Sermons
So Will I ...
SO WILL I ...
Sermon By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / June 23, 2019
Our Annual Camp 2:52 Summer Youth Retreat begins this afternoon at three o'clock.
This year's retreat will be our forty-third in a row.
The campers who will be attending this year's camp will range in age from 8-16.
We have 66 campers registered (20 more than last year) - - 37 pre-teens and 29 teenagers.
David & Lara Brazle will serve as our camp directors for the 13th straight year.
It's been amazing to watch them coordinate it all - - especially under the circumstances of the last year.
(They literally traveled the world over the last ten months or so).
We're also very grateful for our counseling staff of 27 adult men and women who will be serving for
the week - - all of them without pay, having willing taken off time from their jobs and other responsibilities.
And let's not overlook our kitchen crew of seven (others are welcome to come and help for a day).
We're grateful to numerous others for assistance in various ways.
A special salute to our chief cook, Michelle Maas, for shopping for groceries in advance.
John & Cindy Clark are in charge of the grub wagon.
Nic & Haley Wildman have been overseeing the registration process.
Later this afternoon, Haley will be assisting Kelly Hobbs (our camp nurse) in recording the medicinal data.
Nic & Haley will also be transporting our fruit.
Nic Wildman and Ron Wildman will be helping with the set-up of the cook's camper.
Michael & Carrie Donnell will be teaching classes throughout the week.
David Black will be orchestrating our evening devotionals.
Cory Sheldon has once again provided the design for this year's camp t-shirt.
Many others have been working diligently behind the scenes to help make this week a rich blessing.
And, as is always the case, several contributors have made donations to our retreat.
And last but not least, we are thankful for all who have been praying for this very special week.
Our theme this year comes from a wonderful song, “So Will I ...”
Play Camp Song DVD
The Scriptures urge (Col.3:16) - -
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one
another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
This song that David & Lara have chosen for us to focus on this week is so rich and so powerful.
It reflects both the voice and the heart of Scripture.
Ps.19:1-2 / The heavens are telling the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day by day pours forth speech and night to night reveal knowledge.
Ps.50:6 / The heavens declare His righteousness...
Job 38:7 / when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.
Ps.114:7 / The mountains skipped like rams, the hills, like lambs.
Jonah 1:4 / And the Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea...
Mt.8:27 / The people marveled, saying, 'What kind of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey His voice?'.
Lk.19:37-40 tells of Jesus' arrival into Jerusalem to eventually be crucified.
As (Jesus) was now approaching near the descent of the Mount of Olives,the whole multitude of the
disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen, saying,
'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!'
And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to Him, 'Teacher, rebuke Your disciples'.
And (Jesus) answered and said, 'I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out.'
Our daily Bible class at Camp 2:52 will be broken down into four sections:
God Of Creation (Creation and Fall)
God Of The Promise (The Story of Israel)
God Of Salvation (The Story of Jesus)
God Of The Church (Life with a new Purpose, Eyes, Heart, Mission, Identity and Calling)
One final word of exhortation and then we will close in prayer.
By way of reminder - - way back in 1977 when our first summer youth retreat began, it began with a difference.
One of our aims from the very outset was to encourage the interaction between the older and the younger.
One of the most meaningful awards any camper can receive is the big brother and big sister placard.
Over the years, we remember repeatedly emphasizing to the older campers:
“If you are not interested in the younger ones, stay home.” Not quite that gruff sounding.
So I want to remind those who are “getting older” to focus on mentoring the younger ones:
7/8yrs … 4/9yrs … 14/10yrs … 1/11yrs … and 9/12yrs.
I want to challenge you older campers to cultivate the heart of Jesus.
1Jn.2:6 states,
The one who says he abides in (Jesus) ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
In particular I want you to dwell on (from this moment and throughout camp) that last line in the song:
“You the One who never leaves the one behind.”
When you go to camp this week don't focus on yourself.
Think about the song and aim to come away from camp with new eyes and a new heart.
You are one of God's most special creations - - use your life to give glory to God.
Our dear heavenly Father,
We begin this week with a keen sense of gratitude for all that You have done in our lives.
Thank You for this camp which will be packed with so many good things.
Thank You for our directors, counselors, cooks, contributors, cargo carriers
and every single person who has played a part in bringing this week all together.
Empower us to go to camp this week with the goal of learning Scripture.
But Father, even more, help us to capture the heart of Jesus in our own lives.
Transform us to be like Your Creation - - to be full of praise and thanksgiving.
Challenge us to be like our Lord Jesus, to gladly surrender our life to Your will.
As we reflect on how the stars and the mountains and the ocean and the wind and the rocks
all sing Your praises, and serve and obey You, may be say with them in affirming, “So Will I ...”.
Through Christ Jesus our Savior who came to joyfully do the will of God, we pray. Amen.
SO WILL I (100 BILLION X)
By Hillsong United
God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light
And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapor of Your breath the planets form
If the stars were made to worship so will I
I can see Your heart in everything you've made
Every burning star
A signal of Your grace
If creation sings Your praises so will I.
God of Your promise
You don't speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your Voice
And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky
A canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You so will I
So will I
So will I
If the stars were made to worship so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence so will I
If the ocean roar Your greatness so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high so will I
If the wind goes where You send it so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence so will I
If the sum of all your praises still falls shy
Then we'll sing again a hundred billion times
God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die
And as You speak
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You've done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender so will I
I can see Your heart
Eight billions different ways
Every precious one
A child You died to save
If you gave Your love to them so will I
Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire
You're the One who never leaves the one behind
