17 Apr Come Home | Part 3 “The Sposed to Sunday”
Announcements:
Fire pit is done!
New ministry – conversation style Small Group called Alpha that Mehdi and April will be leading. It is for seekers, those on the fence about faith, or disenfranchised from faith. It is to reach lost people. Join the conversation today @ waterschurch.org/alpha
SILET AUCTION FUNDRAISER TO BENEFT AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY – PLEASE SUPPORT OUR TEAM: WATERS FOR LIFE AND COME OUT ON MAY FIRST, SEE REGISTRATION BELOW!
MAY 1 – Sunday from 2:00p- 5:00p at Towne Tavern in North Attleboro – Silent Auction and Raffles – $15 for early registration and $20 at the door! Your ticket price includes hot and cold Hors d’oeuvres. It will be a fund afternoon and all proceeds go to Waters for Life Relay for Life Team. Click below for early bird registration and share with friends! Stop in for a bit or stay for the entire time!
Click here to Register: Silent Auction Early Bird Registration
Click link below to check out what relay for life is, join team, or donate to Waters for Life: RelayforlifeGreaterAttleboro
We are also accepting Silent Auction and Raffle donations!
COMPASSION SUNDAY – COMPASSION NEEDS YOUR HELP!
Apollo Beach Only: Get text alerts by texting ‘waterschurchab’ to 81411. Woonsocket will have their own soon, stay tuned.
Woonsocket Only: text ‘waterschurchws’ to 81411.
NA: ‘waterschurch’ to 81411.
Tuesday Cafe is open from 10-1 in NA.
All announcements can be found at: waterschurch.guide
Our text alert number is 81411. Text ‘waterschurch’ to 81411 to join our text alert system.
Pastor Tim has 3 podcasts: The Deep End, the Deep Dive Bible Study on Romans, and 10 questions with Tim only available on timhatchlive./live. Be sure to like and subscribe to the channel to be notified of each new podcast.
Come Home – Part 3 – Easter
The Sposed-to Sunday
Luke 15:25-32
He is Risen. He is Risen Indeed
Some days are supposed to days. Like ‘putting out the garbage’ day. There are also supposed to seasons like on the Fourth of July you are ‘supposed to light fireworks’ and ‘supposed to bbq.’ Easter is a supposed to go to church day. This is the day even Christians know they are supposed to go to church. We need to get our ‘ we are supposed to’ into a ‘we get to’. There are many times we forget what we are supposed to remember. There are things we formally got excited about that we got to do, that we now look at like we are supposed to do.
Q. What might be a ‘got to’ that you now look at as a ‘supposed to’ and why (celebrating a birthday, anniversary, school, career, etc.) ?
The Parable of the Prodigal son, the son left to do things his own way. Some of us may have been like this son. We left the church, we thought we were going to live it up and then the famine hits. The money ran out, cancer happened, we made a mess and then came home. God is ready to forgive us. He is always ready to forgive us. We may think we don’t deserve to be forgiven, we don’t, it is grace. He loves us more than sin can destroy us.
The father throws a party for the lost son. The religious people say that is not right. The story of the Prodigal is to aspire older brothers, who never left, to join the celebration when the prodigals do come home. The religious people had turned from ‘get to serve God’s people’ to supposed-to serve God’s people.
There was a disconnect from the older son and the fathers name he bore.
You’ve become an “Older Brother” when:
- You SERVE but don’t CELEBRATE.
The older brother’s’ problem was that there was no joy or happiness when the prodigal came home. When we come to this point, we need to reconnect with the heart of our Father who loves the sinner and the older brother and brings everyone home together.
Luke 15:25–26 (ESV)
The older brother was in the field working. Doing what he was supposed to do. He did not even know what the music and dancing meant. He was so devoted to his work, he forgot how to celebrate. He was ‘works’ oriented. What we do does not save us. The people Jesus loved most were the worst sinners. He came for sinners not for righteous, He came for the sick not the holy. We may not realize when we become the ‘older brother.’
Q. In what ways might you have become like the ‘older brother?’
Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV)
Psalm 100: 1-2 (ESV);
This is a command not a suggestion. Sin steals our joy, but Jesus replaces it.
Psalm 122:1 (ESV); Leviticus 23:39 (ESV)
We should not serve God as if it is a ritual.
Q. What may be some reasons you may have stopped having fun in life?
You’ve become an “Older Brother” when:
2. You OBEY out of OBLIGATION.
You feel like you have to or God is going to be mad at you.
Luke 15:27-29 (ESV)
The older brother was really the prodigal. He served his father out of obligation. He was frustrated. He thought he never disobeyed. He had the ‘Im a good person’ mentality. But the Bible says there is none that are good. Jesus died because death was necessary for every sin and His death paid for every person’s sin. We don’t serve to get the goodies from Him, if that is the case then we are really not serving Him we are serving ourselves. It is not about our goodness, it is about His goodness. It has nothing to do with us but everything to do with Jesus.
Q. When have you got upset that God has blessed someone you felt did not deserve it?
Q. In what ways have you found yourself obeying God out of obligation or to ‘get’ something from Him?
You’ve become an “Older Brother” when:
3. You’re DISCONNECTED from YOUR FATHER and YOUR FAMILY.
Many things can keep us isolated like bitterness, unforgiveness, entitlement, and covetousness, etc.
Q. What may have kept you isolated and disconnected from the family of God?
Luke 15:30 (ESV)
“Supposed to” faith dampens your spirit, sours your soul, and isolates your life.
Luke 15:31 (ESV)
Jesus became the true older bother.
John 16:32 (ESV); Matthew 28:18 (ESV)
Sermon in a sentence:
Jesus is our true OLDER BROTHER, SEEKING us out, RESTORING us to the FATHER, and BRINGING us HOME to the CELEBRATION of heaven.
Challenge: Be joyful, start giving God thanks for everything.
No Comments