STEELE CABLES 

May 2010 - "Walk God's Way"

Sermons for Sunday Worship
May 2:  “The Whisper of God”
1 Sam. 3:1-10, 1 Kings 19:9-12

May 9: “Mothers of the Bible”
Proverbs 1:10-30

May 16: “An Onion in the Oven”
Ps. 98:1-4, John 15:9-17

May 23:  “The Spirit’s Way”
Acts 2:1-21, John 14:8-17

May 30: “Every Day is Memorial Day”
Psalm 8,  1Timothy 3:14-16                      

“Spiritual Preparation”
Perhaps, at some time, you and/or your family became involved in putting together a jigsaw puzzle. I have a friend who loves to work on those big, complex puzzles that don’t even have a picture on how they will look when completed.
To put the puzzle together, you simply get started by working on the corners, the edges. Then comes figuring out the patterns, and the picture begins to emerge. This, it seems to me is a great way to think about ministry. As we serve among God’s people, we begin to get the picture. The pieces are there, like a puzzle, but we have to put it together! And part of being a church family is saying, “I’m going to help put the pieces of this puzzle together,” or, “I’m going to be one of the pieces of this puzzle.”

At Pentecost, which we celebrate later this month, we are given a picture of how God’s people live together. We can see that the  descriptions of the early church in Acts 2:42 are essential pieces of this puzzle. They are  the borders. They are how we get started in assembling a picture that makes sense. 

First, the early disciples committed themselves to the teachings of the apostles.

Second, the early disciples were committed to life together. Third, the early disciples were committed to the common meal. Fourth, the  early disciples were committed to the prayers.

These pieces give us our outline of a life of  faith. But the puzzle isn’t finished yet. There are other pieces to place inside in order to
complete the picture. God, through the early disciples has framed the borders of the picture, but you and I have to complete it.

How do we do that? In the upcoming season of Pentecost, we can discover our spiritual gifts as we reclaim the importance of the teaching ministry, as we experience the gift of Christian fellowship, as we break bread together, as we pray for one another.

The miracle of Pentecost is an emerging Christian community. This miracle can
happen in any congregation. One of my favorite songs says it clearly: “I am the
church. You are the church. We are the church together.”
   
Let’s you and I continue to put the pieces of the puzzle together and continue to make our church a picture of God’s presence to our community!

See you at church

Pastor Jerry

Summer Beach Services to begin Sunday, June 6, 8:30 am
at Sunset Beach State Park!