There is a fascinating discussion taking place among Christians about the choice of several churches to cancel their Christmas Day services. There have been articles in the secular press (The Chicago Tribune & The Lexington Herald Leader) and Christianity Today's Weblog. The issue relates directly to what we studied last week in Paul's discussion of meat sacrificed to idols. In Romans 14 Paul called that issue a "disputable matter" and then gave another issue that Christians can rightly have varying opinions about: "One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers everyday alike." (v.5)
Is there something special in God's mind about Dec.25? Is it any different from any other Sunday? Is it different from any other day of the year?
Why did these churches cancel the service? One spokeswoman for Willow Creek Church in the Chicago area said: "It's being lifestyle-friendly for people who are just very, very busy." Another Willow Creek staff member explained that they "see it as not having church on Christmas. We se it as decentralizing the church on Christmas -- hundreds of thousands of experiences going on around Christmas trees. The best way to honor the birth of Jesus is for families to have a more personal experience on that day."
But if it is good to have "a more personal experience" then "why not decentralize the church every week?" -- as Christianity Today writers asked.
Fuller Seminary professor, Robert Johnston, didn't like the emphasis on individual family worship: "What's going on here is a redefinition of Christmas as a time of family celebration rather than as a time of the community faithful celebrating the birth of the Savior. There is a risk that we will lose one more of our Christian rituals, one that's at the heart of our faith."
Similarly, Father Tom Shaughnessy of the Lexington Catholic diocese said that Christmas day is "a holy day of obligation, which means for the faithful, Mass attendance is required."
Follow the links to these articles and look over Rom.14 & I Cor.8. We should have a lively discussion about Christian freedom on December 18. (We will decide then whether to meet as a class on Christmas Day!)
New Year's Eve: Bernie & Cathy Schock's home. 371-1889. RSVP.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Questions About Divorce & Remarriage: I Cor.7:10-40
Paul told the Corinthians that God’s ideal is that marriage is for life: “A wife must not separate from her husband.” Because the marriage bond is God’s handiwork -- “what God has joined together let man not separate” -- divorce is not like dissolving a friendship or a business partnership. It is like trying to make two bodies out of a single body -- ouch!
The biggest losers in divorce are the children. The average child performs more poorly in school, is more delinquent, has more problems with alcohol and other drugs, etc. And it isn’t just young children who struggle. A few years ago a man in his 40’s told me that his parents divorced after all the kids were out of the home. Both parents ultimately married again and neither lives in the family’s original home town. Now when my friend visits his parents, he does so in a strange house, in a strange town, with strange people (step siblings). He said with tears in his eyes: “I have no place to call home.”
But Paul knew that sin can ruin the ideal: “But if she does [separate] ...”) There are situations in which God permits -- though never commands -- divorce. When there is serious and sustained failure -- adultery, abuse, alcoholism, etc., divorce may be the last and only alternative.
But what about remarriage? If there is no adultery, the command is: “she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.” This is widely abused even among Christians today. Imagine how hard husbands and wives would work to restore a broken marriage if they believed they had to be single and celibate the rest of their lives! (Paul also allowed remarriage if your non-Christian spouse leaves you (v.15) or if your mate dies (v.39)).
When God’s ideal is broken it isn’t the end of life. Before David confessed his sins of adultery and murder he was miserable: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” But then he returned to God: “I said, `I will confess my sins to the Lord’ -- and you forgave the guilt of my sin!” (Ps.32). Once we have humbly confessed our failings, we can move on with God. He is a God of the second and third and hundredth chance. He desperately wants to repair our brokenness and establish an intimate bond with us -- no matter what has happened in the past.
Next Sunday's study: I Cor.8
1.Paul was answering another question from this young, immature church. What was the question?
2.How does Paul define knowledge? is it a good thing? does it have limitations? is Paul against it?
3.How would eating meat sacrificed to idols become a stumbling block to the weak in faith ?
4.Whose faith is weak? why is it weak?
5.Do you think Paul ate meat sacrificed to idols?
6.What are contemporary parallels to eating or not eating this meat?
Open House: Don’t forget the open house at Tom and Pamela Gage’s home (3004 S. Coral Court; phone: 371-3367). They are celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary. Saturday, Dec.10, 6-9 P.M.
New Year’s Eve food and fellowship at the Schock’s home: 7:00-12:00. Kids welcome. 3000 S. George St. , phone: 371-1889.
Paul told the Corinthians that God’s ideal is that marriage is for life: “A wife must not separate from her husband.” Because the marriage bond is God’s handiwork -- “what God has joined together let man not separate” -- divorce is not like dissolving a friendship or a business partnership. It is like trying to make two bodies out of a single body -- ouch!
The biggest losers in divorce are the children. The average child performs more poorly in school, is more delinquent, has more problems with alcohol and other drugs, etc. And it isn’t just young children who struggle. A few years ago a man in his 40’s told me that his parents divorced after all the kids were out of the home. Both parents ultimately married again and neither lives in the family’s original home town. Now when my friend visits his parents, he does so in a strange house, in a strange town, with strange people (step siblings). He said with tears in his eyes: “I have no place to call home.”
But Paul knew that sin can ruin the ideal: “But if she does [separate] ...”) There are situations in which God permits -- though never commands -- divorce. When there is serious and sustained failure -- adultery, abuse, alcoholism, etc., divorce may be the last and only alternative.
But what about remarriage? If there is no adultery, the command is: “she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.” This is widely abused even among Christians today. Imagine how hard husbands and wives would work to restore a broken marriage if they believed they had to be single and celibate the rest of their lives! (Paul also allowed remarriage if your non-Christian spouse leaves you (v.15) or if your mate dies (v.39)).
When God’s ideal is broken it isn’t the end of life. Before David confessed his sins of adultery and murder he was miserable: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” But then he returned to God: “I said, `I will confess my sins to the Lord’ -- and you forgave the guilt of my sin!” (Ps.32). Once we have humbly confessed our failings, we can move on with God. He is a God of the second and third and hundredth chance. He desperately wants to repair our brokenness and establish an intimate bond with us -- no matter what has happened in the past.
Next Sunday's study: I Cor.8
1.Paul was answering another question from this young, immature church. What was the question?
2.How does Paul define knowledge? is it a good thing? does it have limitations? is Paul against it?
3.How would eating meat sacrificed to idols become a stumbling block to the weak in faith ?
4.Whose faith is weak? why is it weak?
5.Do you think Paul ate meat sacrificed to idols?
6.What are contemporary parallels to eating or not eating this meat?
Open House: Don’t forget the open house at Tom and Pamela Gage’s home (3004 S. Coral Court; phone: 371-3367). They are celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary. Saturday, Dec.10, 6-9 P.M.
New Year’s Eve food and fellowship at the Schock’s home: 7:00-12:00. Kids welcome. 3000 S. George St. , phone: 371-1889.
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