Notes from Sunday - 6/1/08

I have been in post-Sunday recovery today. It was a long, good weekend.

My entire family went to church together for the first time - all five of us. Oh, what a feeling!

I have never been a part of a ribbon-cutting ceremony before. So I don't know if I did it right. I just cut the ribbon, said, "Praise the Lord!" and rushed in to our remodeled auditorium so that we could worship God together.

There were many guests, friends, and well-wishers present in both of our morning services. Always encouraging.

I led the singing in our worship services yesterday. It has been a while since I have done that. But it was a wonderful privilege to lead the congregation in worship on this special day. I actually went longer than I was supposed to at the first service. It was great for us to lift our voices together in grateful praise to God.

I was so nervous and excited and grateful. I did not think that I would be able to preach. But, as always, God was faithful to help me to carry out my assignment.

I continued my series on the Sermon on the Mount/Beatitudes with a message on Matthew 5:6, which I labeled, "How Is Your Appetite?"

Hailey heard her daddy-person preach for the first time. She is still reserving judgment about my preaching until she can hear how consistent I am over the next couple of months.

After our morning worship services, we had an open house, so that the members could look around our new facilities. Several members mentioned how nice it was that my study had gone from the basement at our old site to a second-story "Upper Room" study at our new facilities.

Yesterday afternoon, I preached for my friend Nathaniel Hailey's 11th pastoral anniversary at 1st Antioch Baptist Church. I preached a message from a passage I have been meditating on quite a bit lately: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. I called it, simply, "Don't Be Discouraged." It is funny how you can be preaching a sermon that you believe others really need to hear, only to discover midway through it that you are preaching to yourself!

Last night, the was a benefit service for a local pastor who is sick. This is one of the things I love about the pastors of Los Angeles. When a brother is in need, the pastors of this area always rise to the occasion. My pastor, Dr. Melvin Wade of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, preached the message. He talked about "What To Do When All Hope Is Gone," from the story of Jairus' daughter in Mark 5. What a message! I needed this wonderful reminder that there is nothing too hard for Jesus.