Mid-Week Memo

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Hi Five Oakers,

There are several things I want to share with you today.

#1 – Get a recap of the Easter service with highlights of our prayers, readings and songs here.

#2 – Big weekend coming on Saturday and Sunday. Parents of K-6th graders RSVP here for the family workshop in the Community Life Center. Go to first or second hour and worship as a family for the other hour. We've planned a couple of kid friendly stations and other family friendly elements for all the services. Saturday nighters, this is worth coming back for, but please come to Saturday night. We need you there.

#3 – Another big weekend coming next week. Incredibly powerful stories of deep transformation as MN Adult & Teen Challenge comes to Five Oaks on May 4/5 for all three services. This will be powerful, and you really need to pray right now about who to bring to this event. Think families who are struggling with drugs, alcohol or other addictions.

#4 – Here are your comments/questions from the Communication Cards:

  • Agents of redemption – thank you for such a personal, specific message! A big piece of my life’s puzzle was put in place today – you are a gift!
  • Thank you Pastor Henry for revealing to us and reminding me of my roll in “redeeming” other people! Thank you for helping me want to be bold despite the rejection that I might/(will) receive from this world. It is worth it! 
  • Great message Henry! Inspiring! Nice closing set. 
  • First songs timing hard for group singing/worship. Rescued, Ransomed, Restored by the grace of God. Praise God! Thank you Henry for the message! [Yeah, we moved it to the prelude on Sunday.]
  • Come Thou Fount – odd rhythm – kind of hard to sing with the counter melody. Next two David Crowder songs – great! Ending music was wonderful. 
  • Keyboard sounded funny first song (synthesizer?). Come Thou Fount – strange rhythm if people were to participate.
  • Please sing the standard version when singing old hymns so we can sing along! First song – really a bummer! Where are we at with search for praise leader? 
  • Not sure if I just missed it, but I couldn’t find the verses for today’s message on the worship guide. [I didn’t make the deadline. I do recommend you pick up an outline each week.]

#5 - Here’s the sermon in 10 Tweets, “Signposts of Redemption,” Exodus 6:2-9; Romans 10:13-15:

  1. Survivor Tree Video as a metaphor of redemption.

  2. If you are redeemed, you are a signpost of redemption.
  3. God has rescued you. The primary symbol of redemption for the rest of the Bible is this Exodus story of God’s rescue.
  4. When the New Testament speaks of redemption, it has the completion of the Exodus story In mind.
  5. We've been rescued from darkness (Col 1:13-14, awful things we've done (Titus 2:14) & from emptiness (1 Pet 1:18).
  6. God has ransomed you. What did it cost God to rescue Israel from bondage? Nothing…until his Son becomes the Lamb who takes away our sin.
  7. God uses redeemed people to redeem people. Invest in people far from God. It will cost you.
  8. When Jesus spoke of redeeming lost people, his own already-redeemed people scoffed and rejected him.
  9. When the Survivor Tree was planted, believe it or not, some people complained that it didn’t fit.
  10. “I could crawl into this little pen & die right here. If you could say you worked for 9 years for something special, that's it.”

Looking forward to the weekend (and better weather)!

Blessings, Pastor Henry

Off the Cutting Room Floor

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As I mentioned during my message, I had to leave some sermon material on the cutting room floor for time's sake. Basically, I would have liked to talk more about redemption as restoration. Here's what I cut from my manuscript:

Redemption always involves restoration.

The goal of redemption is to recover what’s been lost, to restore what’s been ruined, and to return what’s been taken captive.

The Survivor Tree was restored—it not only lived, it was replanted where it once stood, at the site of the Twin Towers. At one time it was buried under the concrete, steel and glass of the two towers that fell on it. It was lost and ruined and held down. And there it is today again. It was restored.

And that’s what Christ did. Look at what Paul says in Galatians.

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:4-7)

Look what shaped his language and understanding.

22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” [Purposely ambiguous term meaning service or worship.] (Exodus 4:22-23a)

We are restored into a personal relationship with God. And the restoration of our relationship is only the beginning. We are restored for service and worship. We are being restored for doing good.

Titus 2:14 (NIV) – [Christ] gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

When God gives the law to Israel he says that by keeping it they will show the world how good and wise God is.

5 See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 6 Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8 And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?