With Grand Finals for winter sports taking place everywhere in Australia at present, Pastor Grant’s sermon this morning has the title “Is winning, sinning?”

Football commentator Gary Lyon once remarked on Footy Classified that football is  in the business of winning. In American Football, Knute Rockne is revered as the legendary coach of the Notre Dame University, the “Fighting Irish”. At the time of his death in 1931 President Hoover called his passing a ‘national loss’.

While coaching, Rockne was also a sports columnist. He anonymously wrote about his team, being very critical of the mistakes of individual players. Later when it was revealed that he was the harsh critic, he gave his reason for doing so that the players, stung by what they read and heard, would want to play better. He wanted to get the best out of each of his team members so that the team would win.

What does this say to us? The Bible sometimes speaks sharply about the condition of us as people in a way that makes us uncomfortable. But God tells the TRUTH because He LOVES us and wants to make us all winners. He knows that we cannot win unless we discipline ourselves to obey His rules of life. 1 Peter 3:9 in The Message reads, ‘He’s giving everyone the space and time to change.” Praise God that through Jesus’ death on the cross we can be on the winning team.

Benediction: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen

˄GS

Did you know that the average city dweller sees as many people in one week as a medieval man saw in a life-time?

“We have more acquaintances, and we have learned a kind of superficial warmth, but we are becoming more shallow as people.” So writes former broadcaster and historian Mal Garvin. Sociologists would say that the computer and modern technology has much to answer for in this regard. Social communication with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram means that our inter-relating with one another is different from past ages. The writer goes on to ask, “Is the Aussie mate getting lost in the rush?”

Friendship means different things to different people and the way we as male and female communicate is different. Women most commonly define a friend as “someone I can trust” while men most commonly define a friend as “someone I can call on for help.” Men and women experience friendship differently too. Women exchange confidences and provide social support for each other while men help each other and do things together.

There’s a saying, “If you want to have friends you need to be one.” These wise words were uttered by Solomon thousands of years ago and we read them in Proverb 18:24, “If you would have friends, you must first prove yourself to be friendly.”

May we be people who make a difference in the relationships we share with others in our lives.

Adapted from an article in Mal Garvin’s book Breakthru.

˄GS

COFFEE SHOP LUNCH

Next Sunday 27th September after the service

$7 per person $30 per family

Please register your name early in the week to help the caterers.

Proceeds will go towards supporting the Stirling Theological College.

“Almighty God, in whom we find life, health, and strength, and through whose mercy we are clothed and fed, grant unto us a thankful heart. In the name and spirit of Christ, Amen.”

And perhaps we could add to this Invocation, “Thank you for the privilege of being able to meet together at the start of another new week looking forward to offering you our worship with like-minded people.”

May our great God and heavenly Father be pleased with what we bring to Him today.

Leading us as our worship leader this morning is Steve Bown, and when it comes time to us to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together our leader is Trevor Purdie.

To everyone who is present we give you a heartfelt “Welcome!” It is indeed good that we can meet together in this way. To any who may be visiting with us we give you an extra special greeting together with an invitation to stay after the service for a time of fellowship in our coffee shop.

This morning’s service is the culmination of a week in which we’ve been celebrating the institution of marriage. When it comes to that part of the service where we hear the message from God’s word, Pastor Grant will preach on the subject “Love and Commitment or Commitment and Love.”

May you be truly blessed as you worship today.

˄GS

You are invited to come worship with us tomorrow morning.

Details as follows:

Speaker: Pastor Grant Spangenberg

Topic: “Love and commitment or Commitment and love?”

Readings: Song of Solomon 2:8 – 3:5 and  1 Peter 3:1 – 7

Worship leader:  Steve Bown

Communion: Trevor Purdie

Time: 10am – 11:30am Sunday 20th September 2015

Venue: Murray Bridge Church of Christ, 32 Seventh Street, Murray Bridge

All are invited to stay after the service for a cuppa.

“When I am born again, the Spirit of God takes me beyond myself and my experiences and identifies me with Jesus Christ.

My experiences are not worth anything unless they keep me at the Source of truth – Jesus Christ.

Never support an experience which does not have God as its Source and faith in God as its result.

Be relentless and hard on yourself if you are in the habit of talking about the experiences you have had.

Faith based on experience is not faith; faith based on God’s revealed truth is the only faith there is.”

Oswald Chambers, from the My Utmost for His Highest Perpetual Calendar.

Pastor Norman Bales relates the following story – I will never forget the date. It was Leap Year and February 29th fell on a Sunday. The pulpit minister was gone and while I would normally preach in his absence, the elders decided that the youth minister ought to be given a go.

He was not a polished speaker, but I still remember what he preached on. He preached on “Dying to Self”, his text being 1 Corinthians 15:31 where Paul said, “I die every day.”

Ann was home with the flu that night so she didn’t hear the sermon. I was deeply moved by his message, especially with his reference to 1 Cor.15:31. I decided that was what I was not doing. I was not dying to myself on a daily basis.

After the service I went forward for prayer because I needed the strength that I didn’t have to be able to do that. I won’t say that I’ve never let self live since that time, but at least I became aware that self was controlling me and it was killing my marriage.

The costliest, most painful lesson I’ve ever had to learn is dying to self. I’m still in the process of learning, but I’ve learned enough of it to know that it pays tremendous rewards.

No doubt Bales would say that such an attitude should apply in any relationship in which we may be involved. To live in such a way would also be most pleasing to God. Let us ask Him for His help to do just that.

Benediction: Live today, and in the week ahead, in Christ’s presence, remembering He is near and will sustain you as you seek to serve in whatever situation in is name. Amen.

˄GS

As a part of our Marriage Week celebrations, we are holding a Film Night at the church this evening.

We will commence at 6pm with a light meal – please bring along some finger food to share.

The film will follow the fellowship meal.

All welcome.