We haven't had too much "discussion" the last few weeks. I am hoping yesterday's message gets it going a little bit...
Did I take the command too far? What are the implications of "spiritualizing" the 5th Commandment, Honor your father and mother?
Or did my message really "spiritualize" anything? The people deserving honor are still flesh and blood people in our lives...
Thoughts?
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The Fourth Word: A New Day for the New Way
Last Saturday's sermon has posted. There are two different ways to listen...
For those who are active in the realm of social networking, you might consider using this blog, or the podcast as opportunities to connect with friends and family around issues of your faith. The 10 Commandments are familiar enough to many (at least the idea of them) that I'm sure some of these messages and discussions could create some fun conversations.
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/
Web: http://saturdaynightchurch.
Grace and peace,
Curtis
For those who are active in the realm of social networking, you might consider using this blog, or the podcast as opportunities to connect with friends and family around issues of your faith. The 10 Commandments are familiar enough to many (at least the idea of them) that I'm sure some of these messages and discussions could create some fun conversations.
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/
Web: http://saturdaynightchurch.
Grace and peace,
Curtis
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Sabbath delays my Blog...
Where is this week going? I ended up taking my Sabbath on Sunday (trying to put the Bible into action) which has thrown my week into a chaos, ironically. Let me explain; The last two weeks I have been writing my blog on Sunday afternoon, but since I decided to take my Sabbath on Sunday I turned off my phone and electronics that I am glued too for 95% of the week. This meant that I could not get online to type up a response to the sermon. I told myself I would do it Monday, but work was crazy and I had an emergency date night, so I pushed the write up till Tuesday. Tuesday got crazier at work, and then I was privileged enough to go to dinner with Theresa’s family which delayed the blog even further into Wednesday. Now we are halfway through our week and still no blog… so before another day goes by here is my 15 minute run down.
As I stated up above I took my Sabbath on Sunday. It was harder than expected. I decided to turn off all electronics (phone, computer, TV, etc). This threw my day into a spin because I had planned to watch a soccer game in the morning with some friends, and then possibly get a group of my young life guys together to watch a movie in the evening. Whelp, without my phone these plans went out the window. I thought about driving over to Curtis’ house, but then I realized that driving was something that I do every day….so I decided that if I was going to drive it had to be for an emergency. I resorted to breaking out my bike, but the tire had a hole in it. My last resort was walking…but it was 100 degrees so I decided I would read and pray (it’s amazing how wide open your day becomes when you strip the daily routine, work, and chores out of the mix-in addition I am no tree hugger by any means but if everyone could cut out one day of driving we could make a statement to the oil companies and help out the enviroment).
After some reading I kept asking myself…well what can I do on Sabbath. I have been so trained to go, go, go that when I have to slow down I feel like I still need to be doing something…or I am wasting time. Therefore, I wanted rules for what I could and couldn’t do (in order to maximize my day) As humans we always want parameters, and I found it ironic that Sabbath what was built into the fabric of creation for freedom, enjoyment, rest, and worship and I (like the Jews) was ready to turn my first Sabbath into a legalistic day of restraints(possibly missing the point of Sabbath?).
So I sat on the couch asking myself how can I make the Sabbath not about me. I remembered something I read a couple weeks ago. It has to do with us (God’s people) practicing for the arrival of the kingdom (basically practicing for what we are going to be doing for eternity). The idea is that when God comes back He will restore creation to the way He intended it to be, we will return to our intended purpose which involves the practice of Sabbath. When we look at Sabbath with an eschatological purpose, we are doing a couple things. One, we are agents of God’s Kingdom showing the world (through action) what the natural grain of the universe looks like. In essence, Sabbath is a form of ministry (as displayed by Chic Filet, BYU, etc) as we live our beliefs through action. Secondly, there is a reminder that there is more to come. This practice is preparing us for the day when Christ returns when we sit around rest and enjoy God. Until then we wait and hope in anticipation. Lastly, we are reminded that we were made for a purpose, a perpetual state of becoming fully human the way we were intended to be. A reminder that we have not yet arrived, that we still very much need Christ. In order to do this we displace our own wants and desires. If anything, it is another practice of denial, like fasting, lent, ect, where we learn to control our desires…showing that they will not control us.
I am getting a little off track, but my point is that instead of looking at Sabbath as something we have to do, or making rules about what we can and cannot do (nice question about sex…whoever texted Curtis) we can see it in a positive light. The example last week of “having” to go to church is all about perspective. We have been formed by the world and we need a renewing of our minds so to speak as we change our perspective and outlook on the world (well I need to at least).
I am hoping some more people share about how Sabbath kicked their butt…or what they did for Sabbath. Sorry this is so rushed and all over the place didn’t want to wait any longer.
As I stated up above I took my Sabbath on Sunday. It was harder than expected. I decided to turn off all electronics (phone, computer, TV, etc). This threw my day into a spin because I had planned to watch a soccer game in the morning with some friends, and then possibly get a group of my young life guys together to watch a movie in the evening. Whelp, without my phone these plans went out the window. I thought about driving over to Curtis’ house, but then I realized that driving was something that I do every day….so I decided that if I was going to drive it had to be for an emergency. I resorted to breaking out my bike, but the tire had a hole in it. My last resort was walking…but it was 100 degrees so I decided I would read and pray (it’s amazing how wide open your day becomes when you strip the daily routine, work, and chores out of the mix-in addition I am no tree hugger by any means but if everyone could cut out one day of driving we could make a statement to the oil companies and help out the enviroment).
After some reading I kept asking myself…well what can I do on Sabbath. I have been so trained to go, go, go that when I have to slow down I feel like I still need to be doing something…or I am wasting time. Therefore, I wanted rules for what I could and couldn’t do (in order to maximize my day) As humans we always want parameters, and I found it ironic that Sabbath what was built into the fabric of creation for freedom, enjoyment, rest, and worship and I (like the Jews) was ready to turn my first Sabbath into a legalistic day of restraints(possibly missing the point of Sabbath?).
So I sat on the couch asking myself how can I make the Sabbath not about me. I remembered something I read a couple weeks ago. It has to do with us (God’s people) practicing for the arrival of the kingdom (basically practicing for what we are going to be doing for eternity). The idea is that when God comes back He will restore creation to the way He intended it to be, we will return to our intended purpose which involves the practice of Sabbath. When we look at Sabbath with an eschatological purpose, we are doing a couple things. One, we are agents of God’s Kingdom showing the world (through action) what the natural grain of the universe looks like. In essence, Sabbath is a form of ministry (as displayed by Chic Filet, BYU, etc) as we live our beliefs through action. Secondly, there is a reminder that there is more to come. This practice is preparing us for the day when Christ returns when we sit around rest and enjoy God. Until then we wait and hope in anticipation. Lastly, we are reminded that we were made for a purpose, a perpetual state of becoming fully human the way we were intended to be. A reminder that we have not yet arrived, that we still very much need Christ. In order to do this we displace our own wants and desires. If anything, it is another practice of denial, like fasting, lent, ect, where we learn to control our desires…showing that they will not control us.
I am getting a little off track, but my point is that instead of looking at Sabbath as something we have to do, or making rules about what we can and cannot do (nice question about sex…whoever texted Curtis) we can see it in a positive light. The example last week of “having” to go to church is all about perspective. We have been formed by the world and we need a renewing of our minds so to speak as we change our perspective and outlook on the world (well I need to at least).
I am hoping some more people share about how Sabbath kicked their butt…or what they did for Sabbath. Sorry this is so rushed and all over the place didn’t want to wait any longer.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Jane's Response to Sabbath
I decided today that for my Sabbath, I am not going to go shopping. Believing that buying things will make me happy, I can sometimes go to Target WAY too many times in a week. I'm learning to go much less (there is always something not on my list I realize I need when I am there!), but am also making it a Sabbath "rule" for myself to stay away from the stores. I actually pulled into the parking lot of Target today and then told myself NO! and pulled right back out. :)
Sabbath is hard...hard to carve out time...hard to make the time I carve out intentional...but today was a good day. I even got a nap in, as well as a little bit of time with friends. I'd say it was a gift.
-Jane
Sabbath is hard...hard to carve out time...hard to make the time I carve out intentional...but today was a good day. I even got a nap in, as well as a little bit of time with friends. I'd say it was a gift.
-Jane
On Your Mark, Get Set, SABBATH!
In less than 24 hours, I see how the Israelites could so easily get caught up in a legalistic observance of the Sabbath... The 4th Word offers zero in the "how" department. If our "hows" become the only "hows" I think we've begun to drift away from Sabbath as gift.
2 Quick Observations:
2 Quick Observations:
- I love that our Sat Night Community is clearly interested in more than just hearing God's words. All of the questions about "how" to practice Sabbath mean we are a part of a community truly interested in doing God's Word!
- Answering the "how" questions about practicing Sabbath is truly a community exercise. We discern together what it means to keep Sabbath holy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
