Getting Marriage Right Quiz 4

Pastor’s Blog

September 30, 2016

This time find your answers in the ESV translation!

Ephesians 5:15-33 (English Standard Version)  (click here for NIV, or Living Bible or The Message renderings)

 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,  making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,  addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,  giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,  submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.  

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.  

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,  so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.  In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,  because we are members of his body.  “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”  This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.  However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

First Corinthians 7 (English Standard Version) (click here for NIV, or Living Bible or The Message renderings)

Principles for Marriage

7 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this.[a] 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you[b] to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Live as You Are Called

17 Only let each person lead the life[c] that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservant[d] when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers,[e] in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

The Unmarried and the Widowed

25 Now concerning[f] the betrothed,[g] I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the present[h] distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman[i] marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed,[j] if his[k] passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

Getting Marriage Right Quiz 3

Pastor’s Blog

September 29, 2016

Now find your “answers” in the Bible paraphrase called “The Message”

Ephesians 5:21-33 (The Message)

                                               

Out of respect for Christ, be courteously reverent to one another. 

Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ.  The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing.  So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands. 

Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting.  Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her,  dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness.  And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor—since they're already "one" in marriage. 

No one abuses his own body, does he? No, he feeds and pampers it. That's how Christ treats us, the church,  since we are part of his body.  And this is why a man leaves father and mother and cherishes his wife. No longer two, they become "one flesh."  This is a huge mystery, and I don't pretend to understand it all. What is clearest to me is the way Christ treats the church.  And this provides a good picture of how each husband is to treat his wife, loving himself in loving her, and how each wife is to honor her husband. Ephesians 5:21-33 (MSG)     

                   

I Corinthians 7:1-40 (The Message)

To Be Married, to Be Single . . .

7 Now, getting down to the questions you asked in your letter to me. First, Is it a good thing to have sexual relations?

2-6 Certainly—but only within a certain context. It’s good for a man to have a wife, and for a woman to have a husband. Sexual drives are strong, but marriage is strong enough to contain them and provide for a balanced and fulfilling sexual life in a world of sexual disorder. The marriage bed must be a place of mutuality—the husband seeking to satisfy his wife, the wife seeking to satisfy her husband. Marriage is not a place to “stand up for your rights.” Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out. Abstaining from sex is permissible for a period of time if you both agree to it, and if it’s for the purposes of prayer and fasting—but only for such times. Then come back together again. Satan has an ingenious way of tempting us when we least expect it. I’m not, understand, commanding these periods of abstinence—only providing my best counsel if you should choose them.

7 Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me—a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others.

8-9 I do, though, tell the unmarried and widows that singleness might well be the best thing for them, as it has been for me. But if they can’t manage their desires and emotions, they should by all means go ahead and get married. The difficulties of marriage are preferable by far to a sexually tortured life as a single.

10-11 And if you are married, stay married. This is the Master’s command, not mine. If a wife should leave her husband, she must either remain single or else come back and make things right with him. And a husband has no right to get rid of his wife.

12-14 For the rest of you who are in mixed marriages—Christian married to non-Christian—we have no explicit command from the Master. So this is what you must do. If you are a man with a wife who is not a believer but who still wants to live with you, hold on to her. If you are a woman with a husband who is not a believer but he wants to live with you, hold on to him. The unbelieving husband shares to an extent in the holiness of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is likewise touched by the holiness of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be left out; as it is, they also are included in the spiritual purposes of God.

15-16 On the other hand, if the unbelieving spouse walks out, you’ve got to let him or her go. You don’t have to hold on desperately. God has called us to make the best of it, as peacefully as we can. You never know, wife: The way you handle this might bring your husband not only back to you but to God. You never know, husband: The way you handle this might bring your wife not only back to you but to God.

17 And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life. Don’t think I’m being harder on you than on the others. I give this same counsel in all the churches.

18-19 Were you Jewish at the time God called you? Don’t try to remove the evidence. Were you non-Jewish at the time of your call? Don’t become a Jew. Being Jewish isn’t the point. The really important thing is obeying God’s call, following his commands.

20-22 Stay where you were when God called your name. Were you a slave? Slavery is no roadblock to obeying and believing. I don’t mean you’re stuck and can’t leave. If you have a chance at freedom, go ahead and take it. I’m simply trying to point out that under your new Master you’re going to experience a marvelous freedom you would never have dreamed of. On the other hand, if you were free when Christ called you, you’ll experience a delightful “enslavement to God” you would never have dreamed of.

23-24 All of you, slave and free both, were once held hostage in a sinful society. Then a huge sum was paid out for your ransom. So please don’t, out of old habit, slip back into being or doing what everyone else tells you. Friends, stay where you were called to be. God is there. Hold the high ground with him at your side.

25-28 The Master did not give explicit direction regarding virgins, but as one much experienced in the mercy of the Master and loyal to him all the way, you can trust my counsel. Because of the current pressures on us from all sides, I think it would probably be best to stay just as you are. Are you married? Stay married. Are you unmarried? Don’t get married. But there’s certainly no sin in getting married, whether you’re a virgin or not. All I am saying is that when you marry, you take on additional stress in an already stressful time, and I want to spare you if possible.

29-31 I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple—in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things—your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.

32-35 I want you to live as free of complications as possible. When you’re unmarried, you’re free to concentrate on simply pleasing the Master. Marriage involves you in all the nuts and bolts of domestic life and in wanting to please your spouse, leading to so many more demands on your attention. The time and energy that married people spend on caring for and nurturing each other, the unmarried can spend in becoming whole and holy instruments of God. I’m trying to be helpful and make it as easy as possible for you, not make things harder. All I want is for you to be able to develop a way of life in which you can spend plenty of time together with the Master without a lot of distractions.

36-38 If a man has a woman friend to whom he is loyal but never intended to marry, having decided to serve God as a “single,” and then changes his mind, deciding he should marry her, he should go ahead and marry. It’s no sin; it’s not even a “step down” from celibacy, as some say. On the other hand, if a man is comfortable in his decision for a single life in service to God and it’s entirely his own conviction and not imposed on him by others, he ought to stick with it. Marriage is spiritually and morally right and not inferior to singleness in any way, although as I indicated earlier, because of the times we live in, I do have pastoral reasons for encouraging singleness.

39-40 A wife must stay with her husband as long as he lives. If he dies, she is free to marry anyone she chooses. She will, of course, want to marry a believer and have the blessing of the Master. By now you know that I think she’ll be better off staying single. The Master, in my opinion, thinks so, too.

Getting Marriage Right Part 2

Pastor’s Blog

September 28, 2016

Find your “answers” in these Bible Passages, this time in the Living Bible Paraphrase

Ephesians 5:21-33 (Living Bible)                                               

Honor Christ by submitting to each other.  You wives must submit to your husbands’ leadership in the same way you submit to the Lord.  For a husband is in charge of his wife in the same way Christ is in charge of his body the Church. (He gave his very life to take care of it and be its Savior!)  So you wives must willingly obey your husbands in everything, just as the Church obeys Christ. 

And you husbands, show the same kind of love to your wives as Christ showed to the Church when he died for her,  to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God’s Word;  so that he could give her to himself as a glorious Church without a single spot or wrinkle or any other blemish, being holy and without a single fault.  That is how husbands should treat their wives, loving them as parts of themselves. For since a man and his wife are now one, a man is really doing himself a favor and loving himself when he loves his wife!  No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body the Church, of which we are parts.

(That the husband and wife are one body is proved by the Scripture, which says, "A man must leave his father and mother when he marries so that he can be perfectly joined to his wife, and the two shall be one.")  I know this is hard to understand, but it is an illustration of the way we are parts of the body of Christ. 

So again I say, a man must love his wife as a part of himself; and the wife must see to it that she deeply respects her husband—obeying, praising, and honoring him. 

Ephesians 5:31-33 (TLB)                                                                                                                               

I Corinthians 7:1-40 (Living Bible)

7 Now about those questions you asked in your last letter: my answer is that if you do not marry, it is good. 2 But usually it is best to be married, each man having his own wife, and each woman having her own husband, because otherwise you might fall back into sin.

3 The man should give his wife all that is her right as a married woman, and the wife should do the same for her husband: 4 for a girl who marries no longer has full right to her own body, for her husband then has his rights to it, too; and in the same way the husband no longer has full right to his own body, for it belongs also to his wife. 5 So do not refuse these rights to each other. The only exception to this rule would be the agreement of both husband and wife to refrain from the rights of marriage for a limited time, so that they can give themselves more completely to prayer. Afterwards, they should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt them because of their lack of self-control.

6 I’m not saying you must marry, but you certainly may if you wish. 7 I wish everyone could get along without marrying, just as I do. But we are not all the same. God gives some the gift of a husband or wife, and others he gives the gift of being able to stay happily unmarried. 8 So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—better to stay unmarried if you can, just as I am. 9 But if you can’t control yourselves, go ahead and marry. It is better to marry than to burn with lust.

10 Now, for those who are married I have a command, not just a suggestion. And it is not a command from me, for this is what the Lord himself has said: A wife must not leave her husband. 11 But if she is separated from him, let her remain single or else go back to him. And the husband must not divorce his wife.

12 Here I want to add some suggestions of my own. These are not direct commands from the Lord, but they seem right to me: If a Christian has a wife who is not a Christian, but she wants to stay with him anyway, he must not leave her or divorce her. 13 And if a Christian woman has a husband who isn’t a Christian, and he wants her to stay with him, she must not leave him. 14 For perhaps the husband who isn’t a Christian may become a Christian with the help of his Christian wife. And the wife who isn’t a Christian may become a Christian with the help of her Christian husband. Otherwise, if the family separates, the children might never come to know the Lord; whereas a united family may, in God’s plan, result in the children’s salvation.

15 But if the husband or wife who isn’t a Christian is eager to leave, it is permitted. In such cases the Christian husband or wife should not insist that the other stay, for God wants his children to live in peace and harmony. 16 For, after all, there is no assurance to you wives that your husbands will be converted if they stay; and the same may be said to you husbands concerning your wives.

17 But be sure in deciding these matters that you are living as God intended, marrying or not marrying in accordance with God’s direction and help, and accepting whatever situation God has put you into. This is my rule for all the churches.

18 For instance, a man who already has gone through the Jewish ceremony of circumcision before he became a Christian shouldn’t worry about it; and if he hasn’t been circumcised, he shouldn’t do it now. 19 For it doesn’t make any difference at all whether a Christian has gone through this ceremony or not. But it makes a lot of difference whether he is pleasing God and keeping God’s commandments. That is the important thing.

20 Usually a person should keep on with the work he was doing when God called him. 21 Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but of course, if you get a chance to be free, take it. 22 If the Lord calls you, and you are a slave, remember that Christ has set you free from the awful power of sin; and if he has called you and you are free, remember that you are now a slave of Christ. 23 You have been bought and paid for by Christ, so you belong to him—be free now from all these earthly prides and fears.[a] 24 So, dear brothers, whatever situation a person is in when he becomes a Christian, let him stay there, for now the Lord is there to help him.

25 Now I will try to answer your other question. What about girls who are not yet married? Should they be permitted to do so? In answer to this question, I have no special command for them from the Lord. But the Lord in his kindness has given me wisdom that can be trusted, and I will be glad to tell you what I think.

26 Here is the problem: We Christians are facing great dangers to our lives at present. In times like these I think it is best for a person to remain unmarried. 27 Of course, if you already are married, don’t separate because of this. But if you aren’t, don’t rush into it at this time. 28 But if you men decide to go ahead anyway and get married now, it is all right; and if a girl gets married in times like these, it is no sin. However, marriage will bring extra problems that I wish you didn’t have to face right now.

29 The important thing to remember is that our remaining time is very short, and so are our opportunities for doing the Lord’s work.[b] For that reason those who have wives should stay as free as possible for the Lord;* 30 happiness or sadness or wealth should not keep anyone from doing God’s work. 31 Those in frequent contact with the exciting things the world offers should make good use of their opportunities without stopping to enjoy them; for the world in its present form will soon be gone.

32 In all you do, I want you to be free from worry. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. 33 But a married man can’t do that so well; he has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. 34 His interests are divided. It is the same with a girl who marries. She faces the same problem. A girl who is not married is anxious to please the Lord in all she is and does.[c] But a married woman must consider other things such as housekeeping and the likes and dislikes of her husband.

35 I am saying this to help you, not to try to keep you from marrying. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few other things as possible to distract your attention from him.

36 But if anyone feels he ought to marry because he has trouble controlling his passions, it is all right; it is not a sin; let him marry. 37 But if a man has the willpower not to marry and decides that he doesn’t need to and won’t, he has made a wise decision. 38 So the person who marries does well, and the person who doesn’t marry does even better.

39 The wife is part of her husband as long as he lives; if her husband dies, then she may marry again, but only if she marries a Christian. 40 But in my opinion she will be happier if she doesn’t marry again; and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

Getting Marriage Right

Pastor's Blog

September 26, 2016

Check out these passage from the Bible for the “answers”  What do they tell you?

Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV)

                                               

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.  

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.  

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her  to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,  and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.  In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--  for we are members of his body.  "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."  This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.  However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

                                                                                                                                 

I Corinthians 7:1-40 (NIV)

Concerning Married Life

7 Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt youbecause of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

8 Now to the unmarried[a] and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Concerning Change of Status

17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.Keeping God’s commands is what counts. 20 Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24 Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

Concerning the Unmarried

25 Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is.27 Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong[b] and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.[c]

39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. 40 In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

Blessed to Be a Blessing - Fall Theme 2016

Fall Theme 2016

BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING

Genesis 12:3

September 23, 2016
Jeff Lampl

9/25              Beyond Ourselves            

Meet people whose lives have been changed by Christ.

10/2 – 11/6    Marriage                                   

A 5 week series for married couples and single people including interviews of couples of all ages.   Topics include;

‘The Secret’ . . . ‘Godly Tantrums’. . . ‘The Purpose’ . .’Who is this person’? . .‘The Power’ . . .  ‘Sex’. .

10/16            Is Christianity Credible?

           

One Week only, Sunday 10/16.  Bible Scholar David Marshall will preach at both services on the believability of Christianity.   His goal is to  both strengthen the faith of believers and to present Christianity to skeptics in a way that will help them consider Christianity on its merits.

Dr. Marshall will also teach at ‘Life Café’ on Wed. evening 10/19 and on Saturday morning 10/22 at 9:00 and 10:30.  Topics:  Jesus and Other religions,  Is Jesus a Myth?, and Can the Bible be Believed?  There is no charge for his teachings and childcare will be provided.

I am hoping that you will attend each of these teachings not only so that you grow in your confidence and  ability  to explain your faith to skeptics, but also so that you will take this opportunity to invite skeptical friends who might be open to discovering that there are solid answers to their questions and doubts.

Dr. Marshall’s calling is to provide a solid, rational and historically grounded response to the groundswell of those who are questioning the credibility of Christianity

Dr. Marshall’s newest books are How Jesus Passes the Outsider Test: The Inside Story, Jesus is no Myth.   Just click on the link to purchase.

Read more about Dr. Marshall:

Dr. Marshall is a Christian scholar and founder of the new East West Center for Christian Thought in Seattle. He worked for 15 years in East Asia as a missionary and educator. He labored to awaken the Asian church to the needs of young women caught in the sex industry, researched Chinese culture, and studied theology at China Evangelical Seminar. He then taught at Siebold University and Nagasaki University in Nagasaki, Japan, his wife's hometown.

Dr. Marshall is author of seven published books, on China and Christianity, world religions, the Gospels, and the New Atheism, as well of articles for Christianity Today, Books and Culture, Touchstone, and other magazines, and editor of Faith Seeking Understanding: Essays in Memory of Paul Brand and Ralph Winter (William Carey Library).  

Marshall has a doctorate from Oxford Centre for Missions Studies, and MA and BA degrees in China-related topics from the University of Washington in Seattle.  He has debated skeptics including Dr.  Richard Carrier, John Loftus, Dr. Robert Price, and Dr. Phil Zuckerman, and has spoken at leading churches in America, and also in Canada, Great Britain, and many countries of East Asia.  He blogs at christthetao.blogspot.com.  

 He writes that, “The truth of the gospels lies at the heart of the Christian faith.  But in recent years, their historicity has been challenged in works that have been granted tremendous media attention” 

Jesus is No Myth answers these challenges by analyzing "forensic" evidence for the trustworthiness of the gospels, helping Christians and unbelievers recognize the dynamic, revolutionary character of the stories of Jesus, why they are deeply credible as historical sources, and how they have changed the world. 

For the past 35 years, Dr. Marshall has been studying three vital questions: "What has the Gospel done for humanity?"  "Can the gospels be trusted?" His previous book,  How Jesus Passes the Outsider Test: The Inside Story, which focused on Christ and other religions, was compared by some reviewers to Mere Christianity and Orthodoxy.   

Book Reviews

Jesus is No Myth (just out)

Dr. Craig Blomberg (Denver Seminary): 

“David Marshall presents a rare combination of forms of expertise . . .

Support for the credibility of Christianity can be found here that

is available nowhere else.   A must read. ”

Dr. Timothy McGrew, Chair of the Department of Philosophy

at Western Michigan University: 

"Full of fresh insights, penetrating analysis, and dry wit – t

he section on the Baal Shem Tov alone is worth the price of the book –

and some of the best material from the rich storehouse of the history

of apologetics."      

  Order here

                                                                                         

How Jesus Passes the Outsider Test: The Inside Story, 2015

"David Marshall unlocks a wealth of wisdom . . . This book is a treasure chest.  Read it and you will be enriched." Miriam Adeney, Seattle Pacific Missiologist:

"At one point, I was thinking to myself: "I can't remember the last time I enjoyed reading a book this much."  (And I read a lot.)  Then I remembered that it was when I read Chesterton's Orthodoxy.  Quite honestly, I think this book even surpasses that for me." Brad Cooper:

"For some time now, Christianity’s cultured despisers have claimed that the Christian faith fails the so-called outsider test for faith. In this delightful riposte, David Marshall demonstrates the opposite is the case: Christianity, of all faiths, is most adept to pass this test. Nor is this a dry academic volume: Marshall presents his case with rhetorical wit and the cosmopolitan vision of a true world citizen. A must have for any apologist."

 Randal Rauser, Canadian philosopher:

"Marshall’s undertaking is breath-taking in its scope, as he brings together an amazing array of factual evidence from history, literature, religions and an unbelievable diversity of other sources in a brilliantly woven case that effectively invalidates the skeptical claim that people of faith live in a `closed door’ universe that could never survive the rigorous intellectual scrutiny of the `Outsider Test’. Marshall is uniquely gifted as a writer – his careful scholarship, depth of insight and logical analysis is matched only by his illustrative genius as he skilfully blends inspired prose and vivid imagination in a much-needed, readable counter to the contemporary assault of the new atheists. This is a book you will not want to put down once you begin to read it, and a `must-read’ for any thoughtful follower of Christ. It has immense value both as a apologetic and pastoral tool - to help demolish obstacles to faith among genuine skeptics, and to encourage the weak and equip the strong within the community of faith." Ivan Satyavrata, theologian, Chairman, Kolkata Mission of Mercy:

"An engrossing historical tapestry laden with insight . . .  Read on and be enriched!" Don Richardson, author, Peace Child and Eternity in Their Hearts:

"In the earliest days of the church there was a skeptic named Celsus whose works have been lost, and whose name would be forgotten had not Origen written his important rebuttal, Contra Celsus . . . Much as Celsus has become a footnote to Origen, I suspect (skeptic John) Loftus is destined to become a footnote to Marshall . . .  an outstanding read by a terrific storyteller, broad in scope, great in depth." Tom Gilson, Thinking Christian blog:

Faith Seeking Understanding, 2012

Philip Jenkins, Penn State historian:

"David Marshall has gathered a really distinguished array of contributors, who have all thought deeply about faith in its global context, and the different essays work wonderfully well together. The book makes a splendid memorial to two truly great individuals, Paul Brand and Ralph Winter."

Nicholas Wolterstorff, Yale philosopher:

"What makes the collection especially fascinating and valuable is the individuality and particularity of the stories -- a concrete testimony to the fact that the Christian intellectual life takes many forms."

The Truth Behind the New Atheism, 2007

Ralph Winter, founder, US Center for World Missions: "Spectacularly argued, spectacularly written, and even more spectacularly timely."

Rodney Stark (author of The Rise of Christianity and For the Glory of God) "A wonderful revelation that unreflective, blind faith is most prominently displayed these days by the "new atheists" 

Paul Griffiths, Warren Chair of Catholic Thought at Duke Divinity School, "Dennett's and Dawkins' arguments are given a full and fair showing, and their strengths acknowledged, which makes all the more impressive the fact that only tumbled fragments of their atheistic edifice remain by the time Marshall is done."

John Lennox, Oxford University mathematician, philosopher of science, "I am enjoying (it) immensely . . . I am sure it will be a great help with my own thinking on the subject."

The Truth About Jesus and the "Lost Gospels": A Reasoned Look at Thomas, Judas, and the Gnostic Gospels, 2007

Craig Blomberg: "Marshall's work introduces the real historical facts as effectively as any work in print today. Learned but very readable, wide­-ranging in coverage, and even tinged with self-­effacing humor, this book sets the record straight."

Jesus and the Religions of Man, 2000.

Frederica Matthewes-Green, of Christianity Today: "David Marshall takes cultural analysis several levels deeper, and in prose that is several levels higher, than we've come to expect. The result is not only enlightening but also a great deal of fun to read."

David Leshana, President Emeritus, Seattle Pacific University: "Very well done . . . This book should be read by all who . . . are preparing for ministry in an increasingly multicultural world."

Leslie Keylock, professor of Apologetics, Moody Bible Institute (retired): "Carefully reasoned and beautifully written by a man who has read widely . . . One of the finest books on world religions I have read in a long time."

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Learned, urbane, and refreshing."

True Son of Heaven: How Jesus Fulfills the Chinese Culture, by David Marshall, 1996.

Richard Sherburne, S. J., Marquette University scholar of Tibetan religion: "I read (the) entire book last night -- really found it hard to put down. A wonderful job of de-europeanizing Jesus."

James Hudson Taylor III, founder, China Evangelical Seminary: "An amazing piece of writing."

Don Richardson, author, Peace Child, Eternity in Their Hearts: "An exciting read!"

Tony Lambert, China researcher, "Showing deep, original thought, the author challenges the assumption that God and Christ are totally alien to the Chinese tradition, and writes a modern book on Christian apologetics in the process . . . Stimulating and provocative."

Wright Doyle, Global China Center, "It seems to me that Marshall has followed in the footsteps of C.S. Lewis, who told us that are desires are to weak, not too strong; and of Blaise Pascal, who urged Christians to show how lovely, how utterly delightful, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The True Son of Heaven presents us with effective contextualization of the Christian message without dilution of its essence . . . Marshall’s style, both poetic and colloquial, requires a translator of the very highest skill in both English and Chinese to render the beauty and subtleties of this fine work." 

Going to the Polls - How would Jesus have us think about Marriage, Family and Education?

Going to the Polls

Election 2016

How would Jesus have us think about

Marriage, Family and Education?

Monday, September 19, 2016

Jeff Lampl

“These are the commands . . . . God directed me to teach you  . . . so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God  . . . and so that you
may enjoy long life.. .  be careful to obey so that it may go well with you . . .

 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

 Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

What do moms, dads, guns and schools have to do with one another?

The Bible presents to us a God-ordered world, structured around the building block of in-tact families consisting of a mom and a dad who are married to each other for life and who take responsibility for raising their children to know and love God.   Marriage (the trinity of God, husband, wife) is given by God as God’s human picture of Himself (the Trinity of Father Son and Holy Spirit). In Jesus’ day education took place primarily in the home and consisted of loving God, teaching children how God’s world functions and training them to be partners with God in the operation of God’s world.

Fast forward a few thousand years to 21^st century America where parents blame bad schools and bad teachers for their child’s ‘bad education’.  Although schools are good things generally speaking they can only be as successful as the families from which the students come. 

It looks to me like Chicago has a problem with bad schools, shootings (3,000 shot so far this year alone), fatherless homes, youth unemployment and poverty. I find it difficult to imagine that a new jobs program will help much if children grow up in homes where mom has no husband and the children do not have a dad, who teamed with mom, will teach, love, and train them in the fundamentals of life. I find it difficult to imagine that better schools can ever do a job for which, generally speaking but still importantly,  in-tact families are suited.   

So, what’s the answer?  If government can help at all perhaps it and we together could begin to imagine and dream.

What if we were to put on the Jesus Lens and imagine what educating our children would look like as Jesus would want it to look?  Some of the following “what ifs” are beyond what a government can do, but they are not beyond what our children’s primary teachers, eg. their parents and grandparents,  can do.

·         Imagine a government that valued and became incredibly creative in strengthening the family, valuing and promoting the value of dads sticking with moms as husband and wife in a home where children would be loved, trained, taught, valued and given values that will help them be able to succeed in school and hold jobs.

·         Imagine our children growing up with the understanding that God is real and life apart from God is foolish to attempt.

·         Imagine parents, grandparents, and teachers comfortably telling our children that sex is a fusion of self-giving souls and that God intends it for marriage where it will be holy, not just a physical act, and where men become husbands and then fathers who are there for their children for the rest of their lives

·         Imagine understanding marriage and subsequent fatherhood and motherhood as a visual of God himself, if not explicitly at least implicitly.

·         Imagine our children knowing that cloning and the taking of human life from the ‘womb to the tomb’ are acts that tamper with the sacredness of every human life because God is the father of every human life.

·         Imagine our children being taught by parents and grandparents and teachers that human beings are people with souls, people who are holy objects, not just as people who exist to make me happy or get in my way.

·         Imagine our nation’s children understanding American citizenship as a responsibility to love and respect others including our enemies.

·         What if our children had the knowledge, not just belief, but knowledge that the value of a human being  is not in what they contribute to society?  Rather it is in their value to God as their father. 

·         Imagine our children growing up in homes and schools being taught that foreign policy is not just about what works for America but also about America making the rest of the world work better too. 

·         Imagine our children growing up know that work is about far more than earning money to live on, rather work is what I am made for, it gives us dignity.  It is partnering with God to build a society that is a blessing to others be it at McDonalds or DuPont 

·         Imagine our children being trained to be able ask themselves is my “cell phone use and social media use making me more connected or less connected to actual human beings. Am I more or less lonely.? Am I kinder and more about helping others or am I more isolated and self-centered?

·         What if our children knew the difference between shopping that is fun and useful and shopping that degrading?

·         What if our children were to learn that beauty is a real thing and that it is not in the eye of the beholder, rather beauty is that which communicates an awe inspiring, humbling awareness of God

·         What if our children were to study physics, and chemistry and literature and poetry, all with the knowledge, not just belief, but actual knowledge that God is the maker and sustainer and operator of every physical law in the universe and therefore finds it impossible to consider the study of science apart from the make and sustainer of science.

These are all God questions:   questions that Jesus summarized with the most important way to know anything in the universe.   And that way is not first and foremost information sharing but it is by loving god and loving others.  Doing those two things is the path to the real world and to the information we need to live in it.

As we go to the polls in November, ask these questions;

·         Which candidates for president of the United States or for school board director and everyone in between define education in the ways described above?

·         What policies might further opportunities for this kind of education?

·         What policies would strengthen the family, strengthen the value of marriage and strengthen the possibility that children grow up with a father and mother committed to them and to each other for life?  Which candidates know that this kind of education is first and foremost the job of parents and not the job of the state or of the church.  

·         Knowing however that most families won’t do this, even Christian ones, what does that mean for funding public schools, or providing vouchers for school choice, or for strengthening private schools, Christian schools and charter schools?

·         How can we Christians lead the way in praying for our schools and teachers, mentoring students, involving ourselves in sports and activities as people who know that real knowledge is not judged by test scores, rather it is judged by knowledge of God