How to overcome the holiday blues
I'm going to start posting a few follow up questions and thoughts for folks who want to think more about Sunday's sermon.
Here's a link if you want to read it.
And here's a link if you want to listen. (I can't guarantee this one every week since I'm not in charge of recording or posting the audio.)
And here are a few questions based on Acts 20:17-35 with a focus on vs 35.
(1) Paul (one of THE most important early Christian leaders) is under arrest and on his way to Rome to be put on trial for treason. He thinks he's going to be executed. It is amazing to me that someone in HIS SITUATION is worried about THEM (the Ephesians). Think about that. What does it mean? Does it teach anything? (One thing that comes to mind is that spiritual matters (for Paul) are more important than physical comfort. How is that true for us? How is it not true?
(2) Paul is worried about "wolves" from within the church in Ephesus discrediting his ministry. Have you seen this happen before? How? What was the result... in the church? in the community?
(3) The call to "take care of the weak" and "remember the words of Jesus, It is more blessed to give than to receive"... how does this work in the passage?
(4) In the sermon, I suggested that caring for the weak and vulnerable has a way of guarding against theological error. What kinds of errors would we be less likely to fall into? (Karma... when we know and love the poor, we are less likely to believe they deserve it. Health and Wealth Gospel..., others?) What kinds of errors could care for the poor make us MORE vulnerable to? (Sometimes people idolize the poor. And the gospel becomes ONLY about economic improvements.)
Here's a link if you want to read it.
And here's a link if you want to listen. (I can't guarantee this one every week since I'm not in charge of recording or posting the audio.)
And here are a few questions based on Acts 20:17-35 with a focus on vs 35.
(1) Paul (one of THE most important early Christian leaders) is under arrest and on his way to Rome to be put on trial for treason. He thinks he's going to be executed. It is amazing to me that someone in HIS SITUATION is worried about THEM (the Ephesians). Think about that. What does it mean? Does it teach anything? (One thing that comes to mind is that spiritual matters (for Paul) are more important than physical comfort. How is that true for us? How is it not true?
(2) Paul is worried about "wolves" from within the church in Ephesus discrediting his ministry. Have you seen this happen before? How? What was the result... in the church? in the community?
(3) The call to "take care of the weak" and "remember the words of Jesus, It is more blessed to give than to receive"... how does this work in the passage?
(4) In the sermon, I suggested that caring for the weak and vulnerable has a way of guarding against theological error. What kinds of errors would we be less likely to fall into? (Karma... when we know and love the poor, we are less likely to believe they deserve it. Health and Wealth Gospel..., others?) What kinds of errors could care for the poor make us MORE vulnerable to? (Sometimes people idolize the poor. And the gospel becomes ONLY about economic improvements.)
