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

john edgar jedgar at nf.sympatico.ca
Thu Jun 11 22:10:02 EDT 2009 

I think God must be smiling at our attempts to put God in one corner or the 
other, on one side or the other.
When we set boundaries for God and conditions as to how one can walk with 
God, we may be excluding a lot of individuals who don't fit the "norm".  As 
I see it, that's where a lot of the younger generation perceive the problem 
with current models of Christianity.  The church is supposed to be 
catholic...but with all kinds of provisos.  Perceptive youth see nothing but 
exclusivness.  History shows that following the "community" has not always 
been the wisest path, certainly not a spirit led one.  On the other hand, it 
is as individuals we experience, feel and know the love of God.  It is as 
individuals that we are inspired and act creatively.  Individuals or groups? 
In the final analysis, 'arguments' such as these are purely pedantic...and 
maybe God sighs.

John

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ann Fontaine" <annfontaine at mac.com>
To: <JoeParrish at compuserve.com>
Cc: "Propertalk" <Propertalk at stsams.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2009 11:27 AM
Subject: Re: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter materials for (June 14) Proper 
6B, Mark 4:26-34


> 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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>> >
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>
>
>
>
> Ann Fontaine c3
> Lander, Wyoming
>
>
> 4311
>
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