Dear Saints,

I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family! As we finish out November, remember that Advent season (in the Church Calendar) begins this Sunday (4 Sundays prior to Christmas). Rev. Randy Booth (our former Presiding Minister in the CREC) put together a wonderful Advent devotional for family use which includes many CREC pastors’ writing devotions on each text for the season. I encourage you to get this and use it with your family:

Readings and Devotions for Advent, the Twelve Days of Christmas, and Epiphany [PDF]

As we will be celebrating Advent, you should be aware of some changes to our worship service liturgy. These flow from my sermon series on Worship and Liturgy (Sermon Series Available Here). These changes include the following:

• Placement of the Collect of the day after Absolution Hymn (rather than at the end) & singing the Lord’s Prayer there.
• Using the traditional (and rather universal) order for Scripture Lessons and the Creed (OT, Epistle, Gospel, Creed) with the appropriate response, as well as singing only one Psalm in the Scripture Lessons (e.g., as the Lectionary has it). The second Psalm will be during communion.
• Expansion of the Pastoral Prayer following the sermon (using the traditional form).
• Using the traditional and Levitical order of Sermon, the Offertory, then Eucharist (rather than Sermon, Eucharist, Offertory).
• Formalize the Words of Institution at the Eucharist.

We must learn the steps of the Great Dance to ascend to the throne. Please take time to read/browse through it here.

Our worship, represents exactly the pinnacle exhortation of Romans in chapter 12. In the chapter, the fundamental command has this structure: “present your bodies as living sacrifices . . . be transformed by renewal of your mind . . .” In this Paul uses sacrificial language (OT rituals). Many interpreters see this as metaphor, but actually, the slaughtered animals at the tabernacle and temple are metaphor. God has ever been after a new “adam/eve” in His presence in Eden. But of course after the fall “flaming swords” or fire and and knives are necessary to pass back through the labyrinth into the garden. “Gen 3:24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” So to enter the mountain garden one must be sacrificed, cut apart and transfigured in fire so as to ascend unto the Lord as a fragrant bride.

Paul’s imagery in chapter 12 is rich. It is inevitable that we think in sacrificial ways. This is true of all cultures, not just biblical cultures. One historian of religion says, “All religious rituals spring from the surrogate victim, and all the great institutions of mankind, both secular and religious, spring from ritual. . . . It could hardly be otherwise, for the working basis of human thought, the process of ‘symbolization,’ is rooted in the surrogate victim” (Renee Girard, Violence and the Sacred , 306).

However, since the fall, in fact at the fall, there has been a continual push toward what I will call, “outsourcing sacrifice.” From the moment Adam said, “It was the women, thou gavest me….” we have all been willing to point toward others rather than accept the responsibility. We all want scapegoats and we all blame-shift as a result. We are often defensive and unable to distinguish our responsibility from Eve’s culpability. Whose fault was greater? Paul has made that clear in chapter 5, “sin entered the world through one man” and God made it clear in Genesis 3.

As Christians, we must no longer “outsource” – but now we must “insource” our sacrifice. Paul, after showing in detail how Jesus fulfills Torah, precisely as the true human sacrifice (Rom. 3:25), now explains how we live “as Christians.” We follow Christ. We become like Him. We also offer ourselves through worship and service in the new humanity that enters Eden through the second Adam. We do not look for other scapegoats, save the one true Scapegoat, but in the ordinary mechanism of sacrifice, we “insource” that sacrifice.

Romans 12:1 Therefore I exhort you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God–which is your reasonable service. 12:2 Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.

The OT structures of worship represent architectural Edens which provide a symbolic and ritual means for the worshiper to enter into God’s presence with assurance. But it is a mistake to think that God was concerned for the physical elements of the temple. No. They represented us in relation to Him. The eschatological vision of this:

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. . . I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.  (Rev 21:2-3, 22 NIV)

New covenant worshipers need no “model-airplane” temple of metal, stone and wood and are under no obligation to create an architectural replacement for Solomon’s temple, etc. And we clearly do not need to rebuild a temple in Jerusalem. (Although I hear that that is on the list for our new president?) This was made historically and theologically demonstrable by the destruction of the second temple in 70 A.D. Now Jesus has entered the real sanctuary as a Man and we through Him. We, His body, are the temple (Eph. 2:21, 2 Cor. 6:16). Such has always been the case in some sense (even in the OT), but now that is definitively shown.

The rest of Romans shows us the contours of life in a sacrificial mode. First, none of us should think we’re a better hunk of sacrificial meat, than we really are. “I’m a better ‘whole burnt offering’ than you!” “Nu-uh! I’m way better!”

Romans 12:3 For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith.

Secondly, we must see others in light of the image of God in them which is refracted through their many gifts of grace. Not unlike the stones of fire in the garden, we are living stones which are becoming more and more glorified, moving from limestone to silver and granite to gold. Our gifts are like the rubies and diamonds that sparkle to light up our countenance.

Romans 12:4 For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same function, 12:5 so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another. 12:6 And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith. 12:7 If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; 12:8 if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.

Thirdly, we know that we are that new humanity, living as reflectors of God’s image, when we do what the Triune God has done throughout eternity and which has been so dramatically shown in redemption – love. We must love one another. Just as God has loved One Another.

Romans 12:9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. 12:10 Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another. 12:11 Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. 12:12 Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer. 12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality. 12:14 Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 12:16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.

Love not only means the outreaching service by which we take initiative to care for others, but it requires the harder side of responding to wrongdoing, even when we are done wrong. What does love do when it is wronged? How does it respond? Does it say, “make my day?” No, it is still about the work of “insourcing” sacrificially. We must sacrifice ourselves rather than turn the flaming sword on the offender. And this self-sacrifice does not stand end it, there is also a sacrifice rendered from the offender, but it is much hotter and much bloodier.

Romans 12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people. Romans 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people. 12:19 Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 12:20 Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We can say it proverbially, “overcome evil with good.” I encourage you to teach your children this with this simple statement in the midst of childish problems, so that they can grow up in to all of the sacrificial realities.

Gregg Strawbridge, Pastor

Links & Resources:

Readings and Devotions for Advent, the Twelve Days of Christmas, and Epiphany by Rev. Randy Booth – download the PDF here

More resources are available online at www.wordmp3.com

MLB.com – James Shields talks to the Media the day before Game 1 of the ALCS.

“Q: Just talk about facing David Ortiz. He’s put up some good numbers against you. What problems does he pose for you?

JAMES SHIELDS: Oh, man, I mean, David Ortiz, I’ve always told people he’s one of the most feared hitters in the box. This guy gets in the box and he pretty much covers the whole entire box.

We’ve just got to be careful. I’m going to try to hopefully get the guys out beforehand, and if he hits one off me, hopefully it’s a solo home run. But I’m going to try to change my approach a little bit as far as he goes.

But other than that, I mean, he’s going to hit you at any time, at any time of the game, and he’s definitely a threat. But I’m going to pitch my game and try to do my best.”

MLB.com - Dice-K talks to the Media the day before Game 1 of the ALCS.

“Q: Can you talk about the importance of getting that first pitch for a strike for you and what that does for your confidence and how it sets up the way you attack a pitch or attack the strike zone?

DAISUKE MATSUZAKA: It’s true for any pitcher, but getting that first pitch strike puts you at a big advantage for that at bat. But I wouldn’t say that being able to get that first pitch strike boosts my confidence in any way.

And on the other hand, just because I couldn’t get the first pitch strike, it doesn’t cause any anxiety on my part.”

TBO.com -Rays reliever J.P. Howell does an interview with Marc Lancaster, talking about pregame rituals and such.

“Q: Do you eat anything specific before the games?
Howell: Yeah – PBJ and Doritos. That’s it, man. Just simple.
Q: Every game?
Howell: Every game.
Q: Since when?
Howell: Aw, man, it probably started because my mom used to pack it in my lunch. She packed my lunch in high school, and then college I stopped in my freshman year and got hit. So sophomore year, I said, hey, I’ve got to go back, during the season, to eating my PBJs and Doritos, man. So I did and everything’s been good.”

OverTheMonster.com – The wise R.J. Anderson answers some questions in a swap with OTM.

“Q: Dropping the ‘Devil’: did this actually make a difference?

Anderson: Of course. Although my definition of making a difference is anytime you can get satanic worshippers to disown you”

DRaysBay.com – Randy Booths answers on the other side of this swap.

“Q: The decision to play Mark Kotsay over Sean Casey is a bit odd to me. Is Kotsay really that much better than Casey to eclipse any offensive shortcomings?

Booth: Kotsay is much better defensively. Casey can hit the ball, but he’s not going to produce at the plate much more than Kotsay. Kotsay, however, has other, much better tools like speed, which we both know can change a game.”