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Scripture Text (NRSV)

 

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

 

11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

11:2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval.

11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

 

11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.

11:9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

11:10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11:11 By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old--and Sarah herself was barren--because he considered him faithful who had promised.

11:12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore."

11:13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth,

11:14 for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

11:15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return.

11:16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

 

Comments:

 

Abraham and Sarah exemplify the vision of faith that people of God need in every age. Their hope and trust in God's promise allowed them to face an unknown future.


I hope that some are preaching on this. There is a cool photo of a mountain goat leaping from one high rock to another. Sometimes as followers of God we must trust that our faith will be enough. Nancy-Wi


Verse 13 is interesting for the suggestion that our fiath may not bring us all we had hoped for. It further suggests that, for these faith 'giants,' seeing the destination in the distance was enough. That reminds me of Moses on Mt. Pisgah. It also serves as a powerful reminder that we are all on this trip together, and we all have to arrive together. We need everybody - these who blazed the trail before us, and all those who will come after us. Ken in WV


To Ken: "our faith may not bring us all we had hoped for." THANK YOU! I may not use this to preach next Sunday, but I will use it for a funeral I am doing. We lost a wonderful man to ALS yesterday and our congregation is really having a tough time with it. He believed he would be healed, he never gave up believing. He has such a wonderful last year, always talked about how good God was to him, he was always smiling and everyone loved being with him. Was he healed? Well, yes, he received the ultimate healing, but he was not healed in the way we all were praying for. I am thanking you because now I can tell his family that even though his faith had not brought him all he hoped for, he sure had a better quality of life the last year because of it!

I have wondered, how did your foot surgery go earlier in the year? Also from WV.


It is generally thought that Paul did not write this Epistle/Sermon. I still speculate that Priscilla wrote it, and remained "Incognito" about her penning it, so it would be accepted. It was sent and used "by faith"

Shalom, bammamma


This lection comes like manna from heaven this week -- I'm glad to see it. This has been a difficult time for our congregation the last couple weeks, with cancer (even more than usual) and death besieging us. As a pastor, too, I welcome these words from "the faith chapter," having just done a funeral for a 15-week-old baby boy on Saturday, who died of HLH. This seems to be just the right time for a reminder about faith . . . I'm gonna call my message "Running on Faith." I, too, hope the epistle draws some interest this week, so we can have good food for thought on this board. Blessings, Dave K. in West Ohio <><


I like the title. Running on faith. It really reminds us of how we are powered by the Holy Spirit.

vs, 13 is indeed uplifting.

Does one church make a difference?

Is the vision each Church holds, often for centuries, the vision of the kingdom on earth, can this verse be a source of strength and hope?

I think it can, I am thinking of the starfish story for the childrens sermon. Using that as the individual.

Vs. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God. When we put our best efforts forth then maybe we are able to think, that God is smiling at our efforts.

just thinking. Nancy-Wi


Nancy, what is the starfish story?


I have preached from Colossians the past four Sundays emphasizing Paul's call for the church of Colosse to keep their focus on Jesus, the head of the body of the church, and to not be swept away by Gnostic teachings. In one of these sermons I used an illustration from a personal experience dealing with a "faith healer" who was leading people to believe that he had a special faith that he could use to channel God's power as this person directed or prayed. One of my church members later remarked that I apparently did not believe in divine healing. I have prayed with this person many times that her cancer will be healed by God; however, I also pray that God's will be done. I pray in faith for this person in the hope that her cancer will be cured, but I must accept God's will in the matter. Is there doubt in my prayer because I know that God does not always make the cancer go away? Bill in NC.


Nancy,

Starfish story is a good one. I have seen it but could use a refresher, do you have a resource for it?

ks in ME


Bill in NC and friends - Some reflections on our struggles this week with cancer, ALS, and infant's death due to HRH (I don't know what that is). God does make the cancer go away, the ALS go away and all disease, through the gift of death and resurrection. When all of God's efforts and ours, through medical intervention, can no longer help, we have the gift of death. When all that we can do in the "seen" world will not heal or cure, then we may hope in the unseen. And to connect with Luke, it is God's good pleasure to give us that kingdom. Even our deep grief is a sign that points to the unseen world, keep us connected to the love for that infant or friend or relative who died. Imagine if we did not feel pain when some one died! That would be worse than the loss, to think we did not care. Even the pain tells us of something more! Such a mystery, yet to be revealed. But I do believe that God does cure the cancer, through our death. If I were diagnosed with cancer tomorrow that could not be treated, I would praise God for the gift of death the scripture has promised will end the suffering. Canadian lurker lady


Bill in NC, I was diagnosed with cancer a year ago. At this point, I am cancer free but I don't know what the future holds. The healing, for me, came in the form of a tremendous peace in the midst of this diagnosis. Because of the many prayers lifted by others as well as myself, I have a deeper understanding of who I am in relationship to God. while I am not eager to die, or even suffer through the agonies of cancer, I do know that I am God's creation and that no matter what happens to me, I will be just fine. That, to me, is true healing. Blessings to you!

LP in CO


The Starfish Story

adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley 1907 - 1977

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."

This story has appeared all over the web in various forms, usually with no credit given to Mr. Eiseley. Sometimes it is a little girl throwing the starfish into the ocean, sometimes a young man, once even an elderly Indian. In any form it is a beautiful story and one that makes you think.

Loren Eiseley was a anthropologist who wrote extensively. He was the 'wise man' in the story, and he was walking along a beach after a storm and encountered the fellow throwing the starfish back. I have not had a chance to read the original book yet myself but will post more background info here after I do.

There are quite a few versions of this story. If you put Starfish story into a search engine it will give you several websites. Nancy-Wi


vs. 14 It is by faith that we desire to be in the homeland of Heaven. Our desire to live with God comes from faith. Our understanding of life comes from with faith. Nancy-Wi


Hi Friends.... The verse that struck me this time around was, "If they had been thinking of the land they left behind, they would have had opportunity to return." Having just moved to a new appointment, leaving many good friends and good memories behind at my last church, I feel a little bit like Abraham. I have had little time to "look back" in the busy-ness of settling in, but after reading this verse was struck with a twinge of nostalgia.

Would just the act of looking back (or thinking back) have created the opportunity to return? How often do we not trust in the future by constantly looking back and comparing to the old, not seeing the blessings off on the distance?

SammyBSP


The preacher to the Hebrews believes in parallel universes, where God's heavenly home exists side by side with our world—even when there is only visible evidence of the worldly homes. He seems to be saying, "our eyes can deceive us" (v. 3). But try telling that to your spouse, to your family and friends, or to anyone else for that matter. How could we possibly see the invisible? Even if we went back and read the story of Abraham and Sarah, the truth is they were not so easily or faithfully persuaded, as the Hebrews writer would have us believe. No one is going to pull the wool over our eyes. We believe what we see (see v. 1).

For most of us, a homeland in sight is better than an invisible one down the road (if it even exists, that is). To be sure, our world has very visible signs of sufferings, abuse, persecution, imprisonment, and subjection to theft (10:32-34). But we could say that things are not always so bad. We could paint the city in a more positive light. Abraham, in his visible homeland of Ur of the Chaldees, no doubt knew that it had its worldly problems. But for all of that, he still may have been tempted to look back at what he had left behind, and desire to stay put rather than moving toward places he could not see.

When all is said and done, however, we have deceived ourselves into thinking we see and embrace what is really visible. But in truth, we only embrace the reality that inflates our false illusions of greatness, success, stability. Our homes, our cities, our lives are in shambles, because God has not built them. Indeed, God is the one who brings our cities to ruin not only because we turn a blind eye (or two) to the visible things, but because we miss the city that is (v. 16), in all is glory. The truth is, we would never be able to look at things as the are—in all their reality (including the divine reality)—were it not for the city that God designed and built for us in Jesus the Christ. Because he was a stranger and foreigner in our midst—even died on a cross—we have a whole new foundation established for us. We are at home with God through the Christ who visibly, tangibly made his home with us.

We are founded upon that new foundation (Christ) by faith (v. 1). And we "receive approval" from the architect of our souls by that same faith. With his approval, we are encouraged to see reality for what it is. We can view it, in all its starkness, and yet anticipate what God is bringing about in spite of it: Tents give way to cities (vv. 9-10); barrenness to innumerable descendants (v. 12); death to life (v. 13, 16).

The journey of faith is exilic. This kind of exile, however, means looking toward what is to come. We live, much like our Lord, as strangers and foreigners in the world. Yet we know by faith that there is a city that is prepared for us. And we are more at home in the world because of that city than without it. Indeed, there is more that remains to be seen. Now try telling that to your spouse, to your family and friends, or to anyone else for that matter.

Michael Hoy


I was in medicine for 26 years before going to seminary. I have to admit, I used to see the end result of our work , sometimes ratehr quickly. In ministry it's different. By faith I hope that the seed will take. Verse 13 says, "All of these died in faith without having received the promises..." I need to trust that teh Spirit will be at work in the lives of those to whom I minister just as the Spirit has been in my life. I will probably die without seeing many of those people blossom, but that's my prayer. PAP Nanticoke, Pa.


PAP Nanticoke, Pa. Robert Jewett's commentary on Hebrews called Letter to Pilgrims, speculates in his introduction that Epaphras (who he argues is the author) was writing to say "The meaning of the pilgrim journey is not in arrival he(Epaphras)argues, but rather in the encounter with God and God's word moment for moment along the pilgrim path. page 12,The Pilgrim Press, New York, 1981

Shalom bammamma


Okay, it's promotion Sunday, really big deal, we schedule worship first, join the 9 and 11 services (thus making everyone mad!) and promote the Sunday School kids. Do I want to use the lectionary? Probably this one. Any suggestions? kbc in sc


SammyBSP -- your thought on the homeland was most welcome (cf vv13&14). I serve an ethinically & racially diverse congregation, with many of our newer members being recent immigrants from West Africa or the Caribbean. When things are difficult here -- and they often are, with some of these folks working 2 & 3 jobs to reach the immigrants' dream & continuing "conversations" with INS-- they often look longingly back to the homeland whence they came. But nearly all of them stick it out. That's not surprising for the ones who came from war-torn places like Sierra Leone, but even those who came from "peaceful" places find that the trials here are usually worth it. I think I'll work on the idea of not looking back but searching for the ultimate homeland in faith -- just as so many of the folks in the congregation have done. Thanks. Joye in MD


As I was musing on the 'homeland' idea, I remembered something Dag Hammarskjold wrote in "Markings" (pg 66 in my version -- Knopf, 1966):

He was a member of the crew on Columbus's caravel -- he kept wondering whether he would get back to his home village in time to succeed the old shoemaker before anyone else could grab the job.

Are we like him -- so busy looking back we don't see the future or even the present? As I said, musing. Joye in MD


I really like Clarence Jordan's take on v.1 in "Cottonpatch Version," Now faith is the turning of dreams into deeds; it is betting your life on the unseen realities." There are wonderful tie-ins between this passage and the gospel--should be a fun sermon to put together! Hi, Joye! Rebecca in MD, too


I am going to (I think I said something about it on the Gospel lection space) preach on "Substance of things hope for, essense of things unseen", My title is "Incognito".

Several questions come to mind as I read the Hebrew contributions. These are just reflection questions for myself.

1. I notice some references to the importance of seeking a better country, and not looking back. What is the difference between one's homeland, and the ground of one's faith? 2. When I am thinking conservatively, am I grounded and/or centered? When I am thinking liberally, am I desiring a better place and/or a new homeland? 3. I see contributors attempting to hook up with persons who write in from their states or countries. When I observe a contributor mention my state I ponder whether I know them. Am I looking back, centering myself, or trying to find new connections?

I thank God fo this site!

Shalom Bammamma


That should have been, "I thank God FOR this site."

I now understand why some people capitalize. You can not underline for emphasizing on this contribution space.

Shalom  Bammamma


Michael Hoy-- I say DO try telling that to your spouse, and to all who would listen - for it is true. I appreciate your insights. RevGlo of IL.


John Eldredge is a pretty conservative writer (he used to work with James Dobson) In his new book "Awakening the Dead" his first main point is "things are not as they seem."

thought this would apply here

grace and peace;

revgilmer in texarkana


Although my bulletins are already printed, I think I may change the title of my sermon to "Are We There Yet?" Tying in with the verse, "All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them."

Abraham and Sarah didn't "get there". There are times that we don't "get there", but the fact that we are on the journey, and are lead by faith, is the important thing.

We may be taking my five year old step son on a 6 hour car ride next week to see his grandparents.... I can here the "Are we there yet" chorus starting already!

SammyBSP


To Canadian Lurker Lady -- HLH is a rare immune disorder that affects 1 in 50,000 babies born. The initials are short for a REALLY long name of the disease. I appreciated your comments regarding "the gift of death," as the bridge to the ultimate healing. Also, the image of deep grief as a sign pointing to the unseen world is helpful. . . . On another point, repeated references here to "homeland" make me think of "homeland security" and by extention, the security of our "eternal homeland" -- though the images raised by homeland security could be more of a distraction than useful, perhaps. . . . Rebecca, thanks for the Cotton Patch quote -- that works! . . . And Revgilmer -- thanks for Eldredge's "things are not as they seem." . . . . we could do worse than to use that as an opening line. Blessings, Dave K. in West Ohio <><


My husband and I just saw "The Terminal" starring Tom Hanks. If you have not seen it, please do. It is a wonderful parable with so much in it to think about and inspire, AND... it speaks well to this week's Hebrews passage. Viktor flies into JFK airport (or LaGuardia-- I forget) anyway, it's NEW YORK CITY. He is detained and brought to an office and told that his country has just been taken over by a coups and is at war. Because of this the leadership there has been overthrown and technically, he has no country, and so they cannot grant him a visa. He is told that he cannot step foot on US soil, so he has to remain in the terminal, which is neutral ground, until they can get it straightened out. He speaks very little English and doesn't understand what they're saying. He sees the TVs with CNN with images of his country at war, and panics. He cries and tries to get someone to help him, tell him what the closed captioning is saying, and no one even notices him. It is a sea of impersonal people walking by and he is invisible. He's stuck in a foreign country, doesn't know the language, isn't fully clear on what is happening to him and what that means. He ends up losing his meal vouchers. He was told that he is a "man without a country," and therefore in the eyes of the US is "unacceptable." He is declared "unacceptable." The officials don't see him as a human being, but rather as a problem to be gotten rid of. viktor just wants to get into NYC, but the doors are heavily guarded. It's a very full movie, with many, many images that are relevant for this faith passage. He ends up waiting in this airport for NINE MONTHS. The officials try to dispose of him, they block his attempts to sustain himself, but he manages to find ways to live. He learns more English by various means. He continually goes to the office to apply for his visa, and every day his application is stamped with "Denial." After awhile, during this time, he makes friends with other "invisible" people who are "foreigners" as well, and who would be also considered "unacceptable." He offers grace and blessing in simple ways to those around him. He makes the place where he is more beautiful, he affects and even changes lives for the better-- all while he's waiting in this airport as an alien in a foreign land. He's in circumstances beyond his control, his future seemingly being controlled by a very cold bureauacracy (sp?), but he manages to live. It's late in the movie when you find out why he's so determined to get into NYC. But he is sustained by his hope that would ridiculous to the rational mind. He is sustained by a promise that he made and that must be kept. And so he waits for something he can't see yet, and seemingly is hopeless. It is a wonderful parable about what to do when we can't see the horizon. We can still make the world a more gracious, beautiful place, even when it seems so cold. We can help change lives and touch people's hearts. We can remember who we are as citizens of another realm altogether. We can hope in something we can't see, but believe with all our hearts, minds and souls that we will get there somehow, someday. Because of a promise. SEE THE MOVIE!!! pm in pa


A short story on faith: Two nuns worked in a hospital and drove home to their convent in the country each day. One day they ran out of gas. In the trunk, along with other medical supplies, was a bedpan. They decided to use it to carry some gas from a nearby farm. Returning to their car, one nun was pouring gas from the bedpan into the tank while the other knelt in a prayer of thanksgiving. A trucker pulled up, rolled down his window and said, "Now sisters, that's what I call faith!" FrB in Michigan


Don't remember if this story was told by Win Arn or Donald Macgavren in one of their church growth books that George Hunter made us read (If i had to choose, i think it was Arn)but whoever it was had always had a secret ambition- to be a trapeze artist. He was in a town, and the circus was coming. A friend told the circus people of his wish, and the trapeze artists invited him to come work with them. They showed him all the tricks and techniques that he would need, and he swung out on the trapeze many times. How thrilling! But there was one more thing- he had not swung from one trapeze to another. When he was ready, he jumped off the platform, into the air on his trapeze, and the person on the other side swung the trapeze pushed the other trapeze towards him. HE HAD TO LET GO TO REACH THE OTHER TRAPEZE! So in mid-air, trusting that the next trapeze would be where it was supposed to be, he let go, and grabbed on the other trapeze.

My problem is that I keep looking down to make sure that there is a net, and so miss the coming opportunity (trapeze)

Another story- I once attended a spirituality workshop led by Roy Oswald from the Alban Institute. He was showing us different types of meditation, and one of the ones was a walking meditation. You lifted each leg high-think of the Karate Kid and the crane pose ( and I am so grateful the there were no videocams there), put it down and lifted the other leg as you moved forward. Dr. Oswald warned us "Whatever you do, don't look down!" But we did, and when we did, we fell down. The lesson here is that to keep going on, you have to look towards, or at least in the direction of, where you are headed.And it only works if you are looking forwards.

grace and peace; revgilmer in texarkana


A great and memorable text! It made me think of the words of Roger Sizemore in "Keeping in Touch." I share them with you: "The future is always faced with uncertainty, even panic. The unknown is always seen as more terrifying than the known, for we are not certain our coping behaviors have developed to meet the new challenges."

"Besides, we get accustomed to dealing with the familiar. It's secure, like old bedroom slppers. Anything new might require us to reprogram ourselves altogether. And that we find a most threatening prosepece."

"Again the question haunts us. Given the jostling and rapid change of today, with future discoveries a boggle to the imgagination, how does one face tomorrow without fear? How does one develop an inner hold to meet the invading forces of the yet-to-be-born?"

I think the answer must be faith, even though it is easier said than done. Mark in NC


I have been thinking about this text all week. Iam retired and have not preached for months, but have the opportunity of filling a pulpit this Sunday.

My main idea is that we need to trust in the spiritual forces as well as things things we can see. One of the books I have been reading is Bernie Siegel's PEACE LOVE AND HEALING. Bernie has illustration after illustration about how thoughts and words which are unseen can have power over our bodies and our lives. He has a qout by Carl Menninger that I like: "It is our duty as physicians to estimate probilities and to discipline expectations; but leading away from probilities there are paths of possibility towards which it is our duty to hold aloft the light, and the name of that light is hope." Siegel has not turned his back on the value of surgery and science, but has many illustrations of how giving people words of hope and treating them as a whole person leads to healing. He also defines healing as learning to live well, and being cured as a by product of healing.


Seasons of the Spirit suggests that you fill a glass of water very full and across the top lay a piece of shiny tag board. Flip it. It should seal tight and stay! Faith that surrounds us. They suggest trying it first with a bowl. Season of the Spirit is available from Cokesbury. Nancy-Wi


This is a late submission but ...

as bammama was describing about the journey, i thought of Edgar Allen Poe's poem El Dorado. About the journey for El Dorado rather than actually finding it. Good for a 3-point sermon and a poem:)

also, with the discussion on security I remember an illustration i used after 9/11. I called that sermon Walking Home - about finding the faith of just walking. After the attacks one of hte news organizations showed one of the bridges out of manhattan. It wasn't filled with cars, it was filled with people just walking across this usually car crowded bridge. The news anchor commented that all these people were just 'walking home'. They literally walked on faith because what they saw around them was destruction. In the midst of our cancer and suffering all we can do is walk home. jinpa


Canadian lurker lady (and Dave K.) I understand your sentiment but I am reluctant to ever view death as a gift. The Bible is pretty clear that Death is an enemy and will someday be destroyed. Jesus calls God the Lord of the living not the dead (somewhere, in reference to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) A number of years ago my wife and I lost first a son and a little later a daughter to death, both suddenly. Folks meaning well said all sorts of horrible things, like "God just needed another little rosebud for his heavenly bouquet." No, I would say under my breath, The God I love does not kill babies to decorate heaven. God has a record of being able to translate people directly into heaven without death. At least three in the Bible went direct. God does not need death to accomplish the heavenly will for the faithful or their children. When someone you love has suffered long it is common and understandable to be relieved when the pain finally stops, but we should not thank Death. That is like the torturer saying "If you will tell me what I want to know I'll kill you quickly and end your suffering." Those kind of people we hunt down and bring to justice. Nor should we congratulate God for killing them to save them. Some earthly parents have, for pity's sake, ended the lives of their children to keep them from having to suffer something the parent dreaded. Those parents we usually send to jail. God can indeed stop cancer without having to kill it's victims to save them. Yet this rarely happens. We can't fully understand why God seems to allow what is to us unimaginable suffering. This I can testify to in full faith; That God is with us all the way through the suffering and continues to carry us through to the other side(this is true for both the one suffering disease and those who suffer with/for that person). Death may take, but cannot keep, what is God's. God does not take, but does recieve, those who face death with faith in what is eternally beyond Death's temporary grip. I am in the process of watching one church member quickly go down due to cancer. I told his soon-to-be-widow recently that I admired him for the fight he has put up, struggling not from fear of death but for love of life. We worship the Creator and Sustainer, the Lord of life. For Death the destroyer and decimator we should only ever have disdain, never fear and never thanks. Death is a little pissant tyrant who has already been defeated and someday will be destroyed forever. Thanks be to God for the resurrection hope we have through Jesus the Christ! tom in TN(USA)


I'm preaching on the "Dog Days" Here in the tropic to temperate Northern hemisphere, in August we grow laconic from the heat and humidity and want to just lay around like dogs under the porch. Both Luke and the writer to the Hebrews saw the church growing tired of waiting, slacking off, slowing down. Some to in our day grow weary. We too need to hear both the gospel and epistle texts, as they say keep working, keep looking forward. Don't slow down and don't lose hope. Keep the faith, for yourself, your children and the distant generations. tom in TN(USA)


Dear Tom in TN:

I don't know how long ago your grevious losses were, but I can hear the pain in your words. Mere words cannot express what I would like to say to you from the deepest recesses of my heart. It is not right to bury our children. I cannot begin to imagine the pain you and your wife suffered through that process.

I appreciate your words: "God does not take, but does recieve," those who in faith relinquish their fight. When I hear the words: "God had taken ..." I cringe. God does not take; but I did not have a response for them. You have given me one, thank you! May God's blessings be upon you and yours.

As you said, Praise God for the knowledge of the His resurrection power! In Christ, pp in ny


Phyllisp In answer to your question you must sign up for this service. There should be a place for you to register on the home page.

It is a wonderful service but the best part is the dps contributors.

One who reads but does not often write in. ks in me


A rather late posting, but something I just remembered might be helpful to someone -- now or the next time this passage cycles. I remember Dr. Warren Carter saying several times (both in lecture and in conversation) that the Greek word most often rendered as "faith" really cannot be adequately translated into English. If we had such a word, a closer translation would be "faithing" -- which indicates an activity.

Wish I'd remembered this earlier in the week. My offering for this week ("Faithful Faith") might be closer to completion. (Pun intended!)

Robbie in KS


A rather late posting, but something I just remembered might be helpful to someone -- now or the next time this passage cycles. I remember Dr. Warren Carter saying several times (both in lecture and in conversation) that the Greek word most often rendered as "faith" really cannot be adequately translated into English. If we had such a word, a closer translation would be "faithing" -- which indicates an activity.

Wish I'd remembered this earlier in the week. My offering for this week ("Faithful Faith") might be closer to completion. (Pun intended!)

Robbie in KS


It may be too late but to the one who wanted to use this passage for Sunday School... The Bible is the container of faith stories, stories that teach us of the faith of others. I am using my Story teller from a tribe to link the Bible with our way of keeping the stories. We don't use a person per se but a book. Then I am going on to explain faith with the glass and the paper ( must be coated just tried it) and talk about faith through change... and all that is subject to change! Nancy-Wi


Tom in TN,

Thanks for the response about death. I am disturbed by all the cutesy euphemisms about untimely death but I guess it is how some people cope. I think we can reverse the trite bumper sticker saying though, (Life sucks then you die) to be "Death sucks then you LIVE." You won't see that in Christian stores any time soon.

~~PC in GA (Still searching for the Sea of Tanquility)


Also from WV: I'm glad that my words could be helpful this week. This is probably too late for you to see the answer about my surgery (wow! Thanks for remembering), but if you do, answer me on next week's Hebrews site (I'm using the Hebrews lection for the next 4 weeks). My surgery in February went well. I continued to be non-weight bearing on my right foot (wheelchair-bound) for the next 3 months (5 months total), at which time I was fitted with a brace. I've been walking since May 11, driving since June 15, and hope to get the brace off soon. The only permanent restriction I'm under so far is that I have been advised not to walk for exercise any more. :( But I feel very blessed. We moved this year to a new appointment in the Parkersburg area in June, and I'm on my feet! Ken in WV