April 23, 2009

Ray’s Resources

You’ll probably want to bookmark these free resources for Bible study, sermon preparation and information about the church around the world.

April 23, 2009

Caring Closet

The Caring Closet will be open this Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to serve those in our community who are in need of spring clothes, shoes, etc. The Fellowship Hall is filled with free items.

Please spread the word.  Last time we did this we were able to serve 109 families.  I’m praying that even more will come this time.

April 23, 2009

Junior High Joy

I really enjoyed sharing God’s testimony of what He did to accomplish salvation in my life with the junior highers last night.  I was impressed with how well they listened and interacted.  Lori and Michelle did a great job.

It was really neat after Crossroads was over when both Marty and Jeff called me to see how it went.  They and a bunch of other leaders are at a conference but their calls showed me once again how much they love these students!

April 22, 2009

Miss USA—Almost

I like Pastor Ray’s perspective on this topic.

April 22, 2009

Let Us Pray

I’ll be preaching on prayer this week and was wondering if you could provide some feedback for me.  Specifically, what’s your practice with the Lord’s Prayer?  Did you say it growing up?  Do you still recite it or use it as a pattern for prayer?

Speaking of prayer, I enjoyed watching this video today.  Thanks for sending it, Pastor Jeff.

April 21, 2009

How To Handle Conflict—Action Steps

Pastor Jeff has put together some really helpful action steps that we can take in response to Sunday’s sermon.

April 19, 2009

Been Bitten Lately?

We showed this video in the service today. 

Have you been bitten by someone lately?  Or, have you been the one to do the biting?  Did you notice that this brother kept putting his finger in little Charlie’s mouth?  Sometimes we have to establish boundaries so we don’t get bit repeatedly, right?

Click here to read or listen to the sermon.

I was very moved today when a woman in her 80’s came up to me after the service and said, “Thanks for ruining my afternoon…now I have to make some phone calls to some people I’ve been in conflict with.”  I hope I’m still making these kinds of calls when I’m in my 80’s.

April 19, 2009

Opening Act

PBC’s very own, Dan Ucherek, will be singing as part of the Opening Act competition this Saturday night at 6:30 in Washington.  Let’s support him!

April 17, 2009

What Are You Thirsty For?

Crossmap has posted this article that I adapted from Sunday’s Easter service.

April 17, 2009

Mexico Mission Memories—Remix

Mexico has been in the news lately and thought I’d pass along something I wrote after our church sent two teams to this great country last summer.

Just a reminder that Art and Marita Mikesell will be at PBC this Sunday night at 6:00 p.m.  They have served in Mexico for many years and love evangelism. 

1. Mexicans are amazing people. Sometimes people in our country look down on Mexicans and label them inaccurately, but we were impressed with how hard they work, we loved their culture, and the food was fantastic. One student on our trip commented that the work ethic of Mexicans kept him working when he wanted to take a break.

2. Teens are terrific. Along with three other adults, our team was made up of five teenagers. I was totally impressed with their willingness to work, their ability to embrace a new culture and their great attitudes. In addition to our team, another Pontiac Bible Church group made up of several teenagers served in Mexico in June, a group of three teens served for six weeks in Five-Day Clubs throughout Livingston County, a college student served in the Dominican Republic for seven weeks, another student ministered in Belize for a week, another is in China right now, and Pastor Jeff led a team of 35 teens on a mission trip to Nashville this past week.

3. Worship is more than singing. One of the things we learned is that when we serve the Savior with unselfish hearts, we are really worshipping. What Jesus wants is a surrendered life that is wholeheartedly devoted to Him. In fact, Romans 12:1 defines worship as the offering of our bodies as living sacrifices. This realization helped us to persevere when the work became hard or when things were moving slowly.

4. Lots of life can be wasted by worry. One of my favorite Spanish phrases that I heard several times was “Ni modo,” which roughly translated means, “Whatever. Don’t worry. It will all work out.” I experienced this first hand when I mentioned to the manager of our work site that I needed more paint to finish the steel doors. He went out and bought two more gallons. To my chagrin, when he returned an hour later I realized that I didn’t need the two extra gallons. When I asked him if he could return it, he said he wasn’t sure if the store would take the paint back and then he shrugged his shoulders, smiled and said, “Ni modo.” I need to practice a bit more “Ni modo” in my own life.

5. The American way of life is often easy but not always better. Having traveled to several different countries, I always return a little more thankful for all that we have here and more humbled by how little others around the world have. As one of our summer missionaries said, “People don’t need a lot to be happy.”

6. Missionaries are real people making a real difference. Our team got to see first-hand that the missionaries we support in Mexico are doing a super job. They love the people they are serving, they have willingly sacrificed comfort and the closeness of their extended families, and yet they are real people. This was refreshing and serves as a reminder that they need our encouragement and prayers.

7. Hospitality is a lost art. During our time in Mexico we stayed in the homes of two different missionary families. The hospitality we were given was amazing.

8. Sermons don’t have to be short. During our last Sunday in Mexico, the preacher spoke for 75 minutes! While I haven’t hit this milestone (yet), I told our team that they can’t complain when I go a bit long. One of the teens replied, “We won’t complain; we’ll just fall asleep.”

9. God is a global God. God loves the whole world and wants us to think beyond our borders and boundaries. It’s easy for us to become ethnocentric and to focus only on what we can see. Look for ways to expand your view of what God is doing around the world.

10. Jesus changes lives everywhere. We loved seeing the excitement in the lives of Mexicans who had just become Christians. They were filled with joy because of the freedom they have found in Christ. As we listened to stories of how Jesus has changed them we were both encouraged and challenged to make sure we are open to God’s work in our lives. Some of the final words of Jesus are to take the gospel to all the nations (see Matthew 28:19-20) and His message is for Livingston County as well. Have you responded to Him and received Him as your Savior and Lord? That’s a question you can’t answer with “Ni modo.”

April 17, 2009

Easter at Eastview

Check out how Eastview Christian Church in Bloomington began their Easter Service.

April 16, 2009

Town Hall for Hope

Dave Ramsey is speaking at venues all over the United States next Thursday night, April 23rd at 7:00 p.m. on the topic of hope and the economy.

For more information, see here.

Area host churches include Pontiac First United Methodist and Fairbury First Baptist.

April 16, 2009

This is Sad

I am sad after reading this story.  Or maybe mad is more accurate.  Actually, I’m sad and mad.

April 16, 2009

The World is Flat

I’ve been reflecting on how ministry today easily flows across boundaries and borders.  Beth Hanna, our missionary to Mexico, was in Pontiac yesterday and several of us were able to take her out for lunch.  This Sunday night, Art and Marita Mikesell, also missionaries to Mexico, will be here at PBC.  I can’t wait.

Yesterday I got a call from a church leader from the state of Washington.  He has been on our website to read our sermons and has utlized some of them in his ministry.  I first met him in person two years ago when he was traveling in Chicago.  His senior pastor stepped down from ministry on Easter Sunday and now my new friend will be doing the preaching at his church.  Please pray for him.

This morning, a church deacon from Nigeria hit me on Facebook and we had a great discussion.  I sent him the link to our sermons and he was very grateful. 

And just now I got off the phone with a pastor from Georgia who wanted to know if he could rework our Palm Sunday sermon.  He sent me what he did with it and I told him that his revision is much better than the original. 

Once again, I’m grateful to our webservant, Brian Sullan for having the vision to get the Word out on the web.

April 16, 2009

What a Pastor Sees

This is an interesting post about what a pastor sees when he looks out at the congregation.

For me the highlight over the years has to be what happened on Easter Sunday when a number of people stood for the invitation and then the congregation immediately and spontaneously burst out into applause.  That was cool.  Forgiven sinners rejoicing over other sinners standing to receive forgiveness.  Right on.

April 15, 2009

Walldogs in Pontiac!

Ellie Alexander, director of tourism for the City of Pontiac, met with the PAMA pastors this morning to let us know about the upcoming Summer Bash in Pontiac.  One of the highlights will be the Walldogs.

It sounds exciting. Check out the various murals that will be painted around town. Special thanks to the Diaz family for making this possible.

April 15, 2009

Still Thirsty?

Pastor Jeff has put together some very helpful next steps from Sunday’s Easter service.

April 14, 2009

Churches Using Facebook

32% of influential churches are now using Facebook, according to a recent study.

I’m not sure if we qualify as an “influential” church, but I hope we’re influencing people for the kingdom through our connecting and equipping ministries.

By the, way, there are now 174 people in the PBC Facebook group! 

April 13, 2009

Healing Rain

The most moving part of our Easter outreach yesterday was when I gave the invitation and asked people to stand who were ready to experience God’s healing forgiveness.  I saw a bunch of people rise to their feet and then the auditorium erupted in applause for them.  That was cool.

While we had a few technical difficulties, God’s Spirit was on the move. 

Here’s the clip that we showed at the beginning of the sermon to help establish the theme of thirst.

Here’s the video that we showed right after the “confessions” drama yesterday.

And, here’s the song that Sandy and Dan Ucherek sang during the offering.

April 11, 2009

Silent Saturday

Pastor Ray writes about Silent Saturday and John Piper has a conversation with death on Good Friday.

April 11, 2009

Let Loose in the World

In John Masefield’s drama called “The Trial of Jesus,” there is a striking passage in which the centurion comes back to Pilate to hand in his report of the day’s work. After the report is given, Pilate’s wife beckons to the centurion and begs him to tell how the prisoner died.

After he explained the details, she suddenly asks,
“Do you think He is dead?”
    “No, lady,” answers the centurion, “I do not.”
      “Then where is He?”

To which the Roman replies, “Let loose in the world, lady, where…no one can stop His truth.”

April 10, 2009

He’s My King!

On the day that death died and Satan’s sting was removed, be encouraged that Jesus is King!

I’ve heard this before and have played it on a Sunday but it’s worth hearing again…and again.  It’s from a powerful prayer delivered in 1976 by Dr. S. M. Lockridge (1913-2000).

I wonder, do you know Him?

April 10, 2009

Under an eastern sky, amid the rabble’s cry, a Man went forth to die

I came across a phrase that sums up what happened on Good Friday: “Under an eastern sky, amid the rabble’s cry, a Man went forth to die.” Luke 23:32-33: “Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Jesus to be executed. When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals - one on his right, the other on his left.”

Calvary, the place of the three crosses. To us, 2,000 years removed from that awful day, one cross stands out, but it wouldn’t have looked like that to the casual spectator on that first Good Friday. There wasn’t just one but three crosses on that ugly skyline.

Crucifixion was the Roman form of execution. It was meant to be a public spectacle, to serve as a deterrent to other lawbreakers. It was a horrible death, with the broken bodies of the victims sagging on pierced hands and feet, the raging thirst that tortured them in the dust and heat, under the gaze of those walking by.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus was crucified with two companions? I can think of at least four reasons.

1. It was less work for the soldiers if they could execute several convicts at once.

2. It was a very public way to humiliate Jesus and his followers. The priests and rulers wanted Jesus crucified on the middle cross because in their minds He was the greatest criminal of the three. They wanted to stage a theatrical event in order to maximize the humiliation of Jesus in front of the crowds by placing Him between two robbers.

3. It was also an honor because this is the way Jesus led His life. Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of man came to seek and save what was lost.” What a great picture – even in His death, He was surrounded by lost people.

4. It fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 53:12: “…because He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors…”

Jesus didn’t die alone – He had two companions with Him. There were three crosses on the hill of Calvary. The crosses were the same and the methods were the same, and yet the three men were very different from each other.

There was a cross of Rebellion. There was a cross of Repentance. And there was a cross of Redemption. Jesus was crucified between two thieves, both of whom had equal access to the Savior. Let’s look at each of them in turn.

The Cross of Rebellion

On the cross of rebellion was a shameless and hardened man. Look at verse 39: “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: ‘Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’” The word “insult” can be translated as “defamation or blasphemy.” He was doing much more than just teasing Jesus. He was bitter and sarcastic, spurning the good even on the day of his dying, cursing his way to hell in the most solemn hour of all history. His was a cross of Rebellion. He threw away his chance at forgiveness. Because of his hard heart, He missed out on heaven. Even in the valley of the shadow of death, he was too proud to surrender His life to Christ. He just didn’t get it.

I had a conversation with someone recently when I was working out. We commented on how good it feels to exercise when he said, “This is all there is to life. We’ve just got to stay in shape and keep healthy.” I slowly nodded and then said, “We need to work on the inside as well because this outside stuff is just going to turn to dust eventually. We’re just prolonging the process – it’s going to catch up with us sooner or later.” He just kind of looked at me and said, “Yeah.”

This guy on the cross was about to be toast but he still wouldn’t focus on what really mattered. He remained in a state of rebellion. And it was final and irrevocable.

The Cross of Repentance

The other criminal hung on the cross of repentance. Both he and his buddy were being punished for their crimes, and yet he was different because he recognized that Jesus didn’t deserve to die. Actually, when you compare the accounts in Matthew 27:4 and Mark 15:32, both of these guys were insulting Jesus when the day began.

But then something happened. One thief opened his eyes, his ears, and his heart. As he watched and listened, his heart was convicted of his own wickedness when contrasted with the righteousness of Jesus. He recognized his need to work on the inside before it was too late.

Instead of curses from the lips of Jesus as the soldiers hammered in the nails, Jesus prayed a prayer of forgiveness for his torturers: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” Perhaps this expression of grace is what softened the thief’s hard heart.

Look at verses 40-41: “But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Can you imagine the courage that this took to defy the influence of his friend and the mocking crowd?

This man demonstrated saving faith in 4 key ways:

1. He respected God. We need to revere God as holy and all-powerful. He was beginning to honor God, while his cohort in crime continued to spout blasphemy.

2. He admitted his guilt. His deeds were evil and he knew that he deserved to be punished. Likewise, Romans 6:23 says: “For the wages of sin is death.”

3. He confessed Christ. He knew that Jesus was sinless and righteous. This man was beginning to see that Jesus had done nothing wrong at all and that He could ultimately save him from the ravages of eternal punishment.

4. He asked for salvation. As he thought about the fundamental issues of life and death, of right and wrong, belief rose in his soul and he blurted out the fourth key element of faith in verse 42, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” This is a very important part of saving faith. He did more than just respect God, own his guilt, and see Jesus as sinless. He also reached out in faith by asking Jesus to remember him. He was doing what John 1:12 says to do: “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” He had more faith than the rest of Jesus’ followers put together.

The response was immediate in verse 43: “I tell you the truth,” said Jesus, “today you will be with me in paradise.” Notice that He was given much more than he asked for. Instead of just “remembering” him, Jesus said, “You will be with me.” And, instead of this taking place sometime in the future, Jesus said, “Today, as soon as you take your last breath, you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus saved a man even while He was on the cross! Beth found a note in her Bible from a sermon some time ago. Here’s what it said, “A man not fit to live on earth, God made fit to live in heaven.”

The word “paradise” is a Persian word that referred to a beautiful walled garden used by a king. When a Persian monarch wished to honor one of his subjects he would invite him to take a walk with him in the garden. Jesus was promising the repentant rebel not only immortality, but also an honored place as a companion in God’s garden. I’m reminded of John 14:3 where Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

The cross of Repentance teaches us some valuable lessons.

1. Salvation is simple. The devil has blinded the eyes of men and women into thinking that it is hard to be saved. But this clearly isn’t true. The man on the cross was saved simply by asking the Lord to save him. In the words of his request, there is surely an attitude of repentance as he threw himself on the mercy of Jesus. That’s all that is necessary to salvation - repentance and faith. He didn’t have to join a church, be baptized, or even walk an aisle.

2. The very worst can be saved. There can be no doubt that this guy was a lawbreaker. He had broken the laws of the land and he was being crucified for that reason, but the extent of his sin didn’t alter his chance of being saved one bit. Friends, no one is too bad to be saved, for as the hymn writer put it so well, “the vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.”

3. It’s never too late to come to Christ. While it’s dangerous to wait until you’re on your deathbed, a person can turn to Christ in faith right before they take their last breath, and be with Jesus for all eternity. Having said that, don’t wait too long to accept Christ. The thief on the cross had one final chance and he took it. Your final chance might be right now! The cross of Repentance speaks of hope and assurance, but it was only made possible by the third cross.

The Cross of Redemption

Here we tread on holy ground. “This man has done nothing wrong.” These words of the penitent criminal are a remarkable testimony to the character of Jesus Christ. Skeptics have scrutinized his life and yet no flaw has ever been found. In John 8:46 Jesus asked a question that no one has ever been able to answer: “Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?” At his trial no grounds had been established on which He could justly be condemned.

Why then did Jesus die? Was it all a ghastly miscarriage of justice? From the human point of view there’s no greater blot on human history than the story of Calvary. It is history’s darkest atrocity, but to be understood, it has to be seen as the climax of God’s glorious plan of redemption.

That’s how Paul saw it in 2 Corinthians 5:19, 21: “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself ... God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” The middle cross was the cross of Redemption. The death of Christ was quite different from that of the other two victims. They died without any choice in the matter; their lives were taken away. But it was quite different with Jesus. In advance of the crucifixion he had told his disciples in John 10:17: “I lay down my life that I may take it again.”

The death of Jesus was inevitable only because he willed it so. His death was a voluntary sacrifice, “the just for the unjust” as 1 Peter 3:18 says. The basis for our redemption is the shedding of His blood, as He became our sin substitute. Evil did its worst on Calvary. Wicked hands took and crucified the Lord of life, but where man’s rebellion against God reached its limit, the grace of God shines through in all its splendor. Remember this: The last act of the Son of God was to save a sinner!

The question becomes, what cross most describes you today? Everyone in the world is on one of these two crosses today. We’re all guilty and deserve to die. We’re all criminals who have committed cosmic crimes against a Holy God. Only those who repent will be redeemed. Those who rebel are lost!

Which cross are you on tonight? The Cross of Rebellion or the Cross of Repentance? The Cross of Repentance helps us see that no one need despair but the Cross of Rebellion teaches us that no one should put off a decision to follow Christ.

Because of the cross of Redemption, you have to choose between Rebellion and Repentance. To not choose is to choose rebellion.

Look at the Cross of Redemption. See Him there with arms outstretched waiting to grant forgiveness to all who come to him in repentance and faith. “Under an eastern sky, amid a rabble’s cry, a man went forth to die FOR ME”.

There were many people who were instrumental in crucifying Jesus. There were the teachers who hated him, the traitor who sold him, the priests who bought him, the people who said, “crucify Him, crucify Him,” and even the disciples who deserted Him. But the story remains academic unless we each admit, “I was there, too and my sins nailed Him to the Cross.” Christianity is nothing at all if it’s not personal. In a very real sense you and I were at Calvary.

One of Rembrandt’s most moving paintings is called “The Three Crosses.”

Attention is drawn to the cross on which Jesus died. As you look closely you’ll notice the various facial expressions and actions of the people involved in the awful crime of crucifying the Son of God. As your eyes drift to the edge of the painting you can see another figure, almost hidden in the shadows. Art critics believe this is a representation of Rembrandt himself, for he recognized that his sins helped nail Jesus to the cross.

I close with a question: Who nailed Jesus to the Cross?

I looked and saw that the hammer was in my hand.

I nailed Him there.

April 09, 2009

A Picture of the Human Race

Every year at this time, I reflect on an experience I had when we lived in Mexico.  Here’s what happened…

I arrived in Taxco, Mexico on Good Friday morning and began my ascent up the mountain in search of the town plaza. When I finally got there, I saw hundreds of people who looked like they were waiting for something. Some were perched in trees, others were standing on park benches, and still others were looking out the windows of area buildings that lined the town square. I picked my spot and headed for the second floor balcony of a restaurant where I could take everything in while enjoying a good Mexican meal.

As I sat at my table overlooking the crowd below, a group of younger guys grabbed the table next to mine. I smiled at my fellow gringos and dug into my quesadilla, hoping they wouldn’t block my view of the plaza. They ordered pizza and beer and began telling jokes.

And then, as if on cue, the crowd below parted and I saw a man carrying a huge wood beam on his back. He walked slowly, and with great effort, as he struggled to keep his balance. Another man followed. He put his cross down, took out a whip and started beating his back. Bright red blood appeared on top of the lacerations he had from a previous whipping. I kept hoping he would stop because it looked so painful. But he didn’t. He kept thrashing himself until the whip had turned red and raw muscle was exposed on his lower back. When he fell to the cobblestone street, tears ran down my face and splashed into my Diet Coke.

By now the guys at the table next to me had started to make fun of the procession below. In between their joking, they would look down, make a funny remark and go back to their pizza, oblivious to the pain and agony right in front of them. I wanted to say something to them but I was too choked up. Here I was, looking at a few men who were doing all they could to relate to the suffering Jesus went through, and sitting right next to guys who could care less.

As I thought about this, it struck me that this is a good picture of the human race. Some of us are trying to do everything we can think of to get to heaven. We focus on trying to be good, or when that fails, we punish ourselves in the vain hope that God will accept our sacrifices. Others are just cruising through life, focused more on having a good time than on eternal realities. To people like this, life is just a party.

When I looked at the irreligious guys next to me and then gazed at the religious men down below, I swallowed hard because neither approach will get you to heaven. The only way to gain God’s favor and enjoy the benefits of forgiveness and eternal life is by entering into a relationship with Jesus. During this Easter season, lean on the one who walked to the Cross and died in your place. Put your faith and trust in Him. Receive Him as your Savior and Lord (see John 1:12; 5:24 and 14:6).

April 08, 2009

Fireproof Your Marriage—Pastor Dick on YouTube!

Here’s the first 10 minutes of Pastor Dick’s Fireproof Marriage class.  YouTube only allows 10-minute segments so you can click on “related videos” to watch the rest here.

April 08, 2009

The Historical Facts of the Resurrection

Did you know that Christianity crumbles if the resurrection never happened? With the resurrection removed from Christianity there is nothing left. Is this faith really founded on irrefutable reality? Or is it just a hopeless hoax? Is it historical fact or just for those who are hysterical fanatics?

To see seven different evidence streams presented in a CSI-like manner, click here.

April 07, 2009

Last-second Salvation

I went to high school with someone (over 30 years ago) and we haven’t talked for three decades.  That it, until we’ve reconnected on Facebook.  I’ve been sharing my faith journey with him because when I was in high school I was far from God.  We’ve been communicating back and forth and yesterday he sent me a note.in which he wondered how some people can come to Christ right before they die.

My mind immediately went to the story of the thief on the cross.  Here’s a sermon that I’m going to pass along to him.

April 06, 2009

Taming the Tongue

The Moody Alumni site just posted an article I wrote called Taming the Tongue. 

Now if I can just put it into practice…

April 06, 2009

Heroin Use In Our County

The Pantagraph ran a front-page article yesterday on heroin use in Livingston County.

Here’s part of the article…

Livingston County is considered a heroin “hot spot” in Illinois because police seizures are on the rise and there is easy access via Interstate 55 to the Chicago area where the drug is readily available.

Citing an Illinois State Police Report published in March, Bruce R. Talbot Associates Inc., a Bolingbrook-based drug abuse education/training firm, concludes Livingston County had more felony heroin drug seizures than powder or crack cocaine combined.

Anyone have any ideas why this problem is so prevalent?  What can we do to help?  Pray we must.  Share Jesus is a mandate.

April 03, 2009

Dare 2 Share

Please pray for the 50 students going to Dare 2 Share this weekend.  Pray also for the leaders who will be shepherding them through this potentially life-changing encounter.

April 02, 2009

A Living Prayer

Alison Krauss sang this song on the Tonight Show.  Check it out.

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