John 4:27-42

Here is a foundational principle that applies to every person of faith and every congregation that gathers for worship. We all stand on the shoulders of those who went before us. We are all people of history, obligation, and debt. We owe a great word of ‘hallelujah’ to those faithful disciples who paved the way, shared the faith, and nurtured our convictions.

Here at The Parker United Methodist Church we stand on the shoulders of the early church leader in the Book of Acts. We are in debt to the courageous leaders of the Protestant Reformation, the ministry of John Wesley, and the obedience of Methodist Circuit riders who trusted the faithfulness of God as they launched ministry here in the Parker area a hundred years ago. We are privileged to build on the foundations of those who stoked the fire at the little chapel and had faith to invest in an unknown future. We stand on the history of teachers, leaders, and pioneers who demonstrated their faith by breaking new ground. Our fruitful present was their future dream. Our future dream will be the reality of another generation yet to come. It is the great Circle of Love!

“Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” I don’t know about you, but I am ready to invest in the future. I want to do it with every part of my life. I especially want to invest my time and my resources. Because I know that our investment today will make a difference in the future. The positive future of God is held in the hands of God’s people today!

Imagine what would happen if a farmer only planted one seed. The harvest would be seriously limited. It would hardly be worthwhile. But farmers don’t plant just one seed. They plant with abundance because they have a vision of the future. They have a powerful dream that includes a harvest that overflows.

Let me ask you an important question: are you ready to invest in the future? Do you have a vision of abundance? Generosity today is the key!