​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (First Sunday in Advent, November 28, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“For You, O Lord, Are My Hope!”
Psalm 71:1-6; Matthew 24:36-44
 
Today marks the first Sunday of Advent, the season in which we wait and prepare for Christ’s coming.  Advent seems simple but it is much more multidimensional.  Someone said that Advent is a strange season.  It may be the strangest season of the church year.  The Christmas season is straightforward: Christ is born, and we celebrate with joy!  The season of Lent has a clear trajectory: we are walking with Jesus towards Jerusalem, and the cross.  Easter season is the celebration of God’s victory over death in Jesus.  But Advent is strange.  Advent tells us it is almost Christmas, but then it forces us to wait, a full four weeks for the real celebration.
 
“Hope” is celebrated as the theme for this First Sunday in Advent.  In other words, Advent invites us to live in hope; to hold onto our hope and eventually to be a people of hope.  As I mentioned, Advent is a multi-layer season, a multi-dimensional season.  So as we enter this season together today, I want to make a few remarks: 
 
First: Advent Connects the Dots
Advent orients us beyond the event of Christmas.  Advent exists in a space that is simultaneously past, present, and future.  This is why our scripture readings for today do not focus on the Christmas story.  In fact, we don’t hear about Mary, Joseph, or baby Jesus until the very end of the season.  Instead, our scriptures pull us from this past event and draw us towards the future, toward the coming of Christ.
 
The coming of Christ can be understood in three ways – so to say, with the three tense markers – Jesus came; Jesus comes; and Christ will come again.  The first coming of Jesus is plain enough.  It refers to the historical coming of the Second Person of the Trinity 2000 years ago, as Jesus of Nazareth.  We call this, the Mystery of Incarnation.  We also hopefully await the coming of Christ in glory at the end of times.  This is referred to as the Second Coming.  This is one of the core beliefs of Christianity, and strongly alluded to in the New Testament.  In the Creed we assert our faith in these two comings of Christ.
 
But there is still the third meaning.  The coming of Jesus is not just a dead past in memory, nor is it a mere imagination of the future.  By the power of the Spirit of the Risen Lord, the coming of Jesus continues to be enacted even today.  Jesus comes in our midst as the Word is proclaimed, and as the Sacraments are celebrated.  Jesus comes to us today in powerful tangible ways. He comes as our faithful companion in all the ups and downs of life.  As our Friend, He rejoices with us and He cries with us.  As our Savior, He comes to our aide when we are helpless and broken.
 
Like the people of Israel who lived in between the promise and its fulfilment, we too live in between Christ’s birth and His Second Coming in glory.  Advent reminds us that we live in this middle space.  As humans, we don’t often appreciate ambiguity, mystery, and the unknown, but here comes the season of Advent to connect the dots and to remind us that our waiting is not in vain.  Here comes Advent to remind us that our waiting is meaningful and that our God is faithful and He is near.
 
Second: Advent Invites us to Wakefulness and Watchfulness
The gospel reading offered to us for this First Sunday in Advent is Matthew 26.  Jesus seems pretty keyed up about something.  He seems upset.  It is late in Matthew’s gospel… Jesus is in Jerusalem with his disciples, a few days away from his own crucifixion, and he is looking at the end of his own life and the end of life as he and his friends know it.
 
Jesus is talking about a coming catastrophe, about death and destruction, and he’s talking about the cost to the community.  Those who will be taken.  Those who will remain. This is not about a supernatural rapture, but about something this community actually witnessed: the crackdown of Rome on Jerusalem, in which families were torn apart, in which all their religious and cultural treasures were decimated, and in which many, many people were killed.
 
And Jesus’ refrain to those who are listening is: keep awake, because the Son of Man is coming… and no one knows when.  Jesus’ urgent message is: keep awake.  The Advent season is a time of wakefulness.  This wakefulness is not due to our need to stay up too late ordering presents online or wrapping them or finishing up the Christmas cards. It is not because we are up too late worrying about our finances, our heath, or grieving the loss of a loved one.
 
Jesus was talking about a different kind of wakefulness.  Even though Jesus is upset, and full of warnings, Jesus isn’t talking about staying awake so that we can fret or worry, or add grey hairs and wrinkles to our collections.  He’s talking about the kind of wakefulness we experience when we’re waiting for something wonderful.  The call with the good news about the job, or the diagnosis.  Someone we love walking through the door.  Some wonderful surprise we’ve been tipped off to expect.  Jesus is talking about staying awake in hope.  Waiting in hope becomes a joyful thing because we are waiting and watching for the coming of our Lord.
 
Friends, sometimes we struggle to see the presence of God in the here and now. I cannot help but wonder if the people of Israel had given up.  Over the years, I’ve met many Christians who wonder if this Christianity thing is worth fighting for.  We so quickly forget the incarnational God in Christ.  Matthew reminds us to get ready and “wake up” because the Lord is near.  Advent is a season of hope, expectation, waiting, and preparation.  We are told to do all of this together; in community!  To wait, to hope, to prepare ourselves for whatever our mysterious God has in store.
 
Let’s ignite our hearts with hope.  And let’s remember that filling our hearts with hope and preparing ourselves for God has in store for us is not something that just happens.  Each Advent we have the opportunity renew a vow: to wait for our God and to place our hope in him.  To vow to work, to be the Christ’s light for our neighbor, and to make our world a better place and as we follow the way of Christ, we shine Christ’s light into the darkness.  Thanks be to God. Amen.

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Christ the King Sunday ~ November 21, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“The Triumph of the Gospel!”
Acts 28:30-31; Philippians 4:21-23
 
This morning we get to our final destination as we wrap up our study in the book of Acts.  Since April, I have delivered 28 sermons from the book of Acts shedding some light on the story of the Early Church, the dynamics of sharing the gospel, and highlighting some key characters who shaped the ministry and mission of the Church of Jesus Christ.
 
As we get to the final words of Luke in Acts 28, we understand that the apostle Paul made it to Rome.  He is now under house arrest waiting for his trial before Caesar.  Yet, we can also feel the triumph of the gospel.  This is what Luke says in his concluding words in Acts 28:30-31, “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.  He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!” 
 
Writing to the Church in Philippi from his prison cell in Rome, Paul said these words in Philippians 4:21-22, “Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The friends who are with me greet you.  All the saints greet you, especially those of the emperor’s household.”  So a seed that had been planted in Israel made it all the way to Rome.  A message that Jesus preached in Galilee reaches now the end of the earth.  In fact, it reached the house of Caesar.  “All the saints greet you, especially those of the emperor’s household.”
 
I find it fascinating that our last lesson of our sermon series in the book of Acts falls on Christ the King Sunday; a time when the Church of Jesus Christ across the globe gets to remember that Jesus Christ is indeed the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.  Though we don’t see everything subject to Him at the moment, a time will come that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Two short observations as we wrap up our Acts series on this Christ the King Sunday:
 
First: Be Assured that the Gospel of Christ is Unhindered
The last word of the Book of Acts in the Greek text is the word akolutos.  Literally it means “unhindered.”  This is very unusual conclusion to the book of Acts.  Most of the New Testament books end with a blessing to the audience, or a word of encouragement, or just a simple “amen.”
 
Luke clearly wanted to highlight the triumph and victory of the gospel of Jesus of Nazareth.  “Last words are lasting words,” applies well here.  The Book of Acts traces the birth and growth of the church.  The gospel went forth in power.  As the Book of Acts begins there were only a few hundred believers in Jesus Christ ~ 120 to be exact.  As the gospel did its work, however, tens of thousands came to Christ in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and all the Gentile lands.  The gospel is unhindered. 
 
There was so much opposition.  Persecution, beatings, death, and imprisonment all threatened the spread of the gospel.  So, too, did sinfulness within the church as well as false teachings.  However, in spite of all the opposition and difficulties, Luke sums up the progress of the gospel by saying that it was unhindered.  It was unstoppable.
 
I believe that Luke was stating a principle of timeless application here.  He did not merely mean that the gospel was unhindered in the first century.  He meant that the gospel was, is, and always will be unhindered.  Luke had repeatedly made this same claim using different words throughout the Book of Acts (Acts 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20).  One commentator has said concerning the last word in Acts, “Nothing that people can do can stop the progress and ultimate victory of the gospel” (I. Howard Marshall, Acts, Tyndale Series, p.427).
 
Second: The Story is Not Over Yet
Yes, in these last words, Luke wanted us to know that nothing will stop the progress of the gospel.  Nothing will destroy God’s plans for broken humanity.  But there is another great truth in here too.  In stating that the gospel had already reached Rome and that it’s unhindered, Luke is basically telling us that the story is not over yet.  It’s true that through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our salvation is finished and sealed.  Yet, the greatest story needs to be told and shared.  That’s why Acts has an open-ended conclusion.  As I pointed out, Luke didn’t write a formal conclusion to Acts.  He even didn’t tell us whether Paul was martyred or released from arrest because his focus was on the unhindered spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth-not on Paul’s fate.
 
The story is not over yet.  It continues.  One chapter ends and another begins.  Acts 28 is the end of Luke’s account of the story of the Early Church, but it’s not the end of God’s acts.  The story of God’s transformative power continues to unfold in the lives of God’s people today.  The power of the gospel of Jesus of Nazareth is evident in a sinner saved by God’s grace today.  The power of the gospel of Jesus of Nazareth continues in a seed planted in the heart of a young child.  The power of the gospel of Jesus of Nazareth continues in the life of a follower of Jesus who takes their discipleship to the next level.  The power of the gospel of Jesus of Nazareth continues in the faithfulness proclamation of the gospel.  The story is not over yet.
 
Friends, the triumph is for the grace of God.  The victory is for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  God will always be faithful to His promises.  The darker the night, the sooner the dawn arrives.  Whether it’s in our lifetime or in a later time, Christ will visit America again.  So lift up your heads, people of God.  We serve an amazing God.  We follow a mighty God.  Lift up your heads people of God, for God, our God, is strong and faithful.  Lift up your heads people of God and let the King of Glory come in.  For it is through Him, anything is possible.  Be encouraged, stay grounded in His Word, and keep your eyes looking forward and toward Christ from where your help comes from.  Keep sharing and keep telling the story of God’s faithfulness in our world till all the world adore His scared name.  In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen! 

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday, November 14, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“Radical Generosity!”
Matthew 26:6-13
 
As you know, today is Stewardship Sunday; so instead of continuing our sermon series in the book of Acts, I thought it might be a good idea to take a break from Acts this morning and spend a few minutes reflecting and thinking together about stewardship.
Although stewardship is dealt with as “a season” in most Christian traditions today, it should be understood as a way of living.  At the heart of stewardship is a deep conviction that we are not owners, but stewards.  Everything we own belongs to God; our time, our talent, and our treasure – they all belong to God.  God entrusts all these things to our care, and we are to faithfully mange and oversee what God has already entrusted to our care.  Someone said that it’s a little hard to swallow the thought that it all belongs to God.  It’s a little hard to swallow the thought that we are stewards not owners.
I think one of the great stewardship stories in the Bible is the one we just read from the gospel of Matthew chapter 26.  Matthew tells us while Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a broken, sobbing, unnamed woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as Jesus was reclining at the table.
This story teaches us a great deal about our understanding of stewardship.  As we reflect on this story, I want to underscore two important observations for us this morning.  These two observations should help us capture the true meaning of stewardship.
First: Stewards realize the Generosity of GodStewardship begins when we as followers of Christ realize the generosity of God.  This is the essence of our scripture lesson this morning.  There are at least two other similar stories found in the other gospel accounts.   I don’t believe they are all the same.  Luke tells us in chapter 7 about a sinful woman who did the same to Jesus.  John also tells us in chapter 12 that Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, did the same thing to Jesus.  In these three different incidents, one thing in common: stewardship flows out of a deep faith in a generous God.  Stewardship stems from an awareness, a deep realization, of God’s abundance in our lives.
Luke’s account of the anointing of Jesus is followed by a parable that has a great message.  In Luke 7, Jesus told the story of two people owed money to a certain moneylender.  One owed the lender five hundred denarii and the other fifty.  Neither of them had the money to pay the lender back, so the lender forgave the debts of both.”  Jesus asked the question: Now which of them will love him more?  Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”  In Luke 7:46-47, Jesus commented, “You have judged correctly, Simon.  Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”  Stewardship begins when we realize the generosity of God.  
Second: Stewardship is an Act of Devotion and WorshipOften times, we don’t think of stewardship as an act of devotion or worship.  Unlike praising, preaching, or praying, giving is not always seen as an act of worship.  In our story this morning, we are reminded of a great truth.  Stewardship is an unspoken act of devotion and worship.
“Devotion” is defined as “giving your best to someone or something.”  If you’re devoted to your marriage, you give your best to your spouse.  If you’re devoted to your job, you give it your best.  Same thing, if you’re devoted to the Lord, you’re supposed to give the best unto the Lord; not the leftover, but your best. 
In presenting the alabaster jar of this very expensive perfume and pouring it on Christ’s head, the unnamed woman in Matthew 26 gave her best to the Lord.  You may know that in ancient Israel, the value of this very expensive perfume was equal to more than a year’s wages.  So it was an act of deep worship and profound devotion to the Lord.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I invite you this day to dedicate and consecrate ourselves anew to the Lord.  May we know this day that all what we are and all that we have belong to God.  So as we fill in our 2022 Pledge Cards and joyfully offer them to the Lord today, may they reflect the generosity of God in our lives.  May we also remember that giving is an act of worship, devotion, and love to our God.
Friends, let’s go an extra mile to honor God’s name this year.  Aware of how this radical generosity made many feel uncomfortable, Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 26:10 &13, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me … Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”  Our commitment today is one beautiful act for God in response to His generosity and His loving kindness.  Be assured that the Lord will never forget all the beautiful things you do.  In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen!

 

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday, November 7, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“When I Find It Convenient!”
Acts 24:22-27
 
We are drawing near the end of our journey in the book of Acts – this fascinating book which tells us what kind of God we have come to believe in; a God who sends His Spirit and creates and renews the face of the earth.  As we have been caught up in the excitement of the events of God’s Kingdom, in its rapid movement, and in the triumph and deliverance so evident in the lives of people of that day, we should never lose hope today.  We should never give up on our world.  In fact, we should pray and long for something similar to take place in our world today
 
In the 24th chapter of Acts we find the Apostle Paul a prisoner of the Romans, scheduled to appear before Governor Felix, the governor of the Roman province of Judea.  You may remember that Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem as a riot was about to break out in the temple courts.  Paul made many unsuccessful attempts to testify to his fellow Jews and to preach them the good news of Jesus Christ.  They refused to listen; and now, after a plot against his life, he has been brought down to the province capital, Caesarea, on the coast.
 
In Caesarea, Paul comes face to face with Felix.  Felix was a successor to Pontius Pilate.  He is an interesting character.  We know something about him from secular history.  He had been governor of the province of Judea for five years at the time this encounter with Paul took place.  In Acts 24:22, Luke tells us that Felix was “well acquainted with the Way.”  In other words, he knew very well what Christianity was all about.
 
Historical accounts tell us that Felix had been married to three different wives.   The third wife appears with him in this account.  Her name was Drusilla.  She was a Jew, the daughter of Herod Agrippa, the king who had put the Apostle James to death.  Drusilla had been the wife of the king of Emesa, but Felix had seduced her and now she was living with him as his wife.  This man was completely corrupt both morally and politically.  He was known to hire thugs to eliminate even friends who happened to get in the way of his political ambitions.  It is before such a judge that the Apostle Paul must appear.
 
Paul appears before Felix, and Paul being Paul, he seizes every opportunity to share the gospel.  Felix hears the gospel from Paul and the message made him uncomfortable.  The message struck a chord with Felix.  In Acts 24:25, Luke says, “As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” 
 
“That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”  This is one of the saddest and most poignant verses in all the Bible.  Instead of coming on his knees crying for God’s mercy and forgiveness, Felix put it off.  The real tragedy is Felix never found that “convenient time” to make up his mind.  One single thought that I would like to underscore this morning as we consider Paul’s account with Governor Felix and it has to do with our response to the gospel.
 
The Gospel Demands a ResponseAs simple as this truth may seem, it has always been challenging.  Hearing the gospel demands a response.  The gospel message demands a response.  Knowing the facts of the gospel is not the end of the story.  In fact, it’s the very beginning. 
Frustrated by the crowds who listened to His teaching, witnessed His miracles, but they never made their mind, Jesus said these words in Matthew 11:16-17 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’”  Through the faithful proclamation of the gospel, God calls us to repent, to grow, and to serve.  When the gospel is preached, a response is expected.
In Ezekiel chapter 33, the Lord lamented the fact that the people hear the message but they never respond.  The people got excited about their preacher, and they even invited their friends to come and listen to his messages.  Ezekiel 33:30-32 state, “As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.  Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.”
Friends, like many of us today, Felix waited for the perfect time to make up his mind about the gospel.  “You may leave now. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”  Over the years, I have met many people who have fallen into the trap of the “convenient time.”  They want to commit but waiting for the convenient season.  They want to give but they are waiting for the convenient season.  They want to serve but still waiting for the convenient season.  They have unfinished business with the Lord but waiting for the convenient season.  I am afraid it won’t come.  Procrastination could be tragic.  In Ecclesiastes 11:4, King Solomon reminds us, “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.”  Friends, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” 2 Corinthians 6:2.  In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen!
 
 

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday, October 31, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“Our Duty to God!”
Acts 23:1-8
 
I find it inspirating and challenging at the same time that a person gets to the end of his or her life and boldly declares, “I have fulfilled my duty to God.”  In Acts 23:1, Luke tells us that Paul appeared before the Sanhedrin and looking straight at the Council he said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”  What a statement!  I hope that when I am near the end of my life, I would be able to say that I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience. 
 
The Sanhedrin was the most powerful judicial and religious Jewish council consisting of 71 members.  This is the first time Paul faces the Sanhedrin ever since he was sent by them to Damascus to arrest the followers of Jesus.  Paul stood before them bold and fearless!  He takes the initiative to address them.  He does not appear to be like one on trial, but rather like one who is reporting back in regards to a mission he had been entrusted with some time ago by this very body.  “I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day,” Paul said.
 
As I pointed out, I am challenged this morning by Paul’s declaration before the Sanhedrin, and it causes me to examine my own heart to decide if I could boldly make such a statement.  Have I fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience?  What did Paul mean by that?  What is our duty to God?  Was he talking about living a sinless life, always doing the right thing?  I don’t think so.  Paul knew he is a sinner saved by God’s grace.  In 1 Timothy 1:15 he wrote, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”  So we know that Paul was not bragging or anything like that.
 
In humble boldness, Paul was saying he completed the mission God had given him.  He did his best.  His conscience is spotless and clear before the living God.  Today is Reformation Sunday.  It’s an important day in our Church liturgical calendar that is set aside to remember that our God is an active God.  He is active in the history of humanity.  He is at work through His faithful followers in the world.  He has never left Himself without witness. 
 
It was through the witness of the early Church that the gospel spread.  It was through the faithful witness of the 16th century reformers that God restored the purity of the Church.  It is through our witness today that God will continue to transform lives.  Two short observations as we look at Paul’s speech in Acts 23 this morning:
 
First: We Have a Duty Toward our God
We all have duties.  A duty is a responsibility outside of yourself.  We all have responsibilities toward our families, our jobs, and our local community.  Parenthood is a big duty.  Being a parent is hard and tedious work.  Day-in and day-out you need to perform your duties and take responsibility for your children, no matter how you feel, and often with little sense of reward or pleasure or a simple “thank you.”  Despite this lack of reward or pleasure or appreciation, fulfilling your duties often provides a deeper sense of meaning in the grand scheme of things.
 
I think one of our problems is we often forget we have a duty toward our God.  It’s a commitment we make to God; an intentional commitment to take our faith seriously; to make His kingdom at the center of our lives.  As I was preparing my sermon for today, someone stopped by my office to give me these two booklets.  They belonged to his great grandmother who attended Blackwood Presbyterian Church over one hundred and twenty years ago.  Going through her stuff, he found these two pieces: The programs for the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary and the One Hundred and Seventy Fifth anniversary program.  I had the chance to read through them this week and among the many wonderful things I came across was this note on page 30 in the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary took place on September 30, 1900.  Under the report of “The Foreign Missionary Society”, it says: “The object of the Society has been to increase the interest in missionary work, and to raise money to help further it.  Last year, we sent $56 to the work in Ferozepore, India.”
 
In his “Historical Outline from 1900 to 1925”, Rev. Cedric Miller wrote these words on page 28, “The First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood has a record of which she is proud, but let one and all not rest on “those things which are behind but reach forth unto those things which are before and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:13-14.  We have a duty toward our God.
 
Second: Be a Participant, not a Spectator
Fulfilling our duty to God invites us to be participants not spectators.  Everything about duty to God invites us to act—we act by learning, we act by serving, we act by doing, and we act by sharing.  Friends, we have the privilege to be not spectators but participants.
 
We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses who were participants not spectators.  On page 20 of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary, it states, “In 1880, the lecture room was built at a cost of two thousand dollars.  It was dedicated on January 1, 1881.  The dedicatory sermon being preached by the Rev. V. Reed, then Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Camden.  The people cheerfully subscribed toward the building and as cheerfully paid their subscriptions so that there was no debt on the day of dedication.” 
 
Friends, every person has a duty to fulfill.  We have a duty to work and pay our bills.  We have a duty to care for our families.  We have a duty to take care not to harm others around us.  May we never forget that we have a duty toward our God.  Before the Sanhedrin, Paul said that he has fulfilled his duty to God as far as he can tell. 
 
As Christ’s followers today we must examine ourselves and see if we are actually fulfilling our duty to God.  As believers, God has called us to build His Kingdom.  He got a job for you to do upon this earth.  It may be completely different than those around you, or very similar, but it is one that only you can accomplish.  Ask yourself today if you have fulfilled your duty to God in all good conscience.  If not, it is time to start.  And remember, fulfilling your duty to God is not a program but a process.  Be a participant, not a spectator.  Amen!