(Google Image)
WEDNESDAY CHURCH
on the Internet
(This is your mid-week Christian power
surge with Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.)
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Easter Season, Week Three
G'day, Christian mates!
How many crosses do you have? It's likely that you have more than a dozen per household in jewelry, church certificates, wall pictures, greeting cards, and wall crosses. I do. The cross is our universal and sacred symbol for the resurrected Savior!
As the symbol of the resurrected Jesus, the cross means victory. It reminds us of Jesus' terrible, sacrificial death and resulting resurrection. It was a divine a victory over death, Satan's evil, and human weakness. It reminds us that we, too, can live victoriously over all of life's experiences as the Holy Spirit guides us.
Today's Wednesday Church weaves Christ's cross into our worship service, prayers, pictures, and sacred miscellany. Thank you for joining our Internet mid-week congregation for a great Christian power surge.
Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.
Worship Service
Opening Thoughts ...
Come, and reign over us, Ancient of days."
[Verse one of the hymn "Come, Thou Almighty King" as found in hymn #139 of The Presbyterian Hymnal (1990)]
The Gathering ...
Opening Thoughts ...
"Come, Thou Almighty King, Help us Thy name to sing,
Help us to praise: Father, all glorious, O'er all victorious,Come, and reign over us, Ancient of days."
[Verse one of the hymn "Come, Thou Almighty King" as found in hymn #139 of The Presbyterian Hymnal (1990)]
The Gathering ...
Let us come to God with hearts thankful for divine mercies.
Let us come to God gleefully naming our joys.
Let come to God crying our sorrows.
Let us come to God declaring our faith.
Let us come to God praising our loving Creator.
Let us worship God!
Let us come to God gleefully naming our joys.
Let come to God crying our sorrows.
Let us come to God declaring our faith.
Let us come to God praising our loving Creator.
Let us worship God!
We confess our sins and are forgiven ...
Merciful God: The light of Jesus shines in our lives. Our intentions are to live with goodness, justice, and the Christian way. We know that we fall short of the faithful path that our
hearts profess. Please forgive us for wayward lives and our sins. Restore us to the fulness of your love and Jesus' Lordship. Thank You for your mercy. Amen.
Today's Scripture ... 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)
57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Message ... "What Type of Savior are You Advertising?"
Product advertising is big business. The corporations spend billions of dollars each year to get the consumer to believe that people should "Let their fingers do the waking." (Yellow Pages), buy KFC food because it's "Finger lickin' good." (Kentucky Fred Chicken), and use Halmark Cards "When you care enough to send the very best." Company income and growth rely upon corporate and product advertisement that is honest, good, and represents a great buy for the price.
Christianity relies on its insitituional and product images to thrive. The institution is the Church. The product is individual Christians. Yes, believers advertise Christianity every hour of every day of their lives? The world's population judges Jesus by the way Christians live. As Paul wrote, you and I are ambassadors for the Lord.
Here is something to think about. As you go about your daily business of living, what image of your faith are you projecting? Easter reminds us to project a caring, evil rejecting, and victorious image of the Savior. Will you do it?
Dedication Prayer ...
O God, I know Jesus lives! I dedicate my life to advertising the image of a victorious Jesus into the world. Through the Holy Spirit's power, equip me for this "Christstyle" of living. Amen.
Benediction ...
May God walk with us at all times
until we gather together in Heaven.
(This is Pastor Mike's photo of Haifa, Israel's St. Peter's Monastery
showing Jesus' light being advertised at night.)
SACRED MISCELLANY
Signs of a Victorius Christian
A Christian practicing victory living would display some of these characteristics and perhaps more individualized characteristics:
- Have a basic knowledge of the Bible.
- Practice a vigorous prayer life.
- Be a positive thinker.
- Be a regular participant in a Christian church.
- B e pure at heart.
- Be willing to work hard for discerned Christian causes.
- Practice justice.
- Practice stewardship of time, talent, and fiknances.
- Strengthen family, church, and other relationships using sincere listening and communication skills.
- Be slow to judge others.
- Be trustworthy.
Thanks again for worshipping today at Wednesday Church on the Internet. Come by again next week when new material will be posted by Wednesday, April 24th @ 5 a.m. Remember, this social media congregation is your mid-week Christian power surge source. If you like this church and feel it has been a blessing, please tell your friends about the blog. Better still, worship with them on the Internet next week. Please help this site grow and spread the victorious Christian spirit. If you have constructive suggestions, please share them with me. Thank you!
Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.
(This is Pastor Mike's photo of kitchen African Violets.)
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