First Sunday back at Tab!

March 25, 2007
What a privilege! Back at home in Houston, and seeing all that is taking place.
Rosie and Ramiro being faithful with an adult English speaking class, Rev. Santos Espinoza standing in the pulpit for Pastor Cantu while he is recovering from poor health. Carlos Valle bringing the message on obedience (2 Kings 5) and I was able to share the Evening Message for the baptismal service: "Everyone wants to go to Heaven, but no one wants to die."
Baptismal Candidates: Rev. Espinoza was prepared with an original group of 4 people, the number grew to 9 by Sunday night! One of this number was someone who decided to respond to his desire to follow Christ's teaching in obedience as a witness to everyone... they all now stand before us as newly committed Christians.



[Brief outline of the Sunday Message that I brought
for Baptismal candidates on March 25, 2007, Houston, TX]

Everyone wants to go to Heaven,
but nobody wants to die!

Baptism in obedience: (Romans 6:3-4)

GRAPHIC: The Lord; His Castle; The Storehouse; The Fields; The Serfs

The Lord of the Castle provided protection and a place to store food for times of siege.
The Serfs lived and worked outside the walled gates, but knew that they had access in times of trouble. They worked for the Lord (King) of the Castle to bring in the harvest.

The knights of the Castle were willing to die for their Lord. Their sworn allegiance committed them unto death; but to die for something, you have to have something to live for. When the street is calling young men and women to die for a Street Sign, Handkerchief or Neighborhood they have committed themselves. The church has a similar mandate that we are largely not fulfilling.

To Die FOR something, you have to be dead TO the flesh/world (Romans 8:13) and dead IN Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

The Road of the Cross symbolizes Sacrifice and Committment. This call to daily action is reflected by a willingness to let go of things that are not really ours to gain what has been prepared for our eternity in Christ. (Luke 9:23-24)

It is essential that we allow ourselves to 'die' in a figurative sense as the seed does when it falls into the ground. It cannot bear fruit unless it does so, but the potential for production from a single seed is exponentially greater than the consumption of that one seed. (John 12:24)

The harvest fields are ready... the main ingredient missing is laborers... Pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth more obedient laborers into his harvest. (Luke 10:2)

Selah