Celebrating the Holy Spirit should remind us that there are other spirits tugging at us, coveting our dedication to their promises. Moderns don't deal well with this idea of spirits influencing our lives. We explore "Spiritual Contests" and the need to discern the spirits that gain acceptance, credence, and distract us while detracting from the advance of the Kingdom.
As stated, we moderns tend to be dismissive of a dual dimension of existence that is spiritual, even among people of faith. Often it is limited to an unhelpful projection of evil (or any bad things) onto the figure of Satan; that simply avoids dealing with the true nature of the issue with a fiction. No, we tend to stay focused on the worldly, and define the spiritual as a separate dimension beyond our awareness. In doing so, I think we miss valuable insights into what is happening around us.
The people of the 1st century held to this dual dimension of worldly-spiritual, folks like John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul. Even Caesar comes to recognized as both god and human. The spiritual and worldly are not separate, but inextricably intertwined.
When we read in the Hebrew scriptures about the idolatry of God's people, it is more than simple jealousy of God that offends. It means that the path to new life for God's people is being ignored and God's will for justice, equity, and peace is not a priority.
The passage from Isaiah 65 is a scathing, mocking rebuke of God's people who have eagerly embraced strange and unhelpful practices. God is seething at their rejection of their covenant obligations.
In Luke 8, Jesus confronts a demon-possessed man in a highly symbolic story that describes the kind of spiritual power that the disciples will possess and need to exercise. This power is sufficient to overcome the greatest worldly power.
The question is whether we are wary and wise enough to discern the spirits that would lead us away from the Kingdom and into a sea of distractions.
Check it all out in the sermon video below and take advantage of the downloads below the video panel.
As stated, we moderns tend to be dismissive of a dual dimension of existence that is spiritual, even among people of faith. Often it is limited to an unhelpful projection of evil (or any bad things) onto the figure of Satan; that simply avoids dealing with the true nature of the issue with a fiction. No, we tend to stay focused on the worldly, and define the spiritual as a separate dimension beyond our awareness. In doing so, I think we miss valuable insights into what is happening around us.
The people of the 1st century held to this dual dimension of worldly-spiritual, folks like John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul. Even Caesar comes to recognized as both god and human. The spiritual and worldly are not separate, but inextricably intertwined.
When we read in the Hebrew scriptures about the idolatry of God's people, it is more than simple jealousy of God that offends. It means that the path to new life for God's people is being ignored and God's will for justice, equity, and peace is not a priority.
The passage from Isaiah 65 is a scathing, mocking rebuke of God's people who have eagerly embraced strange and unhelpful practices. God is seething at their rejection of their covenant obligations.
In Luke 8, Jesus confronts a demon-possessed man in a highly symbolic story that describes the kind of spiritual power that the disciples will possess and need to exercise. This power is sufficient to overcome the greatest worldly power.
The question is whether we are wary and wise enough to discern the spirits that would lead us away from the Kingdom and into a sea of distractions.
Check it all out in the sermon video below and take advantage of the downloads below the video panel.
| 06-23-19-sermon.mp3 |
| 06-23-19-ff-answers.pdf |
| 06-23-19-spiritual_contests.pdf |