September 11, 2022

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday September 11TH 2022, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

Last holiday weekend was very productive for me with Bible studying and sermon writing. I finished writing what will be my next sermon – “Good & Evil” – the continuation of my First Peter message series. It covers much of Chapter 3 into Chapter 4. I also immediately began writing my next sermon after that – “Blessings & Benedictions” – which you may guess is a sermon based on Benedictions. And you would be right with that guess. I’m writing on blessings that while they may be proclaimed at the end of our church services – they are blessings that must be taken into the world for our neighbor to hear and experience.

Last month I preached my sermon – “Honor & Respect” – to my church family. It’s based on 1 Peter 2:10-2:25. Here on #SundayScripture I’m presenting it in its original written form. Here’s Part 5 of this series:

Ignorant people who make foolish accusations. There’s a lot of them out there:

Speaking of which: Recently – I was accused of – get this – stealing several bags of groceries – from my own front porch – that I never ordered – and I never saw. I know. Sounds crazy – doesn’t it ? A few minutes after I got home from work one day someone was frantically banging on my front door. I answered the frantic knock, and that’s when I was blindsided by the foolish accusations. I almost lost it with this guy – an older Walmart delivery guy – who allegedly delivered groceries to my front porch – by accident – 20 minutes earlier – and he had photos on his phone of said groceries – on my front porch – that were no longer there. Either it was some elaborate scam in my neighborhood, or we have porch pirates running loose – following delivery people – and stealing packages from front porches – including bags of groceries.

After I almost put that guy in his place – I showed him grace and mercy, and then I prayed for him later on. (I really did.) I was on the edge of evil for a moment, but then my God – our God – He pulled me back from evil. You know what that is ? That’s the Holy Spirit at work within.

You know that was just a minor skirmish on a recent afternoon. It made for good material for this sermon. As soon as it happened – I thought to myself – I’m gonna somehow preach about this some Sunday. So there you go.

We Christians are persecuted every minute of every hour of every day in every country all around the world – for being Christian. For wherever The Good News about Jesus Christ was and is preached – there are various levels – there are various forms – there are various forces – of suffering and persecution – seen and unseen – direct and indirect.

You and me – we are free – but that’s not an excuse to do evil against our neighbor – even when we are the recipients of what we perceive as evil done to us. Respect everyone.

You know how easy it is to get distracted by a bad driver on the road here in Homestead – and nearly lose it ? Don’t do it. Respect everyone. Love your neighbor. I’ve said this countless times before. I do my best praying while driving.

Later in Peter’s letter (5:8-9) he writes:

Stay alert ! Watch out for your great enemy – the devil. (Who’s our great enemy ? – the devil.) He prowls around like a roaring lion – looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

You notice Scripture does not say “Keep quiet, and keep your faith to yourself, so that the devil doesn’t notice you.” No – it does not say that. It says “Stay alert !”. It says “Stand firm against him (the devil)”. It says “be strong in your faith”. We must “Honor & Respect” the Lord our God. We must “Honor & Respect” our neighbor.

(End of Part 5)

If you wish to learn more about the God I know then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.