The Phil Files

Me talk about dresses? Me? Yep.

7 Pockets, 7 Dreams

Those who know me know that I’m no fashion expert. Dresses are not my specialty. So, I will make one fashion observation about the little girl and the dress pictured here: cute! Okay, I know that’s not overly elaborative, so I’ll add, precious!

This is a 7 pocket dress from the group Pocket of Dreams. You can read about it today in Heartlight.org. It’s an effort to give folks a good product (a cute dress for a precious child) that helps women and children in Uganda in very tangible ways.

As many of you know, I went with a group of Compassion Bloggers to Uganda this past February, so this kind of effort is near and dear to my heart. We sponsor three children through compassion — I’ll tell you more about our third compassion child tomorrow — but this is a way to help families that gives us a real connection and provides real help. I hope if you have a cute and precious little girl or granddaughter or niece or friend or … you will check out Pocket of Dreams and give a gift that touches many more people than you know on this side of heaven!

In my Heartlight.org article this week, I continue a look at the 7 sayings of Jesus. This week, we focus on Jesus anguished cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus clearly felt he was abandoned by everyone, including God. But a closer look suggests something a bit different. Here are a couple of questions that go with this article. I’d love to get your response!

We often hear that God turned his back on his Son because Jesus was carrying the guilt of our sin. How do you reconcile that withJohn 16:32? Where do you find a Scripture supporting this concept?

How is it a blessing to us to know that Jesus felt abandoned, but in faith, trusted that God would not abandon him and would be faithful to his promises?

Last Updated: 8.8.08

For Sunday 9.07.08

DAYBREAK

We would use the Rob drama piece possibly, worked in with the Ralph Martin Quote (see digging deeper below). In addition, we would cover the first two teaching threads below, leaving the final one to be the focus at SUNDOWN. That means communion would focus on the persecuted church and would share several of the same pieces in common with REFRESH. The communion devotional leader would be prepped to have this focus.

My sermon would be very similar to the Sermon Kernel at the bottom of this page.

REFRESH

Rob Marcelain Scripture piece done dramatically with the narrator injecting in the quotes from Ralp Martin. This and communion and crucial pieces if the Time in the Word is to be 7 minutes!

Communion focus on the persecuted church and our solidarity with those hundreds of thousands being persecuted for the cause of Christ. The short article and Gary’s email mentioned below would be shared and we would need to find a way to do communion and prompt prayer for specific areas of persecution. The logistics of this need to be ironed out. This might be good to be last or very early and use to set our focus or finish our focus of the assembly.

Possible video related to the this theme, either on the Persecuted Church or something related.

Time in the Word would be focused on the base kernel of Phil’s outline below.

SUNDOWN

Focus for this service is on thread #3, God’s message about Jesus cannot be chained. The worship service would end on specific mission areas to pray for with cards to take home and be prayer reminders. The emphasis would be on the triumph of the Gospel over every barrier using Paul’s conversion of those in the Praetorian guard and themes from the book of Acts for the message.

Digging Deeper (Focus Passages, Core Teaching Threads, Ideas, Sermon Kernel)

Focus Passages: (Col. 1:1-2, 13-14, 24-29; 4:2-6, 18; cf. Eph. 6:10-20, 18-20; Phili. 1:12-14, 19-21; 4:21-23; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; 11:23-27)

Paul was behind enemy lines in his work of sharing the good news of Jesus and starting communities of believers in places that were hostile to God’s values and to faith. Paul suffered for what he did, but he was sold out because he was called by God to this ministry. That being said, he was teaching the principle of “subversive goodness” to these new followers of Jesus and asking for them to pray for him as he lived that principle while chained to a Roman soldier. This is powerful stuff, and a call to our slumbering folks who are willfully ignorant of their suffering family throughout the world and who are not willing to risk for their faith. But this is also exciting and challenging, because it is a call to real faith that takes risks and lives boldly.

Core Teaching Threads

1. We are at war with forces we can’t see, that use places of power that we can see. Our goal is not necessarily to topple these structures because Satan will build more. But our focus is on being God’s Kingdom in the face of the war! Paul’s sense of mission (1:1, 24-29) should inspire our sense of mission (1:2; 42-6). As agents of “subversive goodness” or using the language of MSG, we are on “special assignment” (Col. 1:1).
2. When we take the Supper, we do it with all those who are believers who gather at the Table around the world. We can use this time to pray for them and their proclamation of the good news of Jesus and their courage as they face persecution and opposition (Col 4:2-4; Eph 6:19-20).
3. God’s Message of Jesus cannot be chained. Even though Paul could be held hostage and chained to a Roman soldier under house arrest, the message of Jesus was empowered and found places and people that it could not have reached without opposition and persecution (Col 1:24-29; Phil 1:12-14; 2 Tim 2:8-13).

Ideas

The Lord’s Supper remembering the persecuted church

Gary’s letter of warning about traveling to China: Stolen computer and martyred house church leaders!
Testimony about Bible League person in China

Rob Marcelain — Dramatic Reading Piece

*A: Narrator

“Paul now takes the stylus from the hand of the scribe who … has been wielding it, and he appends his own signature. It is a mark of authenticity and a final appeal to heed his teaching.”

Rob: Philemon 1:1a; Ephesians 6:18-20;

*B: Narrator
“The recall of his chains is no piece of sentiment and dramatics. Paul holds up his manacled wrists to impress the readers with his authority as a suffering apostle. Not pathos but authority is the sign he points to by his chains …”

Rob: Philippians 1:12-14, 19-21;

*C: Narrator
“Yet the last word is spoken with tender tones of grace, with which the epistle opened and by which the church at Colossae – or wherever, in an all ages – lives.”

Rob: Philippians 4:21-23; Col. 4:18a; Eph. 6:30b

* Ralph P. Martin, Interpretation Commentary, Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon

Possible Video from The Persecuted Church and links on our site to read more would be made available.

A powerful image to think about here involves servicemen returning to the war zone or coming home to families: how gripping and emotional this is. We have hundreds of thousands of brothers in sisters in even more vulnerable and dangerous positions sharing Jesus! What can we do to support them like we support our guys from Dyess through Bridges?

Sermon Kernel

[Tim, Army Ranger behind enemy lines to missionary in the heart of the Amazon]

Sharing the good news of Jesus can be brutal, but Paul knew all about that:
a. Refer to Rob’s piece
b. Refer to 2 Cor 11:23 (maybe use a slide to list all he had gone through)

But Paul was not trying to be heroic, just faithful to his call … and he knew what that might mean:
a. Col 1:1 MSG cf. Acts 28:30-31
b. Paul’s call in Acts 9, 22, 26 (not included at REFRESH – just referred to)
c. 1 Tim 4:12?

You see, Paul knew he was at war: not with people, but the powers behind them
a. Eph 6:10-12 (glancing reference since used recently)
b. 2 Cor 10:3-5 powerful passage

He wants us to know that we are on a “spiritual assignment” as well Col 1:2
a. His task 1:24-29
b. Our task 4:2-6 [Heartlight's part in getting Christians released in Cambodia]

“Worship is transcendent wonder.” (Thomas Carlyle)*

“One minor change to the oder of worship for Sunday.” (A friend talking about an upcoming worship gathering.)

From the sublime to the ridiculous?

Is this a misspell or a Freudian slip?

Neither: but maybe it’s a reminder that worship is not primarily about us, but about God and bringing others to appreciate and love Him. And this kind of worship is not just about what happens at worship gatherings, but it involves all of life.

“Our offering to God is this: We are the sweet smell of Christ among people who are being saved and among people who are being lost.” (Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:15 NRS)

In another place, he said it this way:

Everything you say and everything you do should all be done for Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus. (Colossians 3:17 NRS)

So how is your worship “oder”?

Notes:
*From Heartlight.org, Quotemeal

Last Updated: 7.24.08

For Sunday 8.31.08

We will have a guest speaker on this Sunday, Chris Seidman.

Colossians 1:15-23 is a close connection to message Chris has. The message hinges at vs. 19-20. The first part focuses on Jesus’ pre-existence, majesty, incomparable greatness, crucial role in creation in both forming and sustaining, his victory over death, and his place of pre-eminence.

Delivered in one primary piece at Daybreak, but we will probably use a strong Communion video that will precede the Time in the Word.

It will be done the following way at refresh.

Early in the service, he will need about 10 minutes to focus on the greatness of Jesus. (Col 1:15-19)

We will use a video to lead us into the Supper, something like this powerful glimpse of the Supper.

The Supper time will possibly use the video to set up The Supper with Our Lord:

Then after The Supper, he will focus on Jesus and what he has done for us and lead us into a strong Garden of Prayer time to conclude our gathering together.

Sundown

The focus will be on Jesus’ claims to be the one and only way to God and how this is affirmed in other places throughout the NT. “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me!” (John 14:6 also the the other I Am statements could be used here; Matt 13:16-17; Luke 10:16; Matt 28:18-20; John 5:63). This was also the message declared by the early followers of Jesus (Acts 4:12). In addition, the crucial role that Jesus plays in fulfilling and filling up Scripture (Matt 5:17; 2 Tim 3:15; Heb 1:1-3; John 1:1-18).

In my Heartlight.org article this week, “Woman Behold Your Son,” I continue my series on the 7 sayings of Jesus from the Cross. In a couple of days, I will share a little insight on some of John’s terminology that adds some depth and meaning to the meaning of Jesus’ words to Mary and the Beloved Disciple.Today, however, I would really love to get some feedback from you on a couple of questions that I hope help us make this story not only touching, but also the motivation for us to do some things in our church families to live out Jesus’ example.

How do the events of the Cross create a new community of care? 

Why is it important for us to care for the least, the last, and the lonely?

What are some practical ways that Jesus’ community, our church families, can care for those who are older or in need of protection and friendship?

I’d love to get your input on this in the comments section below.