Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Mark 13:31, ESV)
“Teach Us To Pray” – outline, from Sunday, July 25, 2010 at the Marbury Church of God
The Best Teacher Is a Good Example
The essentials of prayer
The Parable of the Friend
God is our “go-to” friend!
Prayer is Urgent
It’s always midnight
(Some Ways Not to Pray….)
The best thing to ask for…?
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Today’s message from Galatians 2:15b-21.
The setting: Paul, the Pharisee-turned-evangelist, is very worried that someone has come in behind him to change the message from one of life-changing good news (gospel) to one of religious particularism (another gospel which is no gospel).
He makes it clear that the message he has been spreading through the world did not come to him from a human source, but “by revelation of Jesus Christ.” Not that he had not, after his remarkable meeting with Christ on the Damascus road, checked in with those who had known Jesus during his earthly ministry; he had, and had found that his message was consistent with theirs.
Some of the new believes in the Church at Jerusalem have not yet understood the scope of the message that gave them life, and want to impose additional conditions on the new-found faith of their non-Jewish counterparts out in the wide world, of whom the Galatian churches form a part.
This “other gospel which is not a gospel” makes the claim that while faith in Christ is a good start, it is incomplete without the entire traditional package — we would now call it the “judeo-Christian tradition” — including rules about circumcision of males, dietary practices, and all the other things that go with their (superior [?]) religious tradition.
Later in the letter, Paul says that his Galatian friends have been “bewitched” by this alternate message: one that relies on “the works of the law” rather than “the faith of Jesus Christ.”
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
Sermon notes from May 9, 2010
Text: Revelation 21:10, 22 – 22:5
A heavenly vision: the New Jerusalem is God’s dwelling [tabernacle] (v 2-3). It is the church of God, descending from heaven to earth.
Evidence that this is the church: it is the Bride: 21:9-10 (see Ephesians 5:25-33). It is the city with foundations, which is to come. Hebrews 11:10,16; 12:22-23; 13:14.
The description of this heavenly Jerusalem, which is the bride, the church, draws heavily from the description of a restored Jerusalem given in Ezekiel chapters 40-48. One clue that this vision of John is a re-presentation of Ezekiel’s vision is the guiding angel who carries a measuring rod (Revelation 21:15; Ezekiel 40:2-5).
It is also Ezekiel who gives us the original vision of the “river of the water of life.” John can use this shorthand because his scripture-savvy readers will understand that he is talking about the same vision which we find extensively described in Ezekiel 47:1-12.
The vision of life-giving water flowing from the place of God’s dwelling is much older, however; you see it in Genesis 2:10-14, where all the great rivers known to the ancient world are said to have first flowed from Paradise: so we have in this vision a sense of the restoration, at long last, of God’s original plan (although we should note that the benefits of Paradise 2.0, given here, include many enhancements over the original version: most especially the prominent place now given to the Tree of Life [22:2], which is no longer off limits).
This vision of the church is comprehensive and inclusive; the gates are the twelve patriarchs, representing the Old Covenant and God’s working in the physical, historical realm.
There is therefore now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus.
— Romans 8:1
Some churches pay more attention to the liturgical calendar than others. The Church of God draws a great heritage from a free church tradition which does not adhere slavishly to such things; however, because of our commitment to fellowship with all those everywhere who name Christ as Lord, more and more pastors and churches are keeping aware of such things; and of course, since the whole world changes its behavior during Advent, there is plenty of good reason to use that opportunity to remind people of the “reason for the season;” and likewise, during the run-up to Easter known as Lent (marked increasingly by observances of “Fat Tuesday” [Mardi Gras], the last day of feasting before the forty days of fasting traditionally begin the following day, Ash Wednesday, as observed by the more liturgical churches; perhaps you remember how this year TV reporters had trouble figuring out what the smudge on the forehead of Joe Biden, a Roman Catholic, was). But less attention is paid to Easter, a season that begins on the day we celebrate the Resurrection, and lasts 50 days until the feast of Pentecost. Pentecost marks the occasion of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as recounted in the second chapter of the book of Acts.
Easter, then, is not just one day, and it’s not all about eggs and rabbits and other signs of growth and fertility, borrowed from a more ancient series of observances that developed in Northern Europe. For those of us who are Christians, the events commemorated by these springtime observances serve as parables written in nature itself that illustrate a spiritual truth at the heart of our faith: that God’s greatest miracle is the bringing forth of life out of death. Christ arose! says the hymn, and at least in the northern hemisphere, we find all nature joining in the chorus with an Amen that resounds with flowers and fruit, birds and bees, lengthening days and sunshine warming hearts and homes.
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
— Romans 5:1
Thursday, April 1 — Maundy Thursday
Our church celebrates Communion and Footwashing to commemorate the Lord’s Supper and the Mandate (hence “Maundy”) that He gave on that night when He washed the disciples’ feet: “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” “If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you ought also to wash one another’s feet.” While we uphold a tradition that honors this command with a literal foot-washing ceremony (because on that same occasion he said, “If you know these things, happy are you if you do them,”) we also understand that foot-washing is symbolic of the life of service to others that is the calling of every Christian. And truly, this is the path to happiness.
Friday, April 2 — Good Friday
While we have no special services planned in Marbury this year for Good Friday, we are pleased to join in with a sister congregation. Pastor Bob will be present with others at the Temple Hills Church of God, 4814 St. Barnabas Rd., Temple Hills, MD 20748 to participate in a service commemorating the “Seven Last Words of Christ.” The seven last words, or sayings, spoken by Christ from the Cross will be remembered with brief comments by a series of preachers beginning at 7:00 p.m. sharp.
Sunday, April 4 — Easter
7 a.m. Community Sunrise service at the Marbury Church of God. It is a joy for us each year to join with our neighbors in celebration as the Marbury Baptist Church and the Marbury Church of God come together to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. A time of fellowship with continental breakfast will follow this early service.
Notes for message preached on Palm Sunday, March 28, 2010 at the Marbury Church of God.
Isaiah 50:4-9a
50:4 The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens– wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.50:5 The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward.
50:6 I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.
50:7 The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
50:8 he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me.
50:9a It is the Lord GOD who helps me; who will declare me guilty?
The Ministry of the Messiah
By all accounts this is a messianic text, allowing us, through the inspired prophet, to gain a glimpse into the mind of Christ. This we must do, because we are admonished: “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” With what attitude did Jesus approach his ministry?
Isaiah 50:4-5:
Compare Luke 4:17-19 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me….
“the tongue of a teacher,” the tongue of one who is taught”…. the language here suggests that one who learns from God will be able to teach, to “sustain the weary with a word,” because he is also one who is able to learn continually, “morning by morning. The best teacher is one who constantly learns, and the prophet here shows us that Jesus is that kind of teacher, as each of us is called to be.
