Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday today to Daniel Smith.  May God bless your special day!

The Mid-Week Update!!!

Lesson Recap

Anger

Last week we talked about forgiveness.  With this lesson we shifted gears a bit.  What are some human emotions?  Which of these emotions does God experience?  Ever heard the expression 'you make me so angry I could scream'?  A definition for anger is 'a desire to get back for a real or perceived justice'.  Wrath is another word for anger.  Humans display anger where as wrath is usually reserved for God.  They are one and the same.  It is likely that any one living with teens experiences feelings of anger every now and then.  With this lesson we got a Biblical perspective of this strong emotion.

Quick quiz.  What is the first act of anger recorded in the Bible?  In Genesis 4 Cain killed Abel.  The first picture we see of God's anger is in Genesis 6 and the flood.  Here God got angry at all creation, and spared only Noah and his family along with two of every beast.  The second display of God's anger is in Genesis 11 and the Tower of Babel.  Here God got angry at all mankind and created language barriers between them.  The third act of God's anger occurred in Genesis chapter 19 with Sodom and Gomorrah.  Here he display his anger by destroying a select population of mankind.  We see through these examples that God was refining His anger, by using it in descending fashion.

When many people read the Old Testament they get the impression that God is a God of wrath and judgement, but in the New Testament they find a God of love.  Why is there this difference in Scripture? This is a question that all of us, including our teens, need to be prepared to answer.  So let's take a look at it.

Why Does God Seem So Angry in the Old Testament and Loving in the New?

There is no difference between the images of God presented in the Old and New Testaments.  Look and Jn. 1:8 "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known."  John is saying that what one sees in Jesus is precisely the character of the Father, the God of the Old Testament.  Thus Jesus is no more loving than his Father.  The Father is no more judging than Jesus.  There is love in the Old Testament.  There is judgement in the New Testament.  The main difference in the Testaments is a judgement within history in the Old Testament, and the judgement at the end of history in the New Testament.

First There is love in the Old Testament.  God does not present himself first and foremost as a God of judgement, but as a God of love.  For example look at Exodus 34: 6-7.  Note how God states his: compassion, grace, love faithfulness and forgiveness.  He then notes that this is not to be taken advantage of, for those who do not respond to his love will not escape.  He will bring justice. Throughout the Old Testament God announces that he has chosen Israel to be His people.  God chose Israel out of love and grace.  Two books in the Old Testament are named after the prophets that are the main characters in the books.  They are Jonah and Hosea.  Jonah had his encounter with a big fish upon his refusal to go to Ninevah, while Hosea married a prostitute and bought her back from a pimp after she left him.  These two books are clues to reading all of the judgement passages in the Old Testament.  God is not in the judgement business, but rather the forgiveness business.

Second There is judgement in the New Testament.  There are around 108 uses of the word judge/judgement in the New Testament.  And Jesus is the one who warns about judgement.  Examples include: Mt. 5: 29-30, 7:13-29 24:45-25:46.  God's final judgement is the main message of the book of Revelation, as well.  We also must consider that Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ-He is the one that gave the message or revelation to John.

The New Testament preaches grace and love, but these two can be rejected.  The New Testament also preaches final judgement.  Everyone is worthy of this final judgement.  But God, because of His love, offers grace to those who repent.  Those that refuse His gracious offer of love face His judgement.  In this way the New Testament is like the Old Testament.  God offers grace to those that will receive it, and punishes/judges those that reject it.  In the Old Testament God sent the prophets with His message of love and warnings of judgement.  In the New Testament God send apostles and prophets preaching the Gospel calling people to repentance in the light of the coming judgement at the return of Jesus.

Third There is a difference in the two testaments concerning their portrayal of judgement.  In the Old Testament judgement happens within history.  When Israel sins, they are not told that they will go to hell when they are raised from the dead, but rather that they would be punished by the neighboring countries.  In the New Testament we are warned about the final judgement for those that reject God's love.  The Old Testament judgement does not talk of scenes like lakes of fire and the dissolving of the heavens and the earth, or the falling of stars, etc.  Instead it gives us vivid pictures of fearful events that the people living then knew all too well, such as famine, plague, invading armies and the like.  It is unpleasant for us to read about the pending doom but God is spelling them out so that people can repent and avoid them, not because He enjoys sending them.

So, does the Old Testament reveal a God of judgement and the New Testament a God of love?  Both of the Testaments reveal a God of love who is also a God of justice.  In both Testaments God offers men and women His love and forgiveness, urging us to repent and escape the terrible and eternal judgements at of the end of history.

Select References to Anger:

Eph. 4: 26 In your anger do not sin.  Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

Jas. 1:20 Man's anger does not bring about the righteous life God desires.

Ex 34: 6 The Lord is slow to anger abounding in love.

1 Cor. 13:5 Love is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs.

Mt. 5:22 Anyone who is angry with his brother (without cause) will be subjected to judgement.

Pr. 22: 24 Do not associate with anyone easily angered.

Conclusion: What aspect of anger do I need God's help with?  Who do I know that has an anger issue I can pray for.

Meet and Greet

Ben Wahlman will be here to introduce himself as the prospective youth pastor.  On Saturday night at 6:00 PM Come on up to the Rafters to hang out, play games, and eat pizza with Ben.  Students and familes both are welcomed to enjoy this night of fun.  Then on Sunday at 12:00PM  Right after church go up to the Rafters again to have lunch and a Q and A with Ben

  Again, parents and families both are welcome to join in.

Browniepalooza 2011

...is being held on the start date fore the new church schedule...9/11/11 (our new time will be at noon, so not too much different!)  Bake you favorite brownie recipe.  Keep a bunch for your family, and bring several to class to share!  Milk will be provided!  Details are on the activity banner on the right column of this page!

Facebook Page

Along with the church and the youth, we now have a Facebook page!  My hope is that this can help us communicate prayer requests, share pictures,  and comments on a quicker basis.   Feel free to comment, chat...whatever you desire! The Email list and the Blog are still going to stay, but they will be use for more administrative stuff like the Lesson Recap, snack lists, and event listings and maps.  Between these two we should be able to really fellowship on the internet.  I sent invites to those knew of who are on Facebook.  If you want to join in just click here.  

Snacks

• 8/14 Massey
• 8/21 Hurt
• 8/28 LaRowe

Prayer Requests

• Susan's mother had surgery today to help remove an abscess in her abdomen.   All looks well at this point.
• Pray for Jeremy and Sarah as they start a new church.
• Pray for the youth as they undergo this time of transition.   

 

Important Update!!

Due to circumstances beyond our control Jeremy and Sarah are not going to be with us this Sunday, August 14.  We will try to line them up for a near future date.  Please keep them in your prayers as they venture out on this new ministry journey. 

Special Sunday Class!!!

Next Sunday (August 14th) will be a very special one.  Sarah and Jeremy are going to be sharing with our class.  They will talk about the kids and and the direction that the youth ministry has taken.  This is also going to be a special opportunity to thank them for all they have done, and their hard work, sacrifice, and love for our kids.  You will be able to give thank-you cards, and a love offering.  Please pass this along to any CSM parent you know so they can join us on this special Sunday!  You can also press the Facebook button below this post and 'like' this announcement so others can see this invitation.  See you Sunday!