Everything Good
August 31, 2003
James 1:17
12th Sunday after Pentecost
Galena-Warwick United Methodist Charge
Warwick & Galena, Maryland
Rev. Dr. Lawrence D. Jameson
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to learn more visit our page about Alpha
James 1:17
17Every good and perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like
shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we
might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
God is the source of all good things.
Think about all the really wonderful things
that make you smile.
I like corny jokes.
Here is an example.
Parishioner: The doctor told me to drink some grape juice
after a hot bath.
Pastor: How was the grape juice?
Parishioner: I don’t know.
I’m still drinking the hot bath.
Laughter and happiness come from God.
There are just so many good things in this world!
flowers
cook-outs
our congregation singing
the smile on a friend’s face when they see you
pets
people who are generous
God gave us
all the good things in this world
AND
the ability to enjoy them.
What good is something lovely
if no one notices?
Our ability to notice good things,
to appreciate and cherish them,
is also a gift from God.
The Bible says:
Every good and perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.
But what about all the bad things?
What about cancer,
terrorists,
earthquakes,
mental illness
and aids?
Did God make those things?
That’s a really good question!
That’s just the kind of question
that is answered fully and completely
in the Alpha Course.
to learn more visit our page about Alpha
The Alpha Course
gives good answers for the following questions:
Who is Jesus?
Why did Jesus die?
How can I be sure of my faith?
Why and how should I read the Bible?
Why and how do I pray?
How does God guide us?
Who is the Holy Spirit?
What does the Holy Spirit do?
How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
How can I resist evil?
Why and how should I tell others?
Does God heal today?
What about the church?
That’s the Alpha Course.
The Alpha Course lasts 11 weeks.
“It is a practical introduction to the basics of Christianity
with loads of opportunity for debate and discussion.
The style of Alpha is informal, friendly and non-pressured.”
From the Alpha web site alphausa.org
Let me give you a quick outline
of what happens at the Alpha class
sponsored by our church.
On a Thursday night, at 6:00 pm
we gather for dinner
at the Village Bakery and Café or the Granary Restaurant.
Everyone buys their own dinner which is $11.00 per person.
For an hour, people just informally connect
and enjoy a meal together.
During that first hour, we don’t talk about God, or the Bible.
We just fellowship.
At 7:00 pm we sing a song or two.
Then one of the leaders tells a joke.
Laughter and fun build bridges
that help us effectively communicate the Gospel.
Then we watch a video which lasts about 35 minutes.
Last year, we borrowed an LCD projector,
but that is no longer available to us.
So this year our church needs to buy our own projector.
We are currently trying to raise $1,000 for this.
After the video we break into small groups
and we discuss what we learned.
Everyone is given a free workbook
that includes an outline and room for notes.
At 8:30 pm we go home.
“There are over 5000 Alpha courses running in the US
and about 1,000,000 people in America and Canada
have already participated.”
From the Alpha web site alphausa.org
Let me tell you what I like about the Alpha
Course.
I’m a conservative evangelical Christian pastor,
and I have a solid education
in theology and Biblical studies.
I appreciate the excellent quality of content
provided by this curriculum.
The teaching is right on target
for basic Christian truths.
And what I find delightful
is that the content doesn’t appeal
to just conservative evangelicals.
It also appeals to a wide variety of Protestant denominations
AND Roman Catholics.
There are 23 different Roman Catholic Churches
withing 100 miles of here
that are either currently teaching
or have taught the same Alpha Course we offer.
Ten of those Roman Catholic churches
are in Maryland
and one is in Dover, Delaware.
(This information was simple to get
through the search engine at the official Alpha web site
alphausa.org )
That fact brings joy to my heart
because it is a practical example
of how much overlap there is
between Protestants and Roman Catholics.
We are united on the basics of the Christian faith
and this curriculum is proof of that.
When I turn on the VCR
I know that what our guests will see
is going to be helpful to them.
And when we break into small groups
you can see the Holy Spirit
working in the thoughts and lives of the guests.
It is a process that takes 11 weeks,
and you have to be patient and open,
but in that time
you can see lives being changed.
We are in this together.
Dear ones,
your support for the Alpha Course
means a lot.
Even if you never attend a single class
you can use the little tri-fold brochure
as a prayer guide.
Even if you never attend a single class
you can tell your family and friends
what a special thing our church is doing.
Every time to go to the Granary Restaurant
you can say something positive to
Bruce and Jerren Wetterau.
And when you visit
the Village Bakery and Café
you can compliment
Jonas & Ruth Stoltzfuz
Barbara Schrock
Delilah, Donna, and Danae.
You can tell them how much you appreciate them
for allowing us to hold our Alpha program
in their restaurant.
Just a single prayer,
or a few words of encouragement
can make a tremendous difference!
That is something practical you can do.
The Bible says,
Every good and perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
who does not change like shifting shadows.
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth,
that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
Praise the Lord for so many good and perfect gifts! Amen.
to learn more visit our page about Alpha
Prayer
Dear Lord, your Word tells us that
“every perfect gift is from above”.
So now we know who to thank.
Oh Lord, you have been good to us!
You have given us every sweet
and beautiful blessing in our lives.
All the kisses and hugs, all the compliments,
all the feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction,
and every smile that has warmed our souls
has come from you. You make love and joy possible.
Thank you! Thank you for all your gifts,
and especially for our forgiveness and cleansing
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
to learn more visit our page about Alpha