Invited to Dance
2015/05/31
Christ Church, Mountain Top, Trinity, Confirmation
Christ Church, Mountain Top, Trinity, Confirmation
Children,
Isaiah 6.1-8
Isaiah 6.1-8
Message,
John 3.1-17
John 3.1-17
Today:
Confirmation, making vows … like a wedding
Trinity Sunday – a great mystery at the
heart of Christian faith
heart of Christian faith
John 3, with famous verse John 3.16 (but
that is not where I focus)
that is not where I focus)
With Jesus’ conversation with
Nicodemus, who is seeking
Nicodemus, who is seeking
If a romance
NOT a corny, “We love Jesus,
yes we do” chant
yes we do” chant
Late night rendezvous, Jesus
“hard to get”
“hard to get”
But
everything depends on this for Nicodemus
everything depends on this for Nicodemus
Romance (story)
Initiation by someone
In connection with God, God takes the
initiative (not Nicodemus, or us)
initiative (not Nicodemus, or us)
“For God so LOVED” (John 3.16)
Prior
sending of the Son and the Spirit:
sending of the Son and the Spirit:
·
God did not send the Son into the world to
condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him
(3.17)
God did not send the Son into the world to
condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him
(3.17)
·
The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear
the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes (3.8)
The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear
the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes (3.8)
“Prevenient
grace” (Kim Hirt can’t say it)
grace” (Kim Hirt can’t say it)
Responsibility (vows)
Marriage prep, no surprises with the vows
“obey”
Do not all “work” – example
These are the vows of adults!
Baptismal covenant is like marriage – love
Jesus
Jesus
New birth, new start
Your decisive choice is a part of
the process
the process
“Justifying
grace”
grace”
Reception (dance)
Circle dance – hokey pokey, chicken dance
Being pulled into the dance
Image for the Holy Trinity, “perichoresis”
Propeller seeds, twirling
And,
after that is a second sending
after that is a second sending
·
So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit
(3.8)
So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit
(3.8)
Hippolytus:
‘Christ is the “leader of the mystic round-dance” and the church as the bride
that dances with him’
‘Christ is the “leader of the mystic round-dance” and the church as the bride
that dances with him’
Moltmann, The Church in the Power of the Spirit, 110
“Sanctifying
grace” – becoming like Jesus, learning the dance steps
grace” – becoming like Jesus, learning the dance steps
In a circle dance, you don’t have to
be “good”, just in the circle
be “good”, just in the circle
Resources:
Jurgen
Moltmann, The Church in the Power of the
Spirit
Moltmann, The Church in the Power of the
Spirit