Before Birth, Dad’s ID, The New York Times (6/20/12)
It is an uncomfortable question that, in today’s world, is often asked by expectant mothers who had more than one male partner at the time they became pregnant. Who is the father?
With more than half of births to women under 30 now out of wedlock, it is a question that may arise more often.
Now blood tests are becoming available that can determine paternity as early as the eighth or ninth week of pregnancy, without an invasive procedure that could cause a miscarriage.
Besides relieving anxiety, the test results might allow women to terminate a pregnancy if the preferred man is not the father — or to continue it if he is.
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God as judge is not a popular motif. “A God of judgment can’t be a God of love.” “A loving God would never even allow hell.”
In Psalm 89:14, Ethan the Ezrahite wrote of God:
____________ Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
_______________ steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
As human beings, we expect right conduct … in others. We yearn for justice … to others. We long for steadfast love … from others. We desire faithfulness … in others. We want the fruit of these characteristics … for our benefit. We are intrigued by the thought of a God who hears, approves of, and delivers us … on our terms.
But the “living and true God” (1 Thes 1:9) cannot possibly be confined in the finite box of my wishy-washy terms.
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American Express made the slogan famous: “Membership has its privileges.”
But what about membership in a local church? Is it just a matter of tradition? Is it a Biblical idea? Does it really matter? If so, what does it look like?
Using the New Testament, this sermon explores membership from three angles.
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In John 3:13-15, Jesus referenced a specific Old Testament event to make a powerful point.
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
What did Jesus mean when he spoke of being “lifted up”? As Christians, we’re cheating ourselves if we don’t work to make sure we understand his point. This sermon explores the historical account of Numbers 21 in search of Jesus’ original and intended meaning.
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Some people are mean. Plain and simple. They boast. They’re arrogant and rude. They enjoy rivalry. They try to irritate. They’re skillful at crushing the spirits of others. They walk in the footsteps of Peninnah, who used to provoke Hannah grievously to irritate her.
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. (Heb 2:1)
Scripture plainly indicates the possibility of churches conducting themselves in such a way that the Lord disowns them (Rev 2:4-5). This sermon considers five distinct changes congregations experience along the drift to unfaithfulness.
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It was early. I was in a hurry.
Shower? Check. Deodorant? Check. Next? Teeth.
Reaching for the toothpaste with my right hand, I put my left hand into my toiletries bag and ran my fingers along the inside, blindly searching for my toothbrush. Did I mention I was in a hurry?
But my fingers didn’t find the handle or bristles of my toothbrush. Instead, the tip of my middle finger grazed squarely along all three blades of my Mach 3 razor. You know. The razors Gillette proudly advertises as having THREE blades? Three very SHARP blades? Yeah. The tip of my middle finger came in abrasive contact with all three.
Here’s what I didn’t do. I didn’t stick my hand back in that bag an hour later, twelve hours later, or twenty-four hours later looking to rub the tip of my middle finger along those blades again. Nope. I’m not anxious to re-experience that sensation.
Here’s what I did do. I took the Mach 3 razor OUT of my toiletries bag in order to avoid even the POSSIBILITY of inadvertently rubbing my fingers along its sharp blades again.
Makes sense, right?
Here’s the problem. And it’s a more serious problem than intentionally shredding my skin like cheese along a grater. In the past, I’ve taken my God-given conscience and knowingly gnashed it against the razor blades of sin. Over. And over. And over again. Repeatedly indulging in that which I knew to be wrong.
Here’s my guess. You can relate.
The bottom line? The New Testament warns us about the very real danger of “searing” our consciences (1 Tim 4:1-3)—branding them to the point that they are completely calloused and unfeeling. We can deaden our spiritual nerves to the point that sin no longer bothers us at all.
My brief and very unpleasant experience with my Mach 3 razor has stuck with me. I’m doing my best to frequently remind myself of that distinct pain and apply it to the harsh reality hiding behind temptations.
Temptation may be alluring. The initial “hit” from sin may be gratifying. For a moment. And then? The pain sets in.
In reality, when we willfully allow ourselves to wander the forbidden pathways our heavenly Father has warned us about, it’s roughly akin to shredding our God-given consciences with the razor-sharp blades of iniquity. Disciples of Christ who are sober-minded and watchful (1 Pet 5:8) are willing to guard their hearts, change their circumstances, and do everything they can to avoid even the possibility of damaging or destroying their consciences.
The good news made available through Jesus Christ is that healing is possible. Our deepest wounds can be repaired. The consciences we’ve put on life-support can be revived.
But the choices to sin have to change.
