Heaven & Hell



Michelangelo - The Last Judgment

This week, we will be talking about heaven and hell.

What is heaven?
What is hell?
What is the big deal?
Who gets in and who is left out?
What does the Bible have to say about it?

Come this Sunday night, July 31 at 7:00 at the Shivers' house. 
Hope to see you there.
Bring something food for the grill and a chair.

The End of the World as We Know It?

This Sunday we will be looking at the idea of the "end of the world" and the "apocalypse". 

There has been a lot of information, misinformation and predictions out there about what will happen, when it will happen, who will be involved and who will be "left behind." 

So let's talk! 

Things to consider:
Why is there so much fascination with the idea of the end of the world?
What are the theories that you have heard about the end of the world?
Why do you think that individuals and groups continue to make predictions about when and how it is all going to come to an end?

We will look at some Scripture together in an attempt to understand what is written about the topic and discuss some of reasons as to why it might have been written and how that can form and inform our understanding of it today.

Hope to see you Sunday night at 7:00 p.m. at the Shivers' house.

You Shall Be My Witnesses

What does it mean to be a witness?
That seemingly innocent question led to an in depth conversation Sunday, July 10. 

The following is a brief summary of the conversation.  Please feel free to jump in and add your comments or if you were a part of the conversation, please add or correct what you find here.


What does it mean to be a witness?

• It means that you have seen something take place.  You have been a passive participant in an event.  A couple of examples were offered.  The first was witnessing an automobile accident.  You were not involved in the accident in the same manner that the drivers of the other cars were involved, but you were forever attached to the event.
  A second example was Moses as he witnessed the burning bush.  At first he only saw what was happening to the bush. "(Moses) looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed" (Exodus 3:2).  He was a witness to what was happening, but was not involved.  He indeed made the decision to get involved, but at first was simply seeing it.
• It means that you tell others about that which you have seen or in which you have participated.  You take action upon that with which you have interacted.  Again, a couple of examples were offered.  The first was related to the automobile accident mentioned above.  The police officer on the scene asks you to tell what you saw as a witness to the event.  You have now moved from passive observer to active participant.
  The second example comes again from the life of Moses and his burning bush experience.  "Then Moses said, 'I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up'" (Exodus 3:3). Upon moving toward the bush, Moses went from being a passive observer to an active participant.  His live was forever changed.

What the group quickly realized is that regardless of whether you are only a passive observer or an active participant, you are a witness and your life is forever changed.  There is nothing you can do about it.  Because of that which you have experienced you will live, act and potentially speak differently.  You are a witness. 

In Romans, Paul writes these words as he is beginning to piece together his systematic theology of the Christian faith, "Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made" (Romans 1:20).  All people are witnesses to that which God is doing in the world.  Whether or not we acknowledge the divine activity, we are all witnesses.  We are all transformed by that interaction in some way or another.  Our lives speak of that which we have witnessed.  Our art, our writing, our conversations all testify to that which we have seen and heard.  We cannot help it!

Finally, the group also came to the understanding that it is through our giftedness that we witness to that which we have seen and experienced; some are gifted orators and conversationalists, some are gifted listeners and counselors, some are gifted teachers and educators.  This list could go on and on. 

The crux of the matter is that you have witnessed God and God's redeeming power.  We all have.  Through your giftedness, you are a witness to that which God has done and is doing in the world.  We all are.

We are all witnesses in many ways. 

Sunday, July 17 - Heaven and Hell

Witnesses?

Sunday, July 10 we will be discussing what it means to be a witness.  This is in response to questions we received at the beginning of the summer...
How can I help those I care about discover faith without pressuring them?
How can I best be a light to others?
How can I reach out to my friends?

In preparation, it may be helpful for us to think about these questions and passages of Scripture.
What does it mean to be a witness?  What are you a witness to?
What does it mean to "discover faith"?  Why is that important?
Is there a mandate to be a witness to others?

The following is found in the story of the Woman at the Well in John 4.
"Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 'Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ ?' They came out of the town and made their way toward him...Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, 'He told me everything I ever did.' So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, 'We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world' " (John 4:28-30; 39-42 NRSV, emphasis added).

And this is from the story of shephard's visit to Mary and Joseph following the birth of Jesus.
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.' When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.' So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told" (Luke 2:8-20 NRSV, emphasis added).

What do these passages say about witness?
What does it mean to you that some of the first recorded witnesses are a Samaritan woman and shepherds?