Missionary Renegade: Normal Heights United Methodist Church of San Diego, California, United States for Thursday, 29 January 2015 with Reverend Brent Ross, Senior Pastor, "This Week in Worship • Answering the Call: What does it mean to say “Yes” to God?"

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Normal Heights United Methodist Church of San Diego, California, United States for Thursday, 29 January 2015 with Reverend Brent Ross, Senior Pastor, "This Week in Worship • Answering the Call: What does it mean to say “Yes” to God?"

What you'll find in this week's email:

This Week in Worship: Answering the Call: What does it mean to say “Yes” to God?
Pancake Breakfast (2/8 • 8:30a-9:45a)
Listening Conversations Update (save these dates!)
Faith on Tap @ East County (2/12 • 6:30p-8:00p)
40 Days of Lent (2/18 - 4/4)
Ash Wednesday Experiential Service (2/18 • 6:30p-8:00p)
5-Week Class on Christian Practices (2/26, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 3/26 • 6:30p-8:00p)

My junior year they began to arrive. Large manila-colored envelopes practically bursting at the seams due to the promises they held. Each envelope containing both a letter and a full-color, glossy brochure depicting the full extent of the rewards and hopes of collegiate life. Students thriving, smiling, cheering, and learning on bucolic campuses that always promised both freedom to the student and, of course, safety to the parents. Any college or university that I thought I might attend, I had shown them the smallest of interests, a little postcard (postage guaranteed!) with the bare minimums... my name, age and address. And for this, this tiniest of interest, by me or anyone it is always met with the same response. A collegiate brochure demonstrating to you what your life would be like… if you only said yes (and paid thousands of dollars too).

There is perhaps a certain art to college admission brochures and pamphlets. They are sales documents that ultimately sell not actually the school or its education, but rather the promise of a particular kind of future. The idea is not only to reduce your uncertainty, but also to demonstrate what and who you would be if you went there. When you look at these pamphlets, they are working to show you what it would be like if you only said yes to them. They want to show you how you would feel, what you would look like, who would surround you and, most of all, what sort of future you might have… if you only said yes.

But while university brochures do this in order to increase revenue, what if there was something that did this in order to increase disciples? What if there was something written (albeit not always in full-color or glossy pages!) to show us what it would be like if we said yes to Christ? Something that would show us how we would feel, what we would act like, who would surround us and, most of all, what sort of future we would walk into… if only we said yes. Well, over the next four weeks in our sermon series entitled “Answering the Call: What does it mean to say yes to God?” we will continue looking at some of these passages in the Bible. Each week, we will take another passage that shows us and helps us picture what is to be if we follow Christ where he leads us. I think for all of us that this will be a great learning experience in how we start to picture what might be if we all spoke “Yes” to God. If you’d like to read our Scripture before Sunday, you can find it here.

Here are our topics and Scriptures for each remaining week and we’ll see you on Sunday!

To Share Your Journey with Others
Feb 1st 1 Corinthians 8:4-13

Week Three - To Share Your Journey with Others

Feb 1st 1 Corinthians 8:4-13

Scripture Text 1 Corinthians 8:4 Even though food is offered to idols, we know that none of the idols in this world are alive. After all, there is only one God. 5 Many things in heaven and on earth are called gods and lords, but none of them really are gods or lords. 6 We have only one God, and he is the Father. He created everything, and we live for him. Jesus Christ is our only Lord. Everything was made by him, and by him life was given to us.

7 Not everyone knows these things. In fact, many people have grown up with the belief that idols have life in them. So when they eat meat offered to idols, they are bothered by a weak conscience. 8 But food doesn’t bring us any closer to God. We are no worse off if we don’t eat, and we are no better off if we do.

9 Don’t cause problems for someone with a weak conscience, just because you have the right to eat anything. 10 You know all this, and so it doesn’t bother you to eat in the temple of an idol. But suppose a person with a weak conscience sees you and decides to eat food that has been offered to idols. 11 Then what you know has destroyed someone Christ died for. 12 When you sin by hurting a follower with a weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 So if I hurt one of the Lord’s followers by what I eat, I will never eat meat as long as I live.

John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for 1 Corinthians 8:4-13

Verse 4

[4] As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

We know that an idol is nothing — A mere nominal god, having no divinity, virtue, or power.

Verse 5

[5] For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

For though there be that are called gods — By the heathens both celestial, (as they style them,) terrestrial, and infernal deities.

Verse 6

[6] But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Yet to us — Christians.

There is but one God — This is exclusive, not of the One Lord, as if he were an inferior deity; but only of the idols to which the One God is opposed.

From whom are all things — By creation, providence, and grace.

And we for him — The end of all we are, have, and do.

And one Lord — Equally the object of divine worship.

By whom are all things — Created, sustained, and governed.

And we by him — Have access to the Father, and all spiritual blessings.

Verse 7

[7] Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

Some eat, with consciousness of the idol — That is, fancying it is something, and that it makes the meat unlawful to be eaten.

And their conscience, being weak — Not rightly informed.

Is defiled — contracts guilt by doing it.

Verse 8

[8] But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

But meat commendeth us not to God — Neither by eating, nor by refraining from it. Eating and not eating are in themselves things merely indifferent.

Verse 10

[10] For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

For if any one see thee who hast knowledge — Whom he believes to have more knowledge than himself, and who really hast this knowledge, that an idol is nothing-sitting down to an entertainment in an idol temple. The heathens frequently made entertainments in their temples, on what hath been sacrificed to their idols.

Will not the conscience of him that is weak — Scrupulous.

Be encouraged — By thy example.

To eat — Though with a doubting conscience.

Verse 11

[11] And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? — And for whom thou wilt not lose a meal's meat, so far from dying for him! We see, Christ died even for them that perish.

Verse 12

[12] But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

Ye sin against Christ — Whose members they are.

Verse 13

[13] Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

If meat — Of any kind. Who will follow this example? What preacher or private Christian will abstain from any thing lawful in itself, when it offends a weak brother?

Sermon Story "Sharing God's Call" by Gary Lee Parker with Scripture 1 Corinthians 8:4-13 for Sunday, 1 February 2015

As we continue to explore our call from God and seeking to share this call with other people, we hear from the Apostle Paul as he shares about the food we eat. There are some weaker brothers and sisters who will not eat meat that was offered to idols. Even though we may know that the idol gods are no gods at all and there is nothing wrong with the meat, we refuse to eat the meat among the weak brothers and sisters in order to build them up, not tear them. How would you have responded to Paul even though the meat means nothing to you? How would you build up others rather than tear them down? How do you live out your call towards other people? This reminds me of many white Christians who practiced a faith that said they were superior to other cultures or races when deep down in their hearts they knew they were all equal in God's eyes. Yet, too often we have sat silently by while other Christians would put down or even kill other people just because they were different in culture, race, or skin color or even if they are differenly abled in their mind or body. Too often, God is calling us to be more inclusive, but we resist the call until we are fed up with the violence against our brothers and sisters who are different than us or we have a family member who is different from us. This call of inclusiveness extends towards all people in the church, God's Kingdom, and society no matter what our beliefs or lack of beliefs in the One True God is. How are you doing in God's call upon your life?

To Be Taught a Holistic Faith
February 8th- Mark 1:29-39

To Be Transformed
February 15th- Mark 9:2-9

Our next free pancake breakfast is February 8th at 8:30am! Come to serve, talk or just eat! Start your Sunday stress-free, by letting us feed your family. Stick around and check out our Sunday School & Worship Service afterwards. If you’d like to help out with thesebreakfasts during any month, just email Nancy at nancy@nhunited.org!

In the Fall, we embarked on a journey together to get to know one another, the community, and ourselves on a deeper level. This process has already been a success in many ways, as staff and leaders have seen a cultural shift in the church where people feel more connected to one another, and feel that Normal Heights is a place where they belong. Thank you!

We also just wanted to provide an update about where we are in the process. We are nearing the end of our data collection and will be finishing it up by mid-February. Please read below for some important dates. We are excited to talk with the whole church about what we are hearing very soon!

Here are two important dates to note and remember:

February 1st - All reports due in. That means we have FIVE more days left to listen and report. You may scan, e-mail, fax, mail, or hand deliver any and all notes (even if you can't get it on the worksheet, I'd love to at least know what you learned) on or before February 1st. Due to the time needed to compile the data, we will be unable to use them after Feb 1. If you foresee a problem in this please get back to me as soon as you can and we'll figure something out.

February 22nd - Also, mark your calendars for February 22nd from 12-2:30pm. This will be our official debrief and reporting meeting. We will have lunch and listen to each other speak about what was learned from the conversations. Please make sure you can make it to this meeting so we can hear your insight about needs in the community and church. A lot comes out at this time verbally that often isn't put down on paper. Please come prepared to share the top needs of the church and community, and your needs as well. We want to have enough time for everyone to talk and share, but if we end early, we end early. Remember all of the fun we had at our initial training, just getting to know one another? Well think of this as more bonding we will have as a group! I'm looking forward to hearing all you have to say and what you have learned!

Sincerely,

Nancy

Join us on 2nd Thursdays in East County to hang out in a local backyard, where we participate in casual theological discussions over a pint of local beers and munchies. This is a great way to meet people in the community and church in a very comfortable, casual venue. If you're interested, please email Alisa at sugie1980@gmail.com. Everyone is welcome at this event!

Lent is an ancient Christian season that is marked by the forty days before Easter and is seen as a time of introspection, reflection, and humility. The idea of 40 days in the Bible has always marked a season or time of change. Whether it is Jesus 40 days in the wilderness or Moses on Mt. Sinai, when people open themselves to 40 days of spiritual practice or reflection… they change. And so, this Lent we have many ways that we will be inviting you to use these 40 days so that we all might reach Easter Sunday fully prepared to celebrate. How will you change during these 40 days?

On Wed. Feb. 18th from 6:30pm - 8pm, we will hold our Ash Wednesday service here at the church. This service will begin with a time of corporate singing and music before we are asked to take time to reflect at prayer stations around the sanctuary. This is a quiet, confessional service lit by candles with plenty of time for quiet meditation. If you’ve never been to one of our evening services, this would be a great one to experience! Also, we will again be partnering with Genesis Church, a sister church of ours based in North Park.

Also during the season of Lent, we will be offering a 5-week class on Thursday nights to help you learn about the ways of Christian change during these 40 days. This year, we will be focusing on 5 practices, events or things that the church has historically done in order to be formed as disciples… some of which may surprise you! We’ll be using a using a fantastic DVD curriculum called “Animate” which combines great information with excellent discussion questions and conversation starters. I've personally watched the discussion starters and lecturers and they are great!

We will also have childcare available for kids 4 and under, AND a kids component where they, too, will learn about what we are covering! We are really excited about this program and what it offers to the whole worship community! The class will be on Thursdayevenings from 6:30pm - 8:00pm.

Read below for our topics and evenings:

Worship - Feb 26th
For many Christians, worship is synonymous with just going to church. But this week, we will be challenged to think about worship as a much richer practice, one we can engage in through the entire week.

Sacraments - March 5th
When we take communion each Sunday or celebrate a baptism, what does that really mean? Or more importantly, what does it DO? This week we will learn and talk about what these acts (called sacraments) are all about.

Food - March 12th
The Bible is chock-full of stories of food. Whether it is communion, the Last Supper, mana in the wilderness or the feeding of the 5000, the Bible clearly believes that food is and can be sacred. But what does that mean? Does it mean just eating healthy? Or is there a truly radical way to think about eating and food? This week we will learn and talk about the most fundamental of human and Christian acts… eating and drinking.

Service - March 19th
What is the spiritual value of working for the benefit of others? What happens with us when we offer ourselves and our time to helping others without asking for anything in return? This week we will discuss what service really looks like in our context.

Community - March 26th
Community. We use this word a lot in our church. But what does it mean? How do we think of this word and practice of gathering with others? How can we all remake and be remade by what we offer to Christian community?