SUNNY THOUGHTS FROM SUNSET by the Rev. Vance Drum 4-6
The Sunset pastor on Sunday continued our “Covenant” series with a message, “Covenant Blessings.” The text was from Hebrews 13:20-21: “May the God of peace … equip you with everything good for doing his will….”
Did you ever want to do something that you thought was important but you didn’t quite know how or where to begin?
When we think about relationships, some things in life are difficult for many of us: how to get along without hurting people; having good relationships at work; doing well in school, dodging the bullies; enjoying a healthy, pleasant marriage; raising God-honoring kids; staying out of trouble with the law; being blessed in a loving, peaceful, prayerful church.
All of these things are easier said than done. If it were easy, everybody would succeed all the time. There would be no need for any police; no jails or prisons; no Child Protective Services; no bullies in school; no divorce courts and no troubled churches. Today we’ll see that God is our helper, and we’ll see why we may not be helped.
The pastor made three points: (1) God of Peace; (2) God Equips Us; (3) God Works in Us.
(1) God of Peace. V20: “May the God of Peace….” Our God is a God who brings peace.
The Letter to the Hebrews is really an exhortation, a sermon, given to some Christians who were going through hard times and who were thinking about giving up on their faith.
The writer closes his letter by offering a prayer, and he invokes “The God of peace.” No matter what you are going through, and no matter what obstacles you may face, God wants you to be at peace, and that peace is in His Son Jesus.
(2) God Equips Us. V21: “May the God of peace … equip you with everything good for doing his will.” God will not leave us to our own wisdom, with no guidance or help from Him.
Our God is a blessing God, and so, if God wants us to have peace in this world, and he’s willing to equip us, why is there so much confusion, ignorance and evil in the world?
Here’s the key: I must be willing to slow down long enough to listen to what the Good Shepherd is saying to me.
It is a fact that many who are in prison get closer to God than many in the free world. Why? Because God has slowed them down, and He got their attention.
Many a person in prison has seriously sat at the feet of Jesus for the first time in their life, and He is blessing them for it.
So, here is my encouragement: You don’t have to go to prison to find the Lord. Sit at Jesus’ feet today.
Learn from him. He will equip you to be successful in this world, and prepare you for the next.
(3) God Works in Us. The writer closes his prayer with V21: “May he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
When we give our lives to the Lord, receiving him by faith, we become born again (John 3:3), and we open ourselves up to Him. He becomes not only our Savior but also our Lord. We willingly invite Jesus to lead, guide, direct and correct us.
We used to be hateful, but now we’re loving; nasty, but now we’re kind; selfish, but now we’re selfless.
Our interests, thoughts, speech and behavior, and how we spend our time, money and energy all change.
We’re still living in the world, but we do it all much differently than when we didn’t know the Lord. Sit at Jesus’ feet. He will be your Good Shepherd and friend. It is a blessing!
We invite you to join us on April 9, Palm Sunday, and for our fellowship dinner to follow at noon.
All the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for he comes….” [Psalm 96:12]
May the joy of the Lord be your strength this week — our prayer for you from your friends at Sunset Christian Church.