So, it has been a little while since any of us have posted a blog here on our SJMC Scripture Unleashed site. Maybe that is okay. Maybe we should only blog when we have something to say. Maybe we should only blog when we have been earnestly listening to the Spirit.
These next two Sundays are all about what the Spirit is saying, and what the Spirit is saying to SJMC! A few months ago in Adult Sunday School we asked 4 people to write a 'Spirit letter', based on the model from the first few chapters of Revelation where there are 7 letters to the churches. These letters all have a sense of encouragement and a strong challenge to the churches they were written to. For 4 weeks in SS, we listened to some MCEC letters (on video) and then had 1 person from SJMC share their letter to our own congregation.
We will listen to these 4 letters over the next 2 Sundays in worship. This is a time for us to really listen, to hear how the Spirit is speaking through each of these letters. I hope the worhsip will have a sense of space and a true listening spirit to what God is saying to us. May our ears be open.
As you listen to these letters and as you reflect yourself on what the Spirit is saying to SJMC, maybe you could make a comment below for all of us to read and take note of. What do you hear the Spirit saying to SJMC at this point in our history? What are the affirmations? What are the challenges you would put out there for us? Please share.
Friday, 11 May 2012
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Signing a New Name
Genesis 17:1-8
Names are powerful things. They are markers of an identity that can be hard to shake - everything that we are gets hung upon the name that calls our identity to mind. Names connect us with a past, and they can also set a direction for the future. People who want to leave their past behind and start over with a new life will often change their name. The person who was is no more - there is a new name and a new identity. There are a bunch of examples of this in the Bible, where new identities are sealed with a new name. Think of Simon whom Jesus renames Peter, or Saul who is renamed Paul after his conversion on the Damascus road. And of course there is the story for this week - Abram and Sarai become Abraham and Sarah.
But the interesting thing is that in all these cases, the new names are given to the people involved. Most of the time we don't get to choose our names. We receive our names from our parents at birth, and sometimes we receive new names from God as we are called into a new life. God offers new names to Abram and Sarai to mark them for the future that God has prepared for them. A future filled with what appears to be unlikely promise and hope: fruitfulness, multiplication and land for a barren couple in their 90's. It will take a significant leap of faith to embrace these new names, for Abraham and Sarah to learn to sign them as their own. And it will take a turning of repentance from old ways of self-preservation. This new name comes right after Abram tried to take a shortcut to the promise, producing a son Ishmael with Hagar.
And yet God returns to Abram and renews the covenant God had made with him: fruitfulness, descendants, land and God's own presence with them. How to take up and sign this new name? What will have to be left behind? The fulfillment of the promise lies on the far side of a substantial letting go. Giving up control, identity and life itself before receiving it back from God a thousand-fold. This is a tough movement to make, for Abraham as it must be for us. What new names have we been given? What will it take to sign them in faith that God will in fact be faithful to God's promises?
Names are powerful things. They are markers of an identity that can be hard to shake - everything that we are gets hung upon the name that calls our identity to mind. Names connect us with a past, and they can also set a direction for the future. People who want to leave their past behind and start over with a new life will often change their name. The person who was is no more - there is a new name and a new identity. There are a bunch of examples of this in the Bible, where new identities are sealed with a new name. Think of Simon whom Jesus renames Peter, or Saul who is renamed Paul after his conversion on the Damascus road. And of course there is the story for this week - Abram and Sarai become Abraham and Sarah.
But the interesting thing is that in all these cases, the new names are given to the people involved. Most of the time we don't get to choose our names. We receive our names from our parents at birth, and sometimes we receive new names from God as we are called into a new life. God offers new names to Abram and Sarai to mark them for the future that God has prepared for them. A future filled with what appears to be unlikely promise and hope: fruitfulness, multiplication and land for a barren couple in their 90's. It will take a significant leap of faith to embrace these new names, for Abraham and Sarah to learn to sign them as their own. And it will take a turning of repentance from old ways of self-preservation. This new name comes right after Abram tried to take a shortcut to the promise, producing a son Ishmael with Hagar.
And yet God returns to Abram and renews the covenant God had made with him: fruitfulness, descendants, land and God's own presence with them. How to take up and sign this new name? What will have to be left behind? The fulfillment of the promise lies on the far side of a substantial letting go. Giving up control, identity and life itself before receiving it back from God a thousand-fold. This is a tough movement to make, for Abraham as it must be for us. What new names have we been given? What will it take to sign them in faith that God will in fact be faithful to God's promises?
Friday, 2 March 2012
God Signs us a Promise... or Handwriting Illegible!!!
Our Lent worship theme, "Where do I Sign?" hits me where I am most vulenerable - my handwriting! I simply have atrocious, unreadable, unbelievably bad handwriting! Just ask Karen or Wendy/Kevin or my family or anyone who has seen - you can hardly read it. It's some genetic default or something! And for Lent, one of the ideas for Spiritual disciplines is to handwrite out the Scrtipures each week. We even have someone doing a 'Scripture Doodle' each Sunday, handwriting, and then displaying and reading a Scripture. I am totally inadequate.
And yet, this week, I tried to handwrite out the Genesis and Mark Scriptures in preparation for preaching. What a disaster. I had to cross out the first word already! It's messy and unreadable - even double spaced. But then again, maybe Scripture itself is messy and gets us into all sorts of trouble. I did find that as I wrote, I started noticing different things - seeing things I might have missed. In the main Genesis passage (9:12-16), I was struck by how many times the word 'Covenant' was used - 4 times... 7 if you count the broader passage it is in. Must be important! I also noticed that the convenant is with humanity, BUT also all flesh - with every living creature. This handwriting got me going on my whole sermon. What is this covenant all about? What are we missing when we rely so much on our selves and our own technology (there was a power failure just before I started hand writing)? What have we done with the created order and what are we destroying? Are we keeping up our side of the covenant? Lots of questions.
This Lent, we are invited to pay attention to a whole series of Scriptures that have to do with God's covenant with us. I encourage you (even dare you!) to handwrite out the Scriptures each Sunday. Or come to the Prayer Room and write your comments in our Lent Prayer Journal. In Passion Week, we will even have the chance to all be Scribes and handwrite out the Passion story in all 4 Gospels. Maybe by doing so, we will catch something we had missed before, and be drawn into the full message and story.
Where do I Sign?
And yet, this week, I tried to handwrite out the Genesis and Mark Scriptures in preparation for preaching. What a disaster. I had to cross out the first word already! It's messy and unreadable - even double spaced. But then again, maybe Scripture itself is messy and gets us into all sorts of trouble. I did find that as I wrote, I started noticing different things - seeing things I might have missed. In the main Genesis passage (9:12-16), I was struck by how many times the word 'Covenant' was used - 4 times... 7 if you count the broader passage it is in. Must be important! I also noticed that the convenant is with humanity, BUT also all flesh - with every living creature. This handwriting got me going on my whole sermon. What is this covenant all about? What are we missing when we rely so much on our selves and our own technology (there was a power failure just before I started hand writing)? What have we done with the created order and what are we destroying? Are we keeping up our side of the covenant? Lots of questions.
This Lent, we are invited to pay attention to a whole series of Scriptures that have to do with God's covenant with us. I encourage you (even dare you!) to handwrite out the Scriptures each Sunday. Or come to the Prayer Room and write your comments in our Lent Prayer Journal. In Passion Week, we will even have the chance to all be Scribes and handwrite out the Passion story in all 4 Gospels. Maybe by doing so, we will catch something we had missed before, and be drawn into the full message and story.
Where do I Sign?
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
The Story We Find Ourselves In at SJMC
At our Annual Meeting this past Sunday, we were invited to respond to a short survey as a way of thinking about what it might mean for us at SJMC to actually be involved in the continuation of the biblical story through our life together as a church community. It's a series of statements that begins with our vision, and ends with our money. I think that's a pattern we see a lot of in the Bible. We took a few minutes that morning to share some of the reflections that these questions prompted, but perhaps there is more we'd like to say.
Here's the survey from Sunday. Have a read-through again, and feel free to post a comment. It would be great to pick the conversation up again.
1. Having again read the SJMC vision statement, I believe we are living out our vision.
YES NO UNSURE
2. Our decisions at SJMC are directly informed and influenced by our Vision Statement. YES NO UNSURE
3. As a congregation, we are consistently challenged to live out the congregational vision. YES NO UNSURE
4. I like the decision-making processes we use at SJMC. I feel I am a part of them. YES NO UNSURE
5. The decisions we make always change the story we find ourselves in. I like that. YES NO UNSURE
6. I think we are being too ambitious in terms of what we try to do and support at SJMC. YES NO UNSURE
7. In the Zacchaeus story, the key result of meeting Jesus and finding his salvation was how Zacchaeus dealt with his financial resources.
YES NO UNSURE
8. At SJMC we experience a healthy tension between what we could be doing and what we are doing with our resources.
YES NO UNSURE
9. I believe at SJMC we give primarily in order to meet our Spending Plan rather than joyfully, out of our abundance and vision.
YES NO UNSURE
10. I believe the more external funding projects SJMC assumes, the more people will be motivated to also give generously to the SJMC Spending Plan.
YES NO UNSURE
Here's the survey from Sunday. Have a read-through again, and feel free to post a comment. It would be great to pick the conversation up again.
1. Having again read the SJMC vision statement, I believe we are living out our vision.
YES NO UNSURE
2. Our decisions at SJMC are directly informed and influenced by our Vision Statement. YES NO UNSURE
3. As a congregation, we are consistently challenged to live out the congregational vision. YES NO UNSURE
4. I like the decision-making processes we use at SJMC. I feel I am a part of them. YES NO UNSURE
5. The decisions we make always change the story we find ourselves in. I like that. YES NO UNSURE
6. I think we are being too ambitious in terms of what we try to do and support at SJMC. YES NO UNSURE
7. In the Zacchaeus story, the key result of meeting Jesus and finding his salvation was how Zacchaeus dealt with his financial resources.
YES NO UNSURE
8. At SJMC we experience a healthy tension between what we could be doing and what we are doing with our resources.
YES NO UNSURE
9. I believe at SJMC we give primarily in order to meet our Spending Plan rather than joyfully, out of our abundance and vision.
YES NO UNSURE
10. I believe the more external funding projects SJMC assumes, the more people will be motivated to also give generously to the SJMC Spending Plan.
YES NO UNSURE
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
A Glimpse of Glory
Mark 9:2-10 - The Transfiguration
For Eastern Orthodox Christians, the transfiguration of Jesus is a crucial story at the centre of their faith. Here - as Jesus is transfigured, his clothes a dazzling white - we catch a glimpse of God's glorious light shining through a human being. This is a profound moment where the Good News of God's incarnation is affirmed. As Jesus is transfigured, our world of sin is bathed in the light of God. This is a picture of God in the flesh, of God meeting us in earthly form so that we might be bound to God in the Spirit and in truth. And it's also a hint of the resurrection glory that will belong to Jesus on the other side of the cross. It's a moment of assurance before the passion, promising that God's purposes will not be overcome and that we will be invited into the life of resurrection glory that bursts forth from Jesus on that mountain like water bursting from a broken dam!
Mennonites, on the other hand, have not tended to make a whole lot of Jesus' transfiguration. Why not? We're more likely to emphasize the road to the cross, the cost of discipleship and the call to imitate Jesus in the life of the faithful community. In our worship, certainly, we're more 'earthy' and unadorned than Orthodox communities where light, space and liturgy combine to give a joyful sense of God's expansive presence in an earthly house. Could it be that we're a little uncomfortable with glory? Are we somewhat retiscent to claim the resurrection triumph of God which breaks out for that moment on the mountain? Does our discipleship keep our noses to the grindstone so thoroughly that we miss the inbreaking of light, grace and salvation through those earthly tasks and activities?
On the other hand, we may be right to hesitate before embracing the triumphal song. After the lightshow on the mountain, Jesus orders his disciples not to tell anyone about what they'd seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. In other words, you can't understand this glimpse of glory until you've walked with Jesus through the valley of the shadow. There's no triumph without obedient suffering, no victory without sacrifice. If you want to live, says Jesus, take up your cross and follow me. This is a tension within the text, and it's a tension within our lives and communities of faith.
As we prepare to transition into the season of Lent, however, Jesus' transfiguration remains encouragement to remember that there will be light beyond the shadow. Following a crucified Christ is still good news - it is a life of hope, grace and light in the presence of God here with us. This glimpse of glory is the promise of eternity.
For Eastern Orthodox Christians, the transfiguration of Jesus is a crucial story at the centre of their faith. Here - as Jesus is transfigured, his clothes a dazzling white - we catch a glimpse of God's glorious light shining through a human being. This is a profound moment where the Good News of God's incarnation is affirmed. As Jesus is transfigured, our world of sin is bathed in the light of God. This is a picture of God in the flesh, of God meeting us in earthly form so that we might be bound to God in the Spirit and in truth. And it's also a hint of the resurrection glory that will belong to Jesus on the other side of the cross. It's a moment of assurance before the passion, promising that God's purposes will not be overcome and that we will be invited into the life of resurrection glory that bursts forth from Jesus on that mountain like water bursting from a broken dam!
Mennonites, on the other hand, have not tended to make a whole lot of Jesus' transfiguration. Why not? We're more likely to emphasize the road to the cross, the cost of discipleship and the call to imitate Jesus in the life of the faithful community. In our worship, certainly, we're more 'earthy' and unadorned than Orthodox communities where light, space and liturgy combine to give a joyful sense of God's expansive presence in an earthly house. Could it be that we're a little uncomfortable with glory? Are we somewhat retiscent to claim the resurrection triumph of God which breaks out for that moment on the mountain? Does our discipleship keep our noses to the grindstone so thoroughly that we miss the inbreaking of light, grace and salvation through those earthly tasks and activities?
On the other hand, we may be right to hesitate before embracing the triumphal song. After the lightshow on the mountain, Jesus orders his disciples not to tell anyone about what they'd seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. In other words, you can't understand this glimpse of glory until you've walked with Jesus through the valley of the shadow. There's no triumph without obedient suffering, no victory without sacrifice. If you want to live, says Jesus, take up your cross and follow me. This is a tension within the text, and it's a tension within our lives and communities of faith.
As we prepare to transition into the season of Lent, however, Jesus' transfiguration remains encouragement to remember that there will be light beyond the shadow. Following a crucified Christ is still good news - it is a life of hope, grace and light in the presence of God here with us. This glimpse of glory is the promise of eternity.
Friday, 10 February 2012
The Paralytic Man (Mark 2:1-12) -5 different perspectives!
This is a fun story. Finally after all these short little bare bone stories in Mark 1, we get to this fuller story to start Mark 2 - there is even some dialogue and conversation! Last week at Silver Lake, it was one we gave to a group to act out. Levi ended up being the Paralytic man - and was hoisted up on the back side of one of those small wooden benches and totally blocked out by the crowd as they tried to bring him to Jesus. They carried Levi way up in the air and over some more benches (the roof) to get him to Jesus. Fun!
When Micah (yes, that son of mine - assigned as worship leader for this Sunday) and I found a time to meet a little while ago to talk about this Scripture, we started wondered what this story looked like from the perspective of all the different characters. You know how when you tell a family story, and you get very different versions of what happened, we wondered if the same would have been true after this event happened. How different would the story be as told from the healed man as compared to the scribe, etc.
So for this Sunday, I have written 5 monologues from the perspective of a member of the crowd, one of the friends, a scribe, a disciple and the healed man himself. They all tell the story in a very different way, and all take away something very different from this interaction with Jesus. We even have 5 of our youth who will take on these characters. Hopefully this helps us all listen more closely to this story and put ourselves there before Jesus - taking in what we need to hear in terms of our own relationship with Jesus.
When Micah (yes, that son of mine - assigned as worship leader for this Sunday) and I found a time to meet a little while ago to talk about this Scripture, we started wondered what this story looked like from the perspective of all the different characters. You know how when you tell a family story, and you get very different versions of what happened, we wondered if the same would have been true after this event happened. How different would the story be as told from the healed man as compared to the scribe, etc.
So for this Sunday, I have written 5 monologues from the perspective of a member of the crowd, one of the friends, a scribe, a disciple and the healed man himself. They all tell the story in a very different way, and all take away something very different from this interaction with Jesus. We even have 5 of our youth who will take on these characters. Hopefully this helps us all listen more closely to this story and put ourselves there before Jesus - taking in what we need to hear in terms of our own relationship with Jesus.
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Healing, Cleansing and Resting
Mark 1:29-39
In last week's story from Mark, Jesus had begun to make a name for himself. People begin to recognize him as one who comes with remarkable authority, as even the unclean spirits obey him. In this week's story, this budding fame blossoms as Jesus continues his ministry of healing and cleansing in Capernaum. Suddenly crowds are gathering around Jesus, bringing all who were sick or possessed. Mark says that the whole city was gathered around his door!
But halfway through this passage there is a major shift. The crowds are clamouring at his door in the evening, but early the next morning Jesus slips out to a deserted place to pray. When his confused disciples finally hunt him down, Jesus tells them that it's time to move on. Time to continue proclaiming the good news in the neighbouring towns as well.
There's a whole lot we could take from this story, especially in terms of Jesus' rhythms of work and rest. Jesus knows that for his ministry of healing, cleansing and caring to become a proclamation of God's good news, he will have to remain connected to the source. Apart from prayer, apart from a deep connection to his identity and mission in God, none of these good works are possible. Even Jesus needs to recharge, to remember who he is and what he's doing. And here this re-orientation to his calling turns Jesus in a different direction. Away from Capernaum and its adoring crowds, towards other places that also need to see and hear the Kingdom proclaimed in Jesus' ministry.
We could draw all sorts of parallels for ourselves and our mission/calling/identity as members of Christ's body at SJMC. Do all of the good things we do remain connected to the source in Christ - who not only proclaims but embodies the Good News of the gospel? Are we tuned to healthy rhythms of rest and prayer? Are we open to having our ministry re-oriented and re-directed, or do we cling to the affirmation that comes from those things we do well and those people who appreciate us? There's lots here that pokes and prods. What strikes you?
In last week's story from Mark, Jesus had begun to make a name for himself. People begin to recognize him as one who comes with remarkable authority, as even the unclean spirits obey him. In this week's story, this budding fame blossoms as Jesus continues his ministry of healing and cleansing in Capernaum. Suddenly crowds are gathering around Jesus, bringing all who were sick or possessed. Mark says that the whole city was gathered around his door!
But halfway through this passage there is a major shift. The crowds are clamouring at his door in the evening, but early the next morning Jesus slips out to a deserted place to pray. When his confused disciples finally hunt him down, Jesus tells them that it's time to move on. Time to continue proclaiming the good news in the neighbouring towns as well.
There's a whole lot we could take from this story, especially in terms of Jesus' rhythms of work and rest. Jesus knows that for his ministry of healing, cleansing and caring to become a proclamation of God's good news, he will have to remain connected to the source. Apart from prayer, apart from a deep connection to his identity and mission in God, none of these good works are possible. Even Jesus needs to recharge, to remember who he is and what he's doing. And here this re-orientation to his calling turns Jesus in a different direction. Away from Capernaum and its adoring crowds, towards other places that also need to see and hear the Kingdom proclaimed in Jesus' ministry.
We could draw all sorts of parallels for ourselves and our mission/calling/identity as members of Christ's body at SJMC. Do all of the good things we do remain connected to the source in Christ - who not only proclaims but embodies the Good News of the gospel? Are we tuned to healthy rhythms of rest and prayer? Are we open to having our ministry re-oriented and re-directed, or do we cling to the affirmation that comes from those things we do well and those people who appreciate us? There's lots here that pokes and prods. What strikes you?
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
One with authority
Mark 1:21-28
My turn to preach this week. I'm just getting a start on my sermon for Sunday, and have been thinking about different kinds of authority - authority that comes from a position or office that is held, and authority that is earned.
My turn to preach this week. I'm just getting a start on my sermon for Sunday, and have been thinking about different kinds of authority - authority that comes from a position or office that is held, and authority that is earned.
Mark writes that Jesus spoke in the synagogue as one who had authority, and that all who listened were amazed at his teaching. I like to imagine the kind of person Jesus must have been to command authority so quickly and easily. He was obviously commissioned by God, which definitely helped, but he also must have exuded authenticity and integrity.
I also wonder what kind of authority Jesus holds today. Personally, and societally (my computer tells me that is not a word, but I assume you know what I mean). Any thoughts?
I'll leave you with part of a prayer taken from revgalblogpals.blogspot.com/
O God,
we puff ourselves up with accumulated knowledge,
but without love for you we have no wisdom.
We take advantage of the liberty you give us through grace,
and become bad examples to our sisters and brothers.
We alternate between fear of your authority
and denial of your authority.
We dread to face our demons,
and we are faithless in the presence of your power over them.
Save us, Lord, from the sins we know,
save us, Lord, from the sins we hide...
Wendy Janzen
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Follow Me (Mark 1:14-20
"What a short passage to try to write a whole sermon on. Is that all I have to work with?" That's what I told Wendy on Tuesday after reading the passage given to me to preach this Sunday. It really is a bare-bones passage. Jesus simply sees two sets of brothers - first Simon (Peter) and Andrew and then James and John. Each time he says "Follow me" and they immediately drop their nets and follow. No dialogue, no conversation, no inner stuggling, no questions of Jesus. They just follow. Can it really be that simple? especially after Curt's sermon last week on scepticism and doubt coming out of the calling of Nathanael.
Maybe that is why we need to look at all the passages where Jesus calls his disicples -there is quite a range of how this happens. At the same time, what can we learn from this particular passage and its brief but powerful example of following Jesus immediately. Part of it is the style of gospel writer Mark -he likes action and moving the story forward, all to support what is really important - discipleship and the Kingdom of God coming near. But this passage has made me also ask how these fishers were able to simply drop everything and follow Jesus. It's made we reflect on how I make decisions in general, and how I respond to Jesus and God. What risks do I take? How willingly do I just take the jump and follow God's calling?
How does this story speak to you? I would be curious.
Maybe that is why we need to look at all the passages where Jesus calls his disicples -there is quite a range of how this happens. At the same time, what can we learn from this particular passage and its brief but powerful example of following Jesus immediately. Part of it is the style of gospel writer Mark -he likes action and moving the story forward, all to support what is really important - discipleship and the Kingdom of God coming near. But this passage has made me also ask how these fishers were able to simply drop everything and follow Jesus. It's made we reflect on how I make decisions in general, and how I respond to Jesus and God. What risks do I take? How willingly do I just take the jump and follow God's calling?
How does this story speak to you? I would be curious.
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Being a Faithful Church - II Timothy 3:14-17
This past Sunday (January 8) we began a two-session process of discussion on our use of scripture at SJMC. Mennonite Church Canada has requested feedback on this as phase one of its "Being a Faithful Church" process on matters of human sexuality. If you weren't able to pick up a copy of the background materials MC Canada has published on this, you can download them here:
http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/tiny/1643 (the feedback tool we are using)
www.mennonitechurch.ca/tiny/1516 ("Being a Faithful Church" 1-3)
We had a pretty good start to these feedback sessions, and it's clear we have lots to talk about. Our experiences with the Bible have been mixed, and it's clear that our approach to the Bible has changed over the past decades. As usual, we ran out of time to get to everything, so here's an opportunity to do some work at home.
Since we're thinking about scripture and how we use it, it makes sense to engage scripture itself as we go. Perhaps the best-known biblical passage in relation to the purpose and function of scripture itself is II Timothy 3:14-17:
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
A few things to take note of:
1. When this passage was written, there was not yet a "New Testament" to the Bible. The scriptures it refers to are the Old Testament Hebrew scriptures. Even though it's written before Jesus was born, these sacred writings are still able to "instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus"!
2. Timothy is commended for having known the sacred writings from childhood. Our engagement with scripture needs to begin early.
3. What does it mean that all scripture is "inspired by God?"
4. The passage mentions various intentions or purposes for the good use of scripture:
a) instruction (towards salvation through faith in Jesus Christ)
b) teaching
c) rebuking
d) correcting
e) training for righteousness and justice
f) equipping and making us proficient in Christian good works
This suggests that any interpretation of scripture that doesn't do these things, or that cultivates the opposite, is not a good interpretation of scripture
5. Does this description of scripture resonate with our experiences at SJMC? Are there things here we're uncomfortable with, or things we're surprised not to find?
6. Does this passage provide any insights to how or why we use scripture the way we do?
We'll take a few minutes at the beginning of this week's session to hear any responses that come out of this passage. Otherwise, we'll aim on Sunday to reflect more directly on our use of scripture in the context of congregational discernment and decision-making.
http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/tiny/1643 (the feedback tool we are using)
www.mennonitechurch.ca/tiny/1516 ("Being a Faithful Church" 1-3)
We had a pretty good start to these feedback sessions, and it's clear we have lots to talk about. Our experiences with the Bible have been mixed, and it's clear that our approach to the Bible has changed over the past decades. As usual, we ran out of time to get to everything, so here's an opportunity to do some work at home.
Since we're thinking about scripture and how we use it, it makes sense to engage scripture itself as we go. Perhaps the best-known biblical passage in relation to the purpose and function of scripture itself is II Timothy 3:14-17:
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
A few things to take note of:
1. When this passage was written, there was not yet a "New Testament" to the Bible. The scriptures it refers to are the Old Testament Hebrew scriptures. Even though it's written before Jesus was born, these sacred writings are still able to "instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus"!
2. Timothy is commended for having known the sacred writings from childhood. Our engagement with scripture needs to begin early.
3. What does it mean that all scripture is "inspired by God?"
4. The passage mentions various intentions or purposes for the good use of scripture:
a) instruction (towards salvation through faith in Jesus Christ)
b) teaching
c) rebuking
d) correcting
e) training for righteousness and justice
f) equipping and making us proficient in Christian good works
This suggests that any interpretation of scripture that doesn't do these things, or that cultivates the opposite, is not a good interpretation of scripture
5. Does this description of scripture resonate with our experiences at SJMC? Are there things here we're uncomfortable with, or things we're surprised not to find?
6. Does this passage provide any insights to how or why we use scripture the way we do?
We'll take a few minutes at the beginning of this week's session to hear any responses that come out of this passage. Otherwise, we'll aim on Sunday to reflect more directly on our use of scripture in the context of congregational discernment and decision-making.
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