Where does doubt find a place in our faith? Does it have a place? Are we wrong to sometimes, or even more often than that, doubt? Thomas doubted the resurrection and Jesus appeared to him and then offered a warning:

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

I wonder what I might say about my own struggles with doubt and what might be helpful for us all in this consideration…

What is clear is that love is important for our faith, for our connection to God and God’s connection to us.  Love is from God, God is love. There is a lot rolled up in this word and this week trying to figure out how we can use it and make it meaningful in life was a challenge. Looking forward to sharing some thoughts about it in worship… Here’s a taste of the text we’re using for worship:

1John 4:7

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

So now I have been thinking abt faith.  Many of the passages I have been reading during Lent talk abt how the season and the message is always the same – it is a constant backdrop for us who are called to change. It is only the “constancy” of Christs story that we can notice how much our lives change.  Which led me back to poor old Peter when he said —-In this you should rejoice though now for a little while you may suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold, which though perishable, is tested by fire. (1 Peter 1:7)

Does this mean we really have to experience trial by fire to have faith?  I know it is in the toughest times that I feel the deepest faith – that in crisis I can feel Gods presence now  quiet and calm and  full of love but is that really necessary?  Can we live, see and feel God  absent the contrast of hardship?  Or is just nitwits like me that need to be smacked a few times to really get it!?

As a topic, faith is filled with possibility and uncertainty. Where to go and what to say about this third topic? Faith is the underpinning of all we do in following Jesus. More than simply giving in to a set of thoughts, faith calls out a pattern of living. Still, how will we express this pattern? What does faith look like in everyday living? Is “true” faith borne only in the crucible of struggle and hardship as 1 Peter implies or is faith “true” no matter the context in which it is borne?

]]> http://sjalexandria.org/wordpress/2010/03/faith-week-3-in-fight-the-good-fight-sermon-series/feed/ 0 http://sjalexandria.org/wordpress/2010/02/possible-upcoming-sermon-themes-suggested-by-saint-james-folks/ http://sjalexandria.org/wordpress/2010/02/possible-upcoming-sermon-themes-suggested-by-saint-james-folks/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:32:34 +0000 James http://sjalexandria.org/wordpress/2010/02/possible-upcoming-sermon-themes-suggested-by-saint-james-folks/ 1. I wonder how we know we are really on the right path – doing no harm, doing good, and loving God can sometimes seem the means to an end – they feel right when you know your instincts and intent were to be mean or impatient etc, and you succeeded in over-riding that lack of judgment. That action takes us along the path, but what is the calling? The real purpose God wants us to serve. I think it’s especially hard to know because God isn’t always so obvious. It might be necessary for Him to remind us to pay attention to those with less by heaving an earthquake at Haiti every century or so (after all, they were destitute before now they are decimated. Where was all the help when they really could have used it? I am not maligning the effort; I just find it disappointing that it takes tragedy of epic proportion to get the globe’s attention. But that’s another sermon) the bible reminds us instead that God is not on the earthquake but a still small voice.

1 Kings 11-12 “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

So if that voice is so small, in this noisy busy world, how do we make sure we are listening? Can we hear it? I read a wonderful line yesterday quoting Suzan B Anthony “I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it seems always to coincide with their own desires.”

When do you know that you are doing what God wants? How do you know you have answered the call of the still small voice?

2. I guess another related interest is the meaning of the passage that I can’t recall passage – but it has to do w faith without work is dead … or something like that. If we are loved by Gods grace, why do we have to do anything else?

3. And as long as I am thinking about work, Exodus tells us the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work…” uh oh. In this day and age how should we interpret that passage…for real? Maybe I am going to church to earn currency on the good will meter then spending it by cleaning the garage?

4. And finally, just because I am not confused enough…. “Shun all of his: aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession…” 1 Timothy 6:14 Maybe you could explain over a couple of weeks what each of those goals really means for us every day? What’s the difference between righteousness and self-righteousness? How can we be godly…wow that sounds not possible? Faith I think I get but maybe a refresher on what I can refocus on. Love I get and you talk about a lot – and maybe I will try harder to love those people I don’t like. But what is steadfastness and gentleness about? How can you be gentle and fight? What’s the linkage to confession? (already in the works- being preached!!)

5. Work your way through the book of Acts- what do we learn from the early church about being the church today

6. Fear driven vs. love driven faith

7. Theology of suffering.

8. Non-violent atonement.

9. Understanding and recognizing call.

I’ve already shared my thoughts.

I like the “understanding and recognizing call” one. “Theology of suffering” would be unpleasant but necessary to counter current societal effects and trends.

Sermon series on the book Jesus of Suburbia… what responses and thoughts for its points?