfully consider your commitment to support the ministry of GMPC in 2024. If you’ve any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Our Pledge Card Dedication Sunday will be on December 3 during the worship services. Please bring your pledge card with you to one of our worship services or you may return it to the Church Office. We will have additional pledge cards available in the pew racks for those who have not received one in the mail.
May God bless you with His joy and peace as you remember His loving faithfulness this Thanksgiving.
In Christ,
Pastor David
"Sacrificial Giving"
Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you didn’t have to worry about something? Fear and anxiety take up a lot of energy and time. Fear and anxiety also make it difficult for us to get the rest we need to recover from the energy we expend by being fearful and anxious. For some, this situation causes so much suffering that therapists and doctors are needed to bring about healing and peace.
Jesus understands how worry causes so much pain. He doesn’t want us to live like this, and so He tells us in Matthew 6:31-33
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
We often need to be reminded that God is meeting all our needs all the time. God wants us to know that He is freeing us from fear and anxiety. Instead of chasing after food and drink and clothing like stressed out materialistic pagans, we have been set free to live in peace. We have been set free to do far more important things, like seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Understanding that God can be trusted to provide for our needs frees us to use our wealth to further His Kingdom and live righteousness lives. If you are ready to do this, then be guided by the Scripture:
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 2:9
The percentage of our income that we can cheerfully give to God is the amount that God wants us to give to Him in loving and grateful worship.
Day after day God will continue to provide for our needs. Day after day God will prove His faithfulness to us. Day after day God will show us that we can live lives that are free of worry.
In Christ,
Pastor David
"A Cheerful Giver"
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
For the past few months, we have been involved in a sermon series on the Book of Acts. Starting this Sunday, we’ll take a break from the Book of Acts. In November, we will focus our attention on how the Lord is calling us to be faithful stewards of His blessings.
God has blessed us with all that we have in life so that we can do great things for Him. What we do with God’s blessings is important to the Lord. How we do these great things is also important to God.
In the Apostle Paul’s second letter to church in Corinth, instructions are given for a collection that being taken for the church in Jerusalem. A famine that had struck the Roman Empire because of a series of poor harvests. The church in Jerusalem had been hit particularly hard, and the other churches were raising money to provide relief.
In Paul’s instructions about this collection, he tells the Corinthians how to participate. They are to give cheerfully. Their decision to give must come from the heart. There is no pressure to give at all. No guilt. No shame. If they decide to give, it can’t be reluctantly or under compulsion. Whatever they give must be given cheerfully.
The same is true for us. Whenever we decide to use God’s blessings, the decision must be from the heart. We need to prayerfully and thoughtfully consider whether to share God’s blessings with others. Once we have decided, the giving must be done cheerfully.
As a pastor, I’m often asked how much a person should give to the Lord’s work. And I answer, “Only give as much as you can cheerfully give. And then stop giving.”
How we give is just as important as what we give. The Lord loves a cheerful giver.
In Christ,
Pastor David
WELCOME NEW GMPC STAFF MEMBERS!
Director of Music Ministries, Renée Calvo:
Renée started at GMPC on November 6th. Our Interim Director of Music Ministries, Tim Grebe, will spend the next two weeks assisting Renée with learning nuances of our music program.
Renée has a M.M. in Vocal Performance from San Diego State University and B.M. in Music (Piano/Voice), from Point Loma Nazarene University.
Her current work includes Music Teacher/Drama Director, The Cambridge School; Soloist and Section Leader, San Diego Master Chorale; Renée Calvo Studio of Music, (Private Voice and Piano Lessons).
Receptionist, Sindy Schiller:
Sindy started at GMPC on November 1st. This new position was created to handle administrative support and information coordination duties of the church office during normal office operating hours of 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM Monday through Thursday.
“Cooperate With God Or Stand In His Way”
Last week in our sermon series on the book of Acts, we saw that the Apostle Peter faced an important decision. This decision would have far-reaching consequences not only for himself but for generations to come. Peter had to make a conscious decision to cooperate with God or to stand in God’s way.
This may seem strange to think about, but from time to time all of us are faced with the choice of either cooperating with God or standing in God’s way. And the choice we make not only affects us, but it also affects people all around us. The people we love and the people we haven’t even met are all affected by whether we chose to cooperate with God or stand in His way.
God called Peter in Acts 10 to go to the home of a Gentile named Cornelius and tell him about Jesus. At that time, the religious leaders of the Jews had made it illegal for a Jew to enter the home of Gentiles and eat with them. But God was about to pour out His Holy Spirit on Gentile followers of Jesus, just as He had done for the Jewish followers of Jesus in Acts chapter 2, on the Day of Pentecost. Peter had to choose between cooperating with God or standing in God’s way.
Peter chose to cooperate with God. However, when the Jewish followers heard what he had done, they criticized him and said:
“You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” (Acts 11:3)
Peter explained that God had told him in a vision:
“Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” (Acts 11:9)
Peter then explained:
“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” (Acts 11:15-17)
We all have a choice to make. We can stand in the way of what God is doing or we can cooperate with God. It all begins with seeking out what God is doing and then joining Him in that work.
It’s not always easy to see where God is at work. Peter and the other Jewish followers of Jesus had to look beyond the traditions and stereotypes associated with Jewish-Gentile relations in order to see what God was doing with the Gentiles. Sometimes our own traditions and stereotypes of others can get in the way of seeing what God is doing.
Likewise, Peter and the other Jewish followers of Jesus had to give up their own personal agendas and embrace the new plans that God had for them. This involved telling Gentiles, as well as Jews, about Jesus. Sometimes the plans God has for us will differ from the agendas we have created for ourselves, and we’ll need to make adjustments as well.
Thankfully, we have help with discovering where God is at work. God will help us to see what He is doing whenever we ask Him, because God wants us to join Him in His work. God will always enable us to make the right choice when it comes to standing in His way or cooperating with Him.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“God Accepts You”
This week Sunday in our sermon series on the book of Acts, we spent time in chapter 10. In this passage of Scripture, the Apostle Peter visits the home of a gentile named Cornelius. Cornelius was a Gentile, a centurionin the Italian Regiment of the Roman Army. He rose in the ranks to command 100 Roman soldiers. Verse 2 of Acts chapter 10 tells us of Cornelius:
He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.
Cornelius is not called a convert to Judaism. He is a Gentile who believed in the God of Israel and worshiped God as did his entire family.
According to the common law of the Jews at the time, it was illegal for a Jew to visit the home of a Gentile, let alone associate with one in public. But God had given Peter a vision in which God declared in Acts 10: 15
Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.
When Peter met Cornelius and his household and all the Gentile neighbors who had gathered, he told them about Jesus. Then the Holy Spirit came upon them, just as the Holy Spirit came upon the house in Jerusalem that was full of Jewish believes. They were praising God and speaking in tongues, just like on the Day of Pentecost.
Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” Acts 10:46-47
After this, Gentiles throughout the Roman Empire started following Jesus. Eventually, Jews and Gentiles in Coronado became followers of Jesus, and our congregation was established in the late 1800’s.
Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will bring a new revival to Coronado:
Almighty God, we pray that You will pour out Your Holy Spirit on Coronado. Please reveal Your Son, Jesus Christ to our community so that others may embrace Him as their Lord and Savior. Enable us, by you Holy Spirit to proclaim the love and salvation and forgiveness of Jesus to others. We pray all of this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor David
“Being Made Clean”
Last Sunday in our sermon series on the book of Acts, we spent time in chapter 10. In this chapter, the Apostle Peter has a vision from God in which the Lord tells Peter that God is making all foods clean. This is why we are now able to eat food that was once considered unclean or non-kosher in the laws of the Old Testament. Foods, such as pork and shellfish, have been declared clean by God. Foods that are a mix of meat and milk, such as cheeseburgers, lasagna, enchiladas, and beef stroganoff have also been declared clean by God.
But in Peter’s vision, God isn’t just making food clean. God is making people clean. Both Jews and Gentiles are being made clean by the blood of Jesus. Next Sunday, we’ll see how God prepared Peter through this vision to visit the home of a Gentile named Cornelius.
We have been made pure because of the blood of Jesus. Our hearts have been cleansed because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross. And yet, we still struggle with sin.
Being tempted is not a sin. Giving in to temptation is a sin. When I was a high school student, an interim pastor of the church I grew up in, Rev. Loren Riddings, preached a sermon on temptation and sin that I have never forgotten. He said:
Temptation is when the bats are flying around in the belfry. Sin is when the bats settle down and make a nest.
Sometimes in the struggle with temptation we give in and engage in sin. Afterward, we are filled with remorse and guilt and shame. Sometimes we even wonder if our sins will be forgiven. And sometimes we long to be made clean and pure on the inside again.
At times like this we find comfort and hope in Scripture passages such as 1 John 1:8-9
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
God has made us clean and pure by the blood of Jesus that was shed for us on the cross. So, enjoy living the pure and clean and holy lives that Jesus has given you!
In Christ,
Pastor David
“Pointing Others To Jesus”
This past Sunday we spent time considering how Jesus has transformed our lives with His forgiveness, love, and grace. The Lord brought people into our lives who pointed us to Jesus, and our lives were changed forever. That person could have been a parent or another family member. It could have been a youth worker or a Sunday School teacher. It could have been a neighbor or a coworker or a pastor or an evangelist. The Holy Spirit enabled someone in our lives to point us to Jesus. We also we can point others to Jesus, so that the Lord can transform their lives.
Jesus has given each of His followers the Holy Spirit who builds us up and encourages us. The Holy Spirit also gives us the gifts or abilities we need to point others to the Lord.
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore, I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
I Corinthians 12:1-11
Some have been given the gift of healing by the Holy Spirit. You can point others to Jesus by using your gift as the first followers of Jesus did when they healed others. Some have been given the gifts of mercy and service by the Holy Spirit. You can point others to Jesus by using your gifts to care for the poor and others in need.
Maybe the Holy Spirit will enable you to teach a child or a student in middle school or high school about Jesus with the gift of teaching you have been given. Or maybe the Holy Spirit will enable you to love someone or be merciful to someone in Jesus’s name.
All of us can point others to Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit. So, don’t hesitate to ask the Holy Spirit for help.
In Christ,
Pastor David
Click here for Sunday, Oct 8, 2023 | 9:00AM sermon.
Click here for Sunday, Oct 8, 2023 | 10:45AM sermon.
“Reaching Families For Jesus”
The leadership at GMPC has been having discussions regarding our outreach to families and young people in our community. We are committed to helping them experience the love and salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In our discussions, we have decided to add three new staff members to provide programs for families and young people from ages infant through young adult. We have also decided to make some changes in the second worship service that will enhance our ministry to these families and young people.
The first change was in the order of worship. We now sing praise songs before the children’s sermon rather than after the children’s sermon. This was done to help the children to start praising God at the beginning of the service instead of waiting until after their message.
The next change was to add more instruments to the praise team. You have already noticed the addition of drums, bass, and lead guitar. This was done to increase participation in the singing of worship songs to the Lord. As the Scriptures tell us in Psalm 150:
“….praise Him with the strings and pipe, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals.”
Another change will happen on October 8. We’re changing the time of the second service from 10:30 am to 10:45 am. This will make it easier for families to find parking spaces and enjoy the fellowship of the first service attenders during the coffee connection.
In addition, we’re making a change to give parents the choice of having their children stay with them in the sanctuary or leave the sanctuary after the children’s sermon. Starting on October 15, our new Children’s Program Director, Sarah Murphy will lead Graham J.A.M. (Jesus And Me) during the second service, in the Garden Room of the Christian Education Building. Parents can choose to have their children leave the sanctuary after the children’s sermon and participate in a worship service that is designed for children in grades K-5th. Parents will then pick up their children at the CE Building after the worship service. Please note: Children are always welcome to stay in the sanctuary during the worship service. Especially when they are praising God with loud voices.
Please pray for the families and young people of our community. Please pray that we will be able to reach them for Jesus.
In Christ,
Pastor David
Click here for Sunday, Oct 1, 2023 | 9:00AM sermon.
Click here for Sunday, Oct 1, 2023 | 10:30AM sermon.
Open House in the Manse
Pastor David and Cathy would like to invite you to the Kirk House for an Open House in the Manse on Sunday, October 8, 2023, from 1:00PM-4:00PM.
We welcome you to come see the manse and to enjoy some refreshments while spending time with friends.
“Jesus Loves You”
Do you believe that Jesus loves you? Seriously, do you really believe it? Jesus tells us:
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:9-13
I have met many Christians over the years who struggle to believe that Jesus loves them. They will believe that they are sinners. They will even believe that they are forgiven by Jesus. But when it comes to believing that they are loved by Jesus, they’re not so sure.
Some have a hard time believing they are loved because they are convinced they are unlovable. They have internalized this message during a lifetime of being judged, shamed, and rejected by others.
Others have a hard time believing they are loved because they think they must earn the love of another. Good grades, good jobs, and good pay checks were needed in life in order for them to be loved.
And yet, Jesus loves us. We don’t have to be lovable. We don’t have to deserve His love. We don’t have to earn His love. Jesus loves because of who He is.
“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” I John 4:15-16
Jesus loves us because He is God and God is love. Jesus loves us - this is who He is, and He will never change.
In Christ,
Pastor David
Click here for Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023 | 9:00AM sermon.
Click here for Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023 | 10:30AM sermon.
“Jesus Loves Us”
This past Sunday, we spent time in our sermon series on the book of Acts looking at Saul’s journey on the road to Damascus. Saul was traveling to Damascus to arrest followers of Jesus and bring them back to Jerusalem to be tried by the Sanhedrin and executed because they were proclaiming that Jesus is God. Saul and the members of the Sanhedrin did not believe that Jesus is God. Therefore, they found the followers of Jesus guilty of the sins of blasphemy and idolatry since they worshipped Jesus as God. According to the laws in the Old Testament, these sins were punishable by stoning.
As Saul was traveling on the road, Jesus appeared to him, and Saul’s life was forever changed. Saul came to believe that Jesus really is God and the Messiah that God had promised to send to Israel. Saul repented of the sin of murdering the followers of Jesus and the sin of persecuting Jesus. Saul also discovered that Jesus had always loved him, even when Saul was sinning against Him.
Later in life, Saul became known as Paul and he was put on trial before the Roman governor, Festus, and the Jewish King, Agrippa. During his trial he testified about meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus:
“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.” Acts 9:19-20
Paul’s new mission in life was to help others to know that Jesus loves us, and Jesus never gives up on us, no matter what we’ve done in life. Paul wanted Jew and Gentile alike to have a relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior. To do this, we need to repent of our sins, as Paul did.
The Greek word for repentance is metanoia. It means a change of mind or a reorientation. Repentance is making a U-turn while traveling away from God and then traveling back to God.
All of us have done things in life that we worry are unforgivable. All of us have failed at times to carry out the calling that God has given us. All of us have struggled with the fear that God has given up on us.
But the truth is Jesus never gives up on us. Jesus will always pursue us even when we’re going down our own road to Damascus doing evil. Jesus shows up on roads like that to save us from destruction and to give new meaning for our lives, and a new direction for our lives. This is what repentance is all about
Jesus will change our lives no matter what road we’re traveling on today. If the direction you are traveling in life is taking you farther from God, there is always time to make a U-turn and come back to Him. Any sin you have committed will be forgiven when you ask for forgiveness because Jesus has paid the eternal death penalty for our sins, even those sins you think are unforgiveable.
Jesus will never give up on us no matter what we’ve done. Are you ready for Jesus to reorient your life and give your life a new meaning and a new purpose? Let Jesus know and invite Him to change your life.
In Christ,
Pastor David
Click here for Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023 | 9:00AM sermon.
Click here for Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023 | 10:30AM sermon.
“Lord, Send Me”
The book of Acts begins with Jesus meeting with His disciples after His resurrection.
In Acts 1:8 Jesus tells them:
“…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Last Sunday we spent time in Acts chapter 8 where we saw that Phillip left Jerusalem to proclaim the good news about Jesus in Samaria. Those who accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior were baptized by Phillip.
Then an angel of the Lord told Phillip to leave Samaria and travel along the road that led to the ends of the earth - to Africa. On the road, the Holy Spirit told Phillip to proclaim the good news about Jesus to an Ethiopian eunuch who was traveling home in a chariot after worshipping God at the Temple in Jerusalem. The church leader Irenaeus wrote in 180 AD that the name of this man was Simeon Bachos. Simeon became a follower of Jesus and was baptized by Phillip.
Then Simeon Bachos took the good news about Jesus back home to Africa where others embraced Jesus as their Lord and Savior and were baptized. Eventually the good news about Jesus has reached us, living at the far ends of the earth in North America. We have become followers of Jesus and we have been baptized.
So where will we go? Where will we go to proclaim the good news about Jesus? The angel didn’t give Phillip a map with an X marked on it to show the exact location of the Ethiopian eunuch’s chariot on the road. The angel just told Phillip to go, and the Holy Spirit told him who to speak with.
Are we willing to step out onto whatever road God calls us to travel? Are we willing to allow the Holy Spirit to tell us whom to talk to about Jesus?
For some that road may take them out of town, like Phillip. For others that road may take them home, like Simeon Bachos.
The road may take you to a place where people will criticize you for talking about the good news about Jesus or for even praying in Jesus’s name. Jesus told us this will happen sometimes.
The road may take you to a place where people are eager to hear the good news about Jesus.
Jesus told us this will happen as well.
If you are willing to follow the Lord to the people, He wants you to speak with, then let Him know. All you have to say is “Lord, send me”. I promise you will have the adventure of a lifetime.
You never know where the Lord will take you to share the good news about Jesus. But the Lord will take you somewhere if you let Him.
In Christ,
Pastor David
If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!
“Jesus Will Set Us Free”
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” Acts 8:18-24
Last Sunday in our sermon series in the book of Acts, we were introduced to Simon the Magician. Simon wanted to buy the ability to give the Holy Spirit. Peter told Simon, “No”. The Holy Spirit is God and God is not for sale. Peter also told Simon that the reason he would make such a perverse request was that his heart was “captive to sin”. Peter then called Simon to repent and seek the Lord’s forgiveness.
All of us struggle with sin. Sometimes we are even held captive to sin. Simon was held captive to the sin of loving money. He wanted to own God in order to make money by conferring the power of God on others. Sometimes we struggle with being held captive to the sins of lust, judgementalism, pride, arrogance, unforgiveness, idolatry, the love of money, and so on.
But there is Good News! Jesus came to set captives free.
Whenever we find ourselves entangled in a sin and unable to escape, there is help. We can follow Peter’s guidance and pray to the Lord. Jesus will set us free from our captivity to whatever sin has overcome us. All we need to do is ask the Lord for help.
The Lord will help us to repent of our sin and experience His forgiveness. The Lord will help us to walk out of our imprisonment to sin and live in the freedom of His grace and forgiveness.
We are never alone as we struggle with sin. Jesus will set us free.
In Christ,
Pastor David
If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!
“Deep Calls to Deep”
When the church in Rome was suffering under the persecution of the Roman Emperor Nero, the Apostle Paul wrote to encourage them. In Romans 8:28, Paul wrote:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Paul also wrote in Romans 5:3-4
“but we also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Suffering drives us into the arms of Jesus like nothing else can. When we suffer, we are confronted with the reality that we desperately need the Lord.
When things are going well, we often don’t realize how dependent we are on our relationship with Jesus to get through life. But when things turn bad, we run to the Lord and cry out to Him in the depths of our anguish, as we should.
Deep calls to deep, as King David wrote in Psalm 42. From the depths of our despair, we cry out to God. From the eternal depths of God’s mercy and love our deepest longings are met and our deepest pain is healed, and we discover that the Lord is with us in our suffering in ways that we don’t appreciate when things are going well. It’s in these intimate encounters with God when we are in greatest need of His help that we will experience His transforming work in our lives.
In Christ,
Pastor David
If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!
“Blessed with Mercy and Grace”
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,
Jesus the Son of God,
let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable
to empathize with our weaknesses,
but we have one who has been tempted in every way,
just as we are—yet he did not sin.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16
All of us go through difficult times in life. There are times when we suffer physically. There are times when we struggle with temptation. There are times when we experience deep anguish and grief. All of these experiences are common to us, and they were also common to Jesus.
Jesus experienced all of these difficult times in His own life here on earth. Jesus can empathize with our weaknesses. He gets what we are going through in life.
Whenever we pray, Jesus, our Great High Priest, brings us before God’s throne of grace. Jesus knows exactly how we are feeling in those moments of suffering, and He knows exactly what we need because He has experienced those situations Himself. And we will be blessed with all the mercy and all the grace that we need when we are struggling.
There’s no reason to be shy about asking Jesus for help. We’re actually encouraged to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence. We belong there because our great high priest is taking us there by the hand to receive God’s grace and mercy in time of need.
In Christ,
Pastor David
If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!
“Responding To New Ministry Opportunities”
“In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve 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 and sisters, 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 our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid 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.” Acts 6:1-7
Recently, we have been presented with new ministry opportunities here at GMPC and we are responding to them as the first followers of Jesus did. As we have seen in Acts chapter 6 God will provide leaders for His people
Last Monday the Session spent time in prayer seeking the Lord’s guidance, just as the first church did. The Personnel Committee and the Christian Education Committee discussed new job descriptions and new staffing structures with the Session just as the leaders of the first church did. The Session also decided to look for new staff members who are full of the Spirit and wisdom just as the first church did.
The Session is considering a new staffing structure comprised of full-time and part-time positions. Several candidates were personally interviewed by the Personnel Committee and the Christian Education Committee. Last night, the Finance Committee met with the Personnel Committee and the Christian Education Committee to discuss the budget implications of all of this. Tonight, the Session will meet to make final decisions about the candidates and the new staffing structure.
The purpose of this new staffing structure is to have an overarching, intentional, coordinated approach to making disciples. Jesus has called us to make disciples. In response we’re looking at how we make disciples across the spectrum of all our programs, from the pre-school program to the children’s program to the youth program to the young adult’s program to the adults program.
We are looking forward to letting you know more about this as soon as the plans are finalized. Please continue to pray for our leaders to be full of the Spirit and wisdom as we make plans to respond to the new ministry opportunities that the Lord is giving GMPC.
In Christ,
Pastor David
If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!
“Our Interim Season Together”
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ made us a promise. He will always be with us, no matter what we are going through in life. This is important to keep in mind as we travel together through an Interim Season at GMPC.
During this season in the life of our congregation, there are several things that we need to do together to prepare for the arrival of the new pastor that the Lord is calling to GMPC. These tasks are studied by Interim Pastors during their interim training, and they are even included in the formal job description of Interim Pastors.
Roger S. Nicholson writes about these tasks in his book, Temporary Shepherds: A Congregational Handbook for Interim Ministry by Roger S. Nicholson. They are:
1. Coming to Terms with History
2. Discovering a New Identity
3. Leadership Changes during an Interim
4. Renewing Denominational Linkages
5. Commitment to New Directions in Ministry
Recently, have been experiencing significant leadership changes involving church staff and lay leaders. Nicholson writes about this saying:
“Help your congregation understand that leadership changes and power shifts usually occur during a pastoral transition. It really does happen all the time! Your congregation will not sink! Many of these changes will come in the first few months of the pastoral transition. Some changes may even occur before the interim pastor begins his or her ministry. It is important that the other leaders and the members of the congregation do not panic when these changes occur. Rather, this is the time to examine leadership needs and the gifts that your members bring to the congregation.”
It is important to remember that everything we are going through during this Interim Season is typical for churches. As you can see, books have been written about this season. It is also important to remember that we are not alone as we travel through this Interim Season together. The Lord is with us, every step of the way.
In Christ,
Pastor David
If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!
“Be Known for It”
Jesus said: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34, 35. This Sunday I spoke about God’s deep, deep love for us which we are commanded to reflect to ourselves and those around us. But I am not sure the World sees God’s love reflected through the Church.
A few years back I read a book called unChristian (sic) by Kinnaman and Lyons which, with the help of the Barna Group, surveyed people 16 – 29 to discover what they thought about Christians and the Church. Perhaps it’s not surprising that we have a PR problem. This is not to say that we need to market the gospel: the gospel is truly Good News. But somehow the "Goodnews-ness" of the Gospel is not making it to the masses. Something is being lost in the translation.
According to the surveys given and reported in unChristian, we are known for, among other things, being hypocritical and judgmental. The sad thing is that we are not known for love, which is the very thing Jesus says we should be known for. But worrying about the image of the Christian Church in America is above my paygrade. I do not think we could hire a PR firm to put ads in glossy magazines or clever commercials on television to show the world how truly loving we are. This problem cannot be solved by making great pronouncements in the media.
What we need to do is simply love like Jesus loved. Love in a self-sacrificial way that defies what is normal in the culture. Think of Jesus with the woman at the well, or the woman caught in adultery, or the story of the Good Samaritan. In each of these stories, Jesus shows how His love defies the normal categories of how the culture expected love to be shown. The love with which Jesus loves is deeper, more costly and sometimes even subversive to the culture. Another book I would recommend which illustrates the extravagant, almost reckless nature of God’s love is Love Does by Bob Goff. I mentioned this at the 9:00am service this Sunday but failed to do so at the 10:30. It’s an easy read and well worth it!
The best illustration of love is the life-giving sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. That is a tough act to follow and yet is exactly what we are called to do as Jesus’ disciples. Here’s how Dostoevsky put it:
“A true act of love, unlike imaginary love, is hard and forbidding. Imaginary love yearns for an immediate heroic act that is achieved quickly and seen by everyone. People may actually reach a point where they are willing to sacrifice their lives, as long as the ordeal doesn’t last too long, is quickly over—just like on the stage, with the public watching and admiring. A true act of love, on the other hand, requires hard work and patience, and, for some, it is a whole way of life.” from Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Let’s love the way Jesus loves and someday we will be known for it!
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Mother Theresa.
Blessings in Christ,
Tim Grebe
Interim Director of Music Ministries
If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!
“Obeying Jesus”
We are called to be followers of Jesus; believers, yes, but more so followers. While we sat with the disciples as our proxies on that hill in Galilee two thousand years ago, Jesus commissioned us as a community to be disciple makers. He said we are to make disciples by going, baptizing and teaching. There is a lot to consider here. I’d like to focus on the third thing: teaching to observe/obey everything that Jesus taught us.
Sounds easy, right? Pull out the Sunday School curriculum, put some flannel graph characters on the wall (if you are old school) and make the students sit still and listen. But to be an effective teacher, we first must know the material we’re teaching and I’m not sure I’m solid on everything that Jesus taught. There are parables I’m not clear on. Sometimes He seemed to say some troubling things. There are several books written about ‘the difficult sayings of Jesus”; and those sayings must be part of the ‘everything’ that Jesus taught, right? In Bible studies I’ve been to, Jesus’ words are sometimes ignored, perhaps because they don’t make sense in the way we think things must be. I had a professor in Bible college say that the entire sermon on the mount was not for today but for the future kingdom era because it would be impossible to conduct business in our country if we followed Jesus literal words. I prefer to err on the side of obeying Jesus.
What I want to suggest is that we need to wrestle with all of Jesus’ words. I love the picture of Jacob wrestling with the angel in the desert the night before he was going to meet his brother Esau (and probably be killed, he thought). Many theologians believe Jacob was really wrestling with a preincarnate Jesus! The story shows me that God wants to wrestle with us, and that can mean in His word. Too often we don’t try: if we don’t understand something we just give up. We try to figure it out on our own without being in community. We’re happy with our understanding as is. Or we’re too busy and don’t have the energy for one more thing.
To fulfill Jesus’ commission, it is true that we need to read and understand the entire Bible, but we need to be ‘reading Jesus’ all the time: He is the one we follow and are called to be part of showing others how to follow. The Old Testament can only be understood rightly by reading Jesus. The epistles can only be understood rightly by reading Jesus. Here’s my suggestion: read all four gospels slowly and deeply. Study them in your small group. Do it as part of your daily time with God. Listen to what Jesus is saying and carry it into your day with you. Bible gateway and others have reading plans that can put structure to your plan. Here’s an example: Bible Reading Plans - Read the Gospels in 40 Days - NIV - Today's Reading (biblegateway.com). We have to be disciples to make disciples. Let’s wrestle with the One we follow, so we can effectively make disciples.
Blessings in Christ,
Tim Grebe
Interim Director of Music Ministries
If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!
“PRAY FOR YOUR CORONADO”
In 586 BC, God sent the Babylonian Empire to the Kingdom of Judah. The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the walls of the city. They destroyed the Holy Temple that Solomon built. And they forced the people to leave what was left of their homes and live in exile in Babylon.
God did this because His people had abandoned Him. They stopped living the lives of love and faithfulness He called them to live. Instead, they gave their hearts to idols such as Baal, Ashtaroth and Molech. They engaged in sexual immorality as they worshiped their idols during fertility rites. And they sacrificed their own babies by burning them alive to please their idols. In order to get His people to repent and love Him again, God took them away from all that He had given them: their land, their homes, and the Holy Temple where He used to meet them in worship.
As they arrived in Babylon, God told the Prophet Jeremiah:
Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its peace, you will have peace. - Jermiah 29:7
It's great to be living in Coronado. People from all over the world come here for a vacation and many have worked and sacrificed their entire lives in order to be able to live here. But this city is not our home. Our home is in heaven which is referred to as the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2). We're just passing through Coronado, so to speak. This is why the Apostle Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:11:
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.
We too, are called to pray for our city. While we're here, we are called to pray for the peace of Coronado. The Hebrew word for peace that's used in Jeremiah 29:7 is shalom. The word shalom also means wholeness, prosperity, welfare, and harmony. As we long to go to our true home, heaven, we pray for God to bless Coronado with His shalom.
We can look forward to that day when we will finally arrive at our true home and experience God's shalom in full. Until then, may the Lord fill your earthly homes with His shalom.
In Christ,
Pastor David
If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!