Psalm 19 challenges me to hear the word LAW in the larger context and definition of Torah or teaching. Teaching comes both from words and from living and I often choose one over the other. In this week's sermon I'll consider ways to read God's Torah using the outline of a "Goof-Proof Skits" on the Family of the Simpletons. (who sound a lot like the Simpsons)
Homer wants to 'devour' the Bible without considering what a treasure it really is.
Lisa receives it intellectually without engaging the teaching with faith.
Bart wants to use the Bible as a weapon to harm others.
Marge is confused and has no community of faith to lead her to belief.
Maggie, the little baby tries to read, but just hasn't grown up yet.
Instead we are to immerse ourselves in God's teaching and experience it as sweet. We are to 'get drunk' on God's law and return again and again to the stories that comfort and challenge, that cause us to laugh, cry and be shocked. We are to drink our fill of the sweetness that tells us how to live. Only then can we grow in faith and be strong in our living so we can affirm God's presence in the world.
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AMERICAN BARBARISM
"Dear is in the eyes of the Lord's death his saints." (Psalm 116.15)
In recent days, sad news reached the United States and Germany.
In an action of barbarism, a man went to a Baptist church in Marevellous, Illinois, and began firing at the pastor who was preaching in the cult, killing him and wounding two people. The murderer was arrested by the parishioners who were able to reduce it.
Almost a few days later there was another barbarism in Alabama. A man murderer among relatives of 10 people, men, women and children, made a tour of several sites, after being cornered by police, he committed suicide.
But barbarism also transcend borders. In Germany, a couple of 17 years, emulating other suicide Americans entered the armed institute where I studied and killed 13 students among them teachers, in their flight killed two more people, then engage in shootout with police youth suicide was shot in the head.
These facts, which are not the only ones that occur in the United States or Europe, seem to indicate that there is a culture of murder among the people of the northern hemisphere.
On August 12, 2007 in Neosho, Missouri, a man killed a pastor and two worshipers in the cult. There is a history of mass killings of students in Finland in 2008 and Canada in 2006.
Given these facts, the U.S. government, and evangelical churches have done nothing to achieve reverse this situation, which has been happening since long atrás.
I am Christian and express my indignation and my anger against the American evangelical churches that are enclosed in their spiritual bubbles do not realize the harsh reality is happening around them.
How many more must die pastors to the churches just do something to prevent these deaths? How many young students and children have to die to protect the churches decide deranged people?
The Christian life consists not only make social life, and walks. The Christian life is to do something for our society that is crumbling.
Work is not only the state and its institutions to ensure the safety of society, work is also of the church. If that does not understand the American church then they are at the bottom of the sea to fish and evangelicen. Genuine Christians, perhaps in another country, take charge of evangelizing American society.
Why do not intend to make the church a community united in its campaign to disarm the families who have guns?
Why not start with themselves Christians kept their weapons? For a Christian who wants a gun? To remove the evil spirits?
Do not be surprised if this church worsen with the passage of days.
Still time to prevent future massacres.
Do not make the blood of those holy brethren who gave their lives for the church has been spilled in vain
I like this a lot. It's so true that we each tackle the Word differently, and that we're each moved by different things.
I think I was a Lisa for a long time.
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