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Romans: Serving in the New Way of the Spirit - July 7, 2017 - Pastor Steve Leinhos

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St. Paul's Lutheran Church Orange, CA

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dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ members of family of Faith St Paul's Lutheran Church thank you for this opportunity for me to be with you today and to bring God's word picture of God's love and the transforming power and love of Jesus Christ  it has been my joy for nearly 10 years to be Pastor Steve and Ministry consultant for the people of Bethesda some of you perhaps know the time when it was known as Good Shepherd and more recently Good Shepherd Community  I want to thank the members of St Paul's especially those you are volunteering in support of the people who supported Bethesda through the Ministries and the Expressions shown to you in the video slide for the Christmas gifts that are purchased and delivered the welcome Sunday and today is also welcomes Sunday after the after this what is the next service at 9:30 service a number of the people we support from our group homes will be here and have the chance to worship with you and after that service and enjoy the picnic at the local park which is an annual tradition and Custom  and for those who participated in making quilts especially appreciative for their hard work and their their skillful work and service to number of the ladies in Bethesda Services you saw a few samples of those and every one of them as you can tell so delighted to receive their own quilt now course in July it's probably not as needed but come winter time they'll be so thankful and happy and for the love shown by Saint Paul members the individuals who supported Bethesda through the participation in the annual Jim Hallman Golf Tournament this past March I was reminded that there were a number of foursomes that represented from St Pauls and thank you for those who participated in that way and support in Bethesda is this morning focuses on the Gospel reading red from Mark chapter 2  I'm indebted to an author of Christian Pastor who a book called everybody's normal till you get to know them perhaps you can think one or two people that fit that category  maybe you're being thought of by someone else when they hear that for killer description  faster ortberg begins his book by having readers think about certain stores which have merchandise which may have a tag on it as is  no doubt most if not all of us have shopped at thrift stores are very aware of them that which they have merchandise for sale that is for the most part not new in fact is probably rare if you find something new and play if you realize that each item perhaps has some kind of imperfection or flaw and shopper stores in like those weed we know that's going in we are not expecting Perfection now if we find it that's great but most of the time realized there will be a flaw and we are expecting to pay the reduced price because of that every item for sale comes as if  faster through it also points out that the way people come as is you won't a person with a tag with that saying on it but if you get to know them you do find out their imperfections and flaws you know Gospel reading we are introduced to a man who's described as a paralytic that is he is paralyzed with a physical disability turn unable to walk as is tag is his map on which he lives day after day it is feet wide and 6 feet long and which he lived his whole life  John ortberg right here is the truth about us everybody has a map let the map symbolize figuratively a picture of human weakness and Perfection it is what is not normal about a person it is the little as is tag that people most desire to hide some examples  worry fear and uncontrollable temper Prejudice and ability to love or trust and addiction or shameful habit and inability to keep a job or to sustain relationship and yes disability  it could be physical as it was for this man in Our Gospel reading it could be sensory that is Blindness or deafness mental or intellectual the old phrase with mental retardation now it is more defined as into School disability it could be a learning disability  and one of the most difficult mental illness  whatever it may be our mats are usually what we are least proud of and what we are most wanting to hide from other people perhaps we think that if he new about our mats are secret imperfections or flaws they would stay away from us and we might Lose Friends  but as we learn from this gospel story for this paralyzed man and four men in his life the map and his disability became an opportunity for acceptance and servant I just want to pause for a moment and focus a little bit on the New Testament reading from Romans chapter 7 is you going through the book of Romans  we see how Paul bases are Christian lives upon the theology set we are all sinners and unable to free ourselves from sin and condemnation but through who's Christ through sacrifice we are forgiven and set free from the law says its power over us to condemned and Paul wrote that we died to the law that we might belong to another that is the one we know as our savior and that we are freed from this condemnation in order that we may serve  really the new way of the spirit is Paul Wright  not under obligation to try to strive to fulfill God's law on phone  to try to earn God's favor which we always result in imperfection and shame and guilt and lack of Peace of Mind by the power of the spirit we are now free to serve in love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self-control relying upon the spirits Trooper the fruit and serving in that new way  today's traffic yes it's focused on service but it is also on loving and committed friendships in serving one another John ortberg rice people in our time who have physical surgery or intellectual disabilities often say that the most difficult challenges and obstacles they face are the attitudes of so-called normal typical people who Express themselves through app play fear condescension treating people disabilities as less than fully human with little or no Worth to being judgemental unkind avoiding conversation or meaningful interaction but the ancient world could even harsher the Greeks and the Romans would regularly kill newborn infant who were born with a physical disability or defer in Israel  this man would have suffered another type of stigma there was a common assumption that if people add a disability that they were the ones who caused it or their parents  and they were to blame because of their sin against because God was punishing them because of this expression of their imperfection in John no the Disciples of Jesus saw a man blind from birth and they said Rabbi who send the parents that he was born blind Jesus confronted this attitude by saying neither this man nor his parents sinned but this happened so that the work of God add might be displayed in his life  but you know that this attitude was more prevalent than just the disciples and what is the unfriendly attitude the most of their fellow Jews these four men chose to become friends of this paralyzed man they befriend valuable human being who most in society rejected in The Fellowship of the map in true committed friendship that Jesus demonstrated to us there is mutual love and blessing  me.we model our friendship to others  especially those who have very Starks expressions of maps of their imperfections and flaws are friendship to others following the example of Jesus who have court loving and committed friends  he said it is more blessed to give than to receive the Fellowship of the math happens because of loving committed friendships  secondly The Fellowship of the map focuses on meeting human by faith bringing people to Jesus and overcoming all obstacles  call Road in Philippians chapter 2 skip you should look not only to your own interests but also the interests of others  your attitude should be the same is that a price Jesus that's exactly what these four men did they looked out for the interests of the man who is where am I  they had heard about Jesus  they knew he was a great teacher a prophet and a Healer they heard Jesus being  beware where Jesus sharing the word of God and they wanted to go hear him they purr should have gone by themselves to hear him speak but knowing that Jesus also perform miracles  reminded them here is our friend perhaps these as could heal him to  for these four men it wasn't easy to relate to this man and they overcame the barrier of self-interest for personal and emotional Comfort overcoming fear and anxiety and sacrificing convenience & Leisure silver King religious and social barriers risking their own public reputation remind others in society facing criticism or possibly even rejection themselves because they were associating with an O sinner  and they came and they brought to Jesus the paralytic they came and carry Germany made an opening in the roof above Jesus and after digging through it lower the map the paralyzed man was lying on different actions of carrying which was not easy in and of itself lifting him up the side stairs to the Rooftop in the hole in the roof when lowering the man gently physical action we will admire and compliment them except if you were the owner of the house and your roof now had a big man sized hole in it but because rooms were made of seeds and branches and dried mud it would have been easily repair we would have Meyer these four men for their teamwork their determination their ingenuity  it's a quality that really accomplished their mission is what Jesus saw  seesaw valued and commended their face  these group of men believed today for us it's our faith in Jesus that overcomes the spiritual obstacles of doubt and unbelief and confidently trust in him we will work through our servants in love that he gives us that he will do it only can do to bless others and as I have learned in my Ministry of Bethesda the blessings far out Google that I receive far outweigh all that I and I've learned this again and again that God will return greater blessings to us as we serve with his love and in his name those who formed the Fellowship of the man who truly loved and befriend others who have significant knees  who believed that this meets needs and find out goes in the way can choose to become roofcrafters let that image be in mine's as symbolic of what it may take to serve a person in The Fellowship of the math determining not to let any obstacles stop you creatively solving problems really NE Ministry in the church weather is among your own church members or outside in the communities or community outreach or simply serve anyone with great needs we know there are challenges  and you have found that there are ways God opens the door for you to creatively solve them to be determined to serve in the love in the name of Jesus Christ  if you have an interest in serving people with disabilities or perhaps you know of an individuals who needs support and are wondering how can we serve in this way so that we might welcome them and include them in the life of Saint Paul's I would be happy to speak with you and provide a way that we can work together to creatively become roof crashes  support and resource people with disabilities in their family celebrities  finally The Fellowship of the man is where Jesus is present  Hughes prison first of all and primarily to forgive sins  to bring the grace of God into people's lives who formerly were under guilt and condemnation who no doubt have not known a lot of Grace in their lives from society from people who the Jesus comes to bring Grace and compassion and he pronounces forgiveness to this paralyzed because that his is Ultimate needs to be right with God through the sacrifice of these he had been mocked and judged by people who assume that he had send in his life and God was punishing him you had no hope  but now because Jesus was present because of the Fellowship of the math  he now right with God forgiving and free now truly a son in God's family just as this man heard these precious and life-changing divinely authoritative words from Jesus the son of God not just a killer but his Redeemer and savior  we to hear these words from Jesus you are forgiven I accept you you are in God's family you belong to me you are set free to be all that I created you to be  sees restores us to be in the family of God both now and forever  The Fellowship of the mat is also where Jesus is to do more than we could even imagine  his present to demonstrate his Divine Authority in love to save Souls the transform to give life to the full and to cause people to praise God so that God receives all the glory Jesus is still working to transform lives today here at St Paul's and in Bethesda I now invite you to watch A Brief video that will show one example of an individual whom Bethesda report whose life has been transformed by Jesus Christ girlfriend before I came to Bethesda a bit know who Christ was when I was living with my mom then Community kids with always be mean to me I started doing ungodly things trouble episode broken windows. I wanted to get away from all the set feel like they're bothering me Gwen Trenton express interest in me let's get it done when I caught up to the altar  sadist down and put an anime head in the Bible  said to me thank you do you have faith in God above Melanie then why my 5-day baptized mean and I felt like my son is been washed away Hiline Trenton's whole attitude has changed he is also more hoping to the needs and feelings of others after he was baptized communion became a very important thing for Trenton I think that he saw that that was kind of the epitome of Fellowship something that the people that lived with Cher and something that you wanted to share also train that I work together one-on-one and we just went through a lesson at a time is a lot of work good  where does the seal on the ship your number of the Hope Lutheran Church vegan have to intern with essences my first does taking his face into my heart your faith has as giving them a different Outlook what channel are they used to be  Paws Animal Lewiston turn guide  again let go of the past hairpiece does I know that my sins can be Westway Ford of my Lord and Savior different day before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to take

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