It’s Sunday, welcome to Atheist Church.

Let’s begin with the wonderful hymn, To God Be the Glory (written in 1875)

To God be the glory, great things he hath done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the life-gate that all may go in.

Watch multi Gospel Grammy winner Andrae Crouch sing My Tribute--To God Be The Glory(same name, different song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iZm9__sJL8

Today’s sermon is from Luke 2:

"Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem" (Luke 2:36-38)

An atheist once wrote and said that people in Bible times only lived to the age of around 25 years. I disagreed with him. Whatever the case, here was one woman who was married (probably in her late teens) for seven years, and had been a widow for 84 years. So she was around 107 years old. She spent all her time serving God with fasting and prayers in the temple.

Fasting is good for the soul. Some people do it for health reasons, but the Christian fasts to humble his soul and to teach himself self control. A person who has the virtue of self control learns to say no to that groaning monster—the human appetite. Those who don’t learn self control, end up with a monstrous stomach that controls the mouth, and bring upon themselves diabetes, and a whole host of other diseases, bringing them to an early death.

America has lost its self control. We have millions who are obese, and are tragically digging their grave with their spoons.

Anna spent her time speaking to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. The Christian does the same thing. We speak to all those within our sphere of influence, who are interested in being redeemed from the power of death. Are you looking for redemption from death? Then seek Jesus Christ. Call upon His name, and do it today. If nothing happens, do it with fasting. Perhaps you need to humble your soul. Whatever you do, just do it. There’s nothing more important than where you will spend eternity. If the thought of missing food terrifies you, say to yourself, "Man doesn’t live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

Collection: this service is free.

Benediction: May you find redemption today, and then spend all of your time speaking of Him to those who are also seeking everlasting life. One last thought. I may be wrong, but when atheists gather together (and I have been to a few atheist gatherings), they don’t sing. This is because they have nothing to sing about ("To nature be the glory"?). However, those who have been given everlasting life by God have something wonderful about which they can sing…and sing we will, throughout the whole of eternity.

Pic. Andrae Crouch