Live Tomorrow’s Life Today

The St. John’s Pulpit

St. John’s Baptist Church    300 Hawthorne Lane    Charlotte, NC 28204

704.333.5428      www.stjohnsbaptistchurch.org

LIVE TOMORROW’S LIFE TODAY

 Joshua 3:1-17; Proverbs 3:27-28; Matthew 6:7-10 (NRSV)

November 4, 2018

by Senior Minister, Rev. Dennis W. Foust, PhD

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Many people are convinced the only way for them to

live tomorrow’s life today

is to max out their credit cards.

 

Jesus taught the way to live tomorrow’s life today

is to seek first the kingdom of God.

 

Kingdom language is a bit unnatural to us.

You may prefer to speak of “God’s mission” or “God’s vision,” rather than “God’s Kingdom.”

Basically, the ‘kingdom of God’ refers to your placing God on the throne in your heart.

As Jesus said, ‘the kingdom of God is within you.’

 

When your heart truly seeks the heart of God,

your vision is focused by the vision of God

and your will is formed by the will of God.

THEN, AND ONLY THEN,

Can you pray as Jesus taught you;

“Thy kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

 

A seeker once met a wise woman along the path. The seeker asked, ‘How do I find my way into the kingdom of God?’ The wise woman replied, ‘It’s just up the steep hill.’ The seeker looked around and inquired, ‘what hill?’ And the wise woman said with an understanding smile, ‘The hill of your desiring which is in your heart.’

 

St. John’s, I often refer to you as ‘Beloved;’ for you are a ‘Beloved Community of Active Faith.’ We are now preparing to cross over into a new century of congregational ministry in a changing world. When you look at the past 96 years of St. John’s ministry, you see many crossings-over and many periods of change. We could go back and discuss each memorial and how God was faithfully leading people of commitment.

 

Today and the next few weeks can be another significant time: If we will increase our giving by an average of $10 per household, in 2019, we can cross-over into a new chapter of influence and strength.

 

We are committed to Active Faith; God is going before us and we are going forward. We are following God who makes a path for us.

 

You are obedient to God, not because you are beaten into submission. You are obedient to God because you have been loved into action. You are not constantly searching for a new rule to follow. You are concerned with care, compassion, creation, reconciliation, redemption, healing and serving.

 

These are days of commitment, so we can cross over into a new expression of living tomorrow’s life today. Amen and AMEN!