20-Jan 2008
Sunday School Class Proverbs 26:22-28
gossip, hate, hidden agenda's etc.
Birthdays – Barbara Olsen
Scripture
Sunday evening Vesper's @ 5 p.m. Why did Jesus teach in parables? (Matthew 13)
Wednesday @ 7 p.m. Our Wednesday
evening class starts a new series on Personal Leadership Roles and
Responsibilities - and how it affects family dynamics. This Wednesday we look
at “Build Networks -
spheres.”
I am irritated by the philosophy
that bigger is better.
Acts 2.41.
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were
added to their number that day. 42. They devoted themselves to the apostles'
teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43.
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done
by the apostles.
44. All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45.
Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke
bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47. praising God and enjoying the favor of all
the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being
saved.
1 Pe 2.1
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and
slander of every kind. 2. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so
that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3. now
that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4. As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by
God and precious to him-- 5. you also, like living
stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood,
offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
2 Pe 1.1.
Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who
through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a
faith as precious as ours: 2. Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the
knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and
godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and
goodness. 4. Through these he has given us his very great and precious
promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and
escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith
goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6. and to
knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to
perseverance, godliness; 7. and to godliness,
brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
8. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will
keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ. 9. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind,
and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling
and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11. and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
"I
am irritated by the philosophy that bigger is better."
This is an 'each-to-their-own' subject, but since they are my irritations
being discussed...I'll just tell you, I'm not a fan of all things big!
Take, for instance, model trains - "HO" is the preferred scale
for lots of model train collectors. I prefer "N" gauge. And, while I
have some 1/32 scale model cars, I really have an affinity for those little
'matchbox' and 'hot wheels' cars. At Christmas time I get enthralled looking at
merchants displays of lighted miniature villages populated with little 'cast'
figures and 'matchbox' vehicles.
I admire the skills of an architect modeler, creating a miniature version
of the proposed large-scale development.
I've developed quite a taste for those little 'early June' peas. I love
those tiny little pickled ears of corn on the salad bar. I like those little
oranges with the loose peel, not so much the great big oranges. I prefer the
little
While I enjoy going to ballgames, for me, the enjoyment of going to a big
game is found in the company I go there with and with whom I interact before,
during and after...it isn't the crowd there that is appealing to me.
I admire the skills of a politician who can function one-on-one, making
each person feel important...not so much the political cat who 'turns it on' in
front of a crowd but can't connect in a small setting.
I enjoy being with a fellow-preacher who is 'real' as an individual. I've
been around plenty who are such insecure individuals that they insist upon
hiding behind their assumed titles even when it's just them and one other
person.
I've also noticed that same
insecurity in some individuals who find their 'identity' in associating with
anything 'big' or 'mega.' That blanket assumption is quite indicative of
stunted personality development. There's quite a difference between someone
with a big ego and someone with a 'strong sense of self.' Big ego people remind me of the Maxine
cartoon: Did you have an extra bowl of stupid this morning?
That stunted personality development person wants to eat where 'everyone'
else is eating...they aren't going to go to the little diner (unless they hear
someone 'important' mention that they eat there). We ate at one of those chic,
frivolous places one evening last week...over priced, over hyped, peopled with
frivolous – overly sensitive individuals and the worst steak in town. They tend
to think that if they paid a lot of money and there are arrogant cooks and
waiters, then it must be THE place. Maxine has some advice for those people too: Don’t believe everything
you think.
A stunted personality development person is one who is swayed, if not
convinced by everything they hear from a 'mega' ministry television evangelist,
after all "if that many people agree with the ‘Rev. Holy Joe TV Show,’
they must be right!" …Same type of thing with where that person attends
'church.' W.C. Fields said, “Nothing
exceeds like excess.”
Well, what about it? Jesus chose to pour himself, his life, his ministry
into 12 people. Sure there were sometimes big crowds who would come around for
the show (miracles, food, spectacles and celebrities: i.e. Lazarus) but Jesus
would try to meet the needs and then get away from them as quickly as
practical.
Jesus didn't trust the crowds.
Scripture says that He knew what was in their hearts. It was observed of the
early development of democracy in
I'm not 'into' the crowds who follow celebrities. I prefer a few close
friends. I prefer a church 'family.'
I really like the "Cheer's" approach to church, in that,
'everyone knows your name' and 'everyone's just the same.'
The calling of God to us is very personal and individual. He isn’t calling us into
‘group’ as much as He is calling us into ‘Jesus.’
The calling is to
a ‘walk’ not into a group experience. Our relationship in ‘group’ (church) is
only as valid as each individual’s walk with God is helped. How big the ‘group’
is isn’t relevant as long as the individual, and his or her individual
pilgrimage, is not lost.
Don't tell me that it's better being in a huge, hyped, impersonal crowd
whose identity is that of the organization, that makes me irritated.
God hasn’t called us into ‘big’ anything – He has called us into ‘authentic.’ He has called
us to come into conformity with the image of Jesus. He has called us into that communion of closeness
with Him – a table set for two.
It’s the fifth verse of Psalm 23: …he sets a table before me in the
presence of my enemies.
5. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6. Surely goodness and
love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of
the LORD forever.
Psalm 23