Church and Worship
Last Sunday at Riverwood
by Jimmy Hopper
What a great, great day of worship last Sunday was at Riverwood! Pastor Lien’s sermon has been on my mind literally since he finished. He brought us yet again to the mighty Gospel of God, this time cutting through the cant of self glorifying religiousity to see it again. I had taught a series entitled “Jesus and the Pharisees” and actually taught a lesson on this passage (Matthew 15:1-20) and never made the connection that Tim did about how totally this “super-Spirituality” permeates our life today and how cleverly it subverts true spirituality. His points about how super-spirituality is used to hide evil, and how the Lord told His disciples (and us) never to follow leaders who are immersed in this; that they are blind and will lead you into a pit, are really stunning. And then the charge: “The realization of personal evil is the preeminent requirement to understanding that we need the mercy of God.”
How very often I’ve hidden behind “super” spirituality. Again I say, “I’ve done that. I’ve done even worse.” It is always “back to the Gospel.” If you weren’t at the service, go here to hear the sermon and here to view the sermon notes.
After worship, we returned in the evening to hear our own Sarah Doss Yarborugh speak of her summer internship in an inter-city ministry in Memphis, TN. in what is the fourth poorest zip code in America. She spoke wonderfully of how much she, a college student from an affluent family, had learned from serving the Lord there. Sarah’s testimony was so unaffected, so sweet, so personal, that it moved and inspired everyone.
Then we heard Chuck and Michelle Tarter speak of their wonderful Gospel Friendships Outreach ministry in Ireland. They spoke of the concept of their ministry and of their personal experiences in bringing the Gospel to the people there as well as their personal coming to and walk with God. It was a great, inspiring time and it certainly caused me to consider the power of God throughout the world given, as it always has been, through His grace and through His servants.
We are so blessed here.
Posted by Jimmy Hopper at August 21, 2007 04:20 PM
Jimmy,
Tim’s sermon pierced my wicked heart as well. This is the thing that I cannot get through my thick head. Even when I am humbled to the core I still don’t get it. Somehow, I always think I am better than I really am. When my heart attains what I call humility, it brags of my ‘accomplishment’ and ruins everything. My sin is so deep, so very deep…and the scary thing is I don’t know the half of it.
Lowell
Read a good G.K. Chesterton quote this morning that reminded me of the sermon as well as Lowell’s comment. It reads, “The one spiritual disease is thinking that one is quite well.”