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Changing Weakness into Power

A sermon by Robert O. Zehr

How often we wish that we could be more powerful, more assertive, more authoritative commanding better respect. But most of us are caught up in bodies less than perfect with minds and personalities that are flawed. When we become agitated, we fly off the handle, when we become sad we lose it.

We are fearful. We worry. We suffer from depression. We are frail humanity.

Jesus Christ came to earth and joined us in a human body. But more importantly he came showing us that there is power to transform these very weaknesses which cripple us and render us emotional weaklings into super spiritual giants. He did it. He proved that the Father's unlimited strength is available to us! In Christ we are strong.

Our emotions are powerful tools that separate us from the rest of creation. Our capacity to love, to cry to be joyful to feel guilt make us different. These emotions often prove our undoing. They in some respects are our Achilles heels. We are prone to loving in wrong kinds of ways, crying when inappropriate, laughing when we shouldn't!

Look with me at the emotions of Jesus , who of course , is the exact image of the Father. When we see Jesus, we see God the Father. Jesus responds to one of his disciple's question "What is God like or Show us the Father", by saying "He who has seen me has seen the Father". When we become acquainted with Jesus, we become acquainted with the Father. And certainly the emotions of Jesus reflect the Father. As Jesus loved so God loves. We learn how to be the body of Christ to the world by being like Jesus. When we know Jesus and gaze upon his face and fully learn to experience emotions as he did, we begin to know God and we also begin to understand ourselves as God meant us to be. The emotions that evil has tried to corrupt become powerful assets. Praise God!

A. Compassion

Mark 10:13-15

13People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

Mark 1:40-41

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."

41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"

Luke 7:5-13

1Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."

Matthew 9:36

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Out of Christ's compassion came bread, restoration of sight, life to the dead Jesus translated his feelings into action. Effective powerful action.

Are we touched with compassion like Jesus was?

Do we weep over our crime ridden cities?

Tears are not signs of weakness. Tears can show inner strength!

B. ANGER

Mark11:14-17

Then He said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.

15On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written:

" 'My house will be called

a house of prayer for all nations'?

But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

Anger is fire. When we let it burn uncontrolled it can be destructive. Channeled and controlled it becomes a powerful motivation. Jesus anger kindled a flame that warms us and brings life.

Are we angry enough to become involved in doing something about our sinful corrupt surroundings?

Are we angry at sin enough to warn , invite others to grace ,and become a part of the rescue team?

C. GRIEF

Luke 19:41-44

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

John 11:29-36

When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34"Where have you laid him?" he asked.

"Come and see, Lord," they replied.

35Jesus wept.

36Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

Do we love deeply enough to cry?

D. JOY

Luke 10:18-21

He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

21At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

John 15:11

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

John 17:13

"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.

Jesus was truly a man of joy He obeyed the father and endured the cross by focusing on the ultimate joy which was in store.

Hebrews 12:2

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:22

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,

E. LOVE

Love was and is the capstone of Jesus `s emotions. In his ability to love we see the Father. Jesus had compassion, he became angry, he grieved he was happy, all because he loved.

Mark 10:19-21

You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"

20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

21Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Many of us don't know how to love. We distort and twist love. In fact we say love when we really mean lust.

The love of Jesus led him to Calvary.

There he showed the fullest extent of his love. There he made it possible for us to rid ourselves of our greatest weakness- Death. As he arose to Eternal life in all its Power so can we!

John 15:12-15

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

Jesus was not a wimp. He did everything boldly in living color. He was not easy to misunderstand. When we see him dying on the cross it becomes abundantly clear that he REALLY loves us. Jesus invites us to follow him. He invites us to love as he loved. If we do, we must buy the whole package which includes being able to channel our anger our joy our grief and compassion in useful and empowered actions which build the Kingdom of God.

LITANY OF PRAISE FOR THE PLEASANT VALLEY

MENNONITE CHURCH CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

May 27-30,1988

WHAT IS ONE HUNDRED YEARS?

Leader:

Praise be to the Lord, our Rock.

All:

He is our loving God and our Fortress,

our stronghold and our Deliverer,

our Shield in whom we take refuge.

0, Lord, who are we that You care for us?

Leader:

Humanity is like a breath. Our days are like a fleeting shadow. One hundred years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by Or like a watch in the night.

All:

For us one hundred years is a responsibility, a sacred trust.

Almighty God, Our Father, we tremble in your presence that you would entrust us with one hundred years.

Readers #1:

One Hundred Years? What is one hundred years?

Readers #2:

Twelve hundred months, twenty-five leap years, one hundred times of seeding!

Readers #3:

One hundred times of sand plums and strawberries, One hundred springtimes --— times of lilac scented hope.

Readers #1:

Thirty-five thousand, five hundred twenty-six sunrises!

Readers #2:

Three billion, seven hundred eighty-four million, three hundred twenty thousand heart beats!

Readers #3:

Five thousand two hundred Sunday morning worship services!

Pastor:

Twenty-six hundred hours of sermons!

Readers #1:

WOW! A twenty-six hundred hour sermon? !!!!

All:

Thank you Father! You entrusted us with one

hundred seedtimes and one hundred harvests. You entrusted us with Birth. You entrusted us with the growing season You entrusted us with LIFE! You entrusted us with Death. We give you praise! Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Leader:

Father, our Father, you have been our Rock, . Our Comfort through every uncertain and painful storm

When Salome Gerber Beyler died and that first grave

was dug -- a lonely grave by a lonesome railroad track —

you were there!

All:

We give You praise! Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Leader:

As that graveyard filled, one hundred years of tears for Sol and

Ammon and Clayton and Sam and Salome and Stella and Donnie and Ella

and Scott and Wilma and Carl and Hap and Florence and Sylvia and Rena and.....

God! God, You were there!

All:

We give You praise! Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Leader:

Through our tears we see the brilliant sunflowers and the incredibly beautiful butterfly that's resting on the casket spray. The clear call of a meadow-lark rinses the air clean. You are here!

All:

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Readers #3:

If every labor pain and every hurt accumulated in one hundred years were heaped in one pile, we would be overwhelmed. But You only let us hurt one pain and feel one labor pang at a time. The cry of new life has been worth it all!

All:

Praise be to God who sustains our life. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Readers #2 & #3:

Lord, we didn=t record them ---

But You did! The number of the times lovers violated

the covenant between them in word or deed,

The number of times we allowed jealousy or hatred

to mar the fellowship with sister or brother.

Lord, when we thought we couldn”t forgive,

You did!

All:

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Leader:

We thank You, God, for the foundation of our Faith— The rootedness in Christ cherished by, taught by, and passed on by our parents. First the seed, next the greening shoot and then the ripened grain. We thank You, God, for a root system that keeps wheat green even under January’s blanket of snow.

All:

We praise You, God, for roots! Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Leader:

One hundred years is a watch in the night, a day gone by in the

mind of God! For us it has been Birth--Death, generation following generation, the healing Shalom and undeserved Mercy of a loving Father.

All:

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Pastor:

We look for Your soon return, Lord! But should You entrust us with another one hundred years, we commit our tomorrows to You!

Readers #2:

We will plant and harvest the wheat.

All:

If tomorrow comes.

Readers #3:

We will pick sand plums and strawberries.

All:

If tomorrow comes.

Readers #3:

We will rejoice at the cry of birth.

All:

If tomorrow comes.

All:

Our tears will flow at the sadness of death. If tomorrow comes.

Pastor:

But we are not afraid of tomorrows.

We face them with eager anticipation.

We face them rooted in Christ.

All:

We will serve our Risen Lord!

Yes! If tomorrow comes, we’ve only just begun!

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

All:

Praise be to the Lord, our Rock.

He is our loving God and our Fortress, Our Stronghold and our Deliverer,

Our Shield in whom we take refuge. O, Lord, who are we that for one hundred years, You would care for us?

Readers #1:

One hundred years? What is one hundred years?

All:

One hundred years is thirty-six thousand,

five hundred and twenty-six days to praise our Lord!!!

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

by: Robert 0. Zehr 1988

A Service in the Memory of Lance Bergeron

November 25, 1976- November 23, 1998

Prelude The Keeper of the Stars by Tracy Byrd

Paint the Sky with Stars by Enya

Call to Worship

Leader: We have gathered to celebrate the entry of Lance Bergeron into life

Eternal.

People: To affirm with praise and thanksgiving the goodness of the Lord.

Leader: Let us rejoice in God’s presence with us, in death as in life, among those

who mourn as with those who now see Him face to face.

People: Our lips will shout for joy, for His love is over all that He has made.

Blessed be His glorious name forever!

A Hymn of Thanksgiving Now Thank We All Our God # 567

A Song of Praise Praise the Name of Jesus # 121

A Psalm of Comfort Psalm 91 Laurella Bergeron

A Word of Encouragement from the Epistles Romans 8:28-39

Biographical Notes Wayne Triche

Message The Keeper of the Stars Pastor Robert O. Zehr

A Song of Healing There is a Balm in Gilead

Refrain: There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole,

There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.

1. Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work in vain,

But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. (Refrain)

2. If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul,

You can tell the love of Jesus and say,”He died for all.” (Refrain)

Benediction We Will Overcome By Jaci Velasquez

Family and friends are invited to a noon meal here in the church following the service at the cemetery

The Keeper of the Stars

"A Sermon for Lance Bergeron's Funeral"

Stars !

Star light, Star bright

First star I see tonight

I wish I may, I wish I might

Have the wish I wish tonight

How often have you wished on a star?

How often have you received your wish?

To wish on a star is to hope. To hope for something specific.

Stars through the ages have been objects of mystery.

We reach for the stars. Stars represent our dreams.

Many years ago wise men followed a star. After many days of searching but always following, they found a baby nestled in the straw of a manger. They found Jesus. How sad it would have been if they had not claimed that star –if they had not followed that star!

Clouds keep us from seeing our stars.

During World War I a song became popular which echoed this sentiment:

O’er the dark cloud shining . There’s a silver lining

Turn the dark cloud inside out til the boys come home.

Dark clouds come into all our lives. It is assuring to know that on the other side of the darkness is light . Incredible light.

On a recent flight my plane took off in a heavy cloud cover which seemed to last forever. With my nose glued to the window I began to see glimpses of light which suddenly broke into brilliance. We cleared the cloud tops. As far as the eye could see pure white puff balls of wonderful white helped us forget that it was raining on the earth beneath us.

I believe that God gives us stars to increase our vision. God wants us to see beyond our own back yard.

Stars provide a view that reaches all the way to Heaven. For you see stars are star windows into heaven.

Psalm 8:19

O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory

above the heavens.

[2] From the lips of children and infants

you have ordained praise

because of your enemies,

to silence the foe and the avenger.

[3] When I consider your heavens,

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place,

[4] what is man that you are mindful of him,

the son of man that you care for him?

[5] You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and honor.

[6] You made him ruler over the works of your hands;

you put everything under his feet:

[7] all flocks and herds,

and the beasts of the field,

[8] the birds of the air,

and the fish of the sea,

all that swim the paths of the seas.

[9] O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Our God is an awesome God. He knows every star. He knows every wish. He knows our most intimate desires.

The stars are set in their appointed places because God keeps them there. Did you know that it is possible to buy a star? There is a company that for a fee will give you title to a star. You can name it what you will. If you bought one who would keep it for you? Interesting thought!

Could you keep it and maintain it? Could you landscape it? Could you starscape it? No?

Of course God is the Keeper of the stars. He hung them in the nothingness of space and in his keeping they are safe. Did you know that very same God watches over you. Jesus reminds of this in his Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 6:2534

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? [26] Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? [27] Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

[28] "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. [29] Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. [30] If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? [31] So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' [32] For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. [33] But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. [34] Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Our God, the keeper of the stars, is mindful of us. How absolutely wonderful! God is your keeper. Though we go even through the Valley of the Shadow of death, God goes with us. He bears us up on Eagles wings.

And I will raise you up on eagles wings,

bear you on the breath of dawn,

make you shine like the sun,

and hold you in the palm of my hand. #596 Hymnal a Worship Book

Psalm 91:1-16

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust."

Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feather's

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

Nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousaand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

You will only observe it with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

It you make the Most High your dwelling--

even the Lord, who is my refuge--

then no harm will befall you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

for he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways;

They will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;

You will trample the great lion and the serpent.

"Because he loves me, " says the Lord, "I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him;

I will deliver and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him

and show him my salvation."

God is our keeper.

Psalm 147:45

He determines the number of the stars

and calls them each by name.

[5] Great is our Lord and mighty in power;

his understanding has no limit.

Revelation tells us that the 7 churches are 7 stars and God holds them in his right hand. What a blessed position. I believe that God holds you and me in that blessed position. Praise God !

Because we are so loved God asks us to be mindful of Him

. Phillippians 2:1218

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyednot only in my presence, but now much more in my absencecontinue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, [13] for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

[14] Do everything without complaining or arguing, [15] so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe [16] as you hold out the word of lifein order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. [17] But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. [18] So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Experiences like Lances illness and death sometimes make us forget our star. Our hopes can become dimmed. We question, we doubt We operate in the dark. As we grope in our darkness today I point you to Jesus the foundation of our hope. Remember. our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Today we admit our brokeness. Today we own our questions. We must!

Accept God’s gift today–

the gift of healing

and a new star!