Sermon Preview - Born Again?

“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
John 3:3

                Are you born again?  You have no idea how many times I’ve been asked this simple, yet probing, question.  I was first asked this, during a youth group car wash and I got the sense that my answer would determine whether or not the woman asking would let us wash her car.  I told her I was, even though I had no idea what it meant, in the hopes that she would let us wash her car.  It worked!

                Now that you’ve heard my story of deceit and scandal, the real question is what in the world does it mean to be “born again”.  It’s clear from the rest of the passage that Nicodemus didn’t understand, in the past 2,000 years even sincere Christians have had differences of opinion.  So what was Jesus saying needed to be accomplished if a person wanted to see the “kingdom of God”?

                This week we’ll be tackling this most fundamental question of what is the Gospel (read good news), and how a person would accept/live into that good news.  So join us if you dare, as we continue on our “Summer of All Request Sermons!”

Sermon Preview - Do Animals Go to Heaven?

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…”
Revelation 21:1a

                Not everyone considers them a part of the family, but anyone who’s ever had a beloved pet knows that our four legged, winged, scaled, friends truly are our family members.  And anyone who’s ever suffered the loss of a beloved pet has inevitably found themselves asking the question “do animals go to heaven?”  It’s this very question that we’ll be investigating this Sunday, as we continue our “Summer of All Request Sermons”.

                The first question that needs to be asked, is not whether animals go to heaven, or even if animals have souls, but rather what do we mean (and what does the Bible mean) when “heaven” is mentioned?  I think for most of us, heaven is that place in the clouds where angels live and people play harps!  Or maybe that fantasy land where every dream and desire comes true.  But is that what the Bible means when it’s talking about heaven?

                It would seem that likely once we identify what “heaven” really is (or at least what it could be) that our other questions will simply take care of themselves!  So will Old Yeller be romping in the heavenly fields?  You’ll have to join us this Sunday and find out! 

Sermon Scraps (7/1/12)

Sermon in a sentence (or a few) - 

The conversation about sex is almost non-existent within the church.  This is a travesty and both the church and the world are at a loss because of this.  Scripture is quite open about sex and while it does warn about engaging in sexual immorality there is more to the conversation than simply "no".  The Bible does a wonderful job of illustrating the ramifications of how sexual interactions can be harmful to individuals and communities (physically, spiritually, and emotionally) and we as members of "the church" should do no less.  Ultimately God loves and values us and wants us to have sex, but in ways that won't be damaging and harmful to us and others.

Primary Text: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

v. 12 "permissable" (Gk. exesti <1832> - it is lawful) - The NIV reading does a good job of distinguishing between the literal translation of the word "lawful" and Paul's likely intended use of the word.  Paul is here quoting the Corinthians and their application of his teaching about freedom from the law under Christ.

v. 12 "mastered" (Gk. exousiazo <1850> - to hold captive, to be brought under power, to be mastered) - Paul again is quoting the Corinthians assertions of freedom and flipping it by claiming that in their freedom they are actually being mastered (held captive) by "sexual immorality".

v. 13 "sexual immorality" (Gk. porneia <4202> - sexual immorality, illicit sexual intercourse) - This word is translated many ways in the Bible (fornication, homosexuality, adultery, idolatry (metaphor) etc.).  It is a difficult word for biblical interpreters to adequately translate but typically means some form of sexual immorality.  In this instance it's likely that Paul is continuing (more broadly) his conversation from Chapter 5, where a man is said to be involved with his step mother.

vv. 13-14 "Food for the stomach and stomach for food..." - Once again Paul uses a quote from the people in the Corinthian church to make a point.  The argument being implied is that just like our stomachs are made for food so our bodies are made for sex.  Paul takes this assertion and claims that both our bodies and the food we eat will cease to exist in their present state in the resurrection.  The argument Paul is making here is that because we are new in Christ, and are already a part of the "body of Christ" we are to act differently with our bodies (e.g. not engaging in sexual immorality).

v. 15 "bodies" (Gk. soma <4983> - body) - While the word typically is understood to literally be the actual substance of a being's physical form, here the apostle is using the word more broadly to encompass the entirety of a person (and even applying it to the spiritual reality of the body of Christ/the church universal).

v. 15 "prostitute" (Gk. porne <4204> - prostitute, harlot) - This word is often used to describe a woman who sells herself for sex.  It is more literally a woman who commits "porneia" (sexual immorality).  Therefore when reading this, it is not necessarily the case that Paul is specifically condemning sex with prostitutes, but rather that he is more broadly condemning sexual activity with those who might (for one reason or another) be described as sexual deviants.

v. 19 "temple" (Gk. naos <3485> - temple, shrine) - The word used here is not a generic term for any temple, but specifically for the temple in Jerusalem.  Furthermore this word is used to describe the most inner sanctuary within the temple, where the essence of God was believed to most fully reside.  Therefore the author is making an especially emphatic statement about the value of the individual and the essence of God residing within.