In this blog, we'll focus on the working being done at Sligo Presbyterian Church, Sligo, Pennsylvania. We'll also look at what's happening in Sligo, Rimersburg, Clarion, and all the other communities served by our congregation.
During the season of Advent, we talked about how we might unwrap some of the gifts given to us by God through Jesus Christ. Well, now that Christmas is over, we're going to shift gears and consider the gifts we might offer God. Beginning on Sunday, December 28, we started to consider the following:
During the season of Advent, we talked about how we might unwrap some of the gifts given to us by God through Jesus Christ. Well, now that Christmas is over, we're going to shift gears and consider the gifts we might offer God. Beginning on Sunday, December 28, we'll consider the following:
During the season of Advent, we talked about how we might unwrap some of the gifts given to us by God through Jesus Christ. Well, now that Christmas is over, we're going to shift gears and consider the gifts we might offer God. Beginning on Sunday, December 28, we'll consider the following:
Now, I hope everybody had an outstanding Christmas. I know mine was pretty uneventful: no yelling, no screaming, no crying. We simply got up, opened presents, ate about a quarter of a stuffed turkey, and then Maggie drove back to Pittsburgh. But even her leaving wasn’t dramatic; she didn’t want to run into the bad weather they were calling for on Friday. And now, with Debbie in Indianapolis visiting her family, it’s just Coco Chanel and me. And I’ve got to tell you, we’re just about as uneventful as you can get.
And you know, because Christmas 2025 is now in the books, so is the sermon series that carried us through the very end of November and most of December. You see, during Advent we focused on four “gifts” God has given us, namely hope, peace, joy, and love. And during the Christmas Eve service, we sort of brought it all together by focusing on Jesus Christ, the greatest gift of all. In other words, for the last month or so, we’ve been receivers.
But now that Christmas is over, we’re going to shift gears just a little bit and talk about how we might be givers, you know what are some gifts we can offer God. You see, in the time between right now and the beginning of Lent, we’re going to look at eight gifts that we can offer God, and I’m talking about things like praise and attention, time and talents, treasures and energy, enthusiasm and love. Now, in my opinion, these are all gifts that we have the ability to offer. And as we discuss each one, we’ll focus on these two questions: Why should we offer this to God and How might the offer be made.
And like I just said, we’re going to start with the gift of praise. And you know, given what we’ve just gone through, that really makes sense. I mean, we’ve been talking about some of those wonderful things that God has given us. And for me, it just makes sense that the first thing we can offer back to him is simple appreciation for everything that he’s given and simple thanks for his willingness to give it. I’ll tell you, it’s not all that different from sending out “thank you” cards after Christmas. You see, that’s what I have in mind when I talk about offering praise to God. And as we explore this gift for the next fifteen minutes or so, we’ll be answering the questions I mentioned just a minute ago. You see, first, we’ll consider this, why should we offer God our gift of praise? And then, second, we’ll discuss the question, how might we offer God this very special gift? And hopefully, by the end of our time together, we’ll have a much firmer grasp on what this praise business is all about.
And like I said, for me, it all starts with the first question: Why should we offer God our gift of praise? In other words, what can motivate us to show our appreciation and to express our thanks to God? In fact, why is it important to offer God praise at all, a question that makes a lot of sense if we’ve bought into the idea that God really hasn’t given us anything that we haven’t already earned: and I’m talking about earned by our ability to find him and to accept him as Lord and to make him our Savior and then to give him our lives and our hearts and our minds? I mean, when we have a job, the boss doesn’t give us a gift at the end of the month, and we’re sure not obligated to offer him praise and thanks for paying us for work done. But of course, that’s not the way it is with God. He’s not an employer paying wages. Instead, he’s more like a benevolent lord or a loving father offering his children gifts, something that I believe the Psalmist understood when he wrote this:
Shout praises to the Lord, everyone on this earth. Be joyful and sing as you come in to worship the Lord!
You know the Lord is God!
He created us,
and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep in his pasture.
Be thankful and praise the Lord as you enter his temple. The Lord is good! His love and faithfulness will last forever. [Psalm 100:1-5, CEV]
Now, that’s what the psalmist wrote; therefore, the Lord isn’t like this heavenly Ebenezer Scrooge who pays Bob Cratchit 15 shillings a week, and I’m talking about the one whom we all know doesn’t deserve a toast much less appreciation. Instead, I think we have two excellent reasons for offering God our gift of praise.
I mean, for one, we can certainly praise God for who he is, and I’m talking about the qualities that he possesses that makes appreciation and thanks seem natural and right. You see, within himself, God has both perfect freedom and absolute love. Let me tell you what I mean. With respect to freedom, God is free from all those things that limit us. For example, with respect to power, he’s omnipotent. And with respect to time, he’s eternal. And with respect to knowledge, there’s absolutely nothing he doesn’t know. No wonder the prophet Jeremiah said, “Lord God, you stretched out your mighty arm and made the sky and the earth. You can do anything.” [Jeremiah 32:17, CEV] I’m telling you, while we’re limited in everything, God’s freedom is perfect. And as to his love, man, it’s absolute. His mercy is unquestionable. And his compassion is unconditional. And his grace is unchanging. And you know, I think that’s why Paul could tell the Romans that “nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” [Romans 8:39b, CEV] In fact, it’s like the psalmist said,
I will praise you, my God and King, and always honor your name. I will praise you each day and always honor your name. You are wonderful, Lord, and you deserve all praise, because you are much greater than anyone can understand.
You are merciful, Lord! You are kind and patient and always loving. You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation.
I will praise you, Lord, and everyone will respect your holy name forever. [Psalm 145:1-3, 8-9, 21, CEV]
You see, for one, we can certainly praise God for who he is.
And two, we can also praise and thank him for what he does. I mean, just think about what he’s done for us. When we felt discouraged and afraid, he offered us hope by reminding us that our destiny is in his hands. And when we felt frustrated and angry, he offered us peace by reminding us that he was in control. And when we felt sad and overwhelmed, he offered us joy by reminding us that we are never alone. And when we felt ignored and neglected, he offered us love by reminding us that we are his children by his choice, not ours. You see, for that and for so many other things, we can be thankful, something that, again, the psalmist expressed when he said this:
Some of you were lost in the scorching desert, far from a town. You were hungry and thirsty and about to give up. You were in serious trouble, but you prayed to the Lord, and he rescued you. At once he brought you to a town. You should praise the Lord for his love and for the wonderful things he does for all of us. To everyone who is thirsty, he gives something to drink; to everyone who is hungry, he gives good things to eat. [Psalm 107:4-9,CEV]
You see, along with who he is, we can certainly thank God for what he does. And I’ll tell you, I believe that’s why we should offer God our gift of praise, the answer to our first question.
Which leaves us with question number two: How might we offer God our gift of praise? I mean, how can we express to God just how much we appreciate who he is and just how thankful we are for everything that he’s done? In other words, how can we put into words and actions the sort of feeling expressed, again, by the psalmist, when he wrote this:
Shout praises to the Lord! Praise God in his temple. Praise him in heaven, his mighty fortress. Praise our God! His deeds are wonderful, too marvelous to describe.
Praise God with trumpets and all kinds of harps. Praise him with tambourines and dancing, with stringed instruments and woodwinds. Praise God with cymbals, with clashing cymbals. Let every living creature praise the Lord. Shout praises to the Lord! [Psalm 150:1-6, CEV]
Now that’s what the psalmist said. And even though what he’s describing is really one form of worship, I don’t think that’s the only way we can express our praise to God.
I mean, on one hand, if we’re serious about offering God our gift of praise, we can certainly do it together. I mean, as described by the psalmist, we can praise God through instruments played and songs sung and prayers prayed. And even though it’s probably not a very Presbyterian thing to do, we can even express our appreciation and thanks for who God is and what he’s done by doing some radical stuff like raising our hands and dancing in the aisles and saying “Amen.” Of course, since we are Presbyterians, we’ll need to do it decently and in order, after referring it to the Worship Team so that it might be considered by the Session and maybe approved by Presbytery. And that should take no more than six or seven months. There’s a reason we’re often called “God’s frozen people.” But be that as it may, worship right here and right now in this space and at this time surrounded by our brothers and sisters is certainly a place we can praise God. And I’ll tell you, I think the writer of the Letter to Hebrews would agree, because, based on what he said, he was concerned about a trend in saw in the ancient church, and see if this sounds familiar:
So let’s come near God with pure hearts and a confidence that comes from having faith. Let’s keep our hearts pure, our consciences free from evil, and our bodies washed with clean water. We must hold tightly to the hope we say is ours. After all, we can trust the one who made the agreement with us. We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. Some people have given up the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer. [Hebrews 10:22-25, CEV]
You see, on one hand, we can praise God together.
But you know, that’s not the only way, because, on the other hand, we can also praise the Lord all by ourselves. You see, through personal prayer, I can express just how much I appreciate God loving me before he laid the foundations of the universe. And through personal devotions, I can connect with God in a way that’s free from distractions and noise. And through personal acts of kindness and generosity, I can show the one who’s already given me far more than I could have earned on my own, in fact, far more than I deserve, I can show him that I understand that what I have is to be used, used to express love for God and used to demonstrate love for my neighbor. You see, although worshiping together is really important, we’re trying to fly with only one wing if we neglect the private and personal. And that’s probably why Jesus said this to his disciples:
When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private and will reward you.
When you pray, don’t talk on and on as people do who don’t know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask. [Matthew 6:5-8, CEV]
You see, along with joining together in worship, we can also express our appreciation and thanks in the privacy of our own rooms and our own hearts. And I’ll tell you, I think that’s how we can offer God our gift of praise, the answer to question number two.
Of course, in future weeks, we’ll be discussing all kinds of other gifts we can offer God. For example, next week we’ll talk about how we can offer God our attention, something that I think is pretty difficult to do with all the distractions we face on a daily basis. But you know, for as important as the other seven gifts are, I’ll tell you, in my opinion, it all starts right here, with praise. And of course, this is something we can certainly do. I mean, when we’re willing to appreciate God for who he is and to thank him for what he’s done, then I think we’re going to be anxious to worship him together as well as all by ourselves. And when we do, I believe we’ll be offering to God our gift of praise.
Sacrifices of Praise (Hebrews 13:9-21) - August 24
Living Stones in a Spiritual Temple (1 Peter 2:1-12) - August 31
On Sunday, August 24, we looked at how we need to member that Jesus is our ultimate sacrifice for sin and praise (Hebrews 13:9-21). The discussion and passage is below.
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The First Letter of Peter was written to a church which was confronting certain challenges that it neither chose nor wanted. You see, they were living within a society that didn't share their focus and faith; therefore, they were facing the temptation to compromise what they believed, a situation that seems very similar to what we face as we try to be the church of Jesus Christ within a society that doesn't understand our fundamental values and motivation. And that's the reason we'll look at what Peter had to say about how Christians might be the church in a challenging world.
The Church Praises (1 Peter 1:3-9) - April 16
The Church Remembers (1 Peter 1:17-23) - April 23
The Church Grows (1 Peter 2:2-10) - April 30
The Church Resists (1 Peter 2:11-17) - May 7
The Church Follows (1 Peter 2:19-25) - May 14
The Church Endures (1 Peter 4:12-14: 5:6-11) - May 21
During the first service in this series, we used 1 Peter 1:3-9 to consider how, when faced with a challenging world, the church praises God. Below is a video of the service, a recording of the sermon and a copy of the bulletin. Next Sunday morning, you can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m.
The First Letter of Peter was written to a church which was confronting certain challenges that it neither chose nor wanted. You see, they were living within a society that didn't share their focus and faith; therefore, they were facing the temptation to compromise what they believed, a situation that seems very similar to what we face as we try to be the church of Jesus Christ within a society that doesn't understand our fundamental values and motivation. And that's the reason we'll look at what Peter had to say about how Christians might be the church in a challenging world.
The Church Praises (1 Peter 1:3-9) - April 16
The Church Remembers (1 Peter 1:17-23) - April 23
The Church Grows (1 Peter 2:2-10) - April 30
The Church Resists (1 Peter 2:11-17) - May 7
The Church Follows (1 Peter 2:19-25) - May 14
The Church Endures (1 Peter 4:12-14: 5:6-11) - May 21
During the first message in this series, we used 1 Peter 1:3-9 to consider how, when faced with a challenging world, the church praises God. Below is a copy and recording of the sermon. Next Sunday morning, you can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m.
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Well, Easter 2023 is in the books. And just speaking for myself, I can now finally exhale, but I recognize that my feelings may be a little different from yours. I mean, even though celebrating Easter may involve doing a lot of stuff y’all don’t usually do, you know, like dying eggs and buying plastic grass and eating peeps, let’s get real, for the most part, the effort and expectations surrounding Easter probably aren’t in the neighborhood of what happens at Christmas, right? Of course, let me be clear; I’m talking about y’all. But for me, the week before Easter is a little like running a marathon, and last Sunday, sometime around 12:30, I broke the tape for another year. Of course, the next big day on the church calendar is Pentecost. It’s coming up on Sunday, May 28. But if you’re talking about work load, the coming of the Holy Spirit doesn’t even move the needle when compared to Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. For a minister, Pentecost is a cakewalk; Easter is an endurance race. But that’s just me.
And since we’re talking about Easter and Pentecost, you know, it’s interesting that during this time between, traditionally, Christians have focused on the early church, you know, on how it was established and started to function in what was really a challenging world. And that’s what we’re going to be doing for the next six weeks. We’re going to take some passages from Peter’s first letter “to God's people who are scattered like foreigners in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” [1 Peter 1:1b, CEV] And we’re going to focus on some of the advice he offered those first century Christians as they faced a world that was challenging to say the least.
And I’ll tell you, I think that’s probably a pretty good thing for us to do, because I believe that we, the Body of Christ, also face some very real challenges in our world now-a-days. Of course, having said that, I also believe that like most other things in our society, Christians don’t necessarily agree on the nature of the problem. I mean, although we may all see challenges both out there and in here, I’m not sure there’s a lot of consensus as to what they actually are. For example, for some, the challenge faced by the church has everything to do with morality, or maybe better, immorality, because, for them, man, we live in an immoral world. In other words, people all around us are just flouting the moral standards of God, and that’s the problem. For others, though, the challenge facing the church is very different, and it comes down to the fact that our society no longer seems to value things like compassion and mercy and grace anymore, you know, like feeding the hungry and welcoming the stranger and caring for the sick. Now for them, that’s the problem.
But you know, without minimizing either of these two perspectives, personally, I think we may face an even greater challenge as we try to figure out how to be the church in 2023. You see, based on some of the stuff I’ve read, I think the church faces the very real danger of becoming irrelevant in our country and in our world. I mean, if you look at trends, those who identify themselves as being Christian could very well be a minority by 2070, being replaced by those who identify as nothing, something that, by-the-way, has already happened for young people between the ages of eighteen to thirty. Of course, I don’t think we need to study a bunch of graphics to know that. Just look at what’s happening within our own families. And I’ll tell you, I think this is really dangerous, because, if we’re not careful, we may find that even when we stand up and speak out, there won’t be a lot of folks who’ll listen much less care.
But you know, whether it involves blatant immorality or shrinking compassion or growing irrelevance, I think we’d all agree that ours is a challenging world. Therefore, it makes sense to spend some time talking about how we might face it with faith and dedication and hope. And so, this morning, we’re going to start by using 1 Peter 1:3-9 to consider the first way we can be the church in a challenging world and here it is: right here and right now, we can be the church by offering praise, by offering praise to God. Now that’s the first thing we can do. And I’ll tell you, according to Peter, we have two excellent reasons for doing it, both of which I believe will help us confront the challenges we face.
You see, first, according to Peter, we can praise God for what God has done. In other words, when we consider everything that God has either done or promised to do, that gives us a wonderful reason to offer him praise. And I’ll tell you, I think that’s what Peter was getting at when he wrote this:
Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear. You have faith in God, whose power will protect you until the last day. Then he will save you, just as he has always planned to do. [1 Peter 1:3-5, CEV]
Now that’s what Peter wrote, and just think about what it means. God has already done two things for which we can praise him. I mean, God raised Jesus from death, didn’t he; something we remembered and celebrated last week. And you know, this is something Peter compared to baptism when he wrote this a little later in this same letter:
But baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience, because Jesus Christ was raised from death. Christ is now in heaven, where he sits at the right side of God. All angels, authorities, and powers are under his control. [1 Peter 3:21b-22, CEV]
Now, think about this: without our permission or help, God caused Jesus to rise on the third day. God did this, but, according to Peter, that’s not all he did, because he also made us a promise, something that I think can also be seen in those verses I just read. You see, God not only caused Jesus Christ to rise from death, he also caused him to resume his position in heaven, and I’m talking about at the right side of God and over all angels and authorities and powers. And you know, that’s the basis for his promise, and I’m talking about the promise that right now, using the words of Peter, “God has something stored up for [us] in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear.” [1 Peter 1:4, CEV] And this is something we can trust because, again using Peter’s own words, “[we can] have faith in God, whose power will protect [us] until the last day [and] then he will save [us], just as he has always planned to do.” [1 Peter 1:5, CEV] Now along with being able to see the resurrection, this is a promise we have from God himself.
And I’ll tell you, taken together, I think those two things that God has done can really help us as we deal with the challenges we face, because they give us reason to hope. You see, because of the resurrection, we have good reason to hope for a new life, one that’s as real and as tangible as an empty tomb. It’s like Peter said in the passage we’ll look at next week:
Christ was chosen even before the world was created, but because of you, he did not come until these last days. And when he did come, it was to lead you to have faith in God, who raised him from death and honored him in a glorious way. This is why you have put your faith and hope in God. [1 Peter 1:20-21, CEV]
You see, no matter what happens around us, because Christ was raised, we can hope for a new life right now. But that’s not all, because, since the promise was made, we can also hope for a new future, a new future that’s in the gracious and merciful hands of our eternal Father and one that’s grounded in a promise that was also made before the world was created. You see, because of the resurrection and the promise, God gives us hope for a new life and a new future. Now, that’s what God has already done. And I’ll tell you, in the face of a challenging world, that’s the first reason we can praise him.
But, you know, for Peter, I don’t think that’s the only reason, because, second, we can also praise God for what offering praise does, and I’m talking about what offering praise does for us. And I think that’s exactly why Peter wrote this to those Christians who first read his letter:
On that day you will be glad, even if you have to go through many hard trials for a while. Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. They will show that you will be given praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns. You have never seen Jesus, and you don't see him now. But still you love him and have faith in him, and no words can tell how glad and happy you are to be saved. This is why you have faith. [1 Peter 1:6-9, CEV]
Now that’s what he wrote. In other words, for Peter, the very act of praising God affects us.
As a matter of fact, it can actually change us in a very profound way. Let me explain. You see, when our minds are focused on what God has done and on what God has promised, that changes the way we see and interpret the lives we’re living. And for Peter, that’s particularly true when we’re facing trials and troubles and challenges. You see, when we decide to trust the one who raised Christ and who will do the same for us, when we decide to trust in his love and mercy and grace, no longer will we see trials as a form of punishment but rather as a way to grow and to improve. It’s like what happens to gold when it’s refined. The impurities are burnt off and what’s left is pure. But that’s only going to happen when the fire is hot, right? And that’s exactly what Peter wrote is happening to us. Our faith is being tested, it’s being refined in fire. And in the end, we’ll have something that’s more valuable and more durable than gold. Now that’s what Peter believed. In other words, when we praise God, it offers us a perspective on the challenges we face that we may never have considered before.
And I’ll tell you something, that changed perspective can keep us moving, and I’m talking about moving forward despite the garbage we might have to deal with along the way. You see, it can keep us moving with faith, confident that, with the help of God, we’ll be able to do more than just endure; we’ll be able overcome whatever obstacles have been set up before us. As a matter of fact, we’ll be able to exactly what Peter told his church to do when he wrote this:
Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the Lord's followers are suffering just as you are. [1 Peter 5:8-9, CEV]
Man, as we praise God, we’ll be able to move forward with faith, but I think we’ll also be able to do it with joy, believing that Peter knew exactly what he was talking about when he wrote this a little later in his letter:
Dear friends, don't be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire. Be glad for the chance to suffer as Christ suffered. It will prepare you for even greater happiness when he makes his glorious return. [1 Peter 4:12-13, CEV]
You see, because it can change the way we see trials and trouble, our decision to praise God can keep us moving forward with both faith and joy. Now, that’s what offering praise does. And I’ll tell you, in the face of a challenging world, that the second reason we can praise him.
And you know, that’s a good thing, because I think most of us believe that, as followers of Jesus Christ, we face a world with a whole bunch of challenges. I mean, whether it’s because of blatant immorality or shrinking compassion or growing irrelevance or something else, maybe something more personal, we really need to do what the Body of Christ has always had to do, right from its birth. We’re going to have to figure out how to be the church in the world that we have even if it’s not the one that we want. But here’s some positive news, I think we can find some pretty good insight from a man who wrote to a church that I believe could identify with our problem. And as Peter started his letter to them and to us, before saying anything else, he told them and us to keep on praising God for what God has done, because it can offer us hope. And he told them and us to keep on praising God for what praise can do, because praising can move us into the future. You see, we can praise. And that’s the first way we can be the church in a challenging world.
