The Bible minces no words in its criticism of God's people; they're lousy covenant partners. Of course, we fit right in as contemporary flawed and failed believers. How does God regard us? The debacle of the golden calf in Exodus and the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin provide insights this week.
In the golden calf episode, God is in a rage. Just as God is providing the Ten Commandments to Moses, the wild celebration of the Hebrews new "god" at the base of the mountain comes to God's attention. At the same time that Moses is ordered to go down and deal with "your people," God also shares his decision to annihilate them. Moses tries to change God's mind.
How would you change God's mind? Do you think you could if the subject of God's wrath was your own faithless, sinful behavior?
Jesus' parables of the lost sheep and lost coin in Luke reveal a key insight into the heart and spirit of God for God's flawed and failed people. They show a relentless, extravagant, and even reckless pursuit of the lost - the failed and flawed.
Yes, we should see ourselves in this company, but we should also look around us and realize that the flawed and failed, at least in our society's terms, are in the same boat with us. That gives us a mission for the Kingdom to be relentless, extravagant, and even reckless in bringing healing and new life.
Discover all the insights in the sermon video below and the downloads below the video panel.
In the golden calf episode, God is in a rage. Just as God is providing the Ten Commandments to Moses, the wild celebration of the Hebrews new "god" at the base of the mountain comes to God's attention. At the same time that Moses is ordered to go down and deal with "your people," God also shares his decision to annihilate them. Moses tries to change God's mind.
How would you change God's mind? Do you think you could if the subject of God's wrath was your own faithless, sinful behavior?
Jesus' parables of the lost sheep and lost coin in Luke reveal a key insight into the heart and spirit of God for God's flawed and failed people. They show a relentless, extravagant, and even reckless pursuit of the lost - the failed and flawed.
Yes, we should see ourselves in this company, but we should also look around us and realize that the flawed and failed, at least in our society's terms, are in the same boat with us. That gives us a mission for the Kingdom to be relentless, extravagant, and even reckless in bringing healing and new life.
Discover all the insights in the sermon video below and the downloads below the video panel.
| 09-11-16-ff-answers.pdf |
| 09-11-16-flawed_failed_and_precious.pdf |