23-24
Sept 2017, Christ Mountain Top
Sept 2017, Christ Mountain Top
Call
to Worship, Psalm 12
to Worship, Psalm 12
Children,
Matthew 25.31-46
Matthew 25.31-46
Message,
John 17.1-26, Luke 4.14-21
John 17.1-26, Luke 4.14-21
Creed,
Nicene # 880 (after Scripture, prior to message)
Nicene # 880 (after Scripture, prior to message)
Mission
Moment: Hurricane/disaster recovery
Moment: Hurricane/disaster recovery
Children:
As
much as you have done it to the least of these …
much as you have done it to the least of these …
Message:
Nicene
Creed
Creed
4 marks of the church
1.
ONE
ONE
2.
HOLY
HOLY
3.
CATHOLIC
CATHOLIC
Each
of these marks of the church are not properties of the church, per se, but of
our God.
of these marks of the church are not properties of the church, per se, but of
our God.
They
are not for us ourselves, but are gifts for the world as well (review)
are not for us ourselves, but are gifts for the world as well (review)
Catholic
Universal, in all times and places
And, the universe
John’s gospel, “world” = kosmos
Whole church, for whole world
Theme word: wholeness
Trapped
in a room, no door or window, walls, ceiling, floor solid. In the room you have
a table and a saw. How do you get out?
in a room, no door or window, walls, ceiling, floor solid. In the room you have
a table and a saw. How do you get out?
Augustine:
how is it that the God who creates the universe is also described as filling
it? How can God both contain and be contained?
how is it that the God who creates the universe is also described as filling
it? How can God both contain and be contained?
Paul, “that God may be all in all”
The catholicity of the church – the
wholeness – is an eschatological hope, not complete at this time.
wholeness – is an eschatological hope, not complete at this time.
Jesus
acknowledges the division between church and world in his prayer: Jn 17.14
acknowledges the division between church and world in his prayer: Jn 17.14
Cut a piece of pie
YET:
I am not asking you to take them out of
the world
the world
I have sent them into the world
That the world may know
The
wholeness theme in Scripture, wholeness of humanity
wholeness theme in Scripture, wholeness of humanity
Abraham and Melchizedek, receives a
blessing from and pays a tithe to a Canaanite king!
blessing from and pays a tithe to a Canaanite king!
Ruth the Moabite, ancestor of King David
and of Jesus, despite prohibition of Moabites in the covenant
and of Jesus, despite prohibition of Moabites in the covenant
Isaiah the prophet, on Egypt and Assyria
being partners in worship and covenant, despite the Assyrian attacks on Judah
and the heritage of Egypt as the land of slavery (Isaiah 19.23-25)
being partners in worship and covenant, despite the Assyrian attacks on Judah
and the heritage of Egypt as the land of slavery (Isaiah 19.23-25)
Vision
of the whole
of the whole
The mistakes we make in treating people
equally, not individually
equally, not individually
But we are unique, and we need to honor
those and stand up for those who have the smallest pieces of the pie
those and stand up for those who have the smallest pieces of the pie
Jesus’ passion for wholeness of humanity
is demonstrated in concern for “the least of these”, for his ministry for the
poor, the prisoner, the blind
is demonstrated in concern for “the least of these”, for his ministry for the
poor, the prisoner, the blind
Moltmann: Catholicity of Partisanship
Resource:
Moltmann,
The Church in the Power of the Spirit
The Church in the Power of the Spirit
