Sunday Wrap up 3/15 from Life Connection Church on Vimeo.
5 Total TweetBacks: (Tweet this post)
BargainOutfitters Coupons <a href="http://bit.ly/1RlJ2">http://bit.ly/1RlJ2</a>: 07/15/09 01:22am
Reverse Missio Dei- As THEY go, TRY and make disciples.. classic. This sermon really challenged me in a few areas to really step it up as a follower of Christ and not try to water down the gospel, or make it socially acceptable. Truth stands no matter how "socially awkward" it may seem at the time. Jesus came and did a bunch of stuff that was "socially awkward". Just some thoughts to get things stirred up.
[seesmic VPqCzmQ6m5|QaHdWWUwtb_th1.jpg http://www.seesmic.com/video/VPqCzmQ6m5 seesmic]
That is cool my first video comment. I love it!!! Thanks Kyle! Very encouraging. I am not just saying this… the music was GREAT! Thanks for being a partner in the ministry and a great friend.
Group was wonderful. You could see these light bulbs going on in our heads when we realize the importance of the virgin birth and how it is the very center of our faith in Jesus. Without it or denying it in any way truly is a scary thought to consider. I really cant wait for next week…If we are following the book, and doing the next chapter, then I really really cant wait for next group.
Group this week was awesome! Really challenged us all on some old mind sets we had about the virgin birth and learned new reasons why it is so important to our faith. Our group has been getting so much out of this Vintage Jesus series and everyone is really digging in which is so sweet! We had a discussion about Mary's amazing example of faith and what a shame it is that most Christian's minimize her or don't acknowledge her at all. The ladies really saw a new side of Mary and a new biblical example of a woman they can look up to and a faith they can emulate.
Hey – for all of you not posting your feedback after group, get to it! We want to hear what's going on out there!
From what I hear from everyone else there is great stuff happening out in the Connection Groups, love it!
Well, I suppose there has to be one in every group, so here goes…..I feel like I'm the only one that doesn't 'get it, but….I still don't understand WHY Mary HAD to be a virgin. Now, please don't think that I am minimizing who she was, or her faith, or her obedience. I grew up in a family that had statues of her in the flower bed, sheltered by half a tub sticking up out of the ground. Or, she sat on a lace doiley on a table in the corner of the living room. We prayed to her, hailed her, and sang songs to her. And, I totally get what a biblical example she was. But, WHY did she HAVE to be a virgin? I mean….why couldn't she have been a widow? Or, rather than being a young virgin, an barren old woman? This is just one of those things that just doesn't seem to be able to find it's way through my skull to my brain. Wouldn't the immaculate conception have been just as immaculate if she were a widow, but conceived through the Holy Spirit?
So…I'm still digging and trying to find the answer…..I found this post on-line from someone else who was also studying Vintage Jesus….and it addresses the fulfillment of the prophecy. Mary had to be a virgin in order for prophecy to be fulfilled. I get that. Now, maybe I'm just nit-picking…and if so, just tell me and I'll just accept this as is and let it rest. But, I still don't understand the WHY. Here's the post…..
(Continued)……..The question that has to be asked is, is this a big deal? In his book Velvet Elvis, Rob Bell (who I am a big fan of) uses the analogy of the brick wall. He says, if our faith is like a brick wall and you take out the virgin birth, you still have a wall. This is true, the wall is still there and this is an interesting discussion to have. But if you take out that brick, you also have to take out the brick that says Jesus is the Messiah because Isaiah says the Messiah will be born of a virgin. Jesus, Mary & the gospel writers & Paul declared that Jesus was born of a virgin, making them liars. Jesus has to be sinless to be God, which we now lost that. I don’t know, but we now have a big hole in the wall. It is that big of a deal, this is that important, so much of our faith hinges on this.
The brick wall analogy doesn't really work. Let's just use what scripture uses and not make up our own. Scripture says Jesus is our rock which we've been set upon(not a wall we look at), Jesus is foundational, the substance, author and finisher of our faith. If the account of Jesus', and those who proclaimed and affirmed his life are based off of or are themselves lies, then our foundation and object of faith is shattered. So yes it's a HUGE deal to say the least. Our faith hinges on the truth of scripture. If part of it is lying, then it can't really be trusted as God breathed can it, because it's no longer inerrant.
It's not profitable to question why God chose to incarnate himself with Mary and not someone else. He is sovereign, His will is perfect and we either choose to submit, worship and trust him or not. Why did he choose me to be a worship leader? I have no idea, but I trust him, love and worship him.