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Ministry Matters-preach. teach. worship. reach. lead. newsletter for Tuesday, 22 July 2014
Mental illness and spiritual evil by Shane Raynor
USA Today has a story today about mental illness currently overwhelming the criminal justice system. The most recent numbers show that 56% of state prison inmates and 45% of those in federal prisons are dealing with some kind of mental health problem.
Mental illness is becoming a bigger problem in society as a whole, not just with criminals. According to the World Health Organization, the number one cause of disability for adolescents is depression. Antidepressant use in the U.S. has increased by almost 400 percent in the last two decades, and the suicide rate from 1999 to 2010 among Americans ages 35-64 increased 28.4 percent.
In an article for Slate, “Abnormal is the New Normal,” clinical psychologist Robin Rosenberg notes that almost 50 percent of Americans will have a diagnosable mental illness in their lifetimes, and each year a quarter will have some kind of mental disorder. But severe mental illnesses affect only six percent of adults in a given year. I use the word “only,” but 14½ million is still a lot of people!
Rosenberg points out that our ability to diagnose mental health problems has improved over recent decades, and that our definition of what qualifies as mental illness has expanded. She also notes that some of the drug companies have pushed to define “problems” that didn’t exist before so they can create new markets for their products.
Fair enough. That accounts for part of the increase.
But everything considered, she still concedes the following:
“[W]e really are getting ‘sicker.’ The high prevalence of mental illness in the United States isn’t only because we’ve gotten better at detecting mental illness. More of us are mentally ill than in previous generations, and our mental illness is manifesting at earlier points in our lives.”
My question is, how much of this increase in mental illness can be attributed at least partly to spiritual causes?
Let me be clear. I believe mental illness is real. But I also believe that demonic influence, oppression, and in severe cases, possession are real too. Although mental and spiritual problems are two different things, we’d be both naive and foolish not to consider the connections between the two. I’m convinced that, in more cases than we’d like to admit, they feed off each other.
What does this mean? Simply that for some people, one approach isn’t going to solve their problems. I suspect that many Christian churches are likely either trusting secular psychiatry exclusively to handle the problem of spiritual evil (which it is unequipped to do), or they’re allowing a wild west of deliverance ministries and self-proclaimed exorcists to fill the void. And with virtually no standards or accountability in place, the latter can be a crapshoot. Even assuming that malevolent spiritual beings are a factor, if people’s root problems aren’t properly addressed, they could easily find themselves in a worse condition than they were in before seeking deliverance.
The Roman Catholic Church is upping its game on this. Many dioceses are training more priests in exorcism and deliverance, and earlier this year, the Vatican legally recognized the International Association of Exorcists, an organization of Roman Catholic priests who perform exorcisms. The rise of occultism is considered a contributing factor for the increased demand. World famous Vatican exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth, one of the founders of IAOE, claims to have been involved in treating more than 70,000 cases of demonic possession.
Whether or not you agree with Roman Catholic theology or methodology, you have to admit that at least Catholics are doing something to deal with an urgent problem at a churchwide level.
Where are the Protestant denominations, particularly the mainline churches, on this issue?
8 things the church needs to say by Tom Ehrich
(RNS) If Christians stopped bickering about church, presenting sex as a first-order concern, telling other people how to lead their lives and lending our name to minor-league politicians, what would we have to say?
We need to figure that out, because we are wearing out our welcome as tax-avoiding, sex-obsessed moral scolds and amateur politicians.
In fact, I think we are getting tired of ourselves. Who wants to devote life and loyalty to a religion that debates trifles and bullies the outsider?
So what would we say and do? No one thing, of course, because we are an extraordinarily diverse assembly of believers. But I think there are a few common words we would say.
We would say the name “Jesus.” We might mean different things by that name, but he is the center, the reason we exist.
Allowing ample room for our diversity, we would say what we mean by faith in God. Not how right we are and how wrong others are, but an I-message: Here’s why I believe in God.
We would tell stories about God’s impact on our lives. Not grand doctrines, not airtight theories, not definitions of who’s inside the circle and who’s outside, but stories of personal encounter.
We would listen to other stories, respectfully, not defensively, eager to hear what our fellow Christian has to say.
We would each tell as honestly as we can how we are trying to lead our lives in the light of our encounters and stories. We would sketch the bridge between faith and action.
We would tell what we see in the world — not in the woe-is-me, sky-is-falling, Satan-is-winning manner people expect from us, but just what we see and how we think God cares about it.
We would speak of hope, a durable, solid-rock hope that God is God, and God can use us to make a difference.
We would talk of joy. Not giddiness, not even happiness, as the world understands happiness, but that deeper response to God that feels whole and peaceful.
Personally, I think these eight things are what we ache to say. They are why we walked in the door of a church in the first place. They are why we stay, despite abundant reasons for leaving.
Everyone has a theory about “why people are leaving the church,” “why millennials don’t come to church,” “why churches are dying” and “what’s wrong with society.”
Personally, I think we should stop worrying about institutional outcomes — especially outcomes that we hope will prove we were right all along — and try instead just to be hopeful, joyful, active people of faith.
I think we should take our parts in the great political debates — power and wealth, after all, were Jesus’ primary concern — but then agree that, whether X or Y gets elected, God will still grieve our cruelties and sufferings, and we will all have much work to do as believers.
Whatever the label — progressive or conservative, contemporary or traditional, denominational or nondenominational — we will each have something unique and necessary to contribute.
There is more binding us than dividing us. For division comes from our small and selfish places. Binding comes from God.
Become a heretic for a while by Marc Cortez
I recently spent several hours trying to convince a class that Arius was right, the Son is not equal with the Father, and Athanasius blew it.
So we looked at all the biblical data suggesting that the Son is subordinate to the Father. We discussed Greek philosophy and how the Nicene view of three persons (hypostases) in one substance (ousia) necessarily entails either modalism–i.e. the one substance (God) just manifest himself at different times as different persons (Father, Son, and Spirit)–or tritheism–i.e. the one substance (deity) gets expressed in three distinct beings (Father, Son, and Spirit) just like our one human nature gets expressed as many particular humans. And, most importantly, we talked about the Cross, how Athanasius’ overly divine Son downplays the real human suffering on the cross that is a necessary part of any true atonement.
In short, we presented a pretty compelling argument for the truth of Arianism. Indeed, when we were done and had summarized all the strongest arguments for Arianism on the board, I asked the class to refute them. And they were stuck. They still felt intuitively that Arianism had to be wrong, but they couldn’t find the chinks in the armor. It looked so compelling.
That’s when I knew we’d arrived.
You see, the point of the class wasn’t to understand heresy. This was actually a class on the Greek Fathers for the ThM program at Western Seminary. So a good chunk of it focused on people like Athanasius and Gregory of Nyssa, people who were directly involved in responding to Arianism. But I’ve noticed over the years that students have a hard time truly appreciating the beauty and power of the response because they can’t see the beauty and power of the problem. Orthodoxy shines less brightly when you think heresy seems so obviously wrong.
So, if you want to understand heresy, here are at least three things you need to do.
1. Make your strongest case
This one is so obvious I almost hate to mention it. But it’s also something that we frequently fail to do. Many students dismiss Arianism as merely capitulating to Greek philosophy, speculating too much about the nature of the Trinity, thus neglecting the deeply mysterious nature of God, and not reading your Bible enough. In other words, they don’t really wrestle with Arianism, just a caricature of it. Dig deeper. If Arianism was so easy to refute, it wouldn’t have been such a problem for the early church.
2. Move beyond “That’s stupid”
Many Christians struggle to understand heresies, especially the earliest ones, because they seem so obviously wrong. Even Irenaeus mocked one of his opponents by suggesting that his beliefs were similar to believing in a divine Gourd and his offspring Cucumber and Melon. It’s even worse for us since we live in a completely different time and have been shaped by different ways of viewing the world. For modern Christians, Arius’ argument that the Son was fully divine even though he was less divine than the Father just doesn’t make any sense. It sounds stupid. You’re either God or you’re not. You can’t be mostly God.
Here’s a tip: If a heresy sounds stupid, you haven’t understood it well enough.
The great heretics of the early church weren’t idiots. They were brilliant thinkers wrestling with difficult questions. And the great theologians of the early church weren’t so bored that they went around writing entire books refuting stupid ideas. If it sounds stupid, keep digging.
3. Make it a gospel issue
Most of my students are quick to point out the gospel implications of Athanasius’ theology. Of course the Son had to be fully divine, otherwise we don’t have God himself as our savior. Instead, we have just another creature, albeit a lofty and exalted one, doing the work that only the Creator should be able to do. Athanasius clearly saw that this was a gospel issue, and that’s why he was willing to invest so many decades and so much of his life in the debate.
But what about Arius? Didn’t he think the gospel was important too? And didn’t he also invest tremendous time and energy in the same debate? What was the gospel issue from his perspective? What was at stake?
Those are the questions that we often fail to ask. People on both sides thought they were defending the gospel. And that’s true of almost all the great heresies. We’ll never see why those heresies were so compelling until we see what was at stake, what they thought they were protecting. We can still disagree with them, of course. Just because they thought they defending the gospel, that doesn’t mean they were right. But we still need to recognize what they thought was at stake.
Until you see Arius defending the gospel, you haven’t seen Arius.
Is it worth it?
The church rejected Arianism and the other great heresies hundreds of years ago. Do we really need to rehash the same stuff over and over again?
Quite simply, yes.
First, heresies are like vampires; they don’t really die, they just move to different places, change their names, and find some cool, new clothes. So understanding heresy in its strongest forms helps us recognize and respond to heresy in our own time.
As I said above, though, there’s a more important reason for understanding heresy: only then will we really see the beauty and power of orthodoxy. Become an Arian for a while and then read Athanasius’ On the Incarnation, Orations Against the Arians, or the Letters to Serapion. Then go back and re-read the Nicene Creed. Dig into Basil the Great’s On the Holy Spirit, Gregory of Nazianzus’ Theological Orations, or Gregory of Nyssa’s Contra Eunomius. The power of each unfolds only in light of a deep appreciation for the inner logic of Arianism.
In other words, it might do your theology some good if you became a heretic for a while. Not too long, mind you, but long enough for it to see why it was, and often still is, compelling.
This post originally appeared at Marc's blog, Everyday Theology.
7 examples of lazy leadership practices by Ron Edmondson
Laziness is a sin.
“Whoever is lazy regarding his work is also a brother to the master of destruction.” (Proverbs 18:9)
It’s also annoying. And ineffective in leadership.
The fact is, however, that many of us have some lazy tendencies when it comes to leadership. I do at times. This is as much an inward reflecting post as an outward teaching.
Please understand, I’m not calling a leader lazy who defaults to any of these leadership practices listed. The leader may be extremely hard working, but the practice itself — I’m contending — is lazy leadership.
Here are a seven examples of lazy leadership practices. See if any of them apply to your leadership.
Assuming the answer without asking hard questions. Or, not asking enough questions. It’s easier just to move forward sometimes — and sometimes it’s even necessary to move quickly — but many times we just didn’t put enough energy into making the best decision. Often its because we don’t want to know or are afraid to know the real answer. That’s the lazy way of making decisions.
Not delegating. Again, I’m not saying the leader is lazy. But this part of their leadership is. It’s easier many times just to “do it myself” than to go through the process of delegating. Good delegating takes hard work. You can’t just “dump and run”. You have to help people know the vision, understand a win, and stay close enough in case they need you again. New leaders are developed, loyalty is gained, and teams are made more effective through delegation.
Giving up after the first try. No one likes to fail. Sometimes it’s easier to scrap a dream and start over rather than fight through the messiness and even embarrassment of picking up the pieces of a broken dream, but if the dream was valid the first time, it probably has some validity today.
Not investing in younger leaders. There’s the whole generational gap — differences in values, communication styles, expectations, etc. It would be easier to surround ourselves with all like-minded people, but who wins with that approach — especially long-term?
Settling for mediocre performance. It’s more difficult to push for excellence. Average results come with average efforts. It’s the hard work and the final efforts that produce the best results. But, the experience of celebrating when you’ve done your best work is always worth the extra energy.
Not explaining why. “Just do what I say” leadership saves a lot of the leader’s time. If I don’t have to explain what’s in my head — just tell people what to do — I get to do more of what I want to do. But, I’d have a bunch of pawns on my team and one disrespected, ineffective and unprotected king (leader). (And, being “king” is not a good leadership style by the way.) Continual vision casting is often the harder work, but necessary for the best results in leadership.
Avoiding conflict. No one likes conflict. Not even those of us who don’t run from it. But, you can’t lead effectively without experiencing conflict. Every decision a leader makes is subject to agreement and disagreement. It’s why we need leadership. If there was only one direction who needs a leader? To achieve best — the very best — we have to lead people beyond a simple compromise that makes everyone happy.
If you’ve been practicing lazy leadership, the best response — as to any sin — is to repent — turn away — and do the hard work of leadership. You and your team will benefit greatly.
“Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!” Proverbs 6:6
Live 'Revival' webinar w/ Adam Hamilton
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This Sunday
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost - Genesis 29:15-28; Psalm 105:1-11, 45b; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Genesis 29:15-28
Psalm 105:1-11, 45b
Romans 8:26-39
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Genesis 29:14-15 Laban said, “You’re family! My flesh and blood!”
When Jacob had been with him for a month, Laban said, “Just because you’re my nephew, you shouldn’t work for me for nothing. Tell me what you want to be paid. What’s a fair wage?”
16-18 Now Laban had two daughters; Leah was the older and Rachel the younger. Leah had nice eyes, but Rachel was stunningly beautiful. And it was Rachel that Jacob loved.
So Jacob answered, “I will work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 “It is far better,” said Laban, “that I give her to you than marry her to some outsider. Yes. Stay here with me.”
20 So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel. But it only seemed like a few days, he loved her so much.
21-24 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife; I’ve completed what we agreed I’d do. I’m ready to consummate my marriage.” Laban invited everyone around and threw a big feast. At evening, though, he got his daughter Leah and brought her to the marriage bed, and Jacob slept with her. (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.)
25 Morning came: There was Leah in the marriage bed!
Jacob confronted Laban, “What have you done to me? Didn’t I work all this time for the hand of Rachel? Why did you cheat me?”
26-27 “We don’t do it that way in our country,” said Laban. “We don’t marry off the younger daughter before the older. Enjoy your week of honeymoon, and then we’ll give you the other one also. But it will cost you another seven years of work.”
28-30 Jacob agreed. When he’d completed the honeymoon week, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. (Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.) Jacob then slept with her. And he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years.
Psalm 105:1-6 Hallelujah!
Thank God! Pray to him by name!
Tell everyone you meet what he has done!
Sing him songs, belt out hymns,
translate his wonders into music!
Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs,
you who seek God. Live a happy life!
Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works;
be alert for signs of his presence.
Remember the world of wonders he has made,
his miracles, and the verdicts he’s rendered—
O seed of Abraham, his servant,
O child of Jacob, his chosen.
7-15 He’s God, our God,
in charge of the whole earth.
And he remembers, remembers his Covenant—
for a thousand generations he’s been as good as his word.
It’s the Covenant he made with Abraham,
the same oath he swore to Isaac,
The very statute he established with Jacob,
the eternal Covenant with Israel,
Namely, “I give you the land.
Canaan is your hill-country inheritance.”
When they didn’t count for much,
a mere handful, and strangers at that,
Wandering from country to country,
drifting from pillar to post,
He permitted no one to abuse them.
He told kings to keep their hands off:
“Don’t you dare lay a hand on my anointed,
don’t hurt a hair on the heads of my prophets.”
43-45 Remember this! He led his people out singing for joy;
his chosen people marched, singing their hearts out!
He made them a gift of the country they entered,
helped them seize the wealth of the nations
So they could do everything he told them—
could follow his instructions to the letter.
Hallelujah!
Romans 8:26-28 Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
29-30 God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.
31-39 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
Matthew 13:31-32 Another story. “God’s kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it.”
33 Another story. “God’s kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread—and waits while the dough rises.”
44 “God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field.
45-46 “Or, God’s kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it.
47-50 “Or, God’s kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That’s how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won’t do any good.”
51 Jesus asked, “Are you starting to get a handle on all this?”
They answered, “Yes.”
52 He said, “Then you see how every student well-trained in God’s kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it.”
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John Wesley’s Notes-commentary for:
Genesis 29:15-28
Verse 15
[15] And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
Because thou art my brother — That is, kinsman.
Should thou therefore serve me for nought? — No, what reason for that? If Jacob be so respectful as to give him his service without demanding any consideration for it, yet Laban will not be so unjust as to take advantage either of his necessity, or of his good nature. It appears by computation that Jacob was now seventy years old when he bound himself apprentice for a wife; probably Rachel was young and scarce marriageable when Jacob came first, which made him the more willing to stay for her till his seven years were expired.
Verse 20
[20] And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
They seemed to him but a few days for the love he had to her — An age of work will be but as a few days to those that love God, and long for Christ's appearing.
Verse 25
[25] And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
Behold it was Leah — Jacob had cheated his own father when he pretended to be Esau, and now his father-in-law cheated him. Herein, how unrighteous soever Laban was, the Lord was righteous.
Verse 26
[26] And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
It must be so done in our country — We have reason to think there was no such custom in his country; but if there was, and that he resolved to observe it, he should have told Jacob so, when he undertook to serve him for his younger daughter.
Verse 27
[27] Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
We will give thee this also — Hereby he drew Jacob into the sin and snare, and disquiet of multiplying wives. Jacob did not design it, but to have kept as true to Rachel as his father had done to Rebekah; he that had lived without a wife to the eighty fourth year of his age could then have been very well content with one: but Laban to dispose of his two daughters without portions, and to get seven years service more out of Jacob, thus imposeth upon him, and draws him into such a strait, that he had some colourable reason for marrying them both.
Psalm 105:1-11, 45b
Verse 3
[3] Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
Glory — Glory in the God whom you serve, as the only true God.
Verse 4
[4] Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
Seek — The Lord in his strength, in his sanctuary, or before the ark, which is called God's strength.
Face — His gracious presence.
Verse 5
[5] Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
Judgments — The punishments which he brought upon Egypt by his mere word.
Verse 6
[6] O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
Of Jacob — The only branch of Abraham's seed to whom the following blessings belong.
Verse 7
[7] He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.
Judgments — God executes his judgments upon all nations and people.
Verse 8
[8] He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
Remembered — So as to perform it.
The word — The promise.
Commanded — Established.
Thousand generations — To all generations.
Verse 9
[9] Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
Oath — Wherewith he ratified the covenant with Isaac, Genesis 26:3.
Verse 10
[10] And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
A law — That it might be as firm and irrevocable as a law.
Verse 11
[11] Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:
Lot — The portion assigned to you by lot.
Romans 8:26-39
Verse 26
[26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Likewise the Spirit — Nay, not only the universe, not only the children of God, but the Spirit of God also himself, as it were, groaneth, while he helpeth our infirmities, or weaknesses. Our understandings are weak, particularly in the things of God our desires are weak; our prayers are weak.
We know not — Many times.
What we should pray for — Much less are we able to pray for it as we ought: but the Spirit maketh intercession for us - In our hearts, even as Christ does in heaven.
With groanings — The matter of which is from ourselves, but the Spirit forms them; and they are frequently inexpressible, even by the faithful themselves.
Verse 27
[27] And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
But he who searcheth the hearts — Wherein the Spirit dwells and intercedes.
Knoweth — Though man cannot utter it.
What is the mind of the Spirit, for he maketh intercession for the saints — Who are near to God.
According to God — According to his will, as is worthy of God. and acceptable to him.
Verse 28
[28] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
And we know — This in general; though we do not always know particularly what to pray for.
That all things — Ease or pain, poverty or riches, and the ten thousand changes of life.
Work together for good — Strongly and sweetly for spiritual and eternal good.
To them that are called according to his purpose — His gracious design of saving a lost world by the death of his Son. This is a new proposition. St. Paul, being about to recapitulate the whole blessing contained in justification, (termed "glorification," Romans 8:30,) first goes back to the purpose or decree of God, which is frequently mentioned in holy writ. To explain this (nearly in the words of an eminent writer) a little more at large:-When a man has a work of time and importance before him, he pauses, consults, and contrives; and when he has laid a plan, resolves or decrees to proceed accordingly. Having observed this in ourselves, we are ready to apply it to God also; and he, in condescension to us has applied it to himself. The works of providence and redemption are vast and stupendous, and therefore we are apt to conceive of God as deliberating and consulting on them, and then decreeing to act according to "the counsel of his own will;" as if, long before the world was made, he had been concerting measures both as to the making and governing of it, and had then writ down his decrees, which altered not, any more than the laws of the Medes and Persians. Whereas, to take this consulting and decreeing in a literal sense, would be the same absurdity as to ascribe a real human body and human passions to the ever-blessed God. This is only a popular representation of his infallible knowledge and unchangeable wisdom; that is, he does all things as wisely as a man can possibly do, after the deepest consultation, and as steadily pursues the most proper method as one can do who has laid a scheme beforehand. But then, though the effects be such as would argue consultation and consequent decrees in man, yet what need of a moment's consultation in Him who sees all things at one view? Nor had God any more occasion to pause and deliberate, and lay down rules for his own conduct from all eternity, than he has now. What was there any fear of his mistaking afterwards, if he had not beforehand prepared decrees, to direct him what he was to do? Will any man say, he was wiser before the creation than since? or had he then more leisure, that he should take that opportunity to settle his affairs, and make rules (or himself, from which he was never to vary? He has doubtless the same wisdom and all other perfections at this day which he had from eternity; and is now as capable of making decrees, or rather has no more occasion for them now than formerly: his understanding being always equally clear and bright, his wisdom equally infallible.
Verse 29
[29] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Whom he foreknew, he also predestinated conformable to the image of his Son — Here the apostle declares who those are whom he foreknew and predestinated to glory; namely, those who are conformable to the image of his Son. This is the mark of those who are foreknown and will be glorified, 2 Timothy 2:19. Philippians 3:10,21.
Verse 30
[30] Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Them he — In due time.
Called — By his gospel and his Spirit.
And whom he called — When obedient to the heavenly calling, Acts 26:19.
He also justified — Forgave and accepted.
And whom he justified — Provided they "continued in his goodness," Romans 11:22, he in the end glorified - St. Paul does not affirm, either here or in any other part of his writings. that precisely the same number of men are called, justified, and glorified. He does not deny that a believer may fall away and be cut off between his special calling and his glorification, Romans 11:22. Neither does he deny that many are called who never are justified. He only affirms that this is the method whereby God leads us step by step toward heaven.
He glorified — He speaks as one looking back from the goal, upon the race of faith. Indeed grace, as it is glory begun, is both an earnest and a foretaste of eternal glory.
Verse 31
[31] What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
What shall we say then to these things — Related in the third, fifth, and eighth chapters? As if he had said, We cannot go, think, or wish anything farther.
If God be for us — Here follow four periods, one general and three particular. Each begins with glorying in the grace of God, which is followed by a question suitable to it, challenging all opponents to all which, "I am persuaded," etc., is a general answer. The general period is, If God be for us, who can be against us? The first particular period, relating to the past time, is, He that spared not his own Son, how shall he not freely give us all things? The second, relating to the present, is, It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? The third, relating to the future, is, It is Christ that died - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Verse 32
[32] He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
He that — This period contains four sentences: He spared not his own Son; therefore he will freely give us all things. He delivered him up for us all; therefore, none can lay anything to our charge. Freely - For all that follows justification is a free gift also.
All things — Needful or profitable for us.
Verse 33
[33] Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
God's elect — The above-cited author observes, that long before the coming of Christ the heathen world revolted from the true God, and were therefore reprobated, or rejected. But the nation of the Jews were chosen to be the people of God, and were therefore styled, "the children" or "sons of God," Deuteronomy 14:1; "holy people," Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; "a chosen seed," Deuteronomy 4:37; "the elect," Isaiah 41:8,9; 43:10; "the called of God," Isaiah 48:12. And these titles were given to all the nation of Israel, including both good and bad. Now the gospel having the most strict connexion with the Books of the Old Testament, where these phrases frequently occur; and our Lord and his apostles being native Jews, and beginning to preach in the land of Israel, the language in which they preached would of course abound with the phrases of the Jewish nation. And hence it is easy to see why such of them as would not receive him were styled reprobated. For they no longer continued to be the people of God; whereas this and those other honourable titles were continued to all such Jews as embraced Christianity. And the same appellations which once belonged to the Jewish nation were now given to the gentile Christians also together with which they were invested with all the privileges of "the chosen people of God;" and nothing could cut them off from these but their own wilful apostasy. It does not appear that even good men were ever termed God's elect till above two thousand years from the creation. God's electing or choosing the nation of Israel, and separating them from the other nations, who were sunk in idolatry and all wickedness, gave the first occasion to this sort of language. And as the separating the Christians from the Jews was a like event, no wonder it was expressed in like words and phrases only with this difference, the term elect was of old applied to all the members of the visible church; whereas in the New Testament it is applied only to the members of the invisible.
Verse 34
[34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Yea rather, that is risen — Our faith should not stop at his death, but be exercised farther on his resurrection, kingdom, second coming.
Who maketh intercession for us — Presenting there his obedience, his sufferings, his prayers, and our prayers sanctified through him.
Verse 35
[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ — Toward us? Shall affliction or distress - He proceeds in order, from less troubles to greater: can any of these separate us from his protection in it ; and, if he sees good, deliverance from it?
Verse 36
[36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
All the day — That is, every day, continually.
We are accounted — By our enemies; by ourselves. Psalms 44:22.
Verse 37
[37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
We more than conquer — We are not only no losers, but abundant gainers, by all these trials. This period seems to describe the full assurance of hope.
Verse 38
[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
I am persuaded — This is inferred from the thirty-fourth verse, in an admirable order: - Neither death" shall hurt us; For "Christ is dead:" "Nor life;" 'is risen" Nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers; nor things pre - sent, nor things to come;" "is at the right hand of God:" "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature;" "maketh intercession for us." Neither death - Terrible as it is to natural men; a violent death in particular, Romans 8:36.
Nor life — With all the affliction and distress it can bring, Romans 8:35; or a long, easy life; or all living men.
Nor angels — Whether good (if it were possible they should attempt it) or bad, with all their wisdom and strength.
Nor principalities, nor powers — Not even those of the highest rank, or the most eminent power.
Nor things present — Which may befal us during our pilgrimage; or the whole world, till it passeth away.
Nor things to come — Which may occur either when our time on earth is past, or when time itself is at an end, as the final judgment, the general conflagration, the everlasting fire.
Nor height, nor depth — The former sentence respected the differences of times; this, the differences of places. How many great and various things are contained in these words, we do not, need not, cannot know yet.
The height — In St. Paul's sublime style, is put for heaven.
The depth — For the great abyss: that is, neither the heights, I will not say of walls, mountains, seas, but, of heaven itself, can move us; nor the abyss itself, the very thought of which might astonish the boldest creature.
Nor any creature — Nothing beneath the Almighty; visible enemies he does not even deign to name.
Shall be able — Either by force, Romans 8:35; or by any legal claim, Romans 8:33, etc.
To separate us from the love of God in Christ — Which will surely save, protect, deliver us who believe in, and through, and from, them all.
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Verse 31
[31] Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
He proposed to them another parable — The former parables relate chiefly to unfruitful hearers; these that follow, to those who bear good fruit.
The kingdom of heaven — Both the Gospel dispensation, and the inward kingdom. Mark 4:30; Luke 13:18.
Verse 32
[32] Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
The least — That is, one of the least: a way of speaking extremely common among the Jews.
It becometh a tree — In those countries it grows exceeding large and high. So will the Christian doctrine spread in the world, and the life of Christ in the soul.
Verse 33
[33] Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Three measures — This was the quantity which they usually baked at once: till the whole was leavened - Thus will the Gospel leaven the world and grace the Christian. Luke 13:20.
Verse 44
[44] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
The three following parables are proposed, not to the multitude, but peculiarly to the apostles: the two former of them relate to those who receive the Gospel; the third, both to those who receive, and those who preach it.
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hid in a field — The kingdom of God within us is a treasure indeed, but a treasure hid from the world, and from the most wise and prudent in it. He that finds this treasure, (perhaps when he thought it far from him,) hides it deep in his heart, and gives up all other happiness for it.
Verse 45
[45] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
The kingdom of heaven — That is, one who earnestly seeks for it: in verse Matthew 13:47 it means, the Gospel preached, which is like a net gathering of every kind: just so the Gospel, wherever it is preached, gathers at first both good and bad, who are for a season full of approbation and warm with good desires. But Christian discipline, and strong, close exhortation, begin that separation in this world, which shall be accomplished by the angels of God in the world to come.
Verse 52
[52] Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
Every scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven — That is, every duly prepared preacher of the Gospel has a treasure of Divine knowledge, out of which he is able to bring forth all sorts of instructions. The word treasure signifies any collection of things whatsoever, and the places where such collections are kept.
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Worship Connection: July 27, 2014 by Nancy C. Townley
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Color: Green
Scripture Readings: Genesis 29:15-28; Psalm 105:1-11, 45b; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Call to Worship #1
L: From the mustard seed a great and mighty shrub emerges.
P: Good things can come from something that seemed so insignificant!
L: The spore of the yeast can leaven the whole loaf of bread.
P: We can be those people who bring hope and peace to God’s world.
L: Come, let us praise the God of great and mighty wonders.
P: Let our spirits soar in gratitude for the opportunities God gives us to serve. AMEN.
Call to Worship #2
L: How shall we pray to God this day?
P: Let our spirits be humble and contrite.
L: God will take all that we are and help us work for good.
P: Even though we struggle and wonder if we are good enough, God sees our abilities and our loving hearts.
L: Bring your hearts to God this day.
P: May God touch our lives with peace and confidence. AMEN.
Call to Worship #3
[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2152, “Change My Heart, O God,” offer the following call to worship as directed.]
L: How shall we praise God? We are so tied up in knots, twisted and bound to the negative.
P: Lord, hear our cries.
Soloist: singing “Change My Heart, O God” through one time
L: Help us, O Lord.
P: Bring us to your loving presence.
Soloist: singing “Change My Heart, O God” through one time
L: Lord, change our hearts. Help us be fashioned by your love and peace.
P: Guide us and help us be images of your love. Give us hearts for service and witness to your presence and power. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. AMEN.
Call to Worship #4
L: Though there is strife in the world.
P: Yet will we seek God.
L: When our hearts grow heavy and the burdens are overbearing,
P: We will turn to the Lord.
L: God is with us in all things.
P: We can place our trust in the God of love and hope. AMEN.
Opening Prayer
Lord, you place before us the images of the small--the tiny mustard seed, the grain of yeast, the small treasure--and remind us that we, though we think of ourselves as small, are not insignificant in your kingdom. Open our hearts and our spirits to you in thankful remembrance of the ways in which we can serve you throughout all our lives. AMEN.
Prayer of Confession
Lord, we like BIG things. We have focused on big cars, big houses, big bank accounts, big, big, big! And you must be disappointed in us when we forget that from even the smallest thing something mighty can happen. Today the scriptures remind us of the smallness of the mustard seed and the tiny grain of yeast. Each of these things grew into something that offered shelter, peace, and hope, which became the treasures of compassion. Take away our need for the BIG possessions. Open our hearts to receive your word of love and healing, and let our spirits be ready to grow for you. Forgive our stubborn resistance to your faithful presence. For all things will work for the good for those who love God and are called according to God’s purpose. AMEN.
Words of Assurance
Don’t be frantic! God is working mighty things in your life. You have been given the spirit of hope and courage. God is with you. Place your trust in God’s absolute care. AMEN.
Pastoral Prayer
God of amazing surprises, how easy it is for us to focus on the big picture and forget that change comes in the smallest of ways, in our hearts, our spirits, and then in our actions. We have gathered here this day, coming from different experiences, to hear your word of healing love. We offer our prayers for our friends and family members who are in need of your healing and forgiveness. Yet we withhold ourselves from you. We have a hard time imagining that you would find much of real worth in each of us. We think of ourselves as insignificant in your kingdom. But you have poured your love on us. You have given us the seeds of hope and compassion; you have called us the treasure that is meant to enrich the world. Help us be those people who are so confident in your presence, that we dare to step out in faith, to work for you in places of need and strife; to witness to your love in all that we do, proclaiming your presence with our mouths and our actions. Give us your guidance, your forgiveness, and courage to be at work in your kingdom. AMEN.
Reading
Reader 1: Let’s see. I really want some of this “kingdom” stuff. I’ll have a bushel of those little mustard seeds; gotta grow that big garden, you know. And I’ll have about a hundred packets of that dry yeast; I’ll make the most bread ever. I need something to go looking for the field treasure with. I don’t know, maybe a shovel, a flashlight, a metal detector, a map, a bucket, and a guidebook. And I would like a book on pearls, what they look like, how much they are worth, where I can find them; but this book shouldn’t be too costly or heavy for me to carry. Oh, yes, and that net. I don’t know if I’ll be fishing soon, but if there are lots of fish I want the strongest and the biggest net on the market. Now, is that all I need? OK, how much will that be?
Voice: Within each person there is a small seed, a small grain of yeast, a treasure, an ability. These lie within each of us. You cannot purchase the items that produce greatness; you cannot create a search party for treasure; it is within you. It is the spirit of hope and love, of peace and joy, of justice and compassion, which develop into actions that bring about God’s kingdom for all God’s people. We are all part of this, each one of us, none greater than the others. Let go of your need to purchase the kingdom tools; instead be a tool for hope and service to the Lord in the ways in which you serve and help others. Nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. AMEN.
Benediction
Go into the world to be those who are patient and willing to work with the wheat as well as the weeds. Bring the Good News of God's love wherever you go. May God's people and love go with you always. AMEN.
Artistic Elements
The traditional Color for this Sunday is: GREEN
[Note: The images in the Gospel passage today are rich with possibilities for the worship artist. Be careful not to overuse the images.]
SURFACE: Place a 10” riser on the upper left hand corner of the worship center toward the back. Place a 3” riser slightly to the right of the center. Place a riser in front of the worship center, about 4” lower than the surface of the table. Place a riser about 6” lower than the one in front, slightly to the left of the front riser.
FABRIC: Cover the worship center, including the front risers, in green (a blue/green fabric would be especially nice, giving the effect of both grass and water). Place a large fishing net on the riser in the upper left of the worship center and drape it over the table down onto the risers in the front, making sure that it puddles on the floor.
CANDLES: In the upper right hand corner of the worship center, place a group of three pillar candles (10”, 8”, and 6”).
FLOWERS/PLANTS: Place a small bushy plant near the middle of the worship table. It should be lower than the cross, which is placed on the riser on the left of the table. You may use other plants on the floor, but I would not recommend flowering plants for this setting.
ROCKS/WOOD: Piles of rocks and bits of small driftwood may be placed on the lowest riser in front of the worship center.
OTHER: Place loaves of bread on the taller of the risers in front of the worship center, Spill some strings of pearls down over the bread onto the rocks on the riser below. These “pearls” may be bought in local bead or craft shops and strung on thread or beading wire. Some party stores have strings of “pearls” for decorations for parties. You will also need a brass cross for the worship center to be placed on the riser in the left corner.
Worship Elements: July 27, 2014 by Joanne Carlson Brown
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Color: Green
Scripture Readings: Genesis 29:15-28; Psalm 105:1-11, 45b; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Theme Ideas
In the midst of summer, when our thoughts seem occupied with relaxation and fun, we find ourselves confronted with the difficult task of faithful living. Today’s texts abound with hard work and treachery and puzzling images of the kingdom God. Yet these texts are tempered with deep love, love of another person and of God. These texts help us to see that no matter what happens in our lives nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Call to Worship (Psalm 105)
Give thanks to God and call on God’s name.
Sing to God; sing praises to God!
Make known God’s deeds among the people.
Sing to God; sing praises to God!
Seek God’s presence and God’s strength.
Sing to God; sing praises to God!
Let us worship our God, for God is faithful.
Call to Worship (Matthew 13)
Come and worship God with your whole heart.
We come as mustard seeds of faith.
Come and worship God with your whole being.
We come as leaven for the world.
Come and worship God with your whole mind.
We come as treasures and pearls of great price,
enriching the world with our witness.
Come and worship God with your whole lives.
Contemporary Gathering Words (Romans 8)
Come with confidence before our God.
For nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Can hunger?
No!
Can hardship?
No!
Can people who are against us?
No!
Can death?
No!
Can anything in all creation?
No!
Then let us worship this most amazing God.
Praise Sentences (Psalm 105)
Give thanks to God and call on God’s name.
God has done wonderful works for us.
God’s promises are sure.
Sing to God, sing praises to God!
Praise our God!
Praise Sentences (Romans 8)
The Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.
We know all things work together for those who love God.
Because God is for us, none can be against us.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from the love of God.
Opening Prayer (Romans 8, Psalm 105)
Our gracious and ever loving God,
we come in the midst of summer
looking for refreshment.
We rest in the knowledge
of the wonderful works you have done for us,
and of the deep and abiding love you have for us
and for all God’s people.
Search our hearts.
Fill our soul with your indwelling Spirit
who whispers to our soul
that all will be well if we but trust in you.
Shine your light before us,
that we may see our path to you
and to your kingdom on earth. Amen.
Prayer of Confession (Genesis 29, Matthew 13)
We pause this morning, O God,
with heavy hearts.
We live in the midst of great and abiding love,
but also in the midst of deceit and lies.
May we be found faithful in all we do.
May we speak the truth in love
and live lives of love each day.
Too often we seek you in the spectacular
and otherworldly.
May we see the many inbreakings of your kingdom
in the everyday, ordinary things of life:
in mustard seeds, yeast,
treasures in fields, and fish gathered in nets.
May we be able to answer with a full-throated yes
when asked if we have understood your teachings
and your call. Amen.
Words of Assurance (Romans 8)
When we are not sure how to pray,
or if we are even able to address God in prayer,
the Spirit intercedes for us
with sighs too deep for words.
Know that no matter what, nothing,
absolutely nothing can ever separate us
from God’s presence and God’s love.
Benediction
With a song of praise on our lips,
we go forth with God.
With the love of God in our hearts,
we go forth with God.
With a commitment to usher in God’s kingdom,
we go forth with God.
With all that we are and all we can be,
we go forth with God.
From “The Abingdon Worship Annual 2005,” edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © 2004 by Abingdon Press. “The Abingdon Worship Annual 2015” is now available.
Sighs for help by Wendy Joyner
Romans 8:26-39
It was early on a Thursday morning, long before daybreak, that I found myself driving north on I-75. My mother had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, and I was making the drive to Atlanta to help my sisters care for her. I’m not sure how many weeks I had been making that weekly pilgrimage to help take Mom to radiation treatments, but it had been going on long enough that I was weary. As I drove, I realized that I was weary like I had never been before. I was weary in body, mind, and spirit. I was feeling overwhelmed and uncertain of the future. I wondered, How long will our family have to keep up this schedule? How long will my mother have to endure this illness? How long can I balance the demands of work and family?
I don’t remember forming any words as I drove, but I remember sighing a lot. I don’t remember that I was intentionally praying, but I do remember sensing that I was crying out to God in my heart. Many minutes of silence passed, and then, as the sun rose in the distance, these words came to me: “My grace is sufficient unto the day.” It was the answer to a prayer I didn’t even know that I had offered but desperately needed. I was assured that God was present with me in that moment. I couldn’t know the future, but I could trust that God would give me what I needed at the exact time that I needed it. It was a promise that I carried with me in the days, weeks, and months to follow. It was an assurance that I held on to through my mother’s illness and following her death.
The eighth chapter of the book of Romans is perhaps my favorite chapter in all of Scripture. It offers words of comfort and reassurance to those of us who carry heavy burdens. At times, we are all too aware of the brokenness of our world. We know that our lives are marred by sin, and we experience suffering in our daily lives. We experience physical illness or loss. We endure the pain of broken relationships. We come across stories of violence, economic need, and hopelessness. As we look around us, it is easy to become discouraged, overwhelmed, and uncertain of the future. I believe that Paul addressed these words to people like us. They bear witness to the compassionate heart of a pastor, trying to encourage a community in the midst of some of the most devastating trials that life has to offer.
In the verses previous to Romans 8:26-39, Paul has spoken of the suffering that not only we but also all creation experiences. He writes that “the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now” (Romans 8:22). Suffering is a reality that we live with each day, evident not only in our human struggles but also throughout the created order. Although, as people of faith, we know that God’s glory will one day be revealed, we find ourselves crying, “How long, O Lord?”
Sometimes, as on that dark Thursday morning, the suffering becomes too much. There are moments in life when we are literally rendered speechless. How do we begin to express the depth of our sorrow as we realize our deep need for God’s help? How do we find the words to cry out for our redemption? Sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we can’t. These are the places where God’s grace breaks into our lives most powerfully.
“In the same way, the Spirit comes to help our weakness. We don’t know what we should pray, but the Spirit himself pleads our case with unexpressed groans.” (8:26). What a wonderful gift God has given to us, that even when our words fail, God’s Spirit is present in ways beyond our human understanding. As N. T. Wright so insightfully observes, “Those who cannot see that for which they eagerly hope need assistance to peer into the darkness ahead and to pray God’s future into the present” (The New Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 10 [Nashville: Abingdon, 2002], 598).
The wonder and the grace of prayer is that many times we can’t offer a prayer in our own strength. Prayer, as the early church fathers and mothers taught us, is often a heartrending struggle. Yet it is in these moments that we can receive what is most needed for the journey. We can be offered that assurance of God’s love and grace in a more powerful way because all the words, the human certainty, and the illusion of control are stripped away. We receive what we need the most because the Spirit “pleads for the saints, consistent with God’s will” (8:27).
The Spirit of God intercedes for us and reminds us of the great love of God our creator. Our lives, the lives of those we love, the life of the world may still be broken, but our concerns are brought into the presence of God, and we are reminded again of the future that God has in store for us. We are reminded that God works for our good in all things.
Paul knew the power of the gifts received through God’s Spirit. He knew them because he had experienced them, and when the words returned, it was sheer doxology:
But in all these things we win a sweeping victory through the one who loved us. I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created. (Romans 8:37-39 CEB)
Worship for Kids: July 27, 2014 by Carolyn C. Brown
From a Child's Point of View
Old Testament: Genesis 29:15-28. In the story of Jacob's weddings to Leah and Rachel, Jacob meets his match in Laban, who tricks him just as Jacob had tricked his own brother and father. On one level it is a morality story, teaching that trickery leads only to more trickery and unhappiness. To put it another way, when we will do anything to get what we want, we end by being unhappy. It is a negative proof-text for the Golden Rule.
But in the context of the Patriarch's saga, the story also insist that God was working, even though the likes of Jacob. God loved Jacob, rascal that he was. In a sense, Jacob could be the patron saint of kids who are continually in trouble at home and among their friends. If linked with Paul's affirmation, this story claims that not even our own scheming and meanness toward one another can separate us from the love of God.
Psalm: 105:1-11, 45b or 128. Children easily hear the short praises with which Psalm 105 begins. If challenged, they listen for the names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, about whom they have been hearing the last few Sundays. But few will grasp or share the psalmist's praise of God's faithfulness to the covenant.
Psalm 128 is a wedding song for the groom. It matches the song for the bride in Psalm 45 (see Proper 9). Like its counterpart, it is filled with sex-role stereotypes and images that are no longer appropriate.
However, if these problems are pointed out, the text can be read for Jacob's wedding, to celebrate God's care for families.
Epistle: Romans 8:26-39. Paul's abstract theological jargon (predestination, justification, election, etc.) are two basic truths that are very important to children. The first is that God is all powerful and is in complete control. There is no power that can overcome God's power. Occasionally it may look as if certain evil powers are winning, but they will not last. God will win in the end. The second truth is that this powerful God loves us and takes care of us. Even if we suffer (vss. 35-36), God will be with us.
The key verses for children can be paraphrased: "If God is for us, what does it matter who is against us?" (8:31b; and "I am convinced that absolutely nothing in the universe can separate us from God's loving care" (8:38;-39). To help children understand Paul's final point, paraphrase verses 39-40, replacing Paul's list of evil powers with a list of powers that frighten us today (nuclear bombs, neighborhood bullies, not having enough money for food and clothes, etc.). These two verses give children a deep sense of self-esteem and security, based on God's love for them.
Gospel: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52. The term kingdom of heaven leads concrete thinkers to assume that Matthew is speaking of life after death. So begin by explaining that Matthew was speaking about being one of God's people now.
The two parables about pearls point out the value of being one of God's people; they challenge listeners to set aside their other pursuits in order to do something better—to be one of God's people. For children learning to make choices, this is a call to make choices that will make God proud. Those choices include deciding whether to join the soccer team that plays on Sunday or to attend church school; deciding whether to tell that mean but very funny joke; and deciding how to treat people who are not good to you.
The parables about the mustard seed and the yeast claim that the small things can have big results. For adults this is fairly obvious. But children, who long to do really big important tasks, need to hear repeatedly that saying kind words and doing loving deeds each day make big contributions to building God's kingdom. Similarly, the everyday habits of God's people (worship, going to church school, helping other people, etc.) make a big difference in our lives.
The parable of the net may frighten children who fear being left out or found not good enough. It says that many people are swept along with the work and activity of God's people, but not all of them really belong. Deemphasize the threat by focusing on the happiness of being chosen from the net by God.
Watch Words
Paul leads us to speak of predestination, election, justification, and to describe the powers of the world in cosmic terms. Such vocabulary is beyond children's comprehension.
For children, a parable is simply a story Jesus told.
Let the Children Sing
"Be Thou My Vision" uses the treasure images of the parables. "All Things Bright and Beautiful" praises the God who values small things.
Praise the God of Paul's faith with "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty," which has phrases and vocabulary simple enough for older children, or "God Will Take Care of You," which has a much repeated phrase and an easy chorus.
The Liturgical Child
1. Ask that the floral display in the chancel include large flowers. See if you can obtain enough seeds of the chosen flower for the worshipers. Enlist the services of one or more first- or second-grade class(es) to tape one seed on each worship bulletin for the day; Refer to the seed and the flowers during the sermon.
2. Have five different readers read the five short parables. Third- and fourth-graders can prepare these readings successfully with adult help. Introduce the readings in this way: Jesus told five parables about the kingdom of heaven. Each one began, "The kingdom of heaven is like . . . " Listen for God's Word in each of these parables.
3. Pray about the powers we fear might separate us from God's love and care. Children fear many of the same powers that adults fear, such as war and money problems. In addition, children fear the outcome of family fights (What will happen to me if my parents get a divorce?) and failure (What if I get straight F's or make the mistake that loses the game?). Children are intimidated by the power of specific people or groups who seem to be "out to get them." Many children fear new experiences such as going to camp or to a new school.
Sermon Resources
1. Tell a series of vignettes in a rhetorical pattern. In each vignette, describe someone who refused to do small things and concludes that "it doesn't really matter." Retell the event, this time including a small loving deed and its consequence, with the person concluding, "It really did matter after all." Include people of different ages in different situations. For example:
Kurt ran out the door. As he swung his camp bag over his shoulder, it hit Kim who was toddling around on the porch. Kim screamed. Kurt frowned. Kim always seemed to be in his way. Then Kurt said to himself, "It really doesn't matter," and he kept running.
On another day, Kurt ran out the door, but he watched for Kim this time. He stopped to give Him the special handshake he had taught her, and then ran down the sidewalk. Kim yelled after him, "Bye, Kurt." It really did make a difference.
2. Explore tricks and their results. Describe fun tricks, such as April Fools Day jokes. Describe mean tricks that are planned to make fun of people. Then focus on tricks that are planned to get what we want. Recall the trick that Ursula the Seawitch played on Vanessa in the movie "The Little Mermaid," so she could become queen of the ocean; the trick Jacob played on his father to receive the blessing of the first-born son; the trick Laban played on Jacob, to "marry off" both his daughters.
Sermon Options: July 27, 2014
The romancing of love
Genesis 29:15-28
I read about a minister who had reached that part of the wedding ceremony where he asked, "And do you take this woman for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, through sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, in ..." The bride, almost in tears, whispered to the pastor, "Please, if you aren't careful, you're going to talk him out of it!" Jacob would not be talked out of his love for Rachel. Love is part of any marriage, especially a Christian one, for it involves purity, devotion, and a strong sense of fidelity to the individual. Jacob and Rachel's love shows us what really is involved in a loving relationship.
I. Love Involves Emotion (v. 17)
An emotion is a strong, surging feeling marked by an impulse for outward expression, or it is any strong feeling. A feeling is a sensation, either physical or psychological. God made us as emotional creatures. We have strong feelings or impulses to love. Those feelings usually come first in a relationship. Unfortunately, feelings or emotions are the first to leave when relationships turn sour in marriage. Here are some tips to keep emotions alive and positive:
Speak kindly to each other. Include affectionate terms in your life.
Keep a positive spirit. Nothing kills a relationship like negative undertones.
Be spontaneous—at least occasionally!
Keep fit. Experts have discovered that exercise actually causes your brain to release "happy" chemicals called endorphins, which boost sagging spirits.
Say no to alcohol and drugs. These cause mood swings and affect emotions. There will be a chemical boost after using drugs or alcohol, but be prepared for a crash at the next turn. That boost is only temporary.
As H. Jackson Brown wrote in P.S. I Love You, "Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye."
II. Love Involves Work (v. 18)
Carl Jung said, "Seldom, or perhaps never, does a marriage develop into an individual relationship smoothly and without crisis; there is no coming to consciousness without pain." And AndrT Maurois stated, "A successful marriage is an edifice that must be rebuilt every day." How does a couple make a marriage work? Some basic rules are helpful.
Commitment. Antoine DeSaint said, "Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."
Communication. At a golden anniversary party an elderly couple was being honored. The husband was moved by the occasion and wanted to tell his wife how he felt about her. She was very hard of hearing, however, and often misunderstood what he said to her. With many friends and relatives gathered around, he toasted her with these words: "My dear wife, after fifty years, I've found you tried and true." Everyone smiled approval for his endearing words, but she replied with an "eh?" He repeated his statement louder. His wife shot back, "Well, let me tell you something—after fifty years I'm tired of you, too!"
Christ as head of the marriage union. The miracle of Christian marriage occurs when two minds and two hearts seek the will of Christ. Many years ago I read a paraphrase of Matthew 7:24-27. As I recall, it goes like this: "Therefore if a man and a woman who plan to become friends, husband and wife, and lovers hear my words and put them into practice, they are like the wise couple who built a house on the rock. The rains of life came down—mortgages, taxes, jobs, unemployment, lawsuits, kids, PTA, college bills, unexpected injuries, blown-up transmissions, church involvement, club memberships, grocery buying, live-in in-laws, disease—the streams rose, the winds blew and beat against the marital house; yet it did not fall, because its marital foundation was on the Rock.
"But the couple who hears my words and does not practice them is like a foolish couple who built a house on sand and when the rains of life came, and the streams rose, and the ill winds of adversity blew and beat against the marital house, they went to the divorce court with a great crashing and bashing of each other, or lived in absolute disdain of each other."
III. Love Involves Fulfillment (vv. 21-30)
Jacob's dream of Rachel in his arms and life finally came to reality. Love finds a way to be fulfilled. Love is not something to fall in and out of; rather, it is a choice of uniting together in a lifetime bonding process. That type of love stems from a God-given love fulfilled in each other. As Jesus said, "Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate" (Matt. 19:6). (Derl G. Keefer)
The awesome power of God's love
Romans 8:26-39
Can there be a more overused term in the English language than love? It shows up in movies, popular songs, television, even commercials. It is used to describe how you feel about your spouse, your kids, your cat, your new car, and the way that new and improved detergent takes care of the soil around your shirt collar. Don't you just love it?
Tragically, the term "love" is so tossed about in our culture that many of us may have little real understanding of what it truly means. A wonderful starting point for such knowledge is this passage of scripture—particularly verses 31-39—in which Paul affirms the awesome, remarkable power of God's love for us, his children.
What does God's love mean for us? Paul suggests three remarkable promises that are ours because of God's awesome love.
I. God's Love Offers the Promise of His Provision (v. 32)
Have you seen the commercials in which the "Prize Patrol" visits people's homes to deliver the good news that they have won the $10 million sweepstakes? Or the ads for state lotteries, that imply that investing just $1 in a lottery ticket could provide everything you'll ever need? If only it was that easy! The only real source of true provision is found in God's love. The Creator of the cosmos loves us so much that he willingly gave his own Son to die on our behalf. If God provides for us this ultimate provision, should we worry about his willingness to provide anything else we truly need?
Scripture is filled with examples of God's provision for his children, but one such example is found in the earlier portion of this text (vv. 26-27): God's provision of the Holy Spirit, who ministers on our behalf. Whatever your need, our God will supply it "according to his riches in glory."
II. God's Love Offers the Promise of His Protection (vv. 33-34)
Christ is the guarantor of our protection; his death and resurrection are the basis of his intercession on our behalf. As Paul noted in verse 31, "If God is for us, who is against us?"
I remember a show in which a small boy in the neighborhod had grown tired of being constantly abused by the bigger boys, and the day came when he finally stood up to them. Unknown to the small boy, his big brother quietly came up and stood a few feet behind him, and when the neighborhood bullies saw the older brother they took off running!
In a sense, Jesus is like that older brother who protects us, keeps us safe and in his care. That doesn't mean we won't encounter problems or tough times, but it means that nothing can take us out of God's protective love and care.
III. God's Love Offers the Promise of His Presence (vv. 35-39)
Absolutely nothing can take the believer out of the loving presence of God. Paul goes through a list of potential hazards—both physical and spiritual—and assures us that God's awesome love is greater and more powerful than anything that might try to remove us from his presence.
Paul had certainly experienced opposition in his own life—critics, beatings, imprisonment—and eventually he would face execution. Yet he knew that God's love was greater than anything he would ever encounter, and that knowledge gave him confidence to serve Christ with boldness. Have you experienced God's love in your own life? That remarkable journey can begin today. (Michael Duduit)
Life's greatest treasure
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
What is the treasure of your life? In North America, our treasure is often material in nature. The passionate pursuit of these things as life's treasure is a futile and empty effort.
There is treasure, however, in relationships. My granddaughter, Emily, climbed onto my lap when she was less than three and, without provocation, said, "I love you, Popaw." On another occasion my wife sent me a card that said, "God must have sent you into my life so there would always be love in my heart." Those were treasured moments in my life that were very fulfilling. But even those warm moments are not life's greatest treasure. Life's greatest treasure is to be a part of God's kingdom through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Why?
I. The Value of the Kingdom Is Greater Than Anything Else (vv. 44-46)
The central point of these parables is that the Kingdom is more valuable than anything else. There is a twofold message here concerning the value of the Kingdom. First, it is worth more than anything or anyone else we can know. It is worth more than all the money or possessions that we can accrue. It is even worth more than our most treasured earthly relationships. Second, because it is worth more than all else, it requires that we be willing to surrender all to Jesus in order to possess the Kingdom, life's greatest treasure.
II. The Nature of the Kingdom Is to Persevere to the End (vv. 31-33)
We have two parables here that point to the persevering nature of the Kingdom. The mustard seed of Jesus' land was similar to that in the United States but grew much heartier in the fertile soil of the Jordan Valley than in most other places. Yeast, or leaven, is often used elsewhere as a metaphor for evil. But here it represents the Kingdom, which will inevitably reach the completion of its task.
Neither of the parables should be understood to suggest that things are going to get better in this world. Far too many passages teach that the opposite is true. Therefore, the message here is one of perseverance. That is to say, the Kingdom is life's greatest treasure not only because of its great value but also because it will endure until its planned culmination. All other things will fail, but the Kingdom will persevere to the end.
III. The Work of the Kingdom Is to Share This Treasure with Others (vv. 51-52)
After Jesus had completed this series of parables, he confirmed that his disciples understood. He then appointed them to be scribes who would be able to communicate the message of the Kingdom. To be a scribe is to be honored. A scribe in Palestine was highly respected. Jesus thus bestows honor on his disciples by entrusting them with this ministry. Even more, to be a scribe is also to bear the responsibility of teaching others the truths of God. In other words, Kingdom disciples have an evangelistic responsibility.
IV. The Joy of the Kingdom Is Available to All (vv. 47-50)
The picture of the dragnet demonstrates the availability of the Kingdom to all. When a dragnet is used, the idea is to sweep up everything in its path. So it is with the Kingdom; the purpose is to touch every soul with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The tragic reality, however, is that many will choose to reject the Kingdom. Becoming a part of God's kingdom through Jesus Christ is life's greatest treasure. What is the treasure of your life? (Douglas Bunch)
Saint Benedict: A man for all seasons by Elizabeth J. Canham
How much is enough? In a culture that encourages acquisitiveness through an advertising industry that tells us we need more, better, and faster products, how can Christian believers make choices free from the compulsion to stockpile things? When obsession with food, diets, and exercise leads to over indulgence or abuse of our bodies, what wisdom will enable us to cherish our physical being as a gift from God? As competition drives us in the sports arena, corporate world, job market, or beauty pageant, how can we recapture a sense of community and mutual respect? If we always rush, achieve, grasp, or fill the hours with mindless busy-ness, how shall we hear the still small voice of our loving Creator who is always inviting us to fullness of life? Saint Benedict's words offer us a remedy for the sickness of soul that results from life lived out of kilter with the natural rhythms of our deepest being. He calls us to embody balance, to bring our being and our doing into harmony as we learn to hear God speak not only through intentional times of stillness but also in the humdrum, ordinary events of our days.
Balance, or resonance, characterizes the Rule that Benedict wrote to guide his community living in northern Italy during the mid-sixth century C.E. Unlike some of the extreme ascetics of the desert, Benedict calls for moderation in all things and says that in drawing up the Rule he intends
"nothing harsh, nothing burdensome." (The Rule, Prologue 46).
He deals with so many issues that touch our lives today: attitudes toward work, the need for recreation, appropriate quantities of food and drink, adequate rest, respect for one another, time for silence, the place of study in order to grow as faithful Christians, and a willingness to listen attentively to other members of the community so that shared wisdom and gifts enrich all. Above all, Benedict dearly believes that God is both the center and the circumference of life together, intimately present yet also beyond and always inviting us to stretch and grow more fully into Christ.
My book explores some major themes in the Rule of Saint Benedict, allowing them to address us as we also attempt to follow the Christian way. Most of us are not called to the cloister, yet we find the practical common sense of Saint Benedict and his commitment to finding the holy in the ordinary readily accessible to us. Even the three monastic vows, stability, conversion of life, obedience, translate readily to life in the world. All of us need an anchor, a place of inner security in the midst of a mobile, transitory world, but as we consent to stability, to being where we are instead of escaping to some temporary bolt-hole, we are called to conversion This book will explore some major themes in the Rule of Saint Benedict, allowing them to address us as we also attempt to follow the Christian way. Most of us are not called to the cloister, yet we find the practical common sense of Saint Benedict and his commitment to finding the holy in the ordinary readily accessible to us. Even the three monastic vows, stability, conversion of life, obedience, translate readily to life in the world. All of us need an anchor, a place of inner security in the midst of a mobile, transitory world, but as we consent to stability, to being where we are instead of escaping to some temporary bolt-hole, we are called to conversion.
We may need to change our inclination toward escape, our desire to avoid confrontation, or our readiness to compromise our discipleship. And certainly obedience to the word of God is a promise we need to make again and again as we get pulled aside by the insidious voices that suggest God's way means deprivation instead of gift. The Rule of Saint Benedict embodies the conviction that we have all we need—we have enough. Conversely Benedict also tells us that we need all we have, for all our gifts, personal history, and life experience make up the raw material out of which we are formed in God's image and grow together in community.
Excerpt from Heart Whispers: Benedictine Wisdom for Today by Elizabeth J. Canham, Copyright © 1999 by Upper Room Books. Used with permission. Send Betsy an email and she'll send you a copy of this book free. Yes, FREE because you probably want and possibly need the book as much as she does. She has 15 copies for the first 15 people who email her. Make sure to put Heart Whispers in the subject line.
Women against... women? by Chelsen Vicari
Feminism is pro-woman, unless you are a woman who isn’t a feminist. Then you are a woman marginalized and demeaned by a throng of “pro-woman” feminists.
This week on Twitter #WomenAgainstFeminism emerged among ladies expressing their disapproval of the anti-life, “War on Women” baggage that feminism has garnered since the days of the admirable woman’s rights movement that originated during the 1920s.
Ladies’ opinions included:
Intimidation is a powerful tool. A tidal wave of outrage soon emerged that was anything but pro-woman. Presumably from self-identifying feminist, attacks were launched insinuating (and many more flat out accusing) conservative, complementarian and even egalitarian women participating in #WomenAgainstFeminism of endorsing the abuse, objectification, and oppression of women.
Less direct criticisms emitted from within the Christian community. Self-described “Jesus Feminist” and author Sarah Bessey chimed in “Feminism is the ‘radical’ notion that women are people too.” A rather reductive definition, Bessey dismisses the politiczation of the women’s rights movement has erupted since the sexual revolution.
Obviously, the concerns women have with feminism range much deeper than the idea that we are people. It just takes an ear that is willing to listen, not condemn us, to understand where our displeasure with today’s feminist movement is rooted.
Notice that the conservative and complementarian Christian women did not state women are less valuable. This virtual discussion goes beyond our shared respect for women’s property rights, just treatment and independence. Instead, concerns revolved around the issues at the forefront of feminists’ public policy priorities, including the presumptions that we are single issue voters and only care about our “choice” to have an abortion and willingness to rally for tax-payer funded contraception regardless of potential infringements on religious freedom.
Instead of thinking deeply about their sisters’ hesitations and frustrations, feminist belittled all women who disagree with their worldview. To do this, feminists have dismissed non-feminist women as either (1) indoctrinated and brainwashed into upholding their convictions; (2) weak submissive types who turn a blind eye to another woman’s abuse; or (3) incapable of grasping the complexities of the feminist paradigm. Perhaps these ladies should reconsider how their harsh accusations and verbal attacks are counterproductive to empowering women.
As a once faithful feminist, I empathize with the roots of these harsh sentiments. But I shed the feminist mentality thanks to my mom, my grandmothers, aunts, and sisters. Admittedly, some of my female family members have experienced first-hand verbal, physical and sexual abuse at the hands of a men. Yet they demonstrate intelligence, compassion, independence, business savvy and determination to seek justice in a broken world without identifying as a feminist. That is because their liberation is not found in a politicized label that does little to further the women’s rights movement.
What I’ve come to learn from the female pioneers in my life is that my liberation is not found in a politics or Planned Parenthood. True liberation is found in Jesus Christ alone. This notion may be anti-feminist, but it is most certainly pro-woman.
This article originally appeared at Juicy Ecumenism and is cross-posted with permission.
The year civilization collapsed by Tom Fuerst
Whereas most scholastic works dealing with history and archaeology deal with specific people, in specific places, and specific times in order to understand the specific things those people do, Eric Cline’s “1177 B.C.” deals with over 500 years and numerous peoples and places in an attempt to understand what happened to cause the world’s first real “dark ages,” at the end of the Bronze Age.
Cline obviously knows his material, has done the necessary scholarly research, and writes on a level that non-specialists can understand. This is especially impressive considering the scope and breadth of material he covers in this short work. Cline simply makes the ancient world come alive for those of us who know little to nothing about the worlds of which he speaks.
Admittedly, I picked up the book because of my interest in biblical studies – I wanted to know more about the world in which the ancient Israelites interacted and from which they grew out. Dealing only minimally with the ancient Israelites, Cline took me on a wonderful and exhilarating journey through the world of the ancient Egyptians, Neo-Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians, and many others, including some mysterious “sea peoples” who possibly played a key role in the destruction of Late Bronze Age civilization(s).
Cline’s effort in this book is not merely historical. He’s looking at these ancient sources and peoples in order to understand something about how civilizations – especially complex civilizations like ours – fall. The interactions of these ancient nations is telling, for Cline, because their interactions, commerce, trade, warfare, diplomacy, etc. reveals the world’s first truly global, international economy. Tracing the rise and fall of these nations helps us understand how certain factors, no matter how small, may actually contribute not only to the demise of individual nations, but the demise of other nations economically, culturally, or diplomatically related to that individual nation. In short, Cline demonstrates that these nations were so intertwined that the ill-effects felt by one, through warfare, natural disaster, or cultural shifts, were felt by all to some degree or another. Because these nations were so intertwined, their fall was a collective fall.
Cline explores various theories regarding this fall, but ultimately concludes ultimately that the fall of these nations, collectively and individually, was likely due to a multitude of complex factors, which, when combined, took down this ancient global economy. He uses this as an opportunity (without getting too preachy) to encourage modern people to consider how climate change, social upheaval, warfare, or economic collapse in one part of a globalized world can impact us here, and the other way around.
As I read this work because of my interest in biblical studies, I think there are a few things worth noting. First, some of the archaeological discoveries Cline discusses are immensely helpful for understanding the culture and religion of the peoples surrounding Israel. Treaty/Covenant making, especially with its familial language, was explored in a way that helps us understand much of the Old Testament’s discussions of God’s covenant(s), specifically as this pertained to the geographic land of Israel.
Cline also discussed one biblical subject I’ve wondered a lot about. He states emphatically, in no uncertain terms (and I’ve heard this confirmed by other reliable sources) that we have absolutely no archaeological evidence that Israel was ever in Egypt as an enslaved people, nor do we have any evidence of their escape or forty years in the wilderness.
I can understand there being certain, key pieces of historical evidence missing, especially considering Israel was merely an enslaved people while in Egypt. But that there are no pieces of evidence – no written documents referencing Israel, no pieces of Pharaoh’s army’s chariots in the Re(e)d sea, no evidence of a wandering nomad group in the desert, etc. is quite fascinating.
Of course, I am one of those Christians who believes it matters that certain things in the biblical record were historical. For example, I think it matters that Jesus Christ was a literal man walking round teaching about the arrival of the Kingdom of God. I think it matters that Jesus historically died on a cross. And I think it matters that Jesus historically resurrected from the dead in a physical body.
I believe these things are non-negotiable.
But it raises the question for other things, like the Exodus. Is a belief in a historical Exodus necessary? It sure seemed like it would have been, in some sense, to ancient Jewish persons in the Bible, itself. Or was it?
I’m of the current perspective that the Exodus did, in fact, happen in real space and time. However, the lack of physical evidence for this raises these important questions for me. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t need the physical evidence for my faith to be confirmed, any more than I need the Exodus to have literally happened. I just understand that, valuable as historical evidence is, there is still so much of the ancient world that we know little or nothing about precisely because we have no historical evidence for it.
If I were a historian, I would, admittedly, have to conclude that based on the current evidence, no such thing as the Exodus appears to have happened. But if I were a good historian, I’d also have to conclude, our unpacking and reconstruction of history is always limited and at any time new evidence could arise to reshape our understanding of the Exodus. But until that evidence arrives, certain historical and theological questions are, rightfully, on the table and worthy of our discussion.
What do you think?
Grade: A-
Summertime. There is no better time to sit outside and enjoy the warm night breezes, the twinkling orbs in the heavens, and the flashes of falling stars—all while contemplating the vastness of the Milky Way galaxy and our place in it. This past year astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, National Geographic, and Fox television teamed up to reintroduce the world to the Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. Passionate about science, Tyson continues the work of legendary astronomer Carl Sagan who captivated millions in 1980 with his PBS show, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage. This new series combines elements of the old series with more recent information and scientific discoveries. Like Sagan, Tyson invites the viewer to question, discover, and share in the process of scientific discovery. If you missed the series this spring, you can still watch full episodes online and be drawn into the past and the future as deGrasse Tyson explores the mysteries of the universe.
The Mysteries of Faith
Like the cosmos, our faith can seem vast, deep, hard to fully grasp, and sometimes difficult to explain to others. Historically speaking, science and religion have often been at odds. In the 1500’s the Roman Catholic Church excommunicated and even killed people like Giordano Bruno who questioned the accepted understanding of the universe which affirmed that the earth was center, not the sun. But recently scientists and theologians have been more open to what each discipline has to offer in understanding the created order and the Creator. Scientists still have many questions and untested theories that centuries from now may be proven right or wrong. Theologians and people of faith also have unanswered questions about why people suffer, how evil can exist, what happens when we die, and so much more. Yet despite our questions, we continue the journey of faith using Scripture as our guide and incorporating our faith traditions, faith communities, and personal experiences to shape our understanding of the world and the universe in which we live.
Question of the Day: What mysteries would you like solved?
Focal Scriptures: Job 38; 42:1-6; 1 Corinthians 13:8-13; Ephesians 3:7-20
For a complete lesson on this topic visit LinC here!
Do you have a place to be creative? 
by Len Wilson
by Len Wilson
After reading Twyla Tharp’s “The Creative Habit,” I have decided to take my creative space seriously. I have one now but it stinks. (See above!) It’s not unattractive, but that’s the problem. When outfitting the space, I made choices thinking how it might look cleaned up for a catalog instead of how it fits me. And that’s kind of anathema to being an artist. As Stephen King says, first drafts happen with the door closed.
I’ve never really had a great writing space. In various homes over the the last 16 years, since I began writing professionally, I have mostly written everywhere except in my desk and chair. I’ve written books on my bed, in delis and coffeeshops, in my easy chair. None of these places are ideal, so what usually happens on extended sessions is that I end up moving every hour.
This inability to find a comfortable spot has hurt my productivity, so I’ve decided to take creative space seriously. Finally.
I read about writer’s spaces. Hemingway has one, King has one. They all do. I’ve known this for a while but I haven’t wanted to spend money to fix it. But now I am serious.
Here’s what I plan to do:
Spend a few hundred dollars on it, if necessary.
Make the chair very work-comfy: not like an easy chair but ergonomic, with a lower back pad and no way to recline.
Look for a simple desk, with maybe just four legs and a top. No under-desk drawers so I won’t bang my kneecaps or sit low and then write with arms high like a monkey.
Get a deep work surface. The screen needs to be further away from my face, and my type size larger. As I write this I have my scale set at 200% and the screen three feet away from my face. This alleviates eye strain from a close up laptop screen and my neck from having to look down.
Back lighting. I don’t want overhead lights or lights in my face. It needs to come from behind me. No facing bright windows.
According to Twyla, going to the same space every day will make me better. Sounds good to me.
How can you alter your creative space to increase your productivity?
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