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Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”

 The original wording from William Carey’s famous sermon, preached on May 30, 1792, at Nottingham, England. This was the climax of his sermon on Isaiah 54:2–3 (“Enlarge the place of thy tent…”). Carey was urging Christians to trust God for the expansion of His kingdom and to take bold action in mission work. That exact phrasing — great things — is what became the rallying cry for the modern missionary movement.

Friends and Family of Lakeway United Methodist Church-Pottsboro, Grace and God’s peace to you and yours in the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

Frank Alegria is urging Christians to trust God for the expansion of His kingdom and to take bold action in mission work. Yes, I borrow a few words and inserted my name. The meaning, passion and desire is no different. All of us are to take bold action in mission work. And that may come in countless forms: not always in the jungle of Africa, in the swamps of Florida, in the inner cities of Houston-Dallas, Chicago, Baltimore, where drugs, human-trafficking, violence is an everyday event. However, maybe so. Where God guides, God will provide.

Yesterday’s sermon, I mentioned that to be a disciple of Jesus Christ requires that we sign a blank check, give this to the Lord, and say, “Fill in the blanks. I will do what you ask.” I told a story that my brother Charlie sent Edna and myself a signed blank check while in our first year at Perkins School of Theology-SMU. Instructions: “However much you need, for whatever you need, fill in the blank.” We did fill in the blank, with the amount necessary to pay the doctor who be delivering Paula, our daughter, into this world.

Read John 10:10. I believe that God wants us to experience this life abundantly. What does that look life? It is different for different folks. Abundant life might mean to earn enough money to put food on the table, pay for utilities, so that you may be warm during winter. Abundant life may mean being able to further one’s education, maybe breaking the cycle of no education in the family’s history. Abundant life.

I have been blessed to have traveled to several parts of the world: Europe, South America, Mexico, Italy: singing in the Basilica of Saint Peter as a senior in high school while on tour. I have seen a few “big places.” However, I have experienced many more “small places” that have brought me greater joy. I have been to Lake Como in Italy while on tour with a church choir. I have experienced many more memorable trips on Lake Texoma. “Small Places.”

My brother Raul introduced me to Howard Olds, pastor of Brentwood United Methodist Church, in Franklin, Tennessee. Not personally, but by a sermon or two for Dr. Old’s library. He paraphrased John 10:10 … more and better than you can ever imagine. His words of that particular scripture text seemed to have unlooked a key for me to see God’s purpose for me and my world: to allow our imagination to be one with God’s.

God wants us to live life abundantly, in Christ Jesus. Choose today to live.                                        Blessings from Pottsboro, Pastor Frank (alegria@lakewayumc.org)