Waiting Rooms part 3

The following post is the 3rd sermon in our waiting rooms series. For audio of this sermon, go to www.theridgechurch.ca and click on downloads. 

Waiting Rooms, Part 3

Acts 7:23-38, NLT2

Sunday, June 26^th, 2016-MRWC

ILLUSTRATION- I hate waiting. Always have, probably always will. Nothing about the process makes me happy. 

I’m not prejudice against waiting either; by that I mean, it doesn’t matter if I’m sitting in a waiting room, or waiting for the next iPhone to come out, I don’t like waiting. 

If I see something that I want, it generally means I want it, yesterday. 

It’s a good thing I’m not an elephant—stay with me--- It takes about 22 months for an 

unborn elephant to mature to birth! 22!!!

The shark, known as the spiny dogfish has a pregnancy duration of up to 24 months.

And at elevations above 4,600 feet, the alpine salamander endures a gestational period of up to 38 months! 

It’s a good thing I’m not any one of these animals, I don’t think my family could live with me! 

Waiting is not something I do well at all. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who loves to wait—we all want something sooner rather than later. 

Yet, in God’s economy, waiting is a good thing. 

Flip through the pages of Scripture and you find bible character after bible character in a season of waiting. From Job, to David, from Paul to John, they all had to wait for something at some point in time.

In the previous sermons in this series, we looked at, first of all, the paralyzed man whose story is told in Mark chapter 2.

This man, you may remember, was unable to get to Jesus on his own. His friends knew this, and so they took him to Jesus.

         In fact, they ripped off the ceiling tiles of the house where Jesus was teaching, and they lowered this man down, and placed him “right in front of Jesus.” (Luke 5:19, NIV84) 

The lesson we learnt that day was that we all need someone who will take us to Jesus. 

      We all need someone who, when we are having a bad day, will take us and place us “right in front of Jesus.” (Luke 5:19, NIV84) 

The second message in this Waiting Rooms series focused on the man who had been born blind. His story is recorded for us in John chapter 9. 

This man was born blind so God could tell His story through this man. And that story is that you can either be bitter at God, or you can be better for God. 

        These are the only two options you have. You can be bitter at God, or you can be better for God.

ILLUSTRATION- I think you should know that this is exactly where I’m at in my journey with Jesus. 

I’m working really hard on not being bitter at God for placing me in a waiting room. It’s a choice that I am making to be better for God and allowing Him to tell a better story through my busted and broken life. 

Life in a waiting room is no fun; but can you imagine being in a waiting room for 40 years?

ILLUSTRATION- We’ve been in a waiting room full time now for almost 3 years…. And I’ve gone almost nuts because of it.

I can’t imagine being in a WR for 40 years before being able to do what you were created to do. 

We are going to take a quick glimpse into the life of Moses this morning, and we’re going to pick up his story by looking at the book of Acts. 

The book of Acts isn’t typically where one would go to learn about Moses, but the author, Luke, does a great job of capturing his life, thanks in part, to a man named Stephen. 

We will pick up our reading in Acts 7:23- “One day when Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his relatives, the people of Israel. 

²⁴ He saw an Egyptian mistreating an Israelite. So Moses came to the man’s defense and avenged him, killing the Egyptian. 

²⁵ Moses assumed his fellow Israelites would realize that God had sent him to rescue them, 

but they didn’t.

²⁶ “The next day he visited them again and saw two men of Israel fighting. He tried to be a peacemaker. ‘Men,’ he said, ‘you are brothers. Why are you fighting each other?’

²⁷ “But the man in the wrong pushed Moses aside. ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?’ he asked. 

²⁸ ‘Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?’ 

²⁹ When Moses heard that, he fled the country and lived as a foreigner in the land of Midian. There his two sons were born.” (Acts 7:23-29, NLT2) 

Up until this account takes place, Moses had been living the dream. He had been brought up in Pharaoh’s mansion, and had the best of the best.

       He had been living it up for 40 years, trained as an Egyptian, and had servants wash his chariot and had other servants take him to Olive Garden for lunch. Moses was living the dream. 

Then one day, all of that changed. When Moses was 40, he decided to take a walk and he stumbled upon a fight, and he immediately went all Captain America on the Egyptian who was laying a pounding on a Hebrew, one of Moses’ own people.

Moses thought that the Hebrews would be glad that he defended them, but instead of being glad, they got mad and as a result Moses fled Pharaoh’s Castle and went to live in the desert of Midian, a place that he would call home for the next 40 years. 

What kept Moses in a waiting room for 40 years? After all, his parents recognized that he wasn’t your typical child--- I know all parents say that about their kids—but Hebrews 11:23 actually 

proves that Moses was special: 

“It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.” (NLT2) 

Moses had been set apart for something special… yet he still had to spend 40 years in the desert. For what reason? 

God left Moses in a waiting room so Moses could learn what he needed to learn. 

Think about it for a moment. There was absolutely no way that Moses—who grew up with an Egyptian education---could learn the ways of the desert; how to survive—to know what to eat and what not to eat—unless he spent time in the desert.

Google hadn’t been invented as of yet. He couldn’t jump on his iPad and learn all he needed to learn about desert survival.  

     Moses actually had to go into the desert to learn what he needed to learn. 

Max Lucado, in his book “Second Chances” has this to say; “Forty-year old Moses was a city boy. Octogenarian Moses knows the name of every snake and the location of every watering 

hole. 

        If he’s going to lead thousands of Hebrews into the wilderness, he better know the basics of Desert life 101.”

“Family dynamics, for another. If he’s going to be traveling with families for forty years, it might help to understand how they work.” (Lucado, 2013, 67)

When God places you or me in a Waiting Room, it’s so that we will learn what we need to learn. 

Don’t forget our key thought of this entire series: “While we wait, God is at work.” 

When we find ourselves in a waiting room, God is using that time to transform us into the men and women He intends for us to be. 

Think about it like this: 

You can’t learn patience any other way than by being placed in a situation that demands patience. 

You can’t learn compassion any other way unless you’re confronted with a situation that demands you to have compassion. 

You’ll never become a peacemaker unless you’re placed in an environment that demands a peacemaker. 

God places all of us in a Waiting Room for a reason: to learn what we need to learn. While we wait, God is at work. 

God wants us to trust Him while we wait. It’s as Rick Warren says: “Waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled is part of trusting Him. No matter how long the delay, we must wait for Him.”  (Transformed journal, day 10) 

As the writer of Hebrews promises us, “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” (Heb. 10:23, NLT2)

Our key verse reminds us that:

“Those who hope in the Lord…” (Isaiah 40:31, NIV84)

“Those who trust on the Lord…” (NLT2)

“Those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (NKJV) 

As we wait upon the Lord; He will be working in us—on us--- to transform us into the men and women He wants us to be. 

We need to remember, that "while we wait, God is at work."

Billy Graham shares the following story with 

us:

ILLUSTRATION- I have a friend who during the Depression lost his job, a fortune, a wife, and a home. But he tenaciously held to his faith—the only thing he had left.

One day he stopped to watch some men doing stonework on a huge church. One of them was chiseling a triangular piece of stone. “What are you going to do with that?” asked my friend. 

The workman said, “See that little opening away up there near the spire? Well, I’m shaping this down here, so it will fit in up there.” 

Tears filled the eyes of my friend as he walked away, for it seemed that God had spoken through the workman to explain his ordeal through which he was passing, “I’m shaping you down here, so you’ll fit in up there.” (from my files)

God was at work in Moses’ life during his waiting room experience. The 40 years he spent in the desert were not a waste. God was teaching Moses what he needed to know in order to survive the next chapter of Life. 

Which, I might add, began when Moses was 80 years old! 

Flip back to the Book of Acts 7:30 and on: “Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush. 

³¹ When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. As he went to take a closer look, the voice of the Lord called out to him, 

³² ‘I am the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses shook with terror and did not dare to look.

³³ “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 

³⁴ I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans and have come down to rescue them. Now go, for I am sending you back to Egypt.’

³⁵ “So God sent back the same man his people had previously rejected when they demanded, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?’ Through the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush, God sent Moses to be their ruler and savior. 

³⁶ And by means of many wonders and miraculous signs, he led them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and through the wilderness for forty years.” (NLT2)

Exodus 7:7 tells us that: “Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three when they made their demands to Pharaoh.” (NLT2) 

Moses and Aaron were old men when they stood before Pharaoh and eventually led the people of Israel out from under the oppressive hand of Pharaoh and led them in the wilderness for 40 years. 

Deut. 34:7 tells us that: “Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever.” (NLT2) 

It seems clear to me that God had used Moses more in the 2^nd half of his life than in the first half of his life. 

While Moses wasn’t without his issues, Moses listened to God and God used him in a mighty way. 

I can honestly tell you, friend, if God places you in a waiting room of any kind, there is a particular reason for it… so you will learn what you need to learn. 

God isn’t finished with you yet. 

Psalm 138:8 reminds us all that: “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever-- do not abandon the works of your hands.” (NIV84) 

As long as you have breath in your lungs, you are a walking, talking instrument for God to tell His story through you. 

ILLUSTRATION- There was a period of about 6 weeks that I don’t remember from my last transplant. 

      I do, however, remember focusing on several passages of Scripture. Many of these 

verses would get me through the day. 

One of these verses was Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (NKJV) I would recite this verse as I was learning how to walk again. 

 Philippians 1:6 was another verse: “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”(NIV84) 

While we spend time in a waiting room, we need to know that God is still at work. What is the key thought of this series? “While we wait, God is at work.”

If we allow Him, God will do whatever needs to be done in our lives; He will teach us what we need to learn, just as He did with Moses, so we can tell His story. 

When God appeared to Moses, He told him to “go”. Look again at Acts 7:34: “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans and have come down to rescue them. Now go, for I am sending you back to Egypt.’”(NLT2) 

After his training was over, God sent Moses to lead His people out from under the hand of Pharaoh. 

ILLUSTRATION- I have had many opportunities to share about Jesus since my ordeal began, probably more opportunities than if I hadn’t gone through this. 

I can remember one night in particular. I was getting my dressing changed and I was sharing about Jesus to 3 different nurses! At Mid-night! 

I have also had the opportunity to share about Jesus with my physicians. 

I probably would never have had these opportunities to share about Jesus, any other way than by being in a waiting room. 

God can redeem any situation; God can use any situation, especially our waiting room situations. 

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on….” (Ph. 1:6, NIV84)  While we wait, God is at work. 

So, what do I want you to do with what you’re hearing?

1. Trust the process. By that I mean, Trust that God knows what He is doing.

Our key verse reminds us that: “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (Is. 40:31, NLT2) 

God will give you strength for the journey. He will give you just what you need—when you need it—

He gave Moses what He needed to speak to Pharaoh and to lead the people out of Egypt and He will give you “new strength” as you endure life’s waiting rooms.  

God will give you what you need to get through, but you need to trust Him. Proverbs 3:5&6 remind us to: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV84) 

While we wait, God is at work. We need to trust that God knows what He is doing, and trust that He is leading us down the right path. We must trust the process. 

2. We must also pray for endurance. 

Moses needed help for his new journey. He told God he couldn’t speak, told God that the people wouldn’t believe him and several other reasons why he couldn’t do what God had been asking Him to do. So God sent Moses a helper to fulfill his calling in life, his brother Aaron. 

As we’ve already said, you and I are going to need someone who will stand by us when the going gets tough. 

      We need someone who will take us to Jesus, and if you haven’t found someone as of yet, there is no better time in right now; because life in a waiting room is hard.

Moses wanted out more than once, we will too. Because of this, we need someone who will help us endure the trail of a waiting room. 

        So pray, not only for endurance, but for someone who will help you get through a waiting room. 

Life in a waiting room is no fun, but waiting rooms are necessary, because they teach us things that we need to learn on our journey with Jesus, and as we wait, God is at work. 

If you find yourself in the wilderness today, we want to help you get through this. MRWC is a safe place and you will only find grace for your journey with Jesus. 

We can depend on the promise of this Scripture: “For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.” (Joshua 1:5, NLT2) 

AS we do life in a WR; God will do His work in our lives… the only question is: Will you let Him?

Will you let God teach you?

Will you let God lead you?

Will you let God mold you?

AS the band comes back, we want to give you the time you need to respond to what you’ve just heard…. We’re going to sing The Potter’s Hand, and if you need a touch from God, if you need help in trusting God, or want Him to mold you, then tell Him so. 

You may want to come to the Front, you may want to stand where you are, or you may want to remain seated and talk to God there. 

God sees and knows your heart, so as we sing, you respond as you see fit. 

Life in a waiting rooms is no fun, but we need to remember that While we wait, God is at work. 

Father's Day 2016

What I want my kids to know & Communion
Various Passages
Sunday, July 19th, 2016-MRWC

Well, good morning everyone, and Happy Father’s day to all the dad’s here today. May you get tons of bacon this day!
Normally, we’d be continuing on in our Waiting Rooms series, but I’m slightly tired of waiting rooms, so we’ll continue that the next time I’m scheduled to preach, and seeing how today is Dad’s day, I want to share about that today.
So, I would direct your attention to the video screen for a quick video clip.
SHOW SERMON BUMPER
ILLUSTRATION- There are some things in this life that my kids may never know about. For example, (and I have found a few of these to illustrate my point):
~ My kids will never know about a 1 dollar bill. All they will ever know is a loonie.
~ My kids will never know about a 2 dollar bill. Again, all they will ever know is a toonie.
~ My kids will never know anything about an 8-track. Now, this gem, for those of you who don’t know, has music on it.
To play this awesome thing, one needs this beast, an 8-track player.
Brent had this thing just lying around, and we Intend to hook it up and listen to it....someday.
My kids will never know what an 8 track and player is all about.
Because I get my navigational expertise from my mother, my kids will never know how to read one of these……a map.
But that's what Google Maps is for, right? It can speak to you and tell you where to go.
My kids will never know my grand-father, their great grandfather. He died in 1996, and I still miss him to this day.
Much of my personality can be traced back to Eldon Graham.
My kids will never know what people did before everyone had a cell phone. ( I don't even remember what people did before cell phones.)
My kids will never “enjoy” a black and white television.  And, my kids will never know what it was like to ride in an old Austin.
On and on I could go, listing all of the things that my kids may never experience.
Now, I am in no way, shape, or form suggesting that we go back to the way things were, because I am not prepared to do that, and most of you are not prepared to do that, either.
I am simply making an observation of the things that my kids may never see.
While there are some things that my kids will never see, there are at least 3 things I never want them to forget.
#1 I want my kids to know that I love them with all my heart.
ILLUSTRATION- I remember December 16th 2004 like it was yesterday. This was the day that Emma entered our life. I remember taking Emma into my arms a few minutes after she was born.
I talked with her for a while, telling her that she could be a rocket scientist or the Prime minister… her dad would support her in whatever path life led her down.
Then I remember praying. I asked God to take her. I recognized at that moment that she was a gift from God to Beth and I, and I gave her over to the Lord.
Thinking back on it now, what better way could I love her than by giving her over to the God who loves her more than I ever could?
I doubt very much that Emma remembers our conversation that day, but I do want both Emma and Erica to know this day—and every other day that I have them around---that their father loves them and wants only what’s best for them.
It’s like the love of the Father as told in Luke 15.
When his youngest son came to his father and asked for his share of the inheritance, his loving father gave it to him, and the son flew the coop and spent his inheritance on sex, drugs, and probably rock and roll.
The Bible tells us that “When he (the young son) came to his senses, (Luke 15:17 a),he left where he was and started walking back to his father, who saw him coming off in the distance, and ran out to meet with him.
The Father then clothed his son in his own robe, gave him a ring, killed the fatten calf and welcomed him back home, no questions asked.
I want to try and love my kids the in the same way that this father loved his wayward son.
ILLUSTRATION- I found this photo a while back, and I think it expresses how I feel.
It says: "of all the things I've been called in life, dad is my favourite".
 I love being my kids father. It's one of the things I do fairly well.
I will let my kids know at I love them. If Emma is on the couch, and I'm sitting in my chair, I make it a point to look over at her, and smile or just stare at her.
Erica’s love language is touch, so she will often ask for a hug, and I will give her both a hug and a kiss.
These things might not be something big, but they demonstrate my love for my girls.
Parents, are you telling your kids that you love them?
They might be gone from your house and have a family of their own, but it does no harm to pick up the phone and say “I love you”. It might be just what they need!
Of all the things that my girls will never know about, I want them to know that I love them with all my heart.
#2 The second thing that I want my kids to know is that their dad loves their mother.
My wife is my best friend. She is my partner, she is my helpmate. She is my lover, she is my confidant. She also drives me crazy from time to time!
My wife helps me in more ways that I can express. She and Jesus have gotten me through many a dark valley.
Who I am today is to be contributed, in part too, Elizabeth Graham.
Proverbs 31:12 says: She—a wife of noble character-- brings him—her husband-- good, not harm, all the days of her life. (NIV)
Sometimes I forget this truth, but my wife is a blessing to me.
Proverbs 18:22 says: He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. (NIV)
The day I married Elizabeth Joy Brown, I received a blessing from the Lord.
I want my kids to know that I love my wife. So, I am showing them.
ILLUSTRATION- A few weeks ago, while I was on parole from the Halifax hospital, we all ended up in the grocery store.
As I walked into the store, I came face to face with the flower display.
I immediately thought to myself, that I hadn't purchased flowers for Beth in the longest time, so I picked up a bunch of red roses.
When Beth picked me up with the car,  I noticed the big smile that came across my kids faces. They lit up like the 4th of July.
Someone wise once told me: the best thing a dad can do for his kids is to love their mother.  I am trying to show my kids that I love their mom.
This is Biblical. Ephesians chapter 5 says:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (Eph. 5:25-28, NIV)
Just as Jesus Christ laid His life down for the Church, we are to love our wives in the same
 way that Christ loves the Church.
While I have a way to go in this area, I am trying to show my kids—and my wife for that matter—that I love her and the second best decision I’ve ever made, was saying yes to her 14 years ago this week.
So, those dad’s who are married, how are you showing your love to your spouse?
Are you investing in your marriage? When was the last time you purchased flowers for your spouse? When was the last time you did the dishes?
One of the best things you can do for your
children is love their mother, so take some time this week to show your kids— and your wife— that you love her.
I want my kids to know that I love their mother, so I am showing them.
For some of you, this might be slightly difficult because of the circumstance you find yourself in.
Even though you might not get along with your former spouse, you can still teach your kids something; you can speak well of their parent. It takes work, but it will be worth it in the long run.
The last thing that I want my kids to know is: I love Jesus.
Words cannot express, nor do i have the time, to tell you how and what Jesus has done for me. I owe Him my life.
He has taken the heart of stone from my life and replaced it with a heart of flesh. He has called me His very own and He has taken my sins away.
The Bible tells me that Jesus loves me. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(1 John 4:10, NIV)
Titus 3:5 says …he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. (NLT2)
Romans 5: 6-8 says: …at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died
for us.  (NIV)
Because Jesus loves me, I want to love Him back. I want to serve Him. I want to let His Word influence my life. I want to show others that a relationship with God means life, not death.
I want to let His love fill me and flow through me. I want His love to reach into the lives of my kids.
I want them to know that Jesus loves them. I want them to know that He loves them with an unconditional love—a love that will welcome them back no matter what they’ve done.
I want to show my kids that I love Jesus. How am I doing this?
Notice I did not say “how will I do this”. I said “How am I doing this?” — I must show my kids and my wife that I love Jesus at this moment, not when they are older.
So, how am I showing them?
I’m praying. Let me rephrase that. I am letting them see me pray.  We pray together as a family before we eat. I pray on my knees at home. I want them to see me pray.
I am reading my Bible at home and they know what it is that I am reading.
My kids go to a Christian School, where they are getting grounded in the Word of God.
My kids know that I work in the church for a living, but I also want them to know that the Author of the Church has changed my life.
If you ever find yourself having “one of those days”, you need to read 1 John chapter 3:1:
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (NIV)
To think that the God of the universe loves us with an unconditional love—a love that will welcome us back home regardless of what we have done, regardless of what we have said, regardless of how we’re feeling, is incredible.
To know that He loves us so much that He was willing to become one of us, and then to be humiliated, rejected, ridiculed, disfigured and nailed to an old rugged Cross, can be mind-numbing at times.
For Jesus to die the death that we were supposed to die; and rise again 3 days later, is humbling and should be enough for all of us to fall at His feet in worship.
Friends; this is the great love of God as expressed through His Son, Jesus Christ. And in just a moment, we are going to celebrate what He has done for us.
We are going to reflect on how His body was beaten, how He shed His blood so we could experience true freedom, and to know that it is by his wounds (that) you have been healed. (1 Peter 4:24, NIV)
As we prepare our hearts to observe the Lord’s Supper this morning, we need to be mindful of 1 Corinthians 11:27-29:
…anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.
29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.
If you’re heart is not right with God, can I encourage you to take a few moments to make things right with God, before partaking of the Lord’s Supper.
If you need to let the Elements pass you by, that’s fine too.
 Communion is a time when followers of Jesus reflect on the lengths He endured to set us free.
And it is with this thought in mind that I want to give time for all of us to ask God to search our hearts and allow His Holy Spirit to cleanse us as we seek to become more like Him.
If you are struggling with being wanted or even loved, know that Our Heavenly Father loves you and invites you to come into fellowship—and a personal relationship with Him.
He has provided His Son Jesus Christ as the way for you to come into relationship with God
the Father.
Coming into a relationship with Jesus is as simple, and as difficult, as A-B-C.
Admit that you are a sinner. Admit that you have done wrong, and no amount of “right living” can ever change this fact.
Believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty that Sin demanded;
Confess that Jesus Christ is the Only way to God, and invite Him into your life.
Of all the things that this world has to offer—both good and bad—I want my kids to know at least 3 things:
Their father loves them, their father loves their mother and their father loves Jesus.
 Let’s Pray-
Heavenly Father, we thank you for what You have done for us. While I have had the opportunity just now to share, I believe that there are several more people here today who feel the same way about You that I do—they love you God. They are thankful for what You have done—for what You are doing-- for them.
AS we pause to reflect on your sacrifice, we pray that in these moments, we would talk with you, and allow you to cleanse our hearts and fill us with your Spirit.  
Might we pray, as David did in Psalm 51: Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.(NKJV)
May we also pray: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Ps 139:23-24, NIV)
Allow this to be a time where we make things right with You, or to rejoice that things are right between You and us.
Thank you that you have trusted us enough to be called "dad", may we keep our eyes on you as we seek to become more like our Heavenly Father.
At this time, I would ask the communion stewards to come to the front, and as they come, please hear the invitation this morning:
You who are walking in fellowship with God, and are in love and harmony with your neighbours; and you who do truly and earnestly repent of your sin and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from this time in His holy ways, draw near with faith, and take this holy sacrament to your comfort; and make your humble confession to Almighty God.
If you are not walking with the Lord today, it’s ok to let these emblems pass you by… this is a time for believers to remember what Jesus did for us.
(Remove the cloth, folding it neatly, and then pray)
O God of grace and mercy, we thank you that you ever loved us and provided for our redemption. We thank You for Your Son who died to save us, and for Your Spirit who invites us to draw near.
Guide us now as we commemorate the suffering of our Lord. Help us to remember the cost of our salvation. Help us to commune with You and with each other.
And so consecrate the bread and juice which are here prepared, that as we partake of them we may receive the spiritual benefits of Christ’s broken body and shed blood. In His Name we pray, Amen.
Distribution of Bread
The Bible says: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it.
Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.
The Body of the Lord Jesus Christ was broken for you.
So take and eat this remembering that
Christ died for you, and feed on Him in your heart, by faith, with thanksgiving.
Distribute the Cup
The Bible also says, that “he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.
The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ has the power to make you whiter than snow.
So drink this cup remembering that Christ’s Blood was shed for you and be thankful
(Cover the elements) & PRAY:

Waiting rooms, part two

here is the second message in our waiting rooms series. If you want, you can check out the video at www.theridgechurch.ca

Waiting rooms, Part 2
Better or Bitter, John 9:1-34
Sunday,       — MRWC

Well, good morning Church, Its nice to be with you this morning. Welcome to Part 2 of the Waiting Rooms sermon series.
This series was born out of… you can probably guess… a waiting room!
I’ve spent countless hours in a waiting room; some of you have spent countless hours in a waiting room as well.
Most of us have come to the same conclusion while we are in a waiting room:
Waiting is no fun!
However, and here is the strange twist to being in a waiting room of some sort: God does some of His best work while we wait.
In what is our Key verse for this series, we are told that:
“…those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, NKJV)
God does something to us— rather in us—as we wait upon Him.
If you remember, the first lesson in this series, we looked at the paralyzed man, whose story is told in Mark chapter 2.
This man needed someone who would take him to Jesus, because he was physically unable to get to Jesus on his own.
He had four friends who took him, and placed him right in front of Jesus.
the life lesson from this account, is that we all need someone to take us to Jesus.
Each one of us is going to have a bad day, or even a bad week, and we are going to need someone who will take us to Jesus.
As we live in the waiting room we call life dealing with our stuff, we need someone who will diligently and faithfully take us to Jesus.
I trust that you gave some spiritual horsepower to finding someone who you could ask to take you to Jesus; we all need someone who will do this for us.
This morning I would like to try to unpack the second life lesson that God is teaching me in this season of life; in this waiting room.
It’s the story of the man who was born blind, and his story is recorded for us in John chapter nine, and I’ve asked My lovely assistant to read this chapter for us.
READ JOHN 9:1-34
As Jesus and His disciples were waling along, probably along the temple grounds, His disciples noticed a blind man who had been blind from birth.
Immediately, the disciples asked Jesus a question: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2, NIV)
There was a popular opinion in Jesus’ day that stated that physical disability— such as being born blind— was the result of sin. either the sin of this man’s parents or even this man' s own sin.
(The sin could have been committed while this man was in the womb or as he was making an appearance into the world.)
While its true that sickness is the result of sin, this wasn't the case of this man. I know this to be true because of the words Jesus spoke next:
“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.” (John 9:3, NLT2)
Let’s push the pause button on this story for a few moments and unpack Jesus’ response.
I can almost hear the born blind man say the following: “You mean to tell me that I had to go through life not seeing the leaves, not seeing the sun set, not seeing my parent’s faces…
I couldn't play dodge ball with the other kids, or couldn't even see the Brussel sprouts my mother made me eat?
I went though life not seeing at all so God glory could be seen in me? For reals, God? What’s the deal with that?
Allow me to put a modern day spin on this…
ILLUSTRATION- Six years ago I found myself sitting in the doctor’s office explaining to him that i was tired all of the time and I wanted to know why.
So he ordered blood work and the ball started rolling to me finding out that my liver wasn't liver-ing correctly, and I would need a transplant, 5-10- or even 20 years down the road.
Fast forward to June 9, 2015- the date of transplant number one. it went ok… for the first two weeks, then complication after complication, test after test, tube after tube, needle after needle, waiting room after waiting room.
What’s going on, God?
Fast forward a little bit more to January 11th of this year. This was the date that I received word that my new liver was in, and I would be headed down to Halifax for transplant number 2.
I was ok for a few days, until I started not being ok.
     I said the words that puts the fear of God into my wife: “I don’t feel good” and then I don’t remember what happened for about the next 6 weeks.
What I do remember is that i wasn't in good shape. I do remember the doctor telling us, that if he hadn't ripped me open when he did, I probably wouldn't be with you today.
Fast forward a little bit more to May of this year. I had an arterial anyesurem that almost killed me, and infact it killed off about 40% of my new liver.
      We had to spend forever living in halifax running test after test to make sure things went alright.
So, God, you mean to tell me that my family and I had to endure this season of life just to display Your Glory?
While I don't have things figured out as of yet— and maybe I never will— I chose to believe and it is a choice, I chose to believe that God is telling His story trough me, what has happened to me is for God’s glory.
it;s as John the Baptist once said: “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” John 3:30, NLT2)
Your situation, however bad it might be, is for God to write His story on your life.
Your situation happened so God might work out His will in your life.
Paul reminded us in Romans 8 that: “…in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28, NIV)
you see loved one, and this is today’s take away— if you get nothing else from church today, I want you to get this: “You can either be bitter at God, or you can be better for God.”
The man who was born blind chose to be better. The Pharisees chose to be bitter.
at least three times the Pharisees questioned this man and/or his parents. They wanted to know if he was truly born blind; and they asked this man Who it was that healed him.
When the man answered the Pharisees questions by saying that Jesus had healed him, they tossed him out of the synagogue.
        They were bitter— no one but God can heal— especially on the sabbath.
The man born blind was better. He even sought Jesus out. He truthfully and faithfully proclaimed that Jesus had healed him.
Look at John 9:25: “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (NIV) “Fellows: I admit I was born blind, but now I can see!”
ILLUSTRATION- Brennan Manning, in his book, Ruthless Trust, tells the following story:
A water-bearer in India had two large pots. Each hung on opposite ends of a pole that he carried across his neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other was perfect. The latter always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house. The cracked pot arrived only half-full.
Every day for a full two years, the water-bearer delivered only one and a half pots of water.
The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, because it had fulfilled magnificently the purpose for which it had been made.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its imperfection, miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
 After the second year of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, the unhappy pot spoke to the water- bearer one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you," the pot said.
"Why?" asked the bearer, "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house.
Because of my flaws, you have to do all this work and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water-bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion, he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the cracked pot took notice of the beautiful wildflowers on the side of the path, bright in the sun's glow, and the sight cheered it up a bit.
But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad that it had leaked out half of its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, not on the other pot's side?
That is because I have always known about your flaw, and I have taken advantage of it.
I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day, as we have walked back from the stream, you have watered them.
For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table.
        Without you being just the way you are, he would not have had this beauty to grace his house." (from my files)
Friends; God sees and knows all about your issues. the truth of the matter is that we are all cracked pots!
we’ve all got issues that we must deal with and we can either be bitter at God, or we can be better for God.
My mind immediately flashes back to the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Old Testament book of Daniel.
The king of the day, had created “…a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide…”  (Dan. 3:1, NLT2)
Then the King had summoned everyone from everywhere far and wide to the dedication of this massive beast of a statue, and told them that whenever they heard the music playing they were to bow down in worship—
       if they didn't born down in worship to this statue, they would “immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” (Dan. 3:6b, NIV)
Everyone in the land bowed down in worship to this image whenever the music came across their iPods, everyone except S. M. and A.
Because of this refusal, they were summoned to the king, and were reminded of what they were supposed to do, and even told of the consequences for not obeying the king’s edict.
They responded to the king in this way: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (dan. 3:16-18, NLT2)
Friends, God is able to deliver you from whatever might come against you: sickness, disease, darkness, destruction, death— God can stop all of this, He is able.
but what if He doesn’t? What if you find yourself in the middle of the furnace— in a waiting room— dealing with one of life’s curve balls?
Know that God is able to deliver you from any situation— but if He leaves you in a waiting room— will you be bitter at God, or will you be better for God?
So, what is it that I want you to do? A couple of things:
1.Take a few moments and allow God to Search your heart.
The Psalmist wrote: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (139:23-24, NIV)
I think it’s ok to be angry at God for your situation; I think it’s ok to question God for your situation.
ILLUSTRATION- AS I was lying on a hospital bed in sever pain, I questioned God. I asked Him what was going on, did He really know what He was doing?
Did I really have to endure the mess that I was going through?
I allowed myself to question God, but at the end of the day I chose to be better for God and said Let your will be done.
I realize that some of you are not at the same point in your walk with Jesus.
you’re still angry with your loss.
You’re still angry because of a particular hurt.
Allow yourself time to be angry. but don’t harden your heart.
Hebrews 3:12 reads: “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” (NIV)
Don’t allow your heart to become hard towards God.
The situation you’re in right now is the one that God wants to use to write a better story— His Story— to show His Glory in your life.
“This happened so that the work of God might be displayed (in our lives)” (John 9:3, NIV)
Please don’t harden your heart towards God.  I know that life in a waiting room is difficult, but I also know that my God is greater, my God is stronger, and my God is with us each step of the way!
You do have a choice today— will you be bitter at God for placing you in a waiting room, or will you be better for God and live believing and anticipating that He as a purpose for placing you in your current situation.
maybe you;re not in a waiting room right now. things are going well for you, life seems to be pretty good, and this is the second take away from today’s message:  BE THANKFUL!
And pray for those who are in a waiting room. pick up the phone, send an email, cook a meal, encourage those who are dealing with rough situations, be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are in a waiting room.
In just a moment we’re going to sing about God’s faithfulness and if you’d like to come to the front and have someone pray with and for you, feel free to come— or you can remain where you are and have someone pray for you there—-
Whatever you chose to do, I want you to talk to God.
waiting rooms are rough, but “while we wait, God is at work.” And: “…those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, NKJV)
Sing- Great is Thy faithfulness.