August 11 | Sermon Notes
WE are participating in a CITY-WIDE initiative! In less than 40 days, the greater Austin region will be the site of more spiritual conversations than ever before! You might have seen them on facebook or on billboards.
- PromiseLand San Marcos is a Safe Place (spiritual growth)
- We want to Explore God With You
- We want to Help you Help Others Explore God
In a recent survey of 18-29yrs olds – First word descriptors for Christians:
91% Anti-Homosexual
87% Judgemental
85% Hypocritical
47% of Americans see no difference in the Bible, Koran, and Book of Mormon
52% of Adults consider that Christianity can not be considered the religion of the people
20-30% no longer associate with any religion
When Jesus came to the earth, he DID not say “you shall be known as anti-homosexual”. “you shall judge all non-believers and not live the way you preach.”
Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
BUT At what point does a conversation happen?
Liv Gallardo | Sermon Notes
Liv Gallardo was born on Friday and passed away early Saturday morning. Here are the thoughts I shared at the service on Wednesday.
Liv Emery Gallardo was born at 6:19pm on August 2nd, 2013. She weighed 4lbs 1oz and was 14 1/2 in long.
When a husband and wife become pregnant, we as believers are very excited. We have a natural tendency to create a vision for the future. We think of learning to walk, and talk, and riding a bike, learning to read, the list goes on and on.
The bottom-line is that being a parent can be extremely rewarding and it is personally exciting to mom and dad. God gives us the pleasure of parenting. The love of a child. The hug and kiss of a tender, little one. It is so invigorating that it leads some to continue having more and more of them.
When there is a difficult diagnosis, then we as friends and family suffer a loss or death. It is not the death of the child, but the death of these dreams and expectations. All of this heaviness and fear and darkness and failure that resides around diagnosis is directly associated with our thoughts of the future.
Baptism | Sermon Notes
Baptism at the Jordan River
BAPTISM
When someone that has placed faith in Jesus gets into the water, something super-natural happens in baptism that is undeniable.
Our first inclination might be to think that the water is special, or the minister, or the person, or the clothing, or the location. All of these are wrong. If these were the catalyst for change, then an unbeliever could be baptized and they would magically be converted/saved. 2 Things happen when a new (shaky) believer get in the water:
1. You’re Publicly Identifying with Jesus’ Death – “Going Public”
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.
Colossians 2:11 In Christ also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
2. You’re Faith is Taking Steps – Obedient to scripture – Acts 2:38
Baptism in water is simply the first baby step you get the opportunity to be faithful in. Will it work? Is it necessary? Should I trust God? Is the Bible right?
1 Corinthians 10 says that baptism is similar to Moses going into the Red Sea. It was a test for him. Obedience. Trust. Do you?
2 Peter 2 says that Baptism now saves you like Noah and the ark. Noah was given the opportunity to place his trust in God and build/get in the ark.
Now you are given the opportunity today. Are you ready to place your trust fully in God and get into the waters of baptism?
At PromiseLand San Marcos, we believe in Baptism so much that we eliminate all the physical boundaries for you.
Final Thoughts for Vernon Steele
I was asked to close and pray at the funeral service for my grandfather, Vernon Steele. Here is what I said:
death there is a natural tendency to remember the good times, the endearing qualities. We thank God for this tendency. We think of the smiles and the lessons learned, the protection and provision of a man like Vernon Steele. Wow, no one like that. Strong as an ox, creative, inventor, craftsman, lover of classical music and Mercedes Benz. Not sure I ever heard him explain anything with such love as his collection of Mercedes.
However, our mind sometimes wanders to other moments when times were tough. We want to wrap things up and put a bow on someone’s life. I have been doing funerals officially for ten years and it is a struggle for anyone. Now, I have been asked to be the final speaker for Vernon Steele and then say a prayer.
I just want to say that every time Vernon showed us his humanity and brokenness. Every time we were faced with a situation where we tried to make excuses or say that is just the way he is… Jesus Christ was dying for Vernon.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
In the midst of us trying to make sense and make wrong pieces fit, the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses and make right. Jesus makes all things well. We rejoice in the reconciliation of all things. We serve a Jesus that doesn’t give up on something that is broken but endures the cross so that we are FREE!
Let’s pray:
Lord, we are grateful today that we have been blessed a husband, father, grandfather, friend. We are thankful for his life and all of the values passed down. I pray that the Holy Ghost empowers my grandmother to seize this season of life. That she experience peace that passes all understanding. That she feel strength in her body, soul, and spirit. That each son, daughter, grandchild, and EVERY ‘in-law’ would bond like never before. I pray for unity and a kindred spirit to permeate every relationship. Lord, may we BE the body of Christ on earth that you have called us to be. We are needing you. We desire you. We call on you today to give us YOU. That is all we need. In Jesus name, and EVERYBODY say “AMEN”!
“What We Have Learned” sessions are set!
We are hosting a one day event and there are only a few spots left. What We’ve Learned, on Monday, August 5th – 9am-3pm.
This is a great opportunity see our new facility, hear our story, ask questions, hang out with new and old friends. We will have a lot of fun, and hopefully you will walk away with some new ideas.
This is free and only offered to a limited amount of folks. Please register if you know that you are able to attend!
The folks that signed up early have voted and we have selected the sessions that will be offered. Check them out below. You will get an inside look at everything we do (and the mistakes we have made). You will get our actual documents including: budgets, tracking spreadsheets, web tools, access to google docs, etc.
SESSION ONE
Setting Goals and Taking Risks – Our path of challenge, risk, failure and reward. How we make a decision on change. (adding or subtracting: weekend services, facilities, staff, ministries, tech, etc).
SESSION TWO
Spirit Led vs Well Planned – Our journey as a “Spirit filled” church with solid goals and thought-out plan. How it has been challenging and how it works
BREAKOUT SESSIONS 4 Options (you will pick one the day of the event)
Small Groups – Our history of Small Groups over the last 10 years. Where we are now and where we want to go.
Marketing – Our philosophy and method behind getting our message out those inside and outside of our congregation
Beyond the Budget – How, Why, and When we make financial decisions about staff, facilities, outreach, ministries.
Weekend Worship – Our philosophy and process on designing the weekend worship service on a week by week basis and yearly basis. How we schedule, planning center, 5 star, try outs, etc.
PLUS:
Special Lunch Session Eat a free, delicious lunch with us! Plus, We will be joined by an Israel expert, Munir Sayegh. Munir is a wonderful Christian from Nazareth and can offer up to date information about the Middle East.
Robin Steele 