The Incubator…March 1st

As a young boy growing up on a West Texas farm, I remember well the days we Chickswould raise little baby chicks. From hatchlings we would nurture them with heat lamps, clean water, the appropriate feed, warm straw and a secure chicken coop. Though I don’t recall if we ever ‘incubating’ the eggs, they were our responsibility from the very beginning.

But without the incubation process, the hatching of the baby chick will never happen. Of course, eggs aren’t the only things that need an incubator. The premature baby, the ‘new endeavor,’ even a virus may have an incubation period. And this morning as we recognize those babies born in 2014, Robert Taylor will share some ideas about how we can prepare our children for life in this world. Not just any life, but a life focused on God and His will. Parents, we have an obligation to care for our children, prepare our children, and ‘bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.’ (Ephesians 6:4) And if you think about it, it all begins in…”The Incubator.”

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, March 1, 2015

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Wonderful Words of Life” – 543

“Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life…” what a joy to sing about our salvation! Consider your life in Christ, your salvation in His name…beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life. It’s encouraging to me to read/sing the words of the 2nd verse; these words are ‘all so freely given,’ and for the one who is listening and open to the message, these words are ‘wooing us to heaven.’ Wonderful words of life!

“How Beautiful” – 365

Preparing ourselves for the Lord’s Supper we’ll sing a spiritual song that was written less than 25 years ago. A song that speaks to the beautiful hands that serve, the washing feetbeautiful, radiant bride (the church of Christ), and the beautiful feet that walk. This song, however, does more than just talk about Christ physical body, but alludes to the church as the body of Christ. Notice verse one as we sing about the hands of Christ as He served His disciples the ‘last supper.’ And visualize His feet as walked the dusty road to the cross. But then continue on to verse three as we transition to the feet that spread the good news (the gospel), and the hands that serve the Lord’s Supper today. How beautiful…in deed!

 

“Lord, We Come Before Thee Now” – 797

Following the Lord’s Supper many have a sense of quiet stillness. It’s fitting to come before our God with awe and reverence and so we sing, “Lord, we come before Thee now, at Thy feet we humbly bow…” setting the stage of a lowly servant approaching the king we see how we might say our souls depend on Thee. But the contrast comes in the third verse; our God, unlike an earthly king, allows us to come and stay with Him. To dwell with Him and seek His blessing.

“Can You Count the Stars” – 992

A simple song that asks a simple question; “Can you count the stars of evening…can you count the clouds…can you count the birds or the fish…can you count the little children?” If God knows their number and shows them His care, surely we can rest assured knowing that, “He has not forgotten thee.” Maybe we could say, each day in we are in God’s care, we are growing in His incubator.

“I Love to Tell the Story” – 659

Before the lesson we’ll sing a spiritual song that provides us with a clear understanding of the incubator. We sing, “I love to tell the story, it is pleasant to repeat, what seems each time I tell it more wonderfully sweet; I love to tell the story (ready for this) for some have never heard…” For some have never heard…how important for us to share the message of salvation to a lost and dying world.

“Softly and Tenderly” – 934E08M74_PosterJesusLovesMe.qxd

One might wonder how ‘come home…’ could be attributed to the incubation process. Then again, when we consider this life as just the nurturing and preparation stage for a new life, we might just all being in the incubator. It would explain why Jesus is calling us ‘softly and tenderly.’

“Jesus Loves Me” – 1014

Even the littlest child is likely to know this simple song. What better way to bring our children through the incubation process then to train them up and remind them daily that Jesus loves them. Parents, this should resonate in our hearts…‘this I know, for the Bible tells me so!”

“There is a Habitation” – 860

The beauty of this song comes in knowing that heaven is a perfect place. It’s a place where there is no war, no sorrow, no death, and no tomorrow. A place with no desolation, no night and no decay, And though this song doesn’t say it, no incubator. For within the gates of heaven we’ll be singing eternal praises to our King. Would that we instill a desire within our children to say, “I am ready to go to heaven!” When this life is over, when we leave the incubator, let’s be ready for the city built by the living God.

Jesus Loves Me…May 5th

With a lesson entitled “Jesus Loves Me”, you might think it’s too under-developed for a Sunday morning sermon in the presence of mature adults.  Then again, how much more basic is the message of God…John 3:16!

jesus loves meOften when life is filled with worry and doubt our hearts can become dispirited and distressed.  Anxiety and fear can cause not only emotional problems but physical struggles as well.   But you know someone cares about you!  When you’re happy or sad, there is someone who notices.  This morning our scripture reference is Matthew 9:35, 36.  Jesus felt compassion when He saw the people who were, “…like sheep without a shepherd.”  Singing Jesus Loves Me is more than just singing a child’s song; it’s an encouraging, God-given fact!

 

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.”  I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, May 5, 2013

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“The Battle Belongs to the Lord” – 749

Written in the 1980’s, this song of victory is the modern version of “Soldier’s of Christ, Arise”.  We sing of heavenly armor and the power of darkness, and we know He’s raised up a standard.  We can take courage because the battle has already been won.  I John 5:4, “…And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.”

“Holy, Holy, Holy” – 47

As this ‘hymn’ echoes from Isaiah 6, we will sing each verse adding separate parts.  The soprano voices will sing verse one then we’ll add the altos with verse two, tenors to verse three and finally the bass voice will join in verse four.  But apart from the musical emphasis listen to (and read) this message of praise to our God.

“Til My Faith Becomes Sight” – 836

As we read the scriptures we find numerous titles given to our Lord and Savior.  This hymn, to God, identifies four ‘titles’ for Jesus…1) Bread of Life, 2) Living Water, 3) Lamb of God and 4) Savior crucified.  As we honor our Lord and King we proclaim that we will keep our eyes on Him; though we live or though we die.

“My Jesus I Love Thee” – 701

Written in the late 1800’s by W. R. Featherston, this song (again…a hymn) speaks to Jesus saying, I love You and I know You are mine.  The song continues as we proclaim our decision to walk away from our sinful life (“…all the follies of sin I resign.”)  The refrain concludes with the simple statement, “If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis (it is) now.”

“Jesus Loves Me” – 1014

A child’s song of praise that has been sung for years by young and old, our sermon bears the title of this song.  Anna Warner is credited for penning these simple, yet profound words in 1860; ironically, the year before the start of our Civil War.  Perhaps we can understand the meaning behind such a simple tune when we consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 18, “…unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

“He Loves Me” – 386

This morning we’ll use this ‘communion’ song as the song before our lesson.  With an upbeat tempo and a message fit for our lesson we’ll turn from singing of Jesus love for us to our love for Him.  Why did Jesus leave Heaven and come to earth, where He knew men would reject Him?  Why would He endure the garden’s ‘dreadful dross’ and allow wicked men to sentence Him to death?  Why suffer death on a cross?  Though we sing with simplisty we sing with the scripture… “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…” John 3:16 “…Because He loved Me so.”

“Love Lifted Me” – 453Peter walking on the water

Not a typical invitation song, but the words are indeed a call to repentance.  Notice verse 3, “Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves…He your Savior wants to be (translated: He wants to be your Savior) Be saved today.”  With shades of Matthew 14 when Peter walked on the water, in this song we sing of the angry waves. Certainly we can understand how Peter might have felt; sinking to rise no more.  The question; are you crying for Him to lift you?  Remember, He’s the Master of the sea…

“I Love My Savior Too” – 610

Those familiar with this spiritual song will remember the refrain.  As the lead voices sing “I love my Savior; He loves me too…”  The supporting parts (alto, tenor and bass) echo, “Yes, I truly love my blessed Savior, blessed Savior; and He ever loves me, yes He loves me too…”  But as always, don’t get lost in the music…stay focused on the message.  Are you honestly trying to do His will always and never complain?  My prayer is that you will sincerely strive to, “…seek His grace and favor in everything I (you) do?