Bible Study - July 3rd

July 3rd, 2005
"Widsom is vindicated by her deeds"
Mathew 11: 16-19, 25-30

But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children paying in the marketplaces and calling to one another, "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn." For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!" Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

Notes: We affirm that God is continually at work in the world and that the Church is supposed to be the primary point of contact - not that it always is, of course. Quite often people misinterpret God's activity in the world. This was true in Jesus day as well. They misunderstood Jesus and also John the Baptist. Jesus compares them to children playing silly games. Rather than hear the message of Jesus and John they were fixated on their external appearance and behavior.

Today, as well, we know that appearances can be deceiving. Many financially successful preachers and politicians say things to appear popular. For a time they have many followers. But, in the end they let people down. In the end, their deeds show them to be false ("Wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.")

Our Founding Fathers had great wisdom and risked their lives to found this country on new principals. The challenge is to continue that tradition. To do this we will have to do more than look for appearances. Spiritual depth requires real self evaluation and a willingness to think things through rather than jumping on the latest bandwagon.

Sermon Notes - June 26th

June 26, 2005
Psalm 13
“How Long Oh Lord”

1. Have you ever been in a situation and you couldn’t think of the right thing to say … and then after it was over you came up with something really clever and wished you had been able to think of it at the time?
When I quit my last job ... the boss came up and said "What's this I hear that you are levaing? And I said "it's kind of like that old Kenny Rogers song – you have to know when to hold them and when to fold them …

In another situation I was in … one time … somebody said … “you know, the early bird gets the worm” – and I said, “how about … have patience and you will be rewarded.”

The words from Kenny Roger's song, "You've got to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em" - remind us of the perrenial problem ... when to act and when to wait.Patience can be a virtue and a vice it seems ...either too much tolerance or too little can be bad.In Psalm 13, The psalmist is losing his patience. He brings before the Lord his lament. He doesn't feel as thought God is paying attention.

2. Listen to the Eugene Peterson version of Psalm 13:
1Long enough, GOD - you've ignored me long enough.
I've looked at the back of your head
long enough. 2Long enough
I've carried this ton of trouble,
lived with a stomach full of pain.
Long enough my arrogant enemies
have looked down their noses at me.
3Take a good look at me, GOD, my God;
I want to look life in the eye,
4So no enemy can get the best of me
or laugh when I fall on my face.

3. So often in our prayers ... we want it NOW. We can't wait any longer.What is the relationship between praying for something ... and being willing to wait for it. Is God's time our time? Is there a time when we just can't stand it any longer and we have to have an answer. These are some of the questions raised in Psalm 13 - our scripture reading for this Sunday.
Patience or “perserverance” appears in other scriptural passages as well, such as Jesus words in the parable of the sower:

15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.%3