As I sit here in my office at 19h09 on the 24 December waiting for our Nativity Service to start at 20h00, it is one of the first times this season that I can just sit and arb. These last few weeks have been all about preparing and getting ready for the Christmas Services. Christmas feels a bit weird this year since it is the first time since 2003 that I am working over this period. Every other time I was moving. Anyway, I hear the first car arriving outside, must be one of the readers, or the organist. I need to meet with them. I pray for all who are working at this time that you can just find some time to arb and think about Christmas rather than just do it.
May God Bless you all in this time and may his presence continue to be manifest in your life.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Friday, December 22, 2006
Manger and Mystery – Recalling the story, Restoring the Call (A Christmas message)
Manger and Mystery – Recalling the story, Restoring the Call (A Christmas message)
Reading: Luke 2:1-20
Reading: Luke 2:1-20
Introduction
We have been journeying as a congregation for the past four weeks as we have been preparing for this day. We have been following the theme called Manger and Mystery. And today we encounter the story where the manger holds the greatest mystery of all time…God in the form of a vulnerable human child.
It is clear to me that as we heard the story that was narrated to us this morning, many of us changed the gears in our brains to neutral. Why? It is because we have heard the story so many time that we already fill in the blanks.
Well today I want to re-present the story in a different manner. I have a video for us to watch entitled A brief history of Christmas. It is sure to remind us.
Show the video (a sample on Sermonspice.com)
So there we have it…in the end all we have is a cry of a baby. To new parents those first cries are mysterious. I can certainly remember that neither Ash nor I were able to say why Tayla was crying. We look back and are able to say that, wow we were clueless.
1. The Manger presents a Mystery
But that is just it. We all seem to be clueless about this seemingly simple thing, the Baby Jesus. But it is not that simple. We have certainly added our own biases to the whole event and clearly defined what Christmas is about. But they all fall short since it is an absolute mystery as to why God would even remove his glory as he did on that first Christmas.
As humans we have a habit of taking something that is mysterious and shrouding it with symbolism. When we do that, we have a handle on the mystery. There is nothing wrong with that perse. That is the way that we are built, our brains will always try to make sense of something we can’t understand. The trouble comes in when we put more focus on the thing that is used to explain the mystery, rather than the mystery itself.
I am not going to try to explain the mystery of the Christ child since whatever I say will be wholly inadequate. All I want us to see today is the result of that mysterious event.
It is through that manger, that feeding trough that God chose to reveal this mystery. And today we can still experience that Mystery. I challenge us to strip away all the stuff around the birth of Christ and hear the baby cry. That first cry that God experienced as a human being. That first sound that said to his parents and to the world…I am human for your sake.
Today as you all go to your celebrations with your families, as you open gifts, if you have not already done so. When you look at the Christmas tree, when you eat and when you drink please be aware of the presence of Christ and be aware that, as Christians, we set aside this day to celebrate him and not the season, or the celebrations themselves.
2. The Manger presents a call
Every person that came into contact with the Christ child 2000 odd years ago could not leave without being changed and without a sense of call on there lives.
The wise men left another way home so as not to alert Herod of where Jesus was. This insured that Jesus and his family were given a chance to escape the slaughter of all boys under two years of age. In doing this they fulfilled what God had said to them in a dream through an Angel, they were called.
The shepherds left praising God for what he had done and we are told that all had wondered at what the Shepherds had told them. It is then true to say that the Shepherds were in fact the first evangelists or preachers of the gospel.
We cannot ignore the fact that this is not just a feel good story, that we come to hear about how Jesus was born and ooh and aah about what it must have been like to see the new born baby. This child came to change to world and he came as a human to give us an example to live by.
When we come into contact with Christ, we should not only respond emotionally, but also respond to the call on our lives. Not all are called into full-time ministry but all are called to serve God.
I read a story of a little girl who received a brand-new crisp $20 (image that…it’s about R140) bill for her birthday (which was just before Christmas). This little girl went to the Christmas Eve service with her Grandmother where she would sing the carols and hear the Christmas story. The minister then announced that a special offering would be taken so as to provide meals for the homeless. He little girl promptly opened her little red purse and took out this beautiful crisp, now not so new $20 bill. Her grandmother who saw this leaned over to her and whispered “you don’t have to give that.” The little girl looked up and smiled. “I want to.” The grandmother said, “I’ll give you some change, so you don’t have to give it all” to which the little girl responded “I want to give it all,” and so with great joy she did, holding nothing back.
What a wonderful example of Recalling the story and the Restoring the call. She was clearly touched by what Jesus had done for her that she gave all she could.
What is it that God is calling you to do? We have already taken the offering so I’m not suggesting you must give more money now, which is not the intention of the story I told. I’m asking whether you have been open to hearing God’s call upon your life, are you able to hear it and then discern it. The likelihood is that he will call you to do something with what you already have. It may be financial resources, it may be time resources. It may be a talent you have or some special skill you have acquired. You need to figure that out.
Conclusion
Today we have come to Recall the story and to Restore the call. We watch a humorous recollection of the story which we all know so very well but we are challenged by that very humour to strip away the stuff and see and even be blown away by the mystery of a baby’s cry that was God’s first cry on earth.
In the mystery of the story it continues to challenge us to the point of recognising that there is more to the story than we expect…in fact it has everything to do with what God expects of us.
May your Christmas day continue to be a blessing to you personally and then may that blessing become a blessing to those around you.
Amen
Manger and Mystery – Reclaiming the star
Manger and Mystery – Reclaiming the star
Reading: Matthew 2:1-2:12
Reading: Matthew 2:1-2:12
Introduction
Around the time of Jesus’ infancy, the Magi or wise men followed a star that guided them to Jesus, and it changed everything. An intimate encounter with Jesus has a way of doing that to people.
Look at the picture of the Magi and Jesus: A special star shining bright. A stable illuminated by the star. A young woman kneeling by a manger, a new mother’s love radiating from her face. A man standing beside her, gentle and strong. A baby lying in the manger. A sheep here. A cow there. And three exotic gentlemen bowing before the baby, their faces filled with awe, their hands outstretched with gifts too beautiful and too rich for a stable.
Now although the Nativity scene is an amalgamation of Luke and Matthew, it paints a picture. And at least some of it matches Matthew’s account. There was a star. And there were exotic gentlemen bowing before Jesus, awe in their faces and magnificent gifts in their hands. Have you got the picture in you imagination?
Let us then take a trip with them as we discover what the star did for them and what the star can do for us.
There was a time when the magi lived far away from Jesus, so far that they knew nothing about him. They had heard of the God of Abraham, but they had no particular relationship with him. They didn’t live in Judea. They lived in Persia, or Arabia maybe. They weren’t Jews. They were Gentiles.
They followed the star, and it changed everything. The day came when these men found themselves in intimate relationship with Jesus. They bowed before him and offered him their very best. They knew he was king. They honoured him as their king. They went home another way. That is to say, they travelled a different route on the map. I think it’s safe to say that they travelled a different route in their lives too. An intimate encounter with Jesus has a way of doing that to people.
There’s something to learn from this story of the magi. Something about special stars that capture our attention and guide us. Something about following those stars. Something about bowing before Jesus and offering him our very best. Something about honouring him as our king. Something about travelling a different route after that, because an intimate encounter with Jesus has a way of doing that to people.
There isn’t a single one of us who doesn’t still have some distance between how we live and perfect relationship with Jesus. If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us have experienced times when we stray from the path on which Jesus has been leading us and we need a little help to follow in his footsteps again. If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us have experienced times when, maybe we haven’t strayed very far from the path, but we have slowed to a crawl and we need a little help to move forward in growth again.
As we listen and learn God just might give you a star to capture your attention and to guide you. And if you follow that star, everything just might change. An intimate encounter with Jesus has a way of doing that to people—whether it’s the first intimate encounter or the fiftieth.
As we have the story of the Magi and the star let us reflect on a couple of things that can act as a Road map for us.
1. First, you have to see the star. This requires keeping your eyes open, and your heart too.
The magi may not have known God, but they knew stars. They knew when something extraordinary was happening in the night sky. They saw the star, and they took note. They investigated. They conferred with one another. What they did not understand captured their imagination. They did not turn their eyes to another part of the sky, hoping to see the familiar and be reassured. They did not grasp at explanations, hoping to have their own previous knowledge confirmed. They saw the star, and they took note.
The magi were open to evidence that God was doing something special in their world. When the star marking the birth of Jesus appeared, the magi saw it.
The star God sends to you or to me might be something completely different. It might be just the right word from a friend at just the right moment. It might be a vision in a dream (as strange as that may sound). It might be an impression during prayer. It might be an insight from a book. It might be something we see God doing, not in our own life, but in the life of someone we know.
Be open
Whatever it is, we need to be open to evidence that God is doing something special in our world.
2. Next, you have to follow the star. This requires movement.
When the magi saw the star, they followed it. They didn’t know where it would lead. They didn’t know how long it would take. They rearranged their schedules, found someone to water their plants and feed the cat, and followed the star.
They let the star rearrange their lives
The magi were willing to rearrange their lives to check out the evidence that God was doing something special in their world. When the star marking the birth of Jesus appeared, the magi followed it.
3. Persistence matters. Sometimes it takes a while before you know exactly where the star is leading you.
The magi travelled a great distance. They didn’t just move, they moved a lot. I expect they had a few conversations over the campfire about the wisdom of their travels, but still they stuck with the star.
4. You’re allowed to use your brain. Common sense can be helpful. So can the advice of experts.
Marking, as it did, the birth of the new king of the Jews, the star led the magi to Judea. It only made sense for the magi to go to Jerusalem, the capital city. Where else would you expect to find a king?
Once in Jerusalem, the magi were not too proud to ask directions (contrary to popular belief – being men). They consulted the authorities and they obtained advice from scholars who knew the ancient texts that they did not know.
We need to do the same
As we journey along, we need to consult others who are in the know and particularly we need to regard scripture as a basis for decision making.
5. Common sense and expert knowledge have their limitations. Sometimes the obvious turns out to be wrong, and the experts turn out to be dangerous.
Consulting the experts, the magi learned that this particular newborn king was to be found, not in the obvious place--Jerusalem, but in a most unlikely place--the little town of Bethlehem. Accordingly, they changed their travel plans.
They scrutinised the experts – didn’t blindly follow
Later, the magi found out that Herod, the very one who had provided access to the experts, was an enemy, not a friend, of the newborn king. Therefore, also a threat to them. They learned what they could from the authorities and experts, but they did not obey them without thought.
6. Keep the star before you at all times. That is, as long as it draws you into scripture and according to scripture.
Equipped with their new information about Bethlehem, the magi left Jerusalem. But still they followed the star that had brought them thus far.
So far the star had been a faithful guide. It had drawn them into scripture when they arrived in Jerusalem--taking them to the ancient biblical prophecies. And the star continued to lead them in accordance with scripture, leading them to Bethlehem.
If the star was not in accordance to scripture they would have stopped
Presumably, if the star had begun to lead them in ways that contradicted scripture, the magi would have known enough to stop and question its leading.
7. Don’t get so attached to the star that you miss what (who) it points to.
The star is a guide. The purpose of the star is to get your attention and encourage you along your journey. Joy comes from meeting the purpose of the journey—Jesus.
Jabez
E.g. Jabez Prayer – it became a distraction and began to point in another direction other than Jesus (my opinion)
Star had served its purpose
When the star had led the magi to Bethlehem, it had served its purpose. They stopped looking at the star and they looked to Jesus instead. And Matthew says they were overjoyed.
8. Meeting Jesus is just the beginning. Acknowledging his Lordship comes next.
Having made contact with Jesus, the magi acknowledged his Lordship. They bowed down and worshiped him. They didn’t simply pat each other on the back for having made it to their destination. Meeting Jesus, no matter how long the journey to that point, was just the beginning.
9. Acknowledging his Lordship leads to responding with gifts. Surrender and service go well with gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Having acknowledged his Lordship, the magi gave of themselves. They presented him with gifts--the very best that they had to offer. We need to give all that we have.
10. Go home another way. This requires transformation. An intimate encounter with Jesus tends to do that to people.
When they left Bethlehem, the magi were changed. They weren’t just headed back to where they came from. They were going home, but it was a whole new journey entirely. They went home by another way.
Every time you and I encounter Jesus, we are given the opportunity again to go home another way. To be changed. To be transformed. An intimate encounter with Jesus tends to do that to people.
Conclusion
Walter Brueggemann has this to say of the whole trip: “The wise men, and the eager nations ready for an alternative, made the trip. It would be ironic if the "outsiders" among us made that move and we who are God’s own people resisted. Imagine a nine-mile trip … and a very different way home.”
Do not go this Christmas without keeping an eye out for what God is saying to you and what God wants you to do. We have a vantage point that others may not have. The Wise Men were not in as privileged a situation as those who lived just down the road in Jerusalem…but they responded. Won’t you respond today by saying, “God send me a star that I may follow.”
Around the time of Jesus’ infancy, the Magi or wise men followed a star that guided them to Jesus, and it changed everything. An intimate encounter with Jesus has a way of doing that to people.
Look at the picture of the Magi and Jesus: A special star shining bright. A stable illuminated by the star. A young woman kneeling by a manger, a new mother’s love radiating from her face. A man standing beside her, gentle and strong. A baby lying in the manger. A sheep here. A cow there. And three exotic gentlemen bowing before the baby, their faces filled with awe, their hands outstretched with gifts too beautiful and too rich for a stable.
Now although the Nativity scene is an amalgamation of Luke and Matthew, it paints a picture. And at least some of it matches Matthew’s account. There was a star. And there were exotic gentlemen bowing before Jesus, awe in their faces and magnificent gifts in their hands. Have you got the picture in you imagination?
Let us then take a trip with them as we discover what the star did for them and what the star can do for us.
There was a time when the magi lived far away from Jesus, so far that they knew nothing about him. They had heard of the God of Abraham, but they had no particular relationship with him. They didn’t live in Judea. They lived in Persia, or Arabia maybe. They weren’t Jews. They were Gentiles.
They followed the star, and it changed everything. The day came when these men found themselves in intimate relationship with Jesus. They bowed before him and offered him their very best. They knew he was king. They honoured him as their king. They went home another way. That is to say, they travelled a different route on the map. I think it’s safe to say that they travelled a different route in their lives too. An intimate encounter with Jesus has a way of doing that to people.
There’s something to learn from this story of the magi. Something about special stars that capture our attention and guide us. Something about following those stars. Something about bowing before Jesus and offering him our very best. Something about honouring him as our king. Something about travelling a different route after that, because an intimate encounter with Jesus has a way of doing that to people.
There isn’t a single one of us who doesn’t still have some distance between how we live and perfect relationship with Jesus. If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us have experienced times when we stray from the path on which Jesus has been leading us and we need a little help to follow in his footsteps again. If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us have experienced times when, maybe we haven’t strayed very far from the path, but we have slowed to a crawl and we need a little help to move forward in growth again.
As we listen and learn God just might give you a star to capture your attention and to guide you. And if you follow that star, everything just might change. An intimate encounter with Jesus has a way of doing that to people—whether it’s the first intimate encounter or the fiftieth.
As we have the story of the Magi and the star let us reflect on a couple of things that can act as a Road map for us.
1. First, you have to see the star. This requires keeping your eyes open, and your heart too.
The magi may not have known God, but they knew stars. They knew when something extraordinary was happening in the night sky. They saw the star, and they took note. They investigated. They conferred with one another. What they did not understand captured their imagination. They did not turn their eyes to another part of the sky, hoping to see the familiar and be reassured. They did not grasp at explanations, hoping to have their own previous knowledge confirmed. They saw the star, and they took note.
The magi were open to evidence that God was doing something special in their world. When the star marking the birth of Jesus appeared, the magi saw it.
The star God sends to you or to me might be something completely different. It might be just the right word from a friend at just the right moment. It might be a vision in a dream (as strange as that may sound). It might be an impression during prayer. It might be an insight from a book. It might be something we see God doing, not in our own life, but in the life of someone we know.
Be open
Whatever it is, we need to be open to evidence that God is doing something special in our world.
2. Next, you have to follow the star. This requires movement.
When the magi saw the star, they followed it. They didn’t know where it would lead. They didn’t know how long it would take. They rearranged their schedules, found someone to water their plants and feed the cat, and followed the star.
They let the star rearrange their lives
The magi were willing to rearrange their lives to check out the evidence that God was doing something special in their world. When the star marking the birth of Jesus appeared, the magi followed it.
3. Persistence matters. Sometimes it takes a while before you know exactly where the star is leading you.
The magi travelled a great distance. They didn’t just move, they moved a lot. I expect they had a few conversations over the campfire about the wisdom of their travels, but still they stuck with the star.
4. You’re allowed to use your brain. Common sense can be helpful. So can the advice of experts.
Marking, as it did, the birth of the new king of the Jews, the star led the magi to Judea. It only made sense for the magi to go to Jerusalem, the capital city. Where else would you expect to find a king?
Once in Jerusalem, the magi were not too proud to ask directions (contrary to popular belief – being men). They consulted the authorities and they obtained advice from scholars who knew the ancient texts that they did not know.
We need to do the same
As we journey along, we need to consult others who are in the know and particularly we need to regard scripture as a basis for decision making.
5. Common sense and expert knowledge have their limitations. Sometimes the obvious turns out to be wrong, and the experts turn out to be dangerous.
Consulting the experts, the magi learned that this particular newborn king was to be found, not in the obvious place--Jerusalem, but in a most unlikely place--the little town of Bethlehem. Accordingly, they changed their travel plans.
They scrutinised the experts – didn’t blindly follow
Later, the magi found out that Herod, the very one who had provided access to the experts, was an enemy, not a friend, of the newborn king. Therefore, also a threat to them. They learned what they could from the authorities and experts, but they did not obey them without thought.
6. Keep the star before you at all times. That is, as long as it draws you into scripture and according to scripture.
Equipped with their new information about Bethlehem, the magi left Jerusalem. But still they followed the star that had brought them thus far.
So far the star had been a faithful guide. It had drawn them into scripture when they arrived in Jerusalem--taking them to the ancient biblical prophecies. And the star continued to lead them in accordance with scripture, leading them to Bethlehem.
If the star was not in accordance to scripture they would have stopped
Presumably, if the star had begun to lead them in ways that contradicted scripture, the magi would have known enough to stop and question its leading.
7. Don’t get so attached to the star that you miss what (who) it points to.
The star is a guide. The purpose of the star is to get your attention and encourage you along your journey. Joy comes from meeting the purpose of the journey—Jesus.
Jabez
E.g. Jabez Prayer – it became a distraction and began to point in another direction other than Jesus (my opinion)
Star had served its purpose
When the star had led the magi to Bethlehem, it had served its purpose. They stopped looking at the star and they looked to Jesus instead. And Matthew says they were overjoyed.
8. Meeting Jesus is just the beginning. Acknowledging his Lordship comes next.
Having made contact with Jesus, the magi acknowledged his Lordship. They bowed down and worshiped him. They didn’t simply pat each other on the back for having made it to their destination. Meeting Jesus, no matter how long the journey to that point, was just the beginning.
9. Acknowledging his Lordship leads to responding with gifts. Surrender and service go well with gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Having acknowledged his Lordship, the magi gave of themselves. They presented him with gifts--the very best that they had to offer. We need to give all that we have.
10. Go home another way. This requires transformation. An intimate encounter with Jesus tends to do that to people.
When they left Bethlehem, the magi were changed. They weren’t just headed back to where they came from. They were going home, but it was a whole new journey entirely. They went home by another way.
Every time you and I encounter Jesus, we are given the opportunity again to go home another way. To be changed. To be transformed. An intimate encounter with Jesus tends to do that to people.
Conclusion
Walter Brueggemann has this to say of the whole trip: “The wise men, and the eager nations ready for an alternative, made the trip. It would be ironic if the "outsiders" among us made that move and we who are God’s own people resisted. Imagine a nine-mile trip … and a very different way home.”
Do not go this Christmas without keeping an eye out for what God is saying to you and what God wants you to do. We have a vantage point that others may not have. The Wise Men were not in as privileged a situation as those who lived just down the road in Jerusalem…but they responded. Won’t you respond today by saying, “God send me a star that I may follow.”
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
A twist on the Nativity
This could probably be construed as blasphemy...I just think its funny. The traditional Nativity Story is a combination of Lukan and Matthean traditions. Now the Nativity with a Beanian twist:
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Manger and Mystery - Remembering the song
As promised, here is the sermon for Advent 3...the same applies to last week's sermon, don't plagerise.
Manger and Mystery - Remembering the song
Reading: Luke 1:46-55
Introduction
The piece of Luke that we read is best known as the Magnificat. The Magnificat is also called “Mary’s Song.” For some people, when they hear the Magnificat or Mary’s Song, they fail to realise how radical and revolutionary the song really is. The words are so beautiful, so soft, so lovely. Often it is sung as a beautiful choral recital or as part of a worship service. When we hear the words read as part of the Christmas gospel, we are captured by its poetic loveliness. We don’t hear what is actually being sung or said. It is easy to be mesmerised by the music or tranquillised by the poetry. When this happens a person fails to perceive how radical and revolutionary the song of Mary actually is.
In preparation for this sermon, I read several commentaries on this Bible passage, and every single commentator used the word, “revolutionary,” to describe the Magnificat. These scholars concluded that the Magnificat is one of the most revolutionary documents available.
Listen to the meaning of the words, and the Magnificat may begin a revolution in your life and mine.
1. The Revolution of the World
This past week I have been thinking about the word, revolution. I have been asking the question: what does the word, “revolution,” mean? I thought: revolution means “total change.” I will give you an example.
Computers revolutionised the information industry. Computers totally changed it; that is, they revolutionised our information age. You now push a button and you have millions of pieces of information available. I don’t have to remember that information in my head any longer; it is on the computer. In fact I often wonder if I could preach without the use of my computer…I have never hand written a sermon in my life. The information industry was totally changed by the computer. What does the word, “revolution,” mean? It is a total change. That’s what the word means: totally changed. It revolutionized your life; it totally changed your life.
Also, you can use the phrase, “before the revolution” and “after the revolution.” You understand what I am talking about: before the revolution of the computer and after the revolution of the computer. Hang onto that concept: before the revolution and after the revolution.
The Magnificat is God’s revolution. The Magnificat is the charter, the document, the constitution of God’s revolution. The Magnificat is the basic, fundamental document. You don’t change the constitution. Just like the Freedom Charter is the fundamental document on which freedom is based in South Africa. So also, the Magnificat is God’s charter; it is God’s Freedom Charter. That document lays down the fundamental principles of the Christian revolution. Not even computers have had the world-wide effect that Mary’s song has had…because it reflects what Christ came to do
In the Magnificat, God totally changes the order of things. God takes that which is on the bottom; and God turn everything upside down, and puts the bottom on top and the top on the bottom. God revolutionises the way we think, the way we act, and the way we live.
The poor are put on the top; the rich are put on the bottom. It is a revolution; God’s revolution. The Magnificat clearly tells us of God’s compassion for the economically poor; and when God’s Spirit really gets inside of Christians, we too have a renewed compassion and action for the poor. Our hearts are turned upside down.
Listen carefully to the words of the Magnificat. Not the poetry of the words, the beauty of the words, the loveliness of the words. Listen to the five important verbs. In the Magnificat, God tells us that God 1. regards or respects the poor, 2. exalts the poor, 3. feeds the poor, 4. helps the poor, 5. remembers the poor.
In that same chapter in Luke, we hear the story that God chose a slave girl, Mary, to be the mother of Jesus. God didn’t choose the beauty queen; God didn’t choose a mother who was a millionaire; God didn’t chose a bride with brains. God chose a girl who could have been as young as 12 to be the mother of Jesus.
The KJV Bible calls Mary a handmaiden. The word, “handmaiden,” sounds so pretty. The Greek word is, “doulos,” which means slave or servant. Mary was a servant girl. God exalted a servant girl to be exalted and lifted up. And this servant girl sang her song and it is called the Song of Mary. The actual words of her song are revolutionary. The Song of Mary is a revolutionary bombshell because it turns the values of this world upside down.
In the Magnificat, God totally changes the values of life. We have agreed that this is what a revolution is: it totally changes things such as the computer. In Christian language, before the revolution, we were impressed with the rich. After God’s revolution, we are impressed with the poor. Before God’s revolution, we are impressed with bucks and beauty. After God’s revolution, we are impressed with poor people.
The Magnificat is also a prelude to the whole gospel, and the theme of the whole gospel is that God respects the poor, exalts the poor, cares for the poor, feeds the poor, remembers the poor, and helps the poor.
Jesus said in his first sermon in the gospel of Luke? A first sermon reveals what is important to the man. In his first sermon in Luke, Jesus said, “I have come to bring good news to poor people, release for prisoners of war, and freedom for those imprisoned.”
In Luke’s beatitudes Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor people because they know their need of God.” We all know the truth of that statement; that is, we know that rich people don’t need God very much, because rich people are usually busy living life to the fullest and don’t have time for God.
In the Magnificat, in Mary’s Revolutionary Song, God respects the poor, exalts the poor, cares for the poor, feeds the poor, remembers the poor, and helps the poor. Do you get the rhythm? Does your heart get the rhythm?
2. Revolution of the heart
So the important question for us this morning is this. Has God’s revolution occurred in your life, in my life? Is God’s revolution occurring in your life? When Jesus gets a hold of us, Jesus revolutionises our lives; he turns everything upside down and we look at the world differently.
As an analogy, I am going to use the five verbs in the Magnificat. Before God’s revolution in my life, I regarded myself. Before God’s revolution in me, I exalted only my ego. Before God’s revolution in my values, I fed only my family. Before God’s revolution in my heart, I helped only my friends. Before God’s revolution within, I remembered only my relatives.
But after God’s revolution in your heart, you regarded the also poor people and their needs. After God’s revolution in you, you exalted also the energy of the poor. After God’s revolution within, you feed also the hungry and starving. After God’s revolution in your values, you helped also the handicapped. After God’s revolution to your heart, you also remembered the real needs of people. Life can be summarised by what life was like before the revolution and after the revolution.
Now let me say this…it is possible to be a citizen of the land and not be part of its revolution. It is possible to go to the festivities of the revolution and not be part of the revolution itself. Again I use the analogy, it is possible to be part of the church and not be part of God’s revolution inside of us. It is possible to celebrate the festivals of the church, Advent and Christmas and still not have God’s revolution occur inside of you. When God really gets inside of you, God changes everything.
The most disturbing things that The Magnificat says is that God send away the rich empty handed. What does that mean…who are the rich. Well being rich is really relative i.e. to a person with bread; a person with sugar is rich, to a millionaire a billionaire is rich…get my drift. The important thing here is to realise that each of us could regard ourselves as rich.
I do know that there is the statistic that says that if you own a house and a car you are among the 5% richest people in the world (I heard this, I don’t have a source for it). That is not my point. I am not trying to downplay the extent of poverty in South Africa (which as a matter of interest is only second to Brazil as far as income inequality is concerned).
What I am trying to get at is that at some point each of us is richer that someone else. And Mary says God sends the rich away empty handed. What does that mean? I choose to focus on the word send rather than empty. I truly believe that God wants us to be a part of the revolution. He sends the rich he does not chase the rich away. The Greek word here is also the root of the word Apostle (one who is sent). So it is a dispatch to do something, to be a part of the revolution.
Conclusion
So the big question for your life and mine this morning is: has God’s revolution occurred in your life? Have things been turned upside down where your life now is dedicated to exalting the poor, regarding the poor, feeding the poor, helping the poor, remembering the poor. Has this revolution occurred in your life and mine?
Amen.
Reading: Luke 1:46-55
Introduction
The piece of Luke that we read is best known as the Magnificat. The Magnificat is also called “Mary’s Song.” For some people, when they hear the Magnificat or Mary’s Song, they fail to realise how radical and revolutionary the song really is. The words are so beautiful, so soft, so lovely. Often it is sung as a beautiful choral recital or as part of a worship service. When we hear the words read as part of the Christmas gospel, we are captured by its poetic loveliness. We don’t hear what is actually being sung or said. It is easy to be mesmerised by the music or tranquillised by the poetry. When this happens a person fails to perceive how radical and revolutionary the song of Mary actually is.
In preparation for this sermon, I read several commentaries on this Bible passage, and every single commentator used the word, “revolutionary,” to describe the Magnificat. These scholars concluded that the Magnificat is one of the most revolutionary documents available.
Listen to the meaning of the words, and the Magnificat may begin a revolution in your life and mine.
1. The Revolution of the World
This past week I have been thinking about the word, revolution. I have been asking the question: what does the word, “revolution,” mean? I thought: revolution means “total change.” I will give you an example.
Computers revolutionised the information industry. Computers totally changed it; that is, they revolutionised our information age. You now push a button and you have millions of pieces of information available. I don’t have to remember that information in my head any longer; it is on the computer. In fact I often wonder if I could preach without the use of my computer…I have never hand written a sermon in my life. The information industry was totally changed by the computer. What does the word, “revolution,” mean? It is a total change. That’s what the word means: totally changed. It revolutionized your life; it totally changed your life.
Also, you can use the phrase, “before the revolution” and “after the revolution.” You understand what I am talking about: before the revolution of the computer and after the revolution of the computer. Hang onto that concept: before the revolution and after the revolution.
The Magnificat is God’s revolution. The Magnificat is the charter, the document, the constitution of God’s revolution. The Magnificat is the basic, fundamental document. You don’t change the constitution. Just like the Freedom Charter is the fundamental document on which freedom is based in South Africa. So also, the Magnificat is God’s charter; it is God’s Freedom Charter. That document lays down the fundamental principles of the Christian revolution. Not even computers have had the world-wide effect that Mary’s song has had…because it reflects what Christ came to do
In the Magnificat, God totally changes the order of things. God takes that which is on the bottom; and God turn everything upside down, and puts the bottom on top and the top on the bottom. God revolutionises the way we think, the way we act, and the way we live.
The poor are put on the top; the rich are put on the bottom. It is a revolution; God’s revolution. The Magnificat clearly tells us of God’s compassion for the economically poor; and when God’s Spirit really gets inside of Christians, we too have a renewed compassion and action for the poor. Our hearts are turned upside down.
Listen carefully to the words of the Magnificat. Not the poetry of the words, the beauty of the words, the loveliness of the words. Listen to the five important verbs. In the Magnificat, God tells us that God 1. regards or respects the poor, 2. exalts the poor, 3. feeds the poor, 4. helps the poor, 5. remembers the poor.
In that same chapter in Luke, we hear the story that God chose a slave girl, Mary, to be the mother of Jesus. God didn’t choose the beauty queen; God didn’t choose a mother who was a millionaire; God didn’t chose a bride with brains. God chose a girl who could have been as young as 12 to be the mother of Jesus.
The KJV Bible calls Mary a handmaiden. The word, “handmaiden,” sounds so pretty. The Greek word is, “doulos,” which means slave or servant. Mary was a servant girl. God exalted a servant girl to be exalted and lifted up. And this servant girl sang her song and it is called the Song of Mary. The actual words of her song are revolutionary. The Song of Mary is a revolutionary bombshell because it turns the values of this world upside down.
In the Magnificat, God totally changes the values of life. We have agreed that this is what a revolution is: it totally changes things such as the computer. In Christian language, before the revolution, we were impressed with the rich. After God’s revolution, we are impressed with the poor. Before God’s revolution, we are impressed with bucks and beauty. After God’s revolution, we are impressed with poor people.
The Magnificat is also a prelude to the whole gospel, and the theme of the whole gospel is that God respects the poor, exalts the poor, cares for the poor, feeds the poor, remembers the poor, and helps the poor.
Jesus said in his first sermon in the gospel of Luke? A first sermon reveals what is important to the man. In his first sermon in Luke, Jesus said, “I have come to bring good news to poor people, release for prisoners of war, and freedom for those imprisoned.”
In Luke’s beatitudes Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor people because they know their need of God.” We all know the truth of that statement; that is, we know that rich people don’t need God very much, because rich people are usually busy living life to the fullest and don’t have time for God.
In the Magnificat, in Mary’s Revolutionary Song, God respects the poor, exalts the poor, cares for the poor, feeds the poor, remembers the poor, and helps the poor. Do you get the rhythm? Does your heart get the rhythm?
2. Revolution of the heart
So the important question for us this morning is this. Has God’s revolution occurred in your life, in my life? Is God’s revolution occurring in your life? When Jesus gets a hold of us, Jesus revolutionises our lives; he turns everything upside down and we look at the world differently.
As an analogy, I am going to use the five verbs in the Magnificat. Before God’s revolution in my life, I regarded myself. Before God’s revolution in me, I exalted only my ego. Before God’s revolution in my values, I fed only my family. Before God’s revolution in my heart, I helped only my friends. Before God’s revolution within, I remembered only my relatives.
But after God’s revolution in your heart, you regarded the also poor people and their needs. After God’s revolution in you, you exalted also the energy of the poor. After God’s revolution within, you feed also the hungry and starving. After God’s revolution in your values, you helped also the handicapped. After God’s revolution to your heart, you also remembered the real needs of people. Life can be summarised by what life was like before the revolution and after the revolution.
Now let me say this…it is possible to be a citizen of the land and not be part of its revolution. It is possible to go to the festivities of the revolution and not be part of the revolution itself. Again I use the analogy, it is possible to be part of the church and not be part of God’s revolution inside of us. It is possible to celebrate the festivals of the church, Advent and Christmas and still not have God’s revolution occur inside of you. When God really gets inside of you, God changes everything.
The most disturbing things that The Magnificat says is that God send away the rich empty handed. What does that mean…who are the rich. Well being rich is really relative i.e. to a person with bread; a person with sugar is rich, to a millionaire a billionaire is rich…get my drift. The important thing here is to realise that each of us could regard ourselves as rich.
I do know that there is the statistic that says that if you own a house and a car you are among the 5% richest people in the world (I heard this, I don’t have a source for it). That is not my point. I am not trying to downplay the extent of poverty in South Africa (which as a matter of interest is only second to Brazil as far as income inequality is concerned).
What I am trying to get at is that at some point each of us is richer that someone else. And Mary says God sends the rich away empty handed. What does that mean? I choose to focus on the word send rather than empty. I truly believe that God wants us to be a part of the revolution. He sends the rich he does not chase the rich away. The Greek word here is also the root of the word Apostle (one who is sent). So it is a dispatch to do something, to be a part of the revolution.
Conclusion
So the big question for your life and mine this morning is: has God’s revolution occurred in your life? Have things been turned upside down where your life now is dedicated to exalting the poor, regarding the poor, feeding the poor, helping the poor, remembering the poor. Has this revolution occurred in your life and mine?
Amen.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Manger and Mystery
This Advent at our Church we are running a series called Manger and Mystery, based on a book by Marilyn Brown Oden by the same name. I have decided that every week I would post my sermon on this blog...because I can. Last week I did not preach so I cannot post my Colleague's sermon so we begin with Advent 2...the theme: Rekindling the Sacred. You may use the Sermon as a preparation help if you are a preacher some where else in the world...but please be original and don't plagiarise.
Manger and Mystery – Rekindling the Sacred
Aim: For people explore what sacredness is and how they can rekindle it this Christmas.
Readings: John 1:1-14
Introduction
As we go on this adventure called Advent and follow the theme Manger and Mystery we come today to the subject of Rekindling the Sacred.
Now if we sincerely prepare ourselves for Christmas, which is what Advent is about…not paging through the Shopper Supplement in the Benoni City Times for Christmas specials, we come to a number of realisations. One of them is that Christmas is a sacred time.
What does Sacred mean? Well when we look at a dictionary definition we find that it means 1 a : dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity b : devoted exclusively to one service or use (as of a person or purpose) 2 a : worthy of religious veneration : holy b : entitled to reverence and respect 3 : of or relating to religion : not secular or profane. If we look at the synonyms we read words such as Holy, Sanctified, Blessed, Consecrated and so on. Do you get the picture?
The opposite of Sacred is of course Secular, that which takes no part in the Sacred. Now this is where the danger comes in for us. I’m certain that most people would agree that Christmas is set aside for the Worship of Jesus the New Born King. It is sacred for Christians and there are many sacred symbols and practices surrounding this Festival. But for the most it has become a Secular Festival, the sacredness has been removed.
Now Western Society has done an interesting thing that is quite foreign to many other societies and that is to make that distinction between the Sacred and the Secular. African, Middle Eastern and Eastern societies cannot see the difference. Therefore religion permeates all culture.
My challenge today is two-fold; firstly to begin to realise that we should not and cannot separate the Sacred and the Secular and secondly that we should re-inject the Sacred into Christmas.
1. Cannot and should not separate Sacred and Secular.
When we read John 1, we read of a divine interruption, if you will the sacred entering the secular. This is John’s nativity, the time that the Word, the LOGOS, who was and who is and who is to come…the true Word of God Christ removes his Glory as one would remove a cloak and enters the world that he created in the lowliest of forms…a human child. Perhaps even more lowly, the male human child (since we all know that girl children are far superior to their male counter-parts…coming from the father of a girl child).
So, we have had the Children’s Nativity Play where we saw the Nativity Scene but there is something missing that Catalonian folk add. They add someone called “El Caganer” – who can be loosely translated as “the one who is doing his business” or “the one who is going to the loo”. I thought of showing you a picture of the figure, but this might offend some people.
The business in hand must be taken quite euphemistically, when I tell you that El Caganer takes his place in the Christmas Crib, besides the Wise Men, wearing a peasant beret and squatting, with his trousers around his ankles. Now this might come across as quite sacrilegious but I think there is some wisdom in the little character.
In the midst of all this solemnity, there is injected a little earthly humour, a little humanity in the midst of all this Godliness. And I say, that this is a good thing, a very good thing indeed.
The Nativity Scene such as we saw performed by was first created by Saint Francis of Assisi. Francis sought to remind people what the nativity actually meant: to ground the event in reality – to remind people that the nativity was not a chocolate box affair of gleaming straw and sterile food troughs, but a dirty, smelly, cold, faeces-covered battle of endurance for a young girl and her much older husband.
The incarnation, the miracle of the incarnation was the choice of a God who was prepared to pour himself out for us: not only at the end of his life in the triumph of the cross, but at the beginning. The incarnation was an act of vulnerable humility, of great risk.
The heresy of docetism suggests that God only appeared in human form, that the incarnation was symbolic, that the crucifixion did not kill, that Christ did not need to eat or drink or even. Such heresy was rightly crushed by the Bishop Ignatius of Antioch in his writings and condemned by ecumenical council, but I suggest to you this morning, that there is an element of docetism in all of us, an unwillingness to accept the vibrant truth of the incarnation, a temptation to sugar coat the nativity: “The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes”
…as that Christmas Carol goes. We willingly agree with the unrealistic, unincarnational concept of an unreal, docestic Jesus, when we should be prepared to grasp that uncomfortable truth: that God-is-with-us, that Emmanuel was incarnated as a human being and that he became one of us.
What is Away in a Manager trying to prove? That Christ was sinless? Certainly, Christ was sinless, but no child cries because of sin, children cry because that is how they communicate (I know all about that). The word, the divine logos, became flesh and his first communications with us were not the beatitudes, or even “it is finished” but a cry of hunger, of cold and for a clean nappy.
God had no intention that we might separate the Sacred and the Secular. In fact the secular is merely a human construct. To God all is Sacred…that’s why he chose to fly in the face of what was expected, rather than coming as a grown King in all his glory he came in the most unclean of places to the most unclean of people. The sacred became the Secular.
2. Re-inject the Sacred into Christmas
So here we are 2000 odd years later with our minds set on the 25 December, when it all happens. When we celebrate the opening of the presents that put our overdrafts into overdrafts…sorry, I mean when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child.
You have heard it all before and you all know it, Christmas has certainly become a Secular event. Some say that Christ is X’ed out of Christmas when we write Xmas. One of my first year Seminary lecturers (Rock in the Grass) reflects on the Americanism “Happy Holidays” as a very helpful greeting.
Because in South Africa we all say “Happy Christmas” instead. This essentially Christian greeting is said to everyone and anyone – irrespective of whether there is Christian or any other form of faith behind the greeting. He tells how he was greeted by a very drunk man, who sought to excuse his public drunkenness by telling him that “it is Krismis afterall”. Christmas became his excuse for inebriation.
He continues to say, “Just like Christmas becomes the excuse for overeating; and Xmas becomes the excuse for shops to invite us to max out the credit cards; and Kersmis becomes the excuse for nookie with the secretary at the office party; and Krrissmass becomes the reason for drunkenness and violence. And what we really mean is “Holiday”. These activities are really holiday induced. A mass for Christ will not invite people into gluttony, and debt, and debauchery. But holiday fever can.”
The truth is that we will probably never get away from what Christmas has become. It is essentially driven by economics and money always talks. Christians could protest but we would probably be ignored or even denied permit to protest. That doesn’t matter.
What matters is how we respond in our own lives. The first Christmas was clearly not a pretty picture. God did not hold back when he decided to inject the sacred into the secular. He went the whole hog. What we can do is re-inject the sacred into the secular. We are all going to celebrate in our own capacities, how about we take time in our families to bring Christ back into focus. Find ways to take what we already do and make Christ the centre of the celebration. Before you eat make a toast the honoured guest whose birthday it is. As you open gifts let that be a time to remember the gift given to us and what it means (not just try to remember if you still have the receipt if that shirt doesn’t fit).
Conclusion
In the beginning was the Word… and the Word became flesh. An interruption of divine importance but an interruption that was unexpected.
God does not mind his manners when it comes to us, he does what he pleases and it pleased him to come as a human (male) child. Is that interruption going to become the focus of our celebrations this Christmas or is it going to stay just that…an interruption.
God Bless you, Amen.
Manger and Mystery – Rekindling the Sacred
Aim: For people explore what sacredness is and how they can rekindle it this Christmas.
Readings: John 1:1-14
Introduction
As we go on this adventure called Advent and follow the theme Manger and Mystery we come today to the subject of Rekindling the Sacred.
Now if we sincerely prepare ourselves for Christmas, which is what Advent is about…not paging through the Shopper Supplement in the Benoni City Times for Christmas specials, we come to a number of realisations. One of them is that Christmas is a sacred time.
What does Sacred mean? Well when we look at a dictionary definition we find that it means 1 a : dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity b : devoted exclusively to one service or use (as of a person or purpose) 2 a : worthy of religious veneration : holy b : entitled to reverence and respect 3 : of or relating to religion : not secular or profane. If we look at the synonyms we read words such as Holy, Sanctified, Blessed, Consecrated and so on. Do you get the picture?
The opposite of Sacred is of course Secular, that which takes no part in the Sacred. Now this is where the danger comes in for us. I’m certain that most people would agree that Christmas is set aside for the Worship of Jesus the New Born King. It is sacred for Christians and there are many sacred symbols and practices surrounding this Festival. But for the most it has become a Secular Festival, the sacredness has been removed.
Now Western Society has done an interesting thing that is quite foreign to many other societies and that is to make that distinction between the Sacred and the Secular. African, Middle Eastern and Eastern societies cannot see the difference. Therefore religion permeates all culture.
My challenge today is two-fold; firstly to begin to realise that we should not and cannot separate the Sacred and the Secular and secondly that we should re-inject the Sacred into Christmas.
1. Cannot and should not separate Sacred and Secular.
When we read John 1, we read of a divine interruption, if you will the sacred entering the secular. This is John’s nativity, the time that the Word, the LOGOS, who was and who is and who is to come…the true Word of God Christ removes his Glory as one would remove a cloak and enters the world that he created in the lowliest of forms…a human child. Perhaps even more lowly, the male human child (since we all know that girl children are far superior to their male counter-parts…coming from the father of a girl child).
So, we have had the Children’s Nativity Play where we saw the Nativity Scene but there is something missing that Catalonian folk add. They add someone called “El Caganer” – who can be loosely translated as “the one who is doing his business” or “the one who is going to the loo”. I thought of showing you a picture of the figure, but this might offend some people.
The business in hand must be taken quite euphemistically, when I tell you that El Caganer takes his place in the Christmas Crib, besides the Wise Men, wearing a peasant beret and squatting, with his trousers around his ankles. Now this might come across as quite sacrilegious but I think there is some wisdom in the little character.
In the midst of all this solemnity, there is injected a little earthly humour, a little humanity in the midst of all this Godliness. And I say, that this is a good thing, a very good thing indeed.
The Nativity Scene such as we saw performed by was first created by Saint Francis of Assisi. Francis sought to remind people what the nativity actually meant: to ground the event in reality – to remind people that the nativity was not a chocolate box affair of gleaming straw and sterile food troughs, but a dirty, smelly, cold, faeces-covered battle of endurance for a young girl and her much older husband.
The incarnation, the miracle of the incarnation was the choice of a God who was prepared to pour himself out for us: not only at the end of his life in the triumph of the cross, but at the beginning. The incarnation was an act of vulnerable humility, of great risk.
The heresy of docetism suggests that God only appeared in human form, that the incarnation was symbolic, that the crucifixion did not kill, that Christ did not need to eat or drink or even. Such heresy was rightly crushed by the Bishop Ignatius of Antioch in his writings and condemned by ecumenical council, but I suggest to you this morning, that there is an element of docetism in all of us, an unwillingness to accept the vibrant truth of the incarnation, a temptation to sugar coat the nativity: “The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes”
…as that Christmas Carol goes. We willingly agree with the unrealistic, unincarnational concept of an unreal, docestic Jesus, when we should be prepared to grasp that uncomfortable truth: that God-is-with-us, that Emmanuel was incarnated as a human being and that he became one of us.
What is Away in a Manager trying to prove? That Christ was sinless? Certainly, Christ was sinless, but no child cries because of sin, children cry because that is how they communicate (I know all about that). The word, the divine logos, became flesh and his first communications with us were not the beatitudes, or even “it is finished” but a cry of hunger, of cold and for a clean nappy.
God had no intention that we might separate the Sacred and the Secular. In fact the secular is merely a human construct. To God all is Sacred…that’s why he chose to fly in the face of what was expected, rather than coming as a grown King in all his glory he came in the most unclean of places to the most unclean of people. The sacred became the Secular.
2. Re-inject the Sacred into Christmas
So here we are 2000 odd years later with our minds set on the 25 December, when it all happens. When we celebrate the opening of the presents that put our overdrafts into overdrafts…sorry, I mean when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child.
You have heard it all before and you all know it, Christmas has certainly become a Secular event. Some say that Christ is X’ed out of Christmas when we write Xmas. One of my first year Seminary lecturers (Rock in the Grass) reflects on the Americanism “Happy Holidays” as a very helpful greeting.
Because in South Africa we all say “Happy Christmas” instead. This essentially Christian greeting is said to everyone and anyone – irrespective of whether there is Christian or any other form of faith behind the greeting. He tells how he was greeted by a very drunk man, who sought to excuse his public drunkenness by telling him that “it is Krismis afterall”. Christmas became his excuse for inebriation.
He continues to say, “Just like Christmas becomes the excuse for overeating; and Xmas becomes the excuse for shops to invite us to max out the credit cards; and Kersmis becomes the excuse for nookie with the secretary at the office party; and Krrissmass becomes the reason for drunkenness and violence. And what we really mean is “Holiday”. These activities are really holiday induced. A mass for Christ will not invite people into gluttony, and debt, and debauchery. But holiday fever can.”
The truth is that we will probably never get away from what Christmas has become. It is essentially driven by economics and money always talks. Christians could protest but we would probably be ignored or even denied permit to protest. That doesn’t matter.
What matters is how we respond in our own lives. The first Christmas was clearly not a pretty picture. God did not hold back when he decided to inject the sacred into the secular. He went the whole hog. What we can do is re-inject the sacred into the secular. We are all going to celebrate in our own capacities, how about we take time in our families to bring Christ back into focus. Find ways to take what we already do and make Christ the centre of the celebration. Before you eat make a toast the honoured guest whose birthday it is. As you open gifts let that be a time to remember the gift given to us and what it means (not just try to remember if you still have the receipt if that shirt doesn’t fit).
Conclusion
In the beginning was the Word… and the Word became flesh. An interruption of divine importance but an interruption that was unexpected.
God does not mind his manners when it comes to us, he does what he pleases and it pleased him to come as a human (male) child. Is that interruption going to become the focus of our celebrations this Christmas or is it going to stay just that…an interruption.
God Bless you, Amen.
Friday, November 24, 2006
The Nativity Story
I am really excited about whats coming up. By this time we are inundated with Santa "c&@p" and told that the meaning of Xmas is giving. I am of course culturally bound to the celebrations surrounding Christmas and the giving of gifts. But here is something that is exciting; instead of the regular Chirstmas movies that come out depicting some misfit who is saved by Santa, or visa versa i.e. The Santa Clause (all very nice but well, I say no more). Here is a real Christmas movie about the real deal...Jesus (surprise, surprise). The Nativity Story will be released on the 8 December in South Africa, I just can't wait (oh and for those who have already baught the bootleg on the street corner at East Rand Mall, shame on you). I include the trailer:
May the Blessing of the Christ Child be with you all
May the Blessing of the Christ Child be with you all
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Liberation Theology?
Well it is always interesting how when a group of people develop a way to liberate themselves there is always someone else to oppress. Who are you oppressing? Check out this video...a commentary of Liberation.
Suspicious
Suspicious
This is absolutely freeking amazing!
Guitar Skills
If you don't find this amazing then...well you've got to be crazy. This is singularly the most amazing little bit of guitar skill I have ever seen. Tell me what you think.
Monday, November 13, 2006
What a day it was!
Yesterday was an absolutely wonderful day, I was able to perform the sacrament of Baptism on my own child...what a priviledge it was. The worship service was awesome and it was great to have all the family worshipping together in one place.Just before I baptised Tayla in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I reaffirmed to the congregation why I believe in Paed Baptism. You see, I have never been one to get into a debate over the issue of whether or not it is right to baptise infants or not. I believe it to be a sterile debate since the practice of either Paed or Adult (Believer) Baptism does not elicit the wrath of the Almighty but rather the grace in every respect (there some debates of certain practices that some would say elicit God's wrath...I won't get into that, that's digitaldion's department, ask him).
In Paed Baptism, we welcome a child into the Universal catholic church (not the Roman Catholic Church and not the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God). So Tayla is not a member of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, she can choose to be a member when she is old enough to. For me, however, the most important thing about Paed Baptism is the recognition of Prevenient Grace. This is a Wesleyian principle that teaches that God's grace is already at work in a person's life before they are aware of it. The greatest image that scripture offers is in Psalm 139 where the psalmist portaits the Holy Spirit as a granny because he knits us together in our mother's wombs. That is to say that the Holy Spirit forms us, gives us life and begins to place in us all the wonderful gifts and talents which we now possess. The water that we use is a symbol of new life, cleansing and the Holy Spirit.
The litugy that we use best describes all of this:
The Baptism of Young Children
THE DECLARATION
Sisters and brothers, Baptism is a gift of God. It declares to each of us
the love and grace of God.In this sacrament we celebrate the life of Christ laid down for us, the Holy Spirit poured out on us, and the living water offered to us. God claims and cleanses us, rescues us from sin, and raises us to new life. He plants us into the Church of Christ and sustains and strengthens us with the power of the Spirit. Although we do not deserve these gifts of grace, or fully understand them, God offers them to all,and, through Christ, invites us to respond.
We recall the words of the risen Christ:
‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached the Gospel of Christ's resurrection. Those who heard the message asked what they should do. Peter told them: ‘Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls.’
...and later on in the liturgy
THE THANKSGIVING OVER THE WATER
All stand.The minister stands at the font and says:
Gracious God, we thank you for your gifts of water and the Holy Spirit, for your sustaining, cleansing, and life-giving power. From the beginning your grace has been made known through water and the Spirit.
Your Spirit moved over the waters at creation and you led your people to freedom through a parted sea.In the fullness of time you sent Jesus.He was baptized in the waters of the Jordan and anointed with the Holy Spirit. He passed through the deep waters of death and lives for evermore. He offers living water and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The minister may extend her/his hands over the water.Pour out your Holy Spirit that those/the one baptized in this water may die to sin, be raised with Christ, and be born to new life in the family of your Church. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Cheers
Friday, November 10, 2006
Why didn't they teach this stuff at Seminary...
I remember once hearing this on the radio once and decided to Google it to see if I could find it...I did. I remember the valuable things I learnt from John Wesley College, especially from digitaldion. But why didn't we learn this stuff?
University of Washington exam question:
"Is Hell exothermic or endothermic? Support your answer with a proof."
"Exothermic" means that the system gives off heat; "endothermic" means that it adsorbs heat.
About Boyle's law:
Most of the students' answers made reference to Boyle's law. This is a fundamental law in chemistry that describes how the temperature of a gas varies with its pressure. When a gas expands, it cools off. This can be observed when you open the valve on a compressed air pipe; the air released will cool down the the surroundings. When a gas is compressed, it heats up. This is why, when you pump up a tire with a hand pump, the gas is compressed and heats up the pump barrel.
Air conditioners work by first compressing a gas, causing it to heat up. Then the gas is allowed to cool. Finally, it is permitted to expand, thus cooling its surroundings.
The answer:
The student who received an "A" started his calculations by considering whether the total mass of Hell was increasing or decreasing with time. For this, he had to first calculate whether there was a net increase in the number of souls in Hell with time, or a reduction.From basic theological assumptions, no souls ever leave Hell. Hell is conceived of as a place of punishment where its inmates are tortured for all eternity. On the other hand, souls are continually entering Hell. The student observed that many religions teach that anyone who is not a member will go to Hell. Historically, Christians have taught that all non-Christians will go to Hell. And many non-Christians have believed that all Christians will go there as well. One might therefore assume that all souls will end up in Hell. Thus with souls continually entering Hell and no souls exiting, the total mass of Hell is increasing.
There are two possibilities:
If the volume of Hell is expanding at a slower rate than souls are entering, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will "clearly increase until all Hell breaks loose."
On the other hand, if hell is expanding faster than this rate, then the temperature and pressure will "drop until Hell freezes over."
The student recalled a postulate given to him by a certain coed during his freshman year. She said that "it will be a cold night in Hell before I sleepwith you." He noted that he had still not been able to engage in sexual relationships with her. He concluded that Hell is in no danger of freezing over. Thus Option 2 is invalid, the temperature of Hell is increasing, and thus Hell is exothermic.
Is Heaven hotter than Hell?
The temperatures of Heaven and of Hell are not given specifically in the Bible. That may be because the various temperature scales (Fahrenheit, Celsius, Rankin and Kelvin) were not created by the 1st century CE. However, there is sufficient data available to calculate the temperature of Heaven. The maximum temperature of Hell can also be determined.
Heaven's temperature: Isaiah 30:26 states: "Moreover, the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days." One individual interpreted this passage as meaning that the radiation received by Heaven from the sun is 7 times 7 or 49 times as much as the earth does today. 1 Added to that is the contribution of the moon which would equal the present amount that the earth receives from the sun. Thus Heaven would receive (49 + 1) or 50 times the radiation as the earth does today. The Stefan-Boltzmann law for radiation links the temperature of an object with the amount of radiation received. It would predict that the temperature of heaven would be 498 degrees Celsius hotter than the earth is currently. Thus heaven would be about 525 °C or 977 °F.
However, this temperature would only be the "steady-state" temperature. Presumably Heaven was created shortly after Earth so that it would be ready for its first inhabitants: Abel, Adam and Eve. Revelation 21:17 says that the walls of New Jerusalem are 144 cubits thick. This is about 66 meters or 216 feet. Such a thick wall would be an effective insulator. Heaven would thus have taken many months to reach its equilibrium temperature. But it presumably has reached about 525 °C today.
Hell's Temperature: Revelation 21:8 states "But the fearful, and unbelieving ... shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." Brimstone is sulphur. In order for sulphur to be molten, its temperature must be at or below 444.6 °C or 832 °F.
Thus heaven is at least 80 °C or 145 °F hotter than Hell. Assuming that the glorified bodies that the inhabitants have in Heaven are as sensitive to heat as our present earthly bodies, then they would suffer greatly; Heaven would become worse than Hell. Since that cannot happen, due to theological considerations, Heaven must have some very effective methods of air conditioning to handle the excess incoming radiation.
The student who received an "A" started his calculations by considering whether the total mass of Hell was increasing or decreasing with time. For this, he had to first calculate whether there was a net increase in the number of souls in Hell with time, or a reduction.From basic theological assumptions, no souls ever leave Hell. Hell is conceived of as a place of punishment where its inmates are tortured for all eternity. On the other hand, souls are continually entering Hell. The student observed that many religions teach that anyone who is not a member will go to Hell. Historically, Christians have taught that all non-Christians will go to Hell. And many non-Christians have believed that all Christians will go there as well. One might therefore assume that all souls will end up in Hell. Thus with souls continually entering Hell and no souls exiting, the total mass of Hell is increasing.
There are two possibilities:
If the volume of Hell is expanding at a slower rate than souls are entering, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will "clearly increase until all Hell breaks loose."
On the other hand, if hell is expanding faster than this rate, then the temperature and pressure will "drop until Hell freezes over."
The student recalled a postulate given to him by a certain coed during his freshman year. She said that "it will be a cold night in Hell before I sleepwith you." He noted that he had still not been able to engage in sexual relationships with her. He concluded that Hell is in no danger of freezing over. Thus Option 2 is invalid, the temperature of Hell is increasing, and thus Hell is exothermic.
Is Heaven hotter than Hell?
The temperatures of Heaven and of Hell are not given specifically in the Bible. That may be because the various temperature scales (Fahrenheit, Celsius, Rankin and Kelvin) were not created by the 1st century CE. However, there is sufficient data available to calculate the temperature of Heaven. The maximum temperature of Hell can also be determined.
Heaven's temperature: Isaiah 30:26 states: "Moreover, the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days." One individual interpreted this passage as meaning that the radiation received by Heaven from the sun is 7 times 7 or 49 times as much as the earth does today. 1 Added to that is the contribution of the moon which would equal the present amount that the earth receives from the sun. Thus Heaven would receive (49 + 1) or 50 times the radiation as the earth does today. The Stefan-Boltzmann law for radiation links the temperature of an object with the amount of radiation received. It would predict that the temperature of heaven would be 498 degrees Celsius hotter than the earth is currently. Thus heaven would be about 525 °C or 977 °F.
However, this temperature would only be the "steady-state" temperature. Presumably Heaven was created shortly after Earth so that it would be ready for its first inhabitants: Abel, Adam and Eve. Revelation 21:17 says that the walls of New Jerusalem are 144 cubits thick. This is about 66 meters or 216 feet. Such a thick wall would be an effective insulator. Heaven would thus have taken many months to reach its equilibrium temperature. But it presumably has reached about 525 °C today.
Hell's Temperature: Revelation 21:8 states "But the fearful, and unbelieving ... shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." Brimstone is sulphur. In order for sulphur to be molten, its temperature must be at or below 444.6 °C or 832 °F.
Thus heaven is at least 80 °C or 145 °F hotter than Hell. Assuming that the glorified bodies that the inhabitants have in Heaven are as sensitive to heat as our present earthly bodies, then they would suffer greatly; Heaven would become worse than Hell. Since that cannot happen, due to theological considerations, Heaven must have some very effective methods of air conditioning to handle the excess incoming radiation.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Amen, Amen...
Jesus said these words sometime in his ministry..."I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." What is scary is that there are people in this world who insite hate in children. I am certainly not anti-muslim, but any grouping has extremist among them. It saddens me, no it makes me down right angry that people are able to brainwash children to do this...(watch the video)
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
You will cry!
Good grief, this is one of those emails that one just can't ignore. It certainly made me reflect on something. Obviously what I say now will only make sense once you read the article and watch the video. When Tayla is not acting herself and giving Ash and I a diffecult time, I feel very frustrated and wonder if I'm being punished or something. The truth is that she is just being a normal baby with normal baby issues. Here is a dad who was able to overlook the series diffeculties of his son and in fact do everything he could to make his son's life fulfilling. I really need to put things into perspective...
Strongest Dad in the World[From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly]
I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay fortheir text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles inmarat! hons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchairbut also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back mountainclimbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. Makes taking yourson bowling look a little lame, right?And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.This love story began in Winchester, Mass., 43 years ago, when Rick wasstrangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged andunable to control his limbs.``He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told himand his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. ``Put him in an institution.''But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes followedthem around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the engineeringdepartment at Tufts University and asked if there was anything to help theboy communicate. ``No way,'' Dick says he was told. ``There's nothing goingon in ! his brain.''"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a lotwas going on in his brain.Rigged up with a computer that allowed him to control the cursor by touchinga switch with the side of his head, Rick was finally able to communicate.First words? ``Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzedin an accident and the school organized a charity run for him, Rick peckedout, ``Dad, I want to do that.''Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described ``porker'' who never ran morethan a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he tried.``Then i t was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I was sore for twoweeks.''That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed, ``when we were running, itfelt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rickthat feeling as often as he could. He got into! such hard-belly shape that heand Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.``No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite asingle runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a fewyears Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then theyfound a way to get into the race officially: In 1983 they ran anothermarathon so fast they made the qualifying time for Boston the followingyear.Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?''How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he wassix going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick tried.Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans inHawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud getting passed by anold guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you think?Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No way,'' he says. Dickdoes it purely for ``the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with acantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th BostonMarathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their besttime'? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world record,which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to be held bya guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the time.``No question about it,'' Rick types. ``My dad is the Father of theCentury.''And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had! a mildheart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries was 95%clogged. ``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' one doctor told him,``you probably would've died 15 years ago.''So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, andDick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always findways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete insome backbreaking race every > weekend, including this Father's Day.That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants togive him is a gift he can never buy.``The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my dad sit in the chairand I push him once.''
Strongest Dad in the World[From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly]
I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay fortheir text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles inmarat! hons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchairbut also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back mountainclimbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. Makes taking yourson bowling look a little lame, right?And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.This love story began in Winchester, Mass., 43 years ago, when Rick wasstrangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged andunable to control his limbs.``He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told himand his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. ``Put him in an institution.''But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes followedthem around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the engineeringdepartment at Tufts University and asked if there was anything to help theboy communicate. ``No way,'' Dick says he was told. ``There's nothing goingon in ! his brain.''"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a lotwas going on in his brain.Rigged up with a computer that allowed him to control the cursor by touchinga switch with the side of his head, Rick was finally able to communicate.First words? ``Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzedin an accident and the school organized a charity run for him, Rick peckedout, ``Dad, I want to do that.''Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described ``porker'' who never ran morethan a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he tried.``Then i t was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I was sore for twoweeks.''That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed, ``when we were running, itfelt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rickthat feeling as often as he could. He got into! such hard-belly shape that heand Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.``No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite asingle runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a fewyears Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then theyfound a way to get into the race officially: In 1983 they ran anothermarathon so fast they made the qualifying time for Boston the followingyear.Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?''How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he wassix going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick tried.Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans inHawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud getting passed by anold guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you think?Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No way,'' he says. Dickdoes it purely for ``the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with acantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th BostonMarathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their besttime'? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world record,which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to be held bya guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the time.``No question about it,'' Rick types. ``My dad is the Father of theCentury.''And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had! a mildheart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries was 95%clogged. ``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' one doctor told him,``you probably would've died 15 years ago.''So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, andDick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always findways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete insome backbreaking race every > weekend, including this Father's Day.That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants togive him is a gift he can never buy.``The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my dad sit in the chairand I push him once.''
Friday, October 20, 2006
This one begat that one begat that one....
Geez, it seems as though I forgot I even have a blog. I have just found a new hobby...I want know where I come from. I have started a family tree. It's amazing that when you begin, before you go back generations you actually get ridiculous when you go laterally. I'm using a program called Legecy 5.0, which is software that helps you to map a family tree and link the various relationships quite easliy. If you are interested in doing this, it is surprisingly interesting. The software is available at this website www.legacyfamilytree.com. Let me know how you go. If you have ever dabbled in this hobby and you have any advice, let me know. I will soon post a link to an HTML version of my family tree.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
An update on the monster
Well, I would not yet graduate her to angel status but it seems as though someone came and swapped our baby in the middle of the night. Last night she slept right through the night and we don't have to fight her to sleep in the day. We are having a great time in Sedge. Yesterday we went to George and to Victoria Bay...here are some pics:
The next two pics are very arb I know...they would look much cooler if I had a Canon EOS 350D...hint, hint, nudge, nudge...say no more:
The next two pics are very arb I know...they would look much cooler if I had a Canon EOS 350D...hint, hint, nudge, nudge...say no more:
These are called Baby Banz...the real deal, not fleamarket style.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Here in the Garden Route
The Knysna Heads
Fun in the sun
Mmmmm...Sushi
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
We're in Sedgefield
I would love to post photos of the beach...but the truth is the weather is not all its cracked up to be...but don't you worry, there will be photos and plenty of them. However, I am posting probably the best photo I've ever taken...I'm sure you'll agree:
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Makes you think about the church
I was once asked why I was a Methodist (I think I've written about this subject...), well in light of being asked I found a cute (but sick) joke about being asked what denomination you are.
A man was standing off the edge of the Sydney Harbour Bridge --about to jump. A passer-by tried to talk him down; he asked: "well, are you a Christian?" to which the man answered "yes." He exclaimed: "great, me too; what kind of Christian are you? Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant?" The answer was: "Protestant." "Me too; what kind of Protestant? Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Pentecostal?" Pentecostal. The man got excited: "me too; are you an initial evidence or a third wave Pentecostal?" "Initial evidence." "Me too; what kind of initial evidence? Are you a AOG, CRC, COC, CCC?" "AOG." Now, he got really excited: "Me too; are you Premillenial, Post Millenial or Amillenial?" The guy on the bridge said: "Amillenial" and with that the passer-by, becoming very angry, screamed: "Die, heretic!" and pushed him off the bridge.
The Methodist Church of Southern Africa is busy debating the issue of Same Sex Relationships and how they fit into the bigger picture. There are some far right of the issue and some far left. I think that as I watch the responses of the various people, although they are all Methodist, it makes me wonder if they would love to push one another off of bridges. The sad thing is that the world looks on to us as the church and is probably saying: "you see, those Christians are a bunch of weirdo's". My prayer is that, apart from our understanding of God, the bible and the church...can Christians not just hold onto the crux of the gospel: LOVE! Love God, love yourself and love one another (that does not mean shouting DIE, HERETIC!)
Picture of the Execution of a heretic
For what it's worth.
A man was standing off the edge of the Sydney Harbour Bridge --about to jump. A passer-by tried to talk him down; he asked: "well, are you a Christian?" to which the man answered "yes." He exclaimed: "great, me too; what kind of Christian are you? Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant?" The answer was: "Protestant." "Me too; what kind of Protestant? Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Pentecostal?" Pentecostal. The man got excited: "me too; are you an initial evidence or a third wave Pentecostal?" "Initial evidence." "Me too; what kind of initial evidence? Are you a AOG, CRC, COC, CCC?" "AOG." Now, he got really excited: "Me too; are you Premillenial, Post Millenial or Amillenial?" The guy on the bridge said: "Amillenial" and with that the passer-by, becoming very angry, screamed: "Die, heretic!" and pushed him off the bridge.
The Methodist Church of Southern Africa is busy debating the issue of Same Sex Relationships and how they fit into the bigger picture. There are some far right of the issue and some far left. I think that as I watch the responses of the various people, although they are all Methodist, it makes me wonder if they would love to push one another off of bridges. The sad thing is that the world looks on to us as the church and is probably saying: "you see, those Christians are a bunch of weirdo's". My prayer is that, apart from our understanding of God, the bible and the church...can Christians not just hold onto the crux of the gospel: LOVE! Love God, love yourself and love one another (that does not mean shouting DIE, HERETIC!)
Picture of the Execution of a heretic
For what it's worth.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Tayla went to a party
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Little Devil...
Some might say that babies are little angels...not this one, she's growing horns. Well no one said that having a baby was easy and that they would behave all the time. However, I still love her even though she drive us both crazy at times. Must be how the Father feels about us.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
The Fridge Elf is back!
I remember when I was a Youth Pastor in Alberton I shared a flat with a friend and colleague. Now it is interesting when you stay with another person as a flat mate…both of you won’t tell the other one if they are irritated about something just to keep the peace. One thing that really irritated me about this friend was that he would put dirty dishes in the fridge (I later interrogated him on the issue and he said that it was to keep ants away…I said that he should just wash the dished then, go figure). In order to deal with this issue I put notes on the fridge from the resident Fridge Elf stating that he did not like having his house dirtied with dirty dishes…could he kindly desist from this practise. From then on I was called the Fridge Elf…I had forgotten about that and so now I reinstitute this handle.
P.S. The Fridge Elf is the creature who turns off the light in your fridge when you close the door (that is of course if you believe that the light goes off…but the Fridge Elf definitely exists!)
Who are you?
I have recently noticed on the Cluster Maps that I have had a number of hits from all over the world. Now I know that often someone would come across my blog by mistake or through serendipity but I would be really keen to know who you all are. If you visit my blog, doesn’t matter where you come from, please leave a short comment saying who you are (I don’t mind if you give me your web handle) and where you’re from…purely out of interest.
Thanks
J
Thanks
J
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Isn't she just so beautiful
What a happy face. For thise wanting to see videos, I am busy experimenting which format to do...embedded or download.
I did an online quiz called "What's your theological worldview?" I'm not sure whether or not I should be surprised by the results, anyway here they are:
Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 82%
Neo orthodox 68%
Emergent/Postmodern 61%
Classical Liberal 57%
Roman Catholic 54%
Charismatic/Pentecostal 50%
Modern Liberal 50%
Reformed Evangelical 39%
Fundamentalist 18%
You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavily by John Wesley and the Methodists.
What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com
Well I'm not exactly sure that this is a good thing, but at least I'm not lying when I stand at Synod and say that I believe and preach Methodist Doctrine. As I was reflecting on the results I remembered a question that was asked of me when I was in Matric..."why are you a Methodist?” My first response was, well that's what I grew up to be. I could not make an informed response because of the "sterling job" (please note the sarcasm) some of our local churches do in Confirmation training. Never the less, it was this question that placed a seed of discontent within me. I was happy with the Methodist Church since it seemed moderate enough in its practices compared to other churches...i.e. I wasn't too bored neither was I freaked out (by those "Christiany types" as one of my Confirmation Candidates keeps saying). It was only when I began my training to be a Minister that I began to discover what it meant to be a Wesleyan and I tend to agree to some extent with Rev. Dr. Peter Storey when he says..."Why be a Methodist if you're not a Wesleyan!" I am now very much convinced of the fact that God wants everyone saved, that everyone needs to be saved, that everyone can be assured of there salvation and that there is such a thing as Christian Perfection. There are obviously things that frustrate me about the Methodist Church but then the organisation of the church is largely human and thus wrought with flaws...like humans. I pray that we would one day understand what Jesus wanted to do with the church.
Every Blessing J
Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 82%
Neo orthodox 68%
Emergent/Postmodern 61%
Classical Liberal 57%
Roman Catholic 54%
Charismatic/Pentecostal 50%
Modern Liberal 50%
Reformed Evangelical 39%
Fundamentalist 18%
You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavily by John Wesley and the Methodists.
What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com
Well I'm not exactly sure that this is a good thing, but at least I'm not lying when I stand at Synod and say that I believe and preach Methodist Doctrine. As I was reflecting on the results I remembered a question that was asked of me when I was in Matric..."why are you a Methodist?” My first response was, well that's what I grew up to be. I could not make an informed response because of the "sterling job" (please note the sarcasm) some of our local churches do in Confirmation training. Never the less, it was this question that placed a seed of discontent within me. I was happy with the Methodist Church since it seemed moderate enough in its practices compared to other churches...i.e. I wasn't too bored neither was I freaked out (by those "Christiany types" as one of my Confirmation Candidates keeps saying). It was only when I began my training to be a Minister that I began to discover what it meant to be a Wesleyan and I tend to agree to some extent with Rev. Dr. Peter Storey when he says..."Why be a Methodist if you're not a Wesleyan!" I am now very much convinced of the fact that God wants everyone saved, that everyone needs to be saved, that everyone can be assured of there salvation and that there is such a thing as Christian Perfection. There are obviously things that frustrate me about the Methodist Church but then the organisation of the church is largely human and thus wrought with flaws...like humans. I pray that we would one day understand what Jesus wanted to do with the church.
Every Blessing J
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Tayla update
Well, here is an update on the little monster named Tayla. Sometimes she's an Angel and other times not. Last night she was somewhere in between. Right now she's playing with a rattle (although she can't hold it yet). She smiles and laughs at it when Ash rattles it. I thought since I have now a server that I can host files on, I would now load videos of the little one. Here is one (warning to those without broadband...it is approx 2MB)
http://www.savefile.com/files/1236275
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Forgive as the Father does
Forgive as the Father doesWell, here I am again and I finally thought that I would add a little something to read about. I have received some feedback on the Forgiveness thing and thought I would post the sermon I preached on the subject. Ash (that is the person I am married to) said that I don’t preach enough practical sermons, so there we go. The sermon is available in MSWord format at this link. Perhaps I will also send a link to an MP3 of the sermon tomorrow. Dr David Croninger (a friend from the US) sent me a quote on forgiveness:
—“Forgiveness is the fragrance of the violet, which still clings fast to the heel that crushed it.” --author unknown
Sermon on forgiveness: http://www.savefile.com/files/1436638 (46k)
Sermon on forgiveness: http://www.savefile.com/files/1436638 (46k)
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Pics of Tayla
Well there has been a request for more photos of Tayla so here we are...no profound words of wisdom today, sorry!
Friday, July 28, 2006
O...my mind!
They say (whoever "they" are) that your desk is an indication of what's going on in your mind...here is my mind right now during prep for Sunday:
Forgive?!
At church we are currently using the Heartlines Movie series that is on SABC as a preaching series. The topic this week is "Forgiveness". Apart from the fact that I have to preach about it so therefore apply my mind (oh yes and ask for the Spirit's guidance), it has got me to thinking. Perhaps the reason there is so much hate and anxiety in this world is because we just cannot learn to forgive. I know that when a Taxi cuts me off, I immediately feel angry and often will not drop it; I feel the need for vindication. Now that seems like a simple issue and you don't see me going around bombing Taxis. But that is just it; my reaction is merely a small time version of what is happening in the middle east (I'm not trying to simplify the issue here). Is our need for vindication against small wrong-doings not the beginning of bigger things? The initial problem is often clouded by our need for revenge; we have allowed our emotions to rule. Look at the conflict in Ireland...do you really think that the Catholics and Protestants are fighting over Theology, heck most of them are not even practicing Christians. Anyway, that's just me doing some Sermon prep online...I'll probably turf it all anyway.
As a parting shot, I love this little quote that is in the Heartlines discussion guide...
"Forgiving someone is like setting a prisoner free, only to realise that it was you who was the prisoner."
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Oh I love Gadgets!
I thought that since I’m into gadgets I would brag a little bit. I recently acquired an HP iPaq hw6515 (thanks dad, my continuous supplier of all things gadgety). I used to have the iMate Pocket PC which was also cool but this is cooler. Why, well it has built in GPS running HandyMap software. This of course is a constant irritation for Ash since she can’t stand the continuous “In 500m please turn left at the intersection” or “Please reduce your speed”. It is of course also a source of the green eyed monster of my Colleague Brian since he still only has the iPaq 1900 series…it doesn’t even have a phone built in, let alone GPS (sorry Brian). I need to note that I have set the default voice to male… I will not take directions from a woman.
Cheers,
J
Well... what can I say?
Well this is the first time I’ve tried this blogging thing. I think the reason that I chose to call the blog “What can I say?” really indicates whether or not I really wanted to do this. I have never really been one to journal things but…what can I say, now’s a good enough time as any to begin.
I think it would be important to start with by letting anybody that reads this know the most exciting thing that has happened in the last while i.e. I have a five week old daughter named Tayla Victoria Smith. She is absolutely incredible…well done Ash on doing all the hard work. I say this to everybody, “I will not say Tayla is good at night, she has been good the last 5 nights. I’m not sure how she will be tonight and I am not sure how she will be tomorrow night. If she is good I praise God, if she is not I pray for patience. Here is a picture of the three of us:
Just an interesting thing I happened to come across on the internet today…give it try, you might be surprised. It is a test to see how you think, like a man or a woman. Just go to the “Brain Sex” link, the test will take about 15 minutes. Here is the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sex/index_cookie.shtml
Here are my results:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/print/science/humanbody/sex/results.shtml
Cheers,
J
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