{"id":7332,"date":"2015-06-02T11:34:22","date_gmt":"2015-06-02T15:34:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=7332"},"modified":"2015-06-20T19:49:13","modified_gmt":"2015-06-20T23:49:13","slug":"the-answer-is-yes-not-yeah-but-53115","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=7332","title":{"rendered":"The Answer is “Yes!”… not “Yeah, but…” (5\/31\/15)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sunday May 31 was a special day in the lives of the 15 youth who were confirmed.\u00a0 Pastor Jim’s message during the 11:00 Am service was directed towards them.\u00a0 God is committed to you.\u00a0 Are you committed to Him?
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Click the following “Play” Button to start the recording, then scroll down to follow along…<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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The Scripture was 1 Samuel 2:26 and 2 Corinthians 1:17-20.\u00a0 Open the following Drop Down box to read.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Scripture Reading<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

1 Samuel 2:26<\/span><\/h4>\n

And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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2 Corinthians 1:17-20<\/span><\/h4>\n

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=== New King James Version ===<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

17 Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No?<\/p>\n

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18 But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No.<\/p>\n

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19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us \u2014 by me, Silvanus, and Timothy \u2014 was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes.<\/p>\n

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20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>

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=== The Message ===<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

17 Are you now going to accuse me of being flip with my promises because it didn’t work out? Do you think I talk out of both sides of my mouth \u2014 a glib yes one moment, a glib no the next?<\/p>\n

18 Well, you’re wrong. I try to be as true to my word as God is to his. Our word to you wasn’t a careless yes canceled by an indifferent no. How could it be?<\/p>\n

19 When Silas and Timothy and I proclaimed the Son of God among you, did you pick up on any yes-and-no, on-again, off-again waffling? Wasn’t it a clean, strong Yes?<\/p>\n

20 Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>

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True Friends say “Yes!…<\/span><\/h3>\n
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There’s a cute story about an incident which took place in a Kindergarten classroom.\u00a0 A boy was sitting at his desk doing an art project when all of a sudden,\u00a0 there is a puddle under his chair and he was wet.\u00a0 No he didn’t spill any water on himself…<\/span><\/p>\n

He is\u00a0 embarrassed, and he can’t imagine how this has happened.\u00a0 It’s never happened before,\u00a0 but he knows that when the other kids find out he will probably be laughed at and he’ll never hear the end of it.\u00a0 He puts his head down in embarrassment fighting back tears.<\/span><\/p>\n

He peaks and notices that the teacher is coming in his direction from across the room, and he’s fearful that his accident has been discovered.\u00a0 But as the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a container of water with paint brushes in it.\u00a0 Susie suddenly “trips” and curiously dumps the container of water and the paint brushes down the front of Adam and on to his lap.<\/span><\/p>\n

All\u00a0 of a sudden, things have changed.\u00a0 Instead of being laughed at, everyone gasps and feels sorry for him. The teacher sends him to the office to get dry clothes. The teacher’s assistant mops the floor and when the boy returns to the classroom the other kids kindly ask him if he’s OK.\u00a0 Even Susie, who had caused the upset, receives sympathy as her friends assure her that it was just an accident.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of the day as they’re waiting for the school bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispered, “you spilled that water on me on purpose, didn’t you?\u00a0 Thank you so much for helping me.”\u00a0 Susie whispered back, “Once I had an accident too, and I just wanted to help you through this.”<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

It’s great to have friends we can count on.\u00a0 Friends who have your back when you’re in trouble.\u00a0 Friends like Susie who will share your problem.\u00a0 Friends like… Jesus, who knows what we’re going through and took our place by receiving God’s wrath.<\/p>\n

Proverbs 18:24…<\/p>\n

A man of many companions may come to ruin,<\/span>
\nbut there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.\u00a0<\/span> NIV<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

John 15:14-15…<\/p>\n

You are my friends if you do what I command.\u00a0 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends<\/span>, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.\u00a0<\/span> \u00a0NIV<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It’s one thing to have many “companions,” but quite another to have true friends.\u00a0 Jesus has identified Himself as a Friend.\u00a0 Are we a true friend, or just a companion of Jesus?<\/p>\n

\"Bride<\/a>During the most difficult and challenging times\u00a0 of our lives, people are there to help.\u00a0 People reflect the love of Jesus Christ, and God uses them to help clean up the mess we make.<\/p>\n

Warning:<\/span>\u00a0 Hairspray<\/span> + Sweaty Hands<\/span> = Trouble<\/span><\/h4>\n

When we mess up, Jesus is right there to help us carry on. God uses people from the church to reflect Jesus Christ to us.<\/p>\n

Jesus says “Yes” to us… not “yes but”…<\/p>\n

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Friends Keep Their Promise…<\/span><\/h3>\n

Jesus is consistent.\u00a0 In fact, He’s consistently annoying to those who think they know it all. \u00a0 He welcomes the outcast, or “eats with ‘sinners’ ” or commands forgiveness of Roman soldiers (even asking us to “go the 2nd mile”).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 His words and actions are consistent.<\/p>\n

He is also consistent in His promises.\u00a0 He never did or never will break His promises.<\/p>\n

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong> \u00a0Matt 28:20<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When you were baptized, Jesus promised to be the best friend that you could ever have.\u00a0 He promised to stand by you not only in the good times, but also to be a true friend when things get really tough.<\/p>\n

God has promised to place His mark on you and you’ll never be out of his sight or reach.\u00a0 On this Confirmation Sunday, you’re confirming the promises He made.<\/p>\n

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To learn more about confirmation, check out This Post<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n

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Friends Stay Committed to Their Purpose…<\/span><\/h3>\n

We’ve only just begun.\u00a0 Today isn’t a day to make promises celebrate and walk away.\u00a0 Today Jesus is making a commitment to you.\u00a0 He’s saying YES to you.\u00a0 Are you willing to always say YES to Him?<\/p>\n

Are you willing to say YES to God when-<\/p>\n