Characteristics of a Christian – Rev. Brooks (video)
http://trinityumchurch.com/sermons/wp-content/uploads/Characteristics952010.flvTake a Break – Rev. Jones (video)
http://trinityumchurch.com/sermons/wp-content/uploads/takeabreak952010.flvCharacteristics of a Christian – Rev. Brooks
A probing question asks, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”
Recently novelist Anne Rice announced she had quit Christianity “in the name of Christ” because she’d seen too much hypocrisy. Only 12 years ago she had re-embraced the Roman Catholic faith of her youth and wrote a book about it. Now she’s walking away again.
The Pew Report found that 1 in 6 American adults are not affiliated with any particular faith and for people in the 18 – 29 age range, it’s 1 in 4. The fastest growing category of religion in America is “unaffiliated.”
This raises a crucial question: “What is a Christian?” In our increasingly pluralistic world many answers are offered. But what does the Bible say? Are there unique characteristics of a Christian or does everybody who simply tries “to do the right thing” deserve that designation? You’ll find this a fascinating and revealing topic.
Take a Break – Rev. Jones
I heard one comedian comment “America is the only Country that would celebrate work by taking a day off.” I don’t know that’s completely true, but it’s an interesting thought isn’t it?
If you look at how much we complain about our jobs, or how worried we are about keeping our jobs, you may wonder what we are celebrating. Work has become for many of us a necessary evil it allows us to have the money to do what we really want to do. Job dissatisfaction is high in many places.
But as I read the Bible it’s clear God doesn’t want our work to be a “necessary evil” if there is such a thing. God is a working, creating God. So when we work we are living out a part of God’s intended image for us. In Genesis one of the first things God does for Adam is give him some purposeful work.
So perhaps if we are unhappy it’s not work or vocation itself that’s the problem. Perhaps it’s the way we approach life and work. We live as if work is all we have. We define ourselves by what we do and evaluate others worth by the jobs they have.
It’s for this reason God calls us to learn the rhythm of rest and Sabbath. The Sabbath is so important God places it in the Ten Commandments. So what is Sabbath? Is it more than coming to church? And if we begin to observe Sabbath how might our approach to life be different?
Share your thoughts..