Mission Community UMC

Of Words and Wildfires

James 3:1-12

What is common with rapper Kanye West, tennis star Serena Williams, Congressman Joe Wilson and President Barack Obama? CARELESS WORDS CAUGHT ON CAMERA. They were all in the news last week because of the words they said that caught the the world’s attention. Many years ago, a high leader of a country was caught saying the F word during a break in a TV interview.

I myself had a really embarrassing experience.  I didn’t notice that my wireless lapel mic was still on after preaching in a worship service. The sound tech was somewhere outside and did not turn off the wireless receiver. I also forgot to turn off my mic. In other words, I was on “broadcast mode” while greeting, talking to people. The mic caught everything I said for more than 15 minutes. It was practically “me” talking in my “usual self” and everyone in the room heard every word I said. I could only wish I didn’t say careless words. It was a learning experience about words. We never know if somebody is listening. We know for sure, however, that God is listening to us.

Today’s passage comes from the book of James. The book’s theme  is “practical Christian living.” James’ focus is not how a person can become a Christian but how anyone could demonstrate that he really is  a Christian. The main idea in the book is that our faith must be proven by our action, attitude and speech. “Faith without works is dead.” In earlier verses he said, ¹⁸… someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”  Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  ¹⁹You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.  ²⁰You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” (James 2:18-20)

James speaks more about the tongue than any other book in the Bible. If James is truly a book for practical Christian living, then there must be something essential about the tongue, our words and living an effective Christian life. Our words have something to do with our faith. Continue reading →

HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP?

Daniel 5:1-31

Introduction

• Experts estimate that if a normal cassette tape is played about 100 times a year, sound quality will deteriorate somewhat after about 10 years. But the tape itself will play on.
• A lightening bolt lasts 45 to 55 microseconds.
• The average running shoe worn by the average runner on an average surface will last 350 to 500 miles.
• A hard pencil can write up to 30,000 words or draw a line more than 30 miles long. Most ball-point pens will draw a line 4,000 to 7,500 feet long.
• Leather combat boots have a wartime life-span of six months, a peacetime life-span of eight months (The army walks during war and peace.)
• A 100-watt incandescent bulb will last about 750 hours; a 25-watt bulb, 2,500 hours. The number of times a light bulb is turned on and off has little to do with its life-span.
• A one-dollar bill lasts approximately 18 months in circulation.
• Practice footballs used by professionals last two to three days—a playing life of perhaps five hours. Home teams are required to provide 24 new balls each game and these last only about six minutes of playing time.
• The projected life-span of a baby born in the U.S. today is about 71 years, nearly double what it was at the end of the 18^th century. In modern time, the longest authenticated life-span of a human being is 115 years, 158 days.

(From Life-spans, or How Long Things Last, Frank Kendig and Richard Hutton, 1979)

You see, everything has a life-span. That includes you and me. But we don’t stop at the mere fact that you and I will one day, sooner or later, have to say goodbye to this world. We ought to be concern about how we should have lived our lifetime when we look back at the end of the day. Continue reading →

The Bible calls the Church “the Body of Christ.” Today, that body is bleeding profusely, says a Christian author and sought-out speaker.

Mon, Jun. 29, 2009 Posted: 05:08 PM EDT

“The next generation of believers is draining from the churches, and it causes me great personal and professional concern,” said Ken Ham, founder and president of Answers in Genesis and a Young Earth creationist.

Hoping to shed light on what he believes is a monumental problem, Ham enlisted the services of America’s Research Group to study why young people were leaving. The results, published in Already Gone, will shake many churches to their very core, Ham states in the new book.

While previous surveys have shown that Christian students tend to quit church during their college years, the data collected by ARG found that most of them were already gone in middle school and high school. continue reading

Thu, Jul. 30, 2009 Posted: 04:14 PM EDT

Early tallies show that United Methodists in the United States are not in favor of restructuring their global body. They’re also against opening membership to all persons without regard to sexual orientation.

Most of the 62 U.S. regional bodies of the United Methodist Church have voted on proposed amendments to the church’s constitution. And so far, about 60 percent are opposed to making the U.S. church one of several regional bodies around the world, according to the United Methodist News Service.

Votes from member churches in Africa, Europe and the Philippines have not come in and won’t be known until next year. Continue reading

On Sunday, July 26, 2009, on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of Mission Community, a group of Cambodian-American Christians will be accepted to the church membership. We are excited about the growing multi-ethnic flavor of MCUMC. A Cambodian-language worship will be held beginning on the first Sunday of August as a new addition to the current Mandarin worship and the English worship. Mission Community will do its best to live up to its name as a mission-minded congregation.

Father Like No Other

Children, do what your parents tell you. This is only right. “Honor your father and mother” is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely, “so you will live well and have a long life.” 4Fathers, don’t exasperate (discourage/provoke) your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master. (Eph 6:1-4 The Message)

Fathers come in different sizes, shapes and colors but they share common purpose and role such as
a. Caring
b. Leading
c. Being involved in the children’s growing up
d. Nurturing and setting example
e. Disciplining
f. Providing
g. Protecting
h. Inspiring
i. Giving hope
j. Blessing Continue reading →

Loosen Up, Let’s Celebrate
Nehemiah 8:1-18

Many of you remember the Watergate scandal of the early ‘70’s. It was about lies, deception and cover-up. As a result, the Watergate scandal cost Richard Nixon his presidency and the respect of many people. I was still a young kid during that time but I saw the news on TV.

All lies are an attack to the truth and our belief system. In our daily life we also encounter many lies as the following:

1. You are destined to fail.
2. You’re a loser.
3. All your efforts are useless.
4. The only way out is to quit.
5. There is no hope for you.
6. Your God is fed-up with you and has given up on you. Continue reading →