The City of God- May 25, 2025

[Music] [Applause] Well, good morning everyone. It is so wonderful to be together in the house of the Lord and I am so glad that you thank Christine Peterson who is once again with us. Thank you for being here. Uh we know that Randy Freeling um is in the uh God's land of Indiana where they Yes. where they have they celebrate Memorial Day in a very rousing way with the Indianapolis 500. So hi Randy, we miss you. Have a great time. Do we have any other hooers here? Yeah, we have a whole delegation over

here. Oh, yay. Well, it's good to see you all and I welcome those who are visiting with us today. So great to have you here with us. I I think that you will find this congregation to be welcoming and really a warm warm fellowship. I would like to also begin because this is Memorial Day weekend. I would like to recognize those who have served in our armed forces. If you are a veteran uh of any one of our branches, would you raise your hand for us, please? Yes, please thank these folks. We thank you for your service and

we remember this day those friends that you have had who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and what we stand for in the United States of America. So that is definitely what we will be remembering this Memorial Day weekend. It is so good to be together. I hope that you have taken time to look at the back of your bulletin because it is filled with all kinds of pretty pictures that mean something that tell you about the many activities that we have going on here at First Presbyterian Church

this summer. among them uh we are continuing with our shiitakqua chapel lunch and learn I know many people have signed up already uh we have excuse me we have filled up that one people love pie Emily wherever I don't there you are yeah you've got a lot of folks who are anxious to learn about how to make a how to bake an award-winning pie if you did not sign up I would recommend that you check with Emily to see if we have any more space. I know we we did remove our signup sheet because it was so full and

uh we're we're excited about that. I must also tell you that because of vacations, travel plans, and because we have so many of our congregation who say, "I wanted to go to that event." Uh, and yet they're snowbirds, so they're up north in Wisconsin or Maine or Vermont or wherever, Michigan, California. We've got you all over the place. Uh, we have suspended Shitakqua Chapel Lunch and Learn through the summer months so that we will come back together again starting in September. So, if you're if

you are thinking, "Oh, I can't be there this summer." It's okay. We're not going to have Shiakwa Chapel during the summer months, but we'll let you know when we get started once again. Now, those of you who are here, I hope you'll notice that there is a friendship pad. There should be a friendship pad on all of the tables. It's red. So, you can sign your name so that we will know that you are worshiping with us. And you will note that there is a basket on the table. That basket is for collecting your

tithes and offering because we do not have a formal time in our service for that. You simply place it in the basket before you leave today. Now, one more thing I am very excited about and that is today we welcomed two brand new members to our church and I'd like to invite them to come up because they would like to meet you right now. Clarence and Barbara, I gave you I gave you a [Music] warning. Please welcome Barbara Jean and Clarence Kolic. We are so glad to have you as a part of our congregation.

Clarence and Barbara met with our elders just this morning and uh and passed the test as we do in our tradition. they are examined and we are so thrilled that God has brought you to be a part of our community. So will you all please welcome your new brother and sister in this church. Thank you. And if you like you may sit down. So we are thrilled. It is so wonderful to see how God is building our faith community, bringing to us individuals that have gifts and talents to add to the kingdom of God. So, we are

very excited about the two of you being a part of our our community, our faith family. I'd like to begin with a prayer. So, will you please join me? Lord, we do thank you for this day. We thank you for the hope and the opportunity that it presents to us to be able to share your love with our friends here as well as when we leave this place that we might be used by your Holy Spirit to continue to share your love with those that you bring to us in our life. Lord God, be with us. Help us to have open ears to hear your still small

voice teaching us and speaking to us this day. For it is in Jesus name we pray these things. Amen. Let's stand and [Music] sing. He is the king. I will praise him. He is exalted forever exalted and I will praise his name. He is the Lord forever. His truth shall reign. Heaven and earth rejoice in his holy name. He is exalted. The king is exed on high. He is exed. The king is exed on high. I will praise him. He is exed forever. Exalted. And I will praise his name. He is the Lord forever. His truth shall reign.

Heaven and earth in his holy name. He is exed. The king is exed on high. He is exed. The king is exed on high. [Music] You are my strength when I am weak. You are the treasure that I seek. You are my all in [Music] all. Seeking you as a precious jewel or to give up I'd be a fool. You are my all in all. Jesus, lamb of God, worthy is your name. Jesus, lamb of God, worthy is your name. [Music] taking my same rising again. I bless your name. You are my all in [Music] all. When I fall down, you pick me up.

When I am dry, you fill my cup. You are my all. [Music] Jesus, lamb of God, worthy is your name. Jesus, lamb of God. Worthy is your name. Jesus, lamb of God. Worthy is your name Jesus lamb of God. Worthy is your name. [Music] One of the beautiful things about our being able to gather together to worship the Lord is that we can bring our prayers to God. That we might join our hearts, our minds in prayer. And uh I I believe that most of you are receiving the prayer chain so that you know of the prayer requests that have been asked of

you. But we would like to open up this time if you should happen to have a prayer of thanksgiving or a prayer request that you would like to make. Um Bob is here. He has the microphone. I know everybody says they have a loud voice, but please do use the microphone so that our folks who are joining us on YouTube or on Facebook may hear as well. Allan, I just want to let y'all know that Diane, my wife, had a major full ankle replacement Friday at Advent and she thought that she was going to be able to come home on

Saturday. Well, that that didn't happen at all. She uh after the anesthesia and all the medicine wore off from the surgery, it was a 4hour surgery. Uh she was in incredible pain all night last night and our oldest daughter Scarlet is up there with her been with her the whole time but she is in severe pain and I ask you to keep her in your prayers. Thank you Alan. Diane please keep Diane in your prayers as she goes through this as they are predicting sixmonth period of rehabilitation. This is an announcement. This man next

to me, you may not recognize him. Anyway, he graduated. Well, Ashton, congratulations. [Applause] And you're going to Advent University next year. Lake Sumpter. You're going to Lake Sumpter. Well, congratulations. We're very excited for you. Definitely something to thank God for and to celebrate. And so you got your hair cut so that you're all ready for it. Anyone else have a particular prayer of thanksgiving or request that you would like to share? Yes. Yes. Okay. This is This is exciting. My husband

Corey uh got a job offered to work with Facebook or Meta. Um and that job is out in Seattle and our move date is early July. So this will be one of my last weeks here. I'll be here for the concert in the end of June. Um so we're really excited and we also know there's a lot of bittersweet moments coming up here. So yeah. Well, it definitely is for us Casey. We will miss you. Thank you. I'll miss you all too. you you've been such a gift to this congregation. So, thank you. Thank you so so much. Everyone,

please welcome and say goodbye to Casey. Of course, we we know that you're going to be back for the patriotic concert, but you know, you've got an open invitation anytime you guys are back this way. It's like about as far away as you can go without being in Hawaii. That's Yeah, that's true. Well, that would be a good one, too. But, well, we're excited for your husband and his new opportunity as well. So, that's great. Please, please share that with him. Do we have anyone else here that has any particular

prayer? It is so good to so see so many of you that we know we have been praying for. We thank God for being with you, helping you to heal. Isn't the body amazing how God has made us so that the body really does want to return to health? So, let us go to the Lord and thank God for these blessings and also continue to pray for those who are in need. Will you join me in the prayers of the people of God? Let us pray. Oh holy God, we do thank you that you have asked us to come to you to share our deepest

fears, concerns, hopes, dreams. And Lord, we do thank you that you are with us, that you have promised, that your Holy Spirit even has searched our hearts, our minds, and already knows what we should be praying for and is praying on our behalf. We thank you for this comfort, Lord. We know that you are aware of the prayers of our hearts that every one of us brought here this day. We thank you for prayers that have been answered. Our loved ones who have gotten healthier and stronger. Lord, we do pray for those who

are facing surgery. All the fears and concerns that go with that. And we we do pray for Diane who has had surgery and others as well. We pray Lord that you will be with her and all of them as they are facing this difficult time of healing. Be with Diane and help her in the pain that she is experiencing. Lord, we also pray for the Brandon family upon the the loss of Fred. We pray um for Debbie Smith who wanted to be with us this day but is having difficulty with her eyes. We pray Lord for um Bernie

Angelica Ty neighbor who is experiencing difficulties as well. Lord, you know every one of our home situations, every one of us who need your healing touch. And we pray that you will be with us. We pray with for those who are traveling. Keep them safe and in your care. And Lord, we do pray for peace. As we turn on our televisions or read the news on our tablets, we continue to pray for those who are in areas of this world where they are experiencing conflict and death and loss of loved ones. Lord, comfort them. Be with

them. We do pray that you will move this world. move those who are in positions that can influence peace that there will be the end of war and bloodshed. Dear God, be with those who are in conflicted situations, whether it is in their family, in their nation, wherever it might be. May we be examples of your peace. May we be peacemakers on this Memorial Day weekend. We think of those who did give their lives for a greater purpose. We thank you for their sacrifice. Lord, we pray for the families who are

remembering them now and we do pray that their memory will be a blessing to them and to all of us. For we thank you for this and pray all of these things in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the one who taught us how to pray by saying, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Let's stand and sing again. [Music] Make me a ser and weak Lord. Let me lift up those who are weak. And may the prayer of my heart always be. Make me a ser. Make me a ser today. Make me a ser andord. Let me lift up those who are weak. And may the prayers of my heart Make me a ser of meant today. [Music] from your slumber. Arise from your sleep. A new day is dawning for all weep. The people in darkness have seen a great [Music] light. The Lord of our

longing has conquered the night. Let us build the city of God. May our tears be turned into dancing. For the Lord, our light of our love, has turned the night into [Music] day. We are sons of daughters of day. The ones who has loved us has brightened our way. The Lord of all kindness has called us to be a light for his people to set their hearts free. Let us build the city of God. May our tears be turned into dancing. For the Lord, our light and our love has turned the night into day. Let us build the city of God. May

our tears be turned into dancing. For the Lord, the light of our love, has turned the night into [Music] [Applause] day. Thank you so much, Casey. Casey has beautifully brought us to our scripture for the day that is taken from the last book of our Bible, the book of Revelation. And you will find that what is listed here, the book of Revelation, chapter 21, which actually our scripture begins with verse 9, you do not have it printed in your bulletin. It's quite lengthy and I am going to be kind of

hopping through this this particular chapter. So I'd like for you to please now listen to the word of the Lord. One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he carried me away in the spirit to a mountain great and high. And he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as

crystal. It had a great high wall with 12 gates and with 12 angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. And there were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west. The wall of the city had 12 foundations, and on them were the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.

The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. I did not see a temple in the city because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it. For the glory of God gives it light, and the lamp, the lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it. Nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names

are written in the Lamb's book of life. They will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun. For the Lord God will give them light and they will rain forever and ever. This ends our reading of God's holy word. May God add to our understanding and application of the beauty of this passage to each of our lives. Will you join me in a prayer? Let us pray. Lord God, this image that is presented to us in our holy scripture

from the book of Revelation, we thank you. We thank you for the beauty that it describes. We thank you for the hope that it presents to each of us. We thank you Lord that this is a part of our heritage that has been described. And now Lord I do pray that the words of my mouth and that the meditations of each of our hearts and our minds will be acceptable in your sight. For you are our strength, you are our redeemer. And it is in Christ Jesus we pray these things. Amen. Well, we human beings love to rank

things, don't we? We love to see that leaderboard. We like to see who is ranked as the best athletes in all varieties of sports. I know that if it doesn't take much to go to the internet to look up the 10 best places in the world to live today or how many of us have seen Oh, you want to know what those are? Vienna, Bangkok, Madrid, Thailand. Oh, Thailand, Bangkok, Mexico cities in there, Dubai. There was no American city for some reason. But you can also go to the 10 best cities in the US to live. You

want to know what those are? According to recent rankings, they include Naples, Florida, Boise, Idaho, made the list. Colorado Springs, Colorado, Greenville, South Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina. Raleigh, North Carolina. What's North Carolina got going on here? Huntsville, Alabama. Virginia Beach, Virginia. Austin, Texas. Boulder, Colorado. Isn't it funny how we like to rank things? We like to look to see what is who is the best. I remember so much when I was a flight attendant. You've heard me talk

about this a long time ago. I was a flight attendant with Pan-American and one of the things I loved was talking to people. Panama was an international airline at the time. So I got a chance to meet people from all over the world. And what I found to be so reassuring and precious was that every single person I talked to was so anxious to share about where they were from, what their family was all about. They were sharing their life and what was important to them. And I realize that this is a universal aspect of who we are, that God

made us, that our home, our family, where we are from, our faith traditions, all of that are what make us who we are. And it is precious. It is precious. Well, home is one of those things that perhaps you find to be very precious as well. Certainly, we invest a lot in our homes, keeping them up, whether you own your own home or rent your home. When I was growing up, because my dad, when I was born, was in the Air Force. By the time I was 13 years old, I had lived in 13 different cities and had had a number of homes. And I had this

statement that if we spent three Christmases in a home, it was home. moving quite frequently tends to be um something that we Americans have this proclivity to do. It is said that Americans will have on average at least three homes in their lifetime. They believe that own some anyway believe or this says a vast majority again one of those rankings a vast majority of Americans believe that owning a home is a greater achievement than raising a family getting a college degree or having a career. They put such

value on owning a home. It's no wonder that there are so many television programs about our homes. Now, back in the day, you've heard that phrase before. Remember this old house? That was a PBS special. That was one of the first programs that highlighted homes. But since that time, there are now hundreds of television programs about home renovations. You may have been addicted to those as well, where you could go and see these individuals go into a home and gut it and make it look something wonderful, brand new for this family.

how we love those particular television shows. There's also plenty in magazines about our homes. According to Barnes & Noble, there are nearly 100 magazines available in the United States that deal with our homes, better homes than gardens, right? Southern Living, Architectural Digest. I mean, you could go on and on and on. Well, there was a couple in their 80s in very good health, largely due to the efforts of the wife who made sure that they got to the gym regularly and that they were eating healthy foods,

vegetables, um, lowfat, all of those wonderful things that we know that we should be doing. The husband would say that she was such a fanatic about that, she just nagged him every single day. Well, on their 60th anniversary, they decided to go to Hawaii. Well, on their way there, the plane crashed and they died. And they reached the pearly gates and St. Peter was there and greeted them and said, "Welcome to heaven." I said, "Great." And they said, "Where do we live?" And St. Peter said, "Right this way." And he

took them to this gorgeous home, better than any that they had seen on television. It had everything. A pool, beautiful vistas. It was fabulous. The husband said, "How much is this going to cost?" Nothing. This is heaven. You don't have to pay for your home here. And then he took them to the local golf club that was just out the back door and said, "This is our golf course." And it was the most beautiful golf course anyone had ever seen. So pristine, so green and beautiful. The masters had nothing over on this golf

course. And the husband said, "Wow, I'd love to play there, but how much is that going to cost?" Nothing. Nothing. You're in heaven. It's free. Wow. But come, let me show you something else. And and St. Peter took them into this beautiful dining hall. And there was a buffet with the most wonderful food, just laid out, everything that you could ever want to eat. And the husband carefully approached the table and said, "I guess I need to ask where the brand muffins are." And he said, "Oh, don't worry

about that. You never gain weight in heaven. You will always, always be healthy here." And the husband turned to his wife and said, "You and your brand muffins, we could have been here 10 years ago. What will heaven be like? You know, God made us to treasure certain things in our life, certainly our relationship with the Lord. If you don't have that relationship, if you don't have that peace knowing that you are loved unconditionally, you will always search for that. Other things that God gives us a

desire for is relationship in community. Certainly, God places us in families to begin to begin our life. Most of us have the privilege of growing up in a loving family. Although we do know the reality that there are some that do not. But that's where we can come in to provide that love and unconditional acceptance and encouragement for those who have not received that from their nuclear family. We know that where we live our community because that is the place that God has placed us like this church where we can

support each other, we can pray with each other, we can celebrate with each other, we can experience life together. These are all gifts that God gives to us. So what a privilege it is to get a glimpse into the future to see what heaven is going to be like. The book of Revelation is confusing for most of us because it has so much symbolism in it. But the descriptions I think touch us all. How many of us couldn't you just see it when he talks about the walls and the streets being gold like cris crystal like

beautiful jewels shiny new it is like something we've never ever seen before. Someone once told me as a child, if you want to think about what heaven is like, think about your favorite Christmas gift or birthday gift, and then just realize it's going to be even better than that. This glimpse that we have received in our scripture today of what the city of God is like is better than anything that we could come up with in our own limited minds. John 14:3 Jesus is talking to his disciples and says, "I am going away to

prepare a place for you." And of course, the disciples were like, "Well, where are you going?" And he says, "You do not know where I am going, but I will come and I will get you and I will take you to be where I am." What a wonderful comforting thought that is. Now, many of us have studied scripture and as we have, we learned that in Jesus day, a family would build a compound, a a place that would have various rooms for everyone in the family. And if one of their children got married, they would build an additional

room. So, they would add on to that compound. I I tell people quite often, it's like Dallas. Remember the the show Dallas where the whole family lived in one compound? Everybody had a room and the family was there together. This is the beauty of the city of God that God has built this, prepared this for the saints. Now you may be thinking, "Oh, that's those folks, the good folks, the people who who sacrificed their life for others." Well, yes, but guess what? You are also a saint in God's mind. You have been made a saint. You

have been made sinless, not by anything you did, by being so good. Because as we read in Ephesians, there's nothing that we can do to earn God's gift. It is grace. It is a gift. God loves you so much that he gave his son to pay for your sin, my sin. It's done. One and done. Nothing you can do to add to that. And at that point in time, all you need to do is receive this gift by trusting the Lord with your very life, saying, "Lord, I did not deserve it, but I want you to be with me forever. Help me to live out my life to

serve you." This is the gift from God. And at that point, my friends, you are adopted into the family of God by the power of the Holy Spirit of God that comes to live within you that will be there to guide you throughout your life, giving you all the gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control, all of that, the gifts of God in your life. and the power of God in your life for your own notoriety. will to participate in what God would have you do here on this earth because

the Lord has placed us here in Mount Dora or Tavaris or Central Florida or wherever to serve the Lord to make a difference in this world to make a difference in your family's life to make a difference in in the lives of your friends and your neighbors to make a difference in the lives of those who are the least of these in our society who Jesus said as often as you do this for them. You are doing it for me. This is our purpose. This is our supreme purpose. And we are the children of God. We are, you

are, I am the saints of God. Perhaps you're like me and find it difficult to accept that that you are a saint, that I am a saint, because we have this idea, this man-made idea that saints are better than anyone else. Yes. But not because of them, but because of God. Because God made them a saint. So the city of God is prepared for you and for me. We, the saints of God, we will live there forever for all eternity in the presence of God. Think about it. We are going to be living in the presence of

unconditional love. It's hard to get your mind around, isn't it? It really is. Not only just the description of something so visually beautiful, so pure, but to think that we are going to be living out every day of our life in unconditional love is just so beyond any of our imagination at least at this point. But the good news is it begins even now. We can start preparing even now. You know how it is when I know many of you like to travel and we're entering into the summer season and many of us will be

traveling. How far in advance do you start packing your bags? Hopefully in enough time to make sure you remember your toothbrush and remember your socks and that belt and the right shoes. All those things you know that sometimes we can forget. But as we prepare for this trip, the most amazing, wonderful, fantastic trip we will ever take in our life, the trip to our future home, our final destination, the city of God. We need to start thinking about this preparation now. and not just remembering the belt

and the socks, but thinking about what Jesus has asked us to do here today now in preparation for all eternity. Now, I'm not recommending that we become so otherworldly minded that we are earthly useless. You know that whole belief. No, that's not what Jesus says to us. He says the kingdom of God is at hand. It begins now that we start living as God's children now in our life and knowing full well that someday one day we will see God we you and me we will see God face to face. What an amazing thing it is for us

to think about this. And what are the requirements to go on this amazing trip? Just remember your ABCs. A, admit that you can't do it without him. That we need God. We need God with us always. Just finally moving that ego out of the way and saying, I cannot do this myself. Admit it. That is the A that I have. We all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. The B is believe. Now believe can also be translated as trust. I I prefer that because belief can be a head knowledge. Trusting is being willing to

open yourself up to be vulnerable. So the B is believing. Believing that God loves you, that God sent his only son for you, for me, paid for our sins, knowing that we can't do it oursself, believing in God, for by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing. you're not good enough, it is because God loves you. Now, the C of the ABCs for being able to get into the kingdom of God is simply confessing that God is our Lord and Savior. being willing to conform our lives. Confess, conform, the two C's that go as

bookends to being a child of God. Confessing means that you're willing to say, I am a Christian. I am a follower of Jesus. That is who I am. That's my identity. That is who I confess is the leader of my life. If we have these ABCs, our passport is right there. God has provided that for us and we will all see each other in the kingdom of God. And I understand that there's a great banquet once we get there. So, I'm looking forward to that one, too. And if you get there first, please save me a place. I'm coming and

if I get there first, I'll make sure that we have a spot for you as well. How wonderful it is that we will all be at this wonderful banquet that God is providing for us. Now, there's one thing I would like to perhaps suggest that you do today in preparation for this wonderful trip that we're going to be taking. And that is I would recommend that you sit down and you know what an obituary is, right? An obituary is a statement about the life of someone who lived and has gone on. You and I, we will

all leave this life one day. A great exercise for us to kind of see how we're doing is to write our orbituary right now. What do you want said about your life on this earth? What do you want people to remember about you and who you belong to? Are the ABCs going to be a part of that orbituary on your life? It's an interesting exercise to go through and it helps us to realize how much we need the Lord in our life. I am so thankful to be able to talk about our future home, my friends, because we're all going to be there one

of these days and we can say, "Uhuh." Right. Right. Yeah. Isn't this amazing? Isn't this glorious? Isn't this wonderful? Will you pray with me? Lord God, we do thank you for the future glimpse that we received of your kingdom and the gift that it will be for each one of us. We thank you for this Lord. We look forward to beginning even now today preparing for this wonderful trip of a lifetime. For we know we go by the power of your Holy Spirit living out every day of our life in Jesus name. Amen. And

amen. If you will please stand and let's sing again. [Music] We are one in the spirit. We are one in the Lord. We are one in the spirit. We are one in the Lord. And we pray that our unity will one day be restored. And they'll know we are Christians by your love. By our love. Yes. They'll know we are Christians by our love. We will walk with each other. We will walk in. We will walk with each other. We will walk in and together we'll spread the news that God is in our land. And they'll know we are Christians

by our love. By our love. Yes. They'll know we are Christians. By our love. We will work with each other. We will work side by side. We will work with each other. We will work by guard human dignity and save human pride. And we'll know we are Christians by our love. By our love. Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love. All praise to the father from whom all things come. And all praise to Christ Jesus his only son. And all praise to the spirit who makes us one. And they'll know we are Christians by

our love. By our love we are Christians by our love. Is that a beautiful statement? They will know we are Christians by our love. We can confess it with our mouth. But the most important and perhaps meaningful expression of our faith is how we live our love for one another. Let us go out this day knowing that we have this great opportunity to be the people of God in our community in our families wherever the Lord leads us. Let us go now in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

[Music] All praise to the father all things come and all praise to Christ Jesus his only son and all praise to the one and they'll know we are Christians by our love by our love. We still know we are Christians by our love.