Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Judging, Examining, and Specktating

“Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘LET me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:1-5 (HCSB)
I have previously preached on this passage (see here).  I recently was reflecting on this passage and I had another insight into what Jesus was teaching.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Exodus Presentation

This is a Google Earth presentation that examines a possible route of the exodus and site of Mt Sinai.  It includes photos and a 3D tour using Google Earth.  You will need to download and install Google Earth.  Then you will need to download the "Exodus" Google Earth File.  The steps are not synced with the audio so you will need to click through the items on the side bar to the left.  To view an item click the check box and double click the icon.  Some of the stops are hyperlinked with text (mostly Bible verses).  To open the text box just click on the blue underlined hyperlink. You will need to zoom in on some pictures using the tools upper right corner.

Audio:
Egypt to the Crossing of the Red Sea
Red Sea to Mt Sinai
Enhanced by Zemanta

What Did You Go Out to See


Audio: Listen
Slides:



Text:
As these men went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?
Matthew 11:7 (HCSB)
Jesus as you recall had just responded to John's disciples about whether he was the one. He now turns his attention to the crowd. He asks three rhetorical questions. "Did you go to see a reed swaying in the wind? Dis you go to see a man dress in fine clothes? Or did you go to see a prophet?"

Friday, March 9, 2012

Sermon: Great Expectations

Audio: Great Expectation
Slides:
 
Text:

Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.
The problems began when Chippie's owner decided to clean Chippie's cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She'd barely said "hello" when "ssssopp!" Chippie got sucked in.
The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie -- still alive, but stunned.
Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air.
Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.
A few days after the trauma, the reporter who'd initially written about the event contacted Chippie's owner to see how the bird was recovering. "Well," she replied, "Chippie doesn't sing much anymore -- he just sits and stares."
It's hard not to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over . . . That's enough to steal the song from the stoutest heart.
~Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, Word Publishing, 1991, p. 11.
I would like to share from Matthew 11:1-6.  In this passage we will see how John the Baptist had been sucked in, washed up, and blown over, and how Jesus pointed John the way to restore the song of his heart.  Let’s pray.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Speak the Truith in Love (What is Truth?)

“What is truth?” said Pilate.
John 18:38 (HCSB)
Indeed what is truth?  It would seem easy to define truth as that which is true.  However using a term to define a term is faulty logic.  I want to suggest that there are 4 types of truth.  There may be more, but alternatives are more or less variations on these four types.  The types of truth are absolute, objective, relative, and subjective.

I like to refer to Absolute truth as divine truth or God's truth.  We tend to think of this truth as always true regardless of time, place, or person.  It is true no matter what.  I  believe that absolute truth is a person.  That person is Jesus Christ.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6 (HCSB)

Friday, February 3, 2012

Speak the Truth in Love (Good Communication)


Speaking the truth in love requires good communication in my estimation.  If you are just talking to get your point across then really you are just using persuasive speech and not solid relationship affirming communication.  Persuasive speech does not require an intimacy of relationship.  It does not require mutual understanding.  It does not even require the person speaking to take a turn listening.  Good good communication does require these though. Let's take a closer look at the process of good communication.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Speak the Truth in Love (The context)

Have you ever noticed that when someone says “I am speaking the truth in love” that it is more to make themselves feel better than a genuine sentiment? I would be more accurate to say, “You are not going to like what I have to say so I am going to say I am doing it in love to make myself feel better.” This expression is often used in relationships that have conflict. What does it mean to “Speak the truth in love”? The reference is to Ephesians 4:14-16

Monday, January 30, 2012

I Should, I will, or God Wills?

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...
Image via Wikipedia
I have been thinking upon “I should” and “I will.”
“I should”
“I should” is either self-hatred or a way to not feel so bad for saying I won’t. In Self-Hatred should becomes a never ending list of things to condemn yourself. “I should lose weight,” “I should exercise,” “I should spend more time with family.” These are some of my should’s (you can identify your own I am sure). They subtly eat away at the general well-being of the soul. Taking all of our shortcomings, failings, and disappointments in life we can turn them into should.

It is self-hatred because should just eats away and eats away and eats away until the will to do anyting is gone. You become resigned to this death sentence on the soul. This self-condemnation does not change you or what you do. “I should” never leads to any change just greater and longer lists of discouragement.