© Windstar Embroidery Designs
“The mercy of God is ultimately seen in Jesus Christ!”
(Bruce L. Persons)
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© Windstar Embroidery Designs
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Deaf Fellowship at Frederick Church of the Brethren invited me to fill the pulpit for Rev. Peter Myers, and I preached a message this past Sunday on Luke 18:9-14. It is my prayer that this message will bless and challenge you, and also enrich your personal walk with our Lord the Savior! If you ever want me to preach at your church or an event, please click here to contact me.
A special thanks is in order for Deaf Fellowship at Frederick Church of the Brethren for recording this sermon as a part of their ongoing "virtual" ministry. However, due to unforeseeable technical difficulties, the beginning of my sermon was not recorded. For that reason, I decided to write up a rough transcript of what I said at the beginning:
Hello brothers and sisters in Christ! It is a honor, joy, and privilege for me to join you this morning to worship our Almighty God and to share His Word with you. I wanted to thank the Deaf Fellowship Steering Team for inviting me to preach this morning. I also wanted to thank Pastor Peter Myers for entrusting me with this pulpit in his absence because it is a sacred spot where the Word of God is proclaimed and preached in this church and throughout the world.
Let us begin with a word of prayer... [PRAYER]
You might notice the title for our sermon today, as indicated on the screen, is "Kyrie Eleison!" I'm going to teach you a Greek phrase this morning, and it is important for us to understand the rest of the message. "Kyrie" means "Lord," and "Eleison" means "have mercy!" Put together, it means "Lord, have mercy," and it is often recited in various liturgical churches (especially the Greek Orthodox Church).
But before we begin, I want to share a story. Just imagine that you are in a beautiful sanctuary with many stained glass windows, similar to the Washington National Cathedral (if you have already visited it). This place is massive, beautiful, and breathtaking every time you are here.
Two men came to the church one Sunday morning. Let me introduce you to the first man: Jim. He is an elderly member of the church and a devout husband of one wife. He also has two grown children and several grandchildren.
He is also very dedicated to your church and the surrounding community. He is a gifted (and popular too!) teacher for the Sunday School program, and you love to listen to him whenever he teaches. He also gives double or triple the amount of tithe to the church and even more to the local community. On the top of that, he volunteers his free time for various charitable organizations. He is well-respected and well-liked within the church and also in the larger community. Because he is the prime example of how a Christian should look and behave, you admire and respect him for his piety and dedication to the Lord. You are glad to see him there in church.
Then there is a second man, and his name is Danny. He looks young, maybe a mid-aged man. He has light brown hair and a somewhat unkempt appearance (he hadn't shaved that morning and his shirt was slightly wrinkled as well). But were you glad to see him in the church? No...
[Click on the video for the rest of the message!]
Scripture: Luke 18:9-14
Preacher: Bruce L. Persons
Date: 12/29/2013
Location: Deaf Fellowship at Frederick Church of the Brethren
Presented in American Sign Language, along with a voice interpretation in EnglishI would love to hear how this sermon has impacted, blessed, and challenged you. After viewing the video, and if you have any comments, questions, or thoughts about the message, please do not hesitate to leave a comment right below. If you prefer to contact me privately, please click here to do so.
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