Protestant Evangelical Church was just around the corner. What a blessing for these tired bones!
We were greeted warmly and directed upstairs to the balcony where we donned headsets for English translation for this Serbian worship service. Another blessing!
We sang about a dozen songs: Draw Me Nearer, Amazing Grace, Blessed Assurance, There is Power in the Blood, and The Old Rugged Cross were familiar tunes. All of the songs were in Serbian.
The pianist was on a white grand piano sometimes accompanied by a trumpeter. There was a choir of about fifteen people. Their voices filled the space with wonderful harmonies. Three more blessings! Aliluja! Sveti means holy.
School starts tomorrow, and they asked students come forward in order to pray for them in school. We all sang, “This Little Light of Mine.” Actions to this song are universal.
Prayer
Every day and every year God is with us. May God bless our church.
They announced that there would two offerings. Rob was glad to know this so that he could plan. The first one was for charity and the second offering was for the the church.
Scripture Mark 13:24-37
Sermon
This passage explains what it will be like when Jesus comes.
The church has a lot of work to do. We need to be working and not sleeping. Be ready. We have been saved to serve.
For example, when we are off from school in the summer, we must continue to work. We want to do nothing in the summer. But on the first day of school, you must tell what you did during the summer.
We are called to serve and work. Jesus went away and left us with a job to do.
Mt 25:14-30 The Parable of the Talents.
Even if we have just one talent, it is a big blessing. God has so many resources in the church. Our task is to bring fruits to the kingdom of the Lord.
There was a time recorded in Exodus 36:1-7 when people were told to stop giving of their time and talents.
Today, the pastor is asking people to step forward and participate and use their gifts.
Matthew 20:1-16 Parable of the Vineyard
Go to my vineyard. Get your salary. Everyone has a job. Everyone is paid. Every job is important. Pray for God to bring the workers.
Our greatest task is to bring people to the kingdom of God.
Come to me, not just to follow and listen, but bring people to Him. Be a hunter of men. When you bring one soul to God, you are amazingly blessed.
Our happiests days are when we sing to the Lord and tell others of His love for us. People make a pledge to bring people to God. Hunt not just heads but hearts.
In the early church, they spoke of God and sang praises. They were kicked out or thrown in jail but they did not complain. They kept on singing and saving. They were together with the Savior. They were called to speak of Him.
Who will bring people to God? That is your calling. You have the power. Testify. You will be my witness. The Holy Spirit is needed to help us.
Pray for people to wake up. Churches are open yet empty. Filling the churches is a long process.
People want to hear. Conversion touches your heart. When your soul changes, everything changes. Growth comes from the Lord.
When children know the difference between good and evil, that is when they believe, not when they reach a certain age. The Word of God should be written on the hearts of the young.
Sunday school and church camps are big blessings. Children are the future. Parents and grandparents have a job to do. Parents help children grow and make godly decisions. Think how important the children are. It is the school of life where they learn about the most important things in life.
Let the children come to me. Where are the children in this church?
“Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.” Psalm 150:6
Worship and praise opens our hearts. Use our talents. Glorify God with musical talent. You must do every thing for God. We will all sing in the angel choir someday.
Assignment: We must learn to serve God in all that we do.
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” Colossians 3:23
Do it with full heart. Jesus will bless that. Mothers have a hard job of maintaining a Christian home.
Everything that we do must be the picture of Jesus. They don’t care about our professions. We must be different than our co-workers who aren’t believers. Our difference is attractive to non-believers. In the workplace, allow God to help us. Be faithful in little and He will bless us in that.
Fellowship
We met Claudia and her daughter, Rebecca. Claudia, originally from New Jersey, is married to a Serb and teaches English. Claudia says that life here is difficult because there are no set rules. You might have a job but sometimes you don’t get paid. There is a lot of corruption on all levels. Everyone has two jobs.
For example, she has a friend who sells honey. He had to get a certificate. He went to the office 21 times before he was given the certificate. The official issuing the certificate was waiting for a bribe!!
After Church
We try to have Sundays be a day that we relax, rest and read. During that time, I came across a book that I will buy and put in my library in Virginia Beach for our guests to read. It is called Sailing Acts by Linford Stutzman (2006). He and his wife sailed to all the ports that Paul went on his missionary journeys. They sold everything and prepared for this journey. Then they wrote about it. Sounds kind of familiar!!
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