Tag Archives: Family Integrated

Tippecanoe and Tyler Too

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While old campaign slogans may be catchy and the memorabilia that immortalized them collectable, the issues they expressed are hardly relevant or even discernible in our day.   As we approach the 500th anniversary of the Reformation on October 31, 2017, our social media feeds will be burgeoning with memes and sermon series announcements related to the Five Solas, or Reformation era slogans, expressing the central concerns of the Protestant Reformers.  These slogans are:

  • Sola Scriptura, By Scripture alone,
  • Sola Gratia, By Grace alone,
  • Sola Fide, By Faith alone,
  • Solus Christus, By Christ alone,
  • Soli Deo Gloria, For God’s Glory alone.

As a Reformed Church our identity and our name is connected explicitly to a Sixteenth Century historical movement in Western European History, while our faith and practice is staunchly defined and directed by a book that has not been updated in almost two thousand years.

Are we not a living, breathing anachronism?   Are we not irrelevant to culture and a world that has advanced and moved on from the historical context into which we were born?  Does the Reformation still matter?  Do the Five Solas have any more relevance for our lives today than “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too?”  Or are we just worshiping and practicing our own outdated style in a world that is moving on without us?  These are weighty questions which we need to ask and answer as we consider “who” and “what” we are as a Reformed Church in the Twenty-First Century.

Join us this Lord’s Day, October 8, for worship at Pottsville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church as we consider the question, “Why Does Sola Scriptura Still Matter?”  For directions click here. We look forward to seeing you.

Laughter

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What makes you laugh?  While on the surface the answer seems obvious, the science of laughter is actually quite complex.  Certainly humor can trigger laughter, but so can nervousness or simply the laughter of others.  The area of the brain that controls laughter also controls breathing and many of our involuntary control mechanisms.

We often laugh in response to things that don’t fit with what we think should happen.  Our experience often functions as a predictive grid for anticipating what will happen in any given situation.  When we expect one thing and then something else happens — when our scripts are broken in a non-threatening way, laughter is a common response.

Sarah had heard God’s word of promise, regarding a son, for a quarter of a century. But her experience did not seem to square with God’s promises.   All of a sudden, when all possibility of fulfillment through her own womb or that of another is past, angelic messengers arrive with a precipitous birth announcement.  What is her response?  Laughter.

Join us this Lord’s Day, September 17, for worship at Pottsville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church as we examine Genesis 18:1-16 and consider how God graciously confronts us when are struggling with unbelief and with the apparent disconnects between God’s Word and our expectations.  For directions click here. We look forward to seeing you.

Signage

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Effective signage is an art, but by observing most road signs, it is apparently a lost art.  An effective sign is readable from a distance, clear but concise, and accurately represents the destination to which it points.  Effective signs give comfort to the pilgrim on his journey, assuring him both of the reality of the destination and confidence that he is on the right path.  Confusing or obsolete signs, however, cause confusion, anxiety, and circuitous routes to various dead ends.

No pilgrimage has more need of effective signage than the journey of faith.  Perhaps as a child you learned the Bible verse, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)   The Bible encourages us in our faith journey, instructing us

 “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16

Like Jesus’ disciple Thomas, however, we are apt to cry out, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”  Jesus’ answer to him was “I am the way, the truth and the life.”  Yet, the Lord knows that we need effective signage to follow the One who is The Way.  He graciously gives signs and seals of His grace to comfort and assure us on our journey.   Some Christians call these signs and seals, sacraments and others refer to them as ordinances.

Though in different times, God has given different signs, the path and the destination remain unchanged.  For this reason it is important for us to understand the meaning of older signs in order to follow the newer signs that God has given.   The Old Testament sign of circumcision is one of these signs that was “obsolete and passing away” in the New Testament.  Yet both the Old Testament and the New Testament use it to direct us to critical and timeless realities of our faith.   For this reason it is important to understand why God posted this covenant sign and what sign replaces it today.

Join us this Lord’s Day, September 10, for worship at Pottsville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church as we examine Genesis 17 and consider God’s institution of the sign and seal of circumcision to direct, strengthen and affirm faith in Christ.  For directions click here. We look forward to seeing you.

Contentment or Complacency?

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The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines complacency as “self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies.”  On the surface it is easy to confuse complacency with contentment in our spiritual lives.   We are encouraged in Philippians 4:12-13 to learn contentment, not based on our circumstances, but on Christ’s sufficiency.  Yet, Psalm 36:1-2 warns us that it is those out of fellowship with the Lord who never have concern about their spiritual growth or condition.

Even mighty men of faith struggle to distinguish contentment from complacency in their spiritual lives.  John Calvin comments regarding Abraham in Genesis 17:1.

“The want of offspring had previously excited him to constant prayers and sighings; for the promise of God was so fixed in his mind, that he was ardently carried forward to seek its fulfillment. And now, falsely supposing that he had obtained his wish, he is led away by the presence of his son according to the flesh, from the expectation of a spiritual seed.”

Had Abraham become content with what God had not promised and so become complacent in his faith?  How often is this a struggle for us?

Join us this Lord’s Day, September 3, for worship at Pottsville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church as we examine Genesis 17 and consider God’s grace kindness toward us, even when our faith is languid and complacent.  For directions click here. We look forward to seeing you.

Waiting

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The Battle of Bunker Hill was a sobering moment in our history.   Though technically a British victory, it came at a high cost.  The untested Colonial militia held off the frontal onslaught of Howe’s British seasoned regulars and made them pay dearly before the defender’s lines splintered and broke.  Legend attributes the order, “don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes,” to one of the Colonial officers.  Painfully aware of their low ammunition and lack of bayonets, the colonists calmly awaited the shock of battle, drawing the British into to close combat before firing.  Can you imagine the intensity of that moment?  How hard it is to wait.  We prefer to engage our battles at a comfortable distance.

What is true in warfare is equally true in the combat of faith.   We like to exercise our faith at a safe distance, outside of conflict and trial and uncertainty.  But faith tested is faith strengthened.   In scripture, Abram’s faith is repeatedly tested.  Through famine, through prosperity, through barrenness and through birth, God tests and grows Abram’s faith.    Waiting is one of the ways God tested Abram.  Waiting can be a severe test of our faith.  Consider how many times the scripture instruct us to wait before the Lord.  Yet we often grow impatient.  Impatience with the means or timing of God’s promises tempts us to use accelerants of our own devising.   But accelerants are explosive and deadly.

Join us this Lord’s Day, August 27, for worship at Pottsville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church as we examine the testing of Abraham’s faith from Genesis 16 and consider the temptations we face when God seems silent.  For directions click here. We look forward to seeing you.

Sidetracked

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What does it take to get you sidetracked from your calling?  Roadblocks, distractions, sloth, competing desires, discouragement or even perhaps a rebellious attitude?  It can be difficult to avoid being sidetracked, especially in our spiritual lives.  In Christianity, the word discipleship is rooted in discipline, which is what is indispensable in following Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:7-8,

…train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

No one has a more vested interested in seeing you sidetracked in your spiritual life than the enemy of your soul, the Devil.  He comes often with distraction after distraction, often presenting them in a way that makes them seem to be noble or praiseworthy activities.  You get so busy with these respectable activities that you forget the discipline of following Christ.   Such is the picture painted in the story of the Tower of Babel.   Portrayed as a symbol of unity, the Tower was really a monument to rebellion against God’s prescribed will.

Join us this Lord’s Day, July 16, for worship at Pottsville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church as we examine the remarkable story of the Tower of Babel and consider the dangers of being sidetracked from our commission to fill the earth and replenish it with the message of the gospel.  For directions click here. We look forward to seeing you.

Entropy

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Sometimes a second chance just isn’t enough.  As children when a game devolved into chaos someone would cry out “do over!”  Yet it was only a matter of time until the “do over” led to further chaos.   The waters of a world-wide flood were insufficient to wash away the inhumanity that lurks in all humanity due to the consequences of Adam’s first sin.   Second chances are not enough where a Savior is needed.

The world is fresh and new after the flood but the greatness of man is once again measured by his rebellious spirit.   This would seem like a hopeless downward spiral except that God has promised someone who will break the cycle of sin, violence, tyranny and sorrow.

This week as we continue our conversations from the Book of Beginnings in Genesis 10, we see clearly that it takes more than water to wash away the stain and effects of man’s rebellion against his Creator.  Something more will be needed to redeem the world from the entropy of sin. Come and join us this week as we consider this together.

Join us this Lord’s Day, July 9 in worship at Pottsville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church as we look at the unfolding of Noah’s family history. Worship begins at 10:45 am.  For directions click here. We look forward to seeing you.

Entropy

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Sometimes a second chance just isn’t enough.  As children when a game devolved into chaos someone would cry out “do over!”  Yet it was only a matter of time until the “do over” led to further chaos.   The waters of a world-wide flood were insufficient to wash away the inhumanity that lurks in all humanity due to the consequences of Adam’s first sin.   Second chances are not enough where a Savior is needed.

The world is fresh and new after the flood but the greatness of man is once again measured by his rebellious spirit.   This would seem like a hopeless downward spiral except that God has promised someone who will break the cycle of sin, violence, tyranny and sorrow.

This week as we continue our conversations from the Book of Beginnings in Genesis 10, we see clearly that it takes more than water to wash away the stain and effects of man’s rebellion against his Creator.  Something more will be needed to redeem the world from the entropy of sin. Come and join us this week as we consider this together.

Join us this week in worship at Pottsville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church as we look at the unfolding of Noah’s family history. Worship begins at 10:45 am.  For directions click here. We look forward to seeing you.

Memory Palace

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A strong memory is more about strategy than capacity.   Information technologists recognize this in regard to data storage and retrieval.  The capacity of a database is not as significant as its indexing strategy.  Unless you can accurately and rapidly retrieve information it is immaterial how much you can store.   When it comes to human memory many experts advocate building a “memory palace” where you can categorize and store memories in a visual structure created within your mind.

This week as we continue our conversations from the Book of Beginnings in Genesis 9, we look at the powerful strategy God has given us to remember.  When fear, anxiety, and trial cause us to lose sight of God’s promises we are tempted to doubt and unbelief.  But God understands this and has given us a way to remember.   Come and join us this week as we consider this together.

Join us this week in worship at Pottsville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church as we conclude the story of Noah and the Ark. Worship begins at 10:45 am.  For directions click here. We look forward to seeing you.

Backstory

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Every story has a backstory — even the ones you think you know.  Few stories are more familiar, even to those who haven’t read the Bible, than the story of Noah’s Ark.  But even this story has a backstory.  Noah stands alone against evil on the brink of a cataclysmic disaster.  With only the help of his family, he enacts a plan to save the world.  Yet the plot of the story is not about Noah at all, but about one was was yet to come, who would save the world from an even worse catastrophe.

This week we continue our conversations from the Book of Beginnings by discussing the second part of Genesis 6, God’s command to Noah to build and ark as a refuge for his family and a remnant of creation from the inevitable results of a world spiraling downward in violence and evil.  The call of Noah, however, points us to the need for a refuge from the same thing — a refuge found not in an ark, but in a cross.

Join us this week in worship at Pottsville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church as we consider the story behind the story of Noah’s Ark. Worship begins at 10:45 am.  For directions click here. We look forward to seeing you.