I'm a little late getting this up, but there was so much to think about from this morning's service - so many images as well - the warning buoys, and my favourite - has anyone ever thought about God being the top button before??
As we start a new congregational year, a new year in the Jewish calendar, a new season after the Feast of Eid in the Muslim faith, and a new academic year for some of us, it was indeed good to be guided back to the Word of God through the commandments. I am intrigued to follow the next sermons to see how we can discern the Speaker (God) from, by and through His Ten Words (the commandments)and how that Word will be revealed as Flesh (Jesus Christ).
Today's intro focused on the preamble that was read about God introducing himself and I think here it's good to think of all meanings of "introduce" - God inserted himself into the lives of the Hebrew slaves and presented Himself to them - "I am God, your God, who brought you out of the and of Egypt, out of a life of slavery."
This is an active God, clearly. Our minister paused on this point for a bit, and it made me wonder - how well do we hear God's Word or words to us today? Rarely do people claim to have heard or spoken with God, and even if they did, they may not be fully believed. "How is God active in our lives?", our minister asked the congregation. "How are we active in God's Word?" is another question that we may benefit from pondering. I know I will.
As we continue through a discussion of the Commandments, I want to keep an open mind - the laws are here to set us free from distractions that distance us from God. This afternoon, I went to the Pop Art show at the National Gallery and saw a T-Shirt by Keith Haring that said something like "Save Me From the Things I Like" superimposed over a cross. This is not meant irreverently, and I hope not to offend, but I found it a good companion piece to the sermon. The commandments really are the bobbing buoys on the water - marking dangers that are unseen as we start out in our ship this first Sunday of a new year.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
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I thought it was wonderful to have the choir back! It's a well deserved break they have over the summer, but my heart sang with the anthem this morning.
ReplyDeleteThe discussion in Sunday's sermon on God leading the Jews, and presumably all people out of slavery prompted me to consider the contentious passages in the New Testament about slavery. Most noteworthy is Paul saying, "Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed." (I Timothy 6:1) Commentators soften the impact of this by placing it and like passages in an historical context. However, one thing is clear. The opportunity to condemn slavery, as God did in the first commandment, was missed. This had serious consequences through the ages for those who suffered under its yoke in otherwise Christian societies.
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