A change is as good as a rest.... I would not say that a bible study or sunday school class should be regarded as work; most of the work is in preparing it ahead of time. If well prepared, then such an activity for the teacher is mostly just a good time in sharing the good news of Christ.
The purpose of Sabbath is not just to sleep all day; it is to spend special time getting closer to God. If Sunday school is too much work, while watching a football game, or playing scrabble, or reading a book, or going skating, or eating a sunday meal and doing dishes is not too much work, then it is not really about what is work and what is not, but it is about our priorities. It's like saying that warming up the car for your wife or bringing her a cup of coffee is too much work. No its not. It's about loving your wife and loving your God.
Most of us work 40 hours a week, five days a week. We get Sabbaths every day, and often two full days per week. Sometimes we fill it with other work, non-paid or sometimes paid work, but often we are just doing things for ourselves that we call recreation. When people use to work twelve or fourteen hours a day six days a week, the sabbath was a way of changing their activities to allow them to celebrate God and what He had done for them. In this era, we need to remember that the sabbath was a gift, yes to give us rest from the week's work, but mostly to spend time listening and fellowshipping with God and enjoying His goodness, unfettered by work responsibilities. Bible studies and sunday school and family devotions make the "rest" happen. Watching the NBA or the NFL does not.
Edward, David Brainerd's statement may have been his experience, but maybe it was the way he preached about Jesus crucified. We must always start with Jesus crucified, but also Jesus risen, and also spirit sent. In my own experience, I see people struggling with morality, reverence, patience, immoral behaviour, and how to follow Christ. And they are constantly looking for advice and teaching on it. I cannot forget either the statement in the book of Jude, which says "... they turned the grace of God into a license for immorality...". Paul talks in one of his epistles about going beyond the milk of the gospel (I Cor.3), and in Hebrews 5:11-14 " In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."
George Whitfield was right of course, on the necessity of being born again in order to bring the gospel. Although I remember reading a story written by George Macdonald, about a preacher who became born again after he had been a preacher for several years, and yet God somehow used his messages to bring a parishioner to Christ. Still, the message grew in power much more after the preacher became a Christian, and although this was just a story, I believe it to be true.
Yes, surrendering at the cross is the first step, as you say. Too often people only surrender theoretically, saying they are sinners but unwilling to relinquish their sin, or even to name it. Sometimes they are like sinners without any sins. But the cross is not the last step; that's why Jesus sent His Spirit to be with us. After the cross, at which the disciples fled, they waited for Christ to return in His Spirit on Pentecost, and then it was that they could preach and witness and be bold and persevere and heal and suffer in joy.
But we also know soon after, about Annanias and Sapphira... had they denied the cross? had they denied the spirit? Were they simply innocently mistaken, that lying to the church in order to be accepted was okay? Today we have many Christians wanting to know how and how much money to give to the church, how to respect their husbands and love their wives, how to raise their children, how to teach sunday school and dayschool, how to manage sexual relations, how to dress, and how to speak as Christ followers. The desire to follow Christ is who Christians are, but sometimes we do things we don't want to do, as Paul the apostle said. And as a Christian community, we can help each other by using scripture and christian love, (and rebuke and discipline, as forms for baptism, prof of faith, ordinations, and scriptures say) to find better ways to serve and follow Christ. That is what His Spirit does through and in us.
One of the ways of refocussing priorities, is to evaluate how much time we spend on environmental and social issues compared to spiritual issues. When is the last time you saw an announcement about someone's spiritual growth or development in the bulletin, or a testimony about the power of prayer in the service, or a cry for help with the lifestyle or disobedience of a child, husband or neighbor, or a rejoicing in the communication and progress with a witnessing? Compare that to the announcements about choirs, bands, christian world renew, facilities, budgets, etc. Even renaming CRWRC to WR is counter intuitive to the mission goals and priorities of proclaiming the name of Christ, which has now been eliminated from this effort. Christ's kingdom is "not of this world", it is in this world, but it will not exist in our lives no matter what we do, if we do not first acknowledge Christ in what we do.
It's true, Verlyn that educated preaching is useful and beneficial. And I really appreciated your vignettes on various words and phrases. But sometimes the education doesn't seem to help because even the plain reading of scripture is ignored by the supposedly educated. We had a sermon not long ago on Galatians 5:16 to 6:5 (which is a beautiful passage). In the exposition the preacher ignored verse 19-21 and concentrated on 22. Then he threw in a statement to the effect, "don't judge", more or less without explaining it. So, he probably knows greek. But here we have a passage that distinguishes between acts of sinful nature and fruit of the spirit, and he says, "don't judge". The passage says to restore one caught in a sin, gently, but why would you restore him if you cannot first judge whether he is caught in a sin? So he didn't put "judging" into context, didn't explain how the apostle Peter basically condemned Annanias and Sapphira to death for lying, or how Paul constantly was advising, rebuking, admonishing, warning. "Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature" scripture says. (Paul wrote it). So this educated preacher did not distinguish between the judgement of discernment and the judgement of condemnation. Did he then ignore his Greek? or did he ignore the context?
Verlyn, yes it is not possible to comment on a sermon you did not hear or read... and I probably worded my concern poorly. What I was wondering if you would be interested in looking at how the word "judge" or "to judge" is used, including the greek nuances of the english word, as well as the english nuances. Whether this particular semon misused the word or not, we know that the word is often innappropriately used. But how do we bring together what Jesus said, "Judge not, lest you be judged..." with the statement in one of the epistles, "is it for us to judge those outside the church? No, rather we should judge those inside the church." The word is used at least 80 times in the New Testament, sometimes in what seems to be completely opposite ways. In addition, there are passages that don't actually use the word "judge", but are still instances of judging or discernment in the lives of others. For example, comparisons about those who will not enter heaven (adulterers, idolators, perjurers, etc.), and those who are chldren of God with the fruits of the spirit (patience, gentle, etc.) Or the story of Annanias and Sapphira in Acts 5. Any help you could give in this would be appreciated, especially for elders who must make decisions, or examine life of those who want to make profession of faith, or need to assess a potential pastor or new elder nominee, or a new song, etc.
Verlyn, yes it is not possible to comment on a sermon you did not hear or read... and I probably worded my concern poorly. What I was wondering if you would be interested in looking at how the word "judge" or "to judge" is used, including the greek nuances of the english word, as well as the english nuances. Whether this particular semon misused the word or not, we know that the word is often innappropriately used. But how do we bring together what Jesus said, "Judge not, lest you be judged..." with the statement in one of the epistles, "is it for us to judge those outside the church? No, rather we should judge those inside the church." The word is used at least 80 times in the New Testament, sometimes in what seems to be completely opposite ways. In addition, there are passages that don't actually use the word "judge", but are still instances of judging or discernment in the lives of others. For example, comparisons about those who will not enter heaven (adulterers, idolators, perjurers, etc.), and those who are chldren of God with the fruits of the spirit (patience, gentle, etc.) Or the story of Annanias and Sapphira in Acts 5. Any help you could give in this would be appreciated, especially for elders who must make decisions, or examine life of those who want to make profession of faith, or need to assess a potential pastor or new elder nominee, or a new song, etc.
As I remember it, the Belhar was accepted as an EFD as a compromise. If the choice was only as a confession, it would have been rejected. People had serious objections to having it under the form of subscription, because they disagreed with certain statements within it, or they felt it was not of the category of a basic confession of faith. If we discuss this further, and disregard why it was adopted as an EFD and not as a confession, there will be a feeling of betrayal and deceit. Instead of trying to discuss its significance, or trying to recategorize it, it would be more beneficial to use it as a guide whenever appropriate, even pointing out where it might be a bit unbalanced or not entirely strictly scripturally accurate, but still has some good points to make. We should not let this become another divisive issue simply because of the insistence of some that it needs to be placed on a higher pedestal.
George McQuire, I personally found this piece of yours very encouraging, and very appropriate. Thanks for this! We need evidence of God's faithfulness, especially when we are going through trials and difficult situations. We need this evidence as much as we need our vitamins and exercise. Sometimes we get it in obvious ways, and other times we just need our eyes opened to it.
Having thought about the question as to whether we would see our friends and relatives again, I found it easy to over-spiritualize or to think that our human relationships would be non-existant (no giving in marriage, etc.). But in reality, even Moses and Elijah were recognized when they came back to earth briefly with Jesus on the mount. God saved and saves real people, not transparent clones. Although our relationships will be somewhat different, with less difference between friend and stranger, and less remembrance of sin, yet it would not make sense with God's love for us, nor with what scripture indicates, for us not to know and recognize people.
Posted in: The Inbreaking Kingdom
Great story David!! Music coming not as performance for the group, but from within the group, from within the person!
Posted in: Monday, Monday
A change is as good as a rest.... I would not say that a bible study or sunday school class should be regarded as work; most of the work is in preparing it ahead of time. If well prepared, then such an activity for the teacher is mostly just a good time in sharing the good news of Christ.
The purpose of Sabbath is not just to sleep all day; it is to spend special time getting closer to God. If Sunday school is too much work, while watching a football game, or playing scrabble, or reading a book, or going skating, or eating a sunday meal and doing dishes is not too much work, then it is not really about what is work and what is not, but it is about our priorities. It's like saying that warming up the car for your wife or bringing her a cup of coffee is too much work. No its not. It's about loving your wife and loving your God.
Most of us work 40 hours a week, five days a week. We get Sabbaths every day, and often two full days per week. Sometimes we fill it with other work, non-paid or sometimes paid work, but often we are just doing things for ourselves that we call recreation. When people use to work twelve or fourteen hours a day six days a week, the sabbath was a way of changing their activities to allow them to celebrate God and what He had done for them. In this era, we need to remember that the sabbath was a gift, yes to give us rest from the week's work, but mostly to spend time listening and fellowshipping with God and enjoying His goodness, unfettered by work responsibilities. Bible studies and sunday school and family devotions make the "rest" happen. Watching the NBA or the NFL does not.
Posted in: The Story of the Briefcase
Congratulations, Peter Gordon!! Great changes during your life!
Posted in: Defining the Main Thing
Edward, David Brainerd's statement may have been his experience, but maybe it was the way he preached about Jesus crucified. We must always start with Jesus crucified, but also Jesus risen, and also spirit sent. In my own experience, I see people struggling with morality, reverence, patience, immoral behaviour, and how to follow Christ. And they are constantly looking for advice and teaching on it. I cannot forget either the statement in the book of Jude, which says "... they turned the grace of God into a license for immorality...". Paul talks in one of his epistles about going beyond the milk of the gospel (I Cor.3), and in Hebrews 5:11-14 " In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."
Posted in: Defining the Main Thing
George Whitfield was right of course, on the necessity of being born again in order to bring the gospel. Although I remember reading a story written by George Macdonald, about a preacher who became born again after he had been a preacher for several years, and yet God somehow used his messages to bring a parishioner to Christ. Still, the message grew in power much more after the preacher became a Christian, and although this was just a story, I believe it to be true.
Yes, surrendering at the cross is the first step, as you say. Too often people only surrender theoretically, saying they are sinners but unwilling to relinquish their sin, or even to name it. Sometimes they are like sinners without any sins. But the cross is not the last step; that's why Jesus sent His Spirit to be with us. After the cross, at which the disciples fled, they waited for Christ to return in His Spirit on Pentecost, and then it was that they could preach and witness and be bold and persevere and heal and suffer in joy.
But we also know soon after, about Annanias and Sapphira... had they denied the cross? had they denied the spirit? Were they simply innocently mistaken, that lying to the church in order to be accepted was okay? Today we have many Christians wanting to know how and how much money to give to the church, how to respect their husbands and love their wives, how to raise their children, how to teach sunday school and dayschool, how to manage sexual relations, how to dress, and how to speak as Christ followers. The desire to follow Christ is who Christians are, but sometimes we do things we don't want to do, as Paul the apostle said. And as a Christian community, we can help each other by using scripture and christian love, (and rebuke and discipline, as forms for baptism, prof of faith, ordinations, and scriptures say) to find better ways to serve and follow Christ. That is what His Spirit does through and in us.
Posted in: Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing
One of the ways of refocussing priorities, is to evaluate how much time we spend on environmental and social issues compared to spiritual issues. When is the last time you saw an announcement about someone's spiritual growth or development in the bulletin, or a testimony about the power of prayer in the service, or a cry for help with the lifestyle or disobedience of a child, husband or neighbor, or a rejoicing in the communication and progress with a witnessing? Compare that to the announcements about choirs, bands, christian world renew, facilities, budgets, etc. Even renaming CRWRC to WR is counter intuitive to the mission goals and priorities of proclaiming the name of Christ, which has now been eliminated from this effort. Christ's kingdom is "not of this world", it is in this world, but it will not exist in our lives no matter what we do, if we do not first acknowledge Christ in what we do.
Posted in: Playing with Hebrew Word Usage
It's true, Verlyn that educated preaching is useful and beneficial. And I really appreciated your vignettes on various words and phrases. But sometimes the education doesn't seem to help because even the plain reading of scripture is ignored by the supposedly educated. We had a sermon not long ago on Galatians 5:16 to 6:5 (which is a beautiful passage). In the exposition the preacher ignored verse 19-21 and concentrated on 22. Then he threw in a statement to the effect, "don't judge", more or less without explaining it. So, he probably knows greek. But here we have a passage that distinguishes between acts of sinful nature and fruit of the spirit, and he says, "don't judge". The passage says to restore one caught in a sin, gently, but why would you restore him if you cannot first judge whether he is caught in a sin? So he didn't put "judging" into context, didn't explain how the apostle Peter basically condemned Annanias and Sapphira to death for lying, or how Paul constantly was advising, rebuking, admonishing, warning. "Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature" scripture says. (Paul wrote it). So this educated preacher did not distinguish between the judgement of discernment and the judgement of condemnation. Did he then ignore his Greek? or did he ignore the context?
Posted in: Playing with Hebrew Word Usage
Verlyn, yes it is not possible to comment on a sermon you did not hear or read... and I probably worded my concern poorly. What I was wondering if you would be interested in looking at how the word "judge" or "to judge" is used, including the greek nuances of the english word, as well as the english nuances. Whether this particular semon misused the word or not, we know that the word is often innappropriately used. But how do we bring together what Jesus said, "Judge not, lest you be judged..." with the statement in one of the epistles, "is it for us to judge those outside the church? No, rather we should judge those inside the church." The word is used at least 80 times in the New Testament, sometimes in what seems to be completely opposite ways. In addition, there are passages that don't actually use the word "judge", but are still instances of judging or discernment in the lives of others. For example, comparisons about those who will not enter heaven (adulterers, idolators, perjurers, etc.), and those who are chldren of God with the fruits of the spirit (patience, gentle, etc.) Or the story of Annanias and Sapphira in Acts 5. Any help you could give in this would be appreciated, especially for elders who must make decisions, or examine life of those who want to make profession of faith, or need to assess a potential pastor or new elder nominee, or a new song, etc.
Posted in: Playing with Hebrew Word Usage
Verlyn, yes it is not possible to comment on a sermon you did not hear or read... and I probably worded my concern poorly. What I was wondering if you would be interested in looking at how the word "judge" or "to judge" is used, including the greek nuances of the english word, as well as the english nuances. Whether this particular semon misused the word or not, we know that the word is often innappropriately used. But how do we bring together what Jesus said, "Judge not, lest you be judged..." with the statement in one of the epistles, "is it for us to judge those outside the church? No, rather we should judge those inside the church." The word is used at least 80 times in the New Testament, sometimes in what seems to be completely opposite ways. In addition, there are passages that don't actually use the word "judge", but are still instances of judging or discernment in the lives of others. For example, comparisons about those who will not enter heaven (adulterers, idolators, perjurers, etc.), and those who are chldren of God with the fruits of the spirit (patience, gentle, etc.) Or the story of Annanias and Sapphira in Acts 5. Any help you could give in this would be appreciated, especially for elders who must make decisions, or examine life of those who want to make profession of faith, or need to assess a potential pastor or new elder nominee, or a new song, etc.
Posted in: “Well, That’s a Thought”
As I remember it, the Belhar was accepted as an EFD as a compromise. If the choice was only as a confession, it would have been rejected. People had serious objections to having it under the form of subscription, because they disagreed with certain statements within it, or they felt it was not of the category of a basic confession of faith. If we discuss this further, and disregard why it was adopted as an EFD and not as a confession, there will be a feeling of betrayal and deceit. Instead of trying to discuss its significance, or trying to recategorize it, it would be more beneficial to use it as a guide whenever appropriate, even pointing out where it might be a bit unbalanced or not entirely strictly scripturally accurate, but still has some good points to make. We should not let this become another divisive issue simply because of the insistence of some that it needs to be placed on a higher pedestal.
Posted in: Vindication Praying: The Missing Petition on Most Pastors' Prayer Lists?
George McQuire, I personally found this piece of yours very encouraging, and very appropriate. Thanks for this! We need evidence of God's faithfulness, especially when we are going through trials and difficult situations. We need this evidence as much as we need our vitamins and exercise. Sometimes we get it in obvious ways, and other times we just need our eyes opened to it.
Posted in: Dealing with Death and Dying
Having thought about the question as to whether we would see our friends and relatives again, I found it easy to over-spiritualize or to think that our human relationships would be non-existant (no giving in marriage, etc.). But in reality, even Moses and Elijah were recognized when they came back to earth briefly with Jesus on the mount. God saved and saves real people, not transparent clones. Although our relationships will be somewhat different, with less difference between friend and stranger, and less remembrance of sin, yet it would not make sense with God's love for us, nor with what scripture indicates, for us not to know and recognize people.