Drops of Grace
Reaching the world for Christ through Drops of Grace - June 2019
Serve Like Christ
June 30, 2019 • Bill Williamson • Luke 22:24–27
As I think about what it means to serve like Christ, I can't help but think back to last week. During VBS there were so many people, young and old, who were serving those who came, displaying the love of Christ. It is during times of humble service, done in the name of Christ, that God's amazing grace is revealed. Christ lives in us. Therefore, as we serve others, it is Christ who is actually serving them. It is during acts of humble service that the Holy Spirit pricks the hearts and souls of individuals. It is through that DROP of Grace, a gracious act of service, that people see Jesus in us. Unfortunately, in our world today, an act of kindness, a service done for someone, is often received with skepticism. Many people don't believe someone can do something without wanting something in return. Too many times people believe there is a "catch". And for good reason. We live in a world where people are out for themselves. Too many people in today's world are climbing the ladder to some kind of significance, stepping on others in the process, only wanting to advance themselves, even if it's for a good cause. It is hard to keep the ego out of the picture. Jesus came to earth and not only taught, but displayed just the opposite. He left the top echelon, the heavens, not counting equality with God something to be grasped, emptying Himself, sacrificing Himself, becoming a human, a servant, with no expectations, no conditions, living a humble and obedient life that led to the cross. That is the sign of true servanthood.
Pray For Redemption
June 23, 2019 • Bill Williamson • Matthew 9:35–38
Drops of Grace: So far we have considered what it means to Develop Relationships with People Who Do Not Know Jesus, Reach the World with the Gospel, and Offer Hope to the Hopeless. As we will see in Matthew 9, everything needs to be bathed in prayer. Later in July, we will take an extended look at how Jesus modeled and taught about prayer. Today, we will explore what it means to Pray for Redemption. When it comes to advancing the Kingdom of God, it is the power of prayer that brings about salvation. The kind of prayer Jesus mentions in Matthew 9, however, may not necessarily be what most people are praying. It is not simply praying for God to save souls. It is not merely praying for hearts to be transformed. It is not just praying that redemption may come to the Yakima Valley. Those prayers are all important. Those prayers are all necessary. Yet, Jesus addresses what could possibly be an even more important way to pray in order to see people come to a living faith with God. The prayer Jesus implores us to pray may also come with an unexpected answer. We know what happens when we ask God to give us more patience, don’t we? So, what do you think will happen when we pray for the redemption of lives? The answer might surprise you.
Offer Hope To The Hopeless
June 16, 2019 • John Stolzenbach • Isaiah 6:1–4
As we continue in our series DROPS OF GRACE, we’ve looked at the Developing Relationships, Reaching the world with Beautiful Feet. Now we look at how we can OFFER HOPE. The kind of hope we’re talking about here isn’t the kind of hope the world offers. It’s the hope that God alone gives to a broken and fractured world through Jesus. In order to be able to offer this kind of hope, we first need to have experienced that kind of hope ourselves. AA, Celebrate Recovery, the New Life Program at Yakima Union Gospel Mission (or any other addiction ministry), Weight Watchers, Divorce Care, etc., all are run by those who have struggled themselves with (fill in the blank). Hebrews 11:1 defines faith this way: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” We can’t see hope, but in faith we are given hope. Abraham is listed in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11:8-10. Paul says it this way in Roman 4:18 “In hope, he (Abraham) believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, ‘So shall your offspring be’.” We who have received great hope ourselves, offer hope to those who need hope in the world around us.
Reach The World With The Gospel
June 9, 2019 • Bill Williamson • Romans 10:13–17
DROPS of Grace begins with: DEVELOPING Relationships with the Unsaved. Those relationships will hopefully provide opportunities to share the Good News of Christ. So, as we move on with DROPS, the second part is: REACHING the World with the Gospel. Yes, we are to spread the Gospel globally, but it begins even more locally. Share the Gospel is more practical with people we are in contact with on a regular basis. The amazing part of being a part of God's family, is that there are some who are taking the Gospel literally to the ends of the earth. There are ministries who are putting the Gospel into languages that most of us have never heard about. Imagine what it must be like for a native of some country, living in a distant village, having someone present them with a recording of the Gospel spoken in their native tongue. It is probably the same as was recorded in Acts 2, on the Day of Pentecost, which we celebrate this Sunday, when the Holy Spirit was released and everyone heard one another in his or her own language. That was the beginning of the Church. That was the beginning of Reaching the World with the Gospel.
Develop Relationships With The Unsaved
June 2, 2019 • Bill Williamson • Luke 19:1–10
Jesus said, "Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest." (John 4.35) Unfortunately, many of us are not lifting up our eyes. We are afraid that we might see someone whom Jesus described as "like sheep without a shepherd,” and God may call us to do something or even say something to that individual. So, we avoid eye contact, we keep our eyes straight ahead. When it comes to being an "ambassador for Christ", it is more than just living holy and exemplary lives, hoping others will see our lives and come to a living faith and relationship with God. Sure, that can happen. However, none of us can live such holy and exemplary lives. That is not a good strategy. Instead, as we will see today, we may need to lift our eyes and not just look at the fields, but actually get out there in the fields. It may not be necessary mean having to reach out to complete strangers. In fact, the best place to start is probably with people you already know. Be thinking and praying, asking God to reveal to you those people you and you alone might have the opportunity to Love Well with Drops of Grace. Today is Communion Sunday - later in the service we will remember God’s love and sacrifice through Jesus’ death and resurrection offering life eternal with our Lord to all.