One more picture from Ribbon Cutting

--
Myles Brown

New Sunday School Rooms

Last Sunday, March 24, we had a ribbon cutting for the reopening for the renovated Sunday School rooms behind the sanctuary. It was a great celebration of the hard work of so many. Thank you to all who contributed as well. Here are two pictures via Jane Miller.

Fwd: North American Missions

Pleasant View Baptist Church family,

I want to share with you 3 opportunities to be part of God's mission in North America. 

1. Our 8 member mission team will be in Toronto next Monday-Saturday working with a brand new church that will be having their first worship service this Sunday (Easter).  Pray for this new church and our team as we go to support them. This Wednesday night during our prayer meeting (6:45 PM) we will be commissioning the team.  Come be part of the service or pray on your own for the team: Keri Perkins, Pam Gable, Sam Pyle, Linda Pyle, Myles Brown, Kip Jones, Noelle Jones, and Sarah Jones.
2. Pray for and invest financially to the missionaries of North America through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.  We will be receiving this offering through Sunday (Easter).
3. Personally invite someone to church with you. Invite them to lunch after.  Pray, invest, invite.

Here is a video that explains the need for starting new churches in North America as well as what the mission team from our church will be doing in Toronto next week. Click the link below:

http://vimeo.com/29158703

Have a blessed holy week as you prepare your hearts for resurrection Sunday.

--
Myles Brown

Another Post on Palm Sunday

Here is another great post on Palm Sunday with a little different angle. Thanks Randy Millwood click here

Palm Sunday Reflection

Brian McLaren gets it right.  Great reflection on Palm Sunday: here

Sunday Message Recap

Sunday morning I shared a talk from Luke chapter 14 in which we see Jesus making several points to his followers and observers as he attended a party at the home of a prominent religious leader (Pharisee). Here are a few:

1. People are more important than religious traditions of man.  Any day of any week is a good day to help someone.  Religious duty or tradition should never stand in the way of bringing good news, healing, and freedom.
2. When you are invited to a party, intentionally take a lower position.  Let the host honor you with a higher position.  Don't assume you are a big deal.  Let others (and especially God) determine your position in the pecking order.
3. When you throw a party invite those who can't return the favor. This is one way of storing up treasure heaven (doing something that really counts).
4. In the parable of the great banquet: don't miss the kingdom of God under nose while you are looking forward to it.  It is here. The poor, the lame, the blind, and crippled are now filling the party hall.  Don't let the things of this world distract you from experience his grace and mercy today.  Open your eyes and ears. The Messiah has come. Love has come. You are invited.

Which of these 4 teachings are the most challenging to you? Which do you struggle with the most?

What is in it for us?

A question we commonly ask ourselves in considering what to do, where to go, or how much to give is "What is in it for me?"

We all do what makes sense to us.  We typically do things in which we find significance.  There are somethings we do out of necessity.   And we are willing to do difficult or inconvenient things when we see the value in it. Usually the value we find in doing difficult, painful things is that we will gain something from it.

For example, training in any sense of the word in my experience has been endured because I expect to gain something valuable from it.  I exercise to gain better health and ability to accomplish physical goals.  I have endured hard hours and years of school to gain more understanding and skills to accomplish my job, provide for my family, and make better decisions in life. The choice to do the hard things must spring from some internal motivation. Usually it is self-serving. Sometimes for the good of others, but rarely for the complete benefit of others.

In Matthew's gospel we find several folks that we were willing to follow Jesus...but had some "in it for myself" tendencies.

The rich young ruler in Matthew 19 asked Jesus, "What must I do to gain eternal life?" When he heard Jesus' response to obey the commands of God he was willing, but when he heard the requirement to sell everything he had to be given to poor AND follow Jesus, he walked away.  Too high a price.  Whatever he was seeking to gain (living forever) required too high a cost for him.

Peter then chimes in, "Well, Jesus, we have left everything for you, what is in it for us?" Jesus told him of amazing rewards to come, but these rewards will not be exclusive to you just because you were first in line to begin following me (or later the leader of the movement called church). The parable of the vineyard laborers explains, the first will be last and the last will be first.  There will be no special rewards or exclusive perks for the most sacrificial.

Then the James, John, and their mommy came to Jesus asking for the special privilege to sit at Jesus' right and left hand when he came into his kingdom, first in command.  Another "what is in  it for me" request. You can imagine how this made the other 10 close followers of Jesus feel when they found out about the request.  The conversation may have went something like this: "What about me?" "Well I has here first!" "I gave up more than you did." "Well I am more trained and gifted to lead." "But Jesus has spent more time with me so I should be in charge."

Calling them all together, Jesus tells them, "Whoever wants to be great must be your servant.  I came not to be served but to serve.  AND to give my life (an ultimate sacrifice) to ransom many (to totally benefit others).

What is in it for us in following Jesus? Eternal life? Yes. Treasure in heaven? Maybe. Sacrifice for the benefit of others? Absolutely. A cross. An end to our own "in it for me plans."  Following Jesus puts Him in charge and others before ourselves. Service. Sacrifice. Peacemaking. Gentleness. Mercy.

This lifestyle of "in it for others" can only be motivated longterm by LOVE. No short term reward or even a promised eternal life will keep us moving forward with Jesus into the difficult places that following Him requires.  Do I love Him with all my heart, mind, and strength? Am I in it for Him? And am I in it for others?

Christ Builds the Church

On Sunday night I shared 4 points about what the Bible has to say about Church:

1. Christ builds the church
2. God's wisdom is being displayed through the church
3. The church is the Temple of God
4. God opposes what/who opposes His church (His Temple)

In personal reflection on these principles from God's word 4 applications have come to mind for me:

1. I don't build anything that lasts, really. I work for God who is building a church that will last forever. And so I follow his directives in ways, under his authority, not my plans or my ways.  And I have little authority anyway.  I follow and serve Him.
2. Sacrificial love and radical allegiance to God's mission displays real wisdom that comes from above.  Anything less looks more like this world and its values. I am to sacrifice for my church family and have a single-minded purpose to join in God's mission in the world.
3. Since God resides within the people who are His church. When I love/worship Him it shows up in sacrifice for His people.
4. I trust God to be my vindication. If forces come against His church, I am to choose of path of peace and love. God will lift up the humble in His time and set all things right.

Your thoughts are welcome.  I left the verses out of the post on purpose.  Search the scriptures. Share your applications and reflections.