Some of you have experience with assembly type of work. While there are some advantages with assembly line work, there are some disadvantages. For instance, it is possible for a person to work the job and never know how important their work is to the whole. After graduating from dental technician school, I started in the casting room where we melted gold or nonprecious metal to create crowns. Over time I worked every phase of making a crown from pouring the impressions to actually shaping the final crown. Eventually I became a Certified Dental Technician and because I had spent time in all the steps to making a crown it was easy for me to understand the importance of each part to the whole project.
     When I became responsible for managing a laboratory myself, I made it my priority to help the team members understand the value each person had to the job. In the church we need to realize that we are part of the same team working and moving in the same direction. Whatever our individual contribution to the Lord’s work may be, it is vital to the strengthening and building up the church. Some Christians see themselves of only having a few talents and never realizing the job they are doing, however small it may be, is important and genuinely benefits the whole. 

Clark Tatum

If the Lord were to come right now, would you know for sure, without a doubt you would go to Heaven?   Christians are always trying to help people answer that question with an exclamation point based on God’s Word. God says you can know for sure (1 John 5:13). If you were already a Christian and Heaven bound what would you do if you knew you had only a week to live? How would you spend those final hours? Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of his love (John 13:1) When Jesus had one week to live, He chose to wash His disciples’ feet. He did the work of a common slave. He ministered to those who were closest to Him. He washed their feet (John 13), He comforted them (John 14), He encouraged them (John 15-16), prayed for them (John 17), and then He died for them. He spent the last week of His life fulfilling His purpose; He spent the last week of His life being a servant.  The Bible tells us “…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

Clark Tatum

    How is this for our 2019 congregational theme? Let Your Light Be Seen in 2019. Light is characteristic of the people of Jesus in its total brightness and warmth. Jesus’ influence makes us genuine and pure and able to shine into the darkness of the world. Christ is the Light of the world and it is His light in us that enables us to shine for His glory.
    The children sing, “This little light of mine I’m going to let it shine…”, but these words provide an accurate truth for all the people of God. Jesus is the Light of the World. No light can radiate brightness and warmth without consuming itself. After Jesus rose the from the grave, He sent his disciples out to be an extension of His light in this world.
    We are going to be traveling through “The Beatitudes” in our Sunday morning lessons together. The attitudes we find we are to develop in the first part of Matthew Chapter Five will help generate the shining light we are to have as God’s people. I will emphasize in these lessons what it means to let our lights shine and how we can do it. No “ifs, ands, or buts about it,” my genuineness as a follower of Jesus is measured by the degree this little light of mine shines for Jesus.

Clark Tatum