Presented to each the Nipawin and Tisdale Corps 15 July 2007
by Captain Michael Ramsay
...If you aren’t already looking at Luke, Chapter 8, I invite you to turn to it now.
Now Jesus was very popular and –just like today’s TV shows – he had many regular followers (verse 4). There were many people who would actually follow Jesus around from town to town as he taught. They would be like the regular viewers of THE JESUS SHOW ... with such sensational acts as turning water into wine, feeding the 4 or 5 thousand, healing the lame and casting demons into pigs and much, much more…tune in next week…and he had many regular followers that did: they followed him from town to town. And a good number of them, like it says in verse 2 and 3, were women and they were so devoted that they even provided for him out of their own resources.
Now, Jesus consciously chose not to speak exclusively in the intellectual language of his time and he chose not to appeal directly only to the elite of society. He chose instead to speak in the language that would attract the common people, the mass market. His message, particularly in Luke’s account, as we’ve discussed previously was for the poor, the needy and the oppressed. And for most of its history until (the second temple was destroyed and) the people finally dispersed in 70 AD, this was the bulk of Hebrews, Israelites, and Judeans.
Even though Jesus has a big following, and just like I don’t always understand what is going on in some of these talk shows and reality shows today, people didn’t always get what Jesus was saying and the many of the intellectual big wigs certainly did not even want to understand. If you look at verse 10 with me, Jesus is quoting Isaiah (Isaiah –6:9-10) and it says there that ‘to you (his disciples, the one’s following him – the regular viewers if you like, the one’s who would never miss the JESUS SHOW.) "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that "looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand.' Now, there is so much to this verse actually. More than I can possible go into here but suffice it to say for now, that this passage quoted from Isaiah is one of the signs pointing to Jesus as the Christ, The Messiah, the Anointed one of God – and not everyone / not everyone / understands…
Well, so do we understand? What is His point in the Parable of the Soils. What is this great message here that he tells to great crowds that come from (verse 4) town after town. Let’s see if we can figure it out.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/luke-81-18-jesus-show.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
2 Corinthians 9:12-15: Thanks be to God for His indescribable Gift! (Hurricane Ike relief)
Presented to each the Nipawin and Tisdale Corps 12 October 2008
by Captain Michael Ramsay
Hurricane Ike struck Galveston TX a few weeks ago. More than 1 million people were evacuated from Texas and to date more than 72 people have been found dead as a result of Hurricane Ike. Bodies were still being found when I left a couple of days ago.
Homes are destroyed. Businesses are destroyed. The sewers, the water, and the phones are still not working. People are housed in shelters both on and away from Galveston Island. Many still have no place to go. Power is still out in some of the parts where we were posted. The power outage means that even for families that did not lose their stoves and refrigerators – and most did; there were many refrigerators destroyed and lying on the side of the road for pick up – they were unable to keep or cook any food. They don’t have food and they don’t have water.
Food and water: this is a big part of The Salvation Army mission down there. We have around 30 food trucks (called canteens) from which we help to serve around 75 000 hot meals every day and give the people water and ice. Ice is very important. It was around 900 F during our time there. And the food: many people told me that without The Salvation Army they wouldn’t have eaten at all. They wouldn’t have survived. We thank the Lord for the service that the volunteers are providing to God and this community. We pray for them that as they continue to serve down there, the Lord will continue to bless greatly the volunteers and the populace alike.
2 Corinthians 9:12-15: This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Thanks be to God indeed ...
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/10/2-corinthians-912-15-thanks-be-to-god.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
by Captain Michael Ramsay
Hurricane Ike struck Galveston TX a few weeks ago. More than 1 million people were evacuated from Texas and to date more than 72 people have been found dead as a result of Hurricane Ike. Bodies were still being found when I left a couple of days ago.
Homes are destroyed. Businesses are destroyed. The sewers, the water, and the phones are still not working. People are housed in shelters both on and away from Galveston Island. Many still have no place to go. Power is still out in some of the parts where we were posted. The power outage means that even for families that did not lose their stoves and refrigerators – and most did; there were many refrigerators destroyed and lying on the side of the road for pick up – they were unable to keep or cook any food. They don’t have food and they don’t have water.
Food and water: this is a big part of The Salvation Army mission down there. We have around 30 food trucks (called canteens) from which we help to serve around 75 000 hot meals every day and give the people water and ice. Ice is very important. It was around 900 F during our time there. And the food: many people told me that without The Salvation Army they wouldn’t have eaten at all. They wouldn’t have survived. We thank the Lord for the service that the volunteers are providing to God and this community. We pray for them that as they continue to serve down there, the Lord will continue to bless greatly the volunteers and the populace alike.
2 Corinthians 9:12-15: This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Thanks be to God indeed ...
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/10/2-corinthians-912-15-thanks-be-to-god.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Philippians 1: Be Bold! Be Prepared! Are you Ready?
Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps on January 6, 2008
By Captain Michael Ramsay
...The world does change very quickly, doesn’t it? I remember when I was kid in the 1970s. I lived in a semi-rural area of Victoria. All behind my house cornfields and beside us were Farmer Wild’s potato fields and we had a very small orchard of our own in our back yard. And the Vantreights, they had Daffodil fields everywhere. Between Farmer Wild and the Vantreights there was no end to seasonal employment for the kids. In the Spring some of us would even cut school in order to go earn a couple bucks cutting daffodils.
Now, of course, my parents home has been completely swallowed up by my hometown, Victoria, which is now a city of 300 000 people or so. It is Canada’s 13th largest city.[2] Things change.
But in those days life was different. The area was semi-rural and dogs could even roam free without being on a leash or without even their owners. They would often stroll along by themselves or together in pairs or packs and then they would meet up with another pack of dogs and start to investigate each other.
Of course, every once and a while there would be an aggressive dog or two and I certainly saw more than one dog fight growing up. (Some of these could be quite scary actually).
We had a dog. His name was Tuffy. Tuffy was a little border collie/sheltie cross and he was a smart dog but every once in a while, of course, he would get into one of these scraps himself.I remember more than once, Tuffy would see some dog on our block that doesn’t belong there. He would charge them. It wouldn’t matter how big is the dog. It doesn’t matter how fierce is the dog; Tuffy runs at them. He’s not afraid of them. He growls at them. He, completely without any fear, engages the intruder.
Now sometimes, like I said, the dogs are a lot bigger than Tuffy. Still Tuffy charges, teeth bared- no fear – he charges the giant intruder with full confidence and then when the large dog strikes back…He runs away.
The other dog inevitably chases him and Tuffy runs right toward home. Tuffy runs faster and faster. As the dog gets closer, Tuffy – never afraid – runs to our next door neighbour’s house. He bounds up the stairs to his deck. The dog comes flying after Tuffy and arrives on the deck where he is seemingly trapped and … there is Goldie.[3] Goldie is by far the biggest dog you have ever seen and Goldie and Tuffy are quite a pair. They really are the best of friends.
So now the pursuing dog, the dog chasing Tuffy – which until this moment seemed quite large - is all of a sudden dwarfed by the giant Goldie, surrounded, and trapped on our neighbour’s deck.So after a couple of very noisy minutes, the intruding dog finds a way out and runs away as fast as it can never to come back again, and there is little Tuffy standing at the top of the stairs –(if dogs could smile)- this little collie-sheltie cross was telling the much bigger dog, I’m sure, never to come back!
When Tuffy saw the intruder, he wasn’t worried, he engaged him; he did not avoid a conflict. He was prepared; he was not afraid. He didn’t worry about what could happen to him. His goal was to encourage his opposition toward Goldie and have Goldie take care of the rest.
This is actually the same sort of thing that is happening in Paul’s life as he writes this letter to the Christians in Philippi.Paul has been openly engaging the non- and pre-Christian world. He has met with some strong resistance and it is just as if he is Tuffy up against a bigger dog.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/01/philippians-1-be-bold-be-prepared-are.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
By Captain Michael Ramsay
...The world does change very quickly, doesn’t it? I remember when I was kid in the 1970s. I lived in a semi-rural area of Victoria. All behind my house cornfields and beside us were Farmer Wild’s potato fields and we had a very small orchard of our own in our back yard. And the Vantreights, they had Daffodil fields everywhere. Between Farmer Wild and the Vantreights there was no end to seasonal employment for the kids. In the Spring some of us would even cut school in order to go earn a couple bucks cutting daffodils.
Now, of course, my parents home has been completely swallowed up by my hometown, Victoria, which is now a city of 300 000 people or so. It is Canada’s 13th largest city.[2] Things change.
But in those days life was different. The area was semi-rural and dogs could even roam free without being on a leash or without even their owners. They would often stroll along by themselves or together in pairs or packs and then they would meet up with another pack of dogs and start to investigate each other.
Of course, every once and a while there would be an aggressive dog or two and I certainly saw more than one dog fight growing up. (Some of these could be quite scary actually).
We had a dog. His name was Tuffy. Tuffy was a little border collie/sheltie cross and he was a smart dog but every once in a while, of course, he would get into one of these scraps himself.I remember more than once, Tuffy would see some dog on our block that doesn’t belong there. He would charge them. It wouldn’t matter how big is the dog. It doesn’t matter how fierce is the dog; Tuffy runs at them. He’s not afraid of them. He growls at them. He, completely without any fear, engages the intruder.
Now sometimes, like I said, the dogs are a lot bigger than Tuffy. Still Tuffy charges, teeth bared- no fear – he charges the giant intruder with full confidence and then when the large dog strikes back…He runs away.
The other dog inevitably chases him and Tuffy runs right toward home. Tuffy runs faster and faster. As the dog gets closer, Tuffy – never afraid – runs to our next door neighbour’s house. He bounds up the stairs to his deck. The dog comes flying after Tuffy and arrives on the deck where he is seemingly trapped and … there is Goldie.[3] Goldie is by far the biggest dog you have ever seen and Goldie and Tuffy are quite a pair. They really are the best of friends.
So now the pursuing dog, the dog chasing Tuffy – which until this moment seemed quite large - is all of a sudden dwarfed by the giant Goldie, surrounded, and trapped on our neighbour’s deck.So after a couple of very noisy minutes, the intruding dog finds a way out and runs away as fast as it can never to come back again, and there is little Tuffy standing at the top of the stairs –(if dogs could smile)- this little collie-sheltie cross was telling the much bigger dog, I’m sure, never to come back!
When Tuffy saw the intruder, he wasn’t worried, he engaged him; he did not avoid a conflict. He was prepared; he was not afraid. He didn’t worry about what could happen to him. His goal was to encourage his opposition toward Goldie and have Goldie take care of the rest.
This is actually the same sort of thing that is happening in Paul’s life as he writes this letter to the Christians in Philippi.Paul has been openly engaging the non- and pre-Christian world. He has met with some strong resistance and it is just as if he is Tuffy up against a bigger dog.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/01/philippians-1-be-bold-be-prepared-are.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Acts 23: 1-11: Punch in the Mouth...
Presented to each the Nipawin and Tisdale Corps
23 September 2007
by Captain Michael Ramsay
There’s a children’s book by Judith Viorst entitled “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”[1] Have you ever had one of those days, where it doesn’t matter what you do you just seem to get in trouble? … I remember grade 2.
Now grade two admittedly was not my finest hour. It seemed that I was a permanent member of the detention club. And I remember one day, I just couldn’t win for losing. It was my birthday and many of the grade twos were coming to my party after school so we were told, ‘no dawdling’. We had to be home right after school.
Well, Mrs Leung gave me a detention – and it wasn’t even my fault! You see, Clinton had been chewing gum in school. Now, I hate gum. He gets in trouble for it and he tells Mrs. Leung that he isn’t actually chewing GUM; he is chewing his cheek. She believed him! I thought it was a strange thing to do - chew your cheek so, like any curious 8 year-old, I have to try it and, of course, … And Mrs. Leung catches me and says “Michael no chewing gum” and I say, “I’m not – I’m chewing my cheek” (which I was) and do you think she believes me NOOOO! So I have a detention after school on my birthday and it wasn’t even my fault!
Now, it is my birthday so Mrs. Leung has pity on me and lets me get out at the regular time and this would be fine except two friends of mine in the class – Wade and Clinton – go and get detentions and Mrs. Leung isn’t going to let them go. So sure I get out at the normal time but we all have to wait anyway.
Well, so there we are waiting just INSIDE the exterior door for Wade and Clinton – and now apparently there is a rule that you are not supposed to wait INSIDE the school for anyone – you have to wait OUTSIDE. So guess what? Wade and Clinton finish serving their time and are on their way out of detention hall only to find out that the rest of us our now on our way into detention…so much for getting home on time for my birthday party! But that is not the end of the story either!
You see Wade and Clinton are waiting for the rest of us and guess what? They decide to wait for us INSIDE the school – so guess what…we all wind up spending the first part of my Birthday in detention hallWell, more than ½ an hour later we all show up for my party…it was just like the children’s book says, “a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.”
In Acts, today, up to and including Chapter 23, you will notice that Paul has been having a little bit of a run like that himself.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/09/acts-23-1-11-punch-in-mouth-or-terrible.html
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http://www.sheepspeak.com/
23 September 2007
by Captain Michael Ramsay
There’s a children’s book by Judith Viorst entitled “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”[1] Have you ever had one of those days, where it doesn’t matter what you do you just seem to get in trouble? … I remember grade 2.
Now grade two admittedly was not my finest hour. It seemed that I was a permanent member of the detention club. And I remember one day, I just couldn’t win for losing. It was my birthday and many of the grade twos were coming to my party after school so we were told, ‘no dawdling’. We had to be home right after school.
Well, Mrs Leung gave me a detention – and it wasn’t even my fault! You see, Clinton had been chewing gum in school. Now, I hate gum. He gets in trouble for it and he tells Mrs. Leung that he isn’t actually chewing GUM; he is chewing his cheek. She believed him! I thought it was a strange thing to do - chew your cheek so, like any curious 8 year-old, I have to try it and, of course, … And Mrs. Leung catches me and says “Michael no chewing gum” and I say, “I’m not – I’m chewing my cheek” (which I was) and do you think she believes me NOOOO! So I have a detention after school on my birthday and it wasn’t even my fault!
Now, it is my birthday so Mrs. Leung has pity on me and lets me get out at the regular time and this would be fine except two friends of mine in the class – Wade and Clinton – go and get detentions and Mrs. Leung isn’t going to let them go. So sure I get out at the normal time but we all have to wait anyway.
Well, so there we are waiting just INSIDE the exterior door for Wade and Clinton – and now apparently there is a rule that you are not supposed to wait INSIDE the school for anyone – you have to wait OUTSIDE. So guess what? Wade and Clinton finish serving their time and are on their way out of detention hall only to find out that the rest of us our now on our way into detention…so much for getting home on time for my birthday party! But that is not the end of the story either!
You see Wade and Clinton are waiting for the rest of us and guess what? They decide to wait for us INSIDE the school – so guess what…we all wind up spending the first part of my Birthday in detention hallWell, more than ½ an hour later we all show up for my party…it was just like the children’s book says, “a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.”
In Acts, today, up to and including Chapter 23, you will notice that Paul has been having a little bit of a run like that himself.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/09/acts-23-1-11-punch-in-mouth-or-terrible.html
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http://www.sheepspeak.com/
Luke 16:1-13 - Sudden Death Overtime
Presented to each the Nipawin and Tisdale Corps 29 July 2007
by Captain Michael Ramsay
When Rebecca was just born, I used to listen to hockey every Friday night. You see. Friday night was my night to be home with Rebecca and clean the house. So I would listen to the junior hockey games on the radio as I was doing the dishes, etc.
I remember this one game. I caught the 3rd period. The home team just dominated. It was three or even four nothing coming into the last minute of play. These players had worked really hard, just dominated and they started celebrating the winning of the last game of their season -(pause)- with one minute left to go. Then the other team scored. Then again; 30 seconds left. Then again; 10 seconds left. It was four nothing less than a minute ago – they were celebrating – now they are up 4-3 with only 5 seconds left and they aren’t so confident – and now there’s a face-off in their own zone. And you know what happens? The away team scores with less than a second left to force sudden-death overtime.
Our team squanders their lead and as a result they face sudden death.
If you’ll turn with me back to Luke chapter 16, the manager we read about also squanders from his position, and now faces sudden death – or sudden unemployment anyway: he is fired.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/luke-161-13-sudden-death-overtime.html
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http://www.sheepspeak.com/
by Captain Michael Ramsay
When Rebecca was just born, I used to listen to hockey every Friday night. You see. Friday night was my night to be home with Rebecca and clean the house. So I would listen to the junior hockey games on the radio as I was doing the dishes, etc.
I remember this one game. I caught the 3rd period. The home team just dominated. It was three or even four nothing coming into the last minute of play. These players had worked really hard, just dominated and they started celebrating the winning of the last game of their season -(pause)- with one minute left to go. Then the other team scored. Then again; 30 seconds left. Then again; 10 seconds left. It was four nothing less than a minute ago – they were celebrating – now they are up 4-3 with only 5 seconds left and they aren’t so confident – and now there’s a face-off in their own zone. And you know what happens? The away team scores with less than a second left to force sudden-death overtime.
Our team squanders their lead and as a result they face sudden death.
If you’ll turn with me back to Luke chapter 16, the manager we read about also squanders from his position, and now faces sudden death – or sudden unemployment anyway: he is fired.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/luke-161-13-sudden-death-overtime.html
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http://www.sheepspeak.com/
Mark 3:20-35: The Family of God
Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps on February 17, 2008
By Captain Michael Ramsay
On a quiet winter day somewhere here in northern Saskatchewan, there is this fellow – John. Now John has just finished a long tiring day of work and he is quite happy to be home. He comes in and sits down on his chair and picks up his newspaper.
Now John has a wife, Janet, and when she sees John sitting nicely in his easy chair there, she asks him what he is planning to do before dinner.
“Well, I’m planning to read my paper,” John answers, but from the look on Janet’s face he can tell immediately that he has actually gotten the answer wrong. That isn’t what he is planning to do.
He looks at her in that searching way, trying to discern what the right answer to her question could be: what is he planning to do? …Is he planning to - pick something up at the store? …Is he planning to …pick up the kids from somewhere? …Is he planning to…John didn’t know.
“Shovel Mrs McMillan’s driveway,” says Janet. “You’re planning to shovel Mrs McMillan’s driveway.”
“But its 40 below![1] …I mean…Yes dear, yes, Mrs McMillan’s driveway,” says John who, until this very moment, had no idea that he was planning to shovel their elderly neighbour’s driveway. So John grabs his shovel and heads out the door…
At just this time, as John heads outside, providentially around the corner of the house comes John Jr., his 15 year-old son: “What are you planning to do before dinner?” John Sr. asks.
“Play on the computer…” says John Jr. who, just like his father, has gotten the answer wrong. John Junior is of course now planning to shovel the driveway.“Just let me put my school stuff away,” says Junior who is hoping to escape into the house and forget all about this plan to shovel Mrs McMillan’s driveway - that he never knew that he had made in the first place.
But Dad, who is wise to Junior’s plan, hands him the snow shovel, takes his school bag, sends him off to Mrs McMillan’s and then John promptly disappears into the garage so as to avoid finding out from Janet if indeed there is anything else he had planned to do that he didn’t know about…
Now as John Jr. is standing outside old Mrs McMillan’s driveway, who should come walking by but his little brother, Mark, and a group of his friends… Jr. yells to his 10 year-old brother and his seven or eight friends, “guess what you guys are planning to do?!”
Mark and his friends are all very good-natured and they do start out in earnest shovelling the walk but they only have 3 shovels between the eight of them and it doesn’t take too long for one of the boys to realise that this snow today actually packs quite nicely.
This friend of Mark then quite innocently makes one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and even more snowballs and stacks them beside the shelter of a hedge. When he has got a nice lot of snowballs in front of him, Mark, who has actually been working quite diligently, notices him and asks his friend - as forcefully as he can muster - “and what are you planning to do with all those snowballs?” to which his friend replies by throwing one right at Mark. Within 10 minutes the eight boys are in a full-blown snowball fight. Having completely forgotten about any of their work when John Sr., Dad, comes around the corner,“What do you think you are doing?”
Now Mark, in the boldness of a 10 year-old surrounded by his friends, takes the initiative to show his dad exactly what he is doing and promptly hits him with snowball. This is too much for John who then dives behind the car where he and his eldest son assemble their own arsenal and try to hold off the pack of ten year-old boys.
They are now divided into two groups and they have quite a bit of fun until all of a sudden everyone goes quiet as John and all the boys notice Janet –mom- standing, arms crossed, asking, “And what are do are you doing?”
“Shovelling the snow?” Answers John - and indeed for the next hour that is exactly what John, John Jr. and Mark are doing with their three shovels as Janet and Mrs McMillan look on from her front room.
If you’ll turn with me to Mark Chapter 3, you’ll notice that today’s pericope, which was read from Mark’s gospel earlier, is also about a divided house and a bit of a family conflict as well.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/02/mark-320-35-family-of-god.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
By Captain Michael Ramsay
On a quiet winter day somewhere here in northern Saskatchewan, there is this fellow – John. Now John has just finished a long tiring day of work and he is quite happy to be home. He comes in and sits down on his chair and picks up his newspaper.
Now John has a wife, Janet, and when she sees John sitting nicely in his easy chair there, she asks him what he is planning to do before dinner.
“Well, I’m planning to read my paper,” John answers, but from the look on Janet’s face he can tell immediately that he has actually gotten the answer wrong. That isn’t what he is planning to do.
He looks at her in that searching way, trying to discern what the right answer to her question could be: what is he planning to do? …Is he planning to - pick something up at the store? …Is he planning to …pick up the kids from somewhere? …Is he planning to…John didn’t know.
“Shovel Mrs McMillan’s driveway,” says Janet. “You’re planning to shovel Mrs McMillan’s driveway.”
“But its 40 below![1] …I mean…Yes dear, yes, Mrs McMillan’s driveway,” says John who, until this very moment, had no idea that he was planning to shovel their elderly neighbour’s driveway. So John grabs his shovel and heads out the door…
At just this time, as John heads outside, providentially around the corner of the house comes John Jr., his 15 year-old son: “What are you planning to do before dinner?” John Sr. asks.
“Play on the computer…” says John Jr. who, just like his father, has gotten the answer wrong. John Junior is of course now planning to shovel the driveway.“Just let me put my school stuff away,” says Junior who is hoping to escape into the house and forget all about this plan to shovel Mrs McMillan’s driveway - that he never knew that he had made in the first place.
But Dad, who is wise to Junior’s plan, hands him the snow shovel, takes his school bag, sends him off to Mrs McMillan’s and then John promptly disappears into the garage so as to avoid finding out from Janet if indeed there is anything else he had planned to do that he didn’t know about…
Now as John Jr. is standing outside old Mrs McMillan’s driveway, who should come walking by but his little brother, Mark, and a group of his friends… Jr. yells to his 10 year-old brother and his seven or eight friends, “guess what you guys are planning to do?!”
Mark and his friends are all very good-natured and they do start out in earnest shovelling the walk but they only have 3 shovels between the eight of them and it doesn’t take too long for one of the boys to realise that this snow today actually packs quite nicely.
This friend of Mark then quite innocently makes one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and even more snowballs and stacks them beside the shelter of a hedge. When he has got a nice lot of snowballs in front of him, Mark, who has actually been working quite diligently, notices him and asks his friend - as forcefully as he can muster - “and what are you planning to do with all those snowballs?” to which his friend replies by throwing one right at Mark. Within 10 minutes the eight boys are in a full-blown snowball fight. Having completely forgotten about any of their work when John Sr., Dad, comes around the corner,“What do you think you are doing?”
Now Mark, in the boldness of a 10 year-old surrounded by his friends, takes the initiative to show his dad exactly what he is doing and promptly hits him with snowball. This is too much for John who then dives behind the car where he and his eldest son assemble their own arsenal and try to hold off the pack of ten year-old boys.
They are now divided into two groups and they have quite a bit of fun until all of a sudden everyone goes quiet as John and all the boys notice Janet –mom- standing, arms crossed, asking, “And what are do are you doing?”
“Shovelling the snow?” Answers John - and indeed for the next hour that is exactly what John, John Jr. and Mark are doing with their three shovels as Janet and Mrs McMillan look on from her front room.
If you’ll turn with me to Mark Chapter 3, you’ll notice that today’s pericope, which was read from Mark’s gospel earlier, is also about a divided house and a bit of a family conflict as well.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/02/mark-320-35-family-of-god.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
Thursday, April 16, 2009
1 Samuel 4:1b-7:1: Hockey Card
Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps on June 22, 2008
By Captain Michael Ramsay
Do you know what this is? A hockey card: a Paul Coffee rookie card from his debut with the Edmonton Oilers. Some Edmonton Oilers rookie cards are evidently worth more than $2000.00 - if they are in good condition[1] – but this one is not in good condition at all.
Who’d have thought that hockey cards would become the big business investment that they have in recent years with people keeping them in special cases and only touching them with white gloves and the works.When I was a kid, we used to actually play with these cards: close–ies, knocksies (I don’t remember what the games were really called) - we would play all these different games with these cards and they would all involve throwing them against a wall – so much for keeping their investment value – we thought these toys were – uh - toys. Who knew we were squandering our retirement funds by throwing Wayne Gretzky, Billy Smith, and Guy Lafleur against the wall.
Did anyone in these parts ever ‘play’ hockey cards growing up? Or was it just a west coast thing? I remember some games that we would have: you would each line three all-star cards up against the wall and then take turns trying to knock down your opponents cards by flicking one of your cards at it. The first person to knock down each of their opponent’s cards would win and got to keep all of the cards – including every one that had been thrown.
The longer these games went on the more that was at stake. You could see cards piling up and kids would really have their entire collection at stake and then, of course, the more exciting it gets the more people who come to watch. Some of the big matches could have almost the entire school watching. This was a lot of fun if you were competing except for one thing - the grade threes. You see the grade threes loved to collect hockey cards but they didn’t win them. They would steel them. They would sneak closer and closer to any game they could find and as soon as they could get close enough the bold ones would scoop up a handful of cards and run for their lives as a couple of grade sixes always took up the pursuit; and then there were the cautious grade threes, they would step on the cards they want one at a time and then bend down to tie up their shoes over each time picking up a new card and putting it in their pocket, footprint and all.
Now, like many kids, I did collect quite a few cards in my time growing up but like I said none of mine are worth much because – well – because most of them have footprints on them – or are severely bent from my running away from the grade sixes. Oh well. “Who’d ‘a thunk?” If I’d known they would be worth so much I might have invested the $0.10 for gum and a pack of cards in those days. Who knew that hockey cards would become so valuable?
This is the same sort of thing that is facing the Philistines in our story today.
Read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/06/1-samuel-41b-71-hockey-card.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
By Captain Michael Ramsay
Do you know what this is? A hockey card: a Paul Coffee rookie card from his debut with the Edmonton Oilers. Some Edmonton Oilers rookie cards are evidently worth more than $2000.00 - if they are in good condition[1] – but this one is not in good condition at all.
Who’d have thought that hockey cards would become the big business investment that they have in recent years with people keeping them in special cases and only touching them with white gloves and the works.When I was a kid, we used to actually play with these cards: close–ies, knocksies (I don’t remember what the games were really called) - we would play all these different games with these cards and they would all involve throwing them against a wall – so much for keeping their investment value – we thought these toys were – uh - toys. Who knew we were squandering our retirement funds by throwing Wayne Gretzky, Billy Smith, and Guy Lafleur against the wall.
Did anyone in these parts ever ‘play’ hockey cards growing up? Or was it just a west coast thing? I remember some games that we would have: you would each line three all-star cards up against the wall and then take turns trying to knock down your opponents cards by flicking one of your cards at it. The first person to knock down each of their opponent’s cards would win and got to keep all of the cards – including every one that had been thrown.
The longer these games went on the more that was at stake. You could see cards piling up and kids would really have their entire collection at stake and then, of course, the more exciting it gets the more people who come to watch. Some of the big matches could have almost the entire school watching. This was a lot of fun if you were competing except for one thing - the grade threes. You see the grade threes loved to collect hockey cards but they didn’t win them. They would steel them. They would sneak closer and closer to any game they could find and as soon as they could get close enough the bold ones would scoop up a handful of cards and run for their lives as a couple of grade sixes always took up the pursuit; and then there were the cautious grade threes, they would step on the cards they want one at a time and then bend down to tie up their shoes over each time picking up a new card and putting it in their pocket, footprint and all.
Now, like many kids, I did collect quite a few cards in my time growing up but like I said none of mine are worth much because – well – because most of them have footprints on them – or are severely bent from my running away from the grade sixes. Oh well. “Who’d ‘a thunk?” If I’d known they would be worth so much I might have invested the $0.10 for gum and a pack of cards in those days. Who knew that hockey cards would become so valuable?
This is the same sort of thing that is facing the Philistines in our story today.
Read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/06/1-samuel-41b-71-hockey-card.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
Judges 11:29-40: Jephthath's Parachute
Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps on May 24, 2008
By Captain Michael Ramsay
When I was in my first year of studies at university, a friend of mine – Jared – and I decided that we were going to have the time of our lives that summer or die trying. That is the year I took up SCUBA diving. I went white-water rafting for the first time, did a lot of kayaking (I love Ocean kayaking) and we went parachuting…
You’ll probably hear this story again, just in case you haven’t heard it before by the way. I remember the training for jumping out of the plane. They drew all these diagrams on the board and we had to learn about trajectories and wind currents and the speed of acceleration of a free falling object – It was just like high school Physics – and I didn’t understand when I took high school physics and I didn’t understand it now. Then they had the practical test where they suspend you from the ceiling and you practice pulling the ripcord – well, in the practice, mine didn’t work.
This wasn’t looking so good so Jerry and I signed fake names on our waivers, made each other promise that we would steel the other’s waiver if something went wrong. (It was a long time ago.) Then we went to the washroom before boarding the Cessna aero plane.
Now a Cessna is a little plane. It is a very little plane and we went up a long way in this little plane. We were to jump at 3000 feet. Jerry and I flipped a coin to see who would jump first: I lost so I would have had to jump first but I made him jump first anyway because I when we got up so high that I thought I was at 3000 feet I checked the altitude of the plane and it was only 500 feet. This was the only time that I became a little afraid of heights.Jerry jumped first: I could see from the plane that the chute opened nicely and he floated down peacefully to earth. Okay, it looked all right. Next it was my turn…
I climbed out on the wing of the plane like we were told to. You see you are supposed to climb out on the wing, jump, count to five and then check to make sure the chute is working and we’re on our way.
So I jump, and like Jerry (as I find out later), I jump and try to count to five…but I can’t remember what comes after one: “One… rats!… arrg!”[1] Then I look up and see the full canopy of the parachute above me. Phew. So I reach back for the steering toggles that are on my parachute ropes. I reach back and there is nothing there. There’s nothing there. Sure my parachute opened up … but it wasn’t attached to my back!
Well actually only one side was. So it was attached to my back but it wasn’t catching any air so it wasn’t slowing me down at all. It was just like a flag flapping above my head. So from these classes - I remembered something - I had to unhook the streamer and take off the parachute all the while I am careening towards the ground at terminal velocity, I’m sure.
So I get the parachute off and pull the emergency cord and it comes out … in one big ball. It wasn’t catching any air either. In our classes beforehand they told us that if our chutes did this we were to take them off but when it’s your last parachute…while to make a short story even longer as I am falling towards the ground without a parachute. – I pray of course - I look down and I can see beneath me the highway and trees. My friend is watching me from the field. People who live in the houses nearby get in their cars when they see me fall beneath the tree line and come to help scrape my body up off the field – or whatever they else they can do – I don’t know. I do know that after they have seen me fall beneath the tree line towards the power lines and highway that a gust of wind comes, literally picks me up, opens up my chute and blows me over the field so that I land nicely right where I am supposed too – without even a scratch. It was indeed a miracle and an answer to sincere prayer.
You see, when I was without a parachute, and about to pull the emergency cord, I prayed. Now, I was a smoker back then and when I pulled my emergency cord, I remember praying, “Dear God, if you save me I’ll quit smm…never mind just please save me.” And He did. And I knew that as He did the first thing that I would want after I landed would be a cigarette. And it was, so it was a good thing I didn’t make the vow. (I did eventually quit smoking; but that’s an unrelated story) I know that God takes covenants, oaths, and vows very seriously and I didn’t make on then that I wouldn’t keep.
Jephthah, who we read about today, Jephthah might have been better never to make his vow.[2]
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/05/judges-1129-40-japhtheths-parachute.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
By Captain Michael Ramsay
When I was in my first year of studies at university, a friend of mine – Jared – and I decided that we were going to have the time of our lives that summer or die trying. That is the year I took up SCUBA diving. I went white-water rafting for the first time, did a lot of kayaking (I love Ocean kayaking) and we went parachuting…
You’ll probably hear this story again, just in case you haven’t heard it before by the way. I remember the training for jumping out of the plane. They drew all these diagrams on the board and we had to learn about trajectories and wind currents and the speed of acceleration of a free falling object – It was just like high school Physics – and I didn’t understand when I took high school physics and I didn’t understand it now. Then they had the practical test where they suspend you from the ceiling and you practice pulling the ripcord – well, in the practice, mine didn’t work.
This wasn’t looking so good so Jerry and I signed fake names on our waivers, made each other promise that we would steel the other’s waiver if something went wrong. (It was a long time ago.) Then we went to the washroom before boarding the Cessna aero plane.
Now a Cessna is a little plane. It is a very little plane and we went up a long way in this little plane. We were to jump at 3000 feet. Jerry and I flipped a coin to see who would jump first: I lost so I would have had to jump first but I made him jump first anyway because I when we got up so high that I thought I was at 3000 feet I checked the altitude of the plane and it was only 500 feet. This was the only time that I became a little afraid of heights.Jerry jumped first: I could see from the plane that the chute opened nicely and he floated down peacefully to earth. Okay, it looked all right. Next it was my turn…
I climbed out on the wing of the plane like we were told to. You see you are supposed to climb out on the wing, jump, count to five and then check to make sure the chute is working and we’re on our way.
So I jump, and like Jerry (as I find out later), I jump and try to count to five…but I can’t remember what comes after one: “One… rats!… arrg!”[1] Then I look up and see the full canopy of the parachute above me. Phew. So I reach back for the steering toggles that are on my parachute ropes. I reach back and there is nothing there. There’s nothing there. Sure my parachute opened up … but it wasn’t attached to my back!
Well actually only one side was. So it was attached to my back but it wasn’t catching any air so it wasn’t slowing me down at all. It was just like a flag flapping above my head. So from these classes - I remembered something - I had to unhook the streamer and take off the parachute all the while I am careening towards the ground at terminal velocity, I’m sure.
So I get the parachute off and pull the emergency cord and it comes out … in one big ball. It wasn’t catching any air either. In our classes beforehand they told us that if our chutes did this we were to take them off but when it’s your last parachute…while to make a short story even longer as I am falling towards the ground without a parachute. – I pray of course - I look down and I can see beneath me the highway and trees. My friend is watching me from the field. People who live in the houses nearby get in their cars when they see me fall beneath the tree line and come to help scrape my body up off the field – or whatever they else they can do – I don’t know. I do know that after they have seen me fall beneath the tree line towards the power lines and highway that a gust of wind comes, literally picks me up, opens up my chute and blows me over the field so that I land nicely right where I am supposed too – without even a scratch. It was indeed a miracle and an answer to sincere prayer.
You see, when I was without a parachute, and about to pull the emergency cord, I prayed. Now, I was a smoker back then and when I pulled my emergency cord, I remember praying, “Dear God, if you save me I’ll quit smm…never mind just please save me.” And He did. And I knew that as He did the first thing that I would want after I landed would be a cigarette. And it was, so it was a good thing I didn’t make the vow. (I did eventually quit smoking; but that’s an unrelated story) I know that God takes covenants, oaths, and vows very seriously and I didn’t make on then that I wouldn’t keep.
Jephthah, who we read about today, Jephthah might have been better never to make his vow.[2]
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/05/judges-1129-40-japhtheths-parachute.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
Genesis 15:7-21: When God is Bound...
Presented to each the Nipawin and Tisdale Corps 07 October 2007
by Captain Michael Ramsay
I know that some of you have been coming out to Thursday night Bible study. This has been a lot of fun as not only have we dug deeper into the Scriptures but in past couple of weeks people have confessed old pranks they have pulled and I’ve confessed all the difficulties that I have had adjusting my speed to the straight open stretches of roads here in Saskatchewan. I’m getting much better by the way…
All these stories of pranks and cars got me thinking back to my teenage years. At the church youth group I went to it wouldn’t be uncommon to have fifty kids out on any given Friday night and even more of us came out to the big events. And we had some big nights where we would have some good competitive events – and, I must confess, my team had this terrible habit of… winning - mostly because we paid more attention to the rules than the others.
For example, we had these events called KGB runs. They were these games where you started in the university forest and had to make your way back to the church at night without being caught by the leaders, who would catch you by ‘tagging you’ with a flashlight. So everyone would start walking and sneaking through the woods trying not to get caught but MY team we would sneak (yes) but right to the parking lot where one of us would leave our car and we would drive to just outside the church and walk in – no one SAID we weren’t allowed to drive.
So, of course, once the organizers caught on, at the next event like this, they have all the rules written out and among those rules are –not surprisingly- no cars are allowed and the borders of the game are well-defined of where we are and are not allowed to go.
So with the new rules in place and the leaders determined to catch is, we have a new plan, not too far into the forest we have stashed … really big flashlights. So then when the people who are ‘it’ see the flashlights they just assume we are on their team and our whole team walks safely in without being caught.[1]
Now the planners are making it their priority to make their rules so air tight that know one can possibly misapply them. As they get ready for the next big event, they even brag that their rules are ‘Mike-proof’
Well this next event was a car rally. You know what those are? You drive around the city and are given clues that you have to solve in order to figure out where you are going to drive to next and as you figure it out, you drive to the next location and get the next clue to figure out and so on.
The people who are planning this event, like I said, are determined to stop any creative problem solving. So we are given the rules that include the normal no breaking the law or speeding, –after all this is a church group. To enforce this, they have each of the drivers put our driver’s licenses in a sealed envelope. If the envelope is opened, they know that you were caught by the police. We then had to show we agree to the rules by signing the envelope, along with the leaders, and this big fancy agreement.
Well, we are winning, as usual coming near the end of the rally – and there is this open stretch of road – now you don’t get these so much in Victoria, so we open it up to speed for the finish line and… you guessed it. The red and blue lights come on behind us. The officer asks for my licence and I hand over the envelope.
So we arrive first and they give us the prize and as all the other teams come in, they can’t believe that we’d won again. But then the leader remembers, “Oh, I need your drivers’ licences’, so one by one each team puts their sealed envelopes on the table. And then it is my turn… They were bound to beat us eventually and this is how they did it. They made this big fancy agreement, we failed to live up to it and as a consequence we lost our reward.
If you’ll turn with me to our text today, Genesis 15:7 – 21, we’ll look at Abram’s big fancy agreement with God.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/10/genesis-157-21-when-god-is-bound.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
by Captain Michael Ramsay
I know that some of you have been coming out to Thursday night Bible study. This has been a lot of fun as not only have we dug deeper into the Scriptures but in past couple of weeks people have confessed old pranks they have pulled and I’ve confessed all the difficulties that I have had adjusting my speed to the straight open stretches of roads here in Saskatchewan. I’m getting much better by the way…
All these stories of pranks and cars got me thinking back to my teenage years. At the church youth group I went to it wouldn’t be uncommon to have fifty kids out on any given Friday night and even more of us came out to the big events. And we had some big nights where we would have some good competitive events – and, I must confess, my team had this terrible habit of… winning - mostly because we paid more attention to the rules than the others.
For example, we had these events called KGB runs. They were these games where you started in the university forest and had to make your way back to the church at night without being caught by the leaders, who would catch you by ‘tagging you’ with a flashlight. So everyone would start walking and sneaking through the woods trying not to get caught but MY team we would sneak (yes) but right to the parking lot where one of us would leave our car and we would drive to just outside the church and walk in – no one SAID we weren’t allowed to drive.
So, of course, once the organizers caught on, at the next event like this, they have all the rules written out and among those rules are –not surprisingly- no cars are allowed and the borders of the game are well-defined of where we are and are not allowed to go.
So with the new rules in place and the leaders determined to catch is, we have a new plan, not too far into the forest we have stashed … really big flashlights. So then when the people who are ‘it’ see the flashlights they just assume we are on their team and our whole team walks safely in without being caught.[1]
Now the planners are making it their priority to make their rules so air tight that know one can possibly misapply them. As they get ready for the next big event, they even brag that their rules are ‘Mike-proof’
Well this next event was a car rally. You know what those are? You drive around the city and are given clues that you have to solve in order to figure out where you are going to drive to next and as you figure it out, you drive to the next location and get the next clue to figure out and so on.
The people who are planning this event, like I said, are determined to stop any creative problem solving. So we are given the rules that include the normal no breaking the law or speeding, –after all this is a church group. To enforce this, they have each of the drivers put our driver’s licenses in a sealed envelope. If the envelope is opened, they know that you were caught by the police. We then had to show we agree to the rules by signing the envelope, along with the leaders, and this big fancy agreement.
Well, we are winning, as usual coming near the end of the rally – and there is this open stretch of road – now you don’t get these so much in Victoria, so we open it up to speed for the finish line and… you guessed it. The red and blue lights come on behind us. The officer asks for my licence and I hand over the envelope.
So we arrive first and they give us the prize and as all the other teams come in, they can’t believe that we’d won again. But then the leader remembers, “Oh, I need your drivers’ licences’, so one by one each team puts their sealed envelopes on the table. And then it is my turn… They were bound to beat us eventually and this is how they did it. They made this big fancy agreement, we failed to live up to it and as a consequence we lost our reward.
If you’ll turn with me to our text today, Genesis 15:7 – 21, we’ll look at Abram’s big fancy agreement with God.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/10/genesis-157-21-when-god-is-bound.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
John 10:1-6: Stop! Thieves!
Presented to the Nipawin Corps, 18 January 2009
By Captain Michael Ramsay
John 10:1 - “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber."
I grew up in Victoria BC, a city that has around 300 000 people; so, It was very busy and it is a little bit different from Nipawin, Saskatchewan. One thing of the many things that is a bit different is that here – most people use the side door or the back door but back there people always come to the front door. Always. I confess that we were confused more than once when we first arrived here because, inevitably, the doorbell would ring, the kids and I would then run to the wrong door wondering why nobody was there.
I remember when I was little: one day when I was 7 or 8 I stayed over at my grandparents for the night. They lived on Shelbourne Street, which is a main street, a busy road that runs towards downtown from the Gordon Head area where we lived. It was 2 or 3 in the morning and the traffic or something else had woken me up and no one else was up so I decided to get up and go downstairs – and since no one else was up, I decided to help myself to a cookie or some cereal or something like that…
The stairs down came past the side door of the house and I remember nearing the bottom of the stairs at 2 in the morning and looking right at the door when, all of a sudden, there is a burglar. He is on the other side of the door: the handle starts to turn. I freeze. I don’t know what to do. It is a robber, a burglar of some sort, someone trying to break into the house; I know because he is at the side door and he can’t open the door and instead after a couple of attempts he goes away. As an eight year-old, the momentary panic of being only a few steps away from a prowler is really quite scary. I am sure that I did not even breathe much less move in that very tense moment.
I also remember that later that year I had another similar encounter. This time I was at home. Now my bedroom at home was at the front of the house – right by the front door (which was the door that everybody used) and my room was literally walled with widows. Each window had a long opaque blind that ran from the ceiling down to the bottom of the window.
Again it is 2 or 3 in the morning and this time I hear a noise outside so I peek out the window nearest my bed and I see a strange car out front. I slowly crawl to the next window and look out again and I see a strange man emerging from the car. I creep along, out of view, nearer to the door and look out the next widow as the man is walking up our front walk. I then sneak up to our front door – it has a large window in it as well and there is no blind on it – I sneak underneath the window and make sure that the door is dead-bolted. I then sit underneath that window I hear the man come thump, thump, thump, quietly but audibly up the stairs. Then the man reaches out and… rings the doorbell…
Then I shoot up like a bolt (of lightening) quickly, right in front of him and – as surprised as I was – this poor fellow was even more so as he falls halfway down the staircase in fright! It appears that he was a cab driver who had gotten the wrong address.Our text today (John 10:1-6) speaks more about the first of my two stories than the second. It says, Verse 1, “…the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, [he] is a thief and a robber,” it says.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/01/john-101-6-stop-thieves.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
By Captain Michael Ramsay
John 10:1 - “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber."
I grew up in Victoria BC, a city that has around 300 000 people; so, It was very busy and it is a little bit different from Nipawin, Saskatchewan. One thing of the many things that is a bit different is that here – most people use the side door or the back door but back there people always come to the front door. Always. I confess that we were confused more than once when we first arrived here because, inevitably, the doorbell would ring, the kids and I would then run to the wrong door wondering why nobody was there.
I remember when I was little: one day when I was 7 or 8 I stayed over at my grandparents for the night. They lived on Shelbourne Street, which is a main street, a busy road that runs towards downtown from the Gordon Head area where we lived. It was 2 or 3 in the morning and the traffic or something else had woken me up and no one else was up so I decided to get up and go downstairs – and since no one else was up, I decided to help myself to a cookie or some cereal or something like that…
The stairs down came past the side door of the house and I remember nearing the bottom of the stairs at 2 in the morning and looking right at the door when, all of a sudden, there is a burglar. He is on the other side of the door: the handle starts to turn. I freeze. I don’t know what to do. It is a robber, a burglar of some sort, someone trying to break into the house; I know because he is at the side door and he can’t open the door and instead after a couple of attempts he goes away. As an eight year-old, the momentary panic of being only a few steps away from a prowler is really quite scary. I am sure that I did not even breathe much less move in that very tense moment.
I also remember that later that year I had another similar encounter. This time I was at home. Now my bedroom at home was at the front of the house – right by the front door (which was the door that everybody used) and my room was literally walled with widows. Each window had a long opaque blind that ran from the ceiling down to the bottom of the window.
Again it is 2 or 3 in the morning and this time I hear a noise outside so I peek out the window nearest my bed and I see a strange car out front. I slowly crawl to the next window and look out again and I see a strange man emerging from the car. I creep along, out of view, nearer to the door and look out the next widow as the man is walking up our front walk. I then sneak up to our front door – it has a large window in it as well and there is no blind on it – I sneak underneath the window and make sure that the door is dead-bolted. I then sit underneath that window I hear the man come thump, thump, thump, quietly but audibly up the stairs. Then the man reaches out and… rings the doorbell…
Then I shoot up like a bolt (of lightening) quickly, right in front of him and – as surprised as I was – this poor fellow was even more so as he falls halfway down the staircase in fright! It appears that he was a cab driver who had gotten the wrong address.Our text today (John 10:1-6) speaks more about the first of my two stories than the second. It says, Verse 1, “…the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, [he] is a thief and a robber,” it says.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/01/john-101-6-stop-thieves.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
Romans 5:3,4: Hope and an Angel on the Downtown Eastside.
Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps on April 20, 2008
By Captain Michael Ramsay
As many of you here know when our children were just little (not that they’re so big now), we sold our home and our businesses and moved into North America’s poorest postal code - Vancouver’s downtown eastside - as full-time urban missionaries with The Salvation Army.
We have shared with many of you the excitement from our time there as we saw people who were turned from their addictive, destructive ways of life; transformed into new creations by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was exciting to open up our home and our lives to the miracles that indeed the Lord is still performing today and were, oh, so evident in that environment. We met people who have been cured of cancer, cured of AIDS, and completely cured of diabetes. We have seen and experienced the power of God (cf. Romans 1:4, 1:16, 11:23, 15:13, 15:19-20) first hand.
Our time there, as you can well imagine, wasn’t always rosy though. I remember one day – one morning, I was mugged. I knew better but I wasn’t paying attention. It was early in the morning and I was right on Main and Hastings – the most infamous intersection in this most infamous neighbourhood and I was on the pay phone with Susan who was out of town at the time.
Someone came running up behind me, grabbed my briefcase and tore down Main Street. In the briefcase was my laptop and all the information for the summer school programme I was running for the kids in the area; so, like anyone mugged in the depths of skid row, I’m sure, I…well, I chased the mugger.
I followed him down Main Street through Chinatown across busy streets and around the myriad of mazes that are Vancouver’s back alleys. Scaring rats, jumping over sleeping street folk, I pursued my assailant. When I was within reach of him… I fell right in front of a bus and though I escaped from in front of the bus with my life, the mugger escaped with my briefcase, my laptop, and the programme files for the kids.
It was when I was walking back, completely distraught and despondent from this incident, that I experienced the miracle that happened: I encountered an angel, a messenger of God, in the back alleys of Vancouver’s storied downtown eastside. I can still remember vividly; he looked like a ‘dumpster diver;’ he prayed with me and he offered me these words of encouragement from Romans 5:3,4 “...but let us also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Inside I sighed. I knew he was right. God gave me these words to encourage me.When the Apostle Paul recorded these words circa 55 AD in his letter to the Romans, he himself had already seen much suffering - he has already spent so much time under arrest, so much time in prison and even now he will be ultimately killed for his faith ...
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/04/romans-534-hope-and-angel-on-downtown.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
By Captain Michael Ramsay
As many of you here know when our children were just little (not that they’re so big now), we sold our home and our businesses and moved into North America’s poorest postal code - Vancouver’s downtown eastside - as full-time urban missionaries with The Salvation Army.
We have shared with many of you the excitement from our time there as we saw people who were turned from their addictive, destructive ways of life; transformed into new creations by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was exciting to open up our home and our lives to the miracles that indeed the Lord is still performing today and were, oh, so evident in that environment. We met people who have been cured of cancer, cured of AIDS, and completely cured of diabetes. We have seen and experienced the power of God (cf. Romans 1:4, 1:16, 11:23, 15:13, 15:19-20) first hand.
Our time there, as you can well imagine, wasn’t always rosy though. I remember one day – one morning, I was mugged. I knew better but I wasn’t paying attention. It was early in the morning and I was right on Main and Hastings – the most infamous intersection in this most infamous neighbourhood and I was on the pay phone with Susan who was out of town at the time.
Someone came running up behind me, grabbed my briefcase and tore down Main Street. In the briefcase was my laptop and all the information for the summer school programme I was running for the kids in the area; so, like anyone mugged in the depths of skid row, I’m sure, I…well, I chased the mugger.
I followed him down Main Street through Chinatown across busy streets and around the myriad of mazes that are Vancouver’s back alleys. Scaring rats, jumping over sleeping street folk, I pursued my assailant. When I was within reach of him… I fell right in front of a bus and though I escaped from in front of the bus with my life, the mugger escaped with my briefcase, my laptop, and the programme files for the kids.
It was when I was walking back, completely distraught and despondent from this incident, that I experienced the miracle that happened: I encountered an angel, a messenger of God, in the back alleys of Vancouver’s storied downtown eastside. I can still remember vividly; he looked like a ‘dumpster diver;’ he prayed with me and he offered me these words of encouragement from Romans 5:3,4 “...but let us also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Inside I sighed. I knew he was right. God gave me these words to encourage me.When the Apostle Paul recorded these words circa 55 AD in his letter to the Romans, he himself had already seen much suffering - he has already spent so much time under arrest, so much time in prison and even now he will be ultimately killed for his faith ...
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/04/romans-534-hope-and-angel-on-downtown.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
Acts 15:1-19 - The Chihuahua Barks Again
Presented to each the Nipawin and Tisdale Corps 09 September 2007
by Captain Michael Ramsay
Calvin and Hobbes: this image from http://calvinandhobbes.awardspace.com/#ch900321
by Captain Michael Ramsay
Calvin and Hobbes: this image from http://calvinandhobbes.awardspace.com/#ch900321I have a friend of mine, Cory, back on the Island where I used to live, who is a hunter. Every once and a while, he would get a deer or a moose and would give us some great venison sausages or steaks or something – it was nice.
Well, one day Cory meets me for coffee and he is really excited; he tells me that he has won the goat lottery.
Great …you won a goat?’ I ask.
‘No.’ He then explains what he means to me. You see there are only so many mountain goats so hunters buy raffle tickets and the winners are allowed to hunt for goats and this year Cory won so he invites me to go with him.
Now back then Cory and I were both a little bit out of shape and the thing about mountain goats is that mountain goats tend to like to live at the top of… mountains; so away we go up to the top of the mountain and we are really starting to feel it. It is tough work. It is a bit of a hike. We are tired.
We are exhausted actually but I tell you that the view from the summit is just beautiful. One of the most beautiful things in the world. It is our reward for struggling and making it all the way to the top. You can see all the summits and valleys around, and the untouched land. You can see the majesty of God reflected in His creation. As we are sitting there absolutely exhausted from our hike and enjoying the beauty of the scene, Cory turns to me and says, “You know, Mike, we are probably among the first people to ever climb this mountain.” And at that moment bounding in front of us comes …a Chihuahua – a Chihuahua, and a five year-old, and a four year-old, and a 3 year-old… who, by the way, didn’t seem to be near as tired as we were from climbing the mountain. Next came the parents and a parade of tourist - So much for being the first ever people at the top of the mountain.
Now Cory is feeling a little embarrassed for saying that we were the first to ever reach this spot and then at that exact moment having the Chihuahua appear. So we quietly pick up our stuff and walk a few steps away from the crowd and I, in my most comforting voice, say, ‘Cory, you know, I bet we’re the first people to ever step here, on this spot.’ I laugh – and then I duck as Cory’s mood from switches quickly from awe and wonder to wanting to throttle me. And that is not entirely unlike our text today. If you’ll turn with me to Acts 15.
You see just like with Cory and I viewing God’s untouched creation and Calvin seeing the first Robin of Spring, the church here is excited to see God’s wonder as the gospel is spreading among Jews and Gentiles alike - but now comes our Chihuahua (Acts 15:1) in the form of some men from Judea and, it says in verse 2, that there is no small dissention and debate.
Well, one day Cory meets me for coffee and he is really excited; he tells me that he has won the goat lottery.
Great …you won a goat?’ I ask.
‘No.’ He then explains what he means to me. You see there are only so many mountain goats so hunters buy raffle tickets and the winners are allowed to hunt for goats and this year Cory won so he invites me to go with him.
Now back then Cory and I were both a little bit out of shape and the thing about mountain goats is that mountain goats tend to like to live at the top of… mountains; so away we go up to the top of the mountain and we are really starting to feel it. It is tough work. It is a bit of a hike. We are tired.
We are exhausted actually but I tell you that the view from the summit is just beautiful. One of the most beautiful things in the world. It is our reward for struggling and making it all the way to the top. You can see all the summits and valleys around, and the untouched land. You can see the majesty of God reflected in His creation. As we are sitting there absolutely exhausted from our hike and enjoying the beauty of the scene, Cory turns to me and says, “You know, Mike, we are probably among the first people to ever climb this mountain.” And at that moment bounding in front of us comes …a Chihuahua – a Chihuahua, and a five year-old, and a four year-old, and a 3 year-old… who, by the way, didn’t seem to be near as tired as we were from climbing the mountain. Next came the parents and a parade of tourist - So much for being the first ever people at the top of the mountain.
Now Cory is feeling a little embarrassed for saying that we were the first to ever reach this spot and then at that exact moment having the Chihuahua appear. So we quietly pick up our stuff and walk a few steps away from the crowd and I, in my most comforting voice, say, ‘Cory, you know, I bet we’re the first people to ever step here, on this spot.’ I laugh – and then I duck as Cory’s mood from switches quickly from awe and wonder to wanting to throttle me. And that is not entirely unlike our text today. If you’ll turn with me to Acts 15.
You see just like with Cory and I viewing God’s untouched creation and Calvin seeing the first Robin of Spring, the church here is excited to see God’s wonder as the gospel is spreading among Jews and Gentiles alike - but now comes our Chihuahua (Acts 15:1) in the form of some men from Judea and, it says in verse 2, that there is no small dissention and debate.
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Luke 23: Who do you say He is?
Presented to the Community Good Friday Service in Nipawin
at the Apostolic Church, April 10, 2009
By Captain Michael Ramsay
I remember many years ago when I was starting University. I was a janitor; I worked nights for a big janitorial company in Victoria. They have buildings all over the city and I worked for this company since before I went to university so when I did go back to school, they were kind enough to work around my schedule.
They made me a ‘floater’: now a floater is a very important position because we are given the keys and alarm codes to banks and other important businesses all over the city and our shifts often end late at night or early in the morning. Now break-ins aren’t uncommon in the city so one doesn’t want just anybody walking around some of these buildings in the middle of the night.I remember one night.
I’m on ‘floater’ duty. I have four buildings to clean. The first two buildings take me twice as long to clean as they should so when I get to my third building, it is well passed midnight and I have never been in this building before and I can’t find the light switch anywhere. As a result, I am late turning off the alarm and the thing goes off: it is loud. So while it is still ringing and the place is still dark I bang my leg as I trip over a desk running to turn it off. I turn it off and then the phone rings (the alarm company always calls to see why an alarm is going off to make sure it is a false alarm) so I’m off and running again and this time it is in the other direction -still in the dark - to find the phone before I miss the call and the alarm company phones the police. I get to the phone just in time but not before banging my leg again as I crash into another desk in the pitch black and yelling quite loudly.
I finally get this alarm mess sorted out on the phone but by now my leg that I have bashed twice is killing me as I am limping around the whole building still looking for the light switch in the pitch black. I am very lost in a maze of cubicles and I really can’t see anything and I am not feeling too happy at all when I hear something.I hear something. I hear something growl….
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/04/luke-23-who-do-you-say-he-is.html
---
www.sheepspeak.com
at the Apostolic Church, April 10, 2009
By Captain Michael Ramsay
I remember many years ago when I was starting University. I was a janitor; I worked nights for a big janitorial company in Victoria. They have buildings all over the city and I worked for this company since before I went to university so when I did go back to school, they were kind enough to work around my schedule.
They made me a ‘floater’: now a floater is a very important position because we are given the keys and alarm codes to banks and other important businesses all over the city and our shifts often end late at night or early in the morning. Now break-ins aren’t uncommon in the city so one doesn’t want just anybody walking around some of these buildings in the middle of the night.I remember one night.
I’m on ‘floater’ duty. I have four buildings to clean. The first two buildings take me twice as long to clean as they should so when I get to my third building, it is well passed midnight and I have never been in this building before and I can’t find the light switch anywhere. As a result, I am late turning off the alarm and the thing goes off: it is loud. So while it is still ringing and the place is still dark I bang my leg as I trip over a desk running to turn it off. I turn it off and then the phone rings (the alarm company always calls to see why an alarm is going off to make sure it is a false alarm) so I’m off and running again and this time it is in the other direction -still in the dark - to find the phone before I miss the call and the alarm company phones the police. I get to the phone just in time but not before banging my leg again as I crash into another desk in the pitch black and yelling quite loudly.
I finally get this alarm mess sorted out on the phone but by now my leg that I have bashed twice is killing me as I am limping around the whole building still looking for the light switch in the pitch black. I am very lost in a maze of cubicles and I really can’t see anything and I am not feeling too happy at all when I hear something.I hear something. I hear something growl….
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/04/luke-23-who-do-you-say-he-is.html
---
www.sheepspeak.com
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
RESURRECTION! from the General's website
PASTORAL LETTER THIRTEEN
RESURRECTION!
Dear Fellow Salvationists,
Easter greetings to you all!
We have travelled through the weeks of preparation leading to Holy Week and now we have come together again to the Cross of our Saviour, Jesus.
We have journeyed with him to Jerusalem, sharing in his entry into that city. We have heard again the shouts of the crowd as they greeted him. We have heard also the probing interrogation by the High Priest, but Jesus would not defend himself. We have heard the mocking of the soldiers as they prepared him for execution. We have heard, with natural human reluctance and yet with holy fascination, the nails hammered into his flesh - for us. We have heard also his words from the Cross, most compellingly his words of forgiveness.
Those first disciples thought it was the end. They did not foresee resurrection and victory! For those of us who are modern-day disciples it is all so different. We follow Jesus to the Cross knowing that Calvary is only the beginning, not the end. We feel the pain and sorrow, but can anticipate also the victory and resurrection power, even as we watch with him in the Garden, walk with him to Golgotha, and weep with those at the foot of the Cross.
Resurrection!
Resurrection power! Resurrection glory! Resurrection victory!
Heaven wins over Hell! Purity triumphs over sin! Good defeats evil!
Therefore we rejoice over Resurrection power, given to us if only we will have faith to believe and to accept Jesus as our personal Saviour. We rejoice because of the promise of Resurrection power for today and for all eternity if we die in Christ, as his child, forgiven and born anew.
Salvationists are powerless without Resurrection power. We are helpless without the Risen Christ. We are adrift without his guiding hand.
This is why he comes to us by his Holy Spirit, the One who draws near to us even as we walk the highway, even as we toil in the deep waters of life, and even in the quiet moments of the dawn as we wake from sleep each morning. Jesus himself draws near. He is Risen, alive, pulsating with life and Heaven's riches, all to be shared with the one who seeks and finds him as Saviour.
My heart is thrilled as I think of you all, working for Jesus just where he has placed you. I lift you to God is prayer as I write:
O God of Resurrection grace and power, come afresh with Easter life and strength to your people called Salvationists. Bless us again. Infill us anew by your Holy Spirit. Cleanse our hearts and make them fit for your indwelling. Direct and control all we think and say and do. Make us clean and ready to receive afresh your indwelling Holy Spirit. Use us, according to your will, in the world and send us out among those you have called us to serve. Make us bold and fruitful in your power and for the sake of your gospel. All this we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
May Easter blessings fall upon you all, and may you know the nearness of the Risen Christ moment by moment.
I commend you to his love and care in all things.
With Salvationist salutations.
Yours in Christ,
Shaw CliftonGeneral
from: http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_ihq_general.nsf/vw-dynamic-index/76501F3394AE0EC88025758D000766C7?Opendocument
RESURRECTION!
Dear Fellow Salvationists,
Easter greetings to you all!
We have travelled through the weeks of preparation leading to Holy Week and now we have come together again to the Cross of our Saviour, Jesus.
We have journeyed with him to Jerusalem, sharing in his entry into that city. We have heard again the shouts of the crowd as they greeted him. We have heard also the probing interrogation by the High Priest, but Jesus would not defend himself. We have heard the mocking of the soldiers as they prepared him for execution. We have heard, with natural human reluctance and yet with holy fascination, the nails hammered into his flesh - for us. We have heard also his words from the Cross, most compellingly his words of forgiveness.
Those first disciples thought it was the end. They did not foresee resurrection and victory! For those of us who are modern-day disciples it is all so different. We follow Jesus to the Cross knowing that Calvary is only the beginning, not the end. We feel the pain and sorrow, but can anticipate also the victory and resurrection power, even as we watch with him in the Garden, walk with him to Golgotha, and weep with those at the foot of the Cross.
Resurrection!
Resurrection power! Resurrection glory! Resurrection victory!
Heaven wins over Hell! Purity triumphs over sin! Good defeats evil!
Therefore we rejoice over Resurrection power, given to us if only we will have faith to believe and to accept Jesus as our personal Saviour. We rejoice because of the promise of Resurrection power for today and for all eternity if we die in Christ, as his child, forgiven and born anew.
Salvationists are powerless without Resurrection power. We are helpless without the Risen Christ. We are adrift without his guiding hand.
This is why he comes to us by his Holy Spirit, the One who draws near to us even as we walk the highway, even as we toil in the deep waters of life, and even in the quiet moments of the dawn as we wake from sleep each morning. Jesus himself draws near. He is Risen, alive, pulsating with life and Heaven's riches, all to be shared with the one who seeks and finds him as Saviour.
My heart is thrilled as I think of you all, working for Jesus just where he has placed you. I lift you to God is prayer as I write:
O God of Resurrection grace and power, come afresh with Easter life and strength to your people called Salvationists. Bless us again. Infill us anew by your Holy Spirit. Cleanse our hearts and make them fit for your indwelling. Direct and control all we think and say and do. Make us clean and ready to receive afresh your indwelling Holy Spirit. Use us, according to your will, in the world and send us out among those you have called us to serve. Make us bold and fruitful in your power and for the sake of your gospel. All this we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
May Easter blessings fall upon you all, and may you know the nearness of the Risen Christ moment by moment.
I commend you to his love and care in all things.
With Salvationist salutations.
Yours in Christ,
Shaw CliftonGeneral
from: http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_ihq_general.nsf/vw-dynamic-index/76501F3394AE0EC88025758D000766C7?Opendocument
The General's Easter Message 2009 from Salvationarmy.org: Very Early in the Morning
THE early morning is a strange time. It can be filled with positive expectation or deep apprehension. How are you, early in the morning?
The 15th chapter of Mark's Gospel opens with the words, 'Very early in the morning' (New International Version), and then goes on to tell us what took place in those history-splitting pre-dawn moments. The Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, had been arrested in the night by Jerusalem Temple Guards who had known where to find him because his close friend and follower, Judas, had betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver. His yet more trusted friend, Peter, had openly denied even knowing him. The High Priest in Jerusalem questioned Jesus in public and judicial condemnation soon followed.
'Very early in the morning' Jesus, your Saviour and mine, was handed over to the Roman occupying forces, for final judgment. The Governor, Pilate, interrogated Jesus but could extract no replies. Jesus was like an innocent, defenceless lamb led to the slaughter....
read more from www.salvationarmy.org : http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_sa.nsf/vw-dynamic-arrays/0909D05D6DEAA14D8025745D005D87E9?openDocument
The 15th chapter of Mark's Gospel opens with the words, 'Very early in the morning' (New International Version), and then goes on to tell us what took place in those history-splitting pre-dawn moments. The Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, had been arrested in the night by Jerusalem Temple Guards who had known where to find him because his close friend and follower, Judas, had betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver. His yet more trusted friend, Peter, had openly denied even knowing him. The High Priest in Jerusalem questioned Jesus in public and judicial condemnation soon followed.
'Very early in the morning' Jesus, your Saviour and mine, was handed over to the Roman occupying forces, for final judgment. The Governor, Pilate, interrogated Jesus but could extract no replies. Jesus was like an innocent, defenceless lamb led to the slaughter....
read more from www.salvationarmy.org : http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_sa.nsf/vw-dynamic-arrays/0909D05D6DEAA14D8025745D005D87E9?openDocument
Monday, April 13, 2009
Resurrection Day message
from armybarmy
Resurrection Day message from Colonel Henry Gariepy, Order of the Founder: Words To Live By #366 Because He Lives
"In the late 1960s, Gloria Gaither, author of over 600 well-known hymns, was going through a time of deep personal struggle. She was also expecting her third child, and was saddened by the thought of bringing another child into a world filled with so many tensions and dangers. But after prayer, the Holy Spirit reaffirmed in her heart Christ’s Resurrection in all its power. Inspired by the birth of a healthy son, she wrote the now famous Easter hymn:
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives!"
This Easter Sunday we reaffirm our confidence that because Christ lives, we can face tomorrow, with all its uncertainty, because He holds the future and makes life worth living."
Resurrection Day message from Colonel Henry Gariepy, Order of the Founder: Words To Live By #366 Because He Lives
"In the late 1960s, Gloria Gaither, author of over 600 well-known hymns, was going through a time of deep personal struggle. She was also expecting her third child, and was saddened by the thought of bringing another child into a world filled with so many tensions and dangers. But after prayer, the Holy Spirit reaffirmed in her heart Christ’s Resurrection in all its power. Inspired by the birth of a healthy son, she wrote the now famous Easter hymn:
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives!"
This Easter Sunday we reaffirm our confidence that because Christ lives, we can face tomorrow, with all its uncertainty, because He holds the future and makes life worth living."
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Holy Resurrection Day!
Holy Resurrection Day (Mark 16:1-8)
Click the pict. to read the sermon: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/03/mark-161-8-dead-or-alive-what-do-you.html
Click the pict. to read the sermon: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/03/mark-161-8-dead-or-alive-what-do-you.html
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Holy Resurrection Day
Holy Resurrection Day (John 20:1-9)
Click the pict. to read the sermon: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/02/john-201-9-hes-alive.html
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Saturday, April 11, 2009
The Resurrection (from Tom Wright)
Various articles:
Jesus' Resurrection and Christian Origins
The question of Jesus’ resurrection continues to haunt the thinking and writing of many scholars. I shall not debate in detail with them here; there are other places for that. I want instead to sketch, in broad strokes, a historical argument about what happened three days after Jesus’ crucifixion.
The question divides into four. First, what did people in the first century, both pagans and Jews, hope for? What did they believe about life after death, and particularly about resurrection? Second, what did the early Christians believe on the same subjects? What did they hope for? Third, what reasons did the early Christians give for their hope and belief, and what did they mean by the key word ‘resurrection’ which they used of Jesus? Finally, what can the historian say by way of comment on this early Christian claim?
read more: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Jesus_Resurrection.htm
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The Resurrection as a Historical Problem
The Question of Jesus’ resurrection lies at the heart of the Christian faith. There is no form of early Christianity known to us that does not affirm that after Jesus’ shameful death God raised him to life again. That affirmation is, in particular, the constant response of earlier Christianity to one of the four key questions about Jesus that must be raised by all serious historians of the first century. I have elsewhere addressed the first three such questions, namely what was Jesus’ relation to Judaism? What were his aims? Why did he die?1 The fourth question is this: Granted the foregoing, why did Christianity arise and take the shape it did? To this question, virtually all early Christians known to us give the same answer, “He was raised from the dead.” The historian must therefore investigate what they meant by this and what can be said by way of historical comment.
read more: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Historical_Problem.htm
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The Resurrection and the Postmodern Dilemma
In concluding this series of lectures, I want to do something rather different than what I have done in the previous two. My interest in the resurrection of Jesus is at the same time fully historical, fully theological, and fully oriented toward the mission of the church. I fail to see why I or anyone else should be browbeaten by certain forces within the academy or elsewhere into splitting up what God has joined together. For this reason, as an attempt to bring these tasks to creative fusion, I want now to look at two biblical texts and at the challenge of our present social and cultural situation. These will knock some sparks off each other and, I hope, generate some light as they do so.
read more: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Resurrection_Postmodern.htm
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Can a Scientist Believe in the Resurrection?
So a question beginning ‘can a scientist . . .’ is a dangerous one for me to address. Of course, it is possible to give a short and trivial answer, rather like the man who, when asked whether he believed in infant baptism, replied, ‘Sure! I’ve seen it done!’ That, of course, exposes one of the the problems with the phrase ‘believe in’: does it mean ‘believe that it can be done’, or ‘believe that it should be done’? And there are other possibilities too, as we shall see. Similarly, to the question ‘can a scientist believe in the resurrection?’ one might simply reply, ‘Sure! I’ve seen it done!’ I know plenty of scientists who firmly and avowedly believe in the resurrection, and some indeed who have given a solid and coherent account of why they do so. I salute them but do not intend tonight to engage with the different ways in which they have presented their case. I want, rather, to explore the fault lines, if that’s the right expression, between different ways of knowing, particularly between what we may loosely call scientific knowing and historical knowing, and between both of these and those other modes of knowing to which we give, very loosely, the names of faith, hope and love.
read more: http://www.jamesgregory.org/downloads/Tom_Wright/lecture/Tom_Wright_Lecture.pdf
Jesus' Resurrection and Christian Origins
The question of Jesus’ resurrection continues to haunt the thinking and writing of many scholars. I shall not debate in detail with them here; there are other places for that. I want instead to sketch, in broad strokes, a historical argument about what happened three days after Jesus’ crucifixion.
The question divides into four. First, what did people in the first century, both pagans and Jews, hope for? What did they believe about life after death, and particularly about resurrection? Second, what did the early Christians believe on the same subjects? What did they hope for? Third, what reasons did the early Christians give for their hope and belief, and what did they mean by the key word ‘resurrection’ which they used of Jesus? Finally, what can the historian say by way of comment on this early Christian claim?
read more: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Jesus_Resurrection.htm
---
The Resurrection as a Historical Problem
The Question of Jesus’ resurrection lies at the heart of the Christian faith. There is no form of early Christianity known to us that does not affirm that after Jesus’ shameful death God raised him to life again. That affirmation is, in particular, the constant response of earlier Christianity to one of the four key questions about Jesus that must be raised by all serious historians of the first century. I have elsewhere addressed the first three such questions, namely what was Jesus’ relation to Judaism? What were his aims? Why did he die?1 The fourth question is this: Granted the foregoing, why did Christianity arise and take the shape it did? To this question, virtually all early Christians known to us give the same answer, “He was raised from the dead.” The historian must therefore investigate what they meant by this and what can be said by way of historical comment.
read more: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Historical_Problem.htm
---
The Resurrection and the Postmodern Dilemma
In concluding this series of lectures, I want to do something rather different than what I have done in the previous two. My interest in the resurrection of Jesus is at the same time fully historical, fully theological, and fully oriented toward the mission of the church. I fail to see why I or anyone else should be browbeaten by certain forces within the academy or elsewhere into splitting up what God has joined together. For this reason, as an attempt to bring these tasks to creative fusion, I want now to look at two biblical texts and at the challenge of our present social and cultural situation. These will knock some sparks off each other and, I hope, generate some light as they do so.
read more: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Resurrection_Postmodern.htm
---
Can a Scientist Believe in the Resurrection?
So a question beginning ‘can a scientist . . .’ is a dangerous one for me to address. Of course, it is possible to give a short and trivial answer, rather like the man who, when asked whether he believed in infant baptism, replied, ‘Sure! I’ve seen it done!’ That, of course, exposes one of the the problems with the phrase ‘believe in’: does it mean ‘believe that it can be done’, or ‘believe that it should be done’? And there are other possibilities too, as we shall see. Similarly, to the question ‘can a scientist believe in the resurrection?’ one might simply reply, ‘Sure! I’ve seen it done!’ I know plenty of scientists who firmly and avowedly believe in the resurrection, and some indeed who have given a solid and coherent account of why they do so. I salute them but do not intend tonight to engage with the different ways in which they have presented their case. I want, rather, to explore the fault lines, if that’s the right expression, between different ways of knowing, particularly between what we may loosely call scientific knowing and historical knowing, and between both of these and those other modes of knowing to which we give, very loosely, the names of faith, hope and love.
read more: http://www.jamesgregory.org/downloads/Tom_Wright/lecture/Tom_Wright_Lecture.pdf
The Resurrection (fromArmyBarmy)
The Resurrection means everything to me. It means that instead of having just a dying Jesus, a Saviour from my sins, I also have a living Jesus, a Lord of my life.
Without the Resurrection I would be limited to following a body of teachings from the righteous Christ. With the Resurrection I also have a vital relationship with the reigning Christ. If Jesus' history ended on Good Friday He would be one among many great philosophers and founders of religion. As His history continued beyond Easter, Jesus is distinguished from not only every philosopher and every founder of any religion, but from every mortal who has, in his or her own way, vainly sought God.
By His bloody propitiation Jesus is able to relieve us from the penalty of sin. By His glorious Resurrection, He is able to relieve us from its power. Therefore, I have received salvation from the dying, sacrificial Christ; and sanctification from the living, victorious Christ. HALLELUJAH
-sec
www.armybarmy.com
Without the Resurrection I would be limited to following a body of teachings from the righteous Christ. With the Resurrection I also have a vital relationship with the reigning Christ. If Jesus' history ended on Good Friday He would be one among many great philosophers and founders of religion. As His history continued beyond Easter, Jesus is distinguished from not only every philosopher and every founder of any religion, but from every mortal who has, in his or her own way, vainly sought God.
By His bloody propitiation Jesus is able to relieve us from the penalty of sin. By His glorious Resurrection, He is able to relieve us from its power. Therefore, I have received salvation from the dying, sacrificial Christ; and sanctification from the living, victorious Christ. HALLELUJAH
-sec
www.armybarmy.com
Friday, April 10, 2009
Jesus, Israel and the Cross
N.T. Wright
McGill University
Like naughty children whispering after a command to silence, and then, greatly daring, talking openly and with increasing volume, New Testament scholars, so long forbidden to talk about Jesus of Nazareth, have begun in the last decade to do so with renewed vigour...
click to read more: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Jesus_Israel_Cross.pdf
McGill University
Like naughty children whispering after a command to silence, and then, greatly daring, talking openly and with increasing volume, New Testament scholars, so long forbidden to talk about Jesus of Nazareth, have begun in the last decade to do so with renewed vigour...
click to read more: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Jesus_Israel_Cross.pdf
The Bible was once a cultural reference point, but now Christian scriptures are excluded from public discourse
JOE FRIESEN
From Friday's Globe and Mail
April 10, 2009 at 9:00 AM EDT
The university student made the long walk to his prof's office with one complaint rolling over in his mind.
He couldn't understand why the professor seemed so obsessed with the Bible, constantly referring to it to illuminate the study of literature, said Dennis Cooley, who teaches English at the University of Manitoba.
"He said to me, 'Why are you always talking about the Bible? One of my other English professors does this too, and I just can't see those things. I don't know the Bible.'
"I said I sympathize with the way you must feel, but this book so informs the Western tradition that it's echoed in all kinds of books, including those written by people with no major religious belief."
The student is far from alone, and his frustration marks an accelerating cultural shift.
read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090410.wliteracy10/BNStory/Front/home
From Friday's Globe and Mail
April 10, 2009 at 9:00 AM EDT
The university student made the long walk to his prof's office with one complaint rolling over in his mind.
He couldn't understand why the professor seemed so obsessed with the Bible, constantly referring to it to illuminate the study of literature, said Dennis Cooley, who teaches English at the University of Manitoba.
"He said to me, 'Why are you always talking about the Bible? One of my other English professors does this too, and I just can't see those things. I don't know the Bible.'
"I said I sympathize with the way you must feel, but this book so informs the Western tradition that it's echoed in all kinds of books, including those written by people with no major religious belief."
The student is far from alone, and his frustration marks an accelerating cultural shift.
read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090410.wliteracy10/BNStory/Front/home
Atonement from CC.com
Boersma commended the analogy in a recent encyclical by Pope Benedict XVI: that the burning of God's love can become for us the burning of God's wrath if we reject that love. It is not that God has changed -- but that we have become so disfigured that we can't stand the light of God's love.
One of the painful things in the whole atonement debate, said Boersma, is that people get very emotionally attached to their own viewpoints and find it difficult to speak across the boundaries of their traditions.
Therefore, it is important to "bring humility to the table" and try to understand each other. We can "never say we have explained it all," said Boersma, since human language is "always inadequate to fully define the divine mystery."
read more: http://www.canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/090409debate.html
One of the painful things in the whole atonement debate, said Boersma, is that people get very emotionally attached to their own viewpoints and find it difficult to speak across the boundaries of their traditions.
Therefore, it is important to "bring humility to the table" and try to understand each other. We can "never say we have explained it all," said Boersma, since human language is "always inadequate to fully define the divine mystery."
read more: http://www.canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/090409debate.html
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Romans 5:3,4: Hope and an Angel on the Downtown Eastside.
Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps on April 20, 2008
By Captain Michael Ramsay
As many of you here know when our children were just little (not that they’re so big now), we sold our home and our businesses and moved into North America’s poorest postal code - Vancouver’s downtown eastside - as full-time urban missionaries with The Salvation Army.
We have shared with many of you the excitement from our time there as we saw people who were turned from their addictive, destructive ways of life; transformed into new creations by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was exciting to open up our home and our lives to the miracles that indeed the Lord is still performing today and were, oh, so evident in that environment. We met people who have been cured of cancer, cured of AIDS, and completely cured of diabetes. We have seen and experienced the power of God (cf. Romans 1:4, 1:16, 11:23, 15:13, 15:19-20) first hand.
Our time there, as you can well imagine, wasn’t always rosy though....
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/04/romans-534-hope-and-angel-on-downtown.html
By Captain Michael Ramsay
As many of you here know when our children were just little (not that they’re so big now), we sold our home and our businesses and moved into North America’s poorest postal code - Vancouver’s downtown eastside - as full-time urban missionaries with The Salvation Army.
We have shared with many of you the excitement from our time there as we saw people who were turned from their addictive, destructive ways of life; transformed into new creations by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was exciting to open up our home and our lives to the miracles that indeed the Lord is still performing today and were, oh, so evident in that environment. We met people who have been cured of cancer, cured of AIDS, and completely cured of diabetes. We have seen and experienced the power of God (cf. Romans 1:4, 1:16, 11:23, 15:13, 15:19-20) first hand.
Our time there, as you can well imagine, wasn’t always rosy though....
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/04/romans-534-hope-and-angel-on-downtown.html
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Nazirite vow and TSA (3/3)
Similarities between Nazirites and Salvationists:
3) No Dead Bodies
The third aspect of the vow is no less significant than the first two and I can’t say that it really has its direct equivalent to our Soldiership vow but it does have its parallels: that is the prohibition against contact with dead bodies. Verse 7 states specifically that the Nazirite is not to come in contact with a dead body: even if the dead person is your own mother or father. If your mother or father passes away during your Nazirite vow, you may not attend the funeral ceremony. You may not! Ordinarily the Israelite has very special responsibilities pertaining to the passing of one’s parents, even though it would make her ceremonially unclean (Num 5:2, 19:11; Lev 21:1-3). For the Nazirite, she is not allowed to be unclean – even for her parents (Cf. Lev 21:10-12). One must choose between one’s family responsibilities and one’s responsibilities to God (cf. Lev 21:10-12; Matt 10:35,12:22-48, 19:29; Mark 3:23-35, 10:29-30, 13:1-28; Luke 8:19-21, 14:25-26; John 19:27). This is important. God is more important than anyone else in the holy person’s life. To the covenanted Nazirite, to the covenanted Soldier, to the devout marriage partner and to the fully committed Christian, God is first. What good is it to gain the whole world and yet lose your very own soul? (Matt 16:26, Mark 8:36).
Our Covenant remains secure
There is even more to this though – believe it or not. Look at Verse 9ff. This is very important. This is extremely important for the Nazirite and it is equally significant for Soldiers in The Salvation Army or anyone else taking a covenant before the LORD. If a person dies in the Nazirite’s presence, the Nazirite is STILL guilty of sin. Even though the Nazirite did not mean to break his vow, he still broke it and needs to be restored in his covenant relationship. Take a look, reading from Verses 9-12 (NIV):“If someone dies suddenly in his presence, thus defiling the hair he has dedicated, he must shave his head on the day of his cleansing—the seventh day. Then on the eighth day he must bring two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. The priest is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to make atonement for him because he sinned by being in the presence of the dead body. That same day he is to consecrate his head. He must dedicate himself to the LORD for the period of his separation and must bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt offering. The previous days do not count, because he became defiled during his separation.”
Not only is he guilty of breaking his vow but the covenant remains in tact. It is even renewed: the previous days do not count; he gets a fresh start. This is important. The covenant remains until it is fulfilled. We are not released from covenants and vows simply for disobeying them. This is VERY important. The covenantal tie is not broken when we disobey God. Even when we are faithless, God is faithful (Romans 3:3,4). There are consequences for transgressing the covenant. There are natural and logical results of not living up to our vows, our promises, our covenants with or before the Lord – but we are not released from them for simple disobedience.
This is one of the very important aspects of covenants that we enter into with and before the LORD. When we disobey the covenant – there are consequences – but He is still there for us. Until the successful completion of our covenant, if it has an expiry date, or until our death (Romans 7:1-3), if it does not, our covenants remain to bind us to the Lord.
Our covenants in this way are like seatbelts. When the car crashes, we don’t take off our seatbelt and say that we are never going to wear it again. No, this is when we praise the Lord for it more than ever before.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/03/numbers-6-1-21-nazirites-ot.html
3) No Dead Bodies
The third aspect of the vow is no less significant than the first two and I can’t say that it really has its direct equivalent to our Soldiership vow but it does have its parallels: that is the prohibition against contact with dead bodies. Verse 7 states specifically that the Nazirite is not to come in contact with a dead body: even if the dead person is your own mother or father. If your mother or father passes away during your Nazirite vow, you may not attend the funeral ceremony. You may not! Ordinarily the Israelite has very special responsibilities pertaining to the passing of one’s parents, even though it would make her ceremonially unclean (Num 5:2, 19:11; Lev 21:1-3). For the Nazirite, she is not allowed to be unclean – even for her parents (Cf. Lev 21:10-12). One must choose between one’s family responsibilities and one’s responsibilities to God (cf. Lev 21:10-12; Matt 10:35,12:22-48, 19:29; Mark 3:23-35, 10:29-30, 13:1-28; Luke 8:19-21, 14:25-26; John 19:27). This is important. God is more important than anyone else in the holy person’s life. To the covenanted Nazirite, to the covenanted Soldier, to the devout marriage partner and to the fully committed Christian, God is first. What good is it to gain the whole world and yet lose your very own soul? (Matt 16:26, Mark 8:36).
Our Covenant remains secure
There is even more to this though – believe it or not. Look at Verse 9ff. This is very important. This is extremely important for the Nazirite and it is equally significant for Soldiers in The Salvation Army or anyone else taking a covenant before the LORD. If a person dies in the Nazirite’s presence, the Nazirite is STILL guilty of sin. Even though the Nazirite did not mean to break his vow, he still broke it and needs to be restored in his covenant relationship. Take a look, reading from Verses 9-12 (NIV):“If someone dies suddenly in his presence, thus defiling the hair he has dedicated, he must shave his head on the day of his cleansing—the seventh day. Then on the eighth day he must bring two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. The priest is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to make atonement for him because he sinned by being in the presence of the dead body. That same day he is to consecrate his head. He must dedicate himself to the LORD for the period of his separation and must bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt offering. The previous days do not count, because he became defiled during his separation.”
Not only is he guilty of breaking his vow but the covenant remains in tact. It is even renewed: the previous days do not count; he gets a fresh start. This is important. The covenant remains until it is fulfilled. We are not released from covenants and vows simply for disobeying them. This is VERY important. The covenantal tie is not broken when we disobey God. Even when we are faithless, God is faithful (Romans 3:3,4). There are consequences for transgressing the covenant. There are natural and logical results of not living up to our vows, our promises, our covenants with or before the Lord – but we are not released from them for simple disobedience.
This is one of the very important aspects of covenants that we enter into with and before the LORD. When we disobey the covenant – there are consequences – but He is still there for us. Until the successful completion of our covenant, if it has an expiry date, or until our death (Romans 7:1-3), if it does not, our covenants remain to bind us to the Lord.
Our covenants in this way are like seatbelts. When the car crashes, we don’t take off our seatbelt and say that we are never going to wear it again. No, this is when we praise the Lord for it more than ever before.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/03/numbers-6-1-21-nazirites-ot.html
Nazirite Vow and TSA (2/3)
Similarities between Nazirites and Salvationists:
2) No Haircut
That brings us to the next part of the Nazirite vow and this refers to the hair. Nazirites were not supposed to cut their hair for the whole time that they were separated from society for God.[8] We, of course, are all familiar with the story of Samson (Judges 13-16). This was the straw that broke the camel’s back as it were. He strained against his covenant more than once in his life but it was when he provided for his hair to be cut, that the strength of his covenant was no longer available to him – for a time (16:20,21).
This part of the vow is certainly noticeable, as the bulk of the Israelite population at this time - Israelite men, anyway - would have had short hair. People separated for the Lord would let their hair grow long (Num 6:5; cf. Lev 21:12, 2 Sam 14:25-26). It was a distinctive feature of their vow.[9] The Nazirite would intentionally stand out, drawing attention to the fact that he is separated; he is holy unto the LORD.This is akin to The Salvation Army uniform. We are noticeable when we are in uniform and if someone knows anything about the Soldiers’ covenant then they know that we are separated from a number of societal behaviours – ‘all that can enslave the mind and the body’ – for God. They know that we are separated for God. This has come in very useful for my ministry here in Nipawin, and in Winnipeg’s North End and Stony Mountain Penitentiary before that, an even in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside before that. When in uniform, we are immediately recognizable for someone who finds himself in need of help from a servant of God.
I have literally had people running up the street behind me yelling ‘Captain, Captain!’ and even ‘Priest! Priest!’ The uniform also came in very helpful when offering emotional and spiritual care after Hurricane Ike struck Galveston Island in the fall and immediately following the explosion that hit Nipawin a year ago. After the tragedy, a number of the clergy in this town here even lamented that they did not have some sort of uniform –like ours - to show themselves as distinct, separated for God. The uniform, like a Nazirite’s long hair, is a way that people can know that indeed we have been set apart, we have been made holy for God. This is of course what holiness is –in this context – it is a setting apart, a separateness for God. Therefore, when we don our uniforms, as every soldier in The Salvation Army is eligible to do, we are recognisable to people, as an instrument of hope from the Lord; therefore, let us indeed be holy as the Lord our God is holy (Lev 11:44-45, 19:2, 20:7-8; 26).
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/03/numbers-6-1-21-nazirites-ot.html
2) No Haircut
That brings us to the next part of the Nazirite vow and this refers to the hair. Nazirites were not supposed to cut their hair for the whole time that they were separated from society for God.[8] We, of course, are all familiar with the story of Samson (Judges 13-16). This was the straw that broke the camel’s back as it were. He strained against his covenant more than once in his life but it was when he provided for his hair to be cut, that the strength of his covenant was no longer available to him – for a time (16:20,21).
This part of the vow is certainly noticeable, as the bulk of the Israelite population at this time - Israelite men, anyway - would have had short hair. People separated for the Lord would let their hair grow long (Num 6:5; cf. Lev 21:12, 2 Sam 14:25-26). It was a distinctive feature of their vow.[9] The Nazirite would intentionally stand out, drawing attention to the fact that he is separated; he is holy unto the LORD.This is akin to The Salvation Army uniform. We are noticeable when we are in uniform and if someone knows anything about the Soldiers’ covenant then they know that we are separated from a number of societal behaviours – ‘all that can enslave the mind and the body’ – for God. They know that we are separated for God. This has come in very useful for my ministry here in Nipawin, and in Winnipeg’s North End and Stony Mountain Penitentiary before that, an even in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside before that. When in uniform, we are immediately recognizable for someone who finds himself in need of help from a servant of God.
I have literally had people running up the street behind me yelling ‘Captain, Captain!’ and even ‘Priest! Priest!’ The uniform also came in very helpful when offering emotional and spiritual care after Hurricane Ike struck Galveston Island in the fall and immediately following the explosion that hit Nipawin a year ago. After the tragedy, a number of the clergy in this town here even lamented that they did not have some sort of uniform –like ours - to show themselves as distinct, separated for God. The uniform, like a Nazirite’s long hair, is a way that people can know that indeed we have been set apart, we have been made holy for God. This is of course what holiness is –in this context – it is a setting apart, a separateness for God. Therefore, when we don our uniforms, as every soldier in The Salvation Army is eligible to do, we are recognisable to people, as an instrument of hope from the Lord; therefore, let us indeed be holy as the Lord our God is holy (Lev 11:44-45, 19:2, 20:7-8; 26).
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/03/numbers-6-1-21-nazirites-ot.html
Monday, April 06, 2009
Nazirite vow and TSA (1/3)
Similarities between Nazirites and Salvationists:
1) No Grapes
This is interesting. Now, as many of us may know, in general The Salvation Army Soldier (with some exceptions, i.e.: France) does not drink. He swears that, he “will abstain from alcoholic drink…and all else that could enslave the body or spirit.” Abstaining from fermented drink, alcohol, is common to both the Nazirite and the Soldier; you can see how this could be beneficial for setting people apart for God. In The Salvation Army, when God raised us up in London’s East End over a century ago, alcohol was one of the primary things that the enemy was using to enslave people. They would even serve drinks to young children. We were separated from that societal evil of alcoholism for God.
Today, we can see how much good God can do in delivering people from alcohol still. We even have an AA group that meets here on Wednesdays. It is exciting because in AA you can hear more than one testimony of people who have actually found God through the Alcoholics Anonymous programme. The first seven steps that they take in enjoying sobriety are as follows:
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Now in order to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understand Him (step 3), we need to seek God and when one truly seeks out God, God promises that we will find Him (Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 11:9-10; cf. also Matthew 6:33). One anonymous friend of mine recounts almost every week how when he told a priest that he didn’t believe in God; the priest asked him, well what if God didn’t believe in you? This gave my friend some food for thought and he – like so many others through AA – came into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ as he abstained from alcohol.
There is more than abstaining from alcohol to this part of the vow though. This separation from alcohol for the Lord is part of it but there is more. You see the Nazirite is not permitted any grapes – not just fermented grapes- so Welch’s grape juice is out of the picture[6] as well as those little packages of Sun-Maid raisons that so many kids have in their lunches. Many people, like I said, could readily find reasons why one might want to abstain from alcohol at least for a time but why do you think we would want to abstain from raisins, grapes, grape juice, etc.?
Grapes were generally seen as frivolous for the Israelites. They were seen as extra. They were dessert while they were in the desert (which is where they are in the book of Numbers). No one needs to drink grape juice; we can just drink water. This is reminiscent of the primitive Salvation Army as well. In the old days we were not allowed to wear earrings (Cf. 1 Tim 2:9) or even engagement rings. Soldiers weren't even allowed to have a feather in their hat. These we seen as frivolous; they weren't necessary so why would we want to spend the money that God has given us stewardship over on something as frivolous as a feather or an engagement ring? In the Army we have moved away from that and both Susan and I have rings – and before my daughter pulled it out, when she was two, I had an earring as well (cf. Exod 32:2-3, 35:22; Num 31:50; Judges 8:24) and I know many good Salvationists who even have tattoos (cf. Lev 19:28)!
That being said, we do come back to our roots of self-denial at this time of year. During the Lenten season, The Salvation Army concentrates on missions and we used to even call this season ‘Self-Denial’. It is when we put aside money every day and every week that we would normally spend on dessert, going out for dinner, or renting a movie, for example. We are – for this season – to deny ourselves, take up our cross in this way for Jesus and His mission through us (Matt 16:24, Mark 8:34, cf. Luke 14:27).
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/03/numbers-6-1-21-nazirites-ot.html
1) No Grapes
This is interesting. Now, as many of us may know, in general The Salvation Army Soldier (with some exceptions, i.e.: France) does not drink. He swears that, he “will abstain from alcoholic drink…and all else that could enslave the body or spirit.” Abstaining from fermented drink, alcohol, is common to both the Nazirite and the Soldier; you can see how this could be beneficial for setting people apart for God. In The Salvation Army, when God raised us up in London’s East End over a century ago, alcohol was one of the primary things that the enemy was using to enslave people. They would even serve drinks to young children. We were separated from that societal evil of alcoholism for God.
Today, we can see how much good God can do in delivering people from alcohol still. We even have an AA group that meets here on Wednesdays. It is exciting because in AA you can hear more than one testimony of people who have actually found God through the Alcoholics Anonymous programme. The first seven steps that they take in enjoying sobriety are as follows:
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Now in order to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understand Him (step 3), we need to seek God and when one truly seeks out God, God promises that we will find Him (Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 11:9-10; cf. also Matthew 6:33). One anonymous friend of mine recounts almost every week how when he told a priest that he didn’t believe in God; the priest asked him, well what if God didn’t believe in you? This gave my friend some food for thought and he – like so many others through AA – came into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ as he abstained from alcohol.
There is more than abstaining from alcohol to this part of the vow though. This separation from alcohol for the Lord is part of it but there is more. You see the Nazirite is not permitted any grapes – not just fermented grapes- so Welch’s grape juice is out of the picture[6] as well as those little packages of Sun-Maid raisons that so many kids have in their lunches. Many people, like I said, could readily find reasons why one might want to abstain from alcohol at least for a time but why do you think we would want to abstain from raisins, grapes, grape juice, etc.?
Grapes were generally seen as frivolous for the Israelites. They were seen as extra. They were dessert while they were in the desert (which is where they are in the book of Numbers). No one needs to drink grape juice; we can just drink water. This is reminiscent of the primitive Salvation Army as well. In the old days we were not allowed to wear earrings (Cf. 1 Tim 2:9) or even engagement rings. Soldiers weren't even allowed to have a feather in their hat. These we seen as frivolous; they weren't necessary so why would we want to spend the money that God has given us stewardship over on something as frivolous as a feather or an engagement ring? In the Army we have moved away from that and both Susan and I have rings – and before my daughter pulled it out, when she was two, I had an earring as well (cf. Exod 32:2-3, 35:22; Num 31:50; Judges 8:24) and I know many good Salvationists who even have tattoos (cf. Lev 19:28)!
That being said, we do come back to our roots of self-denial at this time of year. During the Lenten season, The Salvation Army concentrates on missions and we used to even call this season ‘Self-Denial’. It is when we put aside money every day and every week that we would normally spend on dessert, going out for dinner, or renting a movie, for example. We are – for this season – to deny ourselves, take up our cross in this way for Jesus and His mission through us (Matt 16:24, Mark 8:34, cf. Luke 14:27).
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/03/numbers-6-1-21-nazirites-ot.html
Dr Was - April 6
http://www.sheepspeak.com/
click the picture to see more comics and daily rations...
Ruth 3-4 and Psalm 64-65 and 2 Corinthians 6
click the picture to see more comics and daily rations...
Ruth 3-4 and Psalm 64-65 and 2 Corinthians 6
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