God is God and I am Not (Mount Vernon Streams Slide Count Down)

(LIVE)Good Afternoon. Welcome to Mount Vernon Streams – the online presence of the Mount Vernon

Baptist Church, a part of the Mount Vernon Larger Parish. I am Pastor Bob Hollis and we are coming to you today from the Moosup Valley Congregational

Church, UCC in beautiful Foster RI.We are excited to say that we have committed to continue to improve and continue this process going

forward so that we can provide both this online experience and a face to face worship experience simultaneously once we are all ready to move forward with meeting together as a church.

So keep your ears open and think about how you would like to be involved as we will be looking for camera people, online greeters, a producer/computer operator, a tech saavy person, soloists,

readers, pray-ers, children story presenters, and financial supporters. But for today, we are ready to worship.

WELCOME (#1 When We Are Not Able to Hug )

As you join our family please know that “no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here in the heart of God!”

Today is Memorial Day Sunday, and so we remember those members of our Armed Services who gave their lives in service to our country. We also remember their families who are not able to

physically hug the people they loved because of their ultimate sacrifice for a grateful nation. As we gather for worship, please know that we honor those who answered the call to “lay down their

lives for us.”

GATHERING THOUGHT (#2 God is God and We are Not) I love this picture in that it shows days, weeks, months of training to salute the one correct way.

Look at those lines. They are almost flawless.It also shows a corporate sense of respect and readiness to do whatever is said. The one who holds their attention has the power to get then to move together or individually based solely on their word.

Oh how I wish it were so with our devotion to God – in my life, in our church, in our nation and in this world! How I wish I would snap to attention when I was aware of God’s presence in my life; oh how I

wish I would listen to God with the preparedness to do quickly what God suggests. All too often I forget that God and I are not equals – buddies – ready to toss around an idea until we reach a

mutually satisfactory conclusion. We gather today to remember that God is God and I (you) are Not!

SONG (#3 Immortal, Invisible, God only Wise) Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;Thy justice like mountains high soaring above Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all life Thou givest, to both great and small; In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, And wither and perish, but nought changeth Thee.

Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;All laud we would render, O help us to see: 'Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.

Amen, Let’s Greet The Lord In Prayer

INVOCATION (#4 Invocation) Almighty God, all too often you allow us to take you for granted, - to being you down to our level – to

make you one of us – or worse to make us you! Open our eyes, our minds, and our hearts to see you for who you are! Reveal yourself as the One who spoke and brought everything into being, as the

One who is so far above and beyond us that we could not even contemplate what you know and what you can do. Remind us that your ways are not our ways and that there is none but you.

And then remind us that you chose to come to our level, to love us so much that you became one of us and walk with us to this day.

We bow before you, we take your hand and walk with you, and we offer you our obedience and our devotion, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING (#5, 6, 7 Acts 10:7-20) 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout

soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa

9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being

prepared, he fell into a trance.  11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as

reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if

Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three[a] men are looking

for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

SONG (#8 I Surrender All) All to Jesus I surrender All to Him I freely give I will ever love and trust Him

In His presence daily live

All to Jesus I surrender Humbly at His feet I bow Worldly pleasures all forsaken Take me Jesus take me now

I surrender all I surrender all All to Thee my blessed Saviour I surrender all

All to Jesus I surrender Make me Saviour wholly Thine Let me feel the Holy SpiritTruly know that Thou art mine

All to Jesus I surrender Lord I give myself to Thee Fill me with Thy love and powerLet Thy blessings fall on me

All to Jesus I surrender Now I feel the sacred flame Oh the joy of full salvationGlory glory to His name

SERMON (#9 Always obey God Or Always follow Orders)

It’s always one of the question on a test of ethics: If you were a German Soldier and knew then what you know now, what would you have done when ordered to march the Jews into the gas chambers?

What do you do when your boss asks you to do something that you know is absolutely wrong?Well, you don’t have to worry about that with God.

The only thing you have to worry about with God is God asking you to do something right that may be what other people don’t want you to do … or maybe something you don’t want to do.

SERMON #10 (Peter’s Dilemna) That’s what happened to Peter.

He was living in a world that was changing right before his eyes. Gentiles were now being considered the people of God. People were worshipping on Sundays instead of Saturdays. And now there was not only talk about eating meat served to idols, but there were people that were not even

following the Jewish dietary laws. And then he had that disturbing dream with the blanket and all kinds of unclean animals being offered

him by God to eat!

SERMON (#11 Acts 10: 13-16) 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

SERMON (#12 WHAT?!?!?!) What?!

For all of Peter’s life he had followed the Jewish dietary laws - Never mixing meat and dairy, never eating anything with blood still in it, never eating shellfish or lobster, only eating meat from an animal

with cloven hoofs. All of his life Peter ate Kosher Foods in a Kosher Way!How could God all of a sudden tell him that it was okay to eat anything that God had made?!

Because his dream was not really about food. It was about people!Who are you to call (people) unclean when God has called them clean?

Peter was about to get a visit from Gentiles (unclean people to the Jews) who wanted Peter to come to their house and share the Good News of salvation in Christ!

Jewish tradition would not allow Peter to go to Cornelius’ House.But who was Peter to say that Cornelius was not worthy of hearing the Good News about Jesus

Christ?SERMON (#13 Let’s Look at What Phillip Did)

As good as our families are, as wonderful as our upbringing could be, and Holy and true as the church in which we were raised is, we all have grown up with some thoughts that are more human

than God’s. We sometimes make the rules we were raised with the absolute truth.

Anything taught us by humans is susceptible to be a little off.

Only God is Perfect – only God is God.God is the Potter – We are the clay!

Can you imagine the lump of clay on the potter’s wheel looking up to the Potter and saying“But my ancestors were all bowls … your making a mistake making me into a mug –

I’m supposed to be a bowl!”Or can you imagine a finished bowl saying to the Potter “What is that piece of ______ art? What good is that?!

Why not make it into something useful like a bowl?! There’s no place in this world for something that can’t be productive!

God is the Potter – We are the Clay – Hold o’er our being Absolute Sway!

Our traditions, our current beliefs are only our best attempt at listening to and following God.Nothing can be written in stone except that God is God and We are Not!

God is still speaking and leading and revealing!For Peter it was about eating certain foods and keeping Gentiles out of God’s Grace.

Throughout history it has included keeping barbarians and savages out of God’s Grace,keeping people of a different color out of God’s Grace,

keeping people with different style choices or hair length out of God’s Grace,keeping people who drink or dance or smoke or gamble out of God’s Grace,

keeping people of certain sexual or gender identifications out of God’s Grace,keeping people who choose to sin in different ways than us out of God’s Grace.

Is ANYONE out of God’s Grace??? – only someone who chooses not to accept God’s Grace for themselves or offer that Grace to others!

Who are we to call unclean what God has called clean (even if we grew up thinking they were dirty, less than, disgusting, or an abomination!)

SERMON - (#14 Just Say Uncle) What is our dilemma of Grace? What have we learned is unclean – unforgivable – unfixable?

What or Who have we learned is unreachable by God’s Grace?

What would cause us to wrestle with God if God wanted us to reach out in love to them?What would cause us to say “Who do you want me to invite into the fellowship?”

Stop Wrestling with God! Just Say Uncle!Give in to God’s Grace for yourself –

you have not done anything that can keep you from being forgiven and included!AND Give in to God’s Grace for others –

Because no matter who they are - what they have done – or what they are doing –Or Where they are on life’s journey- is outside the realms God’s Grace!

Who are we to call unclean – what God has called clean!Give in – just give God’s Grace to all people!

If I have just offended you, I am sorry. Please forgive me.If I have challenged something you have always believed – please give me Grace.

And don’t fight with me – wrestle with God – until you are ready to share God’s Grace with everyone you meet!

Amen? - Amen!

COMMITMENT - #15 (Have Thine Own Way, Lord Put your hands in the hand of the Potter

In the Bonus time we are going to play the hymn “Have THINE Own Way Lord”As you listen to it, confess the things that have kept you from serving God fully

and offer yourself anew!And think about the people that you have shut out of the possibility of receiving God’s Grace,

And commit yourself to love others as Christ loves them.

Thank You (#16) Thank you for Joining With Us this week.

Please let us know you were here and share with us your God Moments and Prayer Concerns in the comments here or on our

Facebook Page. We care and we love to celebrate our fellowship in the Spirit And while you continue to support your local congregation,

if this ministry has made a difference for you, please consider us in your offerings.

You can send your donation to The Mount Vernon Baptist Church at 210 Plainfield Pike, Foster, RI 02825

(#17 Benediction)

Patient and Gracious God,I am tired of wrestling with you.

Help me to fully surrender to you that I may know the joy of truly being your servant!Amen

Sign Off (#18 Live In Grace) Please remember to let us know you were here, share your thoughts, your God Moments, and your

prayers. And For This Week

Live in Grace – for yourself and for others.

CLOSING SLIDES (Whatever You Have)