The Table

Recently I heard someone say-“the only time our family gets together is weddings and…” can you guess? Funerals. There’s nothing wrong with this and in fact I believe it’s wonderfully healthy to gather together when a loved one dies. It’s not surprising that funerals happen in the first or middle part of the day. I’ve never been to a night funeral, I’ve never done a grave side service after dark-or before dawn-I wonder if anyone would come? People tend to get creeped out to be in a dark grave yard. But Mary Magdalene wasn’t creeped out. This devoted follower of Jesus went to a grave in the dark b/c her love for Jesus compelled her to go. I wonder if she inspired the verse John later wrote in 1 John 4:18 when he said “there is no fear in love but perfect love casts out” Mary was rather fearless that dark morning and her bravery paid off in a powerful way, as we will see today… This is your point to ponder:  Mary was adopted into her forever family on Easter morning and you can too! BONUS MINI POINT: God’s love is stronger than death-B/C HE IS RISEN… Now open your Bibles to the Gospel of John 20:1-10…

The first Holy week came as a surprise. Jesus had been hiding out- at this point in his ministry he was a wanted man -the religious establishment hated him and the plots to take his life were swirling and everyone knew it-but now something had changed-on this day Jesus was not hiding from anyone-on this day he was letting the world know the time had come-we call this day Palm Sunday.  (Palm pix) Why Palm Sunday? You saw our kids waving palm branches just like it tells us in the Bible-but what did those branches mean? They were a symbol of the Jewish nation of Israel-we might equate them to flags today-this was a celebration of the hero who had come to liberate God’s people-but they had no idea from what or how he would do it! We know the rest of the story-we have 2000 years of perspective and maybe decades of Holy weeks we can remember-but once again as we come to this week, I would encourage you to hear the story with fresh ears. See it un-fold in your mind’s eye and know that this Jesus we worship is worthy of praise-and today we’ll know why! He got praise then and we should give him praise now-b/c we know our hero has come too, this is your sermon in a sentence: Let’s celebrate Jesus for all the right reasons. We’ll explore 3 for today…

Acts 9:1-22 + 13:1-5,  Romans 15:20-21,  2 Corinth. 11:23-29, Phillipi. 1:19-21 What series on missions couldn’t include the Apostle Paul? He is considered by many to be the greatest missionary of all time. He traveled around 10,000 miles over land and sea, planted around 20 churches and wrote 1/3 of the New Testament. Here is a man who was completely mission minded! Today I’d like us to consider 3 things that made him this way. If we want to be mission minded we must have these 3 things too and I’ve put them in your sermon in a sentence: The mind of a missionary must be saved, sent and steadfast. First we want to focus on being saved and to do that I’d like to do a little oral bible story telling like our missionary Sam Smucker does among the illiterate of PNG so they can hear the Word and understand it-now I’d like to tell you the story of a man named Saul… oh my there he is…

The last 2 weeks I gave you mostly background as to how, what I call the Great GoMission, was developed with the words of Jesus and then, the giving of the Holy Spirit to the first followers of Jesus-now we will see it put into practice. The people with the power were ready to go. (truck pix) Again, if all Jesus ever did was talk a good game we wouldn’t know Him-moreover if all his disciples ever did was listen attentively to His words, get filled with His Spirit and then DO NOTHING, the church would have died in one generation-BUT THEY DIDN’T AND WE WON’T EITHER -if you seriously embrace your point to ponder: God has a divine appointment for you. Will you go for it? Open your Bibles to Acts 8: v.26-40

Last week I introduced the Great GoMission as a combination of 5 different quotes from Jesus where he tells us to go into the world, all the world and share the good news. We are to go and make disciples. We are to go and know He is with us. Jesus made it clear to his first followers that going into our world is part of being faithful. I shared how there are around how many billion people on earth (7) and how many billion never heard of Jesus (3) and are we ok with that? The answer should be NO b/c the answer was no for Jesus’ first followers. But they started slow and scared just like we might. But then something wild happened! When Jesus ascended back to heaven, his followers went into hiding. They knew they needed to get going but how? They lacked power. Many times that is how we feel too. We know we need to witness, share Jesus, but how? This is where our point to ponder will hopefully help: The Holy Spirit can give us the power to witness effectively to the whole world. Now open your Bibles to Acts 2:1…

We have been in a series of messages that I hope will make us more mission minded. What is the mission? It’s found in Matt 28:18-20 and we have been reciting it as our benediction, but today I’d like us to consider 4 other scriptures where Jesus gives us similar commissions. In fact, I would say these texts taken all together help us see why his disciples, were then and are now, deployed all over the world to save people . (earth pix) This is where we can see, what I would call the Great GoMission! Jesus on 5 separate occasions explicitly told his disciples GO INTO THE WORLD, THE WHOLE WORLD and do what I’ve done, and shown you to do. By the end of this sermon I hope you have no doubt Jesus sent everyone who believes in him into the world to save people! This is your point to ponder: (let’s say it together) Jesus told his first disciples to go into the whole world with the good news -they did-and we should too! Now open your Bibles to the first text Matt. 28:19-20 unless you have it memorized…

One of the things I truly love about Jesus is he never asked us to do anything he wouldn’t do. We have just studied parables about lost and found stuff: sheep, coins and even sons. These are powerful and timeless stories that should make us stop and think about the lost people around us. But to stop and think is not enough. If Jesus was just a good story teller you wouldn’t know him today. If he could just talk a good game he would have faded into history and obscurity. But he didn’t fade b/c Jesus practiced what he preached. It’s one thing to talk about the lost it’s another to seek and save them. This is what we’ll see today, so here is your point: Jesus came to seek and save-that’s what he did-and we should too. When we think about how the lost get found we need to look no further than Jesus to see how it gets done, open your Bibles to Luke 19… v.1…

As we continue with our mission minded series where we have been looking at the mission Jesus called us to, we know that He is calling us to do essentially 2 things-make disciples and teach them what he commanded. The first 4 sermons were about who and how he made disciples. Now we are looking at what Jesus commanded specifically about saving the lost. Jesus taught and sought the lost. And so, we have focused on 2 parables he told about the lost-remember what the first one was about? Lost what? SHEEP  then last week Justin preached about lost what? COIN  now this week we’ll encounter a third parable, one of the most beloved stories in the Bible about a lost son. -remember these were told to lost people-pharisees and sinners…. The prodigal son is a story that transcends the ages-it’s characters and action are universal and as fresh today as 2,000 years ago. This parable has many layers of application and could in itself be a series-but not today. Here is your sermon in a sentence that will focus our time: God wants no one to stay lost. Now let’s open or Bibles to Luke 15:11-31....

 In July of 2002 nine miners were trapped in Quecreek, Pa when mine shafts collapsed due to floodwater. The men were trapping in a pocket of air 244 feet down in the 50-degree cold waters. The miners gasped for air as floodwater rose to their chins. They tied themselves together so all of their bodies would be found if they drowned. Miner Blaine Mayhugh, 31, asked his boss for a pen when the water in the shaft kept rising. He wanted to write his wife and kids to tell them he loved them. Night and day rescuers fought to reach the men. On Sunday July 28, 2002 the rescue workers broke through the coal-mine wall to find the nine trapped miners all alive and well. (miner pix) People were weeping and cheering at village roadsides and television sets at the news that the trapped miners had been rescued. There was great celebration. You see the lost were found. As I said at the beginning of this “mission minded” series Lord willing, there would be 12 messages aimed at making us more mission minded. This begs the question-what’s the mission? Here is where I pointed you to Matt. 28:18-20 aka the great commission-this is the section that best capsulates our mission and will be our bible memory benediction for the next 8 messages so let’s look at it again: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” There are 2 elements to our mission-making disciples and teaching them what Jesus commanded. Our first 4 messages unpacked the how and who, Jesus made disciples-miracles were often involved-difficult people were often saved then sent to tell others about Him-it’s a messy, costly business-but this is our mission-and this is how Jesus did it and we should too…

We have seen over the last 3 weeks how Jesus saved and sent 3 very different people, the Simon Peter, the woman at the well and the man possessed by the legion of demons. These people instantly and miraculously became mission minded. All were able to see a miracle happen and I challenged you to think about the miracles that you may have experienced, with your salvation. I told you about my miraculous deliverance from a car accident that triggered my own salvation experience. This is how we too can become mission minded. A miraculously changed life is what motivated these people to go out to share the gospel. Today we’ll hear about, not only a changed life but a literally, saved and restored life. A person who was considered as good as dead-got a new life and then was sent to share his story with another. He, like the others we’ve studied, were often sent to specific people (Well Woman to Sam. Village, Mr. A to the Decapolis)-they were given a mission field to go to -and they went. Today it’s no different. Jesus is often very specific as to who you are to witness to. My question to you for today is to where or who has God sent you? Your poetic point to ponder: Everyone is dead in their sin, till Jesus gives us life again… and sends us to other souls to win! Now open your Bibles to the book of Matthew 8 v.1-4 and yes this is a very short but power packed set of verses…

What is the soul worth? How much does it cost to recruit and to send a missionary? The answer: A LOT and this is why Jesus would do whatever it takes to make a disciple and then send him or her on a mission. What would we do? Give? Lose? Invest? Release? Jesus called 12 disciples that followed him closely. We could name a few of them and learn the names of them all if we wanted to. (Matt, John, James ,James, Judas, Thadd (aka Jude), Peter, Bart, Phil, Simon, Andrew, Thomas $12)But there are other disciples Jesus called and sent. I consider some of them to be the very first missionaries for Jesus. These people, just like Well Woman last week, met Jesus, experienced a miracle, then ran off to tell people about Jesus. This side of heaven we’ll never knew all the disciples Jesus saved and sent but, WE are the evidence that the global outreach of the Gospel works. Thankfully, captured in the scriptures are their stories. These were often men and women who were very much on the edge of society. Outcasts and misfits who are changed by Jesus and then were sent to tell the world their stories and let the world know there is healing and hope available for them as well-in Jesus today! But reaching those people can be dangerous and costly. This challenges us to consider how far would we go to see lives transformed by Jesus. What would we risk and even lose to save a soul that might then go on to be a disciple and missionary for Jesus. Here is your sermon in a sentence: Making disciples can be dangerous and costly but they are always worth it-and we must believe that. Now open your Bibles to Mark 5:1-20 and let’s look at how the wild man was won-I like to call him Mr. Amazing (two titles) and by the end you’ll see why…

Last week we read and saw how Jesus called a few fishermen to follow Him as we looked at how Jesus went about making disciples. We know that making disciples is one part of the great commission that frames our mission as the church. Today we’ll see how Jesus uses the same approach as last week, asking for help, but this time He gets a totally different response from the woman he asks for help-yet she still ends up being an early disciple for Jesus. Then we also see the deep impact one changed person can make on their community. This is a missionary story of being saved and sent by Jesus. Again, we find a person, most would have seen as having little potential for good, being a powerful witness. Though she had doubts and questions God used her in mighty ways to further the mission. This points to your sermon in a sentence: Jesus will call people regardless of who they are or the questions they have and make them disciples, and we should too. Now open your Bibles to John 4:1…

The last several weeks you’ve been hearing about missions-from the wisemen’s mission  who came from the east to find Jesus--to last week when we heard about the mission effort of new destiny-then we had a huge fundraiser for our Mongolia mission. This is all an effort to become as our series is titled “Mission Minded”. By now you may be wondering, is there an over-arching mission that we can focus on-and to that, I would answer yes. You see we get every mission of the church from 2 essential verses in Matthew 28 known as the Great Co what? MISSION! (Great Comission PIX)  lets read it together-“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” So over the next 12 weeks I’m going to illustrate those 2 verses with sermons that show us how first, Jesus made disciples (4), then what he taught them to teach others (4) and finally what was the result (4). I believe in looking at how Jesus actually lived out the GC we see how we too can follow in His footsteps and carry on the mission. So here comes sermon #1 of 12 on how Jesus himself made disciples and the point is this: Jesus calls the willing and makes them worthy disciples-and we can too. Today we will see in scripture Jesus calling some very tired, defeated and unlikely disciples-open your Bibles to Luke 5…

Here is a sermon from Cristene Prillaman-Director of Marking and Development at New Destiny Treatment Center where freedom from addiction is found in Jesus. Be inspired by this message of love and hope!

The call to make room went beyond just Mary’s womb-Jesus came for more than just his mom. The call to make room went beyond just Joseph’s family and his ability to make room for his wife and adopted son. The call even went beyond making room in the local community like the shepherds did- when Jesus invaded their nightshift. This call to make room is much bigger than that. The world was to make room for this new king. Jesus came for every single person on the planet and the call went out-make room! There is no greater proof for the global gospel’s reach than the wise men. Where did these men come from? How did they know about Jesus? What does that mean for us? Next week, I thought we would begin our mission series-but it actually starts today. Jesus’ global outreach began long before he was born-with hints in the OT.  But then a blazing beacon was lit. A stunning star signaled out to the far reaches of the earth (and likely the entire galaxy) to make room for Jesus! Here is your point: Just like the wise men, we too, must let the world know it’s time to make room for Jesus! Now open your bibles to Matt 2:1 and make room…

Hello friends and happy New Year from Smithville Ohio! My name is Todd Martin and I'm the pastor of Smithville Mennonite Church.  This morning I am going to be interrupting our Christmas series to share a Christmas miracle story with you. I'm not sure how many of you had been aware of the Christian aid ministries missionaries that had been held in Haiti since October 16th but on December 16th God delivered 12 of the hostages in a miraculous way.  I have often heard people say why doesn't God do miracles like he did back in New testament days? Well friends I believe the witness of these former hostages that God has done something reminiscent of what he did when he freed Peter from jail in Acts chapter 12 -but this is not 2,000 years ago this is two weeks ago! I would like for you to listen to the story as told by the Christian aid ministries representative Weston Showalter and I pray you will be inspired to believe in a God who can and will deliver his people.  Be blessed as you hear this story and the concluding song and as always if you have any questions or needs don't hesitate to reach out to me Todd Martin at Smithville Mennonite Church.   now we will join the press conference in progress... You can also listen to the entire press conference by going here: https://christianaidministries.org/haiti-kidnapping-update/haiti-staff-abduction/ Thanks to Christian aid ministries for allowing me to share this on this podcast :)

From our Make Room for Jesus Christmas series...

Last week we learned about how Mary literally made room in her womb for Jesus. She made the very personal decision to make room for him in her life-you were challenged to do the same. For the first time or hopefully the last time you will let Jesus be born in you and have a personal relationship with Him this Christmas. But Mary’s life, as all our lives are, was attached to others. She was on the verge of being married-literally making a family-when Jesus came into her life! There are few places it’s harder to make room than in family. Family tends to be tight. We often struggle to make room in our families. Especially when the future family member is unexpected! This is your point for today: Make room for Jesus like Joseph did. Is God asking you to do the same? Adoption is a powerful thing. If God tells you to do it -you should. Legal adoption of a child might be your calling -but it might not be too-yet I believe EVERYONE is called to spiritual adoption. I believe everyone in this room knows someone who needs a spiritual family. God’s holy spirit is a spirit of adoption and it fell on Joseph in a powerful way-I believe it can fall on you today. [Let us pray…] In today’s Bible reading we will see just such a situation play out and how one good, but reluctant dad, made room for Jesus and his mom and we can too… Matthew 1:18

Did anyone else notice this year flew by? It would almost seem time slowed down during the pandemic and now we are making up for it. And when time flies I tend to get busy-trying to stay ahead or at least not fall behind! Life gets full. I heard it a long time ago and I’ve told you it many times-if the devil can’t make you bad he’ll make you busy. But then comes Christmas.  We always know December is coming, but then it comes, and all that comes with it. Family gatherings, getting gifts and everything else. There can be this rush of activity and we get swept up in it-and end up literally throwing the baby out with the bathwater. We can fail to make room for Jesus. This is where we must stop open the Word and remember why we do what we do. The Bible points us back to people who made room for Jesus and this gives us direction as to how we can too. This will be the enduring theme of our series: Make room for Jesus! For today our point is this: The room Mary made for Jesus was shockingly intimate but intensely necessary. Now let’s open our Bibles to the very beginning of the Christmas story, 9 months earlier… Luke 1:26

Have you ever heard the phrase “we saved the best for last?” Today we finish up our  series on Jesus and the government and I believe this is thee best Biblical text on the topic. This section in our series is like the grand finale. What would you say are some finales that have been grand? Crowder had a good one at the fair-Circ de soli on vacation involved something death defying probably with fire, but the most legendary one I know happens every July 4… at the Orrville Fire Dept Fireworks show! Today’s text reads like the OFD 4th of July fireworks grand finale.  This is our last message in this series and it’s the one the really booms. No one ever went to the Orrville fireworks and wondered if the fireworks were over. If you’ve been there, after the grand finale, the sky is white with smoke, your ears are ringing and you know you’ve just seen the best fireworks display in the Wayne co. maybe the state… maybe the country... Well after this sermon, I hope you will feel you have just experienced the best text in the Bible on how a Christian relates to the government. I hope your ears are ringing with the word of God, so that you can live without fear of government, and have a new understanding of who actually is the ultimate authority in our lives and how we can be in communion with him-while submitting to the government. Here’s the point: Earthly government has a good purpose but is always under the authority of a bigger AND better God in heaven. As was explained last week-these verses were written in a time of intense persecution. What I find fascinating, is that in the last 2000 years Christians have faced, endured and lived thru almost constant persecution, all over the world often, from all sorts of bad governments! The Bible has been the consistent guide and inspiration to these persecuted people. They didn’t read these verses and say “forget this-obviously this does NOT apply to us”-No Way! And this is why these verses remain even for us today! These texts still help Christians in Africa, Asia and the middle east where government are utterly hostile, to keep the faith and have bold witness. My hope is they will help us as well… open your Bibles to Romans 13:1… let the booming begin…