Are you “Pentecost Ready?”05/13/12 Mother’s DayLois and Eunice and Paul

The young couple looked with adoration upon their first child, a little boy."You are so beautiful,“they cooed.

A Parable

They looked up from their baby to the lifestyle to which they had become accustomed. Two high paying jobs and exciting, demanding careers. A very expensive home and two brand new sports cars. Vacations in Cancun, Broadway plays and season tickets to all the professional sports teams in their city. Workouts at the health club to stay slim and trim; dinners out at expensive restaurants.

“We have been blessed,” one said. “God has been so good to us.”“God has answered all our prayers,” the other said.“The baby is going to need our church's help to grow up in faith,” one said.“I totally agree,” the other said.

“I see a problem with our independent lifestyle and raising the baby,” one said.“I see the need for things to change now that we have a baby,” the other said.“Raising this baby would mean we would have to grow up, and give up our self-indulgent lifestyle.”“You're right. This baby needs mature parents who will lovehim with all their hearts.”

“Raising this baby would mean that we would have to put a priority on parenting and let the other things be less important. We'd have to change and put the children first.”“That's the sort of parents our baby needs, honey. I totally agree.”“We're so active in our church ... leaders in so many ministries.”“So much of God's work depends upon us.”“We would have to cut back on our church activities and put the baby first.”

“But we gain so much enjoyment out of what we do for the Lord! How can we give any of it up?”

They looked at their calendars, and they were sad, for they were exceedingly busy.

"I know what we should do. We'll go see the pastor.""Honey, I totally agree. Our pastor is so smart, so mature, and knows all about raising kids and being responsible.""Exactly. Our pastor will be able to help us with this challenge of fulfilling our ministry and caring for our baby.“They bundled up the baby and got in the Porsche. They looked with love upon the baby the whole trip to the church. "You are so beautiful," they cooed.

They left the baby on the pastor's door step, rang the doorbell and sped away.

The pastor opened the door and saw the baby. "Another one!" the pastor thought, picking up the baby. "You are so beautiful!" the pastor told the baby, carrying him through the door into the church.

The pastor opened the door and saw the baby. "Another one!" the pastor thought, picking up the baby. "You are so beautiful!" the pastor told the baby, carrying him through the door into the church.

Through the doorone could hear all the other babies crying.

I believe that this is the heart of the problem that is diminishing the United Methodist Church and other mainline churches: we have an institutional worldview of the church.

Believing that the churchis the best way for baby Christians to grow up is likebelieving that orphanagesare the best way to raise children.

2 Tim 1:6 Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the

laying on of my hands; 7 for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of

power and love and self-control.

How does God give this spirit?

Tim 1:5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now,I am sure, dwells in you.

2 Tim 1:3 I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers. 4 As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filledwith joy.

Parenting is investment...

2 Tim 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and ChristJesus our Lord.

2 Tim 2:1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you haveheard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Our faith is generational.

We “pass it on.” ← 4 generations

Born again Christians … have spiritual parents. They don’t emerge in a vacuum. They are not found under a cabbage leaf,or in a pew. If they’rein church, someone brought them. And someone needs to be looking after them.

We are a functional family of God, where Jesus is Lord and people grow

(up).If it takes a

village to raise a child, then it takes a church

to make a disciple...

The antidote to the institutional world view.

Don't just stand there!

Do something!

Easter

Pentecost

Thanks, Mom!

Cell Parable: The Orphanage

The young couple looked with adoration upon their first child, a little boy."You are so beautiful," they cooed.They looked up from their baby to the lifestyle to which they had become accustomed. Two high paying jobs and exciting, demanding careers. A very expensive home and two brand new Porsche sports cars. Vacations in Cancun, Broadway plays and season tickets to all the professional sports teams in their city. Workouts at the health club to stay slim and trim; dinners out at expensive restaurants."We have been blessed," they said. "God has been so good to us.""God has answered all our prayers.""Our baby is going to need our church's help to grow up in faith.""I totally agree.""I see a problem with our independent lifestyle and raising the baby," one said."I see the need for things to change now that we have a baby," the other said."Raising this baby would mean we would have to grow up, and give up our self-indulgent lifestyle.""You're right. This baby needs mature parents who will love him with all their hearts.""Raising this baby would mean that we would have to put a priority on parenting and let the other things be less important. We'd have to change and put the children first.""That's the sort of parents our baby needs, honey. I totally agree.""We're so active in our church ... leaders in so many ministries.""So much of God's work depends upon us.""We would have to cut back on our church activities and put the baby first.""But we gain so much enjoyment out of what we do for the Lord! How can we give any of it up?"They looked at their calendars, and they were sad, for they were exceedingly busy."I know what we should do. We'll go see the pastor.""Honey, I totally agree. Our pastor is so smart, so mature, and knows all about raising kids and being responsible.""Exactly. Our pastor will be able to help us with this challenge of fulfilling our ministry and caring for our baby."They bundled up the baby and got in the Porsche. They looked with love upon the baby the whole trip to the church. "You are so beautiful," they cooed. They left the baby on the pastor's door step, rang the doorbell and sped away.The pastor opened the door and saw the baby. "Another one!" the pastor thought, picking up the baby. "You are so beautiful!" the pastor told the baby, carrying him through the door into the church. Through the door one could hear all the other babies crying.

From http://www.disciplewalk.com/parable_Orphanage_M.htmlWere you abandoned by your spiritual parents?