Everyone Welcome
Adult and children’s Sabbath Schools meet at 9:30 a.m. There is an adult class in the sanctuary and all the children’s classes will meet downstairs. Everyone is welcome.
Everyone is welcome to attend the worship hour at 10:45 a.m.
We broadcast Church live on youtube.com. Church will start at 10:45 AM. Go to youtube.com and search for “greeley sda”. Click on the circle with the church picture. You may need to choose the “Live” tab.
OR click on the “Sermons” link in the menu selections above to access the services. (On a phone or tablet the menu selections will be in a button that looks like three bars at the top of the screen.) Select “Live” in the youtube site tabs.
Weekly Church Meetings
Wednesday – 1:30 p.m. Midweek study
Sabbath 4:00 – p.m. End Time Events with Shawn Korgan
Food for Thought
Fathers Are Like That – “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:18.
I read and saved a story written years ago by Gordon Bietz who was pastor of the Collegedale Church in Tennessee at the time. It was a story about a son trying to decide if he should travel back home for Thanksgiving. He hadn’t seen his parents in years – not since he left their religion and their basic lifestyle. But that recent conversation with his dad on the phone bothered him – that catch he thought he heard in his dad’s voice when he told him he wouldn’t be coming for Thanksgiving. The story goes on about the son finally making a decision with his family to go back home – a surprise Thanksgiving visit. Memories flooded his mind as they drove back home – church school, church attendance, baptism, Pathfinders, fun family gatherings. Maybe he shouldn’t be making this trip at all – maybe – but then they are driving in the driveway and there is his dad, standing on the porch as if he is looking for them. They piled out of the car, and his dad threw his arms around his son and said, “Welcome home, son.” Fathers are like that.
Jesus told a similar story about a son who had had enough of his strict home, dad, chores, work, all of it. So he took his inheritance and left. But when both his money and his friends were gone so was the fun, and he began to think of home and his father. He would go back and plead with his father to just be a hired hand. But every day his father had been watching and one day he saw his son a long way off. He ran to meet him, refused to listen to any nonsense about a hired hand, and threw a big party to welcome him home. (Luke 15:11-24) Fathers are like that.
Years ago when we were living in Shreveport, LA, our son was a student at Ozark Academy in the NW corner of AR. Jerry needed to bring him and some other students home for home leave, but an ice storm was predicted. Consequently, he drove all day, picked up the kids, and then drove all night to get home ahead of the storm. Fathers will do that.
A few years later our younger daughter was on her way home to St. Louis from Southern College in TN. Again the weather was bad, but she was certain she could make it. It was dark, and she didn’t realize the bridge she was going to cross was covered in black ice. We were home in bed when the phone rang and Jerry answered. I listened as I heard him say, “Are you hurt? We are so thankful for that! Don’t worry about the car. If you can drive it, just come home.” He continued to comfort and encourage her – and later did his best to fix the car. Fathers are like that.
Our loving, forgiving Heavenly Father is not willing that any should perish but that all come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) He stands waiting and longing with outstretched arms to welcome us home. Our Heavenly Father is like that.
Sharon Oster
Reminder From a Dog – “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.” Hebrews 12:2 NIV
Jerry and I will frequently go to a park to walk on Sabbath afternoons. I walk around the lake one time while Jerry continues walking several more times around. I enjoy just sitting and watching the geese on the lake and various people groups – fishing, picnicking, etc. There are also quite a few people walking, many of them walking dogs. One Sabbath afternoon I noticed a young woman with a dog, but something with the two of them was a little different. They stayed very close together – the dog just right by her side. The lady never took her eyes off the dog, and the dog never took its eyes off the lady. She seemed to be talking to the dog from time to time, and the dog was listening and apparently obeying every word. At one point she took the leash off the dog, but it made no difference. The dog stayed with her every step and its eyes followed her every movement. Finally, she put the leash back on the dog and they walked on out of my sight. I can only assume she was training the dog for something or someone, and I was very impressed.
As I watched the two of them, I thought of this text in Hebrews where we are told to keep our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, seemed to struggle with this. It had been an exciting day! More than five thousand people had been fed from a little boy’s lunch. The disciples had great hopes and expectations for Jesus. They were ready to crown Him king. So when Jesus dismissed the crowd and told the disciples to go across the lake while He went to pray, they were bitterly disappointed. Mrs. White makes an interesting statement about this: “Their thoughts were stormy and unreasonable, and the Lord gave them something else to afflict their souls and occupy their minds. God often does this when men create burdens and troubles for themselves.” (Desire of Ages, p. 380)
It had been a very peaceful, calm day, but suddenly a terrible storm struck on the lake. The disciples worked furiously to keep the boat from sinking. They were nearly ready to give themselves up for lost. How they longed for Jesus, and when they finally in humility prayed for help, Jesus came to them walking on the water. At first they were afraid, but when they realized it was really Jesus, Peter wanted to come to Jesus on the water. Jesus said simply, “Come.” As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he walked securely. But when he took his eyes off Jesus – looking back at the disciples – looking at the boisterous waves – he began to sink. Suddenly he once again fixed his eyes on Jesus and cried, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and together they walked safely to the boat.
Mrs. White says we tend to be so much like Peter. “We look upon the waves instead of keeping our eyes fixed upon the Savior. . . Only through realizing our own weakness and looking steadfastly unto Jesus can we walk securely.” (Desire of Ages, p. 382) How thankful we can be that Jesus is patient with us, “not willing that any should perish.” (2 Peter 3:9) He offers His love and forgiveness to doubting disciples and to you and me.
Sharon Oster