Sunday Schoolisms Plus #30: With Every Choice

People often think of Christian morality as a kind of bargain in which God says, "If you keep a lot of rules I'll reward you, and if you don't I'll do the other thing."

I do not think that is the best way of looking at it. I would much rather say that every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before.  And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with it fellow-creatures, and with its self. To be the one kind of creature is heaven: that is, it is joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other.

                                                                                   C. S. Lewis
                                                                                   -from Mere Christianity

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #29: After the Election

After the election many people have been left awash in emotions accompanied by a desire to "do something". Let's remember that intercessory prayer is a powerful "something" that you can do immediately while you figure out the rest.

"Finally, intercessory prayer allows us to invest ourselves in God's design for his kingdom among people and nations.....praying for others will bring you to love them. Loving them will lead you to serve them. Serving them will be the open door through which God can move in to save, heal, and make whole."

                                               Maxie D. Dunham

                                               Irresistible Invitation

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #28: You Can

"Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can."

-John Wesley

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #27: Reading Your Bible

Seven Benefits From Reading Your Bible

(All seven come from Psalm 119)

1. The Bible will help keep you from sin. "I have hidden your work in my hear that I might not sin against you" (verse 11).

2. The Bible will lift your burdens. "My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word" (verse28).

3. The Bible will guide your steps. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (verse 105).

4. The Bible will bring you joy. "Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart"  (verse 111)

5. The Bible will lead you to wisdom. "The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple" (verse 130).

6. The Bible will give you peace. "Great peace have they who love your law; and nothing can make them stumble" (verse 165).

7. The Bible will being you back to God. "I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands" (verse 176).

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #26: The Final Half Truth

Today we'll look at he final half truth in Adam Hamilton's book Half Truths with his summation at the end.

Love The Sinner, Hate the Sin

"Though Jesus certainly loved sinners, he never actually said, 'Love the sinner.' What he did say (and it's an important distinction) is 'Love your neighbor'."

"When 'Love the sinner' is our mantra, we've put ourselves in a position of seeing others as sinners rather than neighbors."

"If I love you more as a sinner than as my neighbor, then I am bound to focus more on your sin. I will start looking for all the things that are wrong with you. And perhaps, without intending it, I will begin thinking of our relationship like this: 'You are a sinner, but I graciously choose to love you anyway.' If that sounds a little puffed up, self-righteous, and even prideful to you, then you have perceived accurately."

"My hope is to be a Christian without being a jerk. I'd like to help people in my congregation to be Christians without being jerks. And I'd like to encourage you who are reading this book to be Christians without being jerks."

"Our job is not to convict but to love."

"The truth in 'Love the sinner, hate the sin' stops with the first word: Love." 

The following quote comes from the last paragraph of Adam's book:

" Half truths confuse, discourage, and often alienate people from God. The whole truths we've discussed give hope and encouragement and draw people to God. Let's set aside the half truths, eliminating them from our spiritual vocabulary, and in their place, let's share and live the whole truths that God doesn't cause evil but redeems it. Let's share that God helps those who cannot help themselves. Let's seek to be the people through whom God works to help people handle all that life gives them. Let's read scripture not as a divine dictation, but as the witness and reflections of God's people, influenced by the Spirit yet leaving room for questions. And let's be people whose lives and faith are defined by our willingness to love."

Sunday Schoolism Plus #25: The Fourth Half Truth

The next half truth from Adam Hamilton's book Half Truths is about the Bible. This chapter begins with a verse about where to go to the bathroom (Deuteronomy 23:12-14) to set the stage for an interesting debate about origin, circumstances, interpretation, and relevance of scripture. Here are three quotes from the book, but you REALLY need to read the whole chapter!

God Said It, I Believe, That Settles It

"I remember speaking to a Christian some years ago who said to me, 'I don't interpret scripture; I just take it all as God's word and try to live it.' I asked him, 'So you refrain from eating pork and go to church on Saturday?' To which he replied, 'Well, no, that's the Old Testament.'  'Okay, so you insist that your wife prays with her head covered, that your daughters not braid their hair, and you have no savings accounts?' He replied, 'No, those passages were about the times when the biblical authors lived, but not today.' To which I replied, 'In other words, you interpret scripture!"

"Keep in mind that Jesus was part of this rabbinical tradition. He was often pushing back against prevailing interpretations of Scripture among the rabbis of his day. You can hear this in the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus repeatedly says, 'You have heard that it was said....' and then quotes a Scripture or a part of the Oral Law followed by the words 'But I say to you...'  and then offers a different interpretation of the text from the prevailing one."

"It's a half truth to say, 'God said it, I believe it, that settles it.' My version of that statement might not fit on a bumper sticker, but I believe it is more truthful: 'God influenced it. I read, study, and sometimes struggle with it. And, as I interpret it in the light of Jesus Christ, I hear God speak through it and seek to live by its words as best I can."

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #24: The Third Half Truth

The third half truth from Adam Hamilton's book, Half Truths, is one that most of us have said or heard before. And although this statement could be encouraging when trying to overcome temptation in your life, I can see how it could be detrimental when someone is dealing with death, illness, or other tragedies.

The book does an excellent job of systematically laying out a new thought process where this half truth is concerned. Buy the book for more in depth explanation, but until then here are a few direct quotes from Adam:

God won't give you more than you can handle

"Like many spiritual half truths, this one has some scriptural basis. People usually cite

1 Corinthians 10:13 as the source for this data...."

"And so the context for this verse in 1 Corinthians is self-discipline in the face of temptation with the hope of avoiding sin..."

"God is not tempted by any form of evil, nor does he tempt anyone" (James 1:13).

"Surely we lead ourselves into temptation."

"The problem isn't that God fails to provide a way out of temptation; it's that when a way appears, we usually don't pursue it."

"So the first problem with the idea that God won't give us more than we can handle is that, in my view, God doesn't give us bad things to handle."

"Those things are not part of God's perfect plan. They are not sent by God. But they are part of the human experience."

"I trust that when bad things happen during the course of life, God will sustain me, walk with me, hold me near, comfort and care for me."

 

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #23: The Second Half Truth

Another half truth from Adam Hamilton’s book Half Truths. These are direct quotes from Mr. Hamilton’s book and represent only the tip of the iceberg. If they speak to you, please buy and enjoy the book in depth.

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

  “We can pray and pray, but we also have to do some work in the process. God blesses us with brains, strength, and wisdom.” “All these are God’s gifts to us, but it is up to us to use them. So we pray-and we work.”  (Read 2 Thessalonians 3 10:12)

“We don’t sit around waiting for God to miraculously right the wrongs in society. As Scripture reveals over and over again, God works through people. We are the instruments God uses to change the world.”

“Now, however, I’d like to suggest two important senses in which the saying is fundamentally unbiblical. First, this phrase is sometimes used as a way of avoiding our obligation as Christians to help others, of doing our part to love our neighbors.”

 “In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25) and the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10), Jesus tells us that God judges us not only by our faith, but by whether our faith led us to a greater compassion for the poor and needy.”

“There is a second sense in which, thankfully, the idea that God helps those who help themselves does not capture the truth of the Bible. Sometimes we can’t help ourselves, not because we are poor or destitute or without resources but because we have descended too deeply into sin or despair.”

 “Thanks be to God who helps those who work and pray. And, even more, thanks be to God who helps those (like all of us, sometimes) who cannot help themselves.”

                                                               

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #22: The First Half Truth

Before we get started with this post, I just want to restate how much I adore my Sunday School class. Recently Carolyn, our faithful teacher, encouraged us to study a book by Adam Hamilton entitled Half Truths. Here is an overview from the book's back cover:

     "They are simple phrases. They sound Christian - like something you might find in the Bible. They capture some element of truth, yet they miss the point in important ways. Join Adam Hamilton in his search for the whole truth by comparing some common Christian sayings with the wisdom found in Scripture."

The weekly topics (half truths) were...

     1. Everything Happens for a Reason
     2. God Helps Those Who Help Themselves
     3. God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle
     4. God Said It, I Believe It, That Settles It
     5. Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin

In the book, Adam explains why it was important to him to scrutinize these phrases.

     "Here's why it is important to examine these particular half truths: I think they can sometimes hurt people. I think they can lead people to conclusions about God that are not only untrue but that may push some people away from God. Some of these half truths are used to avoid careful thinking about complex issues. Some are used to justify our own biases or prejudices. Some, when spoken to others, can bring pain." 

I thought you might be interested in these half truths and so for the next five Sundays we will focus on each one. But as I have said before in these Sunday Schoolism posts, none of this is my interpretation. I am not adding my two cents worth- except for the awesomeness of my Sunday School class. I am doing my best to condense down to the main points and am directly quoting the author. If these highlights set you to pondering or disagreeing, buy the book and delve deeper! Here we go...

Everything Happens for a Reason

"When something bad has happened and we're trying to help someone through a difficult time, we say 'It was meant to be.' "

"If we extend this logic, we can arrive at some extremes that seem silly:
          'God meant for my team to win (or lose) the World Series.'
And we can get to some very troubling questions:
          'Does God really want little children to die in a school shooting?' " 

"Though Christians share a belief in God's providence and sovereignty, they often interpret these concepts in very different ways. Some tend toward a view of God as micromanager, involved intimately each day in every detail of the world's operation. Others believe that God follows a hands-off approach, like an absentee landlord who created everything and then stepped away to let the world run itself. Still others believe the truth is somewhere between the two positions."

"Yet God superintends. God wrote the laws of nature. God has a will and plan for humanity. God guides us by the Spirit through the Scriptures, in church, as we pray, and through other Christians. God strengthens and walks with us. We are called and empowered to be God's hands and voice in the world, but God does not force us."
"He (Ray Firestone) once shared a quotation with me, which he said he found helpful in dealing with suffering, particularly after the death of his wife in a car accident. I have found it helpful too:

         Suffering is not God's desire for us, but it occurs in the process of life.

         Suffering is not given to teach us something, but through it we may learn. 

         Suffering is not given to punish us, but sometimes it is the consequence of our sin or                  poor judgment.             

         Suffering does not occur because our faith is weak, but through it our faith may be                     strengthened. 

        God does not depend on human suffering to achieve his purposes, but sometimes                      through suffering his purposes are achieved. 

        Suffering can either destroy us, or it can add meaning to our life. "

(Read Romans 8:28) "Many Christians know that passage by heart. But let's look at what Paul doesn't say. He doesn't say that God makes everything happen for a reason, or that whatever happens was part of God's will and plan. Rather, he says that no matter what happens, however bad it may be, God will somehow bring good out of the situation for those who love him. God will force evil to accomplish good."

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #21: Meekness

Here are some of the author's thoughts on the concept of meekness from Lord, Only You Can Change Me, by Kay Arthur:

• Meekness implies submission to God.
• Active submission is choosing to accept God's ways without murmuring or complaining.
• The meek are those of gentle behavior, loving and submissive.
• Meekness is not weakness but incredible power under the control and guidance of God Himself.
• Meekness does not get angry at what is done to it, but meekness gets angry at what is done to others.
• Meekness is a sure cure for bitterness.

Sunday Schoolisms Plus: #20: How to be Merciful

I have been enjoying the book Lord, Only You Can Change Me, by Kay Arthur. It is a study of the Sermon on the Mount and Beatitudes. Kay points out that the first four beatitudes deal with our relationship with God and the last four beatitudes deal with our relationship with people. One of those "people beatitudes" is 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.'

Here is what Kay Arthur says about being merciful:

"Now let me share with you four practical ways that you can show mercy. To neglect any one of them is to fail to be merciful."

1. When you see a person in need and you can meet his needs, do so. (See James 2: 15-16)

2. Fully forgive anyone who is indebted to you in his behavior or attitude. (See Colossians 3; 12-15)

3. If you are going to be merciful, then you need to give understanding rather than judgment. Ask yourself, "Have I sat where they are living?" (See Ezekiel 3:15 and Luke 6:36-38)

4. Be merciful to the character of others. We all have different personalities, different temperament types. Therefore, you need to be merciful and respond to others in the light of their personality needs.

          Some people need assurance. Give them assurance.
          Some people are insecure. Affirm them.
          Some people are weak. Support them.
          Some people are timid. Encourage them.
          Some people are reserved. Spur them on to love and good works.
             (see 1 Thessalonians 5: 14-15 and Hebrews 10:24)

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #19: Grace, Mercy and, Peace

Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you.

"Grace is that unearned favor which saves us.

 Mercy is that undeserved favor which forgives us.

 And peace is that unsought favor which reconciles us."

Kay Arthur

in 

Lord, Only You can Change Me

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #18: Do Not Conform

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

                                                                                                           Romans 12:2

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #17: Poor in Spirit

Matthew 5: 1-3

And when He saw the multitudes, he went up on the mountain and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And opening His mouth He began to teach them, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Kay Arthur in Lord, Only You Can Change Me

"What is poverty of spirit? It is an absence of self-assurance, self-reliance, and pride. It is the deepest form of repentance. It is turning from your independence to total dependence upon God."

Sunday Schoolisms Plus # 15: Childlike Not Childish

"You must become childlike in order to enter the kingdom of God."

Childlike, not childish. There is a huge difference.

To be childlike in the sense in which Jesus was talking is:

• to greet each day as a gift of God....with a vivid sense of wonder....
• to find pleasure in the most simple of things...
• to believe with all your heart things such as God's love for you, which you can not prove logically or experimentally.
• to trust...
• to live with a constant sense of expectancy...
• to forgive...
• to like everyone else just as they are and assume that they like you just as you are.
• to cry when appropriate but to get over it quickly and to laugh when appropriate and not get over it too quickly.
• to be eager...
• to live with honest and genuine humility and with a genuine disregard for status - yours or others.
• to read the Scriptures....
• to pray, honestly believing that yours prayers are heard and that prayer makes a difference.

                                                                                                       John P. Gilbert

                                                                                                       Adult Bible Series

                                                                                                       Uniform Series

Sunday Schoolisms Plus: #14: A Humble Christian

What are the marks of genuinely humble Christians?

They acknowledge that.....

• all they are and all they have are gifts of God's unlimited grace.
• they stand constantly in need of God's forgiveness and gratefully and humbly accept God's forgiveness.
• no matter what they have accomplished for God, they are still unprofitable servants, having done only that which was expected.
• they have not reached perfection, but by the grace of God they are striving for that perfection day by day.
• they cannot measure or evaluate themselves by other people (positively or negatively) but must measure themselves by the commandments of God through Christ: "Am I loving God with heart, soul, mind, and strength; and am I loving my neighbor as myself?"

                                                                                                                 John P. Gilbert

                                                                                                                 Adult Bible Studies

                                                                                                                 Uniform Series

Sunday Schoolism Plus #13: Mothers

Proverbs 31:25-30

25 

Strength and dignity are her clothing,

    and she laughs at the time to come.

26 

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

27 

She looks well to the ways of her household

    and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 

Her children rise up and call her blessed;

    her husband also, and he praises her:

29 

“Many women have done excellently,

    but you surpass them all.”

30 

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Sunday Schoolisms Plus #12: Not Fair!!!

"...it took a long time for me to realize that fairness is a human concept. Things can never be absolutely fair. Give two children identical pieces of candy, and one will argue that the other got the bigger piece. Pay two employees identical salaries, and one will complain the she or he works harder than the other and deserves more.
     The bottom line is that God is not "fair" in the ways that we define fairness. If God were fair, we would have no hope, for we have all sinned and continue to sin. No, God is grace, and one of the simplest yet most profound definitions of grace is God treating us infinitely better than we deserve."


                                                                                                      John P. "Jack" Gilbert
                                                                                                      Adult Bible Studies
                                                                                                      Uniform Series

Sunday Schoolism Plus #11: Happy Easter

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

                                                                                                                  Isaiah 54:10

Sunday Schoolism Plus #10: They Are New Every Morning

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness!
                                                                                       Lamentations 3: 22-23