Laurelbrook Academy SDA Church

Rodney Herra Discussed How to React to Temptations or Commands

                                                                                                                                                 Audio

The Laurelbrook Seventh-day Adventist Church service on July 28, 2018 began with Rodney Herra welcoming everyone. Jacqueline Miller played an introit. The congregation had a silent invocation and then sang “Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley”.  Rodney Herra had the main prayer; the congregation responded with “Hear Our Prayer, O Lord”.

Itzel (senior) then called for the offering.  John Ellis and Clifton Brandt then collected the morning offerings; the loose offering went to the world budget.  The congregation sang the doxology, and Rodney Herra prayed for the offering. 

Arielle Pierre told the children a story about Daniel and the temptations the king put in front of him at the table. Her daughter Gabby prayed at the end of the story.

Itzel (senior) then read 1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].” The congregation then sang “It Is Well With My Soul”, led by Jara (2018 sophomore) and Itzel.

Rodney Herra (with Itzel as interpreter – some Spanish-speaking parents were present) discussed the topic “Jesus?  Shoes?” The congregation sang “Wholly Thine”.   Rodney Herra had the closing prayer.

Personnel Other Than Students:

Clifton Brandt – works with Laurelbrook’s sewer, water, and boiler systems

Jacqueline Miller – semi-retired nurse living on the Laurelbrook campus

John Ellis - retired auto mechanic living nearby

Rodney Herra – former staff members / Laurelbrook church treasurer

Following are some notes on the sermon by Rodney Herra:

1. Genesis 6:13- “13 ¶ And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15 And this [is the fashion] which thou shalt make it [of]: The length of the ark [shall be] three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; [with] lower, second, and third [stories] shalt thou make it. 17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein [is] the breath of life, from under heaven; [and] every thing that [is] in the earth shall die. 18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.”
2. Genesis 7:6-7 “6 And Noah [was] six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. 7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.”
3. Ellen White says that Noah put all he owned into the Ark, and its construction was a witness to the entire earth. Many at first seemed to heed the warning but finally joined those mocking Noah because of the ridicule they received from their associates.
4. Noah was about 480 years old when God first talked to him about the Ark and promised him that his family could take refuge in it. But family members had to make the choice to enter it.
5. Noah worked on the Ark for 120 years. There had never been a flood so building a boat was an act of supreme belief in God. People believed he was mentally crazy.
6. Noah was probably tempted to forget the project despite his belief in God. Yet he kept working on the Ark and preaching. Every move he made on the Ark showed that he trusted in God.
7. How many believe Jesus is coming soon?  Do we live like that?
8. In the early Christian church, financially the rich became poor due to their giving.
9. As a result of Noah’s faithfulness, he and his family were saved.
10. Genesis 39:1-12 “1 ¶ And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the LORD [was] with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all [that] he had he put into his hand. 5 And it came to pass from the time [that] he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. 6 And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was [a] goodly [person], and well favoured. 7 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what [is] with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9 [There is] none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou [art] his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? 10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, [or] to be with her. 11 And it came to pass about this time, that [Joseph] went into the house to do his business; and [there was] none of the men of the house there within. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.”
11. Joseph as a slave trusted in God. He was handsome in appearance, Potiphar put him in charge, but Joseph didn’t allow his power to go to his head.
12. Potiphar’s wife finally grabbed him by his garment. Joseph could have rationalized going her way, but instead he ran away from her.
13. Even Potiphar recognized Joseph’s innocence.  Joseph was sent to prison, not to the executioner.
14. Joseph didn’t want to sin against God. His relationship with God took him through the temptation.
15. Ellen White says every person should recognize that he/she is always in the presence of God. God knows what each of us is doing.
16. Yielding just once to sin can wreck our lives and hurt the lives of all around us.
17. 1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].”
18. Jesus promises that He will allow only temptations we can bear if we choose to trust in Him.