With consitution and canons. It's a great day my friends - Thomas Cranmer would be proud! Continue to hold our Bishops Robert our Archbishop, Martyn and Roger our Bishops, and all our churches.
Blessings,
Gene
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Church! What's the big deal Why do I need to come to church?
I am asked this question often, especially by young people. After much thought, I find that Martin Luther's thoughts expressed in the small catechism provide the best answer to that question
4th Commandment “Honor the Sabbath day by keeping it holy”
Luther – “We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it”
What is the Sabbath day?
In the old Testament God set aside the 7th day (Sat) as a required day of rest (Sabbath means rest) and worship.
EX 35:2 , Lev. 23:3
Does God require us to observe the Sabbath and other holy days of the Old Testament?
The Sabbath was a sign pointing to Jesus, who is our rest. Since Jesus has come as our Savior and Lord, God no longer requires us to observe the Sabbath day and other holy festivals of the Old Testament.
Matt 11:28, Matt 12:8, Col 2:16 – 17, Heb 4:9 – 10
Does God require the church to worship together on specific days?
God requires Christians to worship together.
Acts 2:42, 46, Heb 10:25
God has not specified any particular day
Rom. 14:5 – 6, Gal 4:10 – 11
The church worships together on Sunday because Christ rose from the dead on Sunday
Luke 24:1 – 2, Acts 20:7
When do we sin against the Lord and the Christian Sabbath?
We sin against the the Lord, and the Christian Sabbath when we despise preaching and the Word of God.
How is this done?
We despise preaching and the Word of God
- When we do not attend public worship
- When we do not use the Word of God and the Sacraments
- When we use the Word and God and the Sacraments negligently or carelessly
John 8:47; Luke 10:16
What does God require of us in the 4th Commandment?
We should hold preaching and the Word of God Sacred
Is. 6:2; 1 Thess. 2:13
We should gladly hear it, learn it, and meditate on it.
Josh 1:8; Ps. 26:8; Luke 11:28; Acts 2:42; Col 3:16
Therefore, when someone says I don't need to go to church to be a Christian you can say, "Yes, that's true; however, I don't need to go home to be married, but my relationship with my wife would suffer." Our relationship with God and the body of Christ t suffers when we forsake corporate worship. Deep down - we all know that. Thanks to the Rev. Dr. Luther for stating it well in his catechism!
Have a blessed week. Comments?
Gene
PS Great video!
4th Commandment “Honor the Sabbath day by keeping it holy”
Luther – “We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it”
What is the Sabbath day?
In the old Testament God set aside the 7th day (Sat) as a required day of rest (Sabbath means rest) and worship.
EX 35:2 , Lev. 23:3
Does God require us to observe the Sabbath and other holy days of the Old Testament?
The Sabbath was a sign pointing to Jesus, who is our rest. Since Jesus has come as our Savior and Lord, God no longer requires us to observe the Sabbath day and other holy festivals of the Old Testament.
Matt 11:28, Matt 12:8, Col 2:16 – 17, Heb 4:9 – 10
Does God require the church to worship together on specific days?
God requires Christians to worship together.
Acts 2:42, 46, Heb 10:25
God has not specified any particular day
Rom. 14:5 – 6, Gal 4:10 – 11
The church worships together on Sunday because Christ rose from the dead on Sunday
Luke 24:1 – 2, Acts 20:7
When do we sin against the Lord and the Christian Sabbath?
We sin against the the Lord, and the Christian Sabbath when we despise preaching and the Word of God.
How is this done?
We despise preaching and the Word of God
- When we do not attend public worship
- When we do not use the Word of God and the Sacraments
- When we use the Word and God and the Sacraments negligently or carelessly
John 8:47; Luke 10:16
What does God require of us in the 4th Commandment?
We should hold preaching and the Word of God Sacred
Is. 6:2; 1 Thess. 2:13
We should gladly hear it, learn it, and meditate on it.
Josh 1:8; Ps. 26:8; Luke 11:28; Acts 2:42; Col 3:16
Therefore, when someone says I don't need to go to church to be a Christian you can say, "Yes, that's true; however, I don't need to go home to be married, but my relationship with my wife would suffer." Our relationship with God and the body of Christ t suffers when we forsake corporate worship. Deep down - we all know that. Thanks to the Rev. Dr. Luther for stating it well in his catechism!
Have a blessed week. Comments?
Gene
PS Great video!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Question of the week Feb. 23rd
After five months of working with Mike Johnston on how we can best respond to the wonderful questions brought forth on Kickoff Sunday. I’ve decided (for now) to start with the most relevant and hot questions and post them in The Beacon as well as on this blog.
God, I’ve always wanted to ask you…. ―Why do you preach love and forgiveness, yet condemn people (homosexuals) for personal freedom and expression? Damnation does not seem like love to me?
The question regarding homosexuality is the number one issue of our era. I thank the person who asked this question for we all know someone who claims to be homosexual and the way we approach this issue is a crucial one. It is extremely important that we approach this subject with gentleness and sensitivity. There are several issues to address in this one question. As we have discussed often here at St. Barnabas, the good news of Jesus Christ seems too good to be true! We are created in God’s image, and yet we because we are born with a bent to walk our own way, are completely sinful. This does not mean that everything we do is sinful, but it does mean that we’re born with a propensity to sin and thus we all have an orientation to it. I’m not sinful for merely what I do, I need to be forgiven before God for who I am; a rebel, a sinner. Therefore, we need a person to come for us – to rescue us from this state; a savior!
While we were in this state (sin), Jesus came to this earth, lived a perfect life, and took our place upon the cross to pay the penalty for our sin (Rom 5:8). That is God’s love! Love that says that no matter your orientation, God loved you enough to pave the way for you to know him and have an abundant life; abundant life here in this life, and in the next. That is how much God loved us, and when we come to him and ask him forgive us our sins, God does precisely that. Therefore, we are in a relationship with him and are free to really live. You didn’t deserve it, you didn’t earn it, he gives it to you as a gift and it sounds too good to be true! The fact is that Jesus’ love is true!
Having established that we are all sinners (Rom. 3:10- emphasis on all) and deserve God’s judgment, God establishes us, as his people, in His perfect freedom – His law; and it is by living within that law that we find the hope, purpose, and meaning in our lives. God created us male and female, and it is within the bond of the covenant of marriage that we enjoy sexual relationships. Sex is God’s idea and he created it for our completeness, our enjoyment, and for procreation. Anything outside of that, for the Christian, is outside of God’s will. Notice that I stated anything, not just homosexuality. In Eph. 5:3, Paul exclaims that there is not to be a hint sexual immorality among the believers. The Greek word for sexual immorality is porneia where we get the word pornography. Any good Jew, in seeing that word, would have instantly thought of the list of sexual sins from Lev. 18 which includes: Adultery, Fornication, Homosexuality, Bestiality, Incest, and I would add in today’s world– online porn viewing (Matt 5:27 – 28).
It is vital to understand that in this discussion on sexuality, we see that all of these behaviors are on the same level – outside of God’s best for the believer. Therefore, we as God’s people are not to condemn anyone, but to welcome all into our fellowship because we are all sinners. Hopefully, after hearing the Word, they will come to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. If not, we pray for them, befriend them, and treat all as we would want to be treated - as Jesus taught us. In the same breath I will never say that homosexual behavior is OK, for the Scripture clearly teaches that it is not. But I will also insist that we don’t treat the gay person any differently than the couple who’s living together and having sex before marriage. Both behaviors (and all in Eph. 5) are not in God’s will and are reflective of a false view of the God that transforms lives. We treat all with the love of God as he treats us!
On the subject of condemnation from God I would suggest that God doesn’t condemn anyone. If we receive him for our salvation in this life, he will receive us into His kingdom in the next. However, if a person rejects Jesus and his will for this life – why would a loving God force Himself upon that person for eternity when that person didn’t want anything to do with Him in this life. The important point for us is to look to the God who is, and decide for ourselves, ―Am I going to live my way, or God’s new way. The choice is ours.
Faithfully yours,
Gene
God, I’ve always wanted to ask you…. ―Why do you preach love and forgiveness, yet condemn people (homosexuals) for personal freedom and expression? Damnation does not seem like love to me?
The question regarding homosexuality is the number one issue of our era. I thank the person who asked this question for we all know someone who claims to be homosexual and the way we approach this issue is a crucial one. It is extremely important that we approach this subject with gentleness and sensitivity. There are several issues to address in this one question. As we have discussed often here at St. Barnabas, the good news of Jesus Christ seems too good to be true! We are created in God’s image, and yet we because we are born with a bent to walk our own way, are completely sinful. This does not mean that everything we do is sinful, but it does mean that we’re born with a propensity to sin and thus we all have an orientation to it. I’m not sinful for merely what I do, I need to be forgiven before God for who I am; a rebel, a sinner. Therefore, we need a person to come for us – to rescue us from this state; a savior!
While we were in this state (sin), Jesus came to this earth, lived a perfect life, and took our place upon the cross to pay the penalty for our sin (Rom 5:8). That is God’s love! Love that says that no matter your orientation, God loved you enough to pave the way for you to know him and have an abundant life; abundant life here in this life, and in the next. That is how much God loved us, and when we come to him and ask him forgive us our sins, God does precisely that. Therefore, we are in a relationship with him and are free to really live. You didn’t deserve it, you didn’t earn it, he gives it to you as a gift and it sounds too good to be true! The fact is that Jesus’ love is true!
Having established that we are all sinners (Rom. 3:10- emphasis on all) and deserve God’s judgment, God establishes us, as his people, in His perfect freedom – His law; and it is by living within that law that we find the hope, purpose, and meaning in our lives. God created us male and female, and it is within the bond of the covenant of marriage that we enjoy sexual relationships. Sex is God’s idea and he created it for our completeness, our enjoyment, and for procreation. Anything outside of that, for the Christian, is outside of God’s will. Notice that I stated anything, not just homosexuality. In Eph. 5:3, Paul exclaims that there is not to be a hint sexual immorality among the believers. The Greek word for sexual immorality is porneia where we get the word pornography. Any good Jew, in seeing that word, would have instantly thought of the list of sexual sins from Lev. 18 which includes: Adultery, Fornication, Homosexuality, Bestiality, Incest, and I would add in today’s world– online porn viewing (Matt 5:27 – 28).
It is vital to understand that in this discussion on sexuality, we see that all of these behaviors are on the same level – outside of God’s best for the believer. Therefore, we as God’s people are not to condemn anyone, but to welcome all into our fellowship because we are all sinners. Hopefully, after hearing the Word, they will come to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. If not, we pray for them, befriend them, and treat all as we would want to be treated - as Jesus taught us. In the same breath I will never say that homosexual behavior is OK, for the Scripture clearly teaches that it is not. But I will also insist that we don’t treat the gay person any differently than the couple who’s living together and having sex before marriage. Both behaviors (and all in Eph. 5) are not in God’s will and are reflective of a false view of the God that transforms lives. We treat all with the love of God as he treats us!
On the subject of condemnation from God I would suggest that God doesn’t condemn anyone. If we receive him for our salvation in this life, he will receive us into His kingdom in the next. However, if a person rejects Jesus and his will for this life – why would a loving God force Himself upon that person for eternity when that person didn’t want anything to do with Him in this life. The important point for us is to look to the God who is, and decide for ourselves, ―Am I going to live my way, or God’s new way. The choice is ours.
Faithfully yours,
Gene
Monday, December 8, 2008
Conversation of the week - Dec. 8 Prepare the way
This week's text is Mark 1:1 - 8
ESV Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Bullet point theology:
- John fulfills the Is. 40 prophecy as the voice crying in the wilderness
- He attracted huge crowds with a message of repentance
- He prepares the way in our lives through repentance, for Jesus Christ.
Food for thought: 1) Ask God, "Is there anything in my life LOrd that is keeping me from fully following you?" Look to Jesus, and focus on His death on the cross for you - repent of (Turn back from, do a 180 from) the behavior and see if God doesn't honor that discipline in your life.
2) What in our corporate lives do we need to repent and get right with God. As I mentioned yesterday - the American church is filled with fear. Remember - as Paul states in 2nd Timothy - "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self - control.
Have a blessed week!
Gene
ESV Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Bullet point theology:
- John fulfills the Is. 40 prophecy as the voice crying in the wilderness
- He attracted huge crowds with a message of repentance
- He prepares the way in our lives through repentance, for Jesus Christ.
Food for thought: 1) Ask God, "Is there anything in my life LOrd that is keeping me from fully following you?" Look to Jesus, and focus on His death on the cross for you - repent of (Turn back from, do a 180 from) the behavior and see if God doesn't honor that discipline in your life.
2) What in our corporate lives do we need to repent and get right with God. As I mentioned yesterday - the American church is filled with fear. Remember - as Paul states in 2nd Timothy - "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self - control.
Have a blessed week!
Gene
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Conversation of the week
Well it's been too long since I've last posted to the blog. I'm still learning how to most effectively manage my time. So let us begin once again with the Text of the week:
ESV Mark 13:24 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake- for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning- 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake."
In quick bullet points
- Jesus will return in majestic glory.
- He will return for His chosen people.
- Pay attention to the signs of His coming
- Stay Awake!
Keep Looking up my friends and pray for our Bishops Martyn and Roger who are meeting in Wheaton tomorrow, Dec. 3.
Faithfully yours,
Gene
ESV Mark 13:24 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake- for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning- 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake."
In quick bullet points
- Jesus will return in majestic glory.
- He will return for His chosen people.
- Pay attention to the signs of His coming
- Stay Awake!
Keep Looking up my friends and pray for our Bishops Martyn and Roger who are meeting in Wheaton tomorrow, Dec. 3.
Faithfully yours,
Gene
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Got Questions? Theology on Tap! Tomorrow night.
Do you have questions about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, faith etc.?
Join us tommorrow night July 9, 7:30PM at the Ironwood Cafe for a time of open Q & A, beverage, food, and discussion of the issues that matter most in life
See you there!
Gene
Join us tommorrow night July 9, 7:30PM at the Ironwood Cafe for a time of open Q & A, beverage, food, and discussion of the issues that matter most in life
See you there!
Gene
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