Presbyterian type thoughts

This weeks sermon was on the Samaritan woman at the well. When the "you have had 5 husbands and the man you live with now is not your husband" part came up, we got an interesting take. I dare say that most of us assumed that the woman was promiscuous, or loose, or that she was the problem. However, the suggestion was made that this might not be the case. What if she had been abandoned by these 5 men, and the guy she was living with was her only means of support? True, there is really no textural support either way, but it certainly gives a new perspective on her reaction.

Apology

I'd like to do something that doesn't happen very often here in blog world, and that is apologize.

For reasons that really aren't relevant, nor something for public consumption, I have been less pleasant that I normally try to be.

Unfortunately Dan has been the target of much of my less than civil responses.

So Dan, I'd like to apologize for my tone of late.

We disagree, but I've been more disagreeable than necessary.

I'm sorry.

Lutheran type thoughts.

Yesterday was one of my Lutheran Sundays, and as such they were celebrating Christ the King Sunday.

The text the pastor preached on was Matthe25:31-46, the sheep and the goats. While I was listening I had a couple of thoughts.

The first is a result of a bunch of research I did on that chapter a few years ago. Simply put these parables are primarily about judgment. To boil it down, at some point Christ is going to judge us all and some are going to spend eternity with Him, and the rest are going to spend eternity in a decidedly less comfortable place.

The second is so simple I think most of us just look past it. Many will use the sheep and goats to justify what is called the "social gospel". Essentially, if you feed the poor, clothe the naked, etc, you'll get into heaven. Now, before the lynch mob comes out let me say that not only are these things good things that we are called to do, but I actually participate in them myself. Back to yesterday. As the pastor was preaching I was struck by a really simple thought. The judgment had already taken place. The sheep were separated from the goats first thing. The sheep weren't saved because the did certain things, the did certain things because they were saved. The first words Jesus says to the sheep are;

"34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."

Clearly these folks were "in" long before they actually did anything.

It doesn't seem like it should be this simple, and maybe it's not. But the more I thought about it the more it makes sense. Whatever we do is in response to God's grace in choosing the sheep, not as a means to get chosen.

Anyway, just some post sermon thoughts.

No Need for a Title

"I engage in these conversations in an effort by God's grace through the leadership of the Holy Spirit to learn how and improve on doing this study the correct way and to learn from my mistakes to move away from doing it the incorrect way."



“Each time that someone suggests "well, I (hoity toity, wonderful ME) rely upon the Holy Spirit, NOT my reason, while YOU merely rely upon your flawed reason..." each time someone suggests that sort of verbal vomit, they are exposing their arrogance and hypocrisy and all-around plain goofiness, not to mention a bit of diabolical divisiveness. Stop it.”

“…you give a bullshit answer that implies YOU begin with the Spirit of God, but I/we only rely upon our reason. That is NOT of grace, it is NOT respectful. It is slimy and diabolical and excrement-filled. It is not the sort of behavior that becomes Christians.”