Pastor’s Page | July 2nd, 2026
Sermon Prep (Read Ezekiel 33)
“Don’t do it.” “Don’t do it!” “Don’t do it!” And then I did it. I will spare you the exact details, but there was a time when my dad tried to share with me some wisdom with a decision I was making, and how what I was planning on doing was a less-than-ideal thing to do (he actually used more pointed and less graceful terms) and that if I did it then there would be ramifications and consequences (again, his terms were a lot more graphic). When I refused to listen to his advice, the thing that he said would happen actually happened and I was left with not only my pride hurt but also finding myself in a pickle of sorts. At that point, my dad could easily have told me, “That’s what you get, deal with it, don’t come crawling to me when you ignored everything I had told you.” He could have, but he didn’t. Instead, he told me what an idiotic thing I did (again, he had more elaborate terms) but then he went about helping me to remedy the situation.
Ezekiel 33 marks a transition in the book. Ezekiel starts to move from the prophet of judgment to the prophet of hope. Jerusalem has fallen, just as he said it would. The people are hurting, just as he said they would. But now is not the time to beat them down, now is the time to bring hope. It is time for God to redirect their focus to the future. Yet before He does this, He has to show them where they are now. In Chapter 33, this is where God reminds the people (through Ezekiel) of His desire for them to return to Him and that He doesn’t want them to perish but to come to Him and live. This is the glimmer of hope. As we continue through the rest of Ezekiel, that hope will become more and more evident. But before He gets there, He once again is helping Ezekiel see how things truly are. The people are listening to Ezekiel, but how are they listening? Is it for life change or is it for entertainment? The people were feeling the impact of their decisions, but are they willing to turn from their idolatrous ways? What God is doing here in Ezekiel 33, He is not focusing on the past, but He is getting them to see the present so that they can focus on the hope of the future. God does not dwell on our past mistakes, but He will forgive us and wash us clean. He has a hope for us that is beyond anything we can imagine, but in order to see that hope we have to recognize where we are today. Not to dwell on past failures, but to see where we truly are and to get us to turn to Him and live.
It has been a great time spending the summer in Ezekiel, and now we are going to start to see the beauty of the hope that God gives and how all of this will relate to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Here are some verses to help you prepare for Sunday: Isaiah 55:6–7, Joel 2:12–13, Luke 15:11–24, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:3–4, Acts 3:19, Acts 17:30, Luke 13:3, James 4:8, Psalm 103:10–12, Isaiah 1:18, Micah 7:18–19, Hebrews 8:12, 1 John 1:9, Matthew 28:19–20, Romans 10:13–15, Acts 20:26–27, 2 Timothy 4:2, Ezekiel 34:11–16, John 10:11, Psalm 23, Luke 15:3–7, Hebrews 9:27, Matthew 11:28–30, Romans 8:1, Ephesians 2:4–9, 2 Corinthians 5:18–20, Romans 5:8.
June Sermon Series
Crazy Times and a Steady God:
We Smell Like Sheep and Wolves
07/05 - Guest Speaker
07/12 - Owning Up To Your Responsibilities - Ezekiel 33
07/19 - Owning Up To Your Duties - Ezekiel 34
Updates, Thoughts and More
Tonight is our Acton Celebrates America service. It is going to be a wonderful evening that will make you swell with patriotic pride but also with gratitude to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is not too late for you to invite your friends and family. Our choir has done such an amazing job preparing for tonight. The doors open at 6:15 and the concert starts at 7 pm. Oh….did I mention that there is cobbler afterwards? 😊
The office will be closed on Monday because the Fourth of July falls on a Saturday. We will still have the groups that meet, but all the staff will have the day off.
Do you know someone who would like a visit from the pastor? If so, please call the office and let’s get one scheduled. I love getting out and visiting people. And just to let you know, you don’t have to have anything wrong for the pastor to come by and visit. 😊
I will be heading up to visit my grandbabies next week. I am so excited. It is hard to believe that my little Camden is turning one year old already. How is this possible!
Ode to a New Season
Every August, Southern folks start acting a little different. The lawn gets mowed on Friday, the smoker gets cleaned on Saturday morning, and somebody always says, "This is our year."
Hope blooms a little easier below the Mason-Dixon Line.
The SEC isn't just football. It's family reunions with scoreboards, church conversations disguised as game previews, and lifelong friendships that survive everything except bad officiating.
Now, every fan believes their team is headed to the championship. Bless their hearts. But this year feels different. You can almost hear the echoes from the Bluegrass. The Wildcats are coming. And if everything falls just right—if the ball bounces our way, the offensive line stays healthy, and fate finally smile on Lexington— We'll all be saying what Kentucky fans have been practicing for years: "I told you this was our year."
What’s Going On This Week
Thursday (07/02)
ACTON CELEBRATES AMERICA — Doors 6:15pm | Begins 7:00pm
Sunday (07/05)
Worship Services with Communion — 9:00am & 10:30am
Monday (07/06)
OFFICE CLOSED
Stitching Angels — 1:30pm
Tuesday (07/07)
Men’s Prayer Breakfast — 7:30am
Wednesday (7/08)
Prayer Warriors — 9:00am
Sip And Share — 10:00am
Joke of the Week
A little girl asked her dad, "Why do fireworks make so much noise?" Dad answered, "So everyone knows they're having a blast." She rolled her eyes. "Dad..." "What?" "That joke fizzled." Dad smiled. "No... it sparked something."
Memory Verse of the Week
Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?’
~Ezekiel 33:11 (NIV84)
Quote of the Week
"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."
~ Ronald Reagan
