Sunday Dispatch Megathread

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.555


Religious Fashion Shows

Now Jesus turned to address his disciples, along with the crowd that had gathered with them. "The religion scholars and Pharisees are competent teachers in God's Law. You won't go wrong in following their teachings on Moses. But be careful about following them. They talk a good line, but they don't live it. They don't take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It's all spit-and-polish veneer.

"Instead of giving you God's Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn't think of lifting a finger to help. Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery prayers the next. They love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions, preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees, and getting called 'Doctor' and 'Reverend.'

"Don't let people do that to you, put you on a pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates. Don't set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of 'Father'; you have only one Father, and he's in heaven. And don't let people maneuver you into taking charge of them. There is only one Life-Leader for you and them—Christ.

"Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.


~Matthew 23:1-12 (The Message)

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.556


Hey, King! Where’s your crown, where’s your Cadillac?
I’ve never seen a king before – on a donkey’s back.

~Paul Grant & Marian Palmer



The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem. They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they cheered:

Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in God's name!

Yes! The King of Israel!
Jesus got a young donkey and rode it, just as the Scripture has it:

No fear, Daughter Zion:
See how your king comes,
riding a donkey's colt.

The disciples didn't notice the fulfillment of many Scriptures at the time, but after Jesus was glorified, they remembered that what was written about him matched what was done to him.

The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, was there giving eyewitness accounts. It was because they had spread the word of this latest God-sign that the crowd swelled to a welcoming parade. The Pharisees took one look and threw up their hands: "It's out of control. The world's in a stampede after him."

~John 12 (The Message)

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.557


He was a plain man
and learned no Latin

Having left all gold behind
he dealt out peace
to all us wild men
and the weather

He ate fish, bread
country wine

and God's will

Dust sandalled his feet

He wore purple only once
and that was an irony


~Luci Shaw

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.558


They drove me up the hill, Thomas
I am the man

They made me carry the cross, Thomas
I am the man

I am the man, Thomas
I am the man

Look at these nail scars
Here in my hand

They crowned my head with thorns, Thomas
I am the man

They nailed me to the cross, Thomas
I am the man

I am the man, Thomas
I am the man
Look at these nail scars
Here in my hand

They pierced me in the side, Thomas
I am the man

I died on the cross,
Thomas
I am the man

I am the man, Thomas
I am the man
Look at these nails scars
Here in my hand

They buried me in the tomb, Thomas
I am the man

In three days I rose, Thomas
I am the man

I am the man, Thomas
I am the man
Look at these nails scars
Here in my hand


~Ralph Stanley and Larry Sparks

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.559

Life isn't about having, it's about being. You could surround yourself with all that money can buy, and you'd still be as miserable as a human can be. I know people with perfect bodies who don't have half the happiness I've found. On my journeys I've seen more joy in the slums of Mumbai and the orphanages of Africa than in wealthy gated communities and on sprawling estates worth millions. Why is that? You'll find contentment when your talents and passion are completely engaged, in full force. Recognise instant self-gratification for what it is. Resist the temptation to grab for material objects like the perfect house, the coolest clothes or the hottest car. The if I just had X, I would be happy syndrome is a mass delusion. When you look for happiness in mere objects, they are never enough. Look around. Look within.

~Nick Vujicic

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.560


September 25,1875
Paris

Dear Theo,

The path is narrow, therefore we must be careful. You know how others have arrived where we want to go, let us take that simple road too.

Ora et Labora, [Pray and work] let us do our daily work, whatever the hand finds to do, with all our strength and let us believe that God will give good gifts, a part that will not be taken away, to those who ask Him for it.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new!” [2 Cor. v.17.]

How I am longing for Christmas, but let us have patience, it will come soon enough.

Courage, lad; my compliments to all the friends, and believe me,

Your loving brother,

Vincent


~From Letters to Theo, Vincent van Gogh

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.561

Christianity is realistic because it says that if there is no truth, there is also no hope;
and there can be no truth if there is no adequate base. It is prepared to face the consequences
of being proved false and say with Paul: If you find the body of Christ, the discussion is finished,
let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die. It leaves absolutely no room for a romantic answer.

~Francis Schaeffer

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.562


Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.


~Civilla Martin and Charles Gabriel

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.563


Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life.
I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.
Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.

~Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.564


To all the people doing lines
Don't do it, don't do it
Inject your soul with liberty
It's free, it's free
To all the kids with heroin eyes
Don't do it, don't do it
Cos it's not, not what it seems
Oh no it's not, not what it seems

Salvation, Salvation, Salvation is free
Salvation, Salvation, Salvation is free

~The Cranberries

[financeguy]

Not my favourite of Cranberries' songs, but a good message all the same - thanks for posting it.

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.565


Jesus promised his disciples three things—that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble.

~G.K. Chesterton

[BVS]

I think Chesterton got this one wrong. I understand the 'constant trouble' part is tongue in cheek and it's probably the only part he got correct. Jesus never promised happiness or fearlessness to any of his followers.

[Caleb8844]

Fearlessness:

"I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." John 14:27 NLT

"We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live." Luke 1:74-75 NLT

"Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." 1 John 4:18 NLT

Happiness:

"Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always)." 1 Thessalonians 5: 16

"I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing." John 15: 11"


Probably referring to Scriptures like that.

[BVS]

Originally Posted by Caleb8844

Fearlessness:

"I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." John 14:27 NLT

"We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live." Luke 1:74-75 NLT

"Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." 1 John 4:18 NLT

Happiness:

"Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always)." 1 Thessalonians 5: 16

"I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing." John 15: 11"


Probably referring to Scriptures like that.

I guess I just read this as Jesus told his disciples if they believed in him they would be forever happy and fearless, and I think that's a common misconception of faith. That if you believe and you serve that nothing bad will happen to you, maybe that's not what Chesterton meant, I don't know I couldn't find the context of the quote. Googled it but found very little. I guess I also took it literally and was thinking solely about verses that were directly attributed to Jesus speaking.

But I do recall reading that Jesus did say:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcomeg the world.” John 16:33

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.566


Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.

~Francis of Assisi

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.567

Enemy-occupied territory---that is what this world is.
Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed in disguise,
and is calling us to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.

~C.S. Lewis

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.568


To choose what is difficult all one's days
As if it were easy, that is faith.

~W.H. Auden

[the iron horse]

Sunday Dispatch.569


Jesus, do you always show up like this, at the craziest of times and in the oddest of places? I sure hope so.

~Lisa Samson

[financeguy]

"The other day, I had these Jehovah's Witnesses come round to my house, and they tried to convince me that the Pope was the Devil's representative on Earth. So I told them that Jesus was the world's first communist. So they left. They were genuinely enraged."

(Ian Brown speaking to Melody Maker, 3rd June 1989)

"My spiritual quest is for me to understand God. I've gotta educate myself, cos the church isn't going to show me God. They put themselves next to God so that you've got to go through them to get to God. I don't believe that."

(Ian Brown speaking to Q Magazine, November 2007)

"I believe in the spirit," he says. "All the great tribes, through time, have all got it down to the one spirit - the Aborigines, the Incas - all the prophets believed in the one God. But the organised churches have hijacked religion off all of us, they've stolen God from us, they've put the priest next to God."

(Ian Brown speaking to The Independent, Saturday 22nd October 2011)

Source for quotes: http://www.pdmcauley.co.uk/Analysis/...Gnosticism.htm