Prelude *Hymn I Love to Tell the Story 156 Affirmation of Faith (The Apostle’s Creed) 881 WelcomeHymn Majesty 176Hymn Open Our Eyes Sharing Praises & ConcernTime of Personal Prayer Pastoral Prayer (followed by the Lord’s Prayer) Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.Hymn Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross 301Tithes and Offering *Doxology*Scripture Revelation 2: 1 - 7Message Remember, Repent, Do Rock Stone*Response Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us 381*Congregation please stand as able

Our Mission Statement:Bringing people to Jesus through worship, teaching and fellowship, and

striving to make active growing disciples for the glory of God.

February 17, 2013First Sunday of Lent

The season of Lent is a time for Spiritual renewal through repentance and growth in the Faith of Easter. It consists of 40 days beginning with Ash Wednesday (excluding Sundays) and ends on Easter at sun rise. It is the time of the church year when the Passion of and the Death of Christ come into focus. Lent is to be a period of self denial and fasting and a time of Spiritual discipline.

Well, here we are once again making a spiritual journey together, this time it is the season of Lent. We began our journey Wednesday night as some of us gathered for our Ash Wednesday service. This year our theme for Ash Wednesday was to die to our self. I challenged us to die not only to self but challenged us a church to die spiritually during these next 40 days (excluding Sundays) so that we might rise anew on Easter morning. During the season of Lent I attempt to have a sermon series that will enable us to make the Lenten journey one that helps us during our time of spiritual renewal and repentance. Typically these series would focus on the teachings of Jesus and often follow Him and His ministry for the last few weeks or days of His life. This year our series will be completely different. Instead of following Jesus during His last few days of life we will take a look at some of the last words that we have recorded that Jesus spoke but these are found in The Revelation. The Apostle John was given The Revelation and in it Jesus spoke and gave seven letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor. These seven letters and seven churches will make up our sermon series during Lent. It is my hope and prayer that when we finish with these letters at the close of our Lenten journey we will have died to our old selves and are ready to celebrate not only the Resurrection of Christ on Easter but also experience a renewal and resurrection of a new church here at Macedonia UMC, “The Church on The Lake.”

This morning we begin the series with the first letter and that letter was written to the church at Ephesus. Ephesus was the greatest and wealthiest city in Asia Minor. It was on the highway to the Roman Harbor of Asia. Ephesus was a city that was overwhelmed with pagan worship. The church there had allowed paganism to weaken its influence and apparently caused the church to drift away from Christ. Christ gives the church three commands. “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:4-5a, NIV 1984) Jesus said they were to remember, repent and do! The church at Ephesus had forsaken its first love. They no doubt had allowed the worldly influence to cause them to drift and fall back into the darkness of sin. Jesus said they were to remember from whence they came. Once they remembered they were to repent and do those things they did first. What could have been the things that Jesus referenced? Do you remember when you first came to Christ? Do you remember how you felt when Christ called you from your own darkness of sin? I believe that is what Jesus would have the church at Ephesus do again. It is important for us from time to time to remember just where Christ brought us from. It is important for us to repent from our own drifting and it is important for us to be about the Father’s business.

One last thing that I would like for us to take note of from this first letter and that is what Jesus says in the last part of verse five; “If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.” (IBID v.5b) The lamp stand is symbolic of the church. Jesus says that if they did not repent He would come and remove the church. It is a serious thing to be playing church. It is imperative that we be about the Father’s business, it is imperative that we be living a life worthy of our calling. Shalom

PRAYER REQUESTSThe Lost and Unchurched, Our Homebound: Elsie Guy, Bobbie Morrow, Joe Robertson, Corendene Rushing, Betty Weissinger, Susan Shirley, Evonne Brown, Duffy Hagler, Jack Hagler (Patty Jean & Nina’s brother), Carolyn Gunter, Eloise Medders (Minor’s sister), Frank Landry (Lin’s brother), Elvie Darden (Joe Ed’s aunt), Jewel Walters, Sara Lee, Mandy Latner, Jack & Naomi Brown, Nellie Ray, Tracy Brown, Robert, Peggy Atkinson, Charlie Smelly, Troy Turner, Linda Smelly, Darlene Hall, David Hall, JB Hall, Willie Turner, Barbara Woods, Shelby Brown, Shelly Cleckler, Nelda Lemley, Debbie Medders, Jeanette Sellers, Mark Davis, Faye Kirkley (Tracy’s mother), Paul Evans family, American Leaders, Military, Our Nation, Our Church

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH:

Worship on the Water (WoW) 8:30 a.m.Sunday School 10:00 a.m.Sunday Morning Worship Service 11:00 a.m.Sunday Evening Worship Service 6:00 p.m. Wednesday night Bible Study 7:00 p.m.

For those who bought the devotional book

The Way by Adam Hamilton we will go through that on Sunday nights during Lent. I hope that you will join us for this important sermon series during Lent.   

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

Thur 2/21 Missions Team Meeting 4:45 p.m.

Macedonia United Methodist Church

“The Church on the Lake”14837 Hwy 69 N, Northport, AL 35475

205.339.6360 (Office) 205.339.6610 (Fax)thechurchonthelakeumc.org

PASTOR: Rock Stone

February 17, 2013

Bro. Rock: 205-792-3301 (Cell) E-mail: rockpreach@aol.comChurch E-mail: pastor@thechurchonthelakeumc.org

Church Office E-mail: secretary@thechurchonthelakeumc.org