Monthly Archives: March 2011
Theology I – God Response
Aslan
Following on from my post “Why aren’t you scared of God?” I remembered this well known quote from C.S. Lewis regarding Aslan.
In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Lewis tells the story of four children who enter into the magical world of Narnia. Lewis represents Jesus as the lion Aslan. In Narnia, the children meet Mr and Mrs Beaver, who describe Aslan to them.
“Is he a man?” asked Lucy.
“Aslan a man!” said Mr Beaver sternly. Certainly not. I tell you he is King of the wood and the son of the great emperor-beyond- the-sea. Don’t you know who is the King of the Beasts? Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great lion.”
“ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”
“That you will, dearie, and no mistake” said Mrs Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”
“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
“Safe?” said Mr Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
How do you think of Jesus? I thank God I will stand before him washed by the blood of Jesus and in His righteousness. That said I imagine I shall be full of Godly fear.
The Worst Song in the World?
At least that was the way this song was ‘advertised’ by one website. That said it has, to date, gone viral and has over 50 million views worldwide. Maybe if you want popularity you have to be really bad at something?
LTCC Schedule 2011
Sermon Notes Colossians 2:6-19
Spurgeon on Christ
Extra material from sermon preparation. I love the way Spurgeon paints the greatness and glory of Christ.
“All the attributes of Christ, as God and man, are at our disposal. All the fulness of the Godhead, whatever that marvellous term may comprehend, is ours to make us complete. He cannot endow us with the attributes of Deity; but he has done all that can be done, for he has made even his divine power and Godhead subservient to our salvation. His omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, immutability and infallibility, are all combined for our defence. Arise, believer, and behold the Lord Jesus yoking the whole of his divine Godhead to the chariot of salvation! How vast his grace, how firm his faithfulness, how unswerving his immutability, how infinite his power, how limitless his knowledge! All these are by the Lord Jesus made the pillars of the temple of salvation; and all, without diminution of their infinity, are covenanted to us as our perpetual inheritance. The fathomless love of the Saviour’s heart is every drop of it ours; every sinew in the arm of might, every jewel in the crown of majesty, the immensity of divine knowledge, and the sternness of divine justice, all are ours, and shall be employed for us. The whole of Christ, in his adorable character as the Son of God, is by himself made over to us most richly to enjoy. His wisdom is our direction, his knowledge our instruction, his power our protection, his justice our surety, his love our comfort, his mercy our solace, and his immutability our trust. He makes no reserve, but opens the recesses of the Mount of God and bids us dig in its mines for the hidden treasures. “All, all, all are yours,” saith he, “be ye satisfied with favour and full of the goodness of the Lord.” Oh! how sweet thus to behold Jesus, and to call upon him with the certain confidence that in seeking the interposition of his love or power, we are but asking for that which he has already faithfully promised.”
CH Spurgeon
Moralisitc Therapeutic Deism
I am into Sundays sermon preparation, this week the text, Colossians 2:6-23, includes “hollow and deceptive philosophy”. No title yet but the germ of an idea – well many germs actually.
One thought to cross my mind was about the type of religion that modern Christianity espouses, ideas such as “God helps those who help themselves” etc., at which point I remembered the research below as reported on this website and many others.
When Christian Smith and his fellow researchers with the National Study of Youth and Religion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill took a close look at the religious beliefs held by American teenagers, they found that the faith held and described by most adolescents came down to something the researchers identified as “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.”
As described by Smith and his team, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism consists of beliefs like these:
1. “A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth.”
2. “God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.”
3. “The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.”
4. “God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.”
5. “Good people go to heaven when they die.”
Is this what you think the Gospel is? Where might you differ in your own definition? Is there anything heretical about the five points above?
Why aren’t you asleep?
As I don’t sleep well at night I love taking a nap. Ideally it should happen a couple of times a day, maybe for 15 minutes each – what a blessing that would be. Modern thinking tends to decry such ideas – we are meant to be busy with hectic schedules. Well the good news is that napping is meant to be good for you, according to this blogger the benefits include:
Increases alertness – a 20 minute nap is more effective than either 200 mg of caffeine or a bout of exercise.
Improves learning and working memory.
Prevents burnout and reverses information overload – putting in extra hours without rest dramatically reduces your productivity. It would be better to take a 30 minute nap and return to your work refreshed.
Heightens your senses and creativity – “napping can improve your sensory perception as effectively as a night of sleep. This means that steak tastes better, the sunset looks purtier, and music sounds better after a nap.”
Improves health – When you sleep, you release growth hormone which which boosts your immune system, primes your sexual function, reduces stress and anxiety, and aids in muscle repair and weight loss.
Improves mood – “napping bathes your brain in serotonin, reversing those effects and creating a more positive outlook.”
Saves money – instead of spending money on coffee, coke or other stimulants.
If you are still not convinced read about the habits of famous people who napped.
rdcltci 