Shippensburg First Church Of God Blog Site: Controlling the Weeds? SFCOG Updates for 7/26

Sunday is Coming!

Sometimes, like one evening this past week, we have a little campfire in our backyard in view of our flower beds that are often a mixture of blooms & weeds…

I’ve heard it said that gardening is all about having “the Illusion of Control.” We want to feel like we have mastered the weeds!

This may be true for many hobbies. One of my seminary professors brought this to my attention as he speculated that perhaps this is why I enjoy building Lego models—it gives a sense of control.

Maybe some things feel a little out of control in your world right now? Jesus reminds us that God is in control!

…but sometimes His ways and His timing are different than ours.

This is at the heart of another story that Jesus tells in Matthew 13:24-43. Jesus tells of a field that had a good crop growing in it, which is suddenly discovered to be full of weeds that are growing “out of control.” The servants in the story have a solution:

‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

But the owner of the field tells them,

‘No, because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.

(Matthew 13:28-30)

St. Augustine used this parable as the starting point to consider a major Theological Question—

What is the difference between “the Church Visible and the Church Invisible”?

(This has been a topic of conversation at the Men’s Summer Bible study at Jerry’s house, as we have been listening to sermons by R. C. Sproul.)

We actually face a similar question in many ways in our everyday lives: inquiring minds want to know—

“Who’s In & Who’s Out?”

We ask this in our personal lives in many ways, in our workplace projects, at school lunch tables, in our group chats, in our politics, and in our theological pondering. We love categorizing. This has its place—from membership lists & team rosters, to immigration policies & graduation requirements, or in family sharing plans for your cell phone service or when it comes to passing on your Netflix password to someone else.

There are some times when we do need to know who’s in and who’s out for the sake of order. But no matter how you look at it, “Sorting” people can be complicated… especially when thinking about eternal souls.

Here again, Jesus takes something extremely complicated, and brings it down to a simple level with a story.

Notice a very natural response that is mentioned in the story—the servants want to get to work and pull out the weeds. A logical solution. “Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work” (our Serve Ship team pulled a lot of weeds last week).

But when you’re dealing with the hearts of men and women in the Kingdom of Heaven, it is not the same thing. It’s not that straight-forward from an eternal perspective. In fact, according to the owner in Jesus’ story, this could do more harm than good— “while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.”

I think we can all admit that we have seen this to be true—when people try to hastily judge people by outward appearances or by our own preferences or our merely human wisdom and insight, a lot of hurt can happen.

But with a story, Jesus simplifies this complicated issue – He reveals that we can Trust that God will sort it out in the end…

With this parable, Jesus offers a glimpse that eventually there’s something like a harvest, something like a fire and a day of weeping, but ultimately,

“the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

–Matthew 13:43

And then Jesus says, “Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Do we have ears to hear? Let us aspire to live as the righteous “good seed” that is planted by Jesus, the Son of Man. We might not know all the details of weeds & wheat now, but let us have ears to hear Jesus, and keep growing.

Keep growing.

Foster growth, not destruction. Work for life, not death. Advocate for the things that do less harm and more good.

Let us care for the other plants growing around us – not labeling people as weeds to be removed, but as a growing crop that needs to be nurtured and cared for, until the time of the Harvest, about which only God knows. While we wait, we have a part to play in God’s Story! We certainly have much work to do to get ready of the Harvest! And Jesus says it surely is coming!

And so, we work and we wait patiently, as Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 3:9 & 15, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance… Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation.”

In the meantime, keep your eyes open for the Harvest!

This Sunday

Both services will include a special report from our Youth Group about Serve Ship!

We will also celebrate Christmas in July as we acknowledge 20 years of involvement with Operation Christmas Child!

8:25 Traditional Worship

We will share our welcome and announcements at 8:25, followed by a musical prelude for a time of quiet reflection.

Blessed Be The Lord God Almighty #62

What if it Were Today #759

In His Time #681

Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending #754

What a Day That Will Be #762

9:45 Sunday School for all ages.

Check out our Care Groups & Sunday School Classes on our website, or visit the welcome desk to learn more.

11:00 Contemporary Worship

Contemporary Spotify Playlist

Graves Into Gardens

Christ Be Magnified

How Good Is He

I Thank God

Bible Quiz Team

Today our Jr. & Sr. High Bible Quizzers are heading to the CGGC national championship at Camp Sonrise Mountain in western Pennsylvania. They will enjoy several days of quiz-meet competition against teams from other states in our denomination to determine the Quizzing annual champions. Pray for safe travels, good fellowship, friendly competition, and above all, that God’s word would be internalized in their hearts for a lifetime of following Jesus.

Serve Ship Recap

Serve Ship was a success! The Youth Group will share more details this weekend about this amazing “at-home” mission event!

Thanks to everyone who gave Snacks, Cookies, Baked Goods, & Flowers as well as Prayer & Financial Donations!

“Movement”

We want to invite you to an evening of “Mobility, Memory, & Muscle” at a special event we are calling “Movement.” This will be on Wednesday, August 5 at 6-7 in Crossroads Station. It is being hosted by the Living Stones 50+ group, but it is for people of all ages and abilities who would like to enjoy an evening of fellowship together as we consider how we can keep our bodies in good health to glorify God with our heart, soul, mind, & strength in all seasons of life. To learn more, talk to Visitation Director Jessie Duggan or Bethany Massara.

Men’s Summer Bible Study

Jerry Underkoffler will once again be leading a Bible Study for all men on Wednesday mornings, 9:00 -10:15.

Dates: JULY 8 - AUGUST 26

Location: 23 Oak Lane, Shippensburg

Theme: "Thy Kingdom Come"

Online Apparel Shop

Represent SFCOG at work or in the community!

We have partnered with Creative Engravings here in Shippensburg to set up an online apparel shop—you can custom order various shirts with our church logo embroidered on them. Select from 4 different styles (polo, t-shirt, long-sleeve t-shirt & sweatshirt) and several different colors. Items can be purchased online and picked up right here in Shippensburg at the Creative Engravings shop, or you may also reach out to us if you would like us to pick it up and deliver it to your church mailbox for you (select “Store Pick Up” and let us know when you receive notice that it is ready).

Visit the store:

Creative Engraving Plus, LLC| Ship First Church of God | CreativeEng&Apparel

Church Center

We have been gradually rolling out a new database tool called “Church Center.” It will be utilized for scheduling, record-keeping, giving, and many other ministry functions. You will be hearing more about it in the coming months as we implement new aspects of this resource, such as:

a directory feature,
an online giving option,
and upcoming changes to our Children’s Ministry check-in system.

You can begin learning more and start exploring it by visiting this page on our website to create your own log-in:

Shippensburg First Church of God | Church Center

Communications Updates

Bulletins and newsletters are available for you as you enter for worship—you can find them right outside the main doorways into the sanctuary on a table or stand for easy access. Some are usually available at our welcome desk also, but we encourage you to keep access to our welcome desk (and our handicapped accessible seating) open and available for those who may need it.

*Be sure to check out our Activities Calendar and the Events page on our website to learn about more upcoming opportunities!

*If you or your small groups, committees, etc., are planning special events involving the facilities, please be sure to communicate with the church office so we can best accommodate your needs and coordinate planning details between various ministries—Thank You!

The latest monthly edition of our “FYI” Newsletter is available in the Gathering Place or as you enter into the Sanctuary. The FYI contains information about upcoming events, care group opportunities, giving and attendance information, and more.

If you have events or information you would like to communicate, communication request forms are available from the church office, in the Gathering Place, or online.

Let us continue to worship our savior together in the Sanctuary or Online this Sunday!

Pastor Rodney Bistline

Shippensburg First Church of God

seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org