The Laurelbrook Seventh-day Adventist Church service on September 15, 2018 began with Clifton Brandt welcoming everyone and making the needed announcements. There will be a fellowship lunch in the cafeteria; everyone is welcome. Rich Sutton and Ginny Arce had the second reading for the nominating committee report on the 2019 church officers. These new officers start next week.
Jacqueline Miller played an introit. The congregation had a silent invocation and then sang “Sweet, Sweet Spirit”. Leilani (junior), Kaydence (9th grader), and Lisha Westcott led the singing. Clifton Brandt had the main prayer; the congregation responded with “Hear Our Prayer, O Lord”.
Saul (junior) then called for the offering. Pedro Arce and Felix (junior) then collected the morning offerings; the loose offering went to the local church budget. The congregation sang the doxology, and Clifton Brandt prayed for the offering.
Mark (junior) told the children a story about a boy who chose a Christmas present that his sick sister would like in spite of a wonderful toy fire truck he personally wanted. He gave his sister the present, but a lady from the party brought him the fire truck.
Daryen (junior) read Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” For special music, Edvan (junior) played an instrumental solo, accompanied by Jeremy Westcott on the piano.
Rodney Herra discussed the topic “Will You Open the Door?” At the conclusion of the sermon, Rodney appealed to audience members to commit to God’s leadership in their lives. The congregation sang “Breathe on Me, Breath of God”. Rodney Herra had the closing prayer.
Personnel Other Than Students:
Clifton Brandt – works with Laurelbrook’s sewer, water, and boiler systems
Ginny Arce – works with her husband Pedro to manage the campus music program
Jacqueline Miller – semi-retired nurse living on the Laurelbrook campus
Lisha Westcott – Laurelbrook Elementary School teacher
Rich Sutton – Laurelbrook president
Rodney Herra – former staff member / head church elder for the 2019 school year
Following are some notes on the sermon by Rodney Herra:
- Matthew 25:1-13 “1 ¶ Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five [were] foolish. 3 They that [were] foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, [Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
- The difference between the two groups is oil. This is talking about the “pure” church – us.
- On the surface, you could not tell between the two groups. The foolish were lacking the Holy Spirit.
- Revelation 3:14-20 “14 ¶ And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
- God is addressing three groups in God’s church today – cold, hot, and lukewarm. To get lukewarm, you mix cold and hot.
- God dislikes lukewarm people because they profess to like God and love the world.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4 “14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 3:1 ¶ And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I [am] of Apollos; are ye not carnal?”
- Everyone’s character is natural born character that concludes God is not needed.
- A carnal nature wants God, yet wants the world. These will not go to heaven because they are following Satan.
- Only the actual people know what group they are in.
- Revelation shows Jesus knocking at your heart’s door and wanting in. Jesus won’t beat the door, but Satan will.
- The hot believers have the Holy Spirit in their hearts. The only way to become hot spiritually is to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit.
- Carnal people do all the right things but lack the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings peace and comfort to their hearts when moment by moment and decision by decision they turn to the Holy Spirit for guidance.
- Natural disasters are all around us as Satan shows his power. We dismiss these because it doesn’t affect us.
- The hot believers don’t do what they do because they want glory and praise. Give God the glory.
- God is a safe guide; He’s sent His Son to die for you.
- Ask the Holy Spirit into your life every day when you get up in the morning. Satan will make matters worse to get you to get rid of the Spirit.