1^st Sunday in October (Week 40) (Ecclesiastes 3 and Luke 12:22-34)

The great deception in modern life is that we live in the illusion that we are in control. Modern technology lures us into this self-deception. Progress, human innovation, professional training, and even basic education reinforce the myth that we can control the future. Then comes the hurricane or tornado, the unexpected accident or sudden death, and we go to yet another extreme of pessimism. If we are not in control, we think nobody is in control. We move from one extreme to the other, and both are wrong.

We are not really in control. It’s not just the seasons or the weather that are beyond our manipulation, but life itself. No matter what we do, it surprises us. That does not mean nobody is in control. God is in control. The right attitude is neither arrogance nor pessimism, but trust. The Bible continually invites us to trust God in good times and bad … in times when everything makes sense and in times when nothing makes sense … in times joy and times of sorrow.

Our habit is to guarantee our own futures. We stockpile money, renovate property, ingratiate ourselves on friends, maintain insurance policies, and accumulate securities that will (supposedly) make our futures certain. There is only one place to put our trust … in the only one who is really in control.

Team Meditation (Luke 12:22-34)

(Luke 12:32-34 NIV)  "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

One of the most commonly repeated phrase in the Bible is the entreaty, “Do not be afraid.”  But scripturally, that presents paradox: Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” and the continuing assurance, “Do not be afraid.”  In this week’s passage, Jesus reassures his disciples that God is in control and there’s no need to worry – God will provide.  But then he turns around and essentially tells them to go ahead and sell what you own and give it to the poor in order to make a deposit on God’s Master Card. 

But...Jesus just promised that God would take care of them, but as the Divine provides we should give it away?  What’s that all about?

It’s about trust, something that comes hard even in the church.  Living hand-to-mouth is discouraged, even in the church.  John Wesley preached “Earn all you can; save all you can; give all you can.”  Note even Wesley put giving after saving.  So, what’s that all about?

It’s like I said: Trust comes hard, even in the church.   Don’t trust and fearing God is probably a good response.  But trust and do not be afraid.  It’s one of the most difficult steps you’ll ever take, but it’s the only one that offers fearless living.

Bill T-B

Worship Theme (Ecclesiastes 3)

Ever wonder what life before Jesus was like?  Ecclesiastes 3 provides a pretty good overview.  “Vanity, vanity, all is vanity” is the theme from beginning to end.  Though many theologians, uncomfortable with the pessimism of the writer, have tried to lift up near-random verses out-of-context to “prove” an underlying hope and confidence, the truth is, you’ll need to be pretty creative to make a positive out of this pessimism. 

Life before Jesus meant limited hope.  Righteousness was by works alone and a jealous, wrathful God kept watch over <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Israel</place></country-region>.  The Law was both gift and curse, joy and drudgery.  No one could keep it, but no one could live without it.  Job offered regular sacrifices for his children just in case maybe, perhaps they had sinned (Job 1:5).  Life after life was tenuous: Sheol was the place where all the dead went, and it was a place where God wasn’t (Psalm 88:10-12).

Life before Jesus meant self righteousness.  Righteousness was available only if you could afford to be good.  Two doves or pigeons every twenty-eight days for a woman’s monthly cleansing.  A lamb and a pigeon or dove for every childbirth.  A goat or a ram for unintentional sin, much, much more if intentional.  A lamb for Yom Kippur.  Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.  Tithes for the Levites.  First fruits for the sanctuary.  No harvesting every seventh year.

Life before Jesus was complicated.  Three hundred and sixty-five things you couldn’t do on the Sabbath.  Meals of meat and cheese are forbidden all the time.  Beans and lentils are allowed some of the time.  Lamb is alright all of the time.  Bees are unclean, honey is clean.  A rash is leprosy, but plain dry skin might be too. 

Ever wonder what life before Jesus was like?  Ecclesiastes 3 provides a pretty good overview. 

Bill T-B

Worship Design (Ecclesiastes 3)

Ever wonder what life before Jesus was like?  Just reading Ecclesiastes 3 will give the congregation a taste.  But it’s not just the Old Testament before Jesus that’s at issue.  Life before Jesus means limited hope – hoping you’re right and 2.2 billion believers are wrong.  Life before Jesus means self righteousness – whoever dies with the most toys wins, so be really good and make a lot of money.  And life before Jesus is complicated – truth isn’t black and white, absolute, or even to be counted on. 

Painting a picture of pre-Jesus should be pretty easy.  Take a walk through your local newspaper.  Watch a national newscast at six.  Take a seat on a park bench and watch the world go by.  Listen to the lyrics on the top forty hip-hop, country, or rock countdown. 

Painting a picture of post-Jesus isn’t difficult either.  The trick is, comparison and contrast.  However, there’s probably no better example than watching Zeffirelli’s Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972) and contrasting Francis Di Bernardone (St. Francis, played by Graham Faulkner) and his father Pietro Di Bernardone (Lee Montague).  Although the movie is aged, the cinematography is superb and the message clear.  Use the clip when Francis “flips out” and begins throwing his father’s expensive bolts of cloth from the upper rooms in their house as he quotes Luke 12:22-34 (or so).  End the scene when Pietro snatches his son and drags him before his mother pronouncing that the boy is going to go to work with him in the morning.

This week offers an excellent opportunity for a solid evangelistic effort.  The comparison and contrast of pre and post Jesus, especially with the promise that God is in control and will provide is a powerful message.

Bill T-B

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2^nd Sunday in October (Week 41) (Revelation 21:1 – 22:7 and Luke 17:20-37)

We live in a time of desperate expectation. There have been other centuries like this, when people gathered in fields awaiting the coming of the Lord according to a mysterious timetable that self-declared prophets had worked out, or when hopeful disciples compared the Biblical metaphors to present-day occurrences. There are many, many books and movies today with diverse claims about the time, events, and outcomes of the end of the world.

At the moment, I’m not really interested in determining whose predictions are right. I am interested in examining the Bible to discover the criteria for what the end of time should look like. When Christ comes … what should happen?

Life: The coming of Christ will bring life, new life, renewed life, and abundant life. It will not be noted for death and vengeance, but for joy and rebirth. People are going to “come alive” in countless ways … physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.

Peace: The coming of Christ will come like “living water”. It will be a river of grace, a flood of love, and a deluge of peace. Crime, violence, hatred, and enmity will be over. Harmony, community, mutual support, kindness, gentleness, and self control will reign supreme.

Truth: The coming of Christ will come like “light in the darkness”. Everything will become clear. The facts will be known. The explanation will be revealed. The truth will be transparent to everyone.

The bottom line is that with the final coming of Christ, evil will be defeated and forgotten. It’s not that we will know why bad things happened, but that the memory and the stain of bad things that have happened will not even be an issue.

We often think that the coming of the Lord will be a day of vengeance and retribution … usually because we live in the illusion that we ought to be among the justified. “Those people over there” will be condemned, while “we” will be rescued. The truth is that we don’t deserve to be rescued either, and it is only by God’s grace that we will be saved. Why dwell on what “other people” deserve. You should worry about yourself! And throw yourself on the mercy of God. When that mercy comes, you will know it when you see it. It will be all about life and peace and truth. 

Team Meditation (Luke 17:20-37)

End time mania.  It’s not as bad as it was, nor as manic as it could be, but with the popularity of the Left Behind series and the television program Revelations, there’s still plenty of stir.  The Pharisees asked Jesus about when the Kingdom of God would come.  The response wasn’t when, but where.  “Not here, nor there, but within you.”  Then he turned to the disciples and told them the when wasn’t predictable, so be aware, but don’t look for it.  So his disciples asked, “Where?”  And Jesus poses a riddle: “Where there is a dead body the vultures will gather” (37). 

Huh?  One could make a doctorate on that question, and probably someone has.  But Jesus is guilty only of parallelism.  To the Pharisees’ when he responds with a where.  To the disciples where he responds with a when.  The when is found in the riddle’s answer.  When do vultures gather?  Only after a body has died, i.e., only after the event.  In other words, don’t spend time trying to figure it out – if the Son doesn’t even know (Matthew 24:36), we’re not going to figure it out.  We’ll know after the fact, and not one moment before.

Which puts the rest of his teaching into perspective.  Be ready.  Two in bed, one is taken.  Who?  The one who was ready.  Noah is spared while the rest of the world drowns.  Noah was ready.  Lot was ready.  Be ready.  Don’t get caught up in the mundane.  Be ready. 

Are we?

Bill T-B

Worship Theme (Revelation 21:1 – 22:7)

(Rev 22:7 NCV)  "Listen! I am coming soon! Happy is the one who obeys the words of prophecy in this book."

 Ever wonder how you go about obeying the words of prophesy?  The book of the Revelation isn’t filled with laws or commandments.  The prophesies are obtuse to our Western, 21^st Century eyes and ears, but be obedient to them?  What’s that about?

The answer primarily lies in the reading for this week’s passage about those who are “in” and those who are “left behind.”  Those who miss the coming new heaven and new earthy are the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars (Rev 21:8).  Quite a list.  Most of us look at that list and give ourselves a by.  We’re in, and we all know the out.  But as Tom reminds us, we deserve to be out too. 

Besides, check out that list again.  Cowardly?  When was the last time you shared your faith verbally to an unbeliever one-on-one (and talking to someone who “walked the aisle” doesn’t count)?  When was the last time you gave so sacrificially that you had to depend on God to carry you through?  Are you living your life that way?  And how about idolatry?  Anything we’re addicted to is an idol we worship.  How’s your eating?  Codependency?  Spending (really, do you actually need two televisions?  Would the earth stop spinning if you didn’t have cable?  Broadband?  Dessert?)?  And all liars.  Hmm, not some liars, but all of us.  Ever shade the truth to make yourself look better?  Do you always correct a misperception about you or what you’ve done?  How about those little white lies?  Don’t forget, Jesus said something about letting our yes be yes, our no be no, and anything else is of the evil one.  Could that mean those white lies might not be white, or even grey? 

Jesus is coming soon.  That might mean this afternoon and every eye will see him.  Or it might be that you’ll be seeing him when you check out from this earth – and that might mean this afternoon.  Would you be ready?  Are you ready? 

Really?

Bill T-B

Worship Design (Revelation 21:1 – 22:7)

Although there is plenty in these chapters that wants to demand our attention, getting the point across that being ready in the present moment is the beginning and end of Jesus’ teaching.  But, Scarlett O’Hara reflects our culture’s attitude:  “There’s always tomorrow.”  Except there isn’t.  One hundred and fifty thousand people die each day – about one hundred and twenty every minute.  Almost every one of these thought they had a tomorrow.  But they didn’t. 

Jesus is coming.  Soon.  One way or another.  Be ready. 

But being ready for Jesus isn’t the same as being ready for a disaster.  Storing up water, food, blankets, and flashlights isn’t what Jesus had in mind.  Being ready means doing what you’re supposed to be doing, whatever that might be.  “Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives” (Mat 24:46 NRSV). 

To get the point across, begin by showing a clip from the 1999 movie Blast from the Past.  Use the clip at the beginning of the movie when Webbers (Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek) are hosting a cocktail party, listening to Kennedy speak about the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the sudden explosion.  They head into their well-equipped bomb shelter and seal the hatch behind them.  They were ready.

Use the clip to point out that this isn’t how a Christian can be ready for Jesus’ coming.  Doing the numerology and figuring out when the second coming is due and standing on the top of a hill in our robes doesn’t make it either.  It’s about being faithful in the here and now. 

There are a number of end-times songs you can use, including the Carmichael I Wish We’d All Been Ready, that can help set the tone for the whole service, besides reminiscing for those who went to church camp back in the sixties and seventies.

You may want to close with the short citation about St. Francis.  The story is told that one of his disciples came upon St. Francis in his old age hoeing the weeds in his garden.  He asked him, “Abba Francis, what would you  do if you were suddenly to learn that you were to die at sunset today?"  Without missing a beat, Francis replied, "I would finish hoeing my garden.”  May we all be as ready.

Bill T-B

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3^rd Sunday in October (Week 42) (Amos 5 and Luke 14:1-14, 25-35)

In all sectors of life (business, health care, social service, and even government) leaders today speak more and more about “alignment”. Successful organizations “align” every person in the organization, from the secretary to the CEO, to the core values and mission purpose of the business. One must be rigorous, even “ruthless”, about this alignment. If just one employee or manager contradicts the core values, the credibility of the entire organization is at stake. If just one budget line or program strays from the single, overarching purpose, the effectiveness of the entire organization is reduced.

There is one organization, however, which seems to have forgotten the importance of “alignment”: the church. The established church too often becomes lazy about aligning its members to core values, and foggy about aligning its life to God’s purpose. What does “alignment” look like? Amos provides the image: “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream. Notice the energy here … the compulsiveness, relentlessness, and undeviating passion of God’s purpose. “Justice” and “righteousness” can be defined in various ways … and be applied to every contexts in different methods … but the truth is that you don’t need a moral philosopher to explain it to you. Justice and righteousness are instinctive to the Christian. Go with the flow … and do not be sidetracked into a stagnant pool of institutionalism.

Team Meditation: Luke 14:1-14, 25-35

The core values of justice and righteousness are found in this Lukan account.  Righteousness is seen in Jesus’ interpretation of the Sabbath rules.  And justice in found in the throwing a party for the poor.

In the North American church, justice has often been confused with political action.  Doubtless there is much to be gained by legislating morality and ethical conduct, but is that really one of the core purposes of the church?  Jesus, as rabbi and the model for those who would follow, teaches in this passage exactly what he means by justice.  It’s not about boycotts or letters to Congress.  It is about how you are practicing justice in your personal life.  From buying “fair trade” coffee to taking the homeless guy home for the night – it’s your responsibility.

That’s why counting the cost is so important.  It’s been far too easy to designate the “church” as the arm of justice, but that’s not the local church’s job.  It’s yours.

Bill T-B

Worship Theme: Amos 5

“For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Therefore the prudent man keeps quiet in such times, for the times are evil. Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.” (Amos 5:12-14 NIV) 

North America has prostituted institutions.  We’ve made them do and be what they were not intended to do or be.  Government has become our social services provider rather than our protector.  Schools have become behavior modification specialists.  And the church is mostly irrelevant, but those who depend on the church look to it for fellowship, evangelism, Christian education, worship, outreach, social justice and morality formation, and discipleship.

Government exists to protect its citizens.  Schools exist to educate.  And church exists for ??

Evangelism is the only item on that list that the Bible lays at the feet of the organized church, local or otherwise.  Jesus spoke of the church twice Matthew 16:18 - "On this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."  This is the church's mandate for evangelism (storming the gates of hell to free the prisoners); and Matthew 18:15-20 which is about repairing broken relationships within between the one-anothers (people within the faith). 

Now, I'm not suggesting that the rest of those tasks aren't important.  They are.  But they aren't the responsibility of an institution called the church.  That's institutional prostitution.  The biblical responsibility for all of those tasks, including evangelism, is on the individual.

Amos is saying much the same thing.  A prudent person keeps their mouth shut and practices justice and righteousness on a personal level.  They don’t count on the institution to be just and righteous nor to instill justice and righteousness.  They, like Nike, Just Do It.

Bill T-B

Worship Design: Amos 5

Getting “the church” to put the responsibility for 100 percent of its mission on each individual individually is to fly against 1,700+ years of tradition.  From Constantine until today, the institutional church has taken responsibility for evangelism, worship, fellowship, discipleship, and serving both the one-anothers and the everyone-elses (see 1 Thess 3:12 for the difference).  Give all five tasks back to each individual individually?  That’s a tall order.

To launch the theme, turn back the hands of time to 1960 and the movie Sparticus.  Use the clip towards the end when the gladiators have been lined up and the Roman guards demand that Sparticus step forward.  A moment of silence follows and then Antoninus (Tony Curtis) says, “I’m Sparticus.”  Then one by one virtually all the slaves claim to be the condemned man.  The point is, each of us individually have been called and commissioned to do the work of the church (that is, to be Jesus Christ, not only as a body, but individually).  We are each responsible for the whole of Jesus’ ministry. 

A second point that may (or may not depending on your congregational context) is Amos 5:13.  Although we are called to make a difference in our world, the church wasn’t organized to rail against anything nor to right all the social wrongs.  Individuals are called to this – indeed, all of us are called to this – but too often (once again) we shift responsibility from the individual to the institution.  Keeping the church on-task, living out our mission, vision, and values is plenty hard enough without the diversions of changing systems.  To change a system, change the hearts of the leaders so that our courts “maintain justice” because our judges are just.

BillT-B

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4^th Sunday in October (Week 43) (Galatians 5:1 – 6:10 and Luke 6:27-49)

The most powerful and persuasive witness to Christ is an alternative lifestyle. All the world knows about moral law can be seen in “Reality TV” shows that showcase selfish-centeredness. Selfishness can be portrayed as vicious competitiveness, or sentimental romance, or affluent consumerism, but in the end it is all about “me”. The world is shaped around “me”; the church is shaped around “me”; my family, relationships, career, and everything else is shaped around “me”. So selfish have we become, that “me, myself and I” cannot even conceive of another way of living … and despair.

Until we meet Christ. Then we see a genuinely alternative lifestyle. Sure, this new lifestyle will bring a whole new life and joy to “me”, but the point is that it will bring a whole new life and joy to “thee”. Only when we focus on the abundant life of others, do we experience abundant life ourselves.

Although we can try to break the spiritual life down into components, the truth is that the spiritual life is a “life lived in the spirit”. It is not defined or confined by laws, rules, expectations, or activities. It is life in constant companionship with Christ.

Team Meditation (Luke 6:27-49)

These are the most difficult words in the New Testament for us to hear. 

They’re more difficult than “Hate your mother and father.”  More difficult than “Take up your cross and follow me.”  Even more difficult than “Unless you give up everything you can’t be my disciple.” 

They’re so difficult to hear because we simply don’t hear them.  We gloss over them and let them float through our minds like wisps of smoke from a wilderness cabin’s chimney.  We pay them no attention. 

Love your enemy so much that you give them money without expectation of being paid back.  Who are we kidding?  Most of us won’t part with fifty cents to give to a panhandler (I wonder ... do they count as one of the everyones  in “give to everyone who asks you”?).  But lend money to someone who opposes you – who works against you? 

Don’t judge?  But that’s our job – how can we know who’s “in” and who’s “out” if we’re not in the judging business?  Besides, we’re theologically mature enough to be able to judge unjudgmentally, aren’t we? 

Don’t condemn?  But I don’t like the president’s policies (or congress, or the mayors, or my own denominations).  If I can’t criticize and condemn, how can I “preach” against unfair practices?

Jesus reminds us that what is in our inner-most heart and thoughts is what comes out of us.  What does that say about us really? 

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?”

Like I said, these are the most difficult words in the New Testament for us to hear.

Bill T-B

Worship Theme (Galatians 5:13 – 5:23, 6:10)

True or false: “Love one another” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” say essentially the same thing.

If you said “True,” you would be in good standing with the majority of religious people, churched or not, in North America.  And even though most of us raised in the church have been taught this axiom from when we were on the Cradle Roll, just because it’s been taught in church that way, doesn’t make it “True.”  Because, in fact, it’s not. 

NOTE: Before I say another thing, let me hasten to add that loving our neighbor is important – it’s one of the Four Greats that Jesus gave to us (Two Great Commandments: Love God, Love Neighbor; Great Invitation: Follow Me; Great Commission: Make Disciples).  But, loving our neighbor isn’t the same as loving one another.

Who are the One-Anothers?  They are our brothers and sisters of the faith.  Who are our neighbors?  Everyone else.  (In fact, 1 Thessalonians 3:12 and 5:15 differentiate it well.)  Much of what Paul writes to the Galatians is about how to treat the One-Anothers.  We are to serve one another in love.  We’re called to love our neighbor, true, but if we “keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or we will be destroyed by one another” (Gal. 5:15).

The church was meant to be the Body of Christ on earth – the picture of paradise.  The church is meant to be salt and light to the world – a place people long to be.  Indeed, the early church was so attractive that the “church enjoyed the favor of all the people and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

What would happen if members of the family of faith actually practiced all the One-Anothers (there are about 40 of them in the New Testament)?  What if we actually served one another (5:13), carried one another’s burdens (6:2), and did good to one another (6:10)?  What if we didn’t bite and devour one another (5:15) and if we didn’t provoke or envy one another (5:26)?  What would the church look like if we actually loved one another as Jesus loved us (John 13:34)?

There would be a diminishing number of Everyone Elses and our church would be standing-room only because of all the One-Anothers.

Bill T-B

Worship Design (Galatians 5:13 – 5:23, 6:10)

Although there are plenty of movies that show gossipy “Christians” bad-mouthing or disapproving of others in the church who have slipped (Saved! (2004) is one of the best), I suggest beginning a bit less melodramatically.  It’s often easier to hear spiritual truths when they aren’t beaten into us.  Thus, I suggest starting with a clip from the movie Pretty Woman (1990).  Use the scene when Vivian (Julia Roberts) goes shopping for a dress in Hollywood and is spurned by the shop assistants because she looks like a street walker (which, of course, she is).  The scene generates a lot of sympathy for Vivian and most of us would be appalled at seeing someone being treated like this.  However, use the scene to launch into how we often look-down-our-own noses at others (GLBT, panhandlers, welfare recipients, former prisoners – especially sexual offenders, women in burkas, illegal immigrants, etc.).

Once you’ve dealt with the Everyone Elses, begin to speak about the One-Anothers.  How do we treat each other?  Are we in-line with the biblical “ideal”?  And what could we do to get there (think home fellowship groups, spiritual friendships, etc.) ?

You may want to duplicate and distribute the following list of One-Anothers and encourage one another to begin reaching out and practicing them.

Bill T-B

The One-Anothers (Not Exhaustive – But Close!)

(Mark 9:50 NIV)  "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

(John 13:34-35 NIV)  "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

(John 15:12 NIV)  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

(John 15:17 NIV)  This is my command: Love each other.

(Rom 12:10 NIV)  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

(Rom 12:16 NIV)  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

(Rom 13:8 NIV)  Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

(Rom 14:13 NIV)  Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

(Rom 15:7 NIV)  Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

(Rom 15:14 NIV)  I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.

(Rom 16:16 NIV)  Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.

(1 Cor 1:10 NIV)  I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

(1 Cor 11:33 NIV)  So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other.

(1 Cor 12:25 NIV)  so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

(Gal 5:13 NIV)  You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love.

(Eph 4:2 NIV)  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

(Eph 4:32 NIV)  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

(Eph 5:19 NIV)  Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

(Eph 5:21 NIV)  Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

(Col 3:13 NIV)  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

(Col 3:16 NIV)  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

(1 Th 5:11 NIV)  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

(1 Th 5:13 NIV)  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

(1 Th 5:15 NIV)  Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

(Heb 3:13 NIV)  But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

(Heb 10:24-25 NIV)  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

(Heb 13:1 NIV)  Keep on loving each other as brothers.

(James 4:11 NIV)  Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

(James 5:16 NIV)  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

(1 Pet 1:22 NIV)  Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

(1 Pet 3:8 NIV)  Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

(1 Pet 4:8 NIV)  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

(1 Pet 4:9 NIV)  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

(1 Pet 5:5 NIV)  Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

(1 John 1:7 NIV)  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

(1 John 3:11 NIV)  This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

(1 John 3:23 NIV)  And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

(1 John 4:7 NIV)  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

(1 John 4:11-12 NIV)  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

(2 John 1:5 NIV)  And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.

 

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5^th Sunday in October (Week 44) (1 Kings 17, 18, 19 and Luke 7:18-35)

1 Kings 18:17-21  ¹⁷ When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is it you, you troubler of Israel?"  … ²¹ And Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word.

What is a prophet? The word is applied in many ways. There a prophets in all religions … prophets of Baal … and prophets of Israel. There are prophets in business and politics, and there are prophets in the Christian movement. But they are not all the same.

Most “prophets” attempt to predict the future in order to protect the self-interest of their in-group. The say, “This is where it’s going, and if we are going to get rich, maintain national security, keep power, and generally be OK we need to do the following things.” Ultimately, they point to themselves as their own gods.

Biblical prophets point to the God above all gods. They say, “This is the will of the Lord, and if you don’t get right with God all your privileges will be taken from you.” Biblical prophets are honest about the sins and virtues of the people, and anticipate the consequences of being unfaithful.

Pagan prophets are usually welcome in the seat of power. They pose little threat to the status quo, and only want to make the status quo even more comfortable. Biblical prophets are usually unwelcome in the seat of power, because they condemn self-interest and point God’s people faithfully into mission toward strangers. Pagan prophets are “both/and” kind of people … you can always “have your cake and eat it too”. Biblical prophets are “either/or” kind of people … you can never have it both ways. Either follow God, or follow the gods. Your choice. Just be prepared for the consequences.

Team Meditation (Luke 7:18-35)

Luke 7:20-23  ²⁰ And when the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, `Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?'"  … ²² And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.  ²³ And blessed is he who takes no offense at me."

Team Meditation (Luke 7:18-35)

Luke 7:20-23  ²⁰ And when the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, `Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?'"  … ²² And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.  ²³ And blessed is he who takes no offense at me."

Jesus reminds his disciples over and over that they would be known by their fruit.  There are no grapes on thornbushes, no figs on thistles.  He told them they would be known by their love for one another (John 13:35).  Tertullian wrote that Christians of his day (2d century) were even known by the government by their love for one another – love that sometimes even led to their personal demise. 

The same goes for a prophet of God.  If what a prophet speaks doesn’t happen, “then obviously GOD wasn’t behind it; the prophet made it up.  Forget about him” (Deuteronomy 18:22 The Message).  The NIV says that in this case the prophet spoke presumptuously.  There seems to be a lot of presumption being perpetuated from North American church leaders today.  We presume that Jesus’ teachings are consistent with much of what culture proclaims.  In the words of a Guatemalan pastor when asked why works of power (miracles) were so prevalent in Central America and so rare in North America: “In America you have cars, and houses, and television, and Jesus.  In Guatemala we only have Jesus.” 

John was known by his fruit.  Jesus was known by his fruit.  The disciples were known by their fruit.  But then, so were the Pharisees and the false prophets.  This week will you speak prophetic truth or presumptuously – and how will anyone know the difference unless you’re pointing to Jesus and living that truth? Bill T-B

Worship Theme (1 Kings 17, 18, 19)

Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing. (1 Kings 18:21 NIV) 

We would like the choices of morality to be grey.  It would be so much easier on us all if everyone was a law unto themselves, if we could pick and choose, mix and match truths to our liking.  But that’s not the way it works.  Simpletons who see the world in black and white is often the charge made against anyone who doesn’t see it “our” way, especially when we’re trying to rationalize away sin. 

Elijah saw the world in black-and-white – it was God’s way or no way.  God or Baal?  There was no fudging, no in-between.  God said it, and that settled it whether you chose to believe it or not. 

The problem is, we have this tendency to distill God’s way into a list of rules and regulations.  Paul reminds the Colossians that lists of rules isn’t the point:

Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules:  "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"?  These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.  Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.  (Col 2:20-23 NIV) 

The classic battle between the prophets on Mount Carmel wasn’t about reinstating the law, but reinstilling the people’s heart for God (18:37).  A heart that is sold-out to Jesus Christ is reflected in a life that’s black-and-white: it’s all God and none of us.

Bill T-B

Worship Design (1 Kings 17, 18, 19)

Life is decisions.  Faith is choices.  Our heart, soul, and spirit depend on choosing wisely.  Though we’d like life to be black-and-white, sometimes our choices are blanketed in a swirl of a thick grey fog.  How can you tell which is evil, which is good, which is better, and which is best?  Typically we can rule out the outright evil choice (though sometimes not), but what about choices between good, better, and best?

The prophets didn’t seen the good or the better.  They only saw the choices between evil and the best, between the god of this world and the God Almighty.  Too often we are willing to settle for good or better, but God is only interested in the best choice – anything else is less than of God.

There are two movie clips to consider using this week.  You can use both or either one, depending on how you specifically tailor the worship and message for your context.

In Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings (2001) Boromir (Sean Bean) presents the classic dilemma of using evil means to try and accomplish good.  Use the scene in the woods where Boromir confronts Frodo (Elijah Wood) and offers to carry the ring

Boromir: None of us should wander alone, you least of all. Frodo? I know you suffer, I see it day by day. Are you sure you do not suffer needlessly? There are other ways Frodo, other paths we might take.

Frodo: I know what you would say, and it would seem like wisdom, but for the warning in my heart.

Boromir: Warning? Against what? We are all afraid Frodo. But to let that fear drive us to hide away... don't you see? It is madness.

Frodo: There is no other way.

Boromir: [moving towards Frodo] If you could but lend me the Ring...

Frodo: No!

Boromir: Why do you recoil? I am no thief.

Frodo: You are not yourself.

The other clip is from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) where we get to see choices between good and best.  Use the scene when Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), Walter Donovan (Julian Glover), and the Grail Knight (Robert Eddison) are together in the Grail room and Donovan is trying to choose which of the grails to choose.  He chooses a beautiful grail, drinks from it, and (of course) dies.  Then Jones chooses one, a simple one carved of wood and is rewarded with the knight’s response, “You chose wisely.” 

The point of the service, however, should not turn on rules and laws, but on complete surrender to God.  When God is first in all of life the fog lifts and the decisions we must make are radiated by such a brilliant light that there will be no ambiguity in the choices.

Bill T-B

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