October 27, 2019
Pastor Ken asks that our members plan to attend the Charge Conference to be held on Sunday, 11-10 at 3:30 p.m. at Hico First United Methodist Church. Committee chairs are especially asked to attend, and dinner will be provided. Call Leta Sage at our church to reserve your meal. Mark the calendar now so you do not forget.
The November/December Upper Room booklets are here and on the table in the narthex.
Dublin United Methodist along with all the United Methodist in this area will be baking cookies for our military service people for Christmas. You are encouraged to begin early and freeze your cookies. Have a cookie night with your children or grandchildren, it will be a meaningful lesson for the youngsters and a blessing for the troops.
I was relieved to be back in church last Sunday. I am still getting my strength back after having the flu.
DJ Klutts served as Worship Leader and read the scripture lesson from Luke 18:9-14. This scripture tells a parable about two people who went to the temple to pray. One, a Pharisee, stood and prayed aloud about what a good man he was. The other person stood some distance away, he was a tax collector. He prayed with his eyes looking down, he struck his own chest and said, “God, show mercy to me a sinner.” Jesus said that the lowly tax collector was justified rather than the Pharisee.
“All who lift themselves up will be brought low, and those who make themselves low will be lifted up.”
“God, Show Mercy to Me, A Sinner” was the title of Rev Ken Lunsford’s sermon.
This Bible passage starts with the words, “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else.” I think that Jesus wanted His audience to know, that when we compare ourselves to others, we turn religion into a competition. And self-righteousness is not the same thing as holiness. Our identity is based on who God is and the Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy! You cannot know who God is and still hold on to your pride and smugness.
In today’s parable Jesus says, “he went home justified.” What does that mean? It means his sins were forgiven. He got the mercy he prayed for.
So, that is why God sent His perfect, sinless Son, Jesus, to take away the penalty of our sins and make us holy in His eyes.
We believe God’s infinite love is available to all, call us at 254-445-2157 or email at fumcdublintxsecretary@gmail.com , our website is http://fumcdublintx.com .