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It's the lamb, the lamb...!

11/28/2022

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I have learned a lot of things from my elder brother Gary. He has been one of the many significant and important influences in my life. Gary makes no secret that he likes Pastor Albert Tate, and one of Pastor Tate's frequent sermons has to do with the fact that we as Christians should follow the Lamb (Jesus) and not the Donkey (the Democratic Logo) or the Elephant (the Republican Logo.) As most of you know, and I have not made it any big secret, that I was a lifelong Democrat who turned Republican in 2007 and hasn't looked back since, and while I don't think there is any harm in following, voting for, and supporting one political party over the other, where I draw the line is vilifying the opposing party or it's supporters. I know too many good Christians personally who ascribe to both political parties, who have prayed with me, studied the Bible with me and sang worship songs with me, that it would be so wrong to vilify either party's followers or call them stupid for ascribing to their party of preference. Now that the primary elections are over, and all the negative advertisements on radio and television have ceased, I am calling for reconciliation and unity --- unity among we the people of the United States of America --- the greatest nation on earth. 

As the Apostle Paul, or St. Paul famously put it, "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me." Philippians 2:1-18

"
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought." 1 Corinthians 1:10

Pastor Tate is a frequent visiting speaker at Willow Creek Community Church. My own favorite visiting Pastor is Megan Marshman who I believe does a fantastic job tying Biblical topics to everyday realities here on earth.


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To Bless, to overlook, or to curse?

11/22/2022

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Today I wish to touch on a topic which will require us to read from the Parable of the Good Samaritan. 

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Immediately we see that the response most people have to another person's misery and misfortune is one of disregard. The Priest and the Levite actively ignored or sidestepped the problem and went their own way while the good Samaritan had mercy on the stranger and looked after him. How many times are we the stranger at the side of the road all bloody and beaten up, left for half dead, while the world looks the other way to our pain, suffering and misfortune? Or how many times do we just walk on by on the other side of the road, ignoring someone else's misfortune? Too many. Very few times will you see someone like the Good Samaritan step in, come along and help. If I were to take a guess, 98 percent of the world would choose to walk on the other side of the road, ignoring the needy. What would you do? Would you choose to Bless, Ignore or Curse? How far out of your way would you go to become a Blessing to someone in that situation? Definitely something to ponder. 
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Ignorance is Bliss?

11/5/2022

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Before the Apostle Paul, or St. Paul, however you choose to address him, became a devout follower of Christ and gave us 2/3rds of the New Testament, his name was Saul, he was a devout, observant Jew, and a zealous persecutor of Christians. He was a disciple of Gamaliel. In the Talmud, Gamaliel is described as bearing the titles Nasi (Hebrew: נָשִׂיא‎ Nāśīʾ) "prince" and Rabban "our master", as the president of the Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. Gamaliel holds a reputation in the Mishnah for being one of the greatest teachers in all the annals of Judaism. Consequently Saul was one of the most well-read, learned, eloquent, and masterful Torah scholars of his time with very few equals in his day.

So Saul's conversion to Paul happened on the road to Damascus:


"Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, (Christians) whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.  “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
​

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was Baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.


After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers." Acts 9:1-31

While Jews and Christians are the strongest of allies and friends in today's day and age, it wasn't always so, but my point of presenting this story from the Bible isn't to ignite religious passions but to illustrate that along with religious conversion comes increased enlightenment. So, what does all this have to do with Ignorance and Bliss? It is simple. The act of genuine conversion and Baptism open a person's eyes to all the good and evil in this world and an intense dislike and distaste for the evil therein. It is like scales falling off a person's eyes just as the scales fell off Saul's eyes. You were once Blind but now you can see. Since I was first Baptized in 2009, I have been able to "see" things many others cannot, even discern the presence of good or evil within a place, an individual, a vehicle or a situation. It is as though scales have fallen off my eyes. I was completely blind before 2009 but did not know it. Now I can see clearly, but do I really want to see? Was Ignorance Bliss, or is it better to know and discern? I am not sure. Regardless, I just "Trust and Obey" as scriptures call us to do. It is as simple as that. 





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    This scripture message of the day is authored by Paul J Narang, servant of the Lord  Jesus Christ who edits and manages this website. 

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