​Listen to these amazing Mother’s Day Scriptures:

• “…observe your chaste and respectful behavior, your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair and wearing gold jewelry or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:2b-4). The Bible is talking about the jewel of the Christian home. It describes for us the quality of a Godly wife and mother.
• “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her…” (Proverbs 31:25-28). A godly mother is a rich blessing to her children and family.
• “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:3-5). Children reveal the quality of a mother’s soul. Children show the world how precious a godly mother really is.
• “And Mary said, ‘My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, for He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name’” (Luke 1:46-49). God sees and rewards the beauty of a mother’s humble spirit. God knows the value of a mother’s humble heart.
• “My son, observe the commandment of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother; bind them continually on your heart; tie them around your neck. When you walk about, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk to you” (Proverbs 6:20-22). A mother’s teaching will stay with you always. Your mother’s counsel will never let you down.

 
There is no doubt that God looks upon godly Mothers as the solid foundation upon which He builds His kingdom in this world. Today’s culture does not appreciate the true quality of a Christian mother, but God does. Many of the things’ mothers do for their families go unnoticed and unappreciated. Remember, God sees everything and knows the value of all mothers. He knows every contribution and every sacrifice they make for the good of their spouses and children.
 
Elizabeth George defines who godly mothers are: “What is a godly mother? A godly mother is one who loves the Lord with all her heart, mind soul and strength and then passionately, consistently, and unrelentingly teaches her child to do the same.”
 
My mother went back to school after I graduated from high school to learn to be a nurse. She worked third shift at Memorial Hospital in Nashville to pay my college tuition so I could become a minister of the gospel. Thank you, mom, for your passionate, consistent and unrelenting love and sacrifice for me. I pray you are happy with what your influence, manner and spiritual character has fashioned me to become. Robbie told me just the other day, “Your mother was a godly mother.” I said, “Yes, I know, and she inspired me to marry a godly mother.” Godly mothers beget godly mothers.

​Do you know that God did not send Jesus into the world to save the government?
 
Jesus did not come to save banks, or corporations, or social clubs, or ball teams, or Wall Street, or political parties. According to the word of God, Jesus came to “…seek and save that which is lost.” (Luke 19:10)
 
People are more important to God than institutions, ideologies, or even personal preferences. The apostle Paul said, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” (1 Timothy 1:15)
 
Every individual person is important to God. It does not matter what nationality a person claims, the color of their skin, the school they graduated from, the language they speak, or the amount of money they have to spend, Jesus loves all people equally. He died on the cross so that every person might come to faith in Him as savior and Lord.
 
Have you noticed that God made Adam and Eve and placed them in the beautiful Garden of Eden before there was ever any government institution founded on the face of the earth?
 
In fact, in the seven days of creation, no government is even mentioned. Land was created, water was created, the sun and moon came into existence to rule of the day and night, birds had a place made for them, fish were placed in the sea, animals found a home on the land, but creation is silent when it comes to man-made governments. Birds are more important to God than governments. Listen to what Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” (Matthew 6:26)
 
We need to keep things in perspective. Birds and people are more important to God than governments or anything man-made.
 
Now, God does grant governments a place of service under His divine authority. Government is supposed to serve in the best interest of the people they represent. Here is the role of government as assigned by God, “…it is a minister of God to you for good.” (Romans 13:4)
 
Let’s not get the cart before the horse. People do not serve the government. The government exists to serve the people. God’s preference and His will always centers on His great love for people. Jesus was the perfect example of God’s care for and love of people, “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)
 
His compassion for people resulted in His command to pray, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38)
 
We are to pray for our government like Jesus commanded. We are to labor in the harvest field with care and compassion like Jesus did. That is the role of government. Anything other than that is ungodly.

​I’ve been thinking a lot about what God said to the prophet Micah, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
 
Our world is filled with everything but mercy. The word mercy in the Bible comes from the word “Hesed” in the Old Testament and is translated as God’s “Lovingkindness” toward mankind. The Psalmist says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:5). Mercy and kindness is a necessary ingredient in worship. Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). If you’re going to receive mercy, you must be ready to give it to others. Without mercy our world is continually at odds with itself. We need a healthy infusion of God’s “Hesed” these days.
 
What is God’s justice?
 
There is much confusion about that. God’s justice is defined and laid out in this verse from the Bible, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We are all sinners and guilty of breaking God’s commands. Instead of our paying the penalty for sin, which is death, God loved us enough to pay our sin debt through Christ’s blood shed on the cross. Justice is God’s gracious and full acquittal. We are set free from the penalty of sin through faith in Jesus. That’s real justice.
 
God’s justice is not the same as man’s justice. Men are found guilty and sentenced to serve time as payment for their sins. Man’s justice sometimes is not fair. It is not always impartial. Sometimes it can be flawed. God’s justice is always perfect. It is never out of place or less than necessary. God’s justice makes us right with God.
 
I used to preach occasionally inside local and state prisons. I was always amazed by the way prisoners sang hymns during the services, especially “Amazing Grace.” Men who were paying the penalty for their wrongdoing could sing “Amazing Grace” with all their hearts. They were not bitter. They were not depressed or discouraged. It was liberating to them to know that they could be justified with God even while serving a prison sentence for some wrong they had committed here. Isn’t that something? These men would always carry the mark of their conviction with them, but not with God. With God justice means being completely set free.
 
Trophies are not awarded to people who come in last. There is a new Allstate Insurance Commercial I like. It pictures two dragster speed cars racing each other. One car goes as fast as possible. The other car follows the Allstate safe driving guidelines, not exceeding a certain speed and comes in behind the other. The driver of the second car crosses the finish line with his hands in the air celebrating as if he had won the race. That guy is humble. Humility is about doing what God says rather than what the world says, “...humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Peter 5:6). Humble people seek to please God more than anything.
 
Mercy, justice, and humility is what God is looking for today. Don’t get distracted by all the hype and noise saturating today’s world. It is better to be pleasing to God rather than the world’s standards. 

​It was an incredible blessing to meet this past Sunday afternoon with Deacons and Church Leaders to plan and pray for the ministry of our church. Our Deacon Body talked about the ongoing work they do keeping in touch with their Deacon Family responsibilities and maintaining a contact schedule of over 100 contacts per week. I felt God’s hand upon their discussion because they are so committed to sharing the ups and downs of ministry in the lives and homes of our people. They have literally assumed the care and shepherding work of God’s people as the number one priority. As your pastor, it is an awesome blessing to have deacons who help carry the load of ministry. I feel like Moses must have felt when Aaron and Hur held up his arms in the middle of the battle against the armies of Amalek (Exodus 17:12-14). It’s great to have deacons who hold up your arms.
 
Our Leadership Team also met last Sunday afternoon to plan and prepare for new ministries that will come in the months ahead. As our leaders brainstormed and prayed together, I could feel the enthusiasm and encouragement begin to flow. It was like feeling new energy pump through your body after you have been sick with a cold or a fever. You simply begin to feel better. Our better feeling, after months of uncertainty due to COVID, consisted of planning these ministries:

• Spring Renewal Saturday Night – May 22nd
• Vacation Bible School – July 18-22
• Churchwide Picnic at Boling Mill Park – July 25th

 
The Spring Renewal Saturday Night will be sponsored by our Senior Adult Sunday School Class led by Doug and Janet Bryant. It will include our first fellowship meal (Barbeque) in over a year. We will invite Central Baptist Church folk to join with us as our guests. Reverend Jerrell Beatty, pastor of Tate’s Creek Baptist Church in Toccoa, will be our guest evangelist for the evening. It was wonderful to hear our leaders plan and encourage each other building momentum toward this exciting opportunity.
 
We are really good when it comes to planning and carrying out Vacation Bible School. We have the best children’s ministry volunteers a church could want. It was terrible last year to cancel our plans for VBS. It was like sinning against the church’s character to not have this special week of family and children’s ministry that we are accustomed and extremely good at leading. Not this year!
 

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL IS COMING!
 
Praise the Lord.
 

On Sunday July 25th, we will complete the VBS week with our Church Picnic at Boling Mill Park. We will observe Baptism again at Lake Lanier. Our fellowship and church family will enjoy great food, fun and friendship throughout the evening. It’s like getting back to normal. That’s how I felt listening to and participating with our leaders last week. It felt like we were getting back to normal in the ministry of planning, praying and expecting God to do the extra-normal. I thank the Lord Jesus that He has brought us through this difficult year. He has shown us His mighty power helping us overcome the difficulties and we have lived through them together, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Robbie and I always place Easter Lilies in the worship center in honor of our parents on Easter Sunday. We owe so much to the faithfulness of John Frank Williams, Maxie Lee Williams, and Gloria Swanson Patterson. We want to think about or parents on Easter Sunday. It is a day in which we reflect on our love for them with gratitude for all they instilled in your lives. They were certainly special people because of their strong faith in Jesus and their enduring example that guides us every day. They truly live on in our hearts.
The Easter Lily is called the “White-Robed Apostle of Hope” because of its fragrance and white appearance symbolizing the purity of Jesus. In classic artwork as far back as the 14th century the angel Gabriel is pictured giving Mary a white lily when she learned that she would conceive and bear a Son by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The trumpet shape of the Lily demonstrates the sounding hope of the empty tomb. The Easter Lily has meant throughout the centuries that new life is possible by way of the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb. Lilies are planted into the ground as ugly bulbs and, after a period of three years, they emerge into fragrant flowers. Jesus came forth from the grave after three days. His life was transformed from death into new life prepared for His ascension into glory. The lily represents the transformation of life that is possible through our faith in a risen Savior who lives today at the right hand of God.
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It is a rich blessing this morning to remember people who hold a special place in our lives. We especially think about those who taught us about Jesus. Those who loved His word. Our parents who took us to church and showed us how believers are supposed to live pure and Godly lives. The Easter Lily not only tells us good things about Jesus, it represents our heritage through which we continue to live out and proclaim the gospel today.
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​“Therefore,
since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us,
let us also lay aside every encumbrance and
the sin which so easily entangles us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith,
who for the joy set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame,
and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
​(Hebrews 12:1-2)

Today is Palm Sunday in our build-up to Easter Sunday. This is the day when the crowds welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem beginning his final week of ministry before His sacrifice and death on the cross. What began with jubilation would end, in just 5 short days, with hate filled condemnation and cruelty. It is amazing how the people changed their minds and attitudes so quickly.
 
Today, I will be preaching about how the multitude, who praised Jesus on Palm Sunday, turned on Him shouting lies and blasphemy while He suffered on the cross. Words can hurt as much as clenched fists or metal spikes.
 
Why are people so hateful?
Why do people say things so easily that slash and put others down?
 
The truth is that harmful words come out of people who have troubled hearts. Remember what Jesus said, “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (Matthew 12:34). When you hear vile and hurtful words, you know that the person speaking them has a heart problem.
 
Jesus did not throw bad words back at those mocking Him. He prayed for them. He said, “Father, forgive them.” Imagine that. In at storm of shouting and cursing, Jesus prayed and forgave. It must have been like that moment in the boat when He spoke to the wind and angry waves, “Peace be still” (Mark 4:39). The difference was that the wind and waves obeyed, but the crowd didn’t. The mob kept on shouting and Jesus kept on praying. I think He’s still praying and asking God to forgive us for our mindless words toward others that are harmful and unbecoming.
 
I learned a song when I was a kid:
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O be careful little tongue what you say,
O be careful little tongue what you say;
For your Father up above is looking down in love,
O be careful little tongue what you say.
 

The cross speaks to us about the words we use and the thoughts we think about others. Let’s be careful to not use words that cause harm to others or become a stumbling block to the Lord’s work. The Bible says, “…by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37)
 

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The beautiful cross created by Scott Sturgill demonstrating the first point of the gospel as set forth by the apostle Paul now stands straight and tall between the upper and lower buildings on our church property. The cross is more than a word to us.  It is testimony to the truth of the gospel. Every time we drive onto our church property we will see and remember that Jesus gave His life for the forgiveness of our sins.
 
This cross is like no other in our area. It is constructed of solid cedar. It is preserved by 5 coats of polyurethane lacquer. It stands 16 feet tall from top to bottom. It is the first tangible evidence of our year-long emphasis: 2021 THE YEAR OF THE GOSPEL.

As you look at the cross remember:

• Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures (I Corinthians 15:3)
• He was buried in a borrowed tomb (1 Corinthians 15:4a)
• He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4b)
• He appeared to His disciples (1 Corinthians 15:5-8)

 
This amazing symbol of Christ’s love and sacrifice will be located in the GOSPEL GARDEN surrounded by beautiful roses and ornamental shrubbery. Flowers will adorn the landscape. Interlocking blocks will beautify the area along with memorial bricks that our membership may purchase in memory of family members and loved ones. Our garden will keep the truth of the gospel alive in our hearts as week utilize this space as a memorial and quiet spot to commemorate our love for Jesus and pray for one another.
 
Thank you, Scott Sturgill for your love of Jesus and your creative labor in building our cross.
Thank you, Deacons and Men’s Ministry for your donations and for your labor this week to raise and secure our cross so that it can be seen all the way to Mundy Mill Road.
 
We are people who are saved because of what Jesus did at the cross. We are a people who believe in and practice what Jesus taught us at the cross, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
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​Is it OK to celebrate a little bit and be happy?
 
Butter Cups are blooming in my front yard. Trees are beginning to bud. Days are getting a bit warmer, and Spring Baseball is underway in Florida. I want to be happy, hold up my hands and shout – “YEA!!!”
 
Easter is on its way. Only 27 days to go before we get to say to each other:
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We are tentatively planning our Good Friday Service for Friday, April 2nd at 6:30 pm.
 
Saturday, April 3rd, will be our Children’s Easter Egg Hunt at Flower Branch Park from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
 
Then on Easter Sunday, April 4th, we will greet the new day at 7:30 am in Sunrise Service. Sunday School will gather at 9:45 with worship to begin at 10:45.
 
I can’t wait to celebrate resurrection together with all my beloved church family.
 
While we all are past ready for Spring to arrive and Easter Sunday to lift us from the darkness of winter and COVID’s heavy handed grip, we must still recognize that we are not yet completely free from its danger. Just this past week, 5 cases have emerged within our church family. My oldest son tested positive on Wednesday of this week. The threat is still real, and the danger continues to be with us.
 
We are continuing to maintain our diligent safety measures. We will practice our socially distanced set up each Sunday. Please continue to be faithful with your masks. Our church welcomes guests and members who have not yet ventured out to attend in-person services. Our cleaning crew is on the job sanitizing every chair, mopping floors, and wiping down every hard service with anti-covid cleaner. Our work includes doorknobs, crash bars, bathroom fixtures, microphones, and music stands. Our great volunteers are going the second and third mile every week to make the facilities as safe as possible. I am grateful for the sacrifices and cooperation from our people who are committed to keeping our services open and at the same time responsibly safe for everyone.
 
I just want to say it out loud,
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during our yearlong fight against this COVID menace. Our people have not let down their guard. We have limited our ministries and closed our in-person services when necessary. We have prayed for each other, prepared food for one another when sickness infected our families, called, and contacted those who could not attend, and basically maintained a unified sweet and compassionate spirit all along.
 
I want to CELEBRATE Grace Baptist Church. We have been good and faithful patriots this year. We have been faithful to our calling to serve the Lord in both good times and the hard times. So, lift-up your hands and join me this morning to celebrate by saying:
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Someone said of Mr. Walters that he earned the nickname “Big Jim” because he was “…larger than life.” He deserved the title because he did so many good things for so many people. He made things happen. Places like the Hall County YMCA, the Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Lakeview Academy, Lanier Technical College, and Brenau University would not be what they are today except for the love and commitment of this great man to serve their cause by doing good on their behalf.
 
The Bible says, “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life…” (John 5:28-29b)
 
Surely, Mr. Walters when he hears the voice of Jesus calling his name, he will rise for the good that he has accomplished in this life.
 
I came to know Mr. Jim because of his love for our church and the good he did for us making the current place of ministry come to be. As you remember, we were in rented space next door to Loretta’s restaurant. Rent was going up annually and we were praying about God making some new location available where we could move to a place of our own. We wanted a place where people would feel good about coming to church. We prayed for a place that we could afford. Mr. Jim heard about our prayer through Carol Childers, his CPA and faithful 40-year executive employee. Ken Pethel, Carol’s brother, appealed our case and cultivated his interest. With God’s help, Mr. Walters made this current location at 4026 Mundy Mill Road not only affordable for us, but, pledged his support to make the purchase possible.
 
The first time I met Mr. Jim, I asked him to tell me about his relationship to Jesus. He talked to me about his childhood love for Jesus and the life he enjoyed growing up in church. He assured me that he believed in Jesus and trusted him to be his savior. When Mr. Jim first spoke to our church, he asked me not to call him a philanthropist, which he certainly is, but to refer to him as a steward of God’s resources. I really liked that about him. Here at Grace, Mr. Jim Walters is more than a donor, or a person you name buildings after. This great man is a trustee and steward of the influence and blessings God placed in his keeping. Our church is a recipient of and a beneficiary of his love, commitment to Jesus and the generosity of his personal stewardship.
 
How can I help but practice good stewardship when God placed such a faithful person in my path?
 
I will forever be grateful to God for the testimony of and love Jim Walters extended to me and our church family.

Today, as a part of our 2021 Year of the Gospel emphasis, we begin a new ministry of giving out 5,000 gospel tracts before the end of the year. A gospel tract ministry is not hard to accomplish.  You do not need theological training to be successful. A tract ministry is like a farmer sowing seeds in the field. 
 
Remember the parable of the Sower and the Seed?

The farmer went out to his field and began to sow his seed. He threw the seed everywhere. Some fell on the roadside. Some fell in rocky places and still other seed fell in sunny places. Some fell where thorns and weeds choked it out. The point of the parable is that not every seed produces a harvest. Then at last some of the seeds fell in the good soil and produced a 30-fold, 60-fold and 100-fold harvest. That is the secret of the harvest. God produces when we are faithful to participate. God brings in when we go out.
 
Think about the possibilities. When we are faithful to distribute 5,000 tracts, what will happen if we trust God for the lowest return of 30 percent. Thirty percent of 5,000 is 1,500.
 
What will happen if 1,500 people actually read the tracts, we give them?
What about the possibilities if 10 percent of the 1,500 people read the tract twice?
 
That means that 150 people will at least go deeper and think more about Jesus and what it means to trust Him as their personal Savior. We could anticipate, according to the promise of the harvest, that planting the seeds of these gospel tracts might result in 150 people, which is an equal number of people attending our regular Sunday morning services prior to the pandemic thinking seriously about becoming a believer in Jesus Christ. By the 30 percent promise of the harvest, we could see 45 new believers born into the kingdom of God. Do not minimize the power of God’s promise of the harvest when we are faithful to sow the seeds of the gospel. The Psalmist said, “He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, will indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:6)
 
There is a gospel tract in your bulletin this morning. I want to challenge you to take that one tract and give it to somebody this week. Don’t be choosy. Give it to a work associate, or a friend, or a family member, or a stranger you meet and the store or anywhere. Leave it on the table in the restaurant with your generous tip inside. Let’s pray about these tracts. Ask God to bless this one tract and give you the joy of doing something that will build up the kingdom of God. Let’s see what God does.
 
I will ask you next Sunday to report in and share with our church family how God used you to plant a seed. We can motivate each other to be more faithful in sharing our faith. We can test the Lord of the Harvest about the way He works to build up our church and His kingdom work. Let’s expect miracles to happen.
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