4 DINNERS IN 1 MEAL (THE LUKE 14 DINNER)

The Thanksgiving meal prepared by my mother was enough to have been 4 dinners. Ironically, Jesus knows what that’s like—sort of. In Luke chapter 14, Jesus accepted the invitation to an after worship meal. Jesus didn’t bring a dish, but He did bring a lesson, actually a set of lessons. These lessons serve up 4 spiritual dinners, each with its on flavors of conviction, challenge, and hope.

Following this sermon, the members of Hall Memorial CME Church put the lesson into practice. The church kitchen crew prepared a meal, and the church “fixed” their plates, but we didn’t eat a thing. We carried plates to the Greyhound bus station, back corners, convenience stores, and hotels frequented by the cyclically homeless and transient. We gave them our food and left it to God to bless us.

At one location, we found and fed 12-15 families living semi-permanently in a Day’s Inn.

It was a blessing well worth 4 DINNERS IN 1 MEAL.

Listen well.

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Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is the pastor of
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Rd., Montgomery, AL 36116
Call/ fax: 334-288-0577
Email us at hallmemorialcme1@aol.com
Friend Pastor Graves at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves  

LUKE 14 DINNER

What: Luke 14 Dinner for the Needy. 

When: November 27, 2011, approx. 12:30 p.m. (after morning worship)

Where: Hall Memorial CME Church is at 541 Seibles Road, Montgomery, 334.288.0577

HMCME is well-known for the delicious soul-food dinners we serve after special afternoon services. On Sunday, Nov. 27th, after morning worship service, we will pile food on our plates for a traditional Sunday meal – with a twist. Rather than enjoying the meal ourselves, ...we’ll get into our cars and go out along the East Boulevard and other areas around Montgomery, handing our plates to the homeless, transient, and hungry. As Jesus said in Luke 14: 12- 14, "When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." This is one way we tell Jesus, "Thank you." Join us and share in the the best meal you'll never eat.

A CHARGE TO KEEP

Worship can be so moving, so exciting, so empowering; but the rest of the week (sometimes the rest of the day) can be so spiritually unproductive. Sometimes you experience powerful praise and worship and nearly as soon as you leave church you experience spiritual defeat.
What happened? Why?

Pastor Anderson T. Graves opens the Word and answers these questions in a sermon delivered for the Homecoming & Church Anniversary Celebration at Southside CME Church in Birmingham, Alabama.

Learn why it’s so important to KEEP THE CHARGE.

Listen well.

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Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is the pastor of
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Rd., Montgomery, AL 36116
Call/ fax: 334-288-0577
Email us at hallmemorialcme1@aol.com
Friend Pastor Graves at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves  

UNDER DIVINE CONSTRUCTION

This road is not easy.  Sometimes it’s so rough that you don’t see how it’ll ever get any better.  Sometimes it seems like you’ll never get any better.  Will it?  How can you know?

Through the opening passage of the book of Philippians and his own story of a wreck/ wrecked life, Pastor Anderson Graves II shares a Word that answers these questions.   Follow along and learn THE SIGNS THAT YOU’RE UNDER DIVINE CONSTRUCTION.

1) Fellowship in the gospel
2) Sharing in the chains of others
3) Defense and Confirmation of the Gospel. 
4) Grace of God
5) Love,
6) Knowledge,
7) Discernment.
8) Spiritual Priorities,
9) Integrity
10) Righteousness

Listen well.

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is the pastor of

Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Rd., Montgomery, AL 36116
Call/ fax: 334-288-0577
Email us at hallmemorialcme1@aol.com
Friend Pastor Graves at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves 

PROVERBS 21: 29 -- STRONG BROTHERS

Proverbs 21: 29 A wicked man hardens his face,
But as for the upright, he establishes his way.

Brothers are often raised to be “hard.” And there’s a good reason. The reason is that the world is In fact a cruel & vicious place, & if you’re not strong enough it will chew u up & spit you out in soggy, flavorless chunks. A man can’t afford to be blinded by emotion, but neither can he afford to be hard-hearted & therefore blind to his feelings & the feelings of others.

In practice/ in life, the emotionally blind (hard brothers) & the emotionally blinded (‘soft” brothers) are the same. They both react out of fear; they both live w/out a plan.

Hard/ hard-hearted brothers are afraid so they fight when there’s nothing to fight over. Soft/ emotionally weak brothers are afraid so they flee when there’s nothing to flee from.

Hard/ hard-hearted/ emotionally blind brothers refuse good advice & refuse to consider the consequences of their actions either on themselves or on others. They do without thought/ plan. Therefore they fail.

Soft/ weak/ emotionally blinded brothers are incapable of refusing advice. They do what everyone tells them, hopping from path to path & never charting a clear direction. Therefore they fail.

The wise & godly balance is neither hard nor soft; it’s STRONG.

A strong brother doesn’t react out of fear. A strong brother acts out of love & righteousness. A strong brother chooses his response based on how to do right by others (love) while always doing what is right (righteousness).

A strong brother listens to advice & correction, but makes the final decision his own. A strong brother understand his place in His plan & makes his personal plans according to His Divine will & Word.

A strong brother doesn’t move blindly along a random path. A strong brother consciously establishes his way.

Soft breaks. Hard shatters. Strong endures.

Ephesians 6: 10 Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

LOVERS, SPOUSES, STALKERS, & SHAME

In a way everyone---saved or not, believers or not----everyone has a relationship with Jesus.  The big question though is:  What kind of relationship do you have with Jesus?  Beginning in the love poems of Song of Solomon and continuing into Jesus’ parable of 10 potential brides all pursuing the same groom---- hear what the Word has to say about the love of Christ.  Take a romantic view of His love.

Consider what the Spirit has to say about LOVERS, SPOUSES, STALKERS, & SHAME.

Listen well.

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Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is the pastor of

Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Rd., Montgomery, AL 36116
Call/ fax: 334-288-0577

Email us at hallmemorialcme1@aol.com

Friend Pastor Graves at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves