Sunday AM Recap
May 10, 2026
Mother’s Day
Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/bAwTlSwEmG4?si=G7V8hhDJZAtPfu3C
Pastor Jeff Spangler opened the service with the history of Mother’s Day and by honoring the women in the congregation.
History of Mother’s Day can be found here: The History of Mother's Day
Stacea Kuehn led worship.
Early Childhood Worship
Link: https://youtu.be/OxhuGukBq3k?si=Ssoq8x6pcmr2v7Mu
Bible Story: David Chosen to Be King
Bible Verse: John 13:34
Big Idea: I can choose to be patient!
Message: Pastor Jeff Spangler
A Mother’s Day Message for Everyone
Experience of a small-town style diner - at the place at the table, there’s a saucer and a coffee cup, and it’s turned upside down. It’s generally accepted that if you want coffee, you turn the cup right-side up, and it’s a sign to go ahead and fill the cup with coffee. You don’t even have to say anything - you just turn the cup up. What is the expectation? That your cup will be filled.
We’ve been talking about setting expectations - it’s not the way you think it is. So it’s good to ask: then how is that way?
The message Pastor prepared…isn’t even the message he is giving today. It’s important to understand that the table has been set for each and every one of us. How much effort did you put forward in setting the table today, for Mother’s Day? Did you assume it wasn't your table to set? God rains down on ALL EQUALLY. He showers all of us with things of His heart, He made all of us in His image, and we all have an equal opportunity to receive. He has set the table for us. There’s an opportunity when He sets the cup and the saucer, and the challenge for us is to stop telling God what we like and not like but just turn the cup over in expectation.
There’s been a table set for you. Say thank you and have expectation that God will fill your cup - He has set the table with the expectation that someone will come! His expectation is that someone will have need when they come and fill these empty seats - and their need will be met!
So many times it feels like “who sets my table?” Sometimes you give a lot - and God says to you today “I have set your table with an expectation, one of which is a cup.”
Just come with the expectation that God has something ready - be ready! The table has been set! Are you ready for something? He has more than enough for you!
Do we enter each day, no matter what our circumstances, just for a second to pause and say “Thank you for setting the table today”? Not just for ourselves - but so that we can set a table for another.
Have expectation for something yet to come!
1 Peter 5:2-7
2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
He says to us: Be shepherds of God’s flock.
What’s that mean to you?
Who is he talking to?
He’s saying: “You’ve got yours - now help them get theirs!”
In shepherding, there is a difference between a shepherd and a rancher. A shepherd is RELATIONAL.
God says to you today: “remember, I set your table first. Are you signaling that your cup is up?” Be ready to receive something - so you have something to give.
Be shepherds. That's not just a church situation. A flock is shown by the very desire to come close to you. Your flock is drawn to you. What’s the role of a shepherd? To make sure that the sheep know his voice. And to make sure the sheep know the voice of the Chief Shepherd.
And to be a gatekeeper - sometimes with their own bodies. Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, gatekeepers. You do have a flock, and that may be more than your kids, it may not look the way you think it does. But God sees you, and understands that flock is under YOUR care.
We often ask “Why me?” God says a better question is: “who am I?”
Care for the flock by seeing the value of who they are, see the value in them that they can’t see, to set the table for them to enjoy what the Father has for them.
Verse 2:
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be
Not because you must but because you are willing!!!
The seats in our sanctuary have been set, who are we to say when they come to the diner? But we must be ready and willing to serve when they come for however long they are here.
It’s not about what we get out of it, it’s about what THEY get out of it. Sometimes we do things the way we want instead of the way others need. So much of the time we want to tell how we like things, even when it wasn’t asked.
God has given a flock to everyone - sheep that are under your care. Don’t get caught up in the language of mothering - just know that you have a flock you don’t even know of yet, already assigned. God says you have what they need!
Don’t sit at the table wondering what you are going to get - sit at the table with expectation for others. To have relationship, conversation. Not because you must but because you are willing. Not because of what you need, but to come in a corporate sense to be ready and willing to watch over what flock is coming.
“I will fill you up to overflowing for what THEY need.” Be careful you’re not telling God how you like your coffee! Nothing in this passage says we get to give our opinions.
God has never been beaten, we want HIS steps in as few steps as possible! After all…we’re tired…ready for it to be HIS way!
Verse 3:
not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
You may be the only Bible anyone ever reads. And they ARE reading. Are your words and actions contradicting where your heart is? God is saying “I see you, and I’ve set a table for you, and I set it every day, and there’s a choice of what you have and have not.” He’s never too busy for you.
Verse 4
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
Sometimes things are deferred. Sometimes it’s not instant gratification. But it’s for sure - God has things for sure for us, and sometimes the deferment is a blessing, even if it doesn’t seem that way.
Verse 5:
In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
Peter is quoting Proverbs 3:34 here…it’s that important!
Verse 6:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Humble yourselves! Don’t wait for God to humble you, but choose humility, choose to be humbled. Humble yourselves therefore…What is the humbling there for? Good question - the answer is right there: so that HE may lift you up. You are not the lifter of you. The world is not the lifter of you. Your work is not the lifter of you. So HE may lift you up.
We have these moments with our flock, with our mothering, that we don’t necessarily enjoy…but we do these things for those in our flock so they get the freedom and touch they need, and God appreciates when we humble ourselves, so then He lifts us up. When we lift ourselves up, we get tired, we can wind up with a deficit in our lives…but He sets the table every day, and He will start again.
He wants to lift you up in that very thing that makes you tired when you’re worn out.
Verse 7:
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
We speak a lot about anxiety these days. God says to cast YOUR anxieties on Him - BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU. HE CARES FOR YOU.
God sees you. He set a table for you. He has given you a flock to shepherd, because in caring for this flock, there are people that will relate to you - and what are you giving them? Are you lifting yourself up or letting God lift them up and lift you up?
Study out the next part of the text - the enemy tries to contradict what God just said. He is the father of lies - and he uses words to contradict The Word. To tell you that you are less than. To lie to you and tell you that you’re not enough.
Jesus cares for you and He chose to humble Himself so God could lift Him up - FOR YOU. This is our example!
CCC - we are gatekeepers. We are special forces shepherds.
You are safe here. Amen and amen.
Turn your cup up. He cares for you and has given you all you need - so you can care for them.
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