An Inconvenient Truth

April 22, 2007
Second Sunday After Easter
Earth Day
from Acts 9:1-20 and Revelation 5:11-14

My sermon outline:

• Al Gore’s movie on Global Warming. (tell me about it). Increasing CO2, temp, affects atmosphere, polar caps, ocean currents, weather patterns, etc. etc. etc.

Debated whether humans caused it or not; debated whether humans can do anything about it or not, however it exists and it affects our lives and the lives of the next generations.

Therefore, propose the activists, we *change our lifestyle as we hope for the future*. We take steps to reduce CO2 output and plant more stuff (CO2 scrubbers).

Inconvenient truth is that regardless of how it started, it exists and we can do something.

• Ananias in Acts 9:13-14 (really, 10-20) faces an inconvenient truth: God tells him “Go” and he doesn’t say “no” but voices his concern: the man you send me to is the instrument of men who seek to silence us. Implied (and confirmed by his obedience) is “where you lead me I will follow. As you wish. Your wish is my command.” Set aside personal objections / fears and go ahead.

• The Rest Of The Story: Acts 9:21-31. Saul goes to Jerusalem, disciples reject b/c fear, but Barnabas vouches for him, the community gets accepts him, and the church “was built up... and increased in numbers.” A few leaders encouraging the community and the unthinkable is accomplished.

• Inconvenient Truth and SCUMC: Our congregation is facing some GW-like issues: life as we know it is not sustainable: our membership is eking along, our giving is meeting about half our needs, and we’re standing on the threshold of needing to re-lead the windows.

As with GW there is debate about cause (of GW, of window deterioration / Lexan)

• We must face this as Gore proposes facing GW: change our lifestyle as we hope for future.

• We must face this as Ananias: aware of what we face, going forward

• We must face this as Acts church: in unity behind a Barnabas, so that as a community we may see the church built up (literally) and the membership increase.

• Open our eyes to your possibilities, Lord (Hymn 454)


- Pastor Kerry
This Sunday: 56 in worship.