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

Thu Jun 11 09:57:31 EDT 2009

Very close to my thinking Joe --  my thinking comes from God's call to  
Abraham -- he is blessed to become a blessing to the whole world - not  
for himself and his family --- the people of Israel are called to  
enlighten the nations.  It is not about you and me - Jesus.

Ann

On Jun 11, 2009, at 4:58 AM, JoeParrish at compuserve.com wrote:

> 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 again 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 _Bowling 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
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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Ann Fontaine c3
Lander, Wyoming

4311