Bible talk

Sermon summary for 5-17-2015

Bro. Mike began the service by reading Psalm 46.
Text was from Luke 6:39 through Chapter 8:15.
Bro Mike asked us if our life is founded on the rock, Jesus Christ, or is our Spiritual life built on the sand, which cannot prevent the flood from causing a great fall.

Thank you for sharing these sermon summaries with us. I sort of knew that the issue that Luther took with James was related to the faith/works controversy. But Paul himself was at great pains to make clear that justification by grace alone through faith alone did not mean that Christians were not to seek to produce the fruit of good works pleasing to God and helpful to their fellow humans. It just needs to be remembered that is also by grace that we are able to do so. Not that unbelievers are incapable of being righteous by human standards, far from it; it is just that we depend for salvation upon God's grace. I think I got that mostly right?

At times we can seem to fixate on this central Pauline theme, and ignore the many other topical issues he was writing about.

Sermon summary for 5-10-15.
Bro Mike welcomed everyone who had come out for this Mothers' Day service.
He expressed concern about how many mothershad their babies put to death before they were born.
If we follow the leadership of the Spirit of Christ, He will give us the power to do the things He asks us to do.
Text was taken from Galatians 3:22 through end of Chapter 6, then with first 5 verses of Chapter 3.
If the Spirit of Christ is working within us, then we are justified in the sight of God. We can become a new man or woman if we have that Spirit.
Paul said in Gal.5:[14] For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Paul also wrote the followinf in Gal. 5:[19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
[20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
[21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
[23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Bro Mike also stressed the words in Gal. 6:[8] For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
We will reap everlasting life if we hold out until the end.

Alexandros of Lithopolis -
Martin Luther had the opinion that the epistle of James taught a works doctrine in saying that faith without works is dead, being alone. Later in his life Luther accepted James' epistle as being legitimate scripture.
I am like you in being uncomfortable hearing vitriolic rants about differences in "Biblical" differences.

I love James' epistle! I cannot understand why Luther disliked it so. There are some great quotes in it. I remember being confronted when I had to give a reading from him at church. It was the one about how being a hearer only of the word and not a doer was like being a man who looks at their face in the mirror, walks away, and immediately forgets what they look like.

Good to meet you, Robert M Prince. My younger brother has also studied psychology. In the course of your years you must have garnered many experiences and probably much wisdom, although long life does not always bring the latter. Thank you for the invitation. It is a good to have a place to avoid controversy, as sometimes other parts of the web can degenerate into endless vitriolic rants back and forth, with no attempt to listen or compromise.

To the city,
Those Sozo sessions sound great. What organization sponsors them?
The emphasis on forgiveness reminds me of a verse in James 2:[13] For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Alexandros of Lithopolis and Richardo Charon,
I am an 84 yr old semi-retired psychiatrist and have had much experience in treating Asperger's and depression so if either of you have anything pertaining to these conditions that you would like to share privately, you can send me a Direct Message, and I would be glad to respond.
This Socially group tries to avoid getting into very controversial topics.
One of my favorite verses is James 3:[17] But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

I perhaps should not have favourites among the books of God's Holy Word, but I am particularly fond of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. It is both poetic and seems to have justice and mercy side by side, both motivated by compassion, holiness, and zealous love. It is also comforting to think of how others have endured times of injustice, immorality and false belief locally and the difficult political situation on the wider stage with the hosts of the mighty Assyrian Empire annexing kingdom after kingdom (including ultimately) the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel), and the Syria-Israel coalition against Judah. Like his contemporaries Hosea and Amos, he lived through the reign of a number of kings of Judah, advising each in turn. He was enabled to see far beyond the circumstances of his personal time, beyond the Babylonian captivity to the coming of Our Lord, and further still to the end of time and the completion of history. In some ways I relate more to Jeremiah though.

Richardo Charon, what is this experience that has left you so distraught? I am troubled for you. I understand that talking about experiences and worrying about being thought mad or deceitful can be very difficult to deal with. This seems to be a safe place to confide without fear of ridicule.