The folks over at bibleproject.org have another video that helps better explain things I’ve been trying to say for years. This video is about eternal life here and now and resurrected life in the new creation that is to come. I would invite you to watch, but know that you may get to rewatch it in a future sermon.
The Repeating Pattern of The Exodus
The following video gives a short explanation of something I’ve come to take for granted, but you may not have heard of yet. There is a reason the early Christians often identified the work of God in Jesus Christ with the Passover and the Exodus.
Bible Study Begins Next Wednesday
Our Bible study on Paul the Progressive: The Compassionate Christians Guide to Reclaiming the Apostle as an Ally next Wednesday (February 12, 2025) at 7:00 p.m. in the parlor. Copies of the book are available at the back of the sanctuary for no cost. We’ll cover the first chapter: “Hating Paul (An Introduction).”
“I Kind of Hate Paul”
“I kind of hate Paul.” I’ve heard that sentiment here at College Avenue UMC. And that that phrase—in quotation marks—is how Eric C. Smith begins the first chapter of his book Paul the Progressive?: The Compassionate Christian’s Guide to Reclaiming the Apostle As An Ally. I recently finished this book and I thought it might be a good option for a Wednesday Evening Bible Study.
You can find it online at bookshop.org and I’ll leave a sample copy in the back of the sanctuary. Please let me know if you think you would be interested.
The Lord is On Your Side
Recently, I’ve been using Psalm 124 in my daily devotions. It really spoke to me this morning, so I’m sharing it with you.
If it had not been the LORD
who was on our side
—let Israel now say—
if it had not been the LORD
who was on our side,
when our enemies attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
then the flood would have swept us away;
the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
Blessed be the LORD,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the hunters;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth. (NRSVue)
The Earth Shook
In the book Surprised by Scripture, published in 2014, N. T. Wright addresses the problem of evil embodied in the tsunami of December 26, 2004. What he had to say then is still applicable to the hurricanes we have recently experienced.
“Remember that when Jesus died, the earth shook and the rocks were torn in pieces, while the sky darkened at noon. God the creator will not always save us from these dark forces, but he will save us in them, being with us in the darkness and promising us, always promising us, that the new creation begun at Easter will one day be complete, and then there will be full healing, full understanding, full reconciliation, full consolation.”
We are not promised that everything will be fine and dandy here and now, but we are promised that all will be well in the end. Or in the words of Revelation 21:3-4 (NRSVue):
“See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and be their God; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”
Amen.
John Wesley Book Study Postponed
This last spring, I was confident we could squeeze in a book study on John Wesley: Optimist of Grace by Henry Knight this summer. I was very, very wrong. We’ll pick it up this fall.
The World Is About To Turn
This Advent, I was introduced to something new and I want to share it with you. This song is called “Canticle of the Turning” and is based on the song of Mary found in Luke 1:46-55.
Book Club Tonight
A last minute reminder that we’ll be meeting in the fellowship hall tonight (Thursday, July 6, 2023) at 7:00 p.m. to discuss God and the Gay Christian.
Book Club Time Set
As part of our efforts to become a more LGBTQ+ welcoming church, we’ll meet to discuss God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 6, 2023. We’ll start in the parlor, but if there are too many of us, we’ll move to the fellowship hall. Let me know if you would like to attend by Zoom.
A note about the book: Matthew Vines presents a relatively conservative argument (both biblically and theologically) for LGBTQ+ inclusion. I’m aware that some of you are already well beyond where Matthew Vines was when he wrote the book, but I still think it’s a good book with which to start. Let me know if you have any comments or concerns.
Books: Revelation for the Rest of Us
A few days ago, I finished Revelation for the Rest of Us by Scot McKnight and Cody Matchett. Here’s what I think is perhaps their most important point:
Our point is that good readers of Revelation will read it more like The Lord of the Rings than Paul’s letter to the Romans. We should let the bowls empty out and the trumpets blast; we should visualize the fall of Babylon and the woman of Revelation zooming and leaping and spinning and twirling—if you want to read this book well. The writer John used his imagination to see what he saw, and it takes an imagination to engage his. Too many readings of Revelation are flat-footed and literal. . . . ‘Turning poetry into prose, however, destroys its power.’ And sadly, that is what has happened time and time again in interpreting the book. [1]
If you’ve been puzzled or troubled by the final book of the Bible, I would highly recommend this book. One note: if you want to avoid politics, skip chapter 21.
[1] Scot McKnight and Cody Matchett, Revelation for the Rest of Us: A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as a Dissident Disciple (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Reflective, 2023), Kindle, 29.
Book Club Style Bible Study — Date Corrected
On Thursday, July 6, 2023 (time to be announced), I plan to lead a book club-style session on God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships by Matthew Vines. The book sets out a biblical case for affirming gay and lesbian men and women—and, by extension, the entire LGBTQ+ community.
As I’ve said before, the argument that the United Methodist Church is having over the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ folks is not a matter of biblical authority; it’s a question of biblical interpretation. This book presents the case for an LGBTQ+ affirming reading of the Bible. I think it’s vital that those who want to be an affirming church for queer people know the biblical reasons for doing so.
There will be copies of the book available in the back of the sanctuary. You can also order copies online from all the usual places, including my favorite locally owned bookstore in Council Grove at flinthillsbooks.com. (I couldn’t find any copies at the Dusty Bookshelf website.)