Good theology supports good evangelism! So often we just hear God loves you. But not the why and how of it. A proper understanding of the Gospel changes the heart of the sinner!
PONDERING WITH THE PADRE: This is a place where I, when inspired by the Holy Spirit, can sow seeds to help each and everyone of us grow as true Christians. I believe God is Lord of all of His creation. All we can do is seek His will for our lives. We cannot please God by our own good works. The fruits of our faith are fruits of repentance, of a new heart!
Showing posts with label Gospel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gospel. Show all posts
Monday, June 6, 2011
How do you present the gospel properly? | Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
How do you present the gospel properly? | Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Mother's Day: A View from the Pulpit
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:37ESV)
Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." (Mark 10:29-31ESV)
This time last year I took a plane from upstate New York to fly south to visit my mother for Mother's Day. I did so knowing that in all likelihood, it would be Mom's last Mother's Day here on earth. She died three months later from cancer. I always looked forward to calling Mom on Mother's Day, buying her a gift and such. Dealing with Mother's Day as a Sunday celebration was not always as easy.
Mother's Day was the idea of Anna Jarvis, a Sunday school teacher in West Virginia. President Woodrow Wilson declared the second Sunday in May a national day of recognition for Mothers. And since then, not only have greeting cards and florists benefited from this day, but churches often devote a worship service honoring our mothers. There may be Scripture readings appropriate for the occasion and prayers said. Coming from a liturgical tradition with a lectionary, usually I would preach on the readings appointed and then allow a child to read a poem or something and add a specific prayer during the intercessions. Occasionally, I have referred to a saint who exemplifies Christian character like St. Monica, the mother of Augustine of Hippo. Mother's day is not always easy for many people. It's hard for women who have had abortions. It's hard for adult children who suffered abuse from their mothers. It's hard for women who have difficulty concieving a child or have not found that special man to spend their life with in the sacrament of marriage. I was fortunate. My mother was a stay at home mom and was always there when I came home from school. She along with my father were responsible for me not missing a Sunday in church and making sure I was raised in the Christian faith. But for me and for those whose childhood and motherhood are less than idealic, there is a hope that the Gospel provides.
Jesus died for each and everyone us. When we are born again we are a new creation, the old has passed away. We cannot go back and undo the past. We can accept God's forgiveness because Jesus met God's judgment on the cross. When we make Mother's Day the soul focus of worship without the preaching of the Gospel, we become guilty of idolatry. God created mothers. Let us not worship creation. (Romans 1:24-25) There are no perfect mothers and there is no perfect childhood. Our attention must always be toward Jesus and His perfect love for us! The woman who cannot be the image of her ideal needs to turn away from that ideal and accept the woman God is creating. He is Lord and is sovereign over creation. The person who cannot forgive how he or she was treated needs to see themselves in the light of Christ's cross and why Jesus died for them reflecting on how they treat God the Father, the giver of their life. (Job 1:21) Knowing God's personal forgiveness makes it possible to forgive the unforgivable people in our lives! Everyone of us needs to put Jesus first and ourselves last. We should be thankful for the life we have as it is God who gives us breath and meets our needs, not our wants. We are commanded to honor our mothers and fathers. We are not called to worship them. No one is perfect. The only one who is good and perfect is our Father in Heaven. (Mark 10:18) So let us keep a proper perspective on Mother's Day by ackowledging our need for repentance and our need for a Savior!
Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." (Mark 10:29-31ESV)
This time last year I took a plane from upstate New York to fly south to visit my mother for Mother's Day. I did so knowing that in all likelihood, it would be Mom's last Mother's Day here on earth. She died three months later from cancer. I always looked forward to calling Mom on Mother's Day, buying her a gift and such. Dealing with Mother's Day as a Sunday celebration was not always as easy.
Mother's Day was the idea of Anna Jarvis, a Sunday school teacher in West Virginia. President Woodrow Wilson declared the second Sunday in May a national day of recognition for Mothers. And since then, not only have greeting cards and florists benefited from this day, but churches often devote a worship service honoring our mothers. There may be Scripture readings appropriate for the occasion and prayers said. Coming from a liturgical tradition with a lectionary, usually I would preach on the readings appointed and then allow a child to read a poem or something and add a specific prayer during the intercessions. Occasionally, I have referred to a saint who exemplifies Christian character like St. Monica, the mother of Augustine of Hippo. Mother's day is not always easy for many people. It's hard for women who have had abortions. It's hard for adult children who suffered abuse from their mothers. It's hard for women who have difficulty concieving a child or have not found that special man to spend their life with in the sacrament of marriage. I was fortunate. My mother was a stay at home mom and was always there when I came home from school. She along with my father were responsible for me not missing a Sunday in church and making sure I was raised in the Christian faith. But for me and for those whose childhood and motherhood are less than idealic, there is a hope that the Gospel provides.
Jesus died for each and everyone us. When we are born again we are a new creation, the old has passed away. We cannot go back and undo the past. We can accept God's forgiveness because Jesus met God's judgment on the cross. When we make Mother's Day the soul focus of worship without the preaching of the Gospel, we become guilty of idolatry. God created mothers. Let us not worship creation. (Romans 1:24-25) There are no perfect mothers and there is no perfect childhood. Our attention must always be toward Jesus and His perfect love for us! The woman who cannot be the image of her ideal needs to turn away from that ideal and accept the woman God is creating. He is Lord and is sovereign over creation. The person who cannot forgive how he or she was treated needs to see themselves in the light of Christ's cross and why Jesus died for them reflecting on how they treat God the Father, the giver of their life. (Job 1:21) Knowing God's personal forgiveness makes it possible to forgive the unforgivable people in our lives! Everyone of us needs to put Jesus first and ourselves last. We should be thankful for the life we have as it is God who gives us breath and meets our needs, not our wants. We are commanded to honor our mothers and fathers. We are not called to worship them. No one is perfect. The only one who is good and perfect is our Father in Heaven. (Mark 10:18) So let us keep a proper perspective on Mother's Day by ackowledging our need for repentance and our need for a Savior!
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Mystery of the Cross Part 1
Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people. (John 18:14 NIV)
That it would be good if ONE MAN died for all the people. Jesus is one man, perfect, sinless. He died for all the people!
If I have said it once I have said it a thousand time! If you get the cross, you get Christianity. The cross is central to our concept of salvation! Yet, as a priest, I find more and more people who do not get the FULL meaning of the cross! Through these next few posts, I will be sharing some aspect of the cross. No one post will contain the full meaning as that in itself is a lifetime learning!
That it would be good if ONE MAN died for all the people. Jesus is one man, perfect, sinless. He died for all the people!
If I have said it once I have said it a thousand time! If you get the cross, you get Christianity. The cross is central to our concept of salvation! Yet, as a priest, I find more and more people who do not get the FULL meaning of the cross! Through these next few posts, I will be sharing some aspect of the cross. No one post will contain the full meaning as that in itself is a lifetime learning!
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