Reflexion, A Spiritual Community

Intro: Some of what I have to say will sound like a repetition of last week I’m okay with that – we need to have it reinforced for us to own it - my intention is to build on what we went over last week • our Scriptures are sacred writings, ◦ but we don’t know how to read sacred writings • we have learned that we read sacred writings" ◦ with reverence, receptivity and responsiveness, and self-...

Three weeks ago I said we read sacred writings with reverence - since then, have you noticed more opportunities to experience reverence? • every day brings us a sacred gift – it comes to us on tip-toe ◦ in our busy days, it is too easy to miss ◦ however, if we monitor our inner radar, we’ll hear a ping and find the blip

Continuation of reading the bible as sacred text

Three weeks ago you joined me on this journey of discovery We began by recognizing our Scriptures as are sacred writings – then we asked, How are we supposed to read sacred writings? • sacred does not mean they are merely “religious” • rather, they have a divine, other-worldly origin and quality ◦ they reveal truth otherwise hidden from human minds – there is another uncanny feature to the sacred...

Intro: In the world of literature, it is not unusual to find, An author’s most treasured insights aren’t in the books they wrote - but in letters to their friends, students, colleagues, or admirers • frequently their letters provide the most practical and helpful advice ◦ they reveal what inspired them, kept them going, ◦ and their personal sources of insight and understanding • in his letters to...

This year, 2020, was already old by June Few people will regret seeing it in the rearview mirror – of course, some of our past is carried into the future • but crossing the threshold of a new year is our chance to pause and think • what do we want to take with us? and what do we want to leave here? Imagine you woke up this morning, got your coffee, sat down, – and instead of saying, “Okay, Lord, I...

We are in the third week of the season of Advent We’ve been preparing ourselves to welcome Jesus on Christmas morning – it’s not that he hasn’t been with us, but we need reminders rituals • they allow us to participate in events that transcends history – we began by focusing attention on Jesus then on opening to mystery • there is a mystery behind all reality – even yourself, myself, our pets, etc...

 Today is the second Sunday of Advent This is the season for preparing ourselves for Christmas – last Sunday our preparation consists of contemplating Jesus – today, we will be concerned with opening our hearts and minds to mystery • some may find it too difficult to open their minds, ◦ so at least let’s open our hearts Biblical mystery does not refer to a difficult mental challenge

I am going to read Psalm 118 to you But first, I’ll say something about this poem – it was written by one person • that’s obvious from the singular personal pronoun in first 24 verses • we’ll hear other voices — perhaps a priest giving a benediction ◦ and the poet will speak for the whole congregation of worshipers ◦ but he will return to his own voice at the end of the psalm – the reason I’m poin...

Each time heading out the door I quickly ran through our checklist: - "Do you have your homework? Your thermos? Your mask?" • I read these last few verses of Hebrews as a checklist • these verses are the finishing touches to a amazing document ◦ for the writer, these words were as important as everything else - when we began our study, I explained the value of Hebrews • in the gospels, J...

Intro: Last week we stopped at verse 8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever Rather than treat that statement as belonging to a separate section, - I see it more as the center point on which the chapter pivots • retracing our steps through Hebrews, we Jesus at the heart of it ◦ in 2:9 we don’t see our place in world as God intended, but we see Jesus crowned with glory and honor...

Listen — Give — Forgive  —  Remember — Consider — Imitate I lost a few years of my life in conferences, seminars, and, forums What I took away from each one was–a notebook – and those notebooks mostly sat on shelves collecting dust • after taking in all the information in first twelve chapters of Hebrews, ◦ we need clarity on how to turn these ideas into actions • in chapter 13 the writer revisits...

The writer of Hebrews is finished with his athletic analogies – in a letter that has alternated between revelation and warning • we come to the last big warning • but we are also brought back to Jesus–dramatically ◦ the entire letter has been an adventure in knowing Jesus in a new way Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer (2 Cor. 5:16)

Once again – what is our writer up to? He has given us an athletic metaphor, – and reminded us of the importance of training • the serious athlete must learn discipline • learning discipline requires athletes to endure their training ◦ endure those cravings to eat something they know should not ◦ endure getting out of bed in the morning or off the couch to workout – the beauty of discipline is tha...

Do you know what I mean by “starting blocks”? You would if you ran track in high school – blocks are placed on a track provide stable brace for the runners’ feet • Olympic athletes spend time at the blocks, testing and adjusting them ◦ because that first push-off is critical to a fast start • part of their workout is practicing their starts – the writer of Hebrews is not telling us to settle into...

Intro: How would you respond if I said, “Show me your faith”? Actually, I’m not the one who said it and that’s not whole sentence Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works (Jas. 2:18) - you cannot do it – you cannot give evidence of faith apart from action - this entire chapter has explored faith's law of cause and effect • we've heard one story a...

If we could read this chapter like the original readers, We would see this verse had been sneaking up on them – thumbing through Israel’s history, the writer cites examples of faith • there’s a similar historical review in Acts chapter 7 ◦ but there, Stephen uses Israel’s history to make a different point • Stephen lists the regular heroes found in the Old Testament ◦ Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David...

Intro: Hebrews chapter 11 can be summed up in two words: By faith The six verses we dive into today share a sub-theme, which is death - not in a dark context, but rather in the light of faith and hope • faith is not short-sighted – it can see a future beyond end of my life • the big idea in these verses is that faith owns the future For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or th...

In the verses we’ll cover today, faith looks much like a moving van – the journey of faith is no vacation, but an indefinite homelessness • with all of the stress that entails • faith looks like an endless series of transitions – this past week, I was counting for a friend all the schools I attended through the twelfth grade • three elementary schools, three junior high, and two high schools ◦ bei...

Jesus stressed it, pointing out instances of little faith and great faith - Paul practically wore out the word faith (faith appears almost forty times alone in his letter to the Romans) • but the writer of Hebrews gives the fullest explanation of faith • beginning in chapter 10, he reminded us of God's declaration, my righteous one shall live by faith (Heb. 10:38) ◦ then he defined faith in c...