Tag Archives: Gospel

September 17, 2023 – Newton UMC – Sunday Worship Livestream

JOY Fellowship Worship Service in Holland Hall: 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service in Main Sancutary: 10:30 a.m.

Worship service streams live at 10:30 a.m. EST (-500 GMT)

Welcome to our live-streamed Sunday Worship Services for September 17, 2023. Today we learn that understanding each other can be the basis for sharing and hearing of the Gospel.

Please support us by giving online: https://tithe.ly/give?c=1377216 or https://paypal.me/newtonumc Or you can make and mail a check out to First UMC of Newton, 111 Ryerson Ave., Newton, NJ O7860

God bless you all for your generosity which is vital to our mission and ministry.

REVISITED: Be Still, My Soul

Read Mark 5:1-13

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” (Psalms 46:10)

“Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the Wolf’s Bane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.” At first when Larry Talbot hears those words recited to him by the engaged woman he is attempting to seduce, he laughs it off as superstitious hogwash. One thing that could certainly be said is that Larry was certainly not pure in heart but, then again, who is? Regardless, Larry was a modern, civilized man, and there was no way that he was going to buy into werewolves and in any mythical monster.

Yet, as it turns out, later that night following those words being recited to him, Larry is bitten by what looks like a large wolf and his life becomes a living nightmare. As the full moon draws closer, Larry became more and more convinced that he was, in fact, bitten by a werewolf. He was so paranoid that he tried to convince his father who refused to believe him. Instead, his father put him in the care of a psychiatrist. On the morning following the full moon, Larry found himself lying in bed with tattered and dirty clothes on. His window was open wide and dirty footprints could be seen. At first they were wolf-like, but each footprint became more and more human. Once he saw this Larry knew his worst nightmare had come true: he was the wolf man.

As you have probably figured out, I have just summed up the first half of the movie, “The Wolf Man”, starring Lon Chaney, Jr. It is one of my favorite films because I find that I truly relate with the character. I think many, if they are honest, can relate with him. We are all flawed people. Even when we have the best of intentions, we are not pure in heart. We often try to hide the impurity and the ugliness; however, at some point, that ugliness always shows. No matter how hard we try to suppress the beast within us, whatever that beast is, the full moon eventually rises upon it and the beast is unleashed. This, of course, is a metaphor and our inner “beasts” take the form of anger, depression, hatred, bitterness, addiction, gossip, divisiveness, cynicism, and many other things.

This is a reality. We may not like to admit it, but we all have a beast that lies underneath the surface just waiting to come out of the darkness to take over and destroy our lives and the lives of those around us. The question is, will we like Larry deny that the inner beast exists? Will we deny our impurities? Will we pretend that we are all “good” people who have no weaknesses or hangups? Or will we come to terms with the fact that, while our life can be beautiful at points, it is also true that we find ourselves walking thorny paths? Will we acknowledge the thorny paths we are on. This reminds me of the first verse of a famous hymn, “Be Still, My Soul: the Lord is on your side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; leave to your God to order and provide; in every change God faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: your best, your heavenly friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.”

While “Be Still, My Soul” is talking about having strength in times of tribulation, there really is no greater tribulation than trying to fight our inner demons alone. The reality is that we were born in a broken world as broken people. The more we deny our weaknesses the more our souls suffer the consequences of that inner struggle. The Good News here is that you need not fight it at all. Christ has power over our demons if we will only allow him into our lives and into our hearts. That takes humility, it takes repentance, and it takes a willingness on our part to be transformed and to change; however, is the alternative a better option? The same Christ who cast Legion out of the possessed man in the reading for today, is the same Christ who can conquer the inner demons, the inner beast, in your life. All you need do is have faith, to be willing to change, and to allow Christ to still the storm in your soul.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY “Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know the Christ who ruled them while he dwelt below.” – Katharina von Schlegel

PRAYER Lord, still the storm within my soul. Should it ever return, remind me that you are Lord in my life and that I need not fight the battle alone. Amen.

September 10, 2023 – Newton UMC – Sunday Worship Livestream

JOY Fellowship Worship Service in Holland Hall: 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service in Main Sancutary: 10:30 a.m.

Worship service streams live at 10:30 a.m. EST (-500 GMT)

Welcome to our live-streamed Sunday Worship Services for September 10, 2023. Today we learn that the unstoppable power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ breaks down barriers, so that all might know the transformative love of God.

Please support us by giving online: https://tithe.ly/give?c=1377216 or https://paypal.me/newtonumc Or you can make and mail a check out to First UMC of Newton, 111 Ryerson Ave., Newton, NJ O7860

God bless you all for your generosity which is vital to our mission and ministry.

September 3, 2023 – Newton UMC – Sunday Worship Livestream

JOY Fellowship Worship Service in Holland Hall: 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service in Main Sancutary: 10:30 a.m.

Worship service streams live at 10:30 a.m. EST (-500 GMT)

Welcome to our live-streamed Sunday Worship Services for September 3, 2023. Today we learn that Christ inspires and calls us to a life of faith-sharing with the assurance that when we go, he goes with us.

Please support us by giving online: https://tithe.ly/give?c=1377216 or https://paypal.me/newtonumc Or you can make and mail a check out to First UMC of Newton, 111 Ryerson Ave., Newton, NJ O7860

God bless you all for your generosity which is vital to our mission and ministry.

August 27, 2023 – Newton UMC – Sunday Worship Livestream

JOY Fellowship Worship Service in Holland Hall: 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service in Main Sancutary: 10:30 a.m.

Worship service streams live at 10:30 a.m. EST (-500 GMT)

Welcome to our live-streamed Sunday Worship Services for August 27, 2023. Today we learn that God has made each of us unique and had given us unique gifts, passions, and graces to have a KINGDOM impact on the world.

Please support us by giving online: https://tithe.ly/give?c=1377216 or https://paypal.me/newtonumc Or you can make and mail a check out to First UMC of Newton, 111 Ryerson Ave., Newton, NJ O7860

God bless you all for your generosity which is vital to our mission and ministry.

August 13, 2023 – Newton UMC – Sunday Worship Livestream

JOY Fellowship Worship Service in Holland Hall: 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service in Main Sancutary: 10:30 a.m.

Worship service streams live at 10:30 a.m. EST (-500 GMT)

Welcome to our live-streamed Sunday Worship Services for August 6, 2023. Today we learn that God is calling us to unite and move forward in God’s incredibly unbound mercy.

Please support us by giving online: https://tithe.ly/give?c=1377216 or https://paypal.me/newtonumc Or you can make and mail a check out to First UMC of Newton, 111 Ryerson Ave., Newton, NJ O7860

God bless you all for your generosity which is vital to our mission and ministry.

August 13, 2023 – Newton UMC – Sunday Worship Livestream

Worship Service in Main Sancutary: 10:30 a.m.

Worship service streams live at 10:30 a.m. EST (-500 GMT)

Welcome to our live-streamed Sunday Worship Services for August 6, 2023. Today we learn how beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!

Please support us by giving online: https://tithe.ly/give?c=1377216 or https://paypal.me/newtonumc Or you can make and mail a check out to First UMC of Newton, 111 Ryerson Ave., Newton, NJ O7860

God bless you all for your generosity which is vital to our mission and ministry.

August 6, 2023 – Newton UMC – Sunday Worship Livestream

JOY Fellowship Worship Service in Holland Hall: 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service in Main Sancutary: 10:30 a.m.

Worship service streams live at 10:30 a.m. EST (-500 GMT)

Welcome to our live-streamed Sunday Worship Services for August 6, 2023. Today we learn that “in such a time as this,” we are positioned to be agents for God.

Please support us by giving online: https://tithe.ly/give?c=1377216 or https://paypal.me/newtonumc Or you can make and mail a check out to First UMC of Newton, 111 Ryerson Ave., Newton, NJ O7860

God bless you all for your generosity which is vital to our mission and ministry.

REVISITED: Ride the Waves

Read John 21:1-18

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me” (John 14:1, NLT).

I LOVE THE OCEAN. No, seriously, I do. As much as I have traveled, have been to places like Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH, Indianapolis, IN, and Denver, CO., I do not think I could ever live in an area that is extremely far from the ocean. My whole life, I have lived with in an 1 ½ – 2 hours from the shore and day trips to the beach are commonplace.

When I was a young boy, I remember being afraid to go into the ocean. It all started when I was “down the shore” (this should clue you in as to where I live if you are not already from my state) with my parents. I was super young, but old enough to remember the experience. My dad took me in to the ocean and I clung to him, enjoying the waves but also fightened by them.

That day the water was particularly rough and the undertow was strong. At one point, a large wave overtook my dad and I became separated from him. Tumbling through the water and foam, I can remember my terror in slow motion. Of course, I did eventually get my bearings as I washed up on the sand; however, that certainly put a fear of the ocean in me.

For the longest time, I would not go into the ocean. Eventually, I got enough courage to stand at the edge and allow the waves to crash on me where I could stand and they hit no further up than my legs or hips. But the fear of wiping out and possibly drowning kept me from experiencing the sort of freedom and adrenaline the ocean offers.

Eventually, as I got older I became more and more courageous because I knew that  a grown man couldn’t be afraid of the ocean. Eventually, I would have children and a family of my own and would bring them to the shore. So, eventually I forced myself to go in the ocean, but I still felt the fear crop up every time I entered and exited through the waves.

Overtime, though, I learned that, while it is important to respect the ocean, there is no need to fear swimming in it. The key is to ride the waves. If you are entering and you cannot get over a wave, ride it and head back out. Or, better yet, you could dive into the wait and ride the water underneat the wave. Either way, you are going with the flow, or underneath it, as opposed to resisting against it. It saves a ton of energy and is a rather fun experience as well.

In our lives, we often try to have such control over our situations that we find ourselves resisting the waves. When things don’t go according to the plan and we find waves pushing us back from where we want to be, or we find a rip current pulling us further out when we want to stay comfortably close to shore, we are best to not resist, but to let go, trust God, and go with the flow. Ride the waves, follow the current, and trust that Jesus Christ will bring us back to the shore at the place we need to be.

Do you trust God that much? Are you willing to let go and let God guide you through the waters? Will you be willing to let go and ride the waves? Will you be willing to ride the current and not resist the movement of the Holy Spirit? If so, you will eventually find that you belong in the ocean, you belong riding the waves, you belong catching the current of the Spirit and that you would want it no other way!

Let us be a people who fully put our faith back in God. Let us trust Jesus Christ when he tells us to NOT BE AFRAID. Rather, let us ride the waves and let God carry us to the next place the Gospel is needed to be shared. That way, we will be effective and faithful ambassasors to the Kingdom of God, in which we have our membership.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
If you stand on the beach staring at the waves, you’ll never be refreshed by the water.

PRAYER
Lord, remove my fear and help me to put my trust in you so that I may go wherever you send me. Amen.

REVISITED: Good Vibes

Read 1 John 5:1-8

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world” (1 John 4:4, NLT).

Just recently, I was listening to the 60s Essential Rock Playlist on Apple Music. For those who may be unfamiliar, Apple Music is a subscription service that allows you the ability to download and/or stream any of the millions of albums that they have. Virtually, any and every  artist’s album is released on Apple Music as well as in it’s physical CD or record form. It’s a really great subscription for those who love music…and who doesn’t love music?

Anyway, back to the playlist. As I was listening to it, the song “Good Vibrations” from the Beach Boys came on. My goodness what a great band they were and, no doubt, when their music comes on…the good vibes are certainly flowing! Just pause for a moment and remember that song. Listen to it through your memory. Hear the beat percuss its way across your head. Ba bum bum bum bum good vibrations. Hear the harmonized bops and the feel of summer in the air!

Yeah, what a great song from a legendary band! It truly spreads good vibrations when you listen to it. The song itself is about how he is checking out a girl and, as he does, he notices her checking him out back…through a subtle, playful, side-glance. That side-glance sets off those good vibrations and the rest is history. Of course, that song could be about blowing things up and it would still give you those good vibes. It’s just the way it is.

Seriously, who doesn’t like good vibes? I mean, isn’t that the greatest part of summer. It’s warm, free, and filled with sand, beaches, waves, picnics, hikes, and of course, good vibes. Yet, the truth is, humanity often falls way short of producing the kind of vibes that the Beach Boys created with their music. Why is that? Because we are human.

This is true in the church as well. The church is made up of broke n human beings who sometimes end up being good vibe killers.

In church, I am doing a worship series called “Summer of Love”. To compliment the series, we have decorated the sanctuary in tie dye, wallflowers, lava lamps, and other late 60s décor. As for me, I am wearing each week a long-haired wig, a tie-dye bandana, a psychedilic paisley shirt, a peace sign, earrigns, and a bracelet. Some people will come in and feel the good vibes when they see that décor in church; however, others are not going to appreciate it as much. The vibes might be a little too good for their liking and they might complain about it.

That hasn’t happened yet, thankfully, but I use it as a hypothetical that points to the fact that some people just kill good vibes. In fact, to give us a dose of humility, we all are good vibe killers. In fact, conversely, my setting up hippie decorations and dressing in “far out” threads, might kill what others see as the good vibes of a traditional, reverent church.

The truth is that killing good vibes is a part of reality and one person’s good vibes is another person’s fingernail down the chalkboard. Still, shouldn’t the church generally be seen a place with good vibes? Shouldn’t people see a church and instantly think, “that is where we go to be a community, help others, and feel good.” Yet, friends, most people (if there are any at all) do not think that when they pass a church.

What’s more, they might not even have noticed they passed a church at all. That is the case for more people than not, I think. People who are busy going about their day and not paying attention to all of the locations along the way. But if somone is specifically seeing the church as they pass, they most likely are thinking, Wow! Pretty building, or that’s where people go to worship, or I would never step foot in that place, or my mother got married there. Or, as mentioned above, most people are probably not even noticing the church let alone thinking about attending it.

In other words, when thought of, churches are seen as places. They’re pretty buildings, places one would go to worship or places one would never step foot into. With that said, few churches ever get to the place where people think, Wow! There’s where those nice, friendly people with the good vibes hang out.

So, how do we, as Christrians, begin to promote good vibes? Well, let’s think about what constitutes as good vibes. That is simple evidence to produce. Anything that makes you to feel good would constitute as “good  ibes”. What could more great about the news that we are saved from the things that make humanity suck!?!?! That is truly good news and that should transform us into a people who are not only hip…but also a people who spread good vibes and invite others to do so as well!. Let us plant the seeds of the kingdom of heaven to grow and flourish! Amen.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
If you won’t plant the seeds, who will?

PRAYER
Lord, give me the strength and the conviction to sprerad the Good News!