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Christian Worldview: Romans 12:1-2
1. The topic this morning is “Christian Worldview” and the text is Romans 12:1-2. It is such a familiar passage. But we should start reading in the previous chapter to see where Paul’s mind was heading. Let’s look at the doxology of 11:33-36: Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.…
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My Brother’s Keeper
In a White House ceremony last Thursday, President Obama unveiled a new program, “My Brother’s Keeper,” that would be supported by the administration but funded with foundation and corporate sponsors. The initiative is designed to identify, evaluate and help expand those programs that are working best to help young minority males – primarily black and Latino – increase their likelihood of staying in school, staying out of prison, being good fathers, and finding access to economic opportunity. Ten major foundations made commitments of $200 million over the next five years, in addition to $150 million they are already spending in this area. In a conversation prior to the announcement I…
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My Brother's Keeper
In a White House ceremony last Thursday, President Obama unveiled a new program, “My Brother’s Keeper,” that would be supported by the administration but funded with foundation and corporate sponsors. The initiative is designed to identify, evaluate and help expand those programs that are working best to help young minority males – primarily black and Latino – increase their likelihood of staying in school, staying out of prison, being good fathers, and finding access to economic opportunity. Ten major foundations made commitments of $200 million over the next five years, in addition to $150 million they are already spending in this area. In a conversation prior to the announcement I…
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Abraham and Isaac
1. Perhaps the most fundamental figure of the New Testament is in the Old Testament – and he is not even a Jew but a Gentile. It is Abraham, the father of all who believe by faith. I say not a Jew because until he is almost 100 years old he is not circumcised and, as you know, that is the mark of a true Jew. So, this non-Jew is not only the father of all who come by faith but he is the father of all Jews. There are several stories that illustrate Abraham’s faith and this morning we are going to look at the second. The first is…
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Do the Next Thing
Now and then I host what the Quakers call a “Clearness Committee” for an individual working their way through an issue about direction or a decision. This committee is a group of friends who know a person well, and the group’s only role is to ask questions. They cannot make statements or prescribe what a person should do. They cannot offer advice based on what they think they would do. The Quakers have a high regard for the ability of a person with the aid of insightful questions to come to the truth on their own. Last week a friend was sorting through an issue that affects all of us…
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Remembering
1. Now and then I host what the Quakers called a “Clearness Committee” for an individual working their way through an issue about direction or a decision. As I’ve mentioned in the past, it’s a group of friends who know a person well and their only role is to ask questions. They cannot make statements or prescribe what a person should do. The Quakers have a high regard for the ability of a person to come to the truth on their own. Last week our friend was sorting through an issue that affects all of us at one time or another. They had a fine career and were suddenly sideswiped…
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Words for Elizabeth Rowan
Being asked by the family to offer these words is a gift not unlike welcoming my own children into the world. I feel as if I have been handed the precious life of Elizabeth for a moment and been honored to hold and care for her briefly as if she were my own – and then will hand her back to her family and to God. In John 12:24 Jesus says, “Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over.…
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Kindness
Some of you know I have taught a Sunday School class for 30 years. It’s my anchor as much as it is my pulpit. For years, I taught on topics or passages I chose, but then I put myself under the discipline of teaching the “lectionary.” Baptists don’t call it that, but that’s what it is. It is the assigned reading. There are times when I would rather break out and go back to being independent, but I guess this is my feeble attempt at growing in sanctification. For years, the word “sanctification” conjured up images of determined efforts to do better. You know Grant Woods’ classic painting, “American Gothic”…
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Sanctification
1. The whole idea and image of “sanctification” may be intimidating for many of us. It sounds more like an image of Grant Woods’ “American Gothic” – the famous painting of the farm couple. Both unsmiling and humorless – the man with a pitchfork. It’s serious business, isn’t it? For some it’s probably a series of lists and personal challenges they tackle every day. Benjamin Franklin developed a list of 13 virtues that he worked on every single day. When he woke up in the morning he asked himself, “What good will I do today?” and when he went to bed at night he asked, “What good did I do…
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The Change Is Coming
I appreciate the responses we had to Peb’s question in last week’s blog: “Has anyone else noticed the eyes of major donors, especially the younger, beginning to glaze over when ministries describe the enormous numbers they are claiming? Is it just me or are others skeptical of the numerical ‘super-hype’ that has become standard and the sophisticated strategies that are producing and promising them with such confidence? Is everything finally measured by the standard of ‘how many’ and ‘how large’?” I do think donors are beginning to have a different standard for success than numbers but for reasons that go beyond a “glazing over.” It is deeper and more fundamental…
