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Mark Wheeler
Matthew 24:11-14
Christ the King Sunday, 11/21/2021
“Talking the Walk … Good News in a World of Fake News!
Lidgerwood Presbyterian Church
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Welcome everyone!
Did you all hear that Gov Inslee cancelled Thanksgiving this year – not just the big group gatherings – he said we are not allowed to give thanks for anything in 2021!!?
Wait! That is FAKE NEWS! Of course Gov Inslee did not outlaw Thanksgiving! I mean, he could have, because what IS there to be thankful for?
Wait – Kathy, takes notes for our prayer-time – what are you Thankful for? [Shout out your thanksgivings!]
Those answers all represent GOOD NEWS, don’t they?!
Good news CAN be fake news – right? Who here has ever believed that maybe you really were the winner of the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes? Right/ $7,000/week for life would be good news – but almost always, it’s not really going to be us. Or a Nigerian Prince wanting to give you several million dollars… Or a rich uncle dying and you’re the only relative….
But today we talk about THE Good News vs the Fake News!
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Thank you, on behalf of our Elders’ Council, thank you for …
“Wearing your mask while inside the building.”
We truly want that no one should feel judged, and everyone should feel safe, so continue to be gentle with each other. Using the Philippians 2:4 passage:
“If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion, make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.” Philippians 2:1-4
We are gathered in our church sanctuary – a holy place – and it’s also a safe place – where the divine and the human connect together. Welcome to this holy sacred and safe place today.
CAMERA
Let’s take a second to welcome each other, and those in the room, look at the camera and say HI to your friends who are at home. Tell your loved ones, whoever you can see , “The Lord be with you – and also with you!”
Welcome to this “gathering” in God’s name. We are assembled in NorthEast Spokane, WA, along with people from all over the world. We are very glad you are “here” with us.
Be filled with God’s Holy Spirit presence and power, in your homes, through your phones and computers, in this building here, and in your lives. Pray with us … and hear and be transformed by God’s Word.
Join in our Call to Worship from several passages from the several Bible verses led by … Pastor Kathy
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Our opening song of praise and devotion –– #92 – Crown Him with Many Crowns – led by Donna & Ken Stone!!Please join them and sing with words proclaim your faith together.
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Through the Written Word,
And the spoken word,
May we know Your Living Word,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This Fall we have been in a series of sermons from God’s Word.
This series has not been about how we Walk the Walk of Faith, but rather how we TALK the Walk of Faith. How do we speak about God’s righteousness and grace, justice and mercy, truth and love when we live in a world that does not believe, maybe even that tries to shame us when we do believe.
Today, from the Gospel According to Matthew we listen to Jesus Himself, we hear the Word of God, from Matthew 24:11-14 —- (But I will start at the beginning of the chapter):
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24 1 Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all of these things, don’t you? Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down.”
3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to oppression and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake. 10 Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.
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11 Many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray. 12 Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end will be saved. 14 This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
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Christ the King Sunday, or some churches call it The Reign of Christ Sunday, culminates the liturgical calendar. The Church Year ends today, recognizing the truth we have known all year – that Christ is King of all kings and Lord of all lords – to the exclusion of every competitor. Amen?
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On this last Sunday in this sermon series on Talking our Walk of Faith, we hear Jesus, and Paul, and Jude (who calls himself the brother of James, whom the very early Church Fathers thought was James the brother of Jesus – therefore Jude also a brother of Jesus), we listen to these describe an important aspect of worshiping Jesus as Christ the King!
In this nearly closing chapter of Matthew’s Gospel Jesus tells us to reject false teachers and to keep proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom to all nations – King of all peoples, Lord of all nations!
Jesus is not the only one to tell us this. Every single book of the New Testament warns the Church about false teachers – about Fake News! All four Gospels, the history book of the Acts of the Apostles, Paul’s every Epistle, the other letters at the end of the New Testament, and the prophecy book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. They all warn us to be aware of and to reject the Fake News.
Listen to these excerpts from Paul’s Epistle to the Christian Community in Ephesus:
Ephesians 4:15 … speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ,
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts. 19 They, having become callous, gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you didn’t learn Christ that way, 21 if indeed you heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
25 Therefore putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and don’t sin.” (Psalm 4:4) Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 and don’t give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 5: 3 But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints; 4 nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate, but rather giving of thanks.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. 7 Therefore don’t be partakers with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, 10 proving what is well pleasing to the Lord. 11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word ( from the Greek “ῥῆμα” [rhema], which means “spoken word”) of God … 19 on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
What are these “false teachers” and “corrupt … empty worded … inappropriate … children of darkness” teaching? What is the “Fake News” Jesus and Paul are warning us about?
- Some teach that sharing our faith, or speaking the truth of the Gospel, is an “Arminian” sin.
- Some that what we wear makes us holy or un-holy.
- Some that life style choices and free sexual mores make no difference.
- Some teach that we earn our salvation by good works – that we have to be good enough to deserve heaven.
- Some that God’s grace means that obeying the Ten Commandments, or any other biblical command , is not necessary – God will forgive us anyway, so go ahead and cheat, steal, gossip, commit adultery.
- This list goes on and on. We see it in all kinds of religions around us – from ancient eastern religions to much more recent American-born religions like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Latter Day Saints and Prosperity Gospel televangelism and Progressive Social Gospel “anything goes” and Right-wing science-ignoring extremism. Fake News because it denies the Good News!
Jude, the brother of James (and Jesus) urges us to “contend for the faith that once delivered to the saints”. To “contend” means to agonize intensely in both work and word!
- Reject the Fake News! How do we know what News is Fake and what News is Good?
- Read the Good News! Know what the Bible says! Learn what God says, what God’s Good News sounds like – and reject anything that sounds different! Test what we hear, and hold it against the light of the Gospel!
- Harry York, president of Reformed Theological Seminary, in Pittsburgh, PA, says, “The Church must turn to and uphold its confession of faith.”
- “Jesus is Lord” is the earliest confession of faith. (I Corinthians 12:3, Romans 10:9, Philippians 2:11)
- Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
- York goes on to warn us that Facebook friends and family will call us arrogant, mean-spirited, narrow-minded – but Jesus promises Immanuel – God with us. Know God’s Word and reject Fake News.
- All of these passages talk about “moral truth” as well as “theological Good News”. Moral truth means that how we live, what we accept as acceptable matters. “Detest what is immoral”.
- But we must base “morals” on God’s Word – not simply on what our culture has taught us, or our personal preferences. How we dress, the music we listen to, the people we “hook up with” – what does God’s Word tell us?
- And with humility and gentleness, listen to God’s Word carefully. I Peter, remember from last week, tells us to speak the truth not to condemn but to offer God’s love – gently and respectfully.
If Jesus really is Lord – then what Jesus says is important! Listen to Him and discern Good News from Fake News.
Friend – God loves you – so that He gave His only Son for you, that if you believe him and receive Him your life shall not simply perish but you will have eternal life with Him!
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again!
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Awake my soul and sing of Him Who died for thee
And hail Him as thy Matchless King through all eternity.
Crown Him the Lord of Life Who triumphed o’er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save
All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou has died for me;
Thy praise shall never, never fail throughout eternity.
15-17 Pastor Kathy, please come and lead us in prayer, We pray this day for … [call out a name or a situation]
18 [The Lord’s Prayer]
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We receive Tithes and Offerings as a way to put our words of faith into action. Truly, God blesses us with the rich, varied, and abundant gifts of creation. From God’s abundance, let us also give abundantly.
– Offering (4449 N Nevada St, Spokane, 99207 ; or click HERE, or text 833-976-1333, code “Lidgerwood”)
20 Congregational 2022 Budget Meeting
21 2022 Budget Page 1
22 2022 Budget Page 2
23 2022 Budget Pie Chart
Expedition Song – King of Kings and Lord of Lords #110 –! – Mark!
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As followers of Jesus, , may we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, ,be filled with the power of Holy Spirit Life, , and give glory to God today and every day! Amen.
26 Announcements
Resources:
York, Barry J.; “Contending Discourse”; TableTalk; August 2020; Pp. 34-35.
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/call-to-worship-for-christ-the-kingreign-of-christ-sunday
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