tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-328412832024-03-07T12:17:19.810-08:00Ether-Electrified Musings...Catching lightning in a bottle on a somewhat regular basis.Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-44792252815981917032012-01-04T09:36:00.000-08:002012-01-04T09:40:08.428-08:00Church and Christmas<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This year, churches found themselves facing an interesting situation: Christmas fell on a Sunday. Church leadership this year had to wrestle with the question of what to do with traditional Sunday worship gatherings. On one hand, the possibility existed that many families would be traveling or would want to spend the full day enjoying their own private celebration of the holiday, thus reducing church attendance. On the other hand, many grappled with the fact that Christmas is and should be seen primarily as a spiritual, religious holiday. This issue should not be mistakenly seen as a cut-and-dry simplistic matter; but, unfortunately, the question falls easily into cut-and-dry language: "Should we cancel church on Sunday?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Perhaps the popular approach wound up with churches presenting some form of modified, consolidated, and relaxed worship opportunity on Christmas Day; many churches also opted for Christmas Eve celebrations in lieu of Christmas Day gatherings. This type of middle-ground response presents a best-of-both-worlds option: a worship opportunity for those who desire to gather, while the change in scheduling allows for a more relaxed, low-key day.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">However, this response should be seen for what it is: a compromise. While many do embrace this (indeed, many friends told me that the special service their church offered had higher attendance than a normal service), this approach cannot please all. Many feel that churches should offer their full complement of gatherings on that day, being that Christmas is second only to Easter in importance on the church calendar. Why should the church compromise or cancel on such a day? If the holiday is primarily a spiritual celebration, as many hold, then why would churches even consider abbreviating, much less canceling, gatherings on that day?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Also, it may be that the compromise still does not compromise enough; many regular attendees might not be able to attend, due to family plans and travel. As a friend of mine pointed out, this does not mean that worship is not taking place; it just is not taking place "corporately." If churches offered their full schedule, would people show up? No pastor wants to preach to empty pews, much less on Christmas.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ironically (though naturally, if one observes the calendar) New Year's Day also fell on a Sunday. Churches were faced with the same questions, though to a lesser degree. Would people attend? Should the church "make space" for outside celebrations? How does the church itself celebrate?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">An insightful <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204464404577112630659721286.html" target="_blank">WSJ article</a> by David Gibson delicately notes the difficulty embedded in the issue: "...I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">t's...self-defeating to complain about keeping Christmas holy when churches close on Dec. 25." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Another blog I read (I cannot seem to find it again, otherwise I would link to it), written from an atheist perspective, blasted Christians for all the noise we make about the increasing secularization and commercialization of the Christmas season if churches are only going to cancel their services anyway. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Ouch. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">As noted above, the issue at hand is both deeper and wider than that. However, this stark perspective casts the matter in a different light. If we as believers are bemoaning the "spiritual decline" of the world in which we live, the answer cannot be taking a break from seeing and interacting with the world in ways that recognize the spiritual significance of what we do. Rather, we should seek to foster and embrace heaven meeting earth in what ways we can - and to celebrate corporately when we can as well! Rather than seeing Christmas (and New Year's Day) this year as a hindrance, Christian communities should be rushing forward to embrace the grand opportunity they have this year - the opportunity to celebrate these special days with their Christian brothers and sisters in corporate worship. What better days to be in church than on the days when we celebrate Christ's birth and the coming of a new year? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Tim Tennent, president of Asbury Theological Seminary, pulled no punches when he said the following on Twitter: "Churches canceling Christmas a.m. services is not a sign of being pro-family, it's a sign of spiritual malaise." A spiritual holiday is worth celebrating spiritually! We would not dream of cutting corners like this with Easter; then why do we with Christmas? In future years, let us embrace our freedom of worship by rolling out of bed, bundling up the family, and making it a point to celebrate Christ with our Christian family when the opportunity presents itself. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-61419477065909749492012-01-04T08:01:00.000-08:002012-01-04T08:01:17.207-08:0012/31/2011 Sermon ManuscriptThis is the manuscript from my most recent sermon, given at <a href="http://www.emmausroadtulsa.org/" target="_blank">Emmaus Road Church</a> December 31st, 2011.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>I. Introduction - </b>Good evening, Emmaus Road! How is everyone? This week puts us squarely in the middle of the 12 Days of Christmas, so if you needed a reason to eat more awesome food, have more awesome celebrations, etc., then you’re in luck. In this next week, we will flip the page on the church calendar and jump into Epiphany. This season marks the coming of the Magi to Jesus (which we’ll read a bit about tonight) and invites us to explore the implications of Christ’s birth. When you read the Gospels, you find that sometimes they tell the same story different ways; this is because the Gospel writers were aiming at different audiences and so told the story in such a way to emphasize their specific point to their specific audience. For example, we’ve read out of Luke lately; we’ve seen what the birth of Christ meant for the poor, the ignored and downtrodden, and for the speaks of these themes because he is trying to show Jesus as Healer and Savior of the Gentiles. Matthew takes a slightly different approach, because his audience is different; Matthew is writing to Jews to convince them that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, and so he is going to tell his story in such a way that helps us to see Jesus as a prophet, leader, and deliverer like Moses; he’s also going to try to help us see Jesus as a king, a king of the lineage of David; the only family line that even has the right to claim the throne of Israel. So when we read from Matthew 2 tonight, we’re going to be seeing things from the perspective of Kingdom. We’re going read about the Kingdom of Heaven coming to Earth as a baby; we’re also going to see what Herod the Great does to oppose the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew tells us of somewhat of a chess match between Herod and Heaven. But for us to appreciate the story a bit more, we’re going to need some background on Herod himself.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>II.Body A.Herod the Great - </b>Herod the Great was quite a man. He was the son of an Idumean</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
adventurer turned politician who played power games with the both the Jews and the Romans; and when his father died, Herod found himself in a position to step in as Rome’s appointed ruler for the area. He was a gifted politician and engineer, and made sure to appease as many people as he could while ruthlessly consolidating his power and playing with his own pet building projects. He was a half-Jew who walked an interesting line with his faith - he set up many tributes to the Emperor of Rome to make sure he stayed in Rome’s good graces. He adopted many Greek ideals of society so that people could feel comfortable in his town, which didn’t make the Jews happy - but to take care of them, he rebuilt the temple in magnificent fashion. As he was an engineer, he did a swell job - some of the walls are still standing. He quarried stones that were 40 feet long, 10 feet tall, and 10 feet wide - as big as a school bus! The stonework was so precise that even though the stones were so large, some of the walls that are still standing, one cannot get the blade of a knife between them even though no mortar was used. He installed aqueducts, indoor plumbing, and many other conveniences. He built palaces for himself all over his territory. One time, he decided to have a palace fortress on top of a mountain - only there was no mountain there. So, he built one. It’s called the Herodium, and still stands today. However, he was a paranoid and ruthless man. He had tens of wives and scores of children and grandchildren, so he lived in constant fear of conspiracies to take the throne. He was not above assassinating his own wives and children to consolidate his power, and people lived in the constant fear that these changes caused. Because he was so afraid, Herod got from Rome the special right to choose his own successor - normally the Empire would - and then after he got this right, he rewrote his will six times before he died because he was afraid of so many people. He tried to come across as a great benefactor and innovator, but</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
people feared him and did not like him. He knew this, and knew that people would not mourn his passing. So, he gave standing orders for many beloved Jewish officials to be assassinated the day that he died so that there would be mourning when he died. This is Herod the Great; this is who’s in charge when the Kingdom of Heaven arrives in the form of a baby. Let’s look at Matthew.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>B.Text - </b>The story actually begins at Matthew 1.18. We’ll be starting here tonight and reading up through the end of chapter 2. Along the way, we’ll look at how Matthew tells the story; we’ll look at the little clues that he gives us as to how we are to see Jesus. He quotes plenty of prophecies to make his point. We’ll look at the exciting way that Heaven comes to Earth. We’ll also look at how Heaven and Herod go toe-to-toe over the next few verses. Let’s read.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>1. </b>“This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.”</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>a)Interpretation - </b>Here, we have the birth story. It’s told from Joseph’s perspective rather than Mary’s.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(1)</b>Right in the beginning, Matthew tells us that Jesus, this baby, is going to be Israel’s deliverer. He’s going to be the Messiah, the Anointed One.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(2)</b>We see Heaven and Earth rubbing shoulders here in some remarkable ways. The first way is that Mary became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. Not exactly something that happens every day... But it’s a head-scratcher for sure, so Joseph’s trying to figure out what to do. An angel appears to him in a dream - another sure sign that Heaven is coming to Earth.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(3)</b>The angel addresses Joseph as a “son of David;” this means that Joseph is a descendant of King David. This means that Jesus is a legitimate heir to the throne of King David - something that Herod is not. Remember, Herod came in from the outside. He gained his power through political luck and cunning; he may sit on the throne, but it’s not his throne to sit on. The throne belongs to the baby; that’s what Matthew is saying. He’s a deliverer; he’s a king. Right away, Matthew is telling us that there’s a new king in town.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(4)</b>Matthew is quoting from Isaiah 7 here. This establishes that Jesus’ birth is part of the same story of Jewish history; it’s not a new story, but rather, it is the same story moving along. Remember, Matthew is trying to prove to Jews that Jesus is the Messiah. He’s saying, “This is your king! The one you’ve been waiting for!”</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>2. </b>But there’s another king around, and he’s not going to let another king just cut in on him. Not even a baby king. Let’s keep reading. “Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’” Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.”</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>a)Interpretation - </b>Lots of stuff going on here... <b>(1)</b>Right in the beginning, Matthew tells us who the other king is. Herod the</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Great. From other sources, it’s probably a good guess that some time passes</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
here - maybe about 2 years or so. <b>(2)</b>Magi - And then the Magi show up. This is a group of mysterious people that</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
we don’t really know much about. We can make some guesses, though. They were likely Persians. They were probably court officials, similar to Obama’s cabinet members. They were not Jews, though they may have been familiar with Jewish ways and scripture; likely, they were Zoroastrians. Around that time, it was believed by many that strange occurrences in the sky foretold changes in regime and power, and so these men studied the heavens in order to be up on what was happening. Interesting fact: This is the only place in the Bible that Magi are mentioned favorably. Daniel and other Jews, when in exile, deal with the Persian king’s court magicians: his Magi. Later on, in Acts, a sorcerer called Simon Magus tries to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit. In Greek, these men are all Magi. And so, Magi are not looked upon favorably; and yet, these foreigners, these shady magicians, come to worship the true king. They saw the sign in the skies, and knew something was up.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(3)</b>So they come to Jerusalem (where the king should be, right?) and begin asking around for the newborn King of the Jews. These guys act sort of naive; we can imagine that they ask for the KoJ, and they eventually they get back to Herod who says, “Yes, you were looking for me?” And they politely say, “Oh, no. We were looking for the other one. The one who has just been born.” And Herod goes into paranoid mode. This is another conspiracy he’s got to fight off. So he decides to keep them around for a few days while he figures out what’s going on.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(4)</b>So he’s scared, and the rest of the city is too, because who knows what kind of havoc Herod is going to unleash in order to consolidate his power yet again. So he calls the scribes and the priests - remember, he’s a Jew because it’s politically advantageous, not because he’s faithful. He doesn’t know the law and prophets, and so he has to call people together to tell him. So he does, and they quote Micah 5.1-3 to him, and Herod finds out the location of his usurper - ground zero of the conspiracy he’s imagining. He calls the Magi back to get more information, and he discovered from them exactly when the star appeared - and now he’s got an age of the child.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(5)</b>So Herod, the master strategist, essentially tries to use the Magi as his pawns - they will go to Bethlehem, find out the exact location of the child, and then report back to Herod. Herod told the Magi that he wanted this information so that he could worship the Messiah as a Jew, but it’s far more likely that he’ll kill the child and the child’s family for good measure. So the Magi depart.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(6)</b>And then something happens - the star reappears! It was in the sky long enough to get them to Jerusalem - but now it comes back, much to their great joy, and directs them precisely and exactly to where Mary and Joseph are living. The Kingdom of Heaven is at work again.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(7)</b>They enter the house and find Mary and Jesus. They worship him, and give him kingly gifts. This whole scene is loaded with imagery. They are Gentiles, coming to worship - the Magi, the Gentiles, the outsiders have been led by the Kingdom of Heaven to recognize and worship the true king - something that Herod could not see. They bring kingly gifts - gold, frankincense, and myrrh. A Jew familiar with the family history would have instantly thought of when the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon and brought many gifts. Matthew’s message comes through loud and clear - this child is a king, and not just King of the Jews - the King of all.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(8)</b>The Kingdom of Heaven steps in again - God warns the Magi not to go back to Herod, not even to stop in Jerusalem on the way. Interesting thing - the Magi don’t seem to be good at playing Herod’s political games, but for Gentiles, they sure know how to hear from God.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>3. </b>Well, let’s keep reading. “After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>a)Interpretation - (1)</b>Heaven again intervenes - The Magi bought some time by going another way,</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
but not much. Jerusalem and Bethlehem are close; even on foot, you could get from one to the other and back in a day. Herod is waiting, but he won’t wait long. Mary and Joseph have to get out of Dodge, and an angel gives them instructions to head out of Herod’s jurisdiction, over to Egypt.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(2)</b>To put the icing on the cake, Matthew reminds us of Hosea 11.1, which brings to mind another deliverer that came out of Egypt - Moses. Matthew tells us</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
again and again - this is your Messiah. Just like Moses delivered your ancestors,</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Jesus will deliver you. <b>4. </b>But Herod’s no dummy. “Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A cry was heard in Ramah - weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.”</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>a) Interpretation</b></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
(1)In a desperate attempt to kill Jesus, Herod acts on the information he has - remember, he has an age and he has a place. So, in an act that history has come to know as “The Slaughter of the Innocents,” he kills all the boys in Bethlehem two years old and younger. Matthew uses this event to tell us who Herod is - again, a Jew who knew the family history would have picked up on this. There was another king who ordered the wholesale slaughter of baby boys - Pharaoh, before Moses was born. Just as Moses was supernaturally protected and delivered to be the deliverer, so is Jesus. Matthew is again telling us - Jesus is the new Moses, and Herod is the new Pharaoh, the one who opposes God’s acts.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
(2)Matthew also shows us something else - he quotes Jeremiah 31.15 here, showing that even Herod, despite his best efforts, is playing Heaven’s game - not the other way around. Matthew continues to tell his Jewish audience, “Yes, this is your story, but it’s growing - it will be the story of the redemption of the world.”</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
5. Well, let’s go ahead and close out the chapter. “When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.” So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.””</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>a)Interpretation - (1)</b>So maybe Herod thought that he had won, but he went on to play other games</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
of political intrigue - and after he dies, the Kingdom of Heaven is still on the</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
move. An angel tells Joseph that it’s safe to return, so they do. <b>(2)</b>Heaven continues to direct Joseph - some of Herod’s family were still around.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Archelaus was just as paranoid as his daddy, but didn’t have anywhere near as much political skill - Herod was sneaky about how he handled conspiracies, but Archelaus just killed people outright. He killed so many that eventually Rome stepped in, deposed him, and put the area under direct Roman control.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>(3)</b>Either way, Joseph and the family are not heading there; so they go to Nazareth. According to Luke 1.26, Nazareth was Mary’s hometown. Matthew was probably quoting a different tradition here that is not included in our scriptures, but his point is clear: this is all happening according to plan.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>C. The Kingdom of Heaven - </b>So what kind of a king is Jesus? Matthew 4.23 tells us about this. When Jesus began his ministry in Galilee: “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
every disease and every sickness among the people.” This is what the Kingdom of Heaven looks like. Here’s an interesting study for you: take some time, grab a pen, and go through the Gospel of Matthew. Underline and study the verses where the phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” shows up; you’ll find that there are many. Matthew is telling us about the Kingdom while he’s telling us about the King. In the beginning of the gospel, we learned a great deal about what the Kingdom of Herod is about. But what about the Kingdom of Heaven? What does Matthew tell us?</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>1. </b>The nearness of the Kingdom of Heaven means that we repent. (4.17). Sin keeps us from God. It’s difficult to be a citizen of God’s Kingdom on Earth when we create distance between us and him by habits, actions, and attitudes. Repentance means that we, through the Holy Spirit working in us, acknowledge that have sinned; that we are living in an improper relationship to God. Repentance also means that we, again, by the power of the Holy Spirit, reject and leave this flawed way of living behind. We often like to cover our sin, disguising it with euphemisms so that it doesn’t sound so bad; but if we can’t take sin seriously, we can’t take forgiveness seriously. Forgiveness is a big deal in the Kingdom of Heaven; but if we do not see our need to draw closer to God and live in proper relationship with Him and others, forgiveness doesn’t mean much to us.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>2. </b>The Kingdom is good news. (4.23) While repentance is necessary, there is more to the Kingdom than that - and this “more” is good news. Such a contrast to Herod’s kingdom, which so often meant bad news for those living under his rule.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>3. </b>The Kingdom welcomes the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and the lonely. (Beatitudes) Another contrast with Herod’s kingdom - His kingdom often persecuted people, and then kicked them to the curb.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>4. </b>The Kingdom of Heaven is not exclusive. Jew, Gentile, doesn’t matter. Slave or slaveowner, doesn’t matter. Sick or healed, doesn’t matter. Come on in. Herod’s kingdom didn’t do this - you had to be elite and constantly making sure you stayed in Herod’s good graces.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>5. </b>It is worth selling all that you own for the sake of the Kingdom. The Kingdom is greater than the pursuit of possessions and power - yet Herod was on a constant quest to maintain as much power as he could. (ch. 13)</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>6. </b>Must be like a child. How unlike Herod - who ruthlessly slaughtered children. (19.23) <b>7. </b>It doesn’t belong to those who have it all figured out, the religious elite (21). Rather, it belongs to those who do the work of the Kingdom - those who spread the Kingdom</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
whenever and wherever they can. <b>8. </b>It’s a place of mercy, where mercy is the rule and not the exception. What a difference</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
from Herod’s kingdom. <b>D.Us and the Kingdom - </b>So what does this mean for us? Well, the kingdom often passes</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
away with the king. However, the spirit of Herod’s kingdom still exists in the world. We don’t have to look far to see tales of oppression, power grabbing, and injustice. He has passed, but many in the world today are trying to live and succeed according to the rules of his kingdom. Read the news. Oftentimes, we may find ourselves operating according to the rules of Herod’s kingdom; society and culture encourage us in these things. However, the Kingdom of Heaven stands opposed. Matthew’s Gospel tells us about the Kingdom of Heaven and it’s King, and then ends with this: Jesus came and told his disciples, <span style="color: #eb1d17;">“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="color: #eb1d17;">the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” </span>Jesus has the authority of the Kingdom, and he commands us to do the work of the Kingdom. Jesus’ kingdom does not pass away, because Jesus is risen, and he lives. In Acts 1.8, he commands us to go and be his witnesses in the power of the Holy Spirit.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>III. Conclusion </b>- So a baby has been born. What do we do now? This child, this king, invites us into his kingdom and then commands us to bring his kingdom to others. But many times, it doesn’t feel so simple. We may not feel that we’re worthy of his kingdom. Maybe we’re struggling with repenting of sins that separate us from God. Many things challenge our entry into Christ’s kingdom. But also, we may struggle with being an ambassador of the Kingdom. God doesn’t want to use a person like me. My past cannot be overcome. The fear is too great. I have no talents. Could be anything. In closing tonight, we’re going to take some time to pray. During this prayer, I’d like to us to think about these things. Do you feel that there’s a struggle in entering the Kingdom of Heaven? Or perhaps serving in it? During the prayer, there will be a time for us to silently name our struggle before God and ask for his help. After the prayer, we’ll take communion together, as we always do; this is the food of the kingdom, which sustains our souls. Let’s pray.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-56151985844349501632011-12-10T12:59:00.001-08:002011-12-10T14:04:28.253-08:00Thinking About: THE SEVEN STOREY MOUNTAINThis past week saw me complete Thomas Merton's early autobiography, <i>The Seven Storey Mountain. </i>As an author, mystic, and theologian, Merton caught my interest during my time in seminary. One of my New Testament professors, Dr. M. Robert Mulholland, Jr., frequently referenced Merton's ideas pertaining to spiritual growth and development as regarding one's "false self" and "true self." This contact birthed a desire in me to explore these ideas further.<br />
<br />
Since that time, I have not studied Merton as closely as I would like. In Kentucky, I had the opportunity to visit Gethsemani Abbey (the Trappist community where Merton resided) a couple of times; I have also read Merton's work, <i>Contemplative Prayer, </i>which I found simultaneously enlightening and baffling. During one of his classes, Dr. Mulholland led us through Merton's <i>Opening the Bible, </i>which I would heartily recommend to anyone who desires to study Scripture. I am also currently meandering through James Finley's <i>Merton's Palace of Nowhere, </i>which distills several of Merton's main ideas. I have found my brief experience with the works of Merton to be positive and look forward to continuing them.<br />
<br />
<i>The Seven Story Mountain </i>was first published in 1948. In it, Merton explores his own life, freely revisiting his past experiences from his childhood to his first days at Our Lady of Gethsemani Abbey. Born in France, he grew up in Bermuda and England before attending college at Cambridge, then moving to the United States to finish his undergraduate work at Columbia. After simultaneously doing graduate work and pursuing a place within the Franciscan order, he finally settled down for a bit teaching English at St. Bonaventure. Experiences there reawakened his desire to pursue the priesthood, and prior positive encounters with Trappists drew him to that order.<br />
<br />
Spiritually, Merton followed a winding road to his destination as a Trappist. Raised within a Protestant household, he rejected his spiritual upbringing in favor of a self-centered way of life. His account references his early college years in which he pursued drink, lively music, and carnal experiences. As he grew older, he began to find himself gradually attracted to the faith. Merton reveals his struggle with his own redemption as he relives his trials and battles with ill health, vocational uncertainty, and the ghosts of his own past; he also shares his relief and joy upon entering the monastery, as well as his experiences in the novitiate.<br />
<br />
Personally, I found much to relate to within Merton's account. The wandering about while seeking one's vocation, the spiritual uncertainty as one strives to discover one's purpose, and the problems that ill health presents in these things all struck chords within me. I found myself also identifying with Merton's style of sharing pivotal life moments, experiences that served to direct his next steps; his experiences made me think of my own. Reading his redemption gives me hope for myself and others, that God is at work in our lives just as much as he was in Merton's.<br />
<br />
I believe that those who read <i>The Seven Storey Mountain </i>will be able to find parallel experiences within their own lives as they hear Merton sharing his life with them. Reading this book proved to be both challenging and rewarding for me, and I recommend it without hesitation for both of these reasons. A brief note: the position of the writer is unapologetically Catholic in a pre-Vatican II world. Some sentiments come across as anti-Protestant, and many concepts and ideas are foreign to Protestants (praying to saints, the priestly hierarchy, etc.). If coming from a Protestant perspective, it is helpful to have an open and willing mind to embrace one's story told from an unfamiliar background when reading this work. That being said, Protestants would do well to explore the stories and beliefs of their Catholic brothers and sisters; <i>The Seven Storey Mountain </i>presents an ideal opportunity to do so.Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-25336355643159885932011-09-22T09:35:00.001-07:002011-09-22T10:03:31.992-07:00The Pony Express Brought You Something......And that something is a newsletter from me. Aren't you excited? On to the bullet points that I love so much! <div><ul><li>I'm still dating the aforementioned Ginger, and she's even more awesome than I thought she was before. We both moved back to our hometowns after graduation, so most of our relationship has been of the long-distance variety thus far. It presents a set of challenges, but we've grown through them and I find myself incredibly grateful every day that she's my girlfriend. We've been able to hop on some planes through the summer and visit each other's homes, meet families, etc. I continue to be amazed by her and am excited for what the future holds. </li><li>In my last post, I spoke too soon regarding my doctoral acceptance status. The Toronto School of Theology (Wycliffe) sent me a late acceptance letter, notifying me that they accepted me to their Theological Studies Ph.D. program. Due to some concerns, I requested and received a deferral of enrollment; should I choose to attend this program, they'll hold my spot until September of 2012. </li><li>I also began a blog devoted to my more theological thoughts. The bulk of the content up there is a devotional series that I wrote for the season of Lent this past year. Posts since then have been sporadic, but I will kick off another devotional series soon. Check it out: <a href="http://continuumofgrace.wordpress.com">The Continuum of Grace. </a></li><li>I mentioned that I would be returning to Tulsa in my previous update, which I have done. Emmaus Road Church (formerly Saturday Night Community Church) was able to pull me on in a part-time capacity as an assistant pastor. It has been wonderful to re-engage this community of believers that is near to my heart and to start doing life with them. Though it's only a part-time gig at present, I'm excited about what God is doing in the community and have high hopes for the future. </li><li>Aside from Emmaus Road Church, this has become a season of rest for me. I graduated from ATS in May with an M.Div. and a slew of medical problems brought on by chronic exhaustion. My parents have been kind enough to take me back into their home. (Remember when I said I wouldn't go back? Yeah, I lied.) I've been seeing some doctors and making a more devoted effort to take care of myself. The past few months have been helpful in that area, and I feel better now physically than I have in a long time. Part of my struggle is that I have often equated rest with laziness; this attitude was partially what got me into trouble. Family and friends alike have been wonderful during this time, supporting me in what is a much-needed time of restoration and healing. Plans for the future remain decidedly fuzzy in light of this. I could pursue an expanded role at the church or head off to Canada for my Ph.D., or perhaps other options will present themselves. There's also a wonderful girl in Delaware that I'd like to be a bit closer to, and that thought factors into these considerations. All in all, I'm in a great place now; the best I've been in for a long time. I'm excited to see what God does next. </li></ul>Ginger had the opportunity to flip through several of my old blog entries a few days ago, and she and I had a discussion about the window that they provided on my life. It's interesting; since my posts have been rather sporadic and come from many transition periods of my life, so much has changed in the time that I've had this blog. I remember many of the places and frames of mind that I was in when I wrote them. I've changed a lot as a person, no question; and yet, there are some things that remain constant. My sense of awe at the world in which I live, for instance. The creative longings that exist within me. My snarky sense of humor. (Sorry about that last one... You all may have to put up with that for a while.) In some ways, who we are changes as time goes on; in others, it remains. I'd be curious to know: in which ways have you noticed these changes and constants within yourself? </div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-82849699024771507162011-09-22T09:13:00.000-07:002011-09-22T09:16:11.788-07:00Sermon from 9/17/2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Hey, all! I apologize for the blatant neglect of this blog. I'm going to provide a post here shortly. However, to tide you over until then, here's a transcript of my sermon given regarding a few of the sacraments at Emmaus Road Church on September 17th, 2011. Enjoy; feel free to comment! </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><ol style="list-style-type: upper-roman"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Introduction<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: upper-alpha"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Greeting/Further Announcements</span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Passing of the Peace</span></span></li> </ol> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Body</span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: upper-alpha"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Recap</span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The Primary Sacrament, Jesus Christ - The last time I was with you, we began a series on sacraments. Together we started to explore some of the thinking and ideas behind sacramental theology. When we think about sacraments, many things may come to mind. Particular things that we do within the church here, such as communion. Maybe some ideas from other Christian traditions that may seem odd and foreign. Some people have attempted to define a “sacrament” as: “An earthly symbol that expresses a heavenly reality.” That definition is true, as far as it goes. However, when we think about sacraments, we think of Heaven and Earth colliding in a new, special, and profound way. We think of “thin spaces,” where Heaven and Earth communicate in ways that we have not felt before, where we experience the physical and the spiritual with an inexplicable level of intensity. An experience where somehow the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, where, as Frederick Buechner says, “One plus one equals a thousand;” an experience where God meets us as we are. When we think of God meeting us, we think of Jesus Christ; the one who walked on this ground, breathed this air, and lived as a person among us. We think of Jesus Christ, who heals our sicknesses and forgives our sins. We look to Jesus; one plus one equals a thousand. In Jesus, Heaven and Earth met in such a way that all who interacted with Jesus found themselves facing something radically different, something that could not be explained. One plus one equals a thousand. When we think of sacraments, we must think of Jesus Christ first and foremost. He is the one who bridges the gap; he is the one we look to and call upon so that we experience salvation. Any other sacramental experience that we have takes place because of Jesus Christ; he is the primary sacrament. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Defining Terms - When we talk about sacraments, I’d like us to expand our thinking a bit. Seven sacraments have been accepted by established churches, and we’ll speak a bit more about those in a bit. However, I would like to call us to live sacramental lives. Sue has a blog entitled, “The Sacrament of the Ordinary Life.” I really appreciate this title because it affirms where heaven should meet earth for us; in everyday life. I firmly believe that God desires to share our lives with us, to be present in the ordinary moments of our ordinary days. He’s punching holes in the sky from the top down so that He can be with us, if only we would look up and see Him. That’s what a sacramental life is about: allowing God to be present in every moment of our life, and expecting Him to show up. One of my favorite quotes is from an author who went by the name Novalis: “He who seeks God will find Him everywhere.” </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Looking - So part of our challenge becomes our seeking. Seeking more often; seeking in different ways. If we have misplaced something, we often don’t find it until we look in a place where we did not expect it to be. That’s part of what this series is about; to look at some things that may be unfamiliar so that we can take fresh eyes to see God into our ordinary, everyday lives. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Sacraments - Last time that I was with you, we spoke about Jesus as the perfect sacrament, the first sacraments, the sacrament that all others point back to. The Catholic tradition recognizes seven sacraments: Communion, Baptism, Marriage, Ordination, Confirmation, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick. Protestants, which is where we fall on the family tree, only recognize two: Communion and Baptism. Over the next few times that I am with you, we’ll be looking at each one of these. I think it’s important to look at all of these, especially in our study, because we are trying to open up and widen our understanding of looking for God at work in the world. In this discussion, we would be remiss not to consider several ways that tradition suggests. Some of these may not be familiar to us, so we’ll be pulling from lots of places in our study: from the Church Fathers, as well as from the Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox churches as well. A couple of disclaimers:</span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">These are deep waters and heavy issues. It is not too much to say that some of the great wars of history have been fought over sacramental theology. There are many differing opinions and ideas about these, and I recognize that. In discussing these things with you, I have barely tried to scratch the surface so that we can get an idea of what practice and tradition have said about these things. If you have disagreement, or wish to study these further, I invite you to do so, by all means. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Secondly, I am not saying that we here at Emmaus Road are going to begin observing all of these. Preston and I are not going to be setting up a confessional booth and waiting for you guys to swing by. We have no interest in that. However, we do want to expand our ways of thinking about God at work in the world and in our lives. And so, I simply want to bring these to your attention. Tradition and theologians have affirmed that grace can be found by participating in these things; by looking at them, we can gain new eyes to see God at work in the world and participate in that, wherever we might be. Some of these ideas may sound odd; some of them may be challenging. The point is for us to gain greater perspective to see how God works. We’ll do this by looking at the sacrament from the perspective of Scripture. We will look at what the sacrament affirms in the life of the Christian and also talk about what it means for us. This week, we will look at three sacraments: Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, and Reconciliation. </span></span></li> </ol> </ol> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Confirmation</span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Tradition - Of the seven sacraments that we will look at, this one has the most ambiguity. Traditionally, the church has affirmed that after one accepts Christ and is baptized, the sacrament of Confirmation opens the door for the person to receive the Holy Spirit in a fuller and greater measure through the laying on of hands. People have differed as to how much and why this takes place; some denominations also incorporate church membership and education into confirmation. However, traditionally, it refers to Christians receiving the Holy Spirit in a greater way than they did at baptism. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Scripture - The Scripture often associated with this sacrament is Acts 8.14-17: “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there. As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.” So what we see happening here is that people have already been baptized, but had not received the Holy Spirit yet. Then, in a second act of grace, they receive the Holy Spirit. However, this is not a clear-cut case from Scripture. Several others, including St. Paul himself, receive the Holy Spirit before their baptisms. So, when we read the Bible, we see that there is some ambiguity here. However, we would do well to remember tradition and other church thought here as well. Some of us have visited more charismatic/Pentecostal churches. We remember that some of them have an emphasis on being “filled with the Holy Spirit” as some kind of a second act of grace; these traditions would affirm that beyond your initial conversion, there remains an additional aspect of God that remains for the believer to engage. While these groups likely would not refer to this belief as the “Sacrament of Confirmation,” the parallel does exist. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Affirmations - Here, we may want to be careful. If Scripture and tradition affirm anything for us, both say that we should not put God in a box. We believe that when you accept Christ, you are 100% accepted, 100% forgiven, and 100% welcomed into God’s Kingdom. God desires to give you more than you are capable of accepting; he desires to welcome you, heal you, restore you, bring you into his kingdom, and use you for his glory. However, when you first make a decision to follow Christ, you might not be ready for all that. This is what the Sacrament of Confirmation affirms for us: that as we grow and mature as believers, we grow closer to God and God to us and we are able to experience more and more of God in our lives as we progress. </span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Change of Character - One of the traditional statements about confirmation is that the believer experiences a change of character as a result of having received the sacrament. One of the things that our faith affirms is that Christians grow as they walk in faith. I think it’s interesting that Luke 2.52 tells us that Jesus, as a person, “grew in wisdom, and stature, and favor with God and man.” I think it’s interesting that Jesus grew as a person. He was educated in the ways of his time and culture, and he grew physically and mentally. And God Almighty and the people around Jesus saw this growth and were impressed. If Jesus experienced growth, shouldn’t we expect to experience it as well once we accept him as our Savior? God wants to work in you - to take the tired, hurting, and confused person and make you a strong, vibrant, and healed person. God wants to rework your DNA as a person. We’ve heard the saying, “God loves us just as we are, but he loves us too much to let us stay there.” Some people experience a quick change of character, while others experience this change more as a journey. Part of what our study is about is to encourage you to experience God’s acts of grace in your life. God will use a second act of grace. And a third. And a fourth. That is how God deals with us. This sacrament encourages us to receive these acts of grace. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Increase of Grace - Traditionally, this sacrament also opens the door for a marked increase of grace in the life of the believer. Part of the experience of the Christian life is to experience an increase of grace. To help us understand grace, let’s take a look at Titus 2.11-14: “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.” We remember Jesus Christ, and we see that he is grace given to us. Grace brings us salvation; we are forgiven of our sins and made God’s people in the world. We can live in our daily lives and expect to have wisdom and righteousness as we remain devoted to God and we look forward to when Jesus returns to set all the wrongs right. He came once to make us clean and holy, to free us from our sins. Because of this, we are his people who do good in the world. This is the gospel; this is grace. God offers us as much as we can receive. But as we move forward and grow in the Christian life, we become able to receive more. As we seek God and his grace to live in righteousness and devotion, we become able to receive more grace for this same purpose. We should also note that if we reject God’s assistance, help, and encouragement in our lives, we limit our ability to receive it. Grace works by multiplication: if we decide against God’s work in our lives, God will not be able to work as much. However, if we accept his grace, more grace becomes available to us. The purpose of this shower of grace is mentioned above as well: “to be totally committed to doing good deeds.” We anticipate Jesus’ return, when God’s Kingdom will be made complete and whole once and for all; but until He does return, bringing about God’s kingdom on earth is our job. </span></span></li> </ol> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Emmaus Road Church - Here at Emmaus Road Church, we affirm that God uses a second act of grace to allow us to experience the Holy Spirit so that our character may be changed, so that we may experience an increase of grace in our lives and use the gifts that he has given us. And God uses a third act of grace. And God uses a fourth act of grace. God offers us as many acts of grace as it takes on this journey to make us into his person who brings about his kingdom in the world. </span></span></li> </ol> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Anointing of the Sick </span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Tradition - This refers to a sacrament in which an ill person could call for priests and receive anointing with oil and prayer for healing. This has also been called the sacrament of Extreme Unction. It used to be connected with repentance as well as physical healing, and became for a time associated with Last Rites - in fact, some people would not receive this sacrament until they were on their deathbed because they did not want to sin after they had received it. However, different schools of thought have developed since then. The sacrament does not apply to only to those who are on their deathbed or those who are suffering from terminal illnesses. One may request it if they are suffering from the common cold; children are also able to receive it, as long as they are able to appreciate and understand what is taking place. It does not only apply to physical illnesses, but also to mental difficulties as well. It exemplifies God’s physical redemptive work in his church - the grace that God gives to heal his people. Some people request this sacrament to aid in forgiveness as well, or to receive spiritual strengthening. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Scripture - There are two main scriptures used to affirm this sacrament, and we will look at both of them. </span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The first is Mark 6.7-13: “And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil<b> </b>spirits. He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money.<b> </b>He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes. “Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town. But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.” So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil.” So here, we see Jesus giving authority to his disciples to cast evil spirits out of people, so that the afflicted people would experience relief. The apostles did just that, casting spirits out, healing people, and anointing people with oil. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Let’s look at the next scripture, James 5.14-17: “Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” In this text, James, the brother of Jesus, is instructing his audience to do these things. If one feels ill, he or she may call for the elders to receive prayer and anointing. We also see James address forgiveness here as well, which is how this particular sacrament became associated with forgiveness of sins as well as physical healing. Of the seven sacraments that we will look at while I am with you, we can find that the early church employed this one. It is interesting to note that physical recovery was expected after a sick person received this sacrament. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Oil - I’d like to take a moment and discuss the significance of oil within this sacrament. When we discuss sacraments, we look for physical things to help us experience heaven: in the sacrament of Confirmation, it is the laying on of hands. In this sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, it is the oil. In Biblical times, oil had a lot of significance for a number of reasons. In the area of physical health and treatment of illness, oil was used in a number of ways. Externally, it was used as part of the dressing and bandaging of wounds. It was also used to treat internal issues, such as ulcers and intestinal problems. Even today, in some Mediterranean areas, one can find mothers still telling their children to take a spoonful of olive oil every day. And so, oil is a symbol that is strongly connected with healing. When we receive this, we are anointed with oil that points us to the healing power of Christ. We are reminded of Christ’s healing ministry and his desire to heal us, and the oil is a physical, tangible thing that helps us experience healing from Christ.</span></span></li> </ol> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Affirmations - As Christians, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick affirms many things for us. </span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">At a most basic level, it affirms that God is interested in our lives and desires healing for us. Though to some Christians, this may seem like common sense, it can be difficult to remember at times, especially if we are struggling with a chronic illness. This sacrament, if nothing else, serves as a reminder that God does desire our healing and wants us to be whole. The difficulty with this is that often, we do not experience healing in the way that we thought it would happen. We stay sick long after healing has been prayed for. We asked God to remove the pain, take away the burden, and yet it remains. Even if we feel that this is our experience, I want to encourage you to seek God’s grace in the midst of your difficulty. Do not give up on looking for grace! We may find it in places we least expected it. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Another thing that this sacrament affirms for us is a connection between our mind, spirit, and body. It is interesting to note that as people have continued to ponder this sacrament, it has come to include mental and emotional distresses as well as physical. Paired with the association on forgiveness, we begin to see a “whole person” scope in this sacrament. How many of us have had distressing experiences that left us physically ill? Or what about an unresolved conflict that we could not forgive or be forgiven that eats at us and causes bodily distress? Sometimes, we do not experience pain simply because of physical causes. Relational issues, matters of lifestyle, emotional states, and other things can cause difficulties in us that lead to physical problems. This sacrament reminds us to seek healing in not just our bodies, but healing in every single way that we can have it - emotional healing, mental healing, spiritual healing, relational healing, as well as physical healing. When we say that God desires us to be whole, we don’t mean just that God wants our bodies to work OK. God desires our relationships to be healthy. He wants our past hurts and wounds to be made well. He desires for our conflicts to be resolved. He wants us to be a person of peace. This sacrament affirms that. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Also, this sacrament tells us that we can look for grace in the midst of our weakness. Let’s stop and ponder that for a second. When we find ourselves battling a particular infirmity or issue, we may feel abandoned in that moment. I’m not feeling well; where is God? This sacrament tells us that God desires to give us grace in our moments of brokenness, just as much as when all is well with the world. This sacrament tells us that God does not turn our back on us when we feel that the world is falling to pieces; rather, in those moments, it is best to look for grace. God desires to help us in those situations. </span></span></li> </ol> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Emmaus Road Church - Here at Emmaus Road Church, we desire to experience God’s healing and wholeness. There’s a prayer journal where you can request prayer for anything. If you want, you can contact our pastoral team and we will be happy to pray for you. I’d also like to point out that helping our community move toward wholeness is not just a job for the pastors; rather, it is a job for the community as a whole. We’re all in this together; if a member of our community is hurting, then we need to rally around that person as a community and help them. We are all on the path to healing and wholeness together. Traditionally, when someone calls for this sacrament, not just one minister shows up. Usually, it’s several. Healing takes place within community; inside the community of God we find Christ’s healing power for us. </span></span></li> </ol> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Reconciliation - This has also been known as Confession or Penance. </span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Tradition - The sacrament of Reconciliation takes place when one, feeling true sorrow for his or her sins, goes to a priest to confess the sins with the intentions of making amends. The priest, through the power of God and the authority of the Church, proclaims forgiveness for the mentioned sins and also gives instructions on how proper amends are to be made. The one confessing experiences forgiveness and removal of guilt, which brings about a true reconciliation of the believer with God and, it is to be hoped, with other people. The tangible, physical aspect of this is the penitent going to the priest and naming the committed sins and the priest ministering forgiveness for those. This sacrament points us back to Jesus in that true restoration of the proper relationship between humankind and God only comes through the work of Christ and his sacrifice on the Cross. It also points us back to the power that Jesus vested in the church to be an active part of this.</span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Controversy - Some of the hottest debates have come between Catholics and Protestants on this topic. One may ask the question, “Well, does God forgive sins or do people?” Some people will point out the authority given to the Church and say that even though forgiveness comes from God by the work of Jesus Christ, it can only come through the avenue of the Church. Others will say that forgiveness comes from God alone and can be received by his people in a variety of ways. I bring this up because I recognize the controversy. However, if hundreds of years of scholars and theologians spilling much ink over the centuries have not been able to resolve this for us, I do not think I will be able to clear it all up in the next few minutes. However, there are two main points that I wish us to be clear on that both sides agree on: 1) Forgiveness of sins comes from God alone and 2) People have the opportunity to play a significant role in the process.</span></span></li> </ol> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Scripture: There are two main scriptures that are used in connection with this sacrament. </span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The first is John 20.21-23: “Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”” This event takes place when Jesus appears to the Apostles after the Resurrection. They receive the Holy Spirit and then Jesus tells them that they play a role in the forgiveness of sins, the choice of choosing to forgive or not to forgive. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The second is a passage that we have already read this evening: James 5.14-17. We’ll read it again to refresh our memories: “Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” As noted earlier, there is a connection in this passage with forgiveness and healing. We also see that James desires his audience to confess their sins to other people so that they may be healed. The confession of sins to other people is emphasized. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Interpretation - It is nearly impossible to interpret these scriptures without stepping on someone’s toes somewhere. As I said earlier, we’re treading in deep waters. A more traditional view would hold that when one desires to confess sin, he or she must go to a priest within the established church who is within the Apostolic Succession, who then bestows forgiveness. Our church falls on the Protestant side of the family tree, and we typically hold that the command to confess our sins to each other allows us to do so not just to our elders, but also to anyone within the body of Christ. We would say that forgiveness comes from God alone, though people may play a significant role in that. Again, these are questions that we can’t resolve tonight. However, it’s important that we are aware. </span></span></li> </ol> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Affirmations - This sacrament makes several affirmations that we should be aware of, however we choose to interpret these scriptures. </span></span></li> <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha"> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">First, there is forgiveness available. It is the heart of God to be in relationship with people, his creation. He wants to be in relationship with you. One of the difficulties that we have as people is that we struggle to understand that God does love us and desire to have relationship with us. We can see ourselves and the things that we have done, and we do not see a way that God wants to love us. However, this sacrament affirms that God desires to have a relationship with us. He does desire the barriers of sin between us and Him to be broken down. There is forgiveness for you. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">This sacrament also tells us that there are concrete repercussions to our actions. After hearing one’s confession, the priest would assign penance - concrete steps to bring about amends and restitution. If these steps were carried out with a truly grieving and penitent heart, they would play a key role in one’s forgiveness and reconciliation. This is a principle that we cannot ignore. For example, if I have an addiction to a harmful substance, I can confess my addiction and the harm that it causes to me and those around me all I want. However, until concrete steps are made to end the addiction, I am preventing myself from receiving the forgiveness that is available. And even then, a certain degree of damage may have been done that may be impossible to undo. My body may never be the same; my relationships may never be the same. Even though God will forgive me for abusing my body, I may have injured myself to the degree that I am not able to live the life that I desire. Even though my friends will forgive me for the wounds that I have caused, we may not be able to enjoy the close relationship that we once did. Preston has been preaching from the lectionary the past couple of weeks on forgiveness, and I think he makes an excellent point: there is complete forgiveness available, but there are repercussions. He brought up the Amish School Shooting in 2006 and the outpouring of forgiveness from the Amish community following that. The wounded community embraced the family of the gunman in an amazing example of what true forgiveness is. However, the wrongs could not be undone; many people died that day; others suffered severe injuries. Families are experiencing the loss of loved ones, and lives were forever changed. Unfortunately, in this world, these events cannot be undone. However, the great Christian hope is that when Jesus returns to fully bring about His kingdom, the wrongs will be made right. Full restoration will take place. The sacrament of reconciliation affirms this: that we, as the people of God with his Holy Spirit living in us, forgive, receive forgiveness, make amends and reconcile as best as we are able. And we look forward to Christ’s glorious return, when he completes the process and picks up the pieces that we are not able to. </span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">This sacrament also affirms the role of people in God’s forgiveness. It is one thing to hold God’s forgiveness as a theological precept, but it can be difficult to accept forgiveness without tangible affirmation of that. By affirming the role of the community of the church in one’s forgiveness, we can receive tangible, concrete assurance that our sins ARE forgiven. Through the community of Christ, we can receive concrete help in not only receiving forgiveness but also forgiving others. Like we said with healing, forgiving is a community thing. We’re all in this together. </span></span></li> </ol> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Emmaus Road Church - Here at Emmaus Road, we affirm that confession, making restoration, and forgiveness takes place within community. The power of God and the authority of Christ goes hand in hand with the church so that reconciliation can be a full process. We believe that God can forgive your sins even if you never darken the door of a church; but we also believe that this is not God’s complete design, for the church can and should play a valuable role in the forgiveness and healing process. Due to our nature as broken people, sometimes this means that boundaries need to be established; however, together, we share the hope of Christ’s return which will set all wrongs right. </span></span></li> </ol> </ol> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Baskerville"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Conclusion - Tonight, we have looked at Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, and Reconciliation. The next time that I’m with you, we will discuss Marriage and Ordination. However, we must remember that when we think of the sacraments, we think first and foremost of Jesus. In Confirmation, we remember that even Jesus experienced growth as a person, and we look forward to God growing greater in our lives. In the Anointing of the Sick, we remember Jesus’ healing ministry and his desire for us to be made whole. In Reconciliation, we remember Jesus bringing salvation, forgiving our sins, and the key role that we as people are to play in that. We won’t be engaging these quite in the same way that other churches do, but by becoming more aware of them, we become more and more aware to the many ways and places and things that God uses to give us grace. This is what living sacramentally is all about: expectantly seeking for Christ and his power to come into your life, looking for concrete ways in which this happens, and being willing to be used by God in the same way. </span></span></li></ol></div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-43660843242613662162011-04-16T18:35:00.000-07:002011-04-16T19:39:33.736-07:00A Big Deal... Or Two.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IdzJFTNvk6-2ItfjEoyAfi2a61feaaoBySjPEZv07FiYpfio9F95MlQXqEW3tdbdtVLt9s5n10pJkPf1UVIlFIDr6GdjTsZ3UZ0NzbyS7vOiCcVCK-gT_mXV0XFHgZDd4iCs/s1600/DSCN0807_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IdzJFTNvk6-2ItfjEoyAfi2a61feaaoBySjPEZv07FiYpfio9F95MlQXqEW3tdbdtVLt9s5n10pJkPf1UVIlFIDr6GdjTsZ3UZ0NzbyS7vOiCcVCK-gT_mXV0XFHgZDd4iCs/s200/DSCN0807_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596370156243397954" /></a><br />Well, a couple of things have popped up since my last update... As my time at seminary draws to a close, I am looking toward the future with excitement and anticipation. Things haven't gone as I planned, but it's been a great experience. Here are a couple of things that I'm thrilled about. <div><br /></div><div>First off, I have started dating a fantastic girl. Her name is Ginger. (And she does not have Facebook, so don't bother.) She's a wonderful girl who loves Jesus. She's graduating this May with a Master of Arts in Counseling. She's witty, smart, and funny. She plays guitar and sings like an angel. Oh, and she's beautiful. Have I said she's fantastic?</div><div><br /></div><div>Secondly, my plans regarding further education are going to be put on hold. My Ph.D. applications have not come back positively; one school turned me down, another deferred me for "further review," and the third denied my application for their doctoral program but accepted me for their Th.M. instead. These were not the results I had hoped for, obviously. I've had health struggles for the past couple of years as well; by God's grace and good medical care I've been able to continue studies, but I'm hesitant to begin another degree before these issues are resolved. Bearing both of these things in mind, I'm going to return to Tulsa after graduation. I'm currently looking for a job as an adjunct or online faculty member; a ministry position would be a definite possibility as well. I would ask for your prayers for God's continued providence and peace regarding the future. I would like to pick up further studies later, but I do not feel comfortable beginning another degree at this time. I'm happy to return home and see friends and have fun times, and I'm excited to pursue possibilities in the Tulsa area. I don't see this as a step back, or even a step sideways; these are just the steps I'm taking. Life is good. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and I got a haircut today. That's kind of a big deal. </div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-30894633083640015802011-03-08T09:57:00.000-08:002011-03-08T10:45:52.511-08:00LentWell, the season of Lent is upon us. Church seasons are always enlightening times; they challenge us to see our faith differently than we might otherwise. They also bind us together as a community of faith during the observation of these seasons. In short, this is a time to be excited about. <div><br /></div><div>It seems that the standard way to celebrate this church season is to "give something up." Personally, in the past I have gone forty days without:</div><div><ul><li>Coffee. Never again. </li><li>Pop. Easy. </li><li>"Secular music." Whatever that means. </li><li>AIM. Remember that? </li></ul>While it is all well and good to go without something, it should probably be remembered that the purpose of the exercise is to make room for God to work in one's life, as well as <i>through </i>one's life. To this end, many streams of Christian faith encourage their adherents to spend additional time in prayer or acts of service during this season. </div><div><br /></div><div>Therefore, for this season, I have decided to engage a somewhat different approach; I have started a blog which will feature daily Scripture readings, reflections, and prayers. This blog will run the duration of the Lenten season. Not only will it provide daily content, but I also hope it will serve as a forum for people to discuss and process how God is working in their lives. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am aware that those choosing to observe Lent have a variety of ways to do so, and I don't want to force my particular means of observation upon anyone. However, if you're reading this and think that you'd like to incorporate this blog into your own celebration of the season, then I welcome you to do so. Point your browser here to see what I've put up so far: http://continuumofgrace.wordpress.com/. It's rather sparse at this point, but I will work on it in terms of functionality and aesthetics in coming days. (And if any of you have suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Serious blogging is a bit new to me.) I'm looking forward to journeying together with you during this season. </div><div><br /></div><div>The flipside of this is that such an endeavor requires time; in order to make time for this, I will be ignoring my Facebook account during this season. Contact information can be found under my Facebook account, should you need to reach me. I always enjoy hearing from friends, so please don't hesitate to get in touch. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is my prayer that God becomes new and real in your life this season as we draw nearer to Easter; and not only that, but that he would use you to make himself real to others. </div><div><br /></div><div>Blessings!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-58705883486193002212011-01-16T15:52:00.000-08:002011-01-17T11:56:41.559-08:00Update, Yo!I last posted October 23. My last substantive update occurred long before then. I guess it's time for another. <div><br /></div><div>I finished up the Fall 2010 semester at ATS with straight As; first time ever in seminary to do that! I had a somewhat different run of classes this semester. One was a class on the development of sacramental liturgy that I found to be informative. For this class we got to visit churches of several different denominations (Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, etc.) as well as studying ancient liturgy and tracing its development through the Reformation into contemporary times. Another class dealt with the idea of aesthetics within theology; I found this class to be very engaging and thought-provoking. The idea that a faith system has an aesthetic element has been somewhat ignored as of late, but I believe that viewing faith in terms of beauty can be compelling and beneficial. Great class. I also took a course that dealt with themes of literature and analysis of these themes in terms of worldview and ethics. For this course, I wrote a story and then analyzed it with the tools given during the semester. Certainly a fun exercise. (If you would like a copy of the story, let me know. I'd be happy to send one.) This semester ran a bit out of my normal field of study; I usually study early church history and Biblical literature instead of ethics, philosophy, systematics, and late church history. However, the change of pace was nice. </div><div><br /></div><div>This semester, I quit Starbucks. There was no negative situation; I just wanted to work closer to campus. With Starbucks, my round-trip commute was a touch more than 30 miles. God opened some doors and I was able to get a student worker job inside the library at the school. I landed in the cataloging department. For the most part, my job involves uploading audio files of chapel services into a digital repository so that people can access the services online. Then I file the physical copies (CDs and cassettes) into storage. It's somewhat tedious, but it's nice to work in an office environment. It's a fantastic job; fun people and a great atmosphere. I love it. </div><div><br /></div><div>I came back to T-Town over Christmas break and was able to see some family and friends. Unfortunately, some physical problems manifested and I spent the week after Christmas in a good deal of pain. (Had to cancel a lot of good times with people; I'm sorry.) Dr. Dad really came through and patched me up so that I could return to school for the January mini-mester. </div><div><br /></div><div>And so return I did, and I'm currently taking a January intensive of Intermediate Hebrew. The professor is one Lawson Stone, who just happened to be on the translation committee for Joshua and Judges in the New Living Bible. (Yes, these are the people I study under. Fan-tastic.) Thus far, the class has been very challenging because my Hebrew is quite rusty. However, the payoff has been wonderful. Brad Young of ORU once said something to the effect of: "Reading the Bible in anything but the original language is like trying to kiss a girl through a sheet." I would have to agree with him; looking at the text in the original is a wonderful way to get past the Sunday-school flannelgraph understandings of Scripture that roam around out there. The Hebrew OT especially contains a raw intensity that is often sanitized out of modern translations. I am grateful for the opportunity to examine the text under one who is a scholastic giant in his own right. </div><div><br /></div><div>At this point, more and more people ask: "So when do you graduate? What happens next?" I am only able to answer one of these questions at the moment. I graduate in May of this year. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have no idea what happens next. </div><div><br /></div><div>Currently, I am waiting to hear back from the University of Toronto (Wycliffe) and Marquette regarding applications to their Ph.D. programs. Hopefully, I won't have to wait much longer. One option certainly is to continue my studies, which I do want to do. Another possibility, made all the more attractive because of recent health issues, would be to take some time off, get a job, get out of debt, and build up my CV in order to be a better doctoral candidate in the future. Maybe that would be here in Kentucky; maybe that would be back home in Tulsa. Can't say. After I graduate, I would be qualified for a graduate-assistantship position in my field of study, perhaps an adjunct professor; I also would be able to serve well as a teaching pastor within a church setting. Due to my personality and skill set, I could also function well within administrative settings. We'll just have to see what happens with the Ph.D. applications and go from there. Another option would be to get another Master's here at ATS. Just gotta wait and see what happens with these applications. </div><div><br /></div><div>Gotta say, I have a fantastic posse of family and friends; thank you all for your support, help, and prayers over the past few months and into this year. I love you all and I am very grateful for you. </div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-34143677481636912162010-10-23T10:22:00.001-07:002010-10-23T10:25:56.360-07:00More Thoughts From FreddyContinuing to read through <i>Wishful Thinking, </i>I found Buechner's entry on "Worship." I share it with you. <div><br /></div><div><b>WORSHIP</b></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Phrases like Worship Service or Service of Worship are tautologies. To worship God <i>means </i>to serve him. Basically there are two ways to do it. One way is to do things for him that he needs to have done - run errands for him, carry messages for him, fight on his side, feed his lambs, and so on. The other way is to do things for him that you need to do - sing songs for him, create beautiful things for him, give things up for him, tell him what's on your mind and in your heart, in general rejoice in him and make a fool of yourself for him the way lovers have always made fools of themselves for the one they love. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A Quaker Meeting, a Pontifical High Mass, the Family Service at First Presbyterian, a Holy Roller Happening - unless there is an element of joy and foolishness in the proceedings, the time would be better spent doing something useful. </div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-43463803140934605552010-10-15T08:52:00.000-07:002010-10-15T09:11:12.461-07:00A Little Something From Freddy B.One of my favorite author/philosophers made the following statement, and I felt it was worthy of sharing. <div><br /></div><div>This is Frederick Buechner from his book <i>Wishful Thinking: A Seeker's ABC </i> (New York: HarperCollins, 1993). The entry for "Salvation" is found on pages 102-104. I reproduce it as follows, with all credit going to Freddy B. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>SALVATION</b></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>It is an experience first and a doctrine second.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Doing the work you're best at doing and like to do best, hearing great music, having great fun, seeing something very beautiful, weeping at somebody else's tragedy - all these experiences are related to the experience of salvation because in all of them two things happen: (1) you lose yourself, and (2) you find that you are more fully yourself than usual. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A closer analogy is the experience of love. When you love somebody it is no longer yourself who is the center of your own universe. It is the one you love who is. You forget yourself. You deny yourself. You give of yourself, so that by all the rules of arithmetical logic there should be less of yourself than there was to start with. only by a curious paradox there is more. You feel that at least you really <i>are </i>yourself.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The experience of salvation involves the same paradox. Jesus put it like this: "He who loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39).</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You give up your old self-seeking self for somebody you love and thereby become yourself at last. You must die with Christ so that you can rise with him, Paul says. It is what baptism (q.v.) is all about. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You do not love God so that, tit for tat, he will then save you. To love God is to be saved. To love anybody is a significant step along the way. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You do not love God and live for him so you will go to Heaven. Whichever side of the grave you happen to be talking about, to love God and live for him <i>is </i>Heaven. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>It is a gift, not an achievement. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You can make yourself moral. You can make yourself religious. But you can't make yourself love. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"We love," John says, "because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19). </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Who knows how the awareness of God's love first hits people. We all have our own tales to tell, including those of us who wouldn't believe in God if you paid us. Some moment happens in your life that you say Yes to right up to the roots of your hair, that makes it worth having been born just to have happen. Laughing with somebody till the tears run down your cheeks. Waking up to the first snow. Being in bed with somebody you love. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Whether you thank God for such a moment or thank your lucky stars, it is a moment that is trying to open up your whole life. If you turn your back on such a moment and hurry along to Business as Usual, it may lose you the ball game. If you throw your arms around such a moment and bless it, it may save your soul. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>How about the person you know who as far as you can possibly tell has never had such a moment - the soreheads and slobs of the world, the ones the world has hopelessly crippled? Maybe for that person the moment that has to happen is you. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>It is a process, not an event. </div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-54282916042732530342010-09-03T17:54:00.000-07:002010-09-03T19:08:47.644-07:00Post-Tulsa Status ReportI'm aware that my previous blog came a few weeks before I arrived in Tulsa for the summer. I suppose it's only fitting that my next update comes a week or so after I left. <div><br /></div><div>The Summer of 2010 was nothing like I thought it would be. </div><div><br /></div><div>Home is no longer that which I thought. Some friends faded. Others moved away. Some doors shut. Others disappeared. Opportunities were not realized. In several ways, I became disappointed with myself and my environment. I was looking for answers to questions. Answers did not come, and I blamed myself. In terms of what I wanted Summer 2010 to be, it was an epic letdown. </div><div><br /></div><div>And yet... And yet. Friends and opportunities popped out of the woodwork. Relationships grew. I found myself in a fantastic ministry environment, surrounded by wonderful people. The fact that answers did not come forced me to rethink questions, which has been positive. I grew spiritually and learned much. I made new friends. In these ways, Summer 2010 was a success beyond that which I imagined. There is still much to do and much to realize, but I am grateful for where I am and where I have been... And where I am going. </div><div><br /></div><div>Bullet points. Because I like them. </div><div><ul><li>I will no longer be working at Starbucks. The Siren and I are breaking up. It's mutual, and we think we can be friends without it being too awkward. My new workplace romance is with the Information Commons at Asbury Theological Seminary where I will eventually be working in the cataloging department as a Student Assistant. We're still playing around the edges and getting to know each other, but I do feel that this relationship has the potential to be mutually beneficial. Providence was certainly involved in how we got together, too. I think God is smiling on this one. </li><li>My ministry internship with Saturday Night Community Church was a tremendous blessing to me; I hope it was for them as well. Filling my MM602 requirement served as a wonderful excuse to get back into town and hang out with my friends for the summer and once again rejoin with my home church. Great things are happening there. Getting back and being involved in the future is a thought that plays in my mind. Wherever I go and whatever I do, SNCC will always hold a very, very special place in my heart. </li><li>In some ways, you can't come back home. I've been away for three years. Moving back in with Mom and Dad, even for the summer, was just... Weird. I love them. They love me. It's just odd to be on your own and then return to the family situation in such a way for such a length of time. No, there comes a time when you are supposed to be on your own. It's what you have been preparing for. I am blessed to have parents that will support me in many ways to do whatever I do. If that means moving back in for a time, they're glad and willing to help in that way. However, I have moved beyond the point where I am comfortable living at my folk's house. Not because they don't love me and don't take care of me and don't want me to be there; no, they do love me and do take care of me and do love it when I'm around. I'm just aware that I'm 26; the time has past for me to live with them. Bird's a big kid now. Gotta leave the nest. I love you, Mom and Dad. You're wonderful; thanks for the love, the opportunities, the encouragement, and everything else that you have been for me and done for me. </li><li>Speaking of home, I found that when one travels, one's conception of home changes. Home isn't just Tulsa anymore. In some ways, home is where I am accepted and loved; not so much a geographical location. There's a lot of home in 'Tucky, as much as I hate to say it. As friends have moved on, I've got pieces of home all over; in Iowa, Colorado, Canada, Chicago, etc. It's like someone grabbed a handful of dust from my parents' backyard and cast it into the wind; wherever it landed, that place feels a little bit like home. The downside of that analogy is that my parent's backyard is missing some dirt; Tulsa just isn't home like it used to be. People have changed and things have happened; for better or worse, it just isn't what it used to be. And that's okay.</li><li>I'm excited about classes this fall. I'm taking a class on the Aesthetics of Theology which should be fun; History and the Sacraments, which is of great interest to me; and an independent study on morality and Modernity. Should be great. I think this is the first semester during my time here that I have not had a Biblical studies course. Yowza. </li><li>During my internship, I had the opportunity to lead a discussion group on Spiritual Formation at SNCC. Every night that we met except one, I was the youngest person in the room. How does that work? How can I talk about spiritual journeys when my own still has so much left unwritten? I learned from these discussions greatly. Though my background is in Biblical studies, I have become enamored over the past year and a half with the idea of spiritual formation. True discipleship. We need it, no question. It's also not being taught. I hope the discussions blessed the group as much as they blessed me; we barely scratched the surface of it all. So very much left in the world... </li><li>In my travels, I visited Colorado. Did the annual backpacking trip. Always a blessing. Also scooted out to Detroit to be an usher for my friend Kevin in his wedding. Glad that man got hitched. Also, I traveled with my good friend Josh during his move out to Iowa. Never been to Iowa before. Lots of corn. LOTS of corn. Lots OF corn. Lots of CORN. Geez o' Pete, was there a lot of corn. Holy frig. Moving on... </li><li>This travel tidbit gets its own bullet point. My dad and I flew up to Deerfield and Milwaukee to look at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) and Marquette to investigate possibilities for Ph. D. work in Biblical studies. Both are excellent programs, though they are very different. I have many thoughts upon this matter, but the trip really told me what I need to be working on to move ahead in academic work. It also, once again, raised the question of whether or not this is what I want to be doing with my life. A little side issue that also needs to be addressed is that of money... So, yes. Prayers in this area would be appreciated. Please pray specifically for the following: A) That I would be able to maximize my use of time and study for the GRE as well as gain competency in a modern research language (German, most likely). B) That God would guide the application process at various schools. C) That I would do well in my current studies. D) That God would continue to meet my physical and financial needs. E) That God would reveal his will to me within his time and show me which opportunities to pursue so that I may be in the best place to bring glory back to Him. </li></ul>And such is my life, currently. I'm excited about what's ahead and looking forward to seeing what God makes happen next. I'm sure there are issues of note that I just forgot to put in here... But if you have any questions, just ask. In the meantime... Go eat a sandwich. You earned it for reading all this. You know what? Have a brownie with your sandwich. And a chocolate milkshake. It's okay. </div><div><br /></div><div>I won't tell. </div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-22966358311697692492010-05-01T20:28:00.000-07:002010-05-01T21:21:42.041-07:00I'M ALIVE, I SWEAROooooooooookay. It's been a little while since I hit the blogosphere. I've been rocking the Twitterverse and spending far more time than is good for me on Facebook... But sadly, the blog had been pitifully neglected. It's kinda like that forlorn kid sitting on the curb in the summertime with nothing to do because all his friends are on vacation. And he just missed the ice cream truck. So... Update! <div><br /></div><div><ul><li>I have one paper, two tests, and two vocab quizzes left for school. I'm almost done with the Spring semester of 2010. Classes this semester are: Intro to World Religions, Exegesis of 1 Corinthians, and Exegesis of Joshua. Yeah... I took two exegesis classes in one semester. Call me crazy. </li><li>I'm still working at Starbucks. It's a good job. I'm transferring back for the summer to Tulsa, so we'll see how that works out. Speaking of Tulsa... </li><li>I'm going to be doing a ministry internship at Saturday Night Community Church with my good friend, Preston Sharpe. I'm really looking forward to working with all those great people again. Also, I haven't found a church in Wilmore that scratched the itch quite like SNCC does. Can you tell that I'm excited? </li><li>I've begun to shave with a straight razor. This has been nothing short of wicked awesome. For all you "men" who pride yourselves on your "manly" beards, I ask of you... Which is more masculine, being lazy and letting yourself go or shaving with something that you could also use to hijack a 727? Gillette, Schick, and all the rest... Stand down. Take your ridiculously overpriced cartridges and begone. Electric shavers, you once may have been the future, but you belong in the forgotten past as far as I'm concerned. I have found a better way. <a href="http://artofmanliness.com/2009/10/06/how-to-straight-razor-shave/">And this is it. </a></li><li>I went and watched Angels & Airwaves do a show in Cincinnati this past weekend. Great show. Enjoyed it very much. Thought more than once that Tom DeLonge sounds like Spencer Sharpe when performing live. </li><li>Umm... That's about it. </li></ul><div>I will engage a couple of thoughts, though. I don't have any real arguments or points I'm trying to make here; these have just been floating around in my mind lately. </div><div><ol><li>What's up with negativity? Across the Twitterverse and Facespace, people are griping about something or other. I've also seen that several of my acquaintances have lives that are characterized by negativity, both on the interwebs and in the real. I know, I know... Life is tough. It's easy for me to point this out; my life is amazingly simple compared with those of other people. However, I've also seen people who have had the $h!t kicked out of them show more joy more often than I thought possible. What gives? Christ came that we may have life... And we are not like those who do not have hope! The joy of the Lord is our strength! There was a time in my life when I would have been content to wallow and mope; I probably would have sent a sneer in the general direction of those who said what I just did. Sometimes, I'm tempted to slip back to that place. It certainly would be easy... But instead of focusing on the thousands of ways that life is difficult, let us rejoice in the one whose yoke is easy; and when it feels heavy, let us be thankful for the community of faith that carries us when we can't crawl. Debbie Downer, don't you come knocking at my door.</li><li>This semester, I had the singular experience of visiting a Hindu temple and watching their service. I remember sitting in the corner, trying to take everything in, humbly trying to find God in that place. I'd recommend that you visit a gathering of another faith... Make you think. Anyway, earlier in the semester, I was visiting a nondenominational storefront church... Until I found out they were Baptists. Then I wouldn't give them the time of day. (I just don't like Baptists... This part of me is far from sanctified.) And this thought just hit me over the past couple of days: Why can I enter a Hindu temple and place myself in a position of humility there and then go to a Baptist church and reject their community when I most certainly have more in common with the Baptists than the Hindus? Religious pride... It even goes across denominations. Something really got me; Earth Day fell on a Thursday this year. The big joke was that "Today is Earth Day; or, as conservative evangelicals call it, 'Thursday.'" (Maybe it wasn't conservative evangelicals... Might have been something else. Fill in the blank. The idea will stand.) So everyone had a good chuckle at that. But it was a slap in the face. That doesn't promote unity! I'm sure conservative evangelicals have a lot to say about the world (and they do say it, no mistake...), but geez. This came from many of my friends who pride themselves at transcending a lot of these divisions of faith and people who see themselves as forging ahead and bringing unity to God's church... This attitude just doesn't fit. Who says a conservative evangelical isn't green by default? Who says that I can't find God underneath a Baptist steeple? Do I get so hung up on my own position of faith and semantics that I find myself judging other people and criticizing them for the dumbest of things? I know I do... And I wish I didn't. </li></ol><div>That's all I've got for now. Tulsa, I'll see you in 20 days. </div></div></div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-34880246064136452822010-01-06T18:42:00.001-08:002010-01-06T19:58:37.666-08:00Grace vs. KarmaSo, a friend asked the following question via Facebook: "Are grace and karma really different?" <div><br /></div><div>This got me thinking... I'm a grace nut. Naturally, this question piqued my interest. </div><div><br /></div><div>From what I understand of karma, the basic idea is that various events (past, present, and future) are determined by moral cause-and-effect through the actions of an individual; the consequences that come to that individual are either enforced by a deity or they simply play out because that is the nature of the world in which we live. Simply put, one gets what one deserves. </div><div><br /></div><div>So that's karma; what is grace? From my study, I have become increasingly convinced that grace defies definition. Indeed, if you asked me to classify grace or explain how it functions, I would falter. A hallmark of grace is that it remains beyond our comprehension, for it is not a system. It is not cause and effect; it is not a transaction. It is not a game, and it certainly is not a cosmic scorecard of one's life. </div><div><br /></div><div>Rather, grace is a <i>manifestation of the nature of God as seen in the world. </i>It is not something God does; it's who God is. God can't help it; he is grace-ful. Because God is at work in the world, grace is at work in the world. We can look for it. We can expect to see it. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is important also to note that God's nature is one of forgiveness. It is plain to see that forgiveness and grace go hand in hand, though they are far from synonymous. I would suggest that forgiveness and reconciliation is a manifestation of grace for both the offending and offended parties in a situation. However, I do not equate grace with forgiveness, for grace encompasses so much more. </div><div><br /></div><div>Grace also comes as an empowerment and a challenge to live as one ought. God, being at work in one's life, gives that person the tools, strength, and ability to live in accordance with his will. God also will direct that person as to what his will is and provide conviction and correction when one strays from that will. </div><div><br /></div><div>Grace is constantly at work in the world, drawing all people nearer to God and to his love. The physical ways in which this wooing takes place is as numerous as all the people through time multiplied by the total of seconds that people have existed, even in the mind of God before the universe as we know it began. </div><div><br /></div><div>But what about sowing and reaping? Is that a karmic principle? In the Gospels, "sowing and reaping" refer to agricultural practices. The verse that comes to mind is Galatians 6.7: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (ASV) A reading of Galatians 6 shows that Paul is speaking of the pursuits of the individual; if one pursues the ways of the world, that person will find himself or herself mired in the ways of the world. If one pursues heaven, heaven will be made manifest in his or her life. Indeed, the context of this passage calls for the community of faith to <i>break </i> "karmic" powers in the lives of others by restoring those who have sinned (6.1), bearing each other's burdens (6.2), not being weary in well-doing (6.9) and doing good to <i>all </i>people (6.10). Far from condoning any karmic idea, Paul encourages the opposite. It must also be said that Paul encourages personal responsibility, which brings up the question of the natural law of cause and effect; I'll touch upon this later. </div><div><br /></div><div>What about the Lord's Prayer? Is the idea of us forgiving others as the Father has forgiven us a karmic principle? I don't think so, and here's why. While I think there is a cause and effect scenario at play, we must be careful as to how we understand it. God's forgiveness for us being the cause, our forgiveness for others being the effect; many people will look at this and see it as a command to forgive others, because if they don't, God won't forgive them. It's the "Big Brother" God enforcing forgiveness among his kids. (Or else!) Rather, I would read it this way; God, being a grace-ful, forgiving God has forgiven us because <i>it's who he is. </i>When we enter into a vital, dynamic relationship with this God, we begin to pick up his nature. And so we become grace-ful, forgiving people; not out of obligation, but rather because <i>it's who we are becoming.</i> Cause and effect? Yes. Karma? No. </div><div><br /></div><div>Which brings us to the cause and effect question. I would agree that the principle of cause and effect is a natural law in play in the universe in which we live. (As such, it remains subservient to eternal law, but that's another post for another day.) Karma is cause and effect being played out on a moral and spiritual level. </div><div><br /></div><div>As Christians, we are called to rise above simple cause and effect, for that is what Christ did. Had Christ's life followed a karmic pattern, there would have been an ascension with no death and resurrection. Christ would have been an enlightened prophet, a master of the divine; but not the savior of the world. We would still be dead in our sins with no way out, were karma and grace the same. But rather, Christ, the perfect one, bore the imperfections of an imperfect humanity so that we, who have no chance and no hope of life on our own, can share in the divine life that Christ brings to the human condition. Look all you want, but there is nothing karmic about this situation. This is God's nature; to bring his creation out of what it deserves into that which it has no hope of attaining or receiving on it's own. </div><div><br /></div><div>Karma? Ain't no way. </div><div><br /></div><div>Grace? Forever and ever; amen!</div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-68936146402512432242009-08-11T21:12:00.000-07:002009-08-11T22:25:31.564-07:00A Lament.This is a sad blog. Consider yourself warned.<br /><br />The past several days have given me ample food for thought as well as time to think; 1000+ miles of driving will do that for a person. And in my travels, I see something consistent within our culture as a people.<br /><br />We strive to fill our lives. With what? Just about anything. Depends on who one is. But have you noticed, in our quest to become more efficient, we have simply become more busy? There are tools, facilitators, that people invest in to keep themselves organized. And yet, as we invest in more and more of these time-saving devices, we find ourselves running out of time. Again and again. Despite our best efforts, our lives become busier. What gives? That is the quest to save time. A quest that seems to be a failure; for when we find we have time to spare, we fill it with something else.<br /><br />Even our leisure is exhausting. Have you noticed this? I just took a two-week vacation. I'm tired, man. Lots of fun; but not relaxing at all. Have you ever heard someone say, "I need a vacation to recover from my vacation?" How often do we become stressed because of something we're doing on our "day off" and so get bent out of shape because of that? We have to make time to relax; and even then, we can't relax because we are oppressed by all the things we're putting off or ignoring so we can "relax."<br /><br />And what about the quest for identity? Geez, it's hard to be a well-differentiated American. 24/7, society screams impossible ideals at us and then castigates us for not living up to them. Have you noticed this? A teenage girl is supposed to be pretty, wear stylish clothes, be thin as a rail, have a boyfriend, possess a perfect complexion, etc. And if she falls short, she is rejected. A man is supposed to be a hardened warrior, capable of taking down a pack of wolves with his bare hands; a scholar, knowledgable about all aspects of life; an innovator, someone who lives on resourcefulness; a thinker, capable of accurately assessing difficult situations and responding accordingly; and a listener, someone who can meet the emotional needs of his spouse and family. Where are these people, these ideals? Hint: they don't exist except in ad campaigns.<br /><br />But we must be our own individual! So we strive to create a personal style, a personal code, something to set ourselves apart from the pack; and in so doing, we find that we only imitate others in countless ways. We buy because we want to imitate those who have; we work long hours because we want to be like those who have money. We work out (granted, it's good to be healthy... duh) because we believe we will fit into culture better if we are fit. How much of what we do is simply because we think that we will be more accepted if we do this or that? "Hey, you! You need to be your own person! And to help you do that, we're mass-marketing this stylish new car that can be yours for only thousands of dollars!"<br /><br />Which brings me to another thought. The quest to buy and to have has surpassed the quest to save and prepare. Have you noticed this? The concern is always with the immediate, not the long-term. Can't afford it? No sweat. There's a credit card for that. Credit wrecked? No sweat. We won't check it. The important thing is for you to have stuff, and we will do what it takes to make sure you have your stuff. (Until someone gets tired of not being paid, anyway.)<br /><br />They're even selling us on stuff we don't need! Does my razor really need a small motor in it? C'mon, seriously. What's wrong with the unmotorized one? Nothing, except for the fact that it doesn't have a motor. (Let's ignore the fact that it does the job just fine without one.)<br /><br />I'm glad that phones are becoming smarter. They do make life easier. They also make it easier for random crap to invade your life. How many times have you entered a coffeeshop and seen two people sitting at the same table, not saying a word to each other, but messing with their phones? Texts, emails, random apps doing their thing, all demanding your ever so precious time. Time that you're running out of.<br /><br />So where are we going? We're on a quest to fill our lives with stuff. To fill our lives with people, our bank accounts with money, our homes with things, and what do we have to show for it? Read the papers.<br /><br />Broken marriages and failed relationships. Pyramid schemes and identity theft. Debt, destruction, and thieves. So we purchase items or invest time to protect these things; and the cycle repeats itself.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong; some things are necessary. Positive relationships are important and should be fought for. Money is needed to survive and should be earned. We need a roof over our heads and amenities to get by. But at what point do we start serving our lifestyle? Or our desired lifestyle?<br /><br />Or when do we ever raise the question? It's easy to pull the trigger on a new tshirt and ignore the 15 I already have sitting in the drawer. It's easy to overcommit myself to people because I'm scared of "letting someone down" or because I'd rather not face the consequences of simply saying, "No." It's easy to buy a new computer because the one I have is a year old (forget the fact it still works fine). These things we do without thinking.<br /><br />And I wish that we would stop and ponder. In 2004, over half of college undergraduates had four or more credit cards; they had an average of $2200 in debt per person. The average cardholder is expected to owe well over $6000 by 2010. It takes an average of 330 hours to repair the damage done from identity theft. Over a million kids each year watch their parents get divorced. Nearly 10% of the nation's population suffers from depression; depression among children rises by 23% every year. Nearly 7 million people will suffer from panic attacks in 2009; I am among that number.<br /><br />What's wrong with us?<br /><br />We, as a culture, as a nation, as a people, are spinning, spinning, spinning out of control. We will feed on ourselves until there's nothing left and we self-destruct. We get so caught up in ourselves, our lives, our things, our busy-ness, and our incessant, manic compulsions for bigger, better, more, that we can't even see that we're slowly killing ourselves.<br /><br />Can we learn to slow down? Can we learn to relax? Can we learn to seek others first and not ourselves? I hope so... And I hope we will see sooner rather than later.<br /><br />Told you this was going to be sad.<br /><br />Father, forgive us... For we do not know what we do.Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-4345783578245638442009-06-10T10:40:00.000-07:002009-06-10T11:40:09.953-07:00Dispatches from the Kentucky FrontierA few dispatches from the boondocks of Kentucky, brought to you via Pony Express via the interwebs:<br /><ul><li>I'm spending the summer in Kentucky this year; I'll be working about 30 hours a week at Starbucks. I've got a couple of days off every week to do whatever manner of nothing that I desire. No classes this summer. It's time for a break. :)</li><li>Whenever I come back to Tulsa, I appreciate the coffeeshops there. Not just because they're awesome, but because they have no equal out here. KY seems to be late on riding the coffeeshop train. There are two main types that I've noticed here so far; the yuppie coffeeshop and the grungy coffeeshop. Unfortunately, there seems to be no middle ground. Also, never have I ever been handed a drink with a rosetta poured in the foam. Not here. Local roasters are difficult to find. The one coffeeshop that I look forward to going to happens to be in the state capital, about 45 minutes away. It's an independent coffeeshop that shares space with a vintage bookstore. I could burn many hours and dollars there. And have, actually. So be grateful, Tulsa-ites; you guys are spoiled. :)<br /></li><li>Attending a denominational church has brought a new perspective to my understanding of how church happens. Something about Saturday Night that I have always enjoyed it its freedom. Freedom to order the service and revel (yes, revel) in alternative forms of worship; freedom to embrace the different, the uncomfortable, and the unexpected. In my current church (a traditional United Methodist congregation), "mixing it up" means that we alter the service order, or pull something different from the book of worship. I frequently wonder if it has ever occurred to them to look for expressions <span style="font-style: italic;">outside </span>the worship book; surely it wouldn't be too hard to find ones that would be compatible with the Methodist tradition. However, this is simply not part of the process. It seems that more effort is spent changing individual words from hymns and other such minutinae instead of pursuing orthodox alternative methods of worship (which, with some prodding, this congregation would appreciate). It simply doesn't occur to the denominational mindset to look <span style="font-style: italic;">beyond</span> the denomination for ways to worship God. Grr.<br /></li><li>I've gotten into Robert Ludlum as an author lately. He was the guy that penned the original Bourne books (<span style="font-style: italic;">The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bourne Ultimatum</span>); and as good as those movies may be, the books are far, far superior. Go read 'em. Of his works, I have also finished <span style="font-style: italic;">The Holcroft Covenant </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">The Icarus Agenda. </span>High recommendations on both.<br /></li><li>Remember the ORU Honor Code? Asbury Theological Seminary has one too; it's known as the Ethos Statement. However, the Ethos Statement is about to change; for the first time in seminary history, students will be allowed to consume alcohol. Restrictions do exist, of course; the campus itself will remain dry and "moderation and discretion" are encouraged in all other places. The predominant theory is that the school changed Ethos so that enrollment would go up; like so many other places, the seminary has hit hard times. However, even though the student community has called for this change for some time, the denominational old guard (especially Wesleyans and others who believe that drinking is a moral evil) will be sure to disagree. This raises the question for some: did the seminary sell out to the prevailing winds of culture and the spirit of the world under the pressure of difficult times? This I can't say for sure; all I know is that now I can enjoy my occasional Guinness with a clear conscience. Hallelu!<br /></li><li>Theological question for the masses: What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the Crucifixion and Resurrection? We seem to pay natural attention to the Father and the Son in these events, but what about the Holy Spirit? I'd like to hear your thoughts...<br /></li><li>In an effort to stay more in touch, I am strongly considering adopting other mediums of communication... I picked up a Skype account yesterday, and I am also looking into (gasp, perish the thought) Twitter. Shortly after I get Twitter, I will escort myself out behind the barn and bludgeon myself repeatedly with an old 2x4 for selling out. </li><li>As of late, I have also been making a partially concerted effort to stay up to speed on some television shows. I have finished Season 4 of The Office and am also getting into Castle and Fringe. I also have an interesting amount of curiousity regarding Dollhouse. I'm open to other recommendations as well, except Lost. Don't get me started on Lost.<br /></li></ul>That's all I've got for now... Hope things are well on the home front.Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-26094161705121308912009-05-22T07:45:00.000-07:002009-05-22T11:46:52.718-07:00Through Hell and BackSo as promised, here is the story of my semester. It's a long story; if you don't want to read it all, or simply don't care, that's fine by me.<br /><br />Many of you have heard that this has been a hard semester for me. However, up to this point, I can count on one hand the people who have heard all the details of it. It's been rather traumatic, and I am only just beginning now to feel that I can look it in the eye and recount it.<br /><br />For I feel that I must recount it; it's not a tale of woe, or a passive plea for pity. It's a story of God working in spite of circumstances; a story of pain, power, messiness, and miracles. I do not want anyone to read this and feel sorry for me; if I wanted your sympathy, I'd simply ask for it. Either way, I don't feel sorry for myself. Instead, I hope that you would read this and see God's hand at work and be encouraged to look inside your own situation to find his grace there in ways that you haven't seen before; I would also encourage you to expect grace in times when you feel it the least. This is why my story must be told.<br /><br />The semester began in January with a girl. She's a great girl and I fell for her. It's not necessary to go into all the details; suffice it to say that it didn't work out. I will also say that she is a wonderful person and that I do not bear her any ill will. Feelings get involved in relationships, and that makes things hard. It's not anybody's fault, though.<br /><br />So that was something emotional to grapple with; and somewhere in processing that, I took a drive in the beautiful countryside of Kentucky. I hoped to get some clear direction from God on how to handle this situation; and while I did not receive any direction, I did receive a hug from my Creator and the assurance that whatever happened that it would turn out okay. I thought that word was for this specific situation; I was wrong.<br /><br />Also in this time, I began to develop chest pains. My chest would feel tight and I would experience shortness of breath on occasion. I knew something was wrong, but not being the brightest star in the sky, I didn't do anything about it. This will come into play later.<br /><br />After the situation with the girl came to some resolution, I began to experience some trouble with school. Due to an upcoming trip to Israel, I had to take online classes; unfortunately, I didn't get that figured out until two days before drop/add closed. I couldn't order books for my classes until the first week was over. So coming off of a tough relational issue, I found myself three weeks behind in my classes. My books came in and I made everything up; 1500 pages to read, 20 pages to write, and 20 hours of work outside of that. 4 hours of sleep a night, and I was caught up in a week. However, I was exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally.<br /><br />This was about a week before I headed to Israel. One night, I got a call from my boss at work informing me that a co-worker had been murdered. Even though he and I were not close, I was in no shape at this time to deal with something like that. He was a good guy; very nice spirit. He had been raised in the church, but had abandoned it and was searching other avenues of faith and belief. I had the opportunity to speak with him about spiritual matters on occasion, and I always found those discussions uplifting and challenging.<br /><br />He had become involved in a romantic relationship with another man (whom we found out later had violent tendencies) and over time became impressed with the need to break the relationship off. He went to a public place in broad daylight to break up with him; the other man pulled a gun and shot him twice in the middle of a crowded parking lot at three in the afternoon.<br /><br />Stuff like that doesn't happen. Never have I prayed before that God would have mercy on someone's soul; never ever would I have thought that such a prayer could be genuine or heartfelt. And yet, such was my prayer.<br /><br />This same weekend, my car broke down to the tune of $2300. I could give you a laundry list of what was wrong with it, but that's not important. It was just another thing that had gone wrong in 2009. So I was leaving for Israel early next week; fortunately, my warranty provided for a rental while my car was in the shop and my car was ready the day before I left for Israel.<br /><br />And here, things started to get better. I had received an unexpected scholarship this semester that gave me another $1000 to play with; I hadn't spent it and was kinda pondering how to. I got the bill for my car and found that after the warranty I had to pay about $950. Kapow! God is good. I also got a rental for the time that my car was in the shop. Not bad.<br /><br />So the next day I went to Israel for two weeks, which was great. At this point I just needed to get out of town for a while. My dad (a doctor) looked me over regarding the pains and said there was nothing wrong. In Israel I got to take a small break from schoolwork; however, this was not a stress free time by any stretch of the imagination. I was still a basket case, just somewhat removed from the basket.<br /><br />I returned to Wilville feeling somewhat better, but utterly disgusted at the fact that I had to return at all. I did not want to be back at all. At this point, I was associating bad things with the place where I lived, and I just wanted to be somewhere else. Nothing bad happened to me in Israel; I just wanted to be someplace that I knew bad things didn’t happen all the time.<br /><br />About a week after I returned, my chest pains started to get worse and worse. Couple that with making up time in class (again) and my stress levels went up. One evening, my neck locked up, I got lightheaded, my left side started to tingle, and I started feeling nauseous; so I flipped out and went to a local urgent care center because I thought I was having a stroke or a heart attack.<br /><br />Turns out that I wasn’t; the doctor basically said that it was an allergy/stress attack and sent me home with a prescription for an albuterol inhaler. But it got me thinking…<br /><br />I just had a panic attack. I’d heard stories of people who had panic attacks. I was not one of those people. Until now. What’s wrong with me? What’s going on? I took the rest of the weekend off from homework and began to take a solid, hard look at my life and what I was doing to ensure that I wasn’t overworked. Certainly a step in the right direction.<br /><br />Then I went home the following weekend; my sister’s high school play was that weekend, and I wanted to see it. Home was so good; it seemed like every interaction I had there was sent by God. There was peace in Tulsa. You could have told me that it was God’s will for me to stay here, forget my education and settle, and I would have believed you and done it. But some great conversations with friends convinced me otherwise. Dad also worked on me again; he discovered some stuff that he had missed the first time around and spent a couple of hours working on my chest wall. Turns out that I had some trauma that had caused my chest to lock up and my ribcage to tighten; thus the pain and shortness of breath. He unlocked all the tightness and I felt GREAT for the first time in 2009.<br /><br />I had ceased to care about class; I just wanted to finish the semester and call it done. I was a C student for the first time in my life; and also for the first time in my life, I didn’t care about the grades that I got. I just wanted to be done. And yet God showed his grace here as well; I have received one final grade back already, and I know for a fact there is no way that I earned the grade that I got. On the assignments that I turned in for other classes, it seemed that God took my shoddy work and multiplied the quality of it so that I got better grades than I deserved. Not bad for someone who has ceased to care.<br /><br />I finished the semester two days ago; the past week involved 30 hours of work, 10 pages of research, 500 pages to read, and two tests to take, but God saw me through.<br /><br />I also got the statement from my insurance company regarding the visit to the ER. It cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $2000 for it all; insurance paid about $1200 and was able to negotiate away another $250, so I’m currently liable for about $550. That’s still a lot for a student, but not bad.<br /><br />And now the story gets really cool. I sometimes forget which weeks I get paid at my job, so I just pick up a check whenever I remember to. And so, from time to time, I have checks left over. Before I came to Tulsa for my little sister’s graduation, I stopped in at work to pick up my tips and see if I had any checks that I could deposit before I left town. As it turns out, I did. Two checks. Totaling…<br /><br />$550.<br /><br />Wow.<br /><br />So that brings us up to the present. As I said at the beginning, this story is not to ask for pity. I don’t need pity, nor do I want it. Instead, this story is a testament to God working in my life in spite of overwhelming circumstances. It is a tale of restoration and redemption. It is also a story to encourage.<br /><br />I have always been overwhelmed by the power of grace. When we least expect it, it shows up; and sometimes when we don’t think it’s there, it is actually there more than we realize. That is my story.Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-24124819473025241632009-04-30T12:05:00.001-07:002009-04-30T12:21:21.295-07:00From the Deck...Sorry I haven't posted in a while. It's been a hell of a semester, and when the summer starts I'll take a couple of hours to blog it out and tell you about it.<br /><br />But today, I'd like to share an experience that happened to me just a few minutes ago.<br /><br />Every so often, I get a craving in my spirit for silence. Not just quiet, but silence; I can stand the white noise of the world. Cars driving past and birds singing are no problem. It's the people that get under my skin. Conversations, laughter, comments in passing... Suddenly the world is filled with people who have no desire except to hear their voice echo in the otherwise clean and pristine air, people who feel that the space they walk through is an empty void best handled by a boost in personal volume. And these people, whether they be friends, family, or otherwise... When the fit takes me, they all grate against the fiber of my being.<br /><br />So this afternoon I sought refuge in a bowl of ice cream, my iPod, and the back deck which just so happens to look out across a cow pasture. Bono was singing "Walk On," the wind was playing with my hair, and I had successfully escaped the hubbub of the indoors. As I was thoughtfully letting a lump of Mocha Madness melt in my mouth, one cow looked at me.<br /><br />This cow was set apart from the group; the closest one to me, away from the herd. The rest of the cows had their heads buried in tufts of grass, concerned only with their next bite; this cow had locked eyes with me. As we continued to hold each other's gaze, thoughts began to flow...<br /><br />"I like this cow. He and I are similar; trying to break away from the bunch, not conforming to what the rest of the herd is doing. Seeking a home in the outdoors, looking for meaning beyond the fences which hold us back. This is a good cow."<br /><br />As my personal reverie continued, I began to feel a kind of kinship with this creature. "This cow knows me," I thought. "This cow <span style="font-style: italic;">gets it." </span><br /><br />I broke away from the beast's gaze and pushed some Mocha Madness around in my bowl. I looked up; the cow still stared me down. Then, ponderously, he lowered his head to the grass and sniffed. Looked back up; looked back down, then methodically walked away. The rest of the herd absentmindedly followed, noses still buried in the grass. "Huh," I thought. "How cool is that."<br /><br />And at that moment I realized what an awkward thing it is to have a cow icily glaring at you while you eat a dairy product.Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-73082858298755840202009-01-04T21:26:00.000-08:002009-01-04T22:13:31.332-08:00Upon Iconoclastic PeopleSo, some time ago a friend told me about a particular view held by theologian Colin Gunton... The view that people are, by nature, "iconoclastic." They break whatever image and conception you may form of them over time, for people are created in God's image. I thought it sounded like a neat idea and decided that I probably believed it.<br /><br />I went home a couple of weeks ago. I always look forward to going home. It's great to see family and friends. Of course, the time spent will not be enough and there will be some disappointments as to someone I didn't get to see or spend as much time with, but that's part of the game. For a number of reasons, I was really looking forward to this particular visit; and so, expectations were set quite high.<br /><br />How did it go? Iconoclastically smashing.<br /><br />I got to meet up with a bunch of people; a dinner here, a coffee there, a lunch with someone else. Most of these meetings took place with friends that I have known for years. When you sit and catch up with someone, you continue to learn about them; you hear about their current life situation and in turn how they deal with their present circumstances. This speaks of their character and what kind of person they are; and regardless of how long you've known someone, people will be full of surprises.<br /><br />Circumstances change. Some friends got married; others became parents. Others grew to the point where I now must look up at them a bit. Some friends moved away from Tulsa and just were passing through during the holidays, just like me.<br /><br />I got surprised a good deal on this visit.<br /><br />Some people greatly impressed me and I wanted to spend more time with them in the hopes that a bit of their awesomeness would rub off on me before the clock ran out. Some people I just met, or reestablished contact with, and desperately want to grow the relationship however I can because they're simply too cool to let go.<br /><br />Other people were disappointing, to put it nicely; "utter let-down" may be a more accurate phrase. I'm not sure what went wrong, but there were several experiences where I came away from seeing someone thinking, "This isn't the person I knew..." I saw things in particular people that caused me to lose respect for them.<br /><br />And I don't know how it happened. You can meet up with someone that you greatly respect and admire and just listen to them; and somehow, by the end of the time, you're wondering what in the world happened to the person that you thought you knew so well. Were they hiding inside all the time, just waiting to pop out when you weren't looking? Maybe it's a matter of perspective; a few more years and experience could change one's viewpoint. What if it's pride - a bit of self-righteousness and the innate desire to be better than those around me? A bit of everything, perhaps?<br /><br />I don't know... As I sit here and type this, I hope you can see what I'm driving at. I try not to deal with people in a callous way; I don't want to judge my experiences with others by some sort of mental scorecard. I don't sit and rationally listen to a person and think, "This person is worthy of more respect than I currently have for them; therefore, I shall give it." No! You just sit down and aim to have a good time; and when the encounter has ended and you're walking back to your car, you're left with an impression of the encounter, positive or negative. "That was really fun; I need to hang out with her more often," or "Geez, that was a bust. I may not do backflips to hang out with him again..." Again, that's more of an impression of the encounter than a rational, calculated response.<br /><br />And so, I have more impressions than responses. Some impressions were extremely positive; others were spitting distance short of depressing. All were, by nature, iconoclastic.<br /><br />My impressions of people are not final; they are subject to change, by default. When I interact with a person, it's like my mind pulls out a sketch of them and goes to work. The pencil flies over the paper, shading, adding details, rounding shapes, clarifying points of ambiguity; sometimes, the pencil gets flipped and the eraser flutters over the sketch, doing away with slipped strokes and poor portrayals, softening hard lines where strong definition may not exist. When I meet someone new, I start from scratch; when I meet up with an old friend, I pull their picture out of the stack and resume work on it. The longer I know someone, the less my mind adjusts his or her picture; sometimes, the mental artist will sit back and wait for an inconsistency to present itself. When it does, the picture is corrected as it can be; and so the process subconsciously repeats itself <span style="font-style: italic;">ad infinitum. </span>While art can come by rational calculation, it stems from impressions - and impressions make, shape, frame, and change the pictures I have of others.<br /><br />I suppose one could ask the question, are impressions accurate? Eh... I don't want to address that here. I'm only outlining my process, not deciding whether or not my process is correct. ;)<br /><br />The pictures will never be done; but in my mind, some became more beautiful this past week. Others lost a good deal of luster. And with the shoe on the other foot, I can't help but wonder... Was the experience as joyous/disappointing for them as it was for me? Maybe I'll never know... But I would ask this of you...<br /><br />Please don't finish your sketch of me. The subject matter is rather fluid.Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-30375857933573507772008-12-24T22:47:00.000-08:002008-12-24T22:49:04.173-08:00Sometimes a Song Says It All...<div style="text-align: center;">They grew up in the same old town<br />Never knowing the other was around<br />Read from the same damn books<br />Never gave each other looks<br />But one day the sun will shine<br />I know<br />For their eyes have told me so<br />Chasing advice from those who say I've lost my mind<br /><br />(Chorus)<br />Rush together<br />To find each other<br />Now it's too late<br />You can never wait for luck<br />Together playing the same instrument<br />That you still can't hear at all.<br /><br />So that's how the story goes, so far<br />I'll tell you the rest, but now<br />I'm tired of what I think<br />A situation where I can't sing<br />But I hate the vagrant life<br />I know<br />Nothing has been more told, 'til now<br />Living my life after those who say I've lost my mind<br /><br />Rush together<br />To find each other<br />Now it's too late<br />You can never wait for luck<br />Together playing the same instrument<br />That you still can't hear at all.<br /><br />So what do you say<br />So what do you say<br />Can we turn this clock back<br />Thirteen years and relate?<br />I won't mind, can we stay<br />But isn't it fate?<br />But isn't it fate,<br />That we spill our guts out<br />On this very day?<br />I don't mind<br />I want to<br />I want to<br />Stay<br /><br />"Rush Together"<br />-Quietdrive-<br /></div>Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-15761456801576458282008-12-23T07:59:00.000-08:002008-12-26T11:41:39.291-08:00J-Dub and M-YacSo this semester has been a great time of personal growth for me, not due in small part to a class I've been taking on John Wesley's theology. I've learned a great deal and come to expect more from faith. Wesley's emphasis on spiritual growth and his emphasis on grace, as well as the place of holiness, has caused me to view faith differently than I did a few months ago.<br /><br />But at that end of the semester, I wanted an additional perspective; for Wesley's faith demands much and promises much. I wanted something different to add some balance; so I grabbed <span style="font-style: italic;">Messy Spirituality </span>by Mike Yaconelli. I found it to be an interesting read; Mike speaks of the power of a life not lived according to spiritual stereotypes and popular (mis)conceptions.<br /><br />And somehow, while pondering, these two views came together in my mind to form an odd sort of synthesis... I had thought that these thinkers would prove to be at odds with each other. Wesley with his paradigmatic understanding of God's operation, set against Mike with his distinct lack of rules and qualifications. Wesley's demand for holiness seemed to fly in the face of Mike's emphasis on brokenness, and Mike's longing for humility could be seen as contrary to Wesley's expectation of perfection.<br /><br />But as I continued to ponder these ideas, I came to see that they do not necessarily contradict each other. To be sure, the social context and presentation of these ideas varied greatly. They have much in common, though; both fought against the established religious status quo. They both emphasized spiritual growth, as well as the importance of grace.<br /><br />As it should be, grace is central to both thinkers' understanding of God, as well as human depravity. After all, grace isn't a big deal unless someone needs it. They both would agree that love is the primary evidence of holiness; and both would agree that the "messiness" of the Christian life is simply part of the game. The difference between the two would seem to be that Wesley expects the believer to move beyond the messiness, and Mike expects the messiness to always be present.<br /><br />And even here, they may not be as separate as one would think. Wesley believed that the sin nature remained in a Christian, just that the sin nature no longer had power in his or her life. However, the battle to fight with temptation would always remain. A believer does not have to succumb to it. It also seems that Wesley expected some form of spiritual dark times to be present.<br /><br />Mike presented spiritual growth as a jagged line of peaks and valleys with a net positive result; and just as Wesley expected holiness, Mike expects dark times to be prepared for and and embraced. The spiritual journey cannot all be positive times and a straight line of growth shooting for the stars.<br /><br />And on this tiny point, I think I would agree with Wesley more; not for his beliefs necessarily, but for his emphasis. He would have a believer expect perfection, and press through rough times with that end in sight. My concern with Mike's point of view is that while spirituality is (and should be, to a degree) messy, I get the idea that "mess" is included in his ultimate understanding of the Christian life. (Hence the title of the book...) And even this I would agree with, if what is meant by "mess" could be clarified. God loves us and our mess just as we are, and yet desires to deliver us from our messiness; sometimes by throwing a divine mess into our human one. Our human shortcomings and failures are obliterated before a mysterious God who, in his love, hurls his topsy turvy Kingdom into our world and our hearts.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Messy Spirituality </span>contained this sentiment, but I think Wesley presented the argument with more force and clarity; and so, it is harder to mistake his meaning. I do not think that Wesley would disagree with Mike, except for the use of the word "mess." Wesley did not say that the mess did not exist; instead, he believed in a God that was capable and desirous of saving us from sin. If God is able to do it, we can expect that he will; and if he wants to do it, we can expect that he will do it now. Therefore, we should expect to be free from sin.<br /><br />Wesley had no patience with those who said that people were free from habitual sin only; he pointed out that the word "habitually" is not in the Bible. Children of God do not sin; it is a defining characteristic of the state of being one of God's children. Can we not take God's Word at face value?<br /><br />Part of Wesley's animosity toward those who would shortchange the power of grace was based off of his high regard for the Scriptures and the commands contained therein. If one cheapens the commands, then God's promises are also cheapened. We expect much of God, and God promises to deliver; is it so much that God expects things of us as well?<br /><br />This is why I love Wesleyan theology. His thinking asks for cooperation and promises perfection; Mike's demands humilty and promises love, which Wesley would agree with wholeheartedly. These are not exclusive views; rather, they are concurrent. I think part of the trouble lies with the simple fact that we do not expect perfection, or we do not believe that God desires to perfect us. And so, we do not become perfect. Wesley's thinking attacks this belief; I was not impressed that Mike's did.<br /><br />On the whole, though, this issue of growth and perfection was the only area that presented differing views to me, serious or otherwise. These theologs would agree on much, and their contributions to spirituality should be appreciated.<br /><br />Thoughts? Gold star if you read this far and didn't skip anything...Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-11553521066315317872008-11-21T08:24:00.000-08:002008-11-21T08:54:32.262-08:00My Spiritual Family TreeSo, I was thinking the other day about my spiritual journey. I started to think of people along the way who have influenced me and the meaningful contributions they have made to my approach to the world. Probably, most of the people have no idea that they have been a positive influence on me; and so, in some way, I write this to say "thank you." This blog is not meant to point out specific people; this is not a complete list. This is a tribute to how God has spoken to me through his children and the revelation that he gave through them. (In other words: if you don't see your name here, don't get pissed.) I'll probably think of a bazillion other people and things as soon as I publish this.<br /><br />The people here have somehow impacted my spiritual growth in profound ways, through their lives and our interactions. Some of these were positive experiences; some negative, and still others bittersweet. I choose to remember these people and events because, in some way or another, they have become part of how I see the world. In searching for my spiritual ancestors, I found many, many cousins. Funny how one's spiritual family defies the biological classifications of what a "family" should be.<br /><br />Anyway... here we go.<br /><br />THANK YOU...<br /><ul><li>St. Augustine, for telling me that God is one who changes the event but does not change the plan.<br /></li><li>Justin Martyr, for showing me the continuity of the Holy Spirit within the church across the ages.<br /></li><li>G. K. Chesterton, for showing me that the world is a supernatural place.<br /></li><li>Frederick Buechner, for telling me of life-changing grace in words that speak to the soul.<br /></li><li>C. S. Lewis, for showing me that Heaven is closer to Earth than I ever knew.<br /></li><li>Gandalf (the neighborhood stray cat), who provides a daily example of how the Holy Spirit works in our lives.<br /></li><li>John Wesley, for making me wonder why grace is so important.<br /></li><li>Jerry Savelle, for the epic quote: "Opportunity comes dresses in overalls and looks like work."<br /></li><li>Novalis, for the encouraging thought: "He who seeks God will find Him everywhere."</li><li>William P. Young, for writing "The Shack."<br /></li><li>J. R. R. Tolkien, for penning the most magnificent portrayal of the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven.<br /></li><li>Garrett Quinn, for showing me that people matter.<br /></li><li>Tricia Archie, for living in the power of prayer.<br /></li><li>Brandon Shupp, for demonstrating the value of a vibrant mind. And for many hours of foosball.<br /></li><li>Steve Beresh, for showing me the value of living from the heart.<br /></li><li>Jeff Voth, for showing me the importance of seeking God where He may be found.<br /></li><li>Brent Sharpe, for the constant demonstration of the incarnational presence of Jesus.<br /></li><li>Josh Gerard, for being the very personification of a friend.<br /></li><li>The Celtic Church, for showing me that faith is not for fuddy-duddies.<br /></li><li>Emmanuel Earls, for showing me that God wants good things for his kids.<br /></li><li>Grammie and Gringa, for showing me the importance of love.<br /></li><li>Preston Sharpe, for helping me to see the importance of the crossroads between Christ and culture. </li><li>Angels and Airwaves, for making me look for love in war zones.<br /></li><li>Nightcrawler, for showing me that one can be a superhero and a Christian at the same time.<br /></li><li>Aimee Raile, for helping me to understand God's love a little bit better.<br /></li><li>Carbon Leaf, for their beautiful portrayal of life.<br /></li><li>Julie Twilley and Shelli Chronister, for providing a definition of grace that was so astoundingly inadequate that I made up my mind to study it for the rest of my life.<br /></li><li>John Asher, for being the picture of spiritual passion.<br /></li><li>Pray As You Go, for showing me that spirituality happens everywhere.<br /></li><li>Jim Shelton, for showing me that there will be Catholics in Heaven.<br /></li><li>Jeff Lamp, for showing me that hippies aren't locked out of Heaven.<br /></li><li>Brad and Sue Smith, for living lives of hospitality.<br /></li><li>Arnie McCall, for helping to see that I have a place in community.<br /></li><li>Stuart Bents, for pulling me out of bed to seek God's face.<br /></li><li>Craig Garrison and Marc Harper, for showing me that pastors should know people's names.<br /></li><li>My Parents, for all that they've done - words cannot say.<br /></li><li>And to all who I did not mention, because I did not think of them or because words cannot do them justice. You have done far more than you know.<br /></li></ul>So not a tree... But maybe a web. A tapestry. Clouds in the sky, changing shapes, bumping into each other. Such is my spiritual family.Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-82272050744422420712008-11-10T08:17:00.000-08:002008-11-10T08:19:12.077-08:00Saddest Thing I Have Read in a Long Time...How does <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/3407882/Child-witches-of-Nigeria-seek-refuge.html">this</a> happen?Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-90909494017779916172008-10-21T07:22:00.000-07:002008-10-21T09:36:35.246-07:00The Entitlement Complex?A friend of mine made a seemingly innocent comment the other day that struck me. We were discussing a computer game that he had recently picked up. As he started to tell me about it, he uttered the following sentence: "I didn't want to pay for it, so I downloaded it." And the conversation continued. He said it as matter-of-factly as one would say, "I was hungry, so I got something to eat." The statement gave me pause, but I didn't comment on it at that point. However, it has gotten a train of thought moving.<br /><br />I'm not sure where this comes from; whether it's a degredation of morals, some form of social phenonema, or what... But somehow, our culture has come to a place where the rules simply don't matter. We don't like the rule; therefore, we choose not to abide by it.<br /><br />Somehow, we think that's okay.<br /><br />As I sit here and type, I can think of family and friends who have simply made decisions along these lines; they did not like the way something affected their life, so they chose to violate it without a second thought. People pulling out a Sharpie and doing a line-item veto on the Honor Code at ORU, as if they actually could. Others ripping music and and movies, more than they could ever watch or listen to. Even people at a seminary doing these things, breaking Ethos Statement and justifying it a thousand different ways; it makes one think.<br /><br />A guy came into my work the other day, ordered some drink with two espresso shots, and then leaned over the counter to inform me (with a conspiritorial wink) that I wasn't going to charge him for the second shot. I chuckled and proceeded to charge him the full price for his beverage. When he belligerently informed me that I had charged him for two shots instead of one, I agreed that I had; it's a company policy, and I choose to abide by it. He proceeded to rant and create a scene; but when other baristas refused to change the price, he realized he was making a fool of himself and left.<br /><br />Since when is the price of a three dollar drink negotiable? Does one go to Burger King, order a combo, and complain about not getting the fries for free? Of course not. Were I selling him a car, I would expect some negotiation; I'd even try to get him a good deal. However, this is a latte, not an Infiniti. The wiggle room simply doesn't exist.<br /><br />How did we think we had so much wiggle room to begin with? "I didn't want to pay for it..." So I didn't. With the culture we live in, it's possible to break all kinds of rules and never get caught. But that raises the question: does that make it right? Here we must be careful. If we truly can get away with anything (and we can, if we are willing to try) then we can go from getting away with movie piracy to getting away with murder. Quite literally. The same line of logic would apply. Rules are in place; I can break the rules and not get caught; therefore, when the threat of consequence is removed and it serves my interest to violate the rule, it becomes permissible for me to do so.<br /><br />What the hell.<br /><br />I'm not talking about Ethos; I'm not talking about RIAA or anything like that. It is easy justify whatever you do.<br /><br />I'm talking about integrity. Someone once said that integrity is who you are when the lights are off and no one's looking. Does a person of integrity do these things? Does a steward of God's Kingdom place their own interests before the established order? Granted, there may be times when being a steward means defying the order; however, I would call this an extreme exception that is not to be confused with the norm. Especially not in matters of music, video games, drinking, tax evasion, and the like.<br /><br />Our decisions affect people. I bought a Brave Saint Saturn album recently and Reese Roper said this on the inside of the back cover: "Thanks to you for buying this album instead of downloading it so that I can eat food." Many times they don't, though. And when they don't, are we the same kind of person that we strive to be when they do?<br /><br />Father, please help us to be a people of integrity; a people who shine in the dark places, even when we think that no one is there to see the light. Please help us to be a people who are above reproach in our lives, so that we do not taint your name in any way. Thanks, Father.<br /><br />Amen.Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-68832826134148266852008-09-21T16:09:00.000-07:002008-09-21T17:29:30.664-07:00A Diluted SpectrumThis semester has been really challenging in a lot of ways. One such way has been that my perception of a spiritual life is being changed.<br /><br />The curse of having an analytical/academic mind is that one processes everything on an intellectual level. Everything. This mixed blessing can allow for levels of observation, insight, and understanding that are mostly objective and informational. Looking at a situation and being able to analyze what is happening is nice. (Of course, it can also lead to hideous levels of overanalysis. Ah well.)<br /><br />And so, the study of God and His Word has been interesting to me. It has provided a field of analysis that captures my attention and holds it; the matters of text, history, theology, and all the little hair-splitting details that such a world implies have provided a boundless playground for my mind.<br /><br />I have interacted with faith on an intellectual level; can it work? Should it work? Does it work? What if it doesn't? Does it make sense? Can it make sense? Why should one believe? And so on. And by addressing these questions, I have been able to come to a place where I have a rational case for believing as I do. My faith is based on a rational level; I believe the way that I do because I believe my faith to accurately reflect the world as it truly is.<br /><br />John Wesley would call such faith "the faith of a devil." Why? Because even a devil can understand the way the world works, and believes it to be so; however, this belief does not provide salvation. I also fear that many have fallen into such a belief; we believe our salvation to be such, and because we believe, we feel no obligation to do anything further.<br /><br />But what if being a Christian meant much more? I read the church fathers and the believers of the past; their words ignite a fire in me that cuts beyond my mind to my heart. They use scary words; words like "sin" and "damnation." They also use wonderful words, such as "victory" and "sanctification." The Christianity of today does not possess the same vital signs. Authority has been taken from the Bible and placed in the hands of subjective contextual interpretation. Accountability has been taken from community and replaced with ambiguity. Truth has been run out of town, and whims have taken its place.<br /><br />Answers are no longer sought with the same passion that questions are, and faith has withered as a result. Many have deconstructed it with the hope of arriving at the bright flame of truth that shone brightly at the core of what they believed; but after demolishing their personal framework of faith, they found that one cannot take away the candle and suspend the flame. Others became comfortable with a faith that promised all and required nothing. Still others have forsaken faith, because they have asked the wrong questions. It has been diluted into an easier faith. A politically correct faith. A faith that possesses the form... but lacks the power. <br /><br />Father, forgive your church.<br /><br />But what if.<br /><br />What if Christian belief was something that was horrible? Where "sin" was not a bad bedtime story, but a real and powerful force that one has to struggle with daily? Where your faith offended others? Offended yourself? And what if you had to make sacrifices? Sacrifices beyond money and time. Sacrifices involving the places you go, the people you meet. Sacrifices that drastically impacted your daily life. And what about suffering? What if you had to suffer more than ridicule, but the loss of your safety, your wellbeing, and perhaps even your life. Where the faith you held was an affront to your society and yourself.<br /><br />And what if...<br /><br />What if Christian belief was something glorious? Something that radically changed you as a person. That changed the way you saw the world. Something that brought you peace, hope, happiness, and joy. Faith that marked you as an unmistakable member of God's Kingdom. Faith that can heal the sick; faith that can heal the soul. A faith that gave you the power to live a changed life; a life that could conquer sin. A life that was worth living.<br /><br />I'm not claiming to have the above picture correct. But I am saying that our faith has become weak. The faith I read about and hear today inspires me to neither draw a sword nor fall upon one; and this many of our brothers and sisters overseas are forced to do.<br /><br />However... I would for the faith of old. For the faith of Augustine. John Wesley. Oswald Chambers. These men had a faith that stirs my heart. I read their words and hear the voices of heaven.<br /><br />I want a faith like theirs.<br />What if the Christian faith were somethingSethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841283.post-69371401656027447942008-09-09T15:19:00.000-07:002008-09-09T15:57:57.065-07:00Scattergun ScriptNo major thoughts, just many little ones...<br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fantasy football = fun.</span> My goodness. Who knew. Having a dozen guys over and hosting a draft in my very own living room proved to be a blast. I can look at Brett Favre, Randy Moss, and Tony Gonzalez, and call them "my guys." (No, Tom Brady was not "my guy." Condolences to all who burned a first-round pick on him, though.) I even won my first game! We'll see how Week 2 goes.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pray-As-You-Go Podcast = awexome. </span>I've been riding this train for about a week now, and it's really been good. This podcast combines Scripture readings, contemplative questions, and instrumental music to create a 10-15 minute devotional that incorporates both Scripture and meditation. Bonus points for the accents.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Everyone needs a deck.</span> The deck behind my house has been my study spot, my meditation haven, my phone call pacing platform, and my escape route. Get yourself one. Bonus points if it overlooks a field. Triple points if said field contains a smattering of cows and recently harvested tobacco stubble.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Look to the faith of our fathers. </span>As of late, I've been reading Oswald Chambers' <span style="font-style: italic;">My Utmost for His Highest, </span>as well as working my way through John Wesley's <span style="font-style: italic;">52 Standard Sermons. </span>High recommendations on both. I read about Christianity from these men and become awed and inspired, coaxed and challenged. In contrast, I read about faith from contemporary authors and may be impressed, but not compelled. With people from my own time, I can only applaud the questions; however, the answers from the past cut straight to my spirit. I'll take the Great Awakening for 400, Alex.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">AtypicalSpirituality = ? </span>I have the honor of being a contributor to AtypicalSpirituality.com, when the fit takes me. However, the past 6, maybe 7, posts have all tied directly into politics. Is there anything else going on in the world? How about...</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">FedEx Express rolls again. </span>Roger Federer cruised past Andy Murray to take the US Open in convincing style. Murray made a late charge for respectability at the end of the match, but was unable to pull off the upset. He did defeat Rafa and break into the Top 5, though. I do hope Sampras' record of most Slam titles holds - I just like him more than Federer. Is Roger back from his disappointing showings earlier this year? We'll see. In the meantime, I'm still pulling for James Blake. That guy deserves his own Slam trophy as much as anyone, if not more.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Great Quote: </span>"If there is a God who speaks anywhere, surely He speaks here: through waking up and working, through going away and coming back again, through people you read and books you meet, through falling asleep in the dark." -Frederick Buechner, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Alphabet of Grace-</span> <br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Something about people. </span>It's been interesting; there have been people here at school who remind me of other people. Not so uncommon, perhaps. However, there is always the accompanying motivation to build/rebuild relationships with the people I'm reminded of. It's been kinda odd, but very good. </li></ul><br />That's all I've got for now; see ya next time.Sethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605759498546991559noreply@blogger.com2