The Lighthouse Keeper

Greetings from Pastor Kerry, former pastor of Spring City UMC. This blog contains my sermon outlines and/or manuscripts from my pastorate among the people of Spring City PA, from 2006 to 2011. Pastor Dennis is now the lighthouse keeper. Come and worship on Sundays at 10:00 a.m.! www.springcityumc.org

Sunday, February 06, 2011

How Do I Live Without You?

February 6, 2011
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Souper Bowl of Caring


How Do I Live Without You?
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
...God has prepared things for those who love him that no eye has seen, or ear has heard, or that haven’t crossed the mind of any human being... – 1 Corinthians 2:9


My sermon outline:
• 1997 Movie CON AIR (Nic Cage, Monica Potter)
Not exactly a blockbuster movie, but one of my favorites.
The movie is about Cameron Poe, who’s been in prison for killing a man in self-defense. He's out on parole when his transport gets hijacked while he’s on his way home to his wife & his 7year old daughter who was born while he was in prison... touching reunion scene at the end which never fails to make me cry, except for the song... Trisha Yearwood sings How Do I Live Without You?

How do I live without you?
I want to know.
How do I breathe without you
if you ever go?
How do I ever survive?
How do I live?
Songwriter: Diane Warren

Background, this movie (& song) came out 7 months after the death of my wife Tricia, and I was still alive. As much as I loved her and as much sorrow as I felt over her death, I was still alive. I didn’t stop breathing. I survived. & song took on a whiny feel for me. kwityerwhining, you’re not gonna die, you’re going to be sad but you’re not going to die.

• Paul... writing to church of Corinth, who he’d established a few years before & was writing to now in his absence & in their distress... It was not me, not my presence or cleverness or words or wisdom that bound you together, that saved you... it is one thing and one thing only, it is Christ crucified, let there be no mistake about it. The proclamation of the love of Jesus Christ & the forgiveness of sins & reconciliation available because of his crucifixion, this is the be-all and end-all. Question the current circumstances but TRUST GOD WHO “HAS PREPARED THINGS FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM THAT NO EYE HAS SEEN OR EAR HEARD OR THAT HAVEN’T CROSSED THE MIND OF ANY HUMAN BEING.” (1 Cor. 2:9)

• & Christ wouldn’t want you to bicker about it but to proclaim it loud, from the mountaintops. I remember the first sermon I preached in PA was on Matthew 5:14 light of the world, city on a hill can’t be hidden... Not proclaiming look at me, look at Jesus! Live for Jesus, give every breath in his worship & service & praise.
Celebrate Jesus’ in our lives in the very elements of bread & cup, in which salvation is offered to us, through which Jesus is made known.

How Do I Live Without You? Now if that song were about Jesus, I’m all for it.

• Hymn In The Breaking of the Bread

- Pastor Kerry

This Sunday: 62 in worship.
Communion Sunday
Appointment Announcement: It was announced today that Bishop Peggy Johnson has appointed Pastor Kerry to pastor the church at Campbelltown, beginning July 1, 2011. He has served the church at Spring City for five years and accepts this call with both grief and excitement.

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