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The Vision and The Vow

The Vision and The Vow. Re-Discovering Life and Grace Pete Greig UCO discussion 2 of 5 September 26, 2007.

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The Vision and The Vow

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  1. The Vision and The Vow • Re-Discovering Life and Grace • Pete Greig • UCO discussion 2 of 5 • September 26, 2007

  2. Five SectionsRevelation-“The Dream of God”Grace-“Summon the Losers”Discipleship-“The Army is Discipl(in)ed”Covenant-“Sacrifice Fuels the Fire”Genesis-“Conspiracy is Breathing Once Again”

  3. Review - Revelation-“The Dream of God” • People have a hard time living with a consistent vision. • The encounter: “Do you love me?” • Live life to the full.

  4. Review - we have a hard time living vision: • “According to Jesus, those born of the Holy Spirit will be spontaneous, unpredictable, and wild like the wind. … In the light of such biblical depictions of the Spirit-filled life, it’s disappointing – to say the least – that so many of the churches and individuals currently defining themselves as Charismatic or Pentecostal are so mind-numbingly predictable and unimaginative. Where are those in our day born of the Spirit who will blow wherever He pleases and go whenever he moves?” (pg28 pp2)‏

  5. Review - The encounter: “Do you love me?” • “The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God.” • - St. Irenaeus of Lyons • “That they may have life, and have it to the full” • - Jesus, John 10:10

  6. Review - Live life to the full. • A full life is: • Secure – as sons and daughters of God • Celebratory – not senseless, meaningless partying... • Sacrificial – “a life can be fully lived, to the glory of God, through pain as well as pleasure, and in fact, that such worship is the sweetest sound of all in the ears of the Lord.” (pg41 pp1)‏

  7. What keeps you from living like this fully? • In our • day heaven and earth • are on tiptoe waiting for the • emerging of a Spirit-led, Spirit- • empowered people. All of creation • watches expectantly for the springing • up of a disciplined, freely gathered, • martyr people who know in this life • the life and power of the kingdom • of God. It has happened • before. It can happen • again… • - Richard Foster (in chapter none - pg xxi)‏

  8. Grace-“Summon the Losers” • Chapter 4 – The Bad • Chapter 5 – The Broken • Chapter 6 – The Boring

  9. Grace-“Summon the Losers” • What is Grace? • “Who but God can take sin and create life and love and tears of joy from a moment of bitter sin? When we surrender our shame to Him, He removes our guilt. But He doesn’t stop there; He also sets about redeeming the damage done, healing wounds and restoring relationships.” (pg45 pp2)‏

  10. Grace-“Summon the Losers” • Chapter 4 – The Bad • Chapter 5 – The Broken • Chapter 6 – The Boring

  11. Caravaggio - http://www.artbible.info/art/large/429.html

  12. Chapter 4 -The BadJudas cursed? • But he’s one of the 12 • But why would Jesus choose him? • What about you and me?

  13. No debates about predestination… • But, “What if Judas…?”

  14. “Seized with remorse” “I have sinned, I have betrayed innocent blood.” - Matthew 27:3-4 “ Rembrandt - http://www.artbible.info/art/large/451.html

  15. “What if?” Grace... “ Rembrandt - http://www.artbible.info/art/large/370.html

  16. Chapter 4 – The Bad • “Please do not despair of grace. Never give up. Resist the temptation to pass judgment on yourself like Judas – that is the path of madness and self-destruction. No matter how desperate you may feel today, hold on for tomorrow.” (pg51 pp7)‏

  17. Song:“Majesty” by DeliriousVideo:“The Passion of the Christ”http://youtube.com/watch?v=xlBBxy9hz8A

  18. Here I am humbled by your MajestyCovered by your grace so freeHere I am, knowing I'm a sinful manCovered by the blood of the LambNow I've found the greatest love of all is mineSince you laid down your lifeThe greatest sacrificeMajesty, MajestyYour grace has found me just as I amEmpty handed, but alive in your handsMajesty, MajestyForever I am changed by your loveIn the presence of your MajestyHere I am humbled by the love that you giveForgiven so that I can forgiveHere I stand, knowing that I'm your desireSanctified by glory and fire

  19. Chapter 4 – The Bad • “There is more grace in God than sin in you.” (pg52 pp 1)‏

  20. Grace-“Summon the Losers” • Chapter 4 – The Bad • Chapter 5 – The Broken • Chapter 6 – The Boring

  21. Chapter 5 – The Broken

  22. Redemption • “God does not reject us for our scars, and He does more than merely rescue us from our pain. God redeems our lives. He turns weakness into strength, ugliness into beauty, and weaves the scars of sin and pain into an even better story.” (pg54 pp1)‏

  23. The Letter of Our Lives • “God does not reject us for our scars, and He does more than merely rescue us from our pain. God redeems our lives. He turns weakness into strength, ugliness into beauty, and weaves the scars of sin and pain into an even better story.” (pg54 pp1)‏

  24. Chapter 5 – The Broken • Are we hiding from reading the letter of our lives?

  25. The Letter of Our Lives • God may reduce youon Judgment DayTo tears of shame,reciting by heartThe poems you wouldhave written, hadYour life been good. • - W.H. Auden, 20th century English poet

  26. Chapter 5 – The Broken • Anna • Widow... • Childless...

  27. Anna • “She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer… She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.” - Luke 2:37-38

  28. Redemption • “As Christians, our vision is not just some existential aspiration of self-improvement through positive thought. Our vision is ‘dangerously, obsessively, undeniably Jesus.’ And as we surrender our lives for Christ, we find them. … As we stop obsessing about our own destiny and reputation and simply seek to live for Jesus’ sake, we read the letter of our lives.” (pg58 pp2)‏

  29. Grace-“Summon the Losers” • Chapter 4 – The Bad • Chapter 5 – The Broken • Chapter 6 – The Boring

  30. Chapter 6 – The Boring • http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/world/newsid_2320000/2320717.stm

  31. Narayan Prasad Pal • “I am proud of my ear hairs. I want to have the record until I die. Other than this, I have not achieved much in life.” • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2002/03/23/do2306.xml

  32. Chapter 6 – The Boring • Bad? • Broken? • Boring…

  33. Am I Boring? • “It’s hard to imagine Him intervening dramatically in lesser lives that are not so much desperate as just plain dull.” (pg60 pp1)‏

  34. Chapter 6 – The Boring • Tell me about your boring life…

  35. Grace: “Summon the Losers” • Robert D. Sweet • November 12, 1939 - September 23, 2007

  36. Grace - Robert D. Sweet 1939-2007 • Age 67 • Lifetime Lansing resident • Sparrow Hospital Volunteer • Children’s Summer Camp Mailman

  37. Grace - Robert D. Sweet 1939-2007 • Bob was a very special man. He was caring, giving, and always upbeat. He worked at Brody Complex at MSU for many years and was dedicated, hard working and always there for others. After retirement, Bob would stop by and update us on his many adventures. I will miss him, my heart felt sympathies to all he was close to. -Diane Barker

  38. Grace - Robert D. Sweet 1939-2007 • He was generous in supporting the work of our young people in the mission field. Daughter Sophie is in Belfast with the help of Bob's donation. I,Piper, worked with Bob at Sparrow as a volunteer where he was always friendly, cheerful and helpful. Earlier this month, he was training a new girl in his job as a hospital escort. Walking behind them down the hall I learned many clever and useful tips. He knew all the tricks! -Piper Fountain

  39. Grace - Robert D. Sweet 1939-2007 • What a man - what a privilege to have known him over these past few years. We had many happy times reminiscing about how God had touched and changed our lives and what a joy it was to be able to continue to serve Him in our retirement. -Bill Horton

  40. High Achievers

  41. High Achievers • “There are no ordinary people. You have never met a mere moral. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal and their life is to ours as a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” • - C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

  42. The Vision and The Vow • Re-Discovering Life and Grace • Next time (Wed, Oct 10): • Discipleship - “The Army is Discipl(in)ed”

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