[Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter materials for (June 14) Proper 6B, Mark 4:26-34

Thu Jun 11 06:58:19 EDT 2009

Hi Ron,
Thanks for your note!
Possibly, and this is tricky to say what someone else means, Ann's point was also 
equally valid that we are not pinpoints of light but a part of a bigger light bulb turned on 
by the Holy Spirit.? We here are an example, we speak as a group to one another, 
as individuals, but we consider the comments as a whole and choose our particular 
response or conclusions.? I think the Holy Spirit needs us all to be able to form one 
another, and that even pertains to 'forming' a new Christian.? It seems rarely to occur 
in a vacuum--some example, some word of truth, some hymn, just seems to inspire 
one to move onto the road of faith.? And it is a journey, once started as you note, we 
need to continue, and the whole lot comes to us by grace.? I would hesitate becoming?
a member of something where I was the only one!
There is that 'many are called but few are chosen' thing that is a bit terrifying to me.
Chosenness is a bugaboo, seems to me, or at least a bit of one, as one can say, 
Eureka, I've been chosen, but does that make us better than anyone else chosen, 
and does not being chosen make us lesser individuals or groups?? Is there some time 
line that all of us have, and it's perhaps more unique, but none of us can say exactly 
when or where someone else might be 'chosen'.
Lots of rambling there, but the salvation story seems to be one with many chapters 
for me.
Peace and blessings,
Joe

-----Original Message-----
From: Ronald W McCracken <ronmccr at juno.com>
To: JoeParrish at compuserve.com
Cc: PROPERTALK.topic at ecunet.org; annfontaine at mac.com; Propertalk at stsams.org
Sent: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 2:05 pm
Subject: Re: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter materials for (June 14) Proper 6B, Mark 4:26-34

Your points are quite valid, Joe. Each of us receives Salvation from
Christ individually. Not all the seeds a farmer sows will germinate.
Numerous accounts in scripture note that 'many' followed Christ after He
spoke to crowds, but nowhere does scripture record that 'all' followed.
Your examples underscore that well. 

Interestingly, the same pattern also occurred in reverse when in John
6:66 'many' left Him, finding His teachings too hard. Others persisted in
their faith. The masses simply do not act in unison, particularly in
responding to Jesus. The Holy Spirit must move in each individual. Some
may get caught up in the moment at a large gathering, but they quickly
cool after the event. Some of the seeds sown will sprout, but then wither
and die, as Jesus explained.

When 'culture dominates scripture', or is alleged to, it is temporary and
it bodes ill for the culture. The OT attests to that over and over in the
history of Israel. Sadly, the old fallacy has arisen once aga
 in in our
day. The Lord seems to be withdrawing His hand of blessing accordingly.
His Kingdom may be a mustard seed but He will cause it to thrive and
prosper once again, here or elsewhere, using the required faithful
leadership you cite. Blessings.

On Mon, 8 Jun 2009 21:59:46 -0400 "Joe Parrish"
<JoeParrish at compuserve.com> writes:
> Hi Ann,
> Interesting point!
> We urge societies to change, but maybe that begins with individuals, 
> yet 
> that in turn pivots on a sort of social movement.
> 
> Jesus healed a group of individuals, commended the Samaritan leper 
> for 
> acknowledging his miracle, wondered about the other 9.
> He only distinguished the one who responded to him.
> 
> Peter preached and 3,000 were baptized; someone had to 'walk the 
> sawdust 
> trail' first, but yet it was surely a near 'crowd' response that 
> intervened.
> 
> I heard over and again at Lambeth comments that culture dominates 
> scripture, 
> and that seemed to be where we left it there,
  unsettled.  But if the 
> crowd, 
> or culture dominates, where can we go from there?  How does one 
> carve a new 
> pathway?  Someone needs to lead...
> 
> There is a tremendous interplay between the individual and the 
> spirit; all 
> 120 or so spoke in various tongues at Pentecost, not just 1 or 2.
> 
> I am not sure we can actually pin down the H.S. as to how she/he 
> will work, 
> individually or in groups.
> 
> Peace and blessings,
> Joe
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ann Fontaine" <annfontaine at mac.com>
> Cc: "Propertalk" <Propertalk at stsams.org>
> Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 9:57 AM
> Subject: Re: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter materials for (June 14) 
> Proper 
> 6B,Mark 4:26-34
> 
> 
> > Seems that Jesus did not say any such thing -- it was all or 
> nothing  for 
> > him -- mostly addressed his words to "you" plural -- not  
> singular.  I 
> > wonder if we have become too singular in our faith  journey just 
> like the 
> > stories in the book _Bowl
 ing Alone_
> >
> > Ann
> >
> > On Jun 8, 2009, at 7:46 AM, Joe Parrish wrote:
> >
> >> People do not enter the kingdom in crowds; they must enter as 
> >> individuals; for the moment of entry is the personal and 
> individual 
> >> acceptance of the will of God.  That is why the growth of the  
> mustard 
> >> seed, the smallest of all seeds, into a tree symbolizes the  
> kingdom. 
> >> That is why, if a person is placed in an environment which  is 
> hostile or 
> >> indifferent to the claims of God, he must not regard  it as 
> something to 
> >> regret and resent, but as a privilege and a  challenge to be the 
> tiny 
> >> seed from which the kingdom grows.
> >>
> >> The Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer for Everyman, William 
> Barclay
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Ann Fontaine c3
> > Lander, Wyoming
> >
> >
> > 4311
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Propertalk mailing list
> > Propertalk at stsams.org
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 nfo/propertalk_stsams.org 
> 
> 
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