Sermon question time?

How so? I don't think I have said anything un-civil. I could if you like. I can be a real prick.

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"Some people think God is an outsized, light-skinned male with a long white beard, sitting on a throne somewhere up there in the sky, busily tallying the fall of every sparrow. Othersfor example Baruch Spinoza and Albert Einsteinconsidered God to be essentially the sum total of the physical laws which describe the universe. I do not know of any compelling evidence for anthropomorphic patriarchs controlling human destiny from some hidden celestial vantage point, but it would be madness to deny the existence of physical laws."-Carl Sagan

I imagine that you must have come across a wide array of differering views this way, how did you determine which views were more accurate and how can you be sure?also, im interested in how you read Jesus words found at Matthew 24 about 'sign' of the last days and specifically about what he said in VS 45-47Jesus said that in that distressing period of time, the good news would be preached earthwide so people would have access to spiritual food. He gave a clue as to how that spiritual food would be delivered when he asked the question in VS 45 Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? Then he said Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings.what do you believe this slave to be?

I had good mentors at the church where I received Jesus as saviour when about 10. That was about 64 years ago. One important thing they taught me was to read a portion of scripture each and every day. This I began to do as a child, continuing the practice though 4 years in the Air Force and since.As I read this book and that book, I began to see mistakes in this and that doctrine, some of which were taught in my own home church. Over the years I've attended literally hundreds of different church meetings and services in scores of churches. When someone asks me which church is correct, my answer is "none, totally, including my own." I've found it necessary to adjust my own thinking and interpretation of things from time to time over the years. This has made me about as popular in many of the churches as I am here, the reason being (as per topic) I tend to question the status quo when things don't jive/corroborate. He was comparing his desciples and all followers with the master who leaves the servant in charge of the estate while away. This chapter applied to the days just before the crucifixion. The better the followers lived and served relative to preparation to God's kingdom coming on earth at the 2nd advent of Jesus, the better their role will be in the resurrection when the messianic kingdom is established. This is corroborated by other NT scripture which elaborate on it. I don't think this is the proper place to discuss this in depth, but that's my take on it in a nut shell, so to speak.My suggestion to you, Peg, is to begin to question some JW doctrines which require significant interpretiv eliberty to arrive at. I have a fairly close friend near here who is JW. We get into some interesting discussions on doctrines but that doesn't affect our friendly relationship. I believe there is a thread somewhere in the EvC archives on JW. Perhaps we can get it up and discuss some of these things.Regardless of our differences, I have great respect for the way you handle yourself here at EvC, madear.

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BUZSAW B 4 U 2 C Y BUZ SAW.
The immeasurable present eternally extends the infinite past and infinitely consumes the eternal future.

If anyone has time, watch(or listen) to this sermon and feel free to ask questions and critique it. While it is true that many believers are in widespread agreement when listening to good sermons, our reasoning is that the message is "led by the Spirit" and that there is very little disagreement among us. Times Of Difficulty

R.I.P. Buzzsaw. I still like reading his old posts knowing, at last, that he knows something none of us know. I believe that he is still alive somewhere and that at least he sees things that he never would have been convinced of when he was alive. Edited by Phat, : No reason given.

I'm kinda curious why there are sermons at all.I mean, I can see why sometimes you'd need someone to preach at you. But where did we get the idea that every week some guy should be forced to come up with some new variant on "Jesus, yay!" or "Sin, boo!" and the congregation be forced to listen to it? It's not always going to add value, is it? Couldn't they just read another chapter of the Bible and have another coupla hymns? But no, the poor old pastor has to think up another feeble metaphor or anecdote to illustrate to his congregation a principle that every single one of them already believes.

What you describe is decidedly not what a sermon is supposed to be about. I'm not going to suggest that such a thing is not what some pastors do.But a pastor, first and foremost, is charged with advancing a meaningful Bible based proposition to the congregation. If he does not do that, he ought, as my Dad used to say, to turn the choir loose and let the folk go home.The 'Jesus yay' stuff is the responsibility of the praise and worship team. If a pastor is primarily doing that and some bad stand-up, I'd advise against returning to that church. If you ever make your way to the Southeast, I'd be happy to recommend a church in which the pastor does the job.Edited by NoNukes, : No reason given.

abe: The reason a sermon is always part of the service is that Paul told the young preacher Timothy to preach the word: /abeI've heard that kind of sermon you are talking about, and never went back. There are many styles of giving a sermon. The Reformed seminaries train pastors to preach carefully through a book of the Bible. It takes years to get through a book but the sermons can be riveting, full of historical background, the present passage's relation to passages from other Bible books, as well as implications for the congregation. That kind of sermon can be too intellectual but it's always interesting. Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

We atheists have to attend church from time to time for births, deaths and marriages - but without exception, every sermon I've heard has been excruciatingly patronising and embarrassing. I can't understand why the audience puts up with the absurd garbage being spoken. It's a weird thing to experience.

Really? Listen to a couple of minutes of the one I linked and tell me whats wrong with it...we can discuss this clash of worldviews. Times Of DifficultyEdited by Phat, : No reason given.

Well I gave it five minutes or so. Same old crap - obsessed with end times and sin. How can you listen to that nonsense day-in day-out?

I have to admit that I've heard preachers give a new twist on an old Bible passage that would (hopefully) encourage the congregation to think about it in a different way. (It's not a particularly good example but many years ago I heard a sermon about the "Holy Gust".)

It reminds me that im human and make mistakes. It also reminds me that I need God. If others think that they can wing it without Him...more power to them, I suppose

It's a form of masochism.

So is EvC - if you do it right.