Sermon # 1018
November 28, 2010
Luke 1:5-25
1st Sunday of Advent
Dr. Ed Pettus
“Sing, O Barren One”
Isaiah 54 begins with these words:
Sing, O barren one who did not bear;
Burst into song and shout, you who have not been in labor!
Barren women do not sing. Barren women cry because they are without children. The shame of not giving an heir to the family often led to other arrangements like we have when Sarah and Abraham feared that God’s promise of a son would not and could not come to fruition. Sarah gave Abraham one of her servants to serve as a surrogate mother for God’s promise to be fulfilled. But that was not God’s plan. The barren Sarah would indeed bear a son, Isaac, and so she would sing, and she would laugh.
Isaiah continues:
For the children of the desolate woman will be more than the children of her that is married, says the LORD. Enlarge the site of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left, and your descendants will possess the nations and will settle the desolate towns.
The promise is for more children than can be imagined, so many children that you will have to build a bigger house, or as the poem says: “enlarge your tent”!
Hannah, from the book of Samuel, is another example of this kind of story. She was barren. She was in misery and prayed to the Lord and the Lord heard her prayer and she conceived and had a son named Samuel. When God’s plan comes to pass Hannah sings her song:
“My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in my God. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in my victory. ‘There is no Holy One like the LORD, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” Hannah’s song becomes the model for Mary’s song, another woman who has a miraculous birth, not one from barrenness, but one greatly unexpected, nonetheless!
Today’s gospel lesson takes us along another journey with a barren woman. Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife, is one who exemplifies the Isaiah song. She is barren. She and Zechariah are old, old enough to know they are too old to have a child. But that was not God’s plan.
Zechariah was a priest and the story points both to his and Elizabeth’s lineage, Zechariah from a strong line of priests and Elizabeth from the house of Aaron. Luke tells us:
Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.
It is an interesting contrast: they are both righteous, blameless in accordance with the commandments and regulations of the Lord and yet there is a contrast to that righteousness, the enigma is the conjunction “but”. They are righteous, and yet, they are righteous – “but” – they have no children. In essence the story makes no sense at this point – righteous, but no children. According to Jewish thinking, righteousness equals a house filled with children. So the story sets us up for this odd circumstance of barrenness.
I think also there is a bit of humor here in the phrase “getting on in years”. I guess it is a polite way to say they were getting old, too old for children. Well, God has a sense of humor too and sometimes God’s sense of humor works out with tremendous blessing. One day Zechariah is in the sanctuary and an angel appears to him:
“When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.”
This is great news to Zechariah, but also a little hard to believe. After all, he was getting on in years. He even tells the angel he is an old man and his wife is getting on in years too. Well, in this case it is not wise to second guess the angel of the Lord and Zechariah is struck mute until John is born. Elizabeth does conceive and she sings her own song: “This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.”
Elizabeth will give birth to the one who will proclaim the coming of the Messiah, John the Baptist.
Barren women cannot sing until God intervenes, then there is singing and laughing and celebrating.
Barren women having children are stories of the impossibilities of God. It is the lesson we will learn again in the Christmas narrative, that nothing is impossible with God. These are the stories of life when life seems impossible. These are the stories of hope when hope is lost. These are the stories that bring us into Advent, a time of hope and great anticipation as we look to God to do the impossible: to give barren Elizabeth a child named John who will announce the good news of the coming Messiah; to give Mary a child named Jesus, the Messiah, who will announce the good news of the kingdom, of salvation, of healing, of hope. God intervenes and God intervenes still today.
When we think nothing can come of a situation, when we think someone is beyond redemption, when we think there is no way to make all the payments due, when we think no peace is possible in a conflict, whatever the hopeless circumstance, the message of scripture comes to us: Sing, O barren one. Sing, O hopeless one. Sing, O depressed one. We can sing only because we know that there is nothing impossible with God. We can sing because we know that the Lord still intervenes. The good news to begin our Advent journey is that we can sing no matter what “barrenness” we may face.
The song may not be today, but it will come. Elizabeth thought she would never sing, but even when she was getting on in age, she was able to sing of the glory of God. Hannah thought she would never sing, but out of her barrenness – a child. Sarah thought she would never sing, but even when she laughed at God’s promise of a son, she could sing. Sing, O barren one. Barrenness can sometimes serve as a metaphor for what seems impossible to us. Advent is a season in the church year to consider our impossibilities and the possibilities of God. Sing, O barren one. Sing, O unhappy one. Sing, O (insert your impossible situation here) one! For the Lord hears our prayers and the Lord does impossible things that we may indeed sing. For the Lord has come. O come, O come, Emmanuel! Amen.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
2 Sunday Sermons!
Sermon # 1015
November 7, 2010
1 Thessalonians 2:13
Dr. Ed Pettus
“Essential Tenets: The Authority of Scripture”
A few Sundays ago I preached on the God-breathed word, the inspiration of scripture. Today I want to take up what is considered an essential tenet of our faith, a key orthodox belief, a cornerstone of the Reformed faith – the authority of scripture. If you were able to be here when I preached on inspiration, we observed that the scripture is given a spiritual life of sorts, for God has breathed life into his word. God has poured out his spirit on the word. According to Hebrews the word is active and living. We can believe all that, confess that, and trust that, but what does it mean that the inspired word of God is an authority for our life and faith?
The point or question I want to raise this morning is not about our view of scripture, but what authority does scripture hold? Not about inspiration, infallibility, and the like, but what authority do we give to the text? We can believe in the authority of scripture in accordance with the word and with our confessions, but will be submit to the authority? Will we let it be with us according to God’s Word?
Reformed Theology holds to two forms of revelation. One is general revelation, basically that God is revealed to us in nature, creation, and just in simple observation. Psalm 19 would be an example of general revelation: “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork” (1). The other type of revelation is called special revelation of which there are three kinds: revelation in the history of Israel and the person of Jesus Christ, revelation in scripture, and revelation in the Christian church. Shirley Guthrie understands these two forms in the sense that the first (general revelation) is from us to God, that we seek God in nature and human life, and the second (special revelation) is from God to us, that God seeks and finds us (Christian Doctrine, p. 40).
Our focus this morning is on the scripture as a special revelation wherein God has taken the initiative to reveal himself to us. We experience that revelation in three ways: in the person of Jesus Christ – the word made flesh (John 1); the written word (2 Timothy 3:16); and in the preached word and sacrament (Acts 13:44).
What do our confessional statements say about the authority of scripture?
From the Second Helvetic Confession:
We believe and confess the canonical Scriptures of the holy prophets and apostles of both Testaments to be the true Word of God, and to have sufficient authority of themselves, not of [humans]. For God himself spoke to the fathers, prophets, apostles, and still speaks to us through the Holy Scriptures (5.001).
This is God reaching out to us through the scriptures!
We judge, therefore, that from these Scriptures are to be derived true wisdom and godliness, the reformation and government of churches; as also instruction in all duties of piety; and, to be short, the confirmation of doctrines, and the rejection of all errors, moreover, all exhortations according to that word of the apostle, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,” etc. (II Tim. 3:16–17). Again, “I am writing these instructions to you,” says the apostle to Timothy, “so that you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God,” etc. (I Tim. 3:14–15). SCRIPTURE IS THE WORD OF GOD. Again, the selfsame apostle to the Thessalonians: “When,” says he, “you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it, not as the word of men but as what it really is, the Word of God,” etc. (I Thess. 2:13.) For the Lord himself has said in the Gospel, “It is not you who speak, but the Spirit of my Father speaking through you”; therefore “he who hears you hears me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Matt. 10:20; Luke 10:16; John 13:20), (5.003).
Two points on the authority of scripture from this confession:
1) the Bible has sufficient authority in and of itself. What I believe that means for us today is that we do not need to defend the authority of the Bible by using sources outside the Bible. Part of the problem in the church is that, after years of study since the Reformation and the Enlightenment, the church has bought into the belief that we had to prove the Bible valid by using outside sources. For instance, science and archeology became authorities to which the Bible must submit itself to be proven true. We basically gave up the notion that the Bible has its own authority and thought we had to give it credibility from something else. In other words, we gave more authority to science, reason, rationality, modern philosophies, and the like, and in turn, lost our confidence in the scripture as God’s Word
2) The second point from this confession is that the Bible is our authority in how we life our life. “From these Scriptures are to be derived true wisdom and godliness, the reformation and government of churches; as also instruction in all duties of piety…(quoting the Bible) that you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God”. The Bible is sufficient for us to know how we ought to live. To that end the Westminster Confession adds:
The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of [humans]. (6.001).
The Larger Catechism also speaks of the authority of scripture for faith and obedience:
Q. 3. What is the Word of God?
A. The holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, the only rule of faith and obedience.
Q. 4. How does it appear that the Scriptures are the Word of God?
A. The Scriptures manifest themselves to be the Word of God, by their majesty and purity; by the consent of all the parts, and the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God; by their light and power to convince and convert sinners, to comfort and build up believers unto salvation. But the Spirit of God, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in the heart of [humanity], is alone able fully to persuade it that they are the very word of God.
The Holy Spirit is at work in us to persuade that the scripture is the very word of God. So, how do we give authority or demonstrate that authority in our life?
The Bible recognizes authority by submission. It is not too far away from Christmas and so I’ll begin with Mary, in her conversation with the angel Gabriel. Mary comes to believe that God’s word is true and she will bare a son. She yields her life to that word in Luke 1: “Let it be with me according to your word.” I can think of no better prayer for the believer when it comes to living under the authority of God’s Word. “Lord, let it be with me according to your word.”
Say that prayer with me!
LORD – LET IS BE WITH ME – ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.
Let’s say it as a congregation!
LORD – LET IS BE WITH US – ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.
That is a prayer that submits to the authority of scripture!
Jesus demonstrates the authority of scripture when he quotes Deuteronomy as he faces temptation in the desert, telling the devil that we do not live by bread alone but we live by the word of God. We live by the word! It is not just the food we eat that sustains us, but the very word of God. We know that the body will eventually cease to function without bread, without food. So too will the spirit, the soul; our being will die without the word of God.
Sometimes we use the expression “get a life” when we come across someone who complains about everything or really when someone complains about the most insignificant of things. “Man, get a life.” In essence we are saying that there is more to life than some of the petty things we so concern ourselves with. “Get a life.” “Dude, stop focusing on minor things. Get a life!” What the authority of scripture is telling us is: “Get a life.” Not just a life, but get life in this word of God. Psalm 119 testifies in numerous verses about God’s word for life: Revive me according to your word (25); your promise gives me life (50); I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life (93); give me life, O Lord, according to your word (107).
What if our imaginations could again be stirred with the understanding that God’s word gives us life? What if we took the time to engage the word seeking to live under its authority? What authorities do we live by? When we are young we look to parents and teachers as authorities. Dad seems to know everything when we are ten years old. As we grow up we look to other sources as authoritative: education, government, ourselves, philosophies, experts on everything from finances to diet, and all sorts of views to which we are eager to submit. We want to trust the Bible as the authority, but we question and doubt and try other things. What Reformed Theology advocates is that the Word of God, the Bible, is our authority for all things for faith and life and obedience to God. This means that the Bible does not take a secondary role to any other authority: human, cultural, ideological, political, scientific, and so on.
The scripture has authority only in that this word is God’s word. It is illuminated by the work of the Holy Spirit. It is alive and active in our lives (Hebrews 4:12) and as believers it is at work in us (1 Thess. 2:13). As we get into this word, the word gets into us, to reform our lives, to lead us to obedience, to bring us joy and hope and love and faith and promises and all that the person of Jesus Christ gives us through his life, death, and resurrection.
The scriptures are the word of God revealing God to us. God is seeking us through this word. May we submit to its authority, yielding our lives to the truth revealed in God’s word, in the word made flesh – Jesus Christ, and in the work of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sermon # 1016
November 14, 2010
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Dr. Ed Pettus
“The Message of the Cross”
Foolishness. We do not use the word foolish as much as I think people used to. We use words like stupid or idiot, but fool or foolish is not as vogue as it once was. The apostle Paul uses a word in the Greek that is usually translated as foolish: the message of the cross is foolish – to those who are perishing.
Some of our guests today (Madrigals) know about foolishness on TV these days. How many of you watch The Soup? For those who do not know, The Soup is a show that makes fun of other shows, reality shows, dumb comments on talk shows and so on. Basically The Soup highlights foolishness. There is plenty of foolishness on TV!
To those who do not know the cross of Christ, Paul says they consider the message of the cross foolish. The message of the cross is idiotic. Those who take up the cross are foolhardy. Those who take up the cross will be branded as absurd and unwise. Call us crazy, foolish, absurd, idiotic, but we see it as wise to follow Christ. So many in the world hear what we say and they think we are foolish, or they hear the commands we take seriously and they think we are crazy: “Love your enemies. Turn the other cheek. Sacrifice your life for the sake of others. Pray for those who persecute you.” We are seen as foolish, and yet, we know, as Paul knew, that to the ones being saved the message of the cross is the power of God. It is amazing that the cross can be seen so very differently. To the lost the cross is foolishness. To the saved it is the power of God.
Those people we might watch on a show like The Soup are truly the foolish ones, not just because of the things they say and do on TV, but they do not know the message of the cross. There are fools and there are fools. I do think we who believe are fools but a very different kind of fool. I think of it this way: it is foolish like a child who does not know to get out of the rain or who knows to come in but stays out anyway! Children do not stay in the rain because they have weighed the consequences of getting wet with the possibility of catching a cold. They do not consider the rain may be accompanied by lightening. No, they want to play in the rain. They are deemed foolish because they want to play in what adults have learned, through years of their parents calling them out of the rain, as a foolish thing to do.
It is foolish for a child to stay out in the rain, at least from the adult perspective. The child’s foolishness is expressed in the desire to play in the rain. Jesus once said, “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it" (Mk. 10.15). I imagine that in some way, we used to know that playing in the rain was something of a recognition of the power of God. I imagine that in some way we know that the message of the cross is the power of God.
God’s foolishness in the cross is the power of God because it can only be understood by those who have come to reclaim the power of being like a child. It is foolish in what we might call a good way. Foolish like a child who steps innocently into the commands of her parent. Foolish like a child who trusts wholeheartedly in the unconditional love of parents. Foolish like the foolishness of children, playful, spontaneous, and laughing at the world that doesn’t get it!
We need foolishness that is like a child who easily allows the Spirit of God to break out in surprising and amazing ways. We love the innocent and joyous attitude of children. A Sunday school teacher asked the children just before she dismissed them to go to church, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?" Little Sally jumped up and yelled, "Because people are sleeping!"
It is funny and it is somewhat profound. Some of us do sleep, sleeping with our eyes wide open because we can look out into the rain and see no reason to go play! Children never “sleep” through the fun. They never miss an opportunity to romp in the power of God!
Jesus had a playful foolishness about himself, especially in his stories. The kingdom of God is like…a mustard seed that starts out little and grows up to be big. Like a man who throws a party and nobody came, so he got mad and invited people you wouldn’t hang out with if your life depended on it. The kingdom of God is like a guy who is careless in how he sows his seed. Like bread dough that you have to play with awhile to get it to rise.
Jesus used a totally different rationality than that of the world. He was playful, foolish, and imaginative. We want to come in out of the rain where everything is safe and dry. But the gospel is never safe; it is outrageous, insubordinate, like a kid who won’t come in out of the rain. The gospel is a call to become foolish, like a kid again.
BE A KID AGAIN...
~ Grow a milk mustache. ~ Read the funnies--throw the rest of the paper away. ~ Dunk your cookies. ~ Play a game where you make up the rules as you go along. ~ Step carefully over sidewalk cracks. ~ Go home today and change into some play clothes. ~ Try to get someone to trade you a better sandwich. ~ Have a staring contest with your cat. ~ Give someone a "hug-around-the-neck." ~ Blow the wrapper off a straw. ~ Refuse to eat crusts. ~ Make a face the next time somebody tells you "no." ~ Ask "Why?" a lot. ~ Have someone read you a story. ~ Eat dessert first. ~ Whatever you're doing, stop once in a while for recess. ~ Walk barefoot in wet grass, in the rain.
Jesus said we should become like children. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:10, we are fools for Christ, and Paul says God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom.
Oh, to be a kid again…foolish, playful, willing to trust God unconditionally, speaking the truth as you see it, sharing, caring, seeing smooth stones as precious gems, romping in the rain, and in the reign of God.
Be a kid like little Johnny. Johnny had been misbehaving and was sent to his room. After a while he emerged and informed his mother that he had thought it over and then said a prayer. "Fine," said the pleased mother. "If you ask God to help you not misbehave, He will help you." "Oh, I didn't ask Him to help me not misbehave," said Johnny. "I asked Him to help you put up with me."
Little Johnny makes no apology for his behavior, which is called “misbehavior” by his mother. He simply prays for those around him to put up with him. Jesus made no apology for his behavior, which the scribes and Pharisees called misbehavior (healing on the Sabbath, picking grain on the Sabbath, forgiving sin, etc.). Jesus just prayed for those around him, even when he hung from the cross – Father, forgive them, they just don’t get it!
The message of the cross is radical foolishness, impetuous, spontaneous, like a kid who refuses to come in out of the rain. Perhaps it is an attitude that we adults should use when approaching God. Such an attitude of childlike foolishness will help us to shed our tendency to be in control of the gospel, to make the gospel seem like sanity to the perishing. We may try to make the message of the cross sound sane, but in believing and proclaiming, we become fools. Ω
November 7, 2010
1 Thessalonians 2:13
Dr. Ed Pettus
“Essential Tenets: The Authority of Scripture”
A few Sundays ago I preached on the God-breathed word, the inspiration of scripture. Today I want to take up what is considered an essential tenet of our faith, a key orthodox belief, a cornerstone of the Reformed faith – the authority of scripture. If you were able to be here when I preached on inspiration, we observed that the scripture is given a spiritual life of sorts, for God has breathed life into his word. God has poured out his spirit on the word. According to Hebrews the word is active and living. We can believe all that, confess that, and trust that, but what does it mean that the inspired word of God is an authority for our life and faith?
The point or question I want to raise this morning is not about our view of scripture, but what authority does scripture hold? Not about inspiration, infallibility, and the like, but what authority do we give to the text? We can believe in the authority of scripture in accordance with the word and with our confessions, but will be submit to the authority? Will we let it be with us according to God’s Word?
Reformed Theology holds to two forms of revelation. One is general revelation, basically that God is revealed to us in nature, creation, and just in simple observation. Psalm 19 would be an example of general revelation: “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork” (1). The other type of revelation is called special revelation of which there are three kinds: revelation in the history of Israel and the person of Jesus Christ, revelation in scripture, and revelation in the Christian church. Shirley Guthrie understands these two forms in the sense that the first (general revelation) is from us to God, that we seek God in nature and human life, and the second (special revelation) is from God to us, that God seeks and finds us (Christian Doctrine, p. 40).
Our focus this morning is on the scripture as a special revelation wherein God has taken the initiative to reveal himself to us. We experience that revelation in three ways: in the person of Jesus Christ – the word made flesh (John 1); the written word (2 Timothy 3:16); and in the preached word and sacrament (Acts 13:44).
What do our confessional statements say about the authority of scripture?
From the Second Helvetic Confession:
We believe and confess the canonical Scriptures of the holy prophets and apostles of both Testaments to be the true Word of God, and to have sufficient authority of themselves, not of [humans]. For God himself spoke to the fathers, prophets, apostles, and still speaks to us through the Holy Scriptures (5.001).
This is God reaching out to us through the scriptures!
We judge, therefore, that from these Scriptures are to be derived true wisdom and godliness, the reformation and government of churches; as also instruction in all duties of piety; and, to be short, the confirmation of doctrines, and the rejection of all errors, moreover, all exhortations according to that word of the apostle, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,” etc. (II Tim. 3:16–17). Again, “I am writing these instructions to you,” says the apostle to Timothy, “so that you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God,” etc. (I Tim. 3:14–15). SCRIPTURE IS THE WORD OF GOD. Again, the selfsame apostle to the Thessalonians: “When,” says he, “you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it, not as the word of men but as what it really is, the Word of God,” etc. (I Thess. 2:13.) For the Lord himself has said in the Gospel, “It is not you who speak, but the Spirit of my Father speaking through you”; therefore “he who hears you hears me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Matt. 10:20; Luke 10:16; John 13:20), (5.003).
Two points on the authority of scripture from this confession:
1) the Bible has sufficient authority in and of itself. What I believe that means for us today is that we do not need to defend the authority of the Bible by using sources outside the Bible. Part of the problem in the church is that, after years of study since the Reformation and the Enlightenment, the church has bought into the belief that we had to prove the Bible valid by using outside sources. For instance, science and archeology became authorities to which the Bible must submit itself to be proven true. We basically gave up the notion that the Bible has its own authority and thought we had to give it credibility from something else. In other words, we gave more authority to science, reason, rationality, modern philosophies, and the like, and in turn, lost our confidence in the scripture as God’s Word
2) The second point from this confession is that the Bible is our authority in how we life our life. “From these Scriptures are to be derived true wisdom and godliness, the reformation and government of churches; as also instruction in all duties of piety…(quoting the Bible) that you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God”. The Bible is sufficient for us to know how we ought to live. To that end the Westminster Confession adds:
The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of [humans]. (6.001).
The Larger Catechism also speaks of the authority of scripture for faith and obedience:
Q. 3. What is the Word of God?
A. The holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, the only rule of faith and obedience.
Q. 4. How does it appear that the Scriptures are the Word of God?
A. The Scriptures manifest themselves to be the Word of God, by their majesty and purity; by the consent of all the parts, and the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God; by their light and power to convince and convert sinners, to comfort and build up believers unto salvation. But the Spirit of God, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in the heart of [humanity], is alone able fully to persuade it that they are the very word of God.
The Holy Spirit is at work in us to persuade that the scripture is the very word of God. So, how do we give authority or demonstrate that authority in our life?
The Bible recognizes authority by submission. It is not too far away from Christmas and so I’ll begin with Mary, in her conversation with the angel Gabriel. Mary comes to believe that God’s word is true and she will bare a son. She yields her life to that word in Luke 1: “Let it be with me according to your word.” I can think of no better prayer for the believer when it comes to living under the authority of God’s Word. “Lord, let it be with me according to your word.”
Say that prayer with me!
LORD – LET IS BE WITH ME – ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.
Let’s say it as a congregation!
LORD – LET IS BE WITH US – ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.
That is a prayer that submits to the authority of scripture!
Jesus demonstrates the authority of scripture when he quotes Deuteronomy as he faces temptation in the desert, telling the devil that we do not live by bread alone but we live by the word of God. We live by the word! It is not just the food we eat that sustains us, but the very word of God. We know that the body will eventually cease to function without bread, without food. So too will the spirit, the soul; our being will die without the word of God.
Sometimes we use the expression “get a life” when we come across someone who complains about everything or really when someone complains about the most insignificant of things. “Man, get a life.” In essence we are saying that there is more to life than some of the petty things we so concern ourselves with. “Get a life.” “Dude, stop focusing on minor things. Get a life!” What the authority of scripture is telling us is: “Get a life.” Not just a life, but get life in this word of God. Psalm 119 testifies in numerous verses about God’s word for life: Revive me according to your word (25); your promise gives me life (50); I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life (93); give me life, O Lord, according to your word (107).
What if our imaginations could again be stirred with the understanding that God’s word gives us life? What if we took the time to engage the word seeking to live under its authority? What authorities do we live by? When we are young we look to parents and teachers as authorities. Dad seems to know everything when we are ten years old. As we grow up we look to other sources as authoritative: education, government, ourselves, philosophies, experts on everything from finances to diet, and all sorts of views to which we are eager to submit. We want to trust the Bible as the authority, but we question and doubt and try other things. What Reformed Theology advocates is that the Word of God, the Bible, is our authority for all things for faith and life and obedience to God. This means that the Bible does not take a secondary role to any other authority: human, cultural, ideological, political, scientific, and so on.
The scripture has authority only in that this word is God’s word. It is illuminated by the work of the Holy Spirit. It is alive and active in our lives (Hebrews 4:12) and as believers it is at work in us (1 Thess. 2:13). As we get into this word, the word gets into us, to reform our lives, to lead us to obedience, to bring us joy and hope and love and faith and promises and all that the person of Jesus Christ gives us through his life, death, and resurrection.
The scriptures are the word of God revealing God to us. God is seeking us through this word. May we submit to its authority, yielding our lives to the truth revealed in God’s word, in the word made flesh – Jesus Christ, and in the work of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sermon # 1016
November 14, 2010
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Dr. Ed Pettus
“The Message of the Cross”
Foolishness. We do not use the word foolish as much as I think people used to. We use words like stupid or idiot, but fool or foolish is not as vogue as it once was. The apostle Paul uses a word in the Greek that is usually translated as foolish: the message of the cross is foolish – to those who are perishing.
Some of our guests today (Madrigals) know about foolishness on TV these days. How many of you watch The Soup? For those who do not know, The Soup is a show that makes fun of other shows, reality shows, dumb comments on talk shows and so on. Basically The Soup highlights foolishness. There is plenty of foolishness on TV!
To those who do not know the cross of Christ, Paul says they consider the message of the cross foolish. The message of the cross is idiotic. Those who take up the cross are foolhardy. Those who take up the cross will be branded as absurd and unwise. Call us crazy, foolish, absurd, idiotic, but we see it as wise to follow Christ. So many in the world hear what we say and they think we are foolish, or they hear the commands we take seriously and they think we are crazy: “Love your enemies. Turn the other cheek. Sacrifice your life for the sake of others. Pray for those who persecute you.” We are seen as foolish, and yet, we know, as Paul knew, that to the ones being saved the message of the cross is the power of God. It is amazing that the cross can be seen so very differently. To the lost the cross is foolishness. To the saved it is the power of God.
Those people we might watch on a show like The Soup are truly the foolish ones, not just because of the things they say and do on TV, but they do not know the message of the cross. There are fools and there are fools. I do think we who believe are fools but a very different kind of fool. I think of it this way: it is foolish like a child who does not know to get out of the rain or who knows to come in but stays out anyway! Children do not stay in the rain because they have weighed the consequences of getting wet with the possibility of catching a cold. They do not consider the rain may be accompanied by lightening. No, they want to play in the rain. They are deemed foolish because they want to play in what adults have learned, through years of their parents calling them out of the rain, as a foolish thing to do.
It is foolish for a child to stay out in the rain, at least from the adult perspective. The child’s foolishness is expressed in the desire to play in the rain. Jesus once said, “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it" (Mk. 10.15). I imagine that in some way, we used to know that playing in the rain was something of a recognition of the power of God. I imagine that in some way we know that the message of the cross is the power of God.
God’s foolishness in the cross is the power of God because it can only be understood by those who have come to reclaim the power of being like a child. It is foolish in what we might call a good way. Foolish like a child who steps innocently into the commands of her parent. Foolish like a child who trusts wholeheartedly in the unconditional love of parents. Foolish like the foolishness of children, playful, spontaneous, and laughing at the world that doesn’t get it!
We need foolishness that is like a child who easily allows the Spirit of God to break out in surprising and amazing ways. We love the innocent and joyous attitude of children. A Sunday school teacher asked the children just before she dismissed them to go to church, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?" Little Sally jumped up and yelled, "Because people are sleeping!"
It is funny and it is somewhat profound. Some of us do sleep, sleeping with our eyes wide open because we can look out into the rain and see no reason to go play! Children never “sleep” through the fun. They never miss an opportunity to romp in the power of God!
Jesus had a playful foolishness about himself, especially in his stories. The kingdom of God is like…a mustard seed that starts out little and grows up to be big. Like a man who throws a party and nobody came, so he got mad and invited people you wouldn’t hang out with if your life depended on it. The kingdom of God is like a guy who is careless in how he sows his seed. Like bread dough that you have to play with awhile to get it to rise.
Jesus used a totally different rationality than that of the world. He was playful, foolish, and imaginative. We want to come in out of the rain where everything is safe and dry. But the gospel is never safe; it is outrageous, insubordinate, like a kid who won’t come in out of the rain. The gospel is a call to become foolish, like a kid again.
BE A KID AGAIN...
~ Grow a milk mustache. ~ Read the funnies--throw the rest of the paper away. ~ Dunk your cookies. ~ Play a game where you make up the rules as you go along. ~ Step carefully over sidewalk cracks. ~ Go home today and change into some play clothes. ~ Try to get someone to trade you a better sandwich. ~ Have a staring contest with your cat. ~ Give someone a "hug-around-the-neck." ~ Blow the wrapper off a straw. ~ Refuse to eat crusts. ~ Make a face the next time somebody tells you "no." ~ Ask "Why?" a lot. ~ Have someone read you a story. ~ Eat dessert first. ~ Whatever you're doing, stop once in a while for recess. ~ Walk barefoot in wet grass, in the rain.
Jesus said we should become like children. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:10, we are fools for Christ, and Paul says God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom.
Oh, to be a kid again…foolish, playful, willing to trust God unconditionally, speaking the truth as you see it, sharing, caring, seeing smooth stones as precious gems, romping in the rain, and in the reign of God.
Be a kid like little Johnny. Johnny had been misbehaving and was sent to his room. After a while he emerged and informed his mother that he had thought it over and then said a prayer. "Fine," said the pleased mother. "If you ask God to help you not misbehave, He will help you." "Oh, I didn't ask Him to help me not misbehave," said Johnny. "I asked Him to help you put up with me."
Little Johnny makes no apology for his behavior, which is called “misbehavior” by his mother. He simply prays for those around him to put up with him. Jesus made no apology for his behavior, which the scribes and Pharisees called misbehavior (healing on the Sabbath, picking grain on the Sabbath, forgiving sin, etc.). Jesus just prayed for those around him, even when he hung from the cross – Father, forgive them, they just don’t get it!
The message of the cross is radical foolishness, impetuous, spontaneous, like a kid who refuses to come in out of the rain. Perhaps it is an attitude that we adults should use when approaching God. Such an attitude of childlike foolishness will help us to shed our tendency to be in control of the gospel, to make the gospel seem like sanity to the perishing. We may try to make the message of the cross sound sane, but in believing and proclaiming, we become fools. Ω
Monday, November 1, 2010
Sunday Sermon
Sermon # 1014
October 31, 2010
Romans 5:1-11
Dr. Ed Pettus
“Always Reforming”
While many people have or will be recognizing and celebrating Halloween this weekend, today is a great day in the life of the church for a very different reason. Today is Reformation Sunday. On October 31, 1517, in Wittenberg Germany, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, 95 theological statements published for debate. This was the way theological debate occurred in the 16th century, theologians posted their beliefs for debate with church leaders. Martin Luther’s 95 theses started the chain reaction that lead to the great reformation and the beginnings of the Protestant Church. Luther was not alone in the reformation as many theologians took off in various directions with ideas that challenged the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther’s teachings lead to the formation of the Lutheran Church.
John Calvin was another theologian who began preaching, teaching, and writing theology similar to Luther but also differed enough to branch off into another strand of thought that would lead to the Presbyterian Church. There were others who also challenged the status quo of the church and thus we have today Methodist, Baptists, Pentecostals, and all other Protestant denominations.
In Luther’s 95 declarations there were two leading issues addressed in the life of the church: justification by grace alone (instead of works) and the church’s sale of indulgences (paying to have sins forgiven). Indulgences were the most egregious corruption in the church. Priests collected money from people basically charging them for forgiving sins, even to purchase forgiveness for those they believed to be in purgatory. The other major theology was works righteousness. Luther claimed that nothing we did could earn us salvation, but said: “we do not become righteous by doing righteous deeds but, having been made righteous, we do righteous deeds” (A History of Christian Thought, Gonzalez, p. 29).
The Reformation was a long process over many years of debate and thought. John Calvin, for instance, began writing the Institutes (his systematic theology) in 1536 and they were not completed in the form we have today until 1559. Over twenty years of refining what Calvin interpreted in the Bible. Calvin redefined how the people of God thought about the character of of God and God’s relationship with humankind and his thought helped to shape what we know today as Reformed theology. One theologian who studied with Calvin was John Knox, from Scotland who helped shape the the church in Scotland. More reforms developed all across England, Holland and France until the Reformed movement was growing all over Europe.
Now let me take an aside here to point out that the Catholic Church today is vastly different from that of the time of the Reformation. The Catholic Church has itself been through reforms that have redefined how Catholics view scripture and grace and faith. The Reformation taught the Church that every group, Protestant or Catholic, need reforming any time we get away from scripture as our authority.
Donald McKim, in his book Presbyterian Questions, Presbyterian Answers, distinguishes the Reformation in this way:
Other reformers agreed with Luther’s criticisms of the Roman Church, but also began to differ with him on some items of biblical interpretation. This led to be recognized as another “Protestant” movement. Theologians such as Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin, and Heinrich Bullinger became leaders of this movement, which became known as the Reformed tradition. The term “Reformed” came from a comment by Queen Elizabeth I in England that the followers of Zwingli and Calvin were more “reformed” than the Lutherans, in that they wanted a more thoroughgoing reform of worship practices based on their understanding of the Bible.
”Reformed theology” refers to the theological beliefs taught by these early Reformed theologians and the tradition of their followers that began after their deaths and which continues to the present day…Reformed theology is marked by a recognition that Christian faith needs constantly to be articulated and confessed (Presbyterian Questions, Presbyterian Answers, McKim, p.4).
Presbyterians consider Calvin to be the father of Presbyterianism. His cornerstone theology is his work called Institutes of the Christian Religion where he discusses topics such as God, humanity, sin, grace, sacraments, scripture, and our “favorite” predestination. One of the most prominent theological articulations from Calvin are his five points that set Calvin apart from another theologian named Ariminius, those five points are popularly known as TULIP – T-U-L-I-P. TULIP stands for T- Total Depravity, that humans are totally affected by sin, U- Unconditional Election, that God elects persons to salvation, L- Limited Atonement, that Christ died for the elect, I- Irresistible Grace, that we cannot resist God’s grace, and P- Perseverance of the Saints, that once we are saved we will not be lost. TULIP has been debated ever since Calvin proposed these five points. Not all Presbyterians adhere to all the points, but that is the nature of reformed thought, we are always debating theology!
Other hallmarks of the Reformation for Presbyterians are recorded in our Book of Order, part of our church constitution. In Chapter two we read:
(G-2.0400) In its confessions, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) identifies with the affirmations of the Protestant Reformation. The focus of these affirmations is the rediscovery of God’s grace in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures. The Protestant watchwords—grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone — embody principles of understanding which continue to guide and motivate the people of God in the life of faith.
(G.2.0500) In its confessions, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) expresses the faith of the Reformed tradition. Central to this tradition is the affirmation of the majesty, holiness, and providence of God who creates, sustains, rules, and redeems the world in the freedom of sovereign righteousness and love. Related to this central affirmation of God’s sovereignty are other great themes of the Reformed tradition:
(1) The election of the people of God for service as well as for salvation;
(2) Covenant life marked by a disciplined concern for order in the church according to the Word of God;
(3) A faithful stewardship that shuns ostentation and seeks proper use of the gifts of God’s creation;
(4) The recognition of the human tendency to idolatry and tyranny, which calls the people of God to work for the transformation of society by seeking justice and living in obedience to the Word of God.
When at seminary we would joke sometimes that it seems impossible to have three “alones” but there they are, grace alone, faith alone, scripture alone. These were three foci of the reformed movement: focus on the grace of God to bring us justification in the righteousness of God, faith alone as the way to that justification, and scripture as our authoritative source to reveal grace and faith.
I selected the Romans 5 reading today because Romans was a key book for Luther in criticizing the church. The phrase “justification by faith” completely changed Luther’s life bringing him the joy that had been missing from his life prior to reading the Bible. What Luther took joy in discovering was that God’s gift of grace and God’s gift of faith and God’s gift of salvation is truly a gift, not something we earn. This reading of the text changed the Christian Church forever. We are who we are today because of those who came before us to pave the way in Reformed theology.
As the Book of Order states we are “The church reformed, always reforming…” Perhaps better said still: “The church reformed, always being reformed, because God does the reforming. Reformed and always reforming demonstrated a faith that is living, growing, changing, learning. We cannot be settled with faith. What we know of God at age ten is different when we are twenty and thirty and as we grow older we come to know and appreciate more about God. The Reformed tradition itself calls us to be ever studying, ever growing, ever faithful, ever grateful. Today we celebrate our history as the church reformed.
Perhaps we could consider this Reformation Sunday as a call to reclaim our history as a people of reformed faith – to renew our understanding of the centrality of the scripture and the gifts of God in grace and faith. Some would argue that we have forgotten who we are as the church of Jesus Christ, that our identity has become shaky at best, and that we need to get back to our roots as reformed thinkers. Who knows, the Spirit of God may once again move through the church and lead us to another great reformation. Ω
October 31, 2010
Romans 5:1-11
Dr. Ed Pettus
“Always Reforming”
While many people have or will be recognizing and celebrating Halloween this weekend, today is a great day in the life of the church for a very different reason. Today is Reformation Sunday. On October 31, 1517, in Wittenberg Germany, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, 95 theological statements published for debate. This was the way theological debate occurred in the 16th century, theologians posted their beliefs for debate with church leaders. Martin Luther’s 95 theses started the chain reaction that lead to the great reformation and the beginnings of the Protestant Church. Luther was not alone in the reformation as many theologians took off in various directions with ideas that challenged the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther’s teachings lead to the formation of the Lutheran Church.
John Calvin was another theologian who began preaching, teaching, and writing theology similar to Luther but also differed enough to branch off into another strand of thought that would lead to the Presbyterian Church. There were others who also challenged the status quo of the church and thus we have today Methodist, Baptists, Pentecostals, and all other Protestant denominations.
In Luther’s 95 declarations there were two leading issues addressed in the life of the church: justification by grace alone (instead of works) and the church’s sale of indulgences (paying to have sins forgiven). Indulgences were the most egregious corruption in the church. Priests collected money from people basically charging them for forgiving sins, even to purchase forgiveness for those they believed to be in purgatory. The other major theology was works righteousness. Luther claimed that nothing we did could earn us salvation, but said: “we do not become righteous by doing righteous deeds but, having been made righteous, we do righteous deeds” (A History of Christian Thought, Gonzalez, p. 29).
The Reformation was a long process over many years of debate and thought. John Calvin, for instance, began writing the Institutes (his systematic theology) in 1536 and they were not completed in the form we have today until 1559. Over twenty years of refining what Calvin interpreted in the Bible. Calvin redefined how the people of God thought about the character of of God and God’s relationship with humankind and his thought helped to shape what we know today as Reformed theology. One theologian who studied with Calvin was John Knox, from Scotland who helped shape the the church in Scotland. More reforms developed all across England, Holland and France until the Reformed movement was growing all over Europe.
Now let me take an aside here to point out that the Catholic Church today is vastly different from that of the time of the Reformation. The Catholic Church has itself been through reforms that have redefined how Catholics view scripture and grace and faith. The Reformation taught the Church that every group, Protestant or Catholic, need reforming any time we get away from scripture as our authority.
Donald McKim, in his book Presbyterian Questions, Presbyterian Answers, distinguishes the Reformation in this way:
Other reformers agreed with Luther’s criticisms of the Roman Church, but also began to differ with him on some items of biblical interpretation. This led to be recognized as another “Protestant” movement. Theologians such as Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin, and Heinrich Bullinger became leaders of this movement, which became known as the Reformed tradition. The term “Reformed” came from a comment by Queen Elizabeth I in England that the followers of Zwingli and Calvin were more “reformed” than the Lutherans, in that they wanted a more thoroughgoing reform of worship practices based on their understanding of the Bible.
”Reformed theology” refers to the theological beliefs taught by these early Reformed theologians and the tradition of their followers that began after their deaths and which continues to the present day…Reformed theology is marked by a recognition that Christian faith needs constantly to be articulated and confessed (Presbyterian Questions, Presbyterian Answers, McKim, p.4).
Presbyterians consider Calvin to be the father of Presbyterianism. His cornerstone theology is his work called Institutes of the Christian Religion where he discusses topics such as God, humanity, sin, grace, sacraments, scripture, and our “favorite” predestination. One of the most prominent theological articulations from Calvin are his five points that set Calvin apart from another theologian named Ariminius, those five points are popularly known as TULIP – T-U-L-I-P. TULIP stands for T- Total Depravity, that humans are totally affected by sin, U- Unconditional Election, that God elects persons to salvation, L- Limited Atonement, that Christ died for the elect, I- Irresistible Grace, that we cannot resist God’s grace, and P- Perseverance of the Saints, that once we are saved we will not be lost. TULIP has been debated ever since Calvin proposed these five points. Not all Presbyterians adhere to all the points, but that is the nature of reformed thought, we are always debating theology!
Other hallmarks of the Reformation for Presbyterians are recorded in our Book of Order, part of our church constitution. In Chapter two we read:
(G-2.0400) In its confessions, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) identifies with the affirmations of the Protestant Reformation. The focus of these affirmations is the rediscovery of God’s grace in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures. The Protestant watchwords—grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone — embody principles of understanding which continue to guide and motivate the people of God in the life of faith.
(G.2.0500) In its confessions, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) expresses the faith of the Reformed tradition. Central to this tradition is the affirmation of the majesty, holiness, and providence of God who creates, sustains, rules, and redeems the world in the freedom of sovereign righteousness and love. Related to this central affirmation of God’s sovereignty are other great themes of the Reformed tradition:
(1) The election of the people of God for service as well as for salvation;
(2) Covenant life marked by a disciplined concern for order in the church according to the Word of God;
(3) A faithful stewardship that shuns ostentation and seeks proper use of the gifts of God’s creation;
(4) The recognition of the human tendency to idolatry and tyranny, which calls the people of God to work for the transformation of society by seeking justice and living in obedience to the Word of God.
When at seminary we would joke sometimes that it seems impossible to have three “alones” but there they are, grace alone, faith alone, scripture alone. These were three foci of the reformed movement: focus on the grace of God to bring us justification in the righteousness of God, faith alone as the way to that justification, and scripture as our authoritative source to reveal grace and faith.
I selected the Romans 5 reading today because Romans was a key book for Luther in criticizing the church. The phrase “justification by faith” completely changed Luther’s life bringing him the joy that had been missing from his life prior to reading the Bible. What Luther took joy in discovering was that God’s gift of grace and God’s gift of faith and God’s gift of salvation is truly a gift, not something we earn. This reading of the text changed the Christian Church forever. We are who we are today because of those who came before us to pave the way in Reformed theology.
As the Book of Order states we are “The church reformed, always reforming…” Perhaps better said still: “The church reformed, always being reformed, because God does the reforming. Reformed and always reforming demonstrated a faith that is living, growing, changing, learning. We cannot be settled with faith. What we know of God at age ten is different when we are twenty and thirty and as we grow older we come to know and appreciate more about God. The Reformed tradition itself calls us to be ever studying, ever growing, ever faithful, ever grateful. Today we celebrate our history as the church reformed.
Perhaps we could consider this Reformation Sunday as a call to reclaim our history as a people of reformed faith – to renew our understanding of the centrality of the scripture and the gifts of God in grace and faith. Some would argue that we have forgotten who we are as the church of Jesus Christ, that our identity has become shaky at best, and that we need to get back to our roots as reformed thinkers. Who knows, the Spirit of God may once again move through the church and lead us to another great reformation. Ω
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