North Main Street Church of God
A Touch of Kindness
1201 North Main Street Ext. Butler, PA 16001 09/17/2023
Locations & Times
North Main Street Church of God
1201 N Main St Ext, Butler, PA 16001, USA
Sunday 10:30 AM
Sunday Morning
Join us on Sunday Mornings online where you can Check-in/Connect, Give, and Watch along with us.
https://northmaincog.org/online/Know Christ intimately,
Grow in Christ continually, and
Go for Christ daily
Check-in Here
Thanks for joining us! If it's your first time here we'd love to connect with you! Fill out the form below. <br> For our regular attenders, please check in with your name and email, if you need to update information
https://northmaincog.org/online-connection-form/Joining us online?
Thank you for joining us today! Please check in here:
https://northmaincog.org/online-connection-form/
Newcomers to North Main
If you are a newcomer, we’re so glad you’ve joined us! If you’re here in person, make sure to stop by the Welcome Center where we have a gift bag for you with some information about us and some delicious homemade chocolate chip COOKIES. <br> For those online please visit the website below and make sure to click the COMMUNICATION CARD button and fill that out so we can send you a free gift!
https://northmaincog.org/onlineChurch Mobile App
Did you know North Main has a church mobile app? Access videos anytime from your device and never miss a sermon. Securely and easily give your tithes, offerings, and donations. Instantly register for upcoming events, and stay in the know of what's happening. Contact Us at any time with a simple message. Find others in the North Main directory. To download go to:
https://northmaincog.org/app/Bible Reading Plan
Join us in 2023 as we read through the Bible in a year and highlight evidence of “KINDNESS” throughout our daily Scripture readings. Reading Guides and GREEN highlighters, the color that represents KINDNESS, are available at the Welcome Center. You can also access the resources digitally on NORTHMAINCOG.ORG/BIBLE
https://northmaincog.org/bible/
Events
For more information about events at North Main such as our upcoming softball games, women’s hikes, classes, and groups, please make sure to stop by the Welcome Center or visit our website at
https://northmaincog.org/eventsBulletins
There are a few ways you can follow along with our service today. We have the sermon outlines available as you come in, our Monthly Sermon Booklets are available at the Welcome Center, or you can follow along with our digital bulletin on the YouVersion Bible app, just tap “MORE” to open the menu, then tap “EVENTS” and find North Main Street Church of God.
https://northmaincog.org/onlineWe’ve been collecting lost items all over North Main. Please stop by the LOST & FOUND table near the Gathering Place (coffee shop) to see if anything belongs to you before we find them a new home.
Give
We thank you for your faithful gifts. You can give online and, of course, on Sundays by using the secure drop boxes located outside the doors of the Sanctuary. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS.
https://northmaincog.org/give/
(Luke 5:12-16)
Yearly Theme: “Kindness is… Astounding”
Series Title: “Kindness 24/7”
September 17th, 2023
In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Do not waste your time bothering whether you ’love’ your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less.”[1]
Today we come upon one such occasion where Jesus’ compassion far exceeded His concern about cultural mores or social pleasantries. The great compassion of GOD through Jesus knows no bounds. Let’s take a look:
[1] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (Broadman & Holman Publishers: New York, New York, 1980), 116.
What can we learn from this one compassionate act of healing? We can learn that…
Luke 5:13 (NLT), Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
Luke 5:14 (NLT), Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”
Luke 5:15-16 (NLT), 15 But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.
The story is told of General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, and the day Queen Victoria of England asked to meet with him. Because she had heard so many favorable things about his work in the slums, she asked him for the secret of his success. “Your Majesty,” he replied, “Some men have a passion for money. Some people have a passion for things. I have a passion for people.”[1]
A passion for GOD coupled with a passion for people can radically change a society/culture for the better and bring healing to nations. However, compassion seems in short supply these days in our polarized, political environment. What does it look like to enact true acts of kindness from a willing heart of compassion indiscriminately? It looks a lot like loving and touching the unlovable and untouchable. It looks a lot like giving witness to what the Kingdom of GOD looks like on earth as it is in Heaven. And it looks a lot like prioritizing time alone with GOD the Father from whom all blessing, power, and authority flow.
Key Point: “True acts of kindness come from a willing heart of compassion.”
[1]Source Unknown.
Jesus told the leper, “I will. I am willing to heal you.” Imagine what it must have been like for the leper to hear those words from Jesus.
What prayer of yours lately do you most long to hear those words from Jesus?
Verse 16 says that Jesus “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” What do you most appreciate about your prayer life right now?
What is difficult for you about prayer right now?
Jot down a few notes, then talk to God honestly about that. Is there a step He’s inviting you to take?
Past Sermons
To view past sermons, please visit our website below.
https://northmaincog.org/media-resources/sermons/Contact Us
If you would like to update your information or have a prayer request, please fill out the link below.
https://northmaincog.org/media-resources/contact-us/North Main Street Church of God
1201 North Main Street Ext.Butler, PA 16001 (724) 285-4214 info@northmaincog.org
http://www.northmaincog.org/Give
We thank you for your faithful gifts. You can give online at NORTHMAINCOG.ORG/GIVE, text "give" to (724) 313-2211, and, of course, on Sundays by using the secure drop boxes located outside the doors of the Sanctuary. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS.
https://www.northmaincog.org/giveMonday - Thursday
9:00am - 4:00pm