"Joyless Labor"

Friendship Community Church

"Joyless Labor"

July 7, 2024 • Pastor Logan Ames

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" ~ Galatians 5:1

We generally take for granted the blessing of freedom because most of us have never lived a single day without it. Thank the Lord for guiding our founding fathers in seeking, defending, and preserving our freedom as a nation. They labored much and sacrificed greatly for the divine purpose that God had given them. While we were all born under the same blanket of freedom which they so tirelessly provided, we have ultimately the same choice today that they had - freedom or slavery? Slavery can be miserable, but we can get comfortable in it because we know what to expect, while freedom carries much uncertainty, and is therefore risky. The early American patriots were willing to die rather than return to the slavery under the rule of a tyrant. For Christians, Christ has set us free, but the devil is always there trying to draw us back into the miserable comfort of what we knew. We must choose freedom, and be willing to labor to preserve it. This week at Friendship, we'll talk about the "Joyless Labor" described by Solomon, who seemingly saw no purpose to all his toils because he didn't submit to God. When we know that God has set us free for us to work within that freedom, it brings joy to whatever we do. Join us as we consider the purpose He has given us.

"The Whole Point"

August 18, 2024 • Associate Pastor Ben Sorbello

But they will reply, 'It's no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.'" ~ Jeremiah 18:12 This is what happens when we forget to follow Jesus Christ. Now that we have finished with our reading of Ecclesiastes, what is the point? What did we learn from the past three months? Are we stronger as individual members of the body of Christ? Are we stronger as a local body of Christ in Dover, PA? Are we making our community stronger around us? Again, what is the point of reading our bibles, coming to worship God, and fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ every week? Why do we get up everyday and live our lives the way we do? These are all good questions to meditate on as we prepare for this week's message from the Holy Spirit of God on Ecclesiastes 12 and, "What's the Point?".

"Wise Investments"

August 11, 2024 • Pastor Logan Ames

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it" ~ Haggai 1:5-6 This is an example of a pretty poor investment strategy. It's not that the people weren't willing to work, but that their work - and the time, energy, and resources poured into it - was not benefitting the kingdom of God. The prophet Haggai was sent to confront them, for they were focused on taking care of their personal homes and goals while ignoring what the Lord wanted for His house and His people. So they found that they weren't getting a good return on their investment, yet continued on the same path anyway. Investing in the work of God sometimes involves physical labor, sometimes financial generosity, and sometimes patient waiting, but always with the salvation of people in mind, and always with the Holy Spirit as our guide. It is work that never stops, no matter what age or stage of life you are in. This week at Friendship, we'll see what the Teacher has to say about "Wise Investments", which generally involve a willingness to be disciplined and delay gratification. This will be a message that applies to many areas of your life, so we encourage you to join us.

"A Little Yeast"

August 4, 2024 • Pastor Logan Ames

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" ~ Romans 6:23 This verse from the Apostle Paul is such a great blessing, reminding us of how far apart what we deserved and what we actually got from God are. We deserved death because of sin, yet we received everlasting life through Jesus our Savior. Yet, as wonderful as the second part of the statement is, we tend to forget about the harsh reality of the first part. There are real consequences for sin. Sin kills. It steals and destroys. You may not physically die directly from a sinful choice, but every sin is a step toward the path of spiritual death. As people saved from the penalty of sin, we cannot forget that we are also spared from the power and practice of sin. We've been forewarned, and we are aware of the domino effect of each sinful choice, so we must do all we can to avoid it. This week at Friendship, we'll talk about how "A Little Yeast" can permeate an entire load of bread, a metaphorical representation of the reality of a little sin or foolishness impacting one's life far beyond their good and wise choices. Christians must avoid sin at all costs, and reject the notion that the gift of eternal life invites us to keep sinning. Join us for this necessary reminder and challenge.