Sunday, August 23, 2009
'Our struggle is ... against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world'
PRAYER OF CONFESSION today at church, and I am diggin' it:
"Lord of Life, we gather to be the beloved community. We are not a political party at prayer. We are not a lobbying group in the pews. We are not a special interest group at worship. We are the church of Jesus Christ, and we have a story to tell and a vision to embrace. We have a tradition of non-violence and compassion to preserve. We are the children of a radical inclusiveness. And we will not be conformed to the world -- rather we will transform it through the renewal of our minds and spirits. Grant us wisdom; grant us courage for the living of these days. Amen."
... prayed within the context of our call as Christians to follow Jesus, whose example was to heal everyone who sought healing, and to make sure everyone around him had enough to eat.
... prayed within the specific time of our national discussion over health care, wherein people of good conscience can disagree over how best this country can ensure open access to health care, but as part of the church, where there should be no disagreement over our need to work to make that happen.
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Ephesians 6: 10-17. Amen.
What *would* Jesus have to say about our national discussion on health care? More importantly, what would he have his followers do?
--ER
"Lord of Life, we gather to be the beloved community. We are not a political party at prayer. We are not a lobbying group in the pews. We are not a special interest group at worship. We are the church of Jesus Christ, and we have a story to tell and a vision to embrace. We have a tradition of non-violence and compassion to preserve. We are the children of a radical inclusiveness. And we will not be conformed to the world -- rather we will transform it through the renewal of our minds and spirits. Grant us wisdom; grant us courage for the living of these days. Amen."
... prayed within the context of our call as Christians to follow Jesus, whose example was to heal everyone who sought healing, and to make sure everyone around him had enough to eat.
... prayed within the specific time of our national discussion over health care, wherein people of good conscience can disagree over how best this country can ensure open access to health care, but as part of the church, where there should be no disagreement over our need to work to make that happen.
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Ephesians 6: 10-17. Amen.
What *would* Jesus have to say about our national discussion on health care? More importantly, what would he have his followers do?
--ER
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"What *would* Jesus have to say about our national discussion on health care? More importantly, what would he have his followers do?"
probably not show up w/guns at rallies and holler and scream in front of the tv camrys
seriously, I can't even watch this on the news anymore...and one of the local steeples is havin they own town hall meetin...I reckon you get the main points by listnen to rush or beck---you know, 'it'll cost $9 trillion, it'll kill the old people, and 11 yr olds can get free abortions
great question Rudy...one that the sheeple don't wanna answer
probably not show up w/guns at rallies and holler and scream in front of the tv camrys
seriously, I can't even watch this on the news anymore...and one of the local steeples is havin they own town hall meetin...I reckon you get the main points by listnen to rush or beck---you know, 'it'll cost $9 trillion, it'll kill the old people, and 11 yr olds can get free abortions
great question Rudy...one that the sheeple don't wanna answer
Jesus has already given his answer as to what he would do ,and what he expects us to do. The answer is unequivocal and the punishment for NOT following it is too.
The Kingdom of God is like....
Matthew 25:
29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will be [f]furnished richly so that he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.
30 And throw the good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32 All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them [the people] from one another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats;(A)
33 And He will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His left.
34 Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you [g]favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you [h]brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and [i]lodged Me,
36 I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me [j]with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me.(B)
37 Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?
38 And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You?
39 And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?
40 And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [[k]in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.(C)
41 Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!
42 For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me [l]with help and ministering care.
44 Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?
45 And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [[m]in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me.(D)
46 Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life.(E)
Now which part of that above is not to be understood?
The Kingdom of God is like....
Matthew 25:
29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will be [f]furnished richly so that he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.
30 And throw the good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32 All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them [the people] from one another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats;(A)
33 And He will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His left.
34 Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you [g]favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you [h]brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and [i]lodged Me,
36 I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me [j]with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me.(B)
37 Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?
38 And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You?
39 And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?
40 And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [[k]in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.(C)
41 Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!
42 For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me [l]with help and ministering care.
44 Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?
45 And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [[m]in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me.(D)
46 Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life.(E)
Now which part of that above is not to be understood?
Exactly. So, what I want to know is how any Christian in this country can justify opposing universal access to health care.
Because they are goats. It is a goat that leads the sheep to slaughter. It is a goat that climbs to the top of the tree to eat the last leaf and kill the tree that feeds it. It is the goat that pulls the plant up by its roots and eats it all. It is the goat that strips the savannah and turns loose the earth to the wind.
Just because they flock with the sheep do not make them sheep.
Just because they flock with the sheep do not make them sheep.
How about a society where health insurance is not necessary, because we could afford to pay for our own health care from honest wages? No ridiculous malpractice suits driving up costs; no other artifices standing in the way of a good doctor providing good care at a reasonable price. We have had this in my lifetime -- the doctor even made house calls.
Well, there are always outliers, special treatments for rare disorders and diseases, and emergencies.
And back in the day, I don't think as many people were so vain as to think they deserved to live forever. And, science and technology have so outstripped our collective sense of ethics and morals -- everyone thinks, "If there is a treatment for what I have, no matter how much it costs or who pays for it, I deserve it."
And back in the day, I don't think as many people were so vain as to think they deserved to live forever. And, science and technology have so outstripped our collective sense of ethics and morals -- everyone thinks, "If there is a treatment for what I have, no matter how much it costs or who pays for it, I deserve it."
We are 36th among the 195 nations in infant mortality, and no, that's not because of a statistical slight of hand or bad reporting for the others. It is because of lack of prenatal care. It is too costly, or it is not available, or they don't know about it.
Don't like abortions?
Why tolerated actual babies dying then?
"And, science and technology have so outstripped our collective sense of ethics and morals...."
Not really, it simple, we made it a business not a right. We made the doctors etc. into service providers not people with a calling. We made the bottom line profit instead of healing. We let Greed replace Grace, and the Devil is laughing at every "town hall meeting" in America. Listen! Can you hear him?
Don't like abortions?
Why tolerated actual babies dying then?
"And, science and technology have so outstripped our collective sense of ethics and morals...."
Not really, it simple, we made it a business not a right. We made the doctors etc. into service providers not people with a calling. We made the bottom line profit instead of healing. We let Greed replace Grace, and the Devil is laughing at every "town hall meeting" in America. Listen! Can you hear him?
"Stealing from the rich to give to the poor is still stealing." Jesus expects to give to the poor as they come across our path and help as best as we can within our means. Passing a government program to take care of the problem will never absolve us of our duties before God. Congressional Budget Office says that current plan to fund everyone in America as outlined in several congressional plans is somewhere to the tune of 863 billion dollars; money we currently really do not have. To say that we can spend that and not raise taxes unrealistically on everyone in the country is as close to a lie as you can get which is a really not a Christian thing either. There are very few people out there who don't think that health care system needs to be reformed. The scope in terms of what it will cost (as currently proposed) both monetarily and in terms of economic and political and possibly just regular old freedom (socialized medicine has a price) is with what people have a problem.
"count the cost" if I remember the words of the Lord correctly. If we don't approach and execute it wisely instead of rushing it through because "omg, something needs to be done!" then we are fools indeed! Btw, my Old Man (Terry Clark) is right (one of the few times you'll ever hear me say that), if the Bible isn't literal, then what's the point? I might add, Then why are you at Seminary?
I like your style..keep on truckin'
"count the cost" if I remember the words of the Lord correctly. If we don't approach and execute it wisely instead of rushing it through because "omg, something needs to be done!" then we are fools indeed! Btw, my Old Man (Terry Clark) is right (one of the few times you'll ever hear me say that), if the Bible isn't literal, then what's the point? I might add, Then why are you at Seminary?
I like your style..keep on truckin'
Howdy Jedi.
Uno. It ain't stealin' if it's taxin' legally. We can disagree on whether we should or not, but it ain't stealin'.
Dos. The debt this country is in, and the deficits we face, ain't from helpin' the least amongst us, I guaran-damn-tee ya. In the eternal equation, Guns, and wealth, can take care of themselves, the poor, disenfranchised and marginalized can't. So, I throw my vote, some of my resources, and whatever miniscule influence I have, to them.
Tres. I agree. After 60-something years of arguing over this, there should be no rush over fundamental changes to health care. I want it slowly and deliberately recognized as a human right, not a group of products and services like any others.
Fo. I cannot believe somebody let Clark procreate.
Five-o. There is a whole broad swath of the Christian faith that tresds on, doing its best to follow Jesus, realizing that a strictly literal approach to the Bible, and even more the notion that it is the Word of God -- when Christ himself, John says soaringly, is the Word of God -- is idolatry and a insult to the Mysteries surrounding God. So, as to why bother if it's not literal -- Google it. :-) LOL
Sex. Gracias. Keep comin' back, as our AA friends advise.
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Uno. It ain't stealin' if it's taxin' legally. We can disagree on whether we should or not, but it ain't stealin'.
Dos. The debt this country is in, and the deficits we face, ain't from helpin' the least amongst us, I guaran-damn-tee ya. In the eternal equation, Guns, and wealth, can take care of themselves, the poor, disenfranchised and marginalized can't. So, I throw my vote, some of my resources, and whatever miniscule influence I have, to them.
Tres. I agree. After 60-something years of arguing over this, there should be no rush over fundamental changes to health care. I want it slowly and deliberately recognized as a human right, not a group of products and services like any others.
Fo. I cannot believe somebody let Clark procreate.
Five-o. There is a whole broad swath of the Christian faith that tresds on, doing its best to follow Jesus, realizing that a strictly literal approach to the Bible, and even more the notion that it is the Word of God -- when Christ himself, John says soaringly, is the Word of God -- is idolatry and a insult to the Mysteries surrounding God. So, as to why bother if it's not literal -- Google it. :-) LOL
Sex. Gracias. Keep comin' back, as our AA friends advise.
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