Welcome to LAFUMC

715 Diamond Drive, Los Alamos, NM

505-662-6277

Sermons

"IT'S ALL GOOD - AND
WORTHY OF THANKSGIVING!"
TRIPLE SCRIPTURE TEXTS:
GENESIS 1:1, PSALM 119:105, REVELATION 22:21

DAVE RING, PASTOR
LOS ALAMOS 1ST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 23, 2008
"BIBLE SUNDAY" & "PRE-THANKSGIVING SUNDAY"

Today, November 23rd, is officially termed "Bible Sunday" on my United Methodist planning calendar. United Methodists are Bible-believing Christians. We may not always "thump" our Bibles quite as loudly as some other Christian groups, but there is no question that we do believe the Bible - all of the Bible. It's God's Word of truth to us.
Today is also the Sunday prior to our national holiday of Thanksgiving to God for all His wonderful provision to us. One of the greatest of all God's innumerable gifts to us is His Holy Word - the Bible.
This being both those occasions, I'd like to use today's message to lead you on a grand excursion through the Bible - all the way from Genesis to Revelation and everywhere in-between. But with only a short time to do so, that really isn't possible. So instead, I'm going to examine three "samples" from the Bible with you this morning - at the very beginning, in the exact center, and at the final conclusion. I'll trust you to fill in the gaps - by reading the rest. As the title of this message proclaims, "It's all good!"
Let's begin at the beginning - Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." I share with you four observations on Genesis 1:1 - and provide you some "blanks" for you to add any notes you might wish to make.

1. "In the beginning God" ______________________

2. God created; God is "active"__________________

3. All creation is God's; all is good _______________

4. God's role as creator is not to be usurped________

Now let's move to the very center of the Bible - the exact "middle verse" thereof. I've preached on this verse before; it's unashamedly one of my favorites: Psalm 119:105. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Actually, on this one, I prefer the majesty of traditional "King James" English: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Four observations on Psalm 119:105:

1. It's God's Word, not man's __________________

2. Words, especially God's Word, can change lives ___________________________________________

3. A "lamp" and a "light" _______________________

4. One step at a time __________________________

Finally, let's consider the final verse of the Bible, Revelation 22:21, "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen." Once again, I personally prefer a different Bible version than the New International on this particular verse. The New Revised Standard's rendering of this is: "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen." Four observations on Revelation 22:21:

1. The Bible starts with God and ends with Jesus ___________________________________________

2. It's all about grace _________________________

3. Grace is given to the "saints" - to all God's people ___________________________________________

4. Amen: "That's how it really is!"________________

The Bible. Read it, learn it, live it. It's all good - and worthy of Thanksgiving! Amen.

Back to Church Sermons Table of Contents