Worship Service for March 27, 2022
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Attendance is returning almost to normal. We had 61 this past Sunday. That’s the highest since the start of the pandemic! Denny Huff is soon to arrive at the church to help me pull down 20 more chairs from the attic. And it is time for me to ask all of you who are able to fill in the west parking lot facing the pavilion first. This will leave more readily visible and available spaces for newcomers. This does not apply to those of you who need to be close to the entrance for health reasons.
We will be opening the nursery and kids’ worship next Sunday. We still need 3 volunteers for kids’ worship and one for the nursery. The folks who lead kids’ worship take the kids in the kids’ worship room during the sermon time to give them a Bible lesson. You will be given a very easy-to-follow curriculum the Sunday before. Both the nursery and kids’ worship will be available each Sunday as volunteers come forward to fill those positions. Please see Gail today after worship to let her know if you can help.
Our community Easter Egg Hunt will be held on the Saturday before Easter. We noticed that in the last three years we were able to have one, the majority of the families came as a result of being invited by a CrossPointer or a friend of CrossPointe in the community. So your mission, if you wish to accept it, is to spread the word. The event will begin at 11 am and conclude at 12:30 pm. We will be encouraging people to pre-register online. We would love for you to get involved. We will need both candy and helpers. There are sign-up sheets on the table in the back.
Let’s show some appreciation to Chuck Lemmon who has been leading our Recovery Ministry for five years!
Larry and Cathy Warner made their weekly sojourn to Akron to fetch some of those wonderful Gardner’s Pies. Please take one home for a donation that will go toward paying down our church mortgage! Thank you Larry and Cathy! And thank you who have been taking home those pies!
In the middle of creation, God is talking to one of his angels and says, “Do you know what I have just done? I have just created a 24-hour period of alternating light and darkness on Earth. Isn’t that good?”
The angel says, “Yes, but what are You going to do now?”
God says, “I think I’ll call it a day.”
CALL TO WORSHIP
He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and called out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
John 1:10-17
OPENING WORSHIP SONGS
Amazing Grace
Newton, John/Excell, Edwin/Rees, John P.
Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come.
‘Tis grace that brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
©Public Domain
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise,
Than when we first begun.
CCLI License No. 1843349
Grace Flows Down
Giglio, Louie/Padgett, Rod/Bell, David E.
Amazing grace,
©1993 dB Music
How sweet the sound.
Amazing love
Now flowing down.
From hands and feet
That were nailed to the tree,
As grace flows down
And covers me.
It covers me, it covers me,
It covers me,
And covers me.
CCLI License No. 1843349
I’m Amazed
David, Jeffery
I stand in awe at the way that You love me.
Yet with my faults…You say that You love me.
How can it be that someone so pure could love me?
How can it be that something this good is free?I’m amazed, I am humbled,
At the way, You look at me.
I’m amazed, I am speechless,
At the way, You look at me.I stand in awe at the way that You love me.
Yet with my faults…You say that You love me.
How can it be that someone so pure could love me?
How can it be that something this good is free?I’m amazed, I am humbled,
At the way, You look at me.
I’m amazed, I am speechless,
At the way, You look at me.I’m amazed, I am humbled,
© 2002 ‘n touch music.
At the way, You look at me.
I’m amazed, I am speechless,
At the way You look at me.
CCLI License No. 1843349
OPENING PRAYER
Gracious God, our Heavenly Father; we thank You for sending Jesus who embodied both grace and truth. And so we pray that you will remind us today of some aspect of the truth about Your grace. For the truth is, we come hungry for the blessings of grace that only You can supply; mercy, forgiveness, hope for the future, and the sure promise that You are always and forever with us. So help us Lord, to offer You the best of ourselves in worship of who You are and what You have provided in Jesus, the Christ, in whose name we pray, amen.
OFFERING
If you would like to send your offering through the mail, our mailing address is:
CrossPointe Community Church
P O Box 126
Chippewa Lake, OH 44215
So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving. Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.
Gracious God our Father, what a privilege it is to participate with You by sharing our offerings that Your Church might continue to make the gospel of peace known to others who fall within our sphere of influence here in the greater Chippewa Lake area. We pray, as always, in the name of the One who saves, even Jesus, our Lord, amen.
II Corinthians 8:6-7
OFFERING/PRAYER SONG
Seek Ye First
Lafferty, Karen
Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And His righteousness,
And all these things shall be added unto You
Allelu, alleluia.Man shall not live by bread alone,
But by ev’ry word
That proceeds from the mouth of God,
Allelu, alleluia.Ask, and it shall be given unto you.
©1972 Maranatha! Music (admin. by The Copyright Company)
Seek, and ye shall find.
Knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.
Allelu, alleluia.
CCLI License No. 1843349
MORNING PRAYER
Alan Robbins
Please join me in prayer,
Dear Heavenly Father, from the words of today’s prayer song:
Seek Ye first the kingdom of God
And his righteousness
and all these things shall be added to you
Ask and it shall be given unto you
Seek and you shall find
Knock and it shall be opened unto you.These song lyrics are so meaningful. Sent from the heart of God. Ask and it shall be given to you. Yes, we know you will answer our prayers.
My ongoing prayer is that we know you will stay by our side. We know you will listen and guide our prayers to Reach Out, to Hold, to give Help, to give Love, to give Peace, to give Joy and to Call the Holy Spirit to those that are grieving, for those that are ill, for those that are hurting in any way and prayers for our own needs. We pray for God’s strength and God’s heart to those families and leaders in Ukraine and neighboring countries as they fight the evils that surround them. Also, Praying for a speedy recovery of Gail.
Let’s take a few moments to silently pray for those in need and those on the Church prayer list.
Thank you, Lord, as we give God’s Glory, and Grace, and Joy, and Refuge, and Strength, and Love, and Peace, and the Holy Spirit to our community and the world in which we live.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
SCRIPTURE
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided His clothes among the four of them. They also took His robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.” So that is what they did.
Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother standing there beside the disciple He loved, He said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And He said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.
John 19:23-27
For Christ Himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in His own body on the cross, He broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in Himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of His death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from Him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through Him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:14-22
MESSAGE
The Blessed Followers
Randy K’Meyer
At a place called “The Skull,” nailed to a Roman cross, Jesus endured six excruciating hours of humiliation and pain before He passed into the presence of His Father in heaven. As He approached the end of those six long hours of suffering, amazing as it may seem to us, Jesus was thinking not of Himself, but of others. With His body held in place with three large spikes, Jesus bleeds with compassion; especially for two people who stand before Him at the foot of the cross.
The names of those participating in this divine drama are Mary and John, and of course, Jesus. For sure, as the mother of the One being crucified and the beloved disciple stand there watching Jesus slowly die, they are not thinking of themselves. Surely they are overcome with grief unimaginable.
But being God, who knows all of our needs before we even ask, Jesus was aware that they would soon both be reminded of their troubled hearts.
First, there was Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Do you recall the story told in Luke about how eight days after Jesus was born,
she and Joseph went to Jerusalem to have Jesus dedicated to the Lord? (Luke 2:25-35). In the Temple area, they met Simeon, a prophet, who told them that although Jesus was going to be great someday, a sword would pierce her soul.
She didn’t have to wait long for the sword to begin its work. What a terrifying day it had to have been when they heard that King Herod was out to get their son. They were lucky enough to escape just before Herod’s soldiers arrived and killed all the children two years and under. (Matthew 2:16).
Then as time went on the scriptures tell us about a couple of times when Mary was taken aback by the words her son spoke to her. Recall the time when Jesus was 12 and decided to remain behind in Jerusalem while his parents started the three-day journey back to Galilee. And how when they finally caught up with him He said, “Didn’t you know that I would be in my father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). What a slap in the face to Joseph, and for his wife.
Then there was the time when Mary asked Jesus to do something after the wine ran out at that wedding in Cana, when Jesus replied to her, “Woman, what do I have to do with you?”
Don’t get me wrong, I am positive that Jesus loved the woman who bore Him, but there’s some evidence to suggest she may have been perplexed about their relationship.
I believe the sword also points to the fact that Mary suffered family issues. First, between the time Jesus was 12 and the beginning of His ministry at 30, Mary’s husband Joseph died.
To make matters worse, the brothers and sisters of Jesus joined the rest of the hometown crowd and thought Jesus was a lunatic for claiming to be Messiah. I’m sure that caused not only stress but most likely division between them and their mother.
And now there she stood, at the foot of the cross, faith waning, without hope, without a husband, without a family to support her. And the only one who still seemed to care was dying.
But even as He was dying his heart bleeds with compassion for His mother as He says, “Mother, behold your son.”
Yes, John was also standing at the foot of the cross, right next to Mary.
John had a special relationship with Jesus. John was one of the first disciples to respond to the call of Jesus. Along with Peter and James, John was one of the inner circle, such that on several important occasions, Jesus would invite the three of them as special witnesses. When it came time to the important task of preparing the Passover meal, Jesus entrusted all the necessary arrangements to John. And Jesus invited John to sit on his left, the place of a special friend at that dinner. For these reasons and more, I’m sure, John was known as the “beloved disciple.”
And yet when push came to shove, and Jesus was arrested in the garden, John was overcome with fear and ran with the others.
Now as he stood at the foot of the cross, he had to be wondering if Jesus could ever forgive him, and just as importantly, trust him with anything again.
And so he was probably shocked to hear Jesus say, “John, behold your mother.”
There they stood right next to each other at the foot of the cross; His mother and the beloved disciple.
Do you see what Jesus did for them?
“Mother, I know part of you has been troubled these 30 years; you’ve been confused about our relationship; at times, perplexed with my behavior. I know that since your other sons and daughters have turned against us, you are fearful for the future, about where you will go, where you will live, who will care for you. Mother, behold your new son, John. From now on he will look after you, He will be your guide, he will give you shelter, he will take care of you. John will be the son I can no longer be.”
“John, I know how you feel, like you failed Me; like you let me down when I needed you most. You feel ashamed because you ran away when things got tough; and you wonder if I’ll ever be able to forgive you, if I’ll ever invite you into the inner circle again, if I’ll ever trust you with anything. John, behold your new mother. I understand, I forgive you, I trust you. I want you to care for My mother as if she were your own.”
What a powerful scene; even in deep personal anguish and unimaginable to us pain Jesus is mindful of others. Even as His lifeblood is slowly ebbing away, Jesus speaks words of compassion. “Woman, behold, your son.” This is most certainly Jesus’ way of indicating His desire that the “beloved disciple,” John take His place as her protector and provider, now that His earthly mission is coming to its conclusion.
“Son, behold your mother.” Could there have been a more compassionate and dramatic way for Jesus to demonstrate His willingness to trust John again than by offering John the chance to care for His own mother?
There they stood; two by the cross, two people, two different needs, two solutions for them, two different applications for us.
In the first, Jesus invites us to consider that spiritual ties can be, and in many cases are, just as strong as physical ties.
For when it came time for Jesus to say good-bye to His earthly mother, He didn’t leave her in the care of His real brothers and sisters, He left her in the care of His spiritual brother, John.
They say that blood is thicker than water, but in the household of faith, we would do well to remember that water runs just as thick as blood when that water is the water of baptism, which identifies us as brothers and sisters in Christ.
We are invited to paint ourselves into the picture of this scene at the foot of the cross, to stand next to Mary and John and be reminded that though biological family ties may sometimes fall apart, as they did for Mary, we are part of a broader spiritual family in which we are brothers and sisters and God is our Father. In other words, God can be the Father to the fatherless.
A Christian summer camp counselor for underprivileged kids writes about meeting eight-year-old Amy, who was assigned to his cabin. Amy was thin, with scraggly blonde hair and a dirty face, but she had a brilliant smile and earnest blue eyes. When the girls first arrived at the cabin, they went around the circle each telling something about themselves. When it came to Amy’s turn, she told them quietly her mother had been murdered. No one knew what to say.
Later when he had the chance this counselor asked her about it. The only thing she knew was that her mother had been on drugs and she was murdered by a man who had been a friend of hers. He asked her if she had a dad and she said she didn’t know who her dad was. And then she added, “My dad’s in heaven.”
He said, “I’m so sorry your dad died, but I’m glad he’s in heaven.”
“No, you don’t get it; my dad is God.” 1
God is the Father to the Fatherless.
In Ephesians, Paul refers to the church as “the family of God” (Ephesians 2:19).
It brings a sense of comfort to know that we all have brothers and sisters in the fellowship of Christ’s church. We are a family. As God is the Father to the fatherless, so we are family to those without family.
When families are at their best they accept one another, care for one another, respect one another, support one another. When families are at their best, they stick together. And, of course, it goes without saying, they love one another.
It is an ‘awesome privilege’ to be part of a loving community of faith such as this one. It is a privilege to share together in worship. Here we were gathered together from all walks of life each of us coming from different backgrounds, educations, families, each of us being at a different place on our spiritual journeys, each of us joining Mary and John at the foot of the cross where we all stand on level ground.
It is a privilege to begin and develop the relationships we have with one another.
It is a privilege to overlook one another’s faults and blemishes in order to love one another.
It is a privilege to work side by side doing what we can to make God’s Kingdom come to earth as it is in heaven.
It is a privilege to come together and be salt and the light for the people who live in the surrounding community.
“Let us do good to all men,” Paul encourages the Galatians, “but especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). And because of that “from that hour, John took Mary into his own household” (John 19:27).
The other application concerns the amazing grace we have been singing about extended towards those who fail.
Just when John thought he had disqualified himself from service in God’s Kingdom, he receives from Jesus a blessed commission to care for his very own mother.
Am I speaking to any who have wondered if Christ could ever trust you to do anything on His behalf because you in some way think you failed him? Am I speaking to any who have fled or wandered away from the Savior? Perhaps in our hour of testing, we have failed. And consequently, with John, we may feel like Jesus would never trust us again to follow or serve Him in some capacity.
If so, we would all do well to realize the perspective one author gives about failure. “Despite our near-phobic fear of failure, the facts suggest that it’s actually a common, almost universal, experience:
40% of CEOs don’t last eighteen months.
80% of mergers and acquisitions fail to add shareholder value.
81% of new hires don’t work out.
88% of New Year’s resolutions end in failure.
95% of new products introduced in a given year fail.
99% of new patents never earn a penny.
And then concludes with the stark reminder that 100% of all human bodies fail.” 2
Somebody asked Winston Churchill, “What most prepared you to lead Great Britain through World War II?”
Churchill said, “It was the time I repeated a class in grade school.”
The questioner said, “You mean you flunked a grade?”
Churchill said, “I never flunked in my life. I was given a second opportunity to get it right.” 3
That’s what John received at the foot of the cross. Jesus did not rebuke John when he returned to the foot of the cross. Instead, His wonderful grace bestowed both forgiveness and trust and the unspeakable privilege to serve Him by caring for His mother.
This scene played out at the foot of the cross is meant to remind us that Jesus will not give up on disciples who fail Him! And that serving Jesus in some capacity is actually the key to coming back from failure.
You know there have been times when I have felt like John. I have failed the Lord; I have made more mistakes in ministry than Carter has liver pills. I have at times wondered if the Lord or His people could ever trust me again with anything.
And yet the good news is twofold: Amazing grace was available to me, just as it’s available to you. And when I humbly accept His grace and move forward in serving Him I find that my past failures fade into the past, enabling me to move forward in confidence that God is with me.
That’s what John received.
And that’s what you and I receive when we stand at the foot of the cross.
How many of you have family picture albums?
I don’t have one anymore. But I do have a few thousand pictures saved on my computer. And I have taken the time to create 143 separate folders to categorize them according to family and holidays and vacations. All of these pictures serve to remind me of my family, the people who matter to me, my children and their families, my mother and father, their parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles. All these are the people who are precious to me. When I look through those folders, I am reminded of a story that holds everything together; it reminds me of who I am. It connects me with my past and gives me hope for the future.
And I also have a folder titled “Church People.” When I look through those folders, I am reminded of an equally important story that holds everything together; and reminds me of who I am. It connects me with my past and gives me hope for the future.
Only in this case, not just a future on earth, but an eternal future with My Father in heaven,
My friends, God is still putting together his family picture album. God is still putting together His family picture album of CrossPointe.
And how do you get your picture in there? We began this service with those precious words.
To all who received [Jesus], to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.
All you have to do is receive Christ by putting your trust in Him and what He accomplished on the cross.
We are the fellowship of the forgiven; forged on a Roman cross.
Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. So now you are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself.
Ephesians 2:18-20
PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO THE MESSAGE
[I encourage you to pray as you feel led by the Spirit of God].
CLOSING SONG
Wonderful, Merciful Savior
Rodgers, Dawn/Wyse, Eric
Wonderful, merciful Savior,
Precious Redeemer and Friend.
Who would have thought that a Lamb could…
Rescue the souls of men?
Oh, You rescue the souls of men.Counselor, Comforter, Keeper,
Spirit, we long to embrace.
You offer hope when our hearts have…
hopelessly lost the way.
Oh, we hopelessly lost the way.You are the One that we praise,
You are the One we adore.
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for.
Oh, our hearts always hunger for.Almighty, infinite Father,
Faithfully loving Your own.
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne.
Oh, we’re falling before Your throne.You are the One that we praise,
You are the One we adore.
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for.
Oh, our hearts always hunger for.You are the One that we praise,
©1989 Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)
You are the One we adore.
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for.
Oh, our hearts always hunger for.
Dayspring Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 1843349
BENEDICTION
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5-6
1 “The Father to the Fatherless,” Teresa Vining in God’s Chicken Soup for the Spirit, Compiled by Kathy Collard Miller and D. Larry Miller, [Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Starburst Publishers, © 1996]. Page 37.
2 Steven Bauman, Break Open the Sky (Multnomah, 2017), page 155 https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2017/september/5090417.html
3 John Ortberg, “A Mind-Expanding Faith,” Preaching Today, Tape No. 126. https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1997/september/827.html