The Citizen, 2005-09-29, Page 17From the Minister’s Study
Bible still has relevance,
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2005. PAGE 17.
savs minister
By Rev. Cathrine Campbell
Melville Presbyterian Church,
Brussels
Knox Presbyterian Church,
Belgrave
One of the taunts thrown
occasionally by those who are not
Christian is that we Christians find
our guidance and inspiration from a
very old book, and it is. Centuries,
even millennia have passed since it
began to be written and yet, when
you read it, you are always struck by
the relevance and sometimes eerie
parallels with our lives today.
When we hear the questions in
Luke 13:l-5 Jesus is being tested,
again, as Luke tells us and the
testers have a story of blasphemy
committed by Pilate against some
Galileans. Jesus replies and cites
another incident that had happened
in Siloam when a tower fell, killing
18 people.
In both instances the viewers and
hearers were saddened no doubt, but
also there is that underlying whew -
glad it wasn’t me!
There has been non-stop coverage
of Hurricane Katrina and now Rita
and the destruction these storms
have caused to people, property and
whole communities. There have
been stories of extraordinary
braveness and extraordinary
cowardice, and many, many human
stories and more than once you have
heard “Why? Why?” That simple
word. Why, has the question of the
ages and this is what Jesus is
addressing.
The stories of the blasphemy and
the fallen tower are used to illustrate
a point... Fred Craddock feels that it
is probably not coincidental that the
tragedies affected both Galileans and
Jerusalemites and that the one is an
act of human evil, the other what we
term a natural disaster.
“Jesus is as inclusive in his
comments as the problem is
universal: Why did this tragedy
happen to these people? The
question is as old as the human race,
finding classic expression in Job,
Psalm 37, and Psalm 73.”
If you look at John 9:2, disciples
of Jesus asked him, “Rabbi, who
sinned, this man or his parents, that
he was born blind?” The question
assumes a direct correlation between
suffering and sin, a correlation that
in some cases is unmistakably
evident.
However, is the connection of
such a general nature that one can
say the good are prosperous and
healthy while the evil sink into
poverty and illness? Some biblical
writers say yes—for example, the
composer of Psalm l. Many have
agreed including Paul in his letter to
the people of Corinth.”
And Craddock continued : “So
influential has been this notion that
many have looked upon their own
lack of success or experiences of
loss as divine punishment. In fact,
some have argued against acts of
charity toward such persons because
such acts would interfere with God’s
punishment. On the other hand,
Jesus announced God’s favour on
the poor, the maimed, the blind, the
crippled. That in itself should have
broken any insistence that one’s
financial, social, or physical
condition is always a direct
reflection of one’s spiritual state.
The common observation that
sometimes the evil prosper and
sometimes saints suffer should have
shattered the ancient dogmas.
“In fact, that Jesus of Nazareth.
Lord and Christ of God, suffered at
the hands of lawless men should
have buried forever the connection
that argues that those who suffer are
the worst sinners. But it has not. And
so they come to Jesus and want to
know if violence and suffering are
random or according to divine law.
Jesus rejects such attempts at
calculation, not only because they
are futile but also because they
deflect attention from the primary
issue: the obligation of every person
to live in penitence and trust before
God, and that penitent trust is not to
be linked to life’s sorrows or life's
joys. Life in the kingdom is not an
elevated game of gaining favours
and avoiding losses. Without
repentance, all is lost anyway.”
This passage is not a teaching to
scare you into going right - what
Jesus is telling his listeners, then and
now, is to do something, repent don’t
let life happen to you but live your
life actively, turn from the worldly
cares to God who cares for the
World.
Repent means to turn and this can
be a major challenge as Jesus is
asking not only to turn to the truth
and the light but to turn away from
self seeking and self satisfaction.
It is of no value to just assume as
many have that those who suffered
whether it be in Jerusalem, Siloam
or New Orleans suffered because of
some wrongdoing and because they
were receiving a punishment. It is of
great value to remember (he words
of the Psalmist and reaffirm that we
do want to turn to God and walk in
God’s ways.
“My salvation and my Honour
depend on God, he is my mighty
rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all
times O people pour your hearts to
home for God is our refute"(Psalm
62 :7-8)
Jesus doesn't sugar coal what is
wanted - or needed - and why
should he? Because what Jesus
wants is pure and wholesome. He
wants us to hear, he wants us to
really repent and he wants/us to live
and live well. It is not always easy,
there will be temptations to do less
than we are capable of but Jesus has
an amazing love for us, a love that is
shown on a cross. And we can live in
that love in faith, hope and
thanksgiving.
Sunday, October 2
Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m.
Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2: ICor. ll:17ff
"Bun-died Together:
Recognizing the Lord's Body"
Worldwide
Communion
Christ-centred, Bible-believing,
Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared
10:30 a.m.
Blyth Public School
Mon. 6:45 pm Junior Girls Gr. 4-6
Fri. 7 pm Youth Group Gr. 6+
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848
http://getlivingwater.org
Donation-based
PASTORAL COUNSELLING |
• Marriage
• Family
* Budgeting
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Sunday, Cicta&ev 2
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
10:30 a.m.
Tuesday
sfe Wednesday
7:30 p.m.
7:15 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
Morning Worship Service
Evening Worship Service
Jr. & Sr. Youth Bible Study
Olympians
Adult Bible Study
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible
Blyth United Church
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Sunday, October 2
Worship Service
11:00 a.m.
Minister: Rev. Robin McGauley
s4(C 'Weleattce
Office: 523-4224
Blyth United Church is a welcoming community of faith.
We celebrate God's presence through worship and study, and through
responding to the needs and gifts of each other.
Sanctuary
Churc/j
"The Church is not a
Building,
Jt is People Touching
> People"
Sunday, October 2
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Worship Service and Sunday School
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
Worship Service and Sunday School
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Come let us worship!
You are welcome at
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship
9:00 a.m. Praising God
9:30 a.m. Worship Service
10:45 a.m. Coffee Break
11:00 a.m. Sunday School for all ages
Pastor Brent Kipfer 887-6388
•ppAlsei- ’PPAlsei- ‘PPAtei-
Sunday 9:45 a.m. - Power Hour Circus
(Ring of Relationships)
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
Phone: 440-8379 - 308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 523-4590
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
*2Veto(M4te& cfacc to cwte
(Mtd Kjfd CCd
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2
Special Service with the Blessing of the
Animals at both churches. Please feel
free to bring your pets, or even a
representative of your herd, to be
Blessed this Sunday.
We ask that all pets be securely
restrained or contained.
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273