I used this to help illustrate several points throughout our sermon series in March. And now, by popular demand, here are the poems I created for those sermons:
From the sermon: Do You Believe You Are A Part of God's Plan? 3/13/16
There is great power, great power indeed,
For one individual taught millions to read.
Perhaps you don’t think so, you might disagree,
But that is the truth as it seems to me.
I’ll tell you a secret, I’ll let this truth loose,
One man who helped millions to read was named Seuss.
You may not think much of his fine contribution
But I’m am most grateful of the distribution
Of reading, and rhyming, and talents galore
He shared these with us, these things and much more!
So the next time you think that you don’t have great merit,
Remember you’re capable! Find your talent and share it!
He was just one man, one small individual,
Yet what he accomplished was quite indispensable!
What can you do, you may sit back and wonder?
You can make your voice heard quite louder than thunder!
There’s a spirit in you, an image was granted
By the Lord up above, and in you he planted
A purpose, a reason, a plan to exist!
And so, friends, this purpose just cannot be missed!
You can do such wondrous things, after all,
A person’s a person no matter how small!
unless someone like you, cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better, it’s not.
And that is the point of my message today.
I hope that you’ve heard what I have to say.
The Lord God has given great purpose to you,
So seek out your gifts, and then follow through
With the mission, the goal, the purpose he gave
Because our Lord Jesus died to save
All the earth from their sins, their malice, and practicing
So we must rise up, and stop just relaxing
We all have a part to play, after all,
A person’s a person, no matter how small.
So offer yourself, a living sacrifice
To do so would be so much more than nice
But really the doing of a command
We were saved by his grace and led by his hand
Into service, conforming not to the world,
But acting like he, who by speaking unfurled
A planet, and creations, and then he expanded
A family of people, yes, that’s how he planned it!
So renew your mind, and give him your trust,
You must understand that your trust is a must.
If we don’t trust, his plan for redemption's a bust
We act, or wait to turn back into dust.
But we have a purpose, and he has a plan
This plan includes, you, you, you, every man!
I humbly beseech you, I hope that you’ll hear me.
He told me to tell you and tell you quite clearly
That you are so much more than you think that you are
He died just for you, so you wouldn’t be far.
His plan includes you, so listen and hear it!
Otherwise would he fill you with his Holy Spirit?
Submit, and be part of his plan, after all,
A person’s a person, no matter how small.
From the sermon: Do You Believe God's Plan Requires Action 3/20/16
*for the reader, for this sermon, and the one before it we used the book Horton Hears a Who! to illustrate our points. I referred often to the clover full of "whos" that Horton carried with him, and carried a clover in my hand throughout the sermon.
So as we wrap up our sermon and head toward for the door,
We’re going to do something different than we’ve ever done before.
Today is Palm Sunday, the week before Easter,
We have a tradition for which we are eager.
We hand out palm branches and wave them, then shout
“Hosanna” blessed is he, and then we go out.
We go out to restaurants, or go to our homes
Perhaps we take naps, or drink root beer with foam.
And then those palm branches, they tatter and tear
We might as well not even have them, they wear.
Eventually we toss them, we throw them away.
And lately, I’ve thought, “that’s just not ok.”
I’ve got a new idea! I’ve been thinking it over.
I’d rather not hand you all branches, but clovers.
And clover, by clover, by clover with care,
I want you to take one, and constantly stare
At the clover we gave you, and then be encouraged
To remember your value, your worth, and your purpose.
God didn’t just send his son only for you,
He sent him for everyone else on earth too.
So like our friend Horton, who had once heard a who,
You and I have a very great job we must do.
We care for our world, our sisters, our brothers,
We care for our fathers, mothers, and others
Who Jesus redeemed, his life laying down
We will spread the message of his word throughout town!
Through all of the world, we will be reminded
By the clover we keep where both eyes will find it.
We must find his people; they don’t hide too far.
Most folks who are hurting hide right where we are.
They silently sit and they sink into a crowd
Yes, they are already here, and they aren’t too loud.
Yet others are out there, we can’t be deserting
The millions of folks in the world who are hurting.
To fulfill this mission, we must be at our best!
Which means we need lots of good spiritual rest.
That doesn’t mean doing nothing but heal
But by actively serving, we’re renewing our zeal.
Live at peace with the world, peace and not malice.
For one day we’ll all have a room in his palace.
Speaking of palaces, Jesus our king
Is a master most worthy of the praises we sing!
He deserves our devotion, and all our hosannas!
And if all my rhyming just drives you bananas,
Then please forgive my great passion for it
My message is to the church: I implore it
To protect the world that Christ died to save
And rely on the power of the Spirit he gave.
Your efforts will lead you to uncertain places
Across town, across seas, across mountains and spaces.
Remember he leads you, hold out for his hand,
His Spirit’s inside you, as you travel the land
Reach out to the hurting, the dying, the lost,
And never forget that Christ paid the cost!
We must help to restore the land that he built
Let’s bear witness to Jesus so that this world will tilt
Back in the direction of he who created it
And not in the ways of Satan who hated it.
Be reminded of this mission as you look at your clover,
and if you’re not certain, that’s fine, think it over.
Follow the lead he has placed in your heart,
because he has a great plan and we each play a part,
from the smallest of small, to the tallest of tall,
God has a purpose for each, one and all!
So embrace that purpose and respond to his call,
he loves each single person, we don’t have to fall,
as his followers, we have a duty to all!
He died for each person, because, after all,
a person’s a person, no matter how small.
From the sermon: Do You Believe that God's Plan is Worth Your Sacrifice? 3/27/16 (Easter)
Far, far away in the Heavens where the lord God resided,
He looked down at the earth over which he presided.
He saw his animals, fish, and birds all at play,
The deer were quite energetic that day.
He looked at his plants after spying his creatures.
They all looked amazing with their colorful features.
The earth was quite strong, the waters were still,
But then something struck him that made him feel ill.
Man was the next creature upon which he gazed,
And he had grown evil, corrupted God’s ways.
God watched them in sadness and uttered “oh, dear,
Something has happened, things aren’t quite right here.”
The men were rebelling growing worse by the minute.
Then they cursed God, who said “Okay, that did it!
I hoped not to do this, but I have a plan.
A plan that will wipe the earth of each man.
The sky starting raining, it started to pour.
The strange thing was, that’d never happened before.
The rain kept on piling, it became quite a flood.
God said “I’ll make a new Earth, for this one’s a dud.”
Mankind was wiped out, the earth’s future was dark,
But thankfully God saved a family through the work of an ark.
Thanks then, to Noah, and all of his kin,
The whole world would soon be populated again.
There still was a problem, a sad little matter,
God’s perfect world was now clean, but still shattered.
“Flood waters won’t do it,” God sadly confessed.
“To save them, I’ll have to give up of my best.”
“Jesus, my son, come here if you please.”
“Yes, father,” he answered, “What is it you need?”
“Remember the plan that you and I hatched
When we formed all the planets and space out of scratch?”
“Oh that one,” said Jesus. “I remember it, now.
Though I hoped we might be able to avoid that somehow.”
“I understand,” said the Father replying,
“But the only way to save them is dying.
My plan is to send you to live among men.
Show them how to be holy and to act right again.
Correct the mistakes that their actions are making
And as you live differently you’ll find them awaking
To the truth of your status as my only dear son
Your life will be proof that I love everyone.
I’m sorry to do this, much more than you know.
But if we are to save them, this has to be so.
For the reality is, I so love the earth,
That as much as it pains me, I think they are worth
Your sacrifice, the great plan that we planned
Will soon be unleashed to save every man.”
“I understand father,” the Son said in reply.
“The only true way I can save them is I
Must be very willing to give them my life
To free them from sin, from evil, from strife.
And, Father, I’ll do it, for I love them too.
After all, I once created them with you.
I’ll go to the earth, I’ll show them true love.
I’ll reconnect them with you, here above.
They’ll be reminded of goodness, reminded of joy,
I’ll reveal that you would not send your little boy
Unless you loved them, as truly you do.
My father, I will, I will do this for you.
I’ll do it for them, for I love them so much.
And thanks to my sacrifice, they’ll be able to touch
The shores here in Heaven, by the fine crystal sea
I’ll build them a house, with a room next to me!
They’ll join us in this land where they’ll never grow old
And they’ll walk down the streets which are paved with pure gold.
So father, I’m ready, I’ll go as you say
And I’ll bring them all back to be with me someday.
I think they are worth it, I will sacrifice
My life just for them, my blood paying the price
Of the very large, very great debt they’ve incurred.
“But then,” said the father, “After you have endured
The wrath of my anger on their behalf,
I promise that won’t be the end of your path.
Your suffering will last only just a short while
And then you’ll be back, there will be no more trial.
You’ll be raised on the third day, alive and you’ll stand!
Then you’ll come, sit and join me, here at my right hand.
For by doing this, son, you’ll redeem all our people.
They’ll worship you always in churches with steeples.
The ones who call on your name will not fall
We’ll send them our spirit, and then they will call
All folks to repent, to come and join our kingdom.
Those who trust you will shout your praises and sing them
And the day will soon come when we’ll go back to Earth
And we’ll bring them all home, and it shall be the birth
Of a new era, a world where sin is destroyed!
And evil is gone, every girl every boy
Will live with such peace, understanding and joy.
Just like we imagined, yes just like we planned.
Jesus, your blood will save every man.”
His Servant and Yours,
-Zach
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