Traditional Sunday Worship 4-28 | Traditional 11AM Worship Service at TFMC April 28th, 2024 | By Tullahoma First Methodist Church | Good morning. Good morning. And welcome to Tullahoma First Methodist Church. We're so happy you're here to be worshiping with us on this beautiful spring morning. So, I'd like to announce that today, there's a church council meeting right after the service at noon and there will be lunch provided. So, please, if you can, come in and attend. And now, let us open our hearts and minds as we worship the lord. Thank you, Doug. Ensemble. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Trust that you've had a wonderful weekend and it is so good to see you in the house of the lord this morning. Uh I wanted to begin with a couple of announcements. Uh Kate already covered. Our church council is meeting at 12 o'clock today. Uh also, we are going to be having our senior send off next Sunday. Always a very bittersweet moment for me. Uh We have I think 12 graduates graduating this year and so we'll be having the senior send off and then that evening, May 5th, we're going to have a the the fellowship team is putting on a Cinco the Mayo party at Fraser McEwen Park. Food, all you have to do is bring a chair, bring your friends, family, and come and celebrate and have a good time with us. Uh also, we want to lift up our Emmaus community. They are meeting for their women's walk this weekend and I know we've got a of our ladies who are a part of that walk. Uh I think my my walk was about 14 years ago and I gotta tell you, it it had such a profound effect on my life. So, I am very blessed that we have so many in our church that are encouraging those to be a part of the Emmaus Walk and a part of that community. It's such a good, good thing. Well, we welcome you here this morning. If you're joining us online or you're here in person, receive this from Jesus Christ. Are you tired and beaten down by this world? Are you in need of a place of rest and renewal? Are you looking for a refuge for a hurting heart? Are you in need of a place to unburden a sinful life and begin to live again? Then look no further. Because this church's doors are open wide to you today. Know that you are loved, that you are cared for, that you are known by the risen savior. He is the defender of the weak. He is the friend of sinners, the lover of our souls. So let us worship together this morning. I believe we have a worship video if you would turn your attention to the screen. Morning, church family. It's Jeff Ellison from Dawson Chapel. I want to give you an update on our team training mission. Adam is one of our new participants and he's quickly becoming one of our best. Hey, everyone. My name is Adam and I'm a part of the team training through Dawson Chapel. Team Training has impacted my life in a lot of positive ways. I have learned so much through my time with the team training program. We work with our community to help them with car work, handyman work, chores, and odd jobs. This program has me realize that everyone needs help sometimes and it makes me feel good to be able to help them. I want to thank you for your support of this program. So, thank you, Adam. Um I wanted to tell you more about our teen training mission. So, we've always helped the underprivileged community but now, we're doing much, much more. We're working on lawn mowers, cars, trucks, yard work, landscape, painting, just handyman stuff. We're having lots of fun. The kids joke around a lot. They treat me like a 15 year old and they call me an old man but it's a lot of fun. I did want to tell you about a recent lady that we helped. Her counselor called me and asked if the team training group does any pro bono work and I said, that's kind of what we do. and she said, she had a a client that urgently needed an alternator installed. She had the alternator but she couldn't afford to have it installed. So, Adam and another teen training participant went over and they took the car front end apart. The new cars are kind of shrink wrapped around the the engines. So, you have to take an awful lot of components off to get to things like an alternator which is really pretty simple but at any rate, she was so impressed and so happy. She made the kids lunch and now, Adam goes over to her house frequently to check on her. It's just a blessing and there's story after story after story of things like that that our teen training is doing for the community You'll notice in your bulletin, there's an envelope for Dossett Chapel which teen trainees is one third of the mission. We appreciate all the support you've given us in the past and we're asking for you to continue to contribute to Gossip Chapel. Thank you so much. Please stand as we sing our opening hymn number one fifty-four, All Hail the Power of Jesus's name. We're going to sing verses one, two, four, and six. And doing some research this week on our opening hymn, All Hail the Power of Jesus' name. It brought me to this Bible verse, Philippians two nine through eleven. Wherefore, god also has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of god the father. What a wonderful name indeed, Jesus. Such beautiful words to hear from scripture this morning, but also being able to always and forever freely sing his sweet, precious name, Jesus. Let us pray. Oh Lord, all hail the power of your name, Jesus. We are in the presence of your honor. We come before you to worship you today in every thought, every moment, every word spoken, every word song, and every musical note played and heard here today. You, oh Lord, you save us by your grace. And you provide us with your unconditional love. We come today to join in your everlasting song forever and ever. For we crown you, Lord of all. Remain standing if able for the reading of the gospel Matthew's gospel chapter eleven verses twenty-8 through thirty. Jesus says, come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart. And you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. This is the word of god for the people of god. Thanks be to god. You may be seated this morning. Well, church family I hope you've come expecting from the lord this morning. I got up early, took my dog for a walk, and just marveled at the nice weather. I know it's going to be a lot hotter this afternoon but just a nice breeze coming through and Begin to pray for you this morning early. Thought about you sitting where you're sitting and I've noticed a lot of people are attending different services today. I think you guys are trying to mess with me or something But it's good that you're here. But I prayed for you this morning that you would come and receive all that the lord has for you This morning, we will be on the third part of our series on how to create a gospel culture. We have examined honesty and honor and how they contribute to creating a good news culture within the church. We've learned that honesty with god and others about our own spiritual condition through confession and prayer provides healing We also have learned that when we attempt to outdo one another, that's right, outdo one another in showing honor, it is a competition where everyone benefits, everyone wins. Now, this morning, I want to talk about gentleness. Now, gentleness is something we often look it as a weakness The truth You see this past week, I was listening to an episode of one of my favorite podcast Now, I had heard this particular episode probably three other times and I, there was something that was asked by one of the pastors. It's two pastors who are having a conversation. It's always really good but he asked a question and I paused it and I listened to it again and I paused it and I hit it on repeat and listened to it again and this question, I want to post to us as a congregation today. He asked, how non-crazy does a person have to be to feel comfortable coming to your church and start living again? Let me ask a question again. How non-crazy does a person have to be to feel comfortable coming to your church and start living again. Now, the answer should be that all would be welcomed, received, hear the gospel, believe, and start to live. But is that our reality Returning to the beginning of this series, I ask if there is a perceived prerequisite to attending our church. Do we put out the vibe to our community? That you must be non-crazy, non dysfunctional, and meet some type of standard to attend church here. Now, don't misunderstand me I don't mean that we approve and bless every lifestyle that walks through the door but rather we offer the alternative to crazy and dysfunction because we are offering a real savior. Not simply a belief system and abstraction, or a mythical person but the resurrected still alive remedy for all. Human life I was reminded of the story of the man from Gadera found in Mark's gospel chapter five. When we meet this gentleman, he is unclothed. He is demon possessed. He is out of his mind. He is chained and he is living in a graveyard. Far from his community. This shows you the condition of his soul, the condition of this man, that his community believed him to dead. That he is out that far. Jesus disembarks a boat. He walks up. He has one interaction with this man. And at the end of the story, we see this gentleman at peace and in his right mind. Friends, this is the real Jesus that we offer at this church. Will you pray with me? Father in heaven, we belong to you. Today, we consecrate ourselves on for your holy purposes. As we enter this time in your word, we ask that you bless it, that you allow us to receive all that you have intended for us to receive. Father, we lift our hearts to you. We set our minds on you. We fix our eyes on you. We offer ourselves as holy and living sacrifices. In Christ's name and all of god's people said, Church, if you have your Bible and you would like to follow along this morning, we are going to be interestingly enough, Kate, in Philippians. There's no coincidence as god always knows. Philippians chapter four, we're going to take it verse by verse and beginning in verse one. Now, our scripture is a is a theme on gentleness. Paul, the apostle Paul is writing this letter to the church in Philippi and he is in a Roman prison. So, let's begin with verse one. Paul writes, therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for my joy and my crown. Stand firm in the lord in this way, dear friends. Section that we begin today is the conclusion comes at the conclusion of Paul's letter to the church in Philippi. He is reminding them of his deep love and affection that he has for this church and he reminds them to stand firm in this way, in what way? Well, if you look back to the rest of the letter, it is a call for unity. And standing, and walking in a way, in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Worthy of the gospel. Look at verse two. I plead with you Odea and I plead with Syntachi, some fun names in the Bible. To be of the same mind in the lord. How easy is it to agree and be the same mind as another. Doesn't that seem like an impossible thing to ask? Because we all come with our different perspectives. We are all unique. Our own bias Yet, Paul is asking these two women to be of the same mind in the lord. You see, these two women They had had a sharp disagreement and the reason Paul is writing is because this disagreement had affected the harmony of the faith community in Philippi. It had been so bad that it had disrupted all of the harmony within the church. Friends, we cannot be united in all things in daily life because we all have our particular ideas about things but as far as the things of the lord are concerned. We can submerge our petty, personal differences so that the lord may be magnified and his work advanced on this earth. You see in the second chapter, just two chapters before this, in Philippians, Paul lays out this admonition and call for unity. He says, so if there is any encouragement in Christ. If there is any comfort from his love. Any participation in the spirit, any affection, or sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord, and of one mind. The answer. The solution to disagreement is found in the first verse. In in Christ. He says, do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit. But in humility, count others more significant than yourselves. That's a hard pill to swallow, isn't it? Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interest of others. Have this mind among yourselves. What kind of mind which is yours in Christ? Jesus is the great unifier. Going back to chapter four in verse three, Paul says, yes and I ask you my true companion. We don't know who he's writing to but he is a member of this church. Help women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement, and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life. These aren't just nobody's, These are people within the church who have contended for the gospel beside Paul. Now, what I find is interesting is this and this is going to seem like a a meddling a little bit but I want us to hear this. When there is disagreement within the family of god, we make it our business as a church. To help them reach mutual agreement in the lord It is our business. It is that serious In verse four, Paul is is where I want us to really focus on today. In regarding gospel culture. Paul says, rejoice in the lord always. I will say it again, rejoice and he says, let your gentleness be evident to all. Why? Because the lord is near. The lord is present. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. We are gentle. We are reasonable. We are welcoming, non-inflammatory, non reactive. Our church should be known for this in our community. Amen? Because the lord is near. Everyone in town can be hotheaded argumentative, and divisive but if we want to create a good news culture, we must change the perception that we are just like everyone else. In Matthew's gospel, Jesus describes himself as gentle and lowly. Now, at first glance, that may seem like weakness as I shared earlier. No, no, no. We've gotta be seen as strong but our leader, our master, models for us something and invites us into a different kind of posture as his followers. You see, Jesus in contrast to the proud and harsh Pharisees of his time and the crazy culture that we live in we are called to a different reality In last week's text, Paul says, do not be haughty but be willing to associate with the lowly. Jesus modeled this for us. Friends, it is okay to take the lowest position It is okay to strip ourselves of the need to be first and the greatest. I would rather follow in the footsteps of my leader. Amen. The author, Paul Doken, he writes this, he says that all of this comes from the attitude of our heart. He says, our works spring forth from our inward attitude of heart and mind. Now, the heart and anytime you read this in scripture is the seat of our emotion and thought. Proverbs 423 says, keep your heart with all diligence. For out of its spring, the issues of life. In other words, our inner life affects everything we say and do. Paul Dokin says, nothing is heavier Nothing is heavier to bear than a bad attitude. Many people become trapped in a bad attitude because of stubbornness. They simply refuse to humble themselves and when people disagree about things, they are not humble enough to listen to each other. When you do not learn how to work together in a spirit of humility and gentleness, demands from the flesh. Get the upper hand. And your heart becomes hardened and love grows cold, and what Paul Dokin says is this is an issue of faith. Actually, he says, this is a rejection of faith and here says, when you reject faith and good conscience, you suffer shipwreck in your faith. This is the fate of those who are not lonely in heart. Those who cling to a proud attitude by the same token, nothing is easier to bear. Than a good attitude. In other words, friends, to create a gospel culture, we have got to be willing to make generous allowances for everyone. Generous allowances for everyone and give up our need to have our way Look at what Paul says next in verse six. He says, do not be anxious about anything. Some things? No, do not be anxious about anything but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to god and the peace of god which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Paul knew. He knew that rejoicing and the call for gentleness were difficult during times of worry, anxiety, and disagreement. Therefore, he is giving us the antidote through thankful, grateful times of prayer. When we are a praying people the word says that the peace of god will guard our minds and our hearts in Christ Jesus. When we are a praying people, we are in step with the spirit of god and it will affect every relationship that you have. We begin the series by discussing how we want to be a church that values sound, biblical, gospel doctrine. You have to have it but also on the same token to model true gospel culture. Here's how urgent this series is outside of the doors right behind you is an aching world and we have the answer in here. We have the solution That's how urgent this is. The church is meant to be a place where people and I'm going to say it again, can come, be received well, hear the gospel, commit their life to Jesus, and begin to live again. Friends, we are entering. We already have entered a highly, heavily political year. Now, what I mean by that is, more so than ever, people are going to be more emotionally charged than normal as the church and a faith community I want to encourage us to think and speak wisely and consider our witness to our community during this time. Every church is communicating something. And every face of this church is a representative of this church. And we are communicating something. What are they getting from us? My hope and prayer is that we are considered to be the most gentle, reasonable, and humble church in the whole city. Why? Because the lord is near. I don't know about you friends but I don't want the church to become a debate society I don't want to import my own personal bias into the church and complicate and disrupt our joy and our fellowship. I'm not willing to give my life for something like that I will part those things at the door for the sake of the gospel. Yes, I have political affiliations. I have faults on these matters but I will part those things at the door if it means disrupting what god is doing in this place. Anybody hear me? But I will tell you what I am willing to give my life for. A group of people from all walks of life. Every race, every political affiliation, every socionomic socioeconomic background, locking arms, and proclaiming to a hurting world that Jesus Christ is alive and he is the remedy for all of human life. Amen. I can get behind that I will give my blood, sweat, tears, prayers, and time because that is a good news culture. I went to Lahoma Tullahomans, I think is what we call them and beyond to stop and take notice of the church next to the post office and say, man, that group right there, they've got something going on. They truly know how to love each other. Not one of them is perfect. But Jesus for some reason, is alive and active and real to that group of people. They show grace to each other. They show love. They show honor. They take principled stands. They are biblical people but they know how to love people and show honor. And here's the thing, they feel confessing to one another and to god. There's something special about that place and I want to be a part of what they are doing. Just this morning, somebody came to me and they said, Chris, I just thought you might want to hear this This is a testament to your prayers and to what god is doing in this place. Somebody from out of state, from Virginia was driving by our church. They saw a few people lining up at the Henry Center last week. This lady walks in and she said, I just felt the presence of god. I saw something happening and I just wanted to come in and see what was going on at this church. There's no coincidences. God is able to supernaturally call people to this place but we have got to do the work in preparing this place. Amen? Do you want to be a part of a church like that? Will you join me in that? Let's pray. God of grace, we love you and we are so grace grateful of your love for us for loving us. Father, when we were unlovable, you, your faithfulness, even when we are still unfaithful. Father, we glorify you in this place today. This is all for you. Lord, make us faithful in proclaiming the message of Jesus. To everyone That people can come and hear and receive you into their lives and begin to live again. Lord, allow us as your faithful people to exhibit gentleness through times of prayer. Lord, work those things into our lives. build those things, into our lives that we might present Jesus wherever we go. In Christ name. Amen. As Doug comes to lead, our hymn of response this morning, friends, our altar is open for you If you want to have a time of prayer, you may simply come and kneel. I would count it an honor to pray with you and for you. Would you stand as your ables? We sing our hymn and response hymn number three fifty-four, I surrender all. We'll sing the first four. To Jesus I surrender I freely and surrender I surrender Jesus me surrender surrender surrender Friends, as we continue our response to the lord this morning, I invite you to turn to page 881 in your hymnal as we affirm our common belief together with the apostles creed. Would you join me? I believe in god, the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only son, our lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. The third day he rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and seated at the right hand of god the father almighty. From then, he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. You may be seated this morning. Please look over each name listed in our church's prayer list located in the back of your bulletin and please take a moment each day this week to pray over them one by one. Let us pray. Lord god, we pray for your protection over all of us. Whether the names have been spoken or unspoken, we pray for our families our friends, our community, our state, our country, and our world. We pray that you give light to those who sit in darkness. We pray and lift up those who are without homes or jobs. We pray for People whose souls are lost. We pray for the sick and the suffering among us. We pray for those that are far from home. We pray for our towns, small businesses, that they may flourish tenfold. We pray for our entire congregation and church, especially our church leaders, that they may lead us in the way you see fit. Please grant all of us your peace, love, and understanding. And please Protect us all from the evils of this world in the upcoming week and always. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen. Now, let us join together in saying the prayer you have taught us to pray. Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the power, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen We'd invite our ushers to please come forward as we receive this morning's offering. We have had a very busy weekend here at the church. Well, actually, a whole busy week and so thankful for those that gave of their time for the treasure sale. Uh I learned this morning that they raised north of $6100, which is which is amazing. It wasn't the million I was praying for but I I stopped by every day and I said, I hope you guys make a million dollars. Well, I didn't think but we're thankful for the $6100 we did get and for all those that gave of their time. Friends, inside your bulletin, our envelopes for the Dosset Chapel. We know how much good that Jeff and his team does every week and we are so grateful for the work that they're doing there and this new teen training is just so good. And so give with joy and give generously today. Let us pray. God of as we continue our response and worship. Father, we lift up to you, our church. We lift up to you all the things that we have need of, father. We know that every good and perfect gift comes from you and so lord, as an act of worship today, we give back into your house that your kingdom might come on this Earth. So, lord, bless the gift and bless the giver in Christ's name. Amen. Doug, if you lead us in our closing hymn this morning our closing hymn this morning is hymn one forty-four, This Is My Father's World. This is my father's to my listening all nature sings and round me bring music of the this is my father rocks and trees of skies and sea wonders my father birds their praise this is my father shines in all rustling grass I hi this is my is the this is my father's heart be Church, I have thoroughly enjoyed being in worship with you all today. Um throughout the month of April, I have not been great about sharing this information every single week. I've tried to but if you would like to receive communion, we're going to do a very very brief service in the church chapel following at this service. So, just come over at the conclusion and be with us and receive communion if you if you desire. Uh we have our church council meeting at noon. So, if you are on leadership position. We invite you to be there. If you just want to know what's going on in the life of the church and you're curious, come hear the good things. It's good stuff. Friends, I pray that we, collectively, would be filled with the goodness of god. Not just do good things but to be good, to be gentle, and that the hurting world will stand up and take notice of that. Amen? Amen. Remember this, that as you go this week, god goes before you. God loves you. He cares for you. He knows you. Now, receive his benediction this morning. Go in the grace of the lord Jesus Christ, the risen savior. Go in the love of god the father and in the fellowship and communion of the Holy Spirit. May it abide with you today and abide with you always. Amen. Go in peace.