"What do you want?" "Where are you staying?"

John - 1: 35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"
37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39"Come," he replied, "and you will see."

So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

++++++++++++++++++++

Did Jesus ever ask you what do you want?
If Jesus do ask "what do you want?", do you have a reply for it? Or you will be like me, caught off guard and utterless? 1001 wants swim in your mind but when the question comes, when the moment arrives, nothing!!!
Still, there is the promise of "Come and you will see."

Turning around, Jesus sees you following and asks, "What do you want?"
You say, ".... ..."
"Come and you will see." Jesuss invites anyway as he already knew what you want.

So go and spendt the day with him. .... It was about the tenth hour.

Christ has put us like a statue in the niche (Francis De Sales)

If a statue is placed in some niche and could speak and was asked, "Why are you in the niche?"

The statue would say,"Because my master has put me here."

It is said to the statue, "Why don't you move?"

"Because my master wishes me to be immovable."

"Won't you like to have some movement so that you can be closer to him?"

"No, for where I am is where my master has placed me. And from where I am is the chief objective f my life."

"Don't you want anything else?"

"No, I am where my master has put me. And his supreme will is the glory of my being."


====== Francis De Sales (1597) ======

"I have had enough, take my life..."

1 Kings 19
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank.

What good advice we see from what happened to Elijah. When it is getting too much and we are running for our lives, we retreat, to.... a retreat.

HOW?

PHASE 1:

1. Leave your "servant" behind.
2. Talk a very long walk into a "desert".
3. Find a "shady" tree.
4. Pray to God to "take your life".
5. Then fall "asleep".
6. Wake Up and Eat.
7. Wake Up and Eat Again.

Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.

PHASE 2: When you feel some energy returning, ...

1. Walk even more.
2. Look for THE "mountan" and a "cave".
3. Sleep again.

... And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

PHASE 3: Wait for God to say "Hello"



==== ==== ==== THE END ==== ==== ====

Fruitful, Fulfilled and Freedom (Sermon 06.01.2008)

RELECTION
Sermon on 06.01.2008

Scripture: Psalm 1, Galatians 5:13-26, John 15:1-17

Fruitfulness & Fulfillment (Ps 1)
= Created & Freedom To Serve (Gal 5)
= Serving in Tandem with the Spirit (John 15)

For 2008, in the journey with God
- What is the ONE purpose I am Called to Serve, and is Free (and not bonded) to Serve?
- What is the Pruning needed in order for me to be Fruitful?

Doubting Thomas

Banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden