Colossians 3:5

Put to death…Covetousness which is idolatry

Eccleciastes 5:10

He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase.  This also is vanity.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 73:1-26

 A psalm of Asaph.

 ¹ Surely God is good to Israel,
   to those who are pure in heart.

 ² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
   I had nearly lost my foothold.
³ For I envied the arrogant
   when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

 ⁴ They have no struggles;
   their bodies are healthy and strong.^[a]
5 They are free from common human burdens;
   they are not plagued by human ills.
⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;
   they clothe themselves with violence.
⁷ From their callous hearts comes iniquity^[b];
   their evil imaginations have no limits.
⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice;
   with arrogance they threaten oppression.
⁹ Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
   and their tongues take possession of the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore their people turn to them
   and drink up waters in abundance.^[c]
11 They say, “How would God know?
   Does the Most High know anything?”

 ¹² This is what the wicked are like—
   always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

 ¹³ Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
   and have washed my hands in innocence.
¹⁴ All day long I have been afflicted,
   and every morning brings new punishments.

 ¹⁵ If I had spoken out like that,
   I would have betrayed your children.
¹⁶ When I tried to understand all this,
   it troubled me deeply
¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary of God;
   then I understood their final destiny.

 ¹⁸ Surely you place them on slippery ground;
   you cast them down to ruin.
¹⁹ How suddenly are they destroyed,
   completely swept away by terrors!
²⁰ They are like a dream when one awakes;
   when you arise, Lord,
   you will despise them as fantasies.

 ²¹ When my heart was grieved
   and my spirit embittered,
²² I was senseless and ignorant;
   I was a brute beast before you.

 ²³ Yet I am always with you;
   you hold me by my right hand.
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
   and afterward you will take me into glory.
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
   And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
   but God is the strength of my heart
   and my portion forever.

1. Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
2. Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
3. Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.

Two endless loops:

1. Gratitude, which leads to connection to God and true happiness

OR

2. Covetousness, which leads to alienation and misery

How to get caught up in the Gratitue Loop:

1. Spend with gratitude.

2. Be thankful daily.

a. Whenever you want to complain, give thanks for what’s there.

b. Whenever you need something, give thanks for what you have.

c. Whenever you want to be something, give thanks for who you are.

3. Don’t fight envy with reason.

John 17:1-26

Jesus Prays to Be Glorified ¹ After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

   “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. Jesus Prays for His Disciples

    ⁶ “I have revealed you^[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. ⁸ For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. ⁹ I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. ¹⁰ All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. ¹¹ I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of^[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. ¹² While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by^[c] that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

   ¹³ “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. ¹⁴ I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by^[d] the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. Jesus Prays for All Believers

    ²⁰ “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²² I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— ²³ I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

   ²⁴ “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

   ²⁵ “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. ²⁶ I have made you^[e] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

1. John 17:6 Greek your name
2. John 17:11 Or Father, keep them faithful to
3. John 17:12 Or kept them faithful to
4. John 17:17 Or them to live in accordance with
5. John 17:26 Greek your name

One of the amazing things about godly community:

It mentors you in surprising ways.

How can you get the “oneness” that Jesus is hoping we all get?

1. Most people are helped by structure

2. Most people are helped by intimacy

3. Most people are helped by non-exclusivity

4. Most people are helped by prophecy

5. Most people are helped by a larger visio

6. Most people are helped by trying something.

Ecclesiastes 11:4

If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.

Matthew 18;21-35

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

 ²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

 ²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.^[a]

   ²³ “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold^[b] was brought to him. ²⁵ Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

   ²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

   ²⁸ “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.^[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

   ²⁹ “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

   ³⁰ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

   ³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

   ³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

1. Matthew 18:22 Or seventy times seven
2. Matthew 18:24 Greek ten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wages.
3. Matthew 18:28 Greek a hundred denarii; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see 20:2).

Three surprises in the parable of the unforgiving servant:

1. A significant part of our life will be people doing things to us we don’t deserve.

2. Evidently we’ve done far worse to God than has been done to us by these out-of-the-blue problem people.

A. Three ways we seem to rack up debt:

1. we judge

2. we fear

3. we complain

3. We’re given unexpected resourses to triumph each time we get jumped like this.

What might be a Jesus-based response to 9/11?

1. Renounce fear, judgement and complaint

2. Come in an opposite spirit

3. Choose today to do this toward all who have wronged you.

Proverbs 14:8

⁸ The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,
   but the folly of fools is deception.

Proverbs 14:16

 ¹⁶ The wise fear the LORD and shun evil,
   but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.Three questions to ask at the start of a new school year:

1. What do I want to keep?

2. What do I want to leave behind? 

3. What do I want to start?

Three areas of our lives to consider:

1. How satisfying are my relationships?

2. How do I feel about last year’s circumstances?

3.  Are there any good habits I want to establish?

Seizing the opportunity a new year presents:

1. Schedule some time to reflect

2. Come up with a plan.

3. Do it with a friend

4. Pray for God’s help.

Proverbs 15:22

²² Plans fail for lack of counsel,
   but with many advisers they succeed.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

⁷ Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

 ⁸ There was a man all alone;
   he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
   yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
   “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
   a miserable business!

 ⁹ Two are better than one,
   because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
   one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
   and has no one to help them up.
¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
   But how can one keep warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered,
   two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

  Proverbs 16:9

 ⁹ In their hearts humans plan their course,
   but the LORD establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:1-3

¹ To humans belong the plans of the heart,
   but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue.

 ² All a person’s ways seem pure to them,
   but motives are weighed by the LORD.

 ³ Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
   and he will establish your plans.

Lamentations 3:22-24

 ²² Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
   for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
   therefore I will wait for him.”

Matthew 14:25-33

 ²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. ²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” ²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”   ²⁹ “Come,” he said.   Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” ³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” ³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Psalm 84:10

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.

4  Steps to Faith

1. Dial down.

2. Recognize God’s loving presence in the space your in.

3. Take a step of faith.

4. Take another.

A few people have asked if we are on facebook.  Yes we are.  You can follow us on facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Pilgrim-Congregational-Church/145366022180502

“We all see our lives as having a certain moral/spiritual shape.  Somewhere in some activity, or condition, lies a fullness, a richness, that is, in that place, life is fuller, richer, deeper, more what it should be.  This is perhaps a place of power.  We often experience this as deeply moving or inspiring.   We have the powerful intuition of what fullness would be, were we to be in that condition for example of peace or wholeness of integrity or generosity or self-forgetfulness.  Sometimes there will be moments of experienced fullness, of joy and fulfillment.” – A Seculare Age” by Charles Taylor

John 10:10

My purpose is to give you life in all its fullness.

Mark 4:1-25

The Parable of the Sower ¹ Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. ² He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: ³ “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

 ⁹ Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

 ¹⁰ When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. ¹¹ He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables ¹² so that,

   “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
   and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’^[a]”

 ¹³ Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? ¹⁴ The farmer sows the word. ¹⁵ Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. ¹⁶ Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. ¹⁷ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ¹⁸ Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; ¹⁹ but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²⁰ Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” A Lamp on a Stand

 ²¹ He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? ²² For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”

   ²⁴ “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. ²⁵ Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

The secret of the Kingdom of God is connecting with Jesus.

What did those that got the “secret of the kingdom of God get?”

They get the explanation of the parable, but more importantly, they get a  relationship with Jesus.

Practical considerations on how to visit the place of fullness.

1. Look at the Kingdom of God as lived experience.

2. Consider being part of creating places of ‘fullness.’

Luke 16:1-15, 19-26

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager ¹ Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. ² So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

   ³ “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— ⁴ I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

   ⁵ “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

   ⁶ “‘Nine hundred gallons^[a] of olive oil,’ he replied.

   “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

   ⁷ “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

   “‘A thousand bushels^[b] of wheat,’ he replied.

   “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

   ⁸ “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. ⁹ I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

   ¹⁰ “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ¹¹ So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? ¹² And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

   ¹³ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

 ¹⁴ The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. ¹⁵ He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

    ¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. ²⁰ At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹ and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

   ²² “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴ So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

   ²⁵ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

Luke 16:8-10

 ⁸ “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. ⁹ I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

   ¹⁰ “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

A few fairly shocking points

1. We have no possessions of our own now, but we will have possessions in heaven

2. We should make friends with worldly people.

3. Money can help people get to heaven

4. Or it will buy your own cage in hell.

How might we get started on this

1. ask God to reveal to you who’s right in front of you whom you’re missing.

2. Blow money on someone who doesn’t know god this week.

3. Brainstorm ways to bridge the chasm in Jesus’ name

4.  If you can, come to church every Sunday during this series.

Mark 5:21-6:5

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman ²¹ When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. ²² Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. ²³ He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” ²⁴ So Jesus went with him.

   A large crowd followed and pressed around him. ²⁵ And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶ She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸ because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹ Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

 ³⁰ At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

 ³¹ “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

 ³² But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. ³³ Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

 ³⁵ While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

 ³⁶ Overhearing^[a] what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

 ³⁷ He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. ³⁸ When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. ³⁹ He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” ⁴⁰ But they laughed at him.

   After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. ⁴¹ He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). ⁴² Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. ⁴³ He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Mark 6

A Prophet Without Honor ¹ Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. ² When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

   “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,^[b] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

 ⁴ Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” ⁵ He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

Luke 17:6

 What’s so great about faith?

Apparently, in the presence of faith, Jesus has little choice whether to act or not.  …and lack of faith limits Jesus’ options as well.

What exactly is this faith we’re talking about?

1. Not agreement with a set of theological truths, but a gut level conviction that God can and will act.

2. Not necessarily the smart choice, but the more joyful choice with the bigger possibilities.

A few words to the wise:

1.Remember the Stockdale paradox.

2.Assessing blame is not the point.

3. Faith can’t be faked.

Romans 14:23

… and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

How do we increase our faith?

1. Ask for more.

Mark 9:22-24

²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

   ²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

 ²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

2. Exercise it.

3. Spend time with faith-filled people.

4. Praise God as often as you can.

Acts 9:1-25

 ¹ Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

 ⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

   “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

 ⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

 ¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

   “Yes, Lord,” he answered.

 ¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

 ¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

 ¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

 ¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

    Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰ At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹ All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” ²² Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

 ²³ After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, ²⁴ but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. ²⁵ But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

The American ideal is perpetual adolescence.

Another word for this is ascendancy.

But then we experience “the great defeat.”

Which forces us to descend.

If we persistently refuse to descend, we become “the old fool.”

If men age well, they become a “holy fool.”

And they become mellow.

If women age well they become an “old crone.”

And they become strong.

How can I enter the journey of transformation rather than embitterment?

1. Learn to pray, fast, and baptize.

2. Ruthlessly confront any bitternesses, sins, or relational problems.

3.  Go ever-deeper into community.

4. Say yes to the unsettling risks God invites you into.