Muskoka Lakes Ministry of Knox, Port Carling & Zion, Torrance
Sunday Oct 31, 2021
Message: Preaching What We Believe
Reverend Glynis Faith
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Announcements
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* Monday evening 7pm via Zoom ~ ‘The Story’ study group meets – we are in our last 3 weeks of the Study, and I commend the group for their commitment to a 31 week travel through the Bible.

* Thursday evening 7:30 pm via Zoom ~ the Bible study group meets

* Reminder that starting next week, Sunday November 7, 2021 we will be returning to the winter worship schedule for the months of November through to April. The weekly service will begin at 10:30 a.m. November services will be at Port Carling, December services in Torrance, January services in Port Carling . . . and you get the picture.
* A Jolt of Hope for your Spirit!
Are you worn down, wondering what’s next, wanting more vitality? Then this event is for you! Vaughan Community Church and the Renewal Fellowship are presenting Living Hope, an online conference on November 13. There is no charge, but pre-registration is required. For further details see https://adayofencouragement.ca/
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Prayer of Adoration & Confession
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God, our heavenly Father
and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ:
We praise and thank you!
You are worthy of our praise.
You are gracious, just and loving.
Lord, those You have created struggle to find hope amidst war, domesic violence, hunger, poverty and spiritual emptiness.
In Your great mercy You freely give us a new birth into the living hope through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
There is no darkness so great that your light is not greater still.
There is not conflict so disruptive that your peace cannot quell it.
There is no death so final, that your resurrection life cannot break its icy grip.
Therefore, we worship You! For You are Hope and Life eternal.
We confess, however, we are quick to trust
our strength more than yours, our wisdom more than yours,
our abilities more than yours, our resources more than yours, and
our love more than yours.
Lord, our misplaced trust in ourselves
has led us into sin. Forgive us we pray. AMEN

ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Christ died to offer forgiveness of sins – all who will confess their sins before God are forgiven. Thanks be to God. AMEN
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Prayer of Intercession
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Trusting in the love and power of the Holy Spirit, we bring our prayers before Your Throne of grace, O Lord.
We pray for those close to us, parents, brothers and sisters, friends and colleagues. May they know the truth of our Risen Saviour, may the hope of the resurrection guide and strengthen them.
We pray for those who guide, protect and lead us, such as parents, teachers, and peace officers. In these weeks leading up to Remembrance Day, we also pray for those who serve in national defence – the army, navy and air force, and we give thanks for all who have served before them.
We pray for those with the responsibilities to govern us. We pray for our local council members and our provincial representatives. We pray for those who serve us in the federal government. We pray for world leaders. May they be guided by truth and a commitment to govern with integrity, keeping the needs of the people at the forefront of all decisions made.
We pray for those around us who are sick and for individuals living with chronic pain. We lift up our friends and neighbours who are grieving the loss of a loved one. We pray for those who lives are currently filled with sadness and for those who feel lost and alone. We pray for people around us who are hungry, and for those fearing the cold days ahead when they have to choose between paying for rent or heat.
And we take a moment now to lift our own personal needs up to You as well, Lord. / / / / / Father, hear our prayers. Hear our prayers, O Lord, and pour out Your Spirit upon Your people we pray. AMEN
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“ Preaching What We Believe ”
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Ecclesiastes 1:1-9
The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
Generations come and generations go,
but the earth remains forever.
The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises.
The wind blows to the south
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again.
All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
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This is what we preach, and this is what we believe.
The person speaking in this passage is the Apostle Paul. You may recall, Paul was formerly called Saul, and Saul was no apostle, he was a pharisee. Saul hunted down Christians in their homes. He imprisoned men and women simply for their faith in Jesus. They committed no crime, they were persecuted simply for what they believed.
But something happened that changed Saul the pharisee into Paul the apostle. And what was that something?? (correct) Saul met the resurrected Jesus face to face. Saul, the arrogant pharisee meets the resurrected Jesus and becomes the humble Apostle Paul. Paul, whom Jesus would call to be the apostle to the gentiles.
That is what happens when we meet Jesus – we are changed. Some people have met Jesus in the Gospels – sitting reading Matthew, or Mark, or Luke or John and suddenly the Holy Spirit helps them see the truth they seek. And what happens – something changes. Perhaps that is how you met Jesus.
Some people meet Jesus in worship – a church service – an evangelical tent meeting – a group gathered in someone’s home – perhaps they answer an alter call and something happens – something changes. Perhaps that is how you met Jesus.
Some people meet Jesus through an individual who shares the Gospel with them – perhaps on the street – in a hospital – a prison cell – on a park bench or in a coffee shop. Perhaps they shared their story, and through their sharing you met Jesus, and something changed.
Some people have met Jesus while trying to prove He did not exist – that is how C.S.Lewis came to faith. His meeting Jesus changed his life.
Some simply experience Christ’s presence during a significant life event, and, you guessed it, something changes.
So, what changes?
Well, what we believe changes. Paul believed in God, and he believed his persecution of Christians was just; at least until he met God’s Son, Jesus, face to face. Then He believed in Jesus and became a Christian.
Do you know what else changes for Paul?
His mission. The truth has been revealed to him, and Paul is called to share, or preach the Truth he now believes.

Paul believed himself a well-educated and well-respected religious man; but when he stood in the Truth of Christ, he saw how little he truly knew and how wretched he truly was.
Okay, so Paul said, “this is what we believe, and this is what we preach.”
So, what exactly is it Paul believes? Is it that he believes in Jesus? Plenty of people knew about Jesus. Jesus was a popular Rabbi, or teacher. Some thought Him a prophet, because he healed the sick. Many had hoped He was the Messiah, but all hope seemed lost when Jesus was crucified. Lots of people believed in Jesus, but their hopes faded when His body was laid in the tomb.
Ah, but it is not Jesus the man that Paul preaches – he preaches the resurrected Jesus. The resurrected Jesus changes everything. The resurrected Jesus is the evidence of salvation and eternal life for all who believe and accepted Jesus as their Lord. Death need no longer be feared, because believers have the promise of the resurrection into eternal life.
Over 2000 years have passed since the resurrection of Jesus, times have changed – situations are different; however, the message remains the same:
Christ has died
Christ has risen
Christ will come again.
This is what true Christians believe – the resurrection into eternal life for all who will follow Jesus. If we follow Jesus through life, then we shall also follow Jesus through death, and if we follow Jesus through death, we shall certainly follow Him into the resurrection into eternal life into the presence of God. AMEN!
And that, my friends is what we believe!
That is our hope
And that is what we are called to preach!
Now, don’t let the translation fool you. The word translated ‘preach’ is from the Greek word kēryssō meaning:
1) to proclaim
2) the suggestion of something said that must be listened to (in other words, listen up – this is important)
3) to publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done. (has been, being the key)
What ‘has been done?’ Jesus Christ died for the forgiveness of our sins and because He was without sin, God resurrected Him.
And because of what has been done (what Christ has done), all who believe and follow Jesus receive salvation and the gift of resurrection into eternal life. And because we have met Jesus – because we have a personal relationship with Christ – and because we are filled with the joy of the hope of the resurrection, we can do nothing but proclaim with conviction what has been done!
Now, you may be thinking, yeah, well it was a lot easier for Paul than it is for us today. Times have changed – people don’t want to talk religion. The world has become more secular. To that thought, I suggest you read up on some of Paul’s letters, especially 1 and 2 Corinthians. Look closely at some of the concerns Paul is addressing within the church in Corinth.
The city of Corinth was a port city and their immorality was well known. The economy was based on trade, and fed by sailors, prostitution, and gambling. There was great socio-economic divide. Temple prostitutes could be found in the temple of Aphrodite. Worldly philosophy filled the city that boasted their philosophical debates and refined knowledge.
One might think that the church would be different. We imagine Paul going into Corinth, sharing the Good News, establishing the church and voila, the people love God and love their neighbour – Piece of cake – right?
Paul did not have it any easier than we do today. The church in Corinth faced divisions in their leadership, with members divided over who to listen to. Paul tells them – listen to Jesus.
They faced divisions in their worldview – Paul preaching a wisdom that comes from the Holy Spirit while others came in teaching worldly philosophical wisdom.
The church also faced divisions in doctrine, with some denying the resurrection. Now what is the Christian message without the resurrected Jesus? (I can just hear Paul saying, “I yi yi Lucy” – and for all you I Love Lucy fans, you may remember Ricky Richardo said that every time Lucy said or did something outrageous – which was often)
And if you still think Paul had it easier than we do today, he also had to address issues such as members taking each other to court instead of seeking resolution to their differences, or why it is not appropriate for a man to have sexual relations with his father’s wife. Seriously, that was going on and people thought it was okay!
And if all this did not cause Paul to run in the other direction, he learns that the wealthy members of the congregation have taken to celebrating the Lord’s Supper early the day – eating their fill and gobbling down all the wine, so that when the working class members arrive there is nothing left to celebrate Communion with!!!
Can you hear Paul now – I yi yi, Lucy!!!
Luckily for the people of Corinth, Paul did not see an impossible situation, he saw immature Christians. Paul saw people that need to be reminded of the message of the resurrected Jesus – people who needed to hear the story of Jesus repeated, and people who needed his guidance and prayers.
Friends, when we meet the resurrected Jesus, whether through Scripture, prayer or personal experience, we are called to, not only follow Jesus, but to ‘preach’, that is to proclaim or tell your family, friends and people around you what you have learned. It is in the proclaiming of this message that people meet Jesus, and it is through meeting Jesus that people are changed – lives changed – communities changed – hope shines into our world!
So, what is our message – Jesus lives – the resurrected Jesus.
And, what do we preach – Salvation for all who believe and follow Jesus.
The Good News changes everything, giving us hope through the promise of the resurrection into eternal life in the presence of our Creator. And friends, this world desperately needs us to spread such hope.
I invite you to bow your head and pray with me:
Jesus, you died upon the Cross for our sins. Father, you resurrected Jesus from the dead. Holy Spirit, may we be ever reminded and filled with hope as we trust that Christ will come again. We thank and praise You – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Blessed Trinity give us the strength and courage to stand firm in our walk with Jesus, and the motivation to invite others to join us in the faith. In Christ we stand, and in His name we now pray. AMEN

DONATIONS TO ZION, TORRANCE
Mail cheques to Zion Presbyterian Church 1046 Torrance Rd, Torrance, ON, P0C 1M0
E-Transfers to zionchurchpc@gmail.com No security question required
Pick up ~ Please call the office (705) 765 3797 to arrange pick up

DONATIONS TO KNOX, PORT CARLING
Mail cheques to Knox Presbyterian Church Box 283, Port Carling, ON,
P0B 1J0
E-Transfers to KnoxChurchPC@gmail.com No security question required
Pick up