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|
June 3, 2007 "Committed to
Justice" |
The St. Martin's Prime Timers Adult Bible Fellowship Welcomes You!
We meet in the Payne Education Center, rooms 207-209, Sunday from 10:10 to 10:50am. While Prime Timers is geared towards people aged fifty to sixty-four, we always welcome new members and whatever your age you are invited.
After two months with the Book of Revelation we are at the beginning of an entire new quarter entitled "Committed to Doing Right."
Starting next week and running through the summer until the end of August we will explore the Prophets: Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Lamentations (traditionally ascribed to Jeremiah), Ezekiel, Zechariah and Malachi. These prophets proclaimed God's word over several hundred years, but their message was consistent: A faithful relationship with God entails specific requirements, one of which is to do right. Amos is the earliest of these, from around 760-750 B.C. and you can read the scripture for next weeks lesson right here in the next column!
Food for the Chicken
The Prime Timers set aside time at the start of class to hear members Good News. It only costs a dollar! Currently when the "nest" gets big enough we are donating money to the Amistad Mission in Bolivia. Max celebrated the outstanding St. Martin's Choir. Caroline Maryan apologized for giving the same Good News two weeks in a row (I wasn't going to say anything!) and told us about Skip and her oldest son graduating from College and into Officer Candidate school. Our teacher for today, Ben gave thanks for Caroline and Skip Maryan, who are leaving us today for a new home in Virginia.
The Ultimate Happy Ending
This is our last lesson from the Book of Revelation. Pete Seale spent the month of April, and now Ben Welmaker guided us through May with this difficult but beautiful book of the Bible. For context Ben reminded us that it is best to think of this book as a restatement and reinforcing of themes in the Bible, mainly from the Old Testament. Our reading today is from the last chapter, number 22, the Epilogue of the book. Once again (Rev. 19:9, Rev. 21:5) we are reminded that the words of Revelation are the true words of the Lord Jesus. John then tells us that he has heard and seen the things referred to in Revelation. Ben recalled that experiences of a supernatural nature are not uncommon in the Old Testament, and read these passages as evidence:
Isaiah 6:1-5
1In the year that King
Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and
the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2Seraphs
were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they
covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with
two they flew. 3And one called to
another and said:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’
4The pivots on the thresholds shook at
the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke.
5And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for
I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean
lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’
Acts 9:3-4 (The conversion of Saul)
3Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’
1 Corinthians 14:26 (The early church)
26What should be done then, my friends? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
Much is made of the "seals" mentioned in Revelation. Many apocalyptic writers have you believe that the "seal" is broken at the time a prophesy is coming to pass. Rather than seal it up, Ben would have us read it now. Our course material tries to focus on certain themes and leaves out passages that it believes do not advance the lesson, but Ben is intrigued by these verses, so here is the one left out of today's reading. Revelation 22:11:
11Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.’
This is the complete opposite of what we are reading, Ben regards it as a fun verse. In other words, don't bother changing now, judgment day is here! Next is a paradox. John describes Jesus saying in Revelation 22:12 "Behold, I am coming soon!..." Well, two thousand years is not soon by anyone's definition! Perhaps what is meant is that judgment day could come at any time and that we are meant to live each day as if it might be today. C.S. Lewis said "We are led to expect that the Author will have something to say to each of us on the part that each of us has played. The playing it well is what matters infinitely."
The appropriate attitude toward the Second Coming is expressed in Revelation 22:17: "...Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
Revelation 22:18-19 describes various plagues that will descend on anyone who adds to the book, and how your share of the tree of life will be taken away if you take words from the book. This warning to the faithful is re-iterated in Deuteronomy 4:2: "You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the command-ments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you." This imprecation "do not add, do not delete" was used widely throughout the ancient world to protect the integrity of sources, and the completeness of literary works.
The last lines in Revelation, "Come, Lord Jesus" are similar to an ancient Christian prayer in Aramaic, the language of the Bible: Marana tha: Our Lord, come. It can be said in a single breath, it can center our hearts and minds.
Following our schedule for the last month, Ben concluded with the last two of the Rev. Larry Gipson's "Seven Christian Habits" (they are all reprinted in the next column). The first (or sixth) is Fellowship, renewing our relations with other Christians. The last is Stewardship. This is the easiest of the habits to determine, since you can quantify them, either you did it or your didn't!
Our Sin of the Week segment was Ben's valedictory, presented as a case study, after all Ben is a lawyer! Line by line, see how many sins you can find in Shakespeare's Sonnet #29!
When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes (pride)
I alone beweep my outcast state, (despair)
And trouble deaf Heaven with my bootless cries (pride)
And look upon myself and curse my fate, (anger, pride)
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed, (fear,
pride)
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope, (envy)
With what I most enjoy, contented least--
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at Heaven's gate.
For thy sweet love remembered
such wealth brings,
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
Ben did not look too kindly on the self-absorbed lover in the sonnet!
Ben then gave a closing prayer: Our Father, we pray that everyone who has read your word will be prepared for the ultimate happy ending that is to come. Amen.
Prime Timers Contact names and numbers
Mentor
Rev. B. Massey Gentry
mgentry@stmartinsepiscopal.org
Leaders
Anne Berry
832/251-8868 H
atberry@proctor-law.com
Max Kech
713/802-0690 H
maxkech2003@yahoo.com
Marty Smith
713/464-6737 H
martys@houston.rr.com
Teachers
Richard Cruse
Chris Hershberger
Pete Seale
Ben Welmaker
bhwjr@flash.net
Outreach (inviting and welcoming new members)
Anne Berry
832/251-8868 H
atberry@proctor-law.com
Elizabeth Sleeper
jsleeperjr@houston.rr.com
Caring (prayers, follow-up w/class members who have been ill or have other needs)
Max Kech
713/802-0690 H
maxkech2003@yahoo.com
The Mystical Nativity, by Sandro Botticelli, around 1500, Tempera on canvas, at the National Gallery, London
The Last Judgment, by Jan van Eyck, 1420-25, Oil on wood transferred to canvas, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception and St John, by El Greco, around 1585, Oil on canvas, at the Museo de Santa Cruz, Toledo
The Seven Deadly Sins (with an extra three)
1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Gluttony
4. Lust
5. Envy
6. Sloth
7. Anger
8. Fear
9. Despair
10. Dishonesty
Seven Christian Habits:
2. Daily personal prayer and weekly worship of God in His Church by which I receive the renewal of my emotional-spiritual energy which I need to live my life.
3. Regular study of the Bible to understand how God has related to His people and what His will has been.
4. Adjusting my will to the will of God for me as revealed in Scripture, prayer, worship and my relationship with Him.
5. Service (which is ministry, which is love, which is doing good to God, others and self):
a. At home to family and friends.
b. At work to co-workers.
c. At Church.
d. In the world, especially by leading others to God in Christ.
6. Fellowship (renewing relationship) with Christian people.
7. Stewardship of my resources:
a. Of my relationships.
b. Of my time and talent.
c. Of my money, giving to God and His work my tithe (as I
calculate it).
The Lesson for Sunday, June 3rd is titled "Committed to Justice"
Key Verse: Amos 5:24
Focus of the Lesson: Many people experience injustice in today's world. What accounts for this, and what does it have to do with us? Amos says that injustice stems from one part of society ignoring the needs of another, and that, as God's people, we are called to fight such attitudes and behaviors.
The reading is Amos 5:10-15, 21-24. This text is from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).
Background Scripture: Amos 5:10-15, 21-24; 2 Kings 13:23-25
10They hate the one who reproves in the gate,
and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.
11Therefore, because you trample on the poor
and take from them levies of grain,
you have built houses of hewn stone,
but you shall not live in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards,
but you shall not drink their wine.
12For I know how many are your transgressions,
and how great are your sins—
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe,
and push aside the needy in the gate.
13Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a
time;
for it is an evil time.
14Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with
you,
just as you have said.
15Hate evil and love good,
and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
21I hate, I despise your festivals,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22Even though you offer me your burnt-offerings
and grain-offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the offerings of well-being of your fatted
animals
I will not look upon.
23Take away from me the noise of your songs;
I will not listen to the melody of your harps.
24But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
NRSV
Works of art by the great masters courtesy of the Web Gallery of Art.
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