Questions from the Text    (February 7, 2010)

OK, everyone whose arms are sore from shoveling, raise your hand.   Ooof, that hurts.   Obviously, here we go again.  Did you know that Blacksburg has gotten 100 fold more snow this winter than this time last year?   That we have gotten more snow than Ancorage, Alaska or Fargo, North Dakota?   In the meantime, praise God for the Stones safe delivery to NC.

In any case, we will see how it goes, but assuming it mostly stops by Saturday evening and the plows get out, we will indeed try to have worship for those who can make it.   Once again, your streets may be different.  If need be, stay safe and worship God at home.   There are plenty of Lord's Days yet to come.   Here, though is the worship info and devotional for this week:
 
SERMON TEXT:  Romans 12:9-21 ("Love Must be Sincere").  We will celebrate the Lord's Supper.   See accompanying email if you can help prepare or clean up.

SUNDAY SCHOOL & ADULT CLASSES:  Winter Session continues (Lord willing).   Look for email.

SUGGESTED FAMILY WORSHIP TEXT:  Psalm 133

HYMNS:      ~ Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken (Trinity 345)
                      ~ O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus (Trinity 535)
                       ~ Lord, I Want to be a Christian (Trinity 530)
                       ~ I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord (Trinity 353)

SONGS:      ~ Wonderful, Merciful Savior
                     ~ Revelation Song (another new one to learn!)
                      ~ Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

DEVOTIONAL:   Questions from the Text

We move on this week to general instructions Paul gives to the church in the way we ought to treat others.  As Don Weyburn suggested to me, if chapters 1-11 are largely about faith (how we become Christians), and chapters15-16 are about hope (where Christians are headed), then chapters 12-14 are about love -- what the Christian life looks like.  And yet love can never be divorced from faith and hope.  The three always go together, until heaven, when faith will be sight, and hope realized.   The greatest then, as Paul says in I Corinthians 13, is love.  For love lasts forever, and it something we can do right now.  So here are some of the questions we will consider as we begin to delve into Paul's description of Christian love:

+ Why does Paul say that "love must be sincere?"  Isn't that obvious?  (verse 9)

+ What does it mean to "hate what is evil?"  How does our society misunderstand that this is part of sincere love? (verse 10)?

+ What are some practical ways we can be "devoted to one another" and "honor one another above ourselves?"  (verse 10)

+ How can we "keep our spiritual fervor?"  What does that even look like?  (verse 11)

+ What three virtues are to further mark us?  How can we be these things?  (verse 12)

+ Who are we to share with?   How can we better practice hospitality?  (verse 13)

+ How are we to treat those who persecute us, or who do us evil?  (verses 14, 17, 19-20)

+ How is leaving room for God's wrath related to the virtues of verse 12?

+ What is our responsibility towards those who rejoice?  Towards those who mourn?  How is this a practical reflection of verse 10?  (verse 15)

+ What does living in harmony have to do with associating with the lowly?  Do you do that?  Who do you like to most hang around?  (verse 16)

+ What does verse 18 imply about human relations this side of heaven?   What then is your responsibility?  What is not?  (verse 18)

+ How does verse 21 summarize all the above?   How does it relate to verse 9?  How does it relate to having faith and hope along with love on account of the Gospel?  (verse 21)

That's it.  Think and pray on these things.  See (most of you I hope) Sunday!
Stay safe. ~ Pastor H