Preacher talked about how grotesque we might find the blood on the lintels business, but I wish he'd addressed the considerably more grotesque and problematic intention of God to murder every first born child in Egypt to get at the Pharaoh.
I didn't listen, too about U2, Cold Chisel and Midnight Oil and trying make a spiritual meaning in song of their 'songs'. Hope my face didn't say bored!!
I didn't listen, too about U2, Cold Chisel and Midnight Oil and trying make a spiritual meaning in song of their 'songs'. Hope my face didn't say bored!!
Familiar of course with U2 who often used overtly spiritual themes in their songs. Not so familiar with the other two but they look like my sort of thing so thanks for the tips!
I didn't listen, too about U2, Cold Chisel and Midnight Oil and trying make a spiritual meaning in song of their 'songs'. Hope my face didn't say bored!!
Familiar of course with U2 who often used overtly spiritual themes in their songs. Not so familiar with the other two but they look like my sort of thing so thanks for the tips!
We were being urged to get out there and tell people the truth whether they like it or not! The preacher chose the readings, which were from Exodus 20 and Roma s 5, but half way through his sermon he read about Jesus sending out the 12 from Matthew. It wasn’t a bad sermon, until he started to equate ‘the truth’ with morality….
The story of Abraham. God took Abraham and Sarah on a journey which changed them, even down to their names being changed. How do we want to transform and change?
Our sermon thh go us morning (away from home) wasn’t great. The preacher recapped his series on the Lord’s Prayer which was OK, but getting on to the doxology he managed to imply fairly strongly that its omission from modern translations was due to higher criticism and the work of atheist theologians - during the course of which he made reference to his own higher degree in theology.
I was already struggling because he had in my view mis-divided the petitions in the prayer. But his confusing textual criticism with higher criticism, and his suggestion that the omission of the doxology was due some kind of atheist imposition on the true biblical text really turned me off.
To be fair, I think he probably did say something about praising God, and hymn choices and prayers reflected that. However, that “signal“ was lost for me in the amount of extraneous “noise“.
The Bible is more than a book: it is Words from God
The Spirit breathed the words of God out.
These were written down in the book we call the Bible.
The documents we have are a reliable guide to what was originally written down
We can relate to the content of these books. because the Bible isn't an instruction manual, it is a story in which we can find our part.
I went back to our old church this morning where they continue their slow grind through detailed look at the Gospel of Matthew.
In Matthew 12:22-29, the man is not delivered of a demon but healed. Jesus' kingdom is in direct opposition to Satan's kingdom and Satan is a defeated foe. Jesus dealt with the demonic simply and quietly; he always wants us to be set free and will make all things new.
The Bible is more than a book: it is truth we can trust.
A few stats about manuscripts and comparisons with the numbers from ancient books
Transmission, selction of the canon.
A few comments on the external witnesses: Cyrus cylinder, Lakshish panels, some obelisk somewhere. Jesus attested in Josephus and Tacitus.
Internal consistency despite having been written by over 40 people in a wide geographical area over thousands of years. Dead sea scrolls confirming the accuracy of transmission.
But more importantly, the words of God which we can build our lives on
Jesus knew the scriptures, put himself under their authority and obeyed them.
We should do the same.
This will be useful to us in overcoming temptation
Jesus died and rose to save Christians, too--that is, God's gracious forgiveness extends to Christian fuck-ups like us, too, even when we feel horrible because we think we should be "doing better" after fifty years in the faith, and we're still struggling. God doesn't put those expectations on us, and he's not surprised, either-- he just goes right on loving and forgiving and picking us up again. There's room at the cross for all of us, new converts or struggling long-time believers.
Returned to the RCL at my home church. Considered what Jesus meant when he said his yoke was light.
Buggered if I know. Everything else he said was about crosses and counting the cost before you even start.
Unless Mr Cheesy, erstwhile of this parish, was right, and there are in fact two gospels. One to the poor, in the easy yoke and the Magnificat, and one for the rich, in the rich young ruler, taking up crosses, and the Magnificat again. And Dives and Lazarus of course - Lazarus gets in just be being poor; Dives doesn't because he did feck all about it.
In Genesis 14, King Melchizedek the king of Salem (which means "peace") gave out bread and wine, recognising his role as priest and as an echo of Jesus giving out bread and wine.
Paul could write to Timothy and tell him that the OLD Testament could bring him salvation because the whole narrative arc pointed to the coming Messiah. Paul had explained this many times in the synagogues when Timothy was with this.
More than this it shows us how to live, because it is words that God has breathed out.
The big question for us is not whether we still believe the Bible, but whether we still use it.
The wheat and the weeds are to be found within the church, as well as outside.
God gives us all time to repent and change our ways.
I felt this was stretching the analogy, as surely weeds can’t change into wheat or vice versa?
The preacher spoke about pupils in a school, some working hard and doing well, others messing about and underachieving, but they are not to be separated or judged until exam results are finally known.
Reference was also made to the penitent thief, given a reprieve right at the last minute.
The hymn after the sermon was There’s a wideness in God’s mercy.
We got the wheat and the weeds too, but with reference to how we shouldn't judge people (trying to do God's job) and instead need to show patience and mercy.
We had the wheat and the tares, so I agonised out loud a bit about the implied existence of the reprobate before pivoting to the Epistle from Romans emphasising the redemption of all creation and the value of hope.
Paul was responding to questions that had been asked and recommended an ascetic lifestyle because Jesus' return was expected imminently. Men and women have equal rights over their bodies, shocking for his readers to hear, and Jesus blessed a marriage with his generous provision of wine. Jesus spoke much more about the poor than about sex.
[tangent] It was my first experience of doing a reading at our new church and I was delighted to be asked to join the rota - several people commented with sympathy on how the passage was a bit of a baptism by fire! [/tangent]
Comments
Preacher talked about how grotesque we might find the blood on the lintels business, but I wish he'd addressed the considerably more grotesque and problematic intention of God to murder every first born child in Egypt to get at the Pharaoh.
Familiar of course with U2 who often used overtly spiritual themes in their songs. Not so familiar with the other two but they look like my sort of thing so thanks for the tips!
I recall midnight oil being good
God speaks to us:
I was already struggling because he had in my view mis-divided the petitions in the prayer. But his confusing textual criticism with higher criticism, and his suggestion that the omission of the doxology was due some kind of atheist imposition on the true biblical text really turned me off.
The Bible is more than a book: it is Words from God
The Spirit breathed the words of God out.
These were written down in the book we call the Bible.
The documents we have are a reliable guide to what was originally written down
We can relate to the content of these books. because the Bible isn't an instruction manual, it is a story in which we can find our part.
In Matthew 12:22-29, the man is not delivered of a demon but healed. Jesus' kingdom is in direct opposition to Satan's kingdom and Satan is a defeated foe. Jesus dealt with the demonic simply and quietly; he always wants us to be set free and will make all things new.
The Bible is more than a book: it is truth we can trust.
A few stats about manuscripts and comparisons with the numbers from ancient books
Transmission, selction of the canon.
A few comments on the external witnesses: Cyrus cylinder, Lakshish panels, some obelisk somewhere. Jesus attested in Josephus and Tacitus.
Internal consistency despite having been written by over 40 people in a wide geographical area over thousands of years. Dead sea scrolls confirming the accuracy of transmission.
But more importantly, the words of God which we can build our lives on
More than a Book : Words that Lead
Jesus knew the scriptures, put himself under their authority and obeyed them.
We should do the same.
This will be useful to us in overcoming temptation
Buggered if I know. Everything else he said was about crosses and counting the cost before you even start.
Unless Mr Cheesy, erstwhile of this parish, was right, and there are in fact two gospels. One to the poor, in the easy yoke and the Magnificat, and one for the rich, in the rich young ruler, taking up crosses, and the Magnificat again. And Dives and Lazarus of course - Lazarus gets in just be being poor; Dives doesn't because he did feck all about it.
(Ours was a short family service this morning.)
God has made his Word clear enough for anyone to understand, including the child and the simpleton.
Yes, some of it is hard (but therefore not all) and you should let the Bible interpret itself
The Holy Spirit brings understanding as we think about the meaning
Scripture is sufficient for all our needs:
Paul could write to Timothy and tell him that the OLD Testament could bring him salvation because the whole narrative arc pointed to the coming Messiah. Paul had explained this many times in the synagogues when Timothy was with this.
More than this it shows us how to live, because it is words that God has breathed out.
The big question for us is not whether we still believe the Bible, but whether we still use it.
The wheat and the weeds are to be found within the church, as well as outside.
God gives us all time to repent and change our ways.
I felt this was stretching the analogy, as surely weeds can’t change into wheat or vice versa?
The preacher spoke about pupils in a school, some working hard and doing well, others messing about and underachieving, but they are not to be separated or judged until exam results are finally known.
Reference was also made to the penitent thief, given a reprieve right at the last minute.
The hymn after the sermon was There’s a wideness in God’s mercy.
Paul was responding to questions that had been asked and recommended an ascetic lifestyle because Jesus' return was expected imminently. Men and women have equal rights over their bodies, shocking for his readers to hear, and Jesus blessed a marriage with his generous provision of wine. Jesus spoke much more about the poor than about sex.
[tangent] It was my first experience of doing a reading at our new church and I was delighted to be asked to join the rota - several people commented with sympathy on how the passage was a bit of a baptism by fire! [/tangent]