Last week I shared with you that one of my favorite things to do is to go canoeing.
I have looked at Rock Lake, and I am looking forward to going out next spring.
This morning, I would like to talk to you about another one of things that I love to
do, and that is backpacking.
My love of backpacking, as well as many of the other outdoor things, started when
I was in Boy Scouts. In Pennsylvania, we were blessed to have the Appalachian
Trail in our backyard. Within a hour-or-two drive in several different directions,
we could be on the trail. We would go out on weekends, hiking the many different
sections of the trail.
Besides getting food, I could be ready to walk out that door and go backpacking in
a matter of ten minutes. My gear is always ready to go.
Let me show you some of the gear that I use…..
Whenever I go backpacking, I would drop my car off at the end of the trail, and
someone would then drop me off at the beginning of the trail. And off I would go.
You know, something has to happen before I am dropped off at the beginning of
the trail besides the normal packing.
I need to be fully committed to completing the trail.
Once I am dropped off and my ride leaves, there is no turning back. If I hike half
way on the trail, there’s no turning back.
I need to be fully committed to completing the hike.
This morning we once again dive into the book of Acts to a familiar passage to
many of us. Most of us have heard this passage of scripture read on Pentecost
Sunday, which is the birthday of the church.
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Today, we read this portion of scripture as a continuation of last week’s reading.
Last week we read about the apostles beginning a new journey. Once Jesus was
killed, many of the apostles wondered what they were going to do next.
They thought that their journey with Christ was over, and they were going to
return back to their trades, to things that they were comfortable doing.
John’s Gospel records that several days after Jesus’ death, Simon Peter announces
that he is going fishing.
And everyone followed Peter.
Our Pentecost scripture today opens our eyes to an amazing story about God’s
power.
There, in the town of Jerusalem, while everyone was celebrating the Feast of the
Weeks (which was the celebration of the good harvest), tongues of fire came out
of the sky and rested on each of the apostles.
God’s Holy power was seen that day!
On that Pentecost day, an amazing event happened when the tongues of fire
appeared.
But I believe that there was something far more important that occur on Pentecostthe
apostles became committed. There was no turning back for those 12 men.
Once the tongues of fire came to each one of those men, they were fully
committed to God.
My friends, are you totally committed to Jesus?
I mean, are you really committed to Jesus?
We’re not talking about this fake stuff that many so-called Christians seem to put
on. You know - “I’m a Christian”, and then they walk out of the church, and they
stab the pastor or another member in the back..
Or the “Christian” who claims to be total committed, but they haven’t darkened
the doorstep of a church in a long time.
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I’m talking about the honest-to-goodness, I-am-dedicating-my-life-to-God-no
matter-what-the-cost commitment that was demonstrated by the apostles.
That is what this church is going to need – now and in the future.
We have a lot of work to do. We have a roof that needs to be replaced soon, we
need people to volunteer to be on church boards, and we need to figure out where
we are going.
And we need committed people, faithful people, humbled people who are willing
to use their talents to serve God here at First Congregational United Church of
Christ.
Are you totally committed to Jesus?
There was a traveling preacher and his grandson who traveled from church to
church sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Early Sunday morning the pastor
went to the small community church to go over his sermon. As he walked into the
church he saw a small box for donations for the needy. The pastor reached deep
down into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change. He picked out the three
least valuable coins - three pennies - and dropped them into the box. That Sunday
came, and the pastor gave one of the best sermons he had ever preached. While
the pastor was greeting the people after the service, the elders got together and
talked about how they wanted to show their gratitude to the pastor for what he
preached.
One of the elders came up with the idea of going to the box in the back of the
church and giving whatever was in there to the pastor. So they went to the box and
pulled out all the money and presented it to the pastor. The pastor thanked the
congregation, and he and his grandson went off.
About a mile or two down the road, the pastor pulled out those three coins and
said, “It isn’t much.”
Without a moment’s hesitation the grandson said, “Well, if you’d put more into it,
you would’ve got more back..”
What we put into serving God is what we will receive back.
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What this church puts into serving God will be demonstrated in the blessings
bestowed upon us.
This morning, I want to share with you that Annie and I are totally committed to
Jesus and to this church.
After Annie and I announced that we would be leaving Northeast Pennsylvania
and coming to Wisconsin, people were amazed that I was leaving my family.
They couldn’t understand why I would move away from my family.
My response to them was this, “God called me, and I will follow.”
Annie and I have left everything that we have known to follow God here in Lake
Mills, Wisconsin.
We are 100% committed to Jesus Christ.
We are 100% committed to this church.
Are you totally committed to Jesus Christ? I pray that you are. You need to make
that decision now because there’s no turning back.
The apostles made their choice, and now it’s your turn.
