The PGIMF sermon discussion blog

As a supplement to the official web site of the Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship (PGIMF), this blog provides a place for members, adherents, and visitors to comment on sermons and response/feedback discussions. A posting will be made for each sermon commentary (which is published in the following Sunday's bulletin) so that comments can be left for that posting specifically. A link will also be provided to the MP3 file of that Sunday's sermon audio recording so that you can make your comments while listening to it! The Webmaster reserves the right to delete offensive or inappropriate comments when notified about them, at his/her sole discretion. If you disagree with this policy, you should start your own free blog to comment on the sermons.

Sun. May 20 (Bruce Hiebert)

Bruce Hiebert [no relation to the webmaster] spoke on The Politics of Christian Marriage. About 20 years ago, John Howard Yoder challenged Christians to examine current thinking and assumptions about marriage, and to compare that thinking with what scripture actually says. Although this exercise may not lead us to change our thinking, it is an exercise well worth undertaking. Though Bruce most definitely did not advocate bigamy, he reminded us that Paul specifies that only bishops are not allowed to have multiple wives. On the other hand, there were several indications that the early church was changing its thinking on marriage, quite possibly moving towards only the ideal of monogamy. For instance, one direct quotation Jesus made from Genesis has urged the historic church to permit only monogamy (as did Roman law; this remains a dilemma for some new Christians in Africa). Essentially, scripture seems to insist that one is 'married' to anyone with whom you have had sex, and that you bear this special responsibility for the rest of your life. In other words, we are to take all our relationships seriously, for life, and not in the more casual manner of today's society. There are a few passages in the New Testament which unambiguously advocate that remaining single and practicing chastity are the very highest ideals imaginable (does today's church ever preach singleness as the highest ideal, as taught by Paul?). Bruce put all of this into context nicely by reminding us that our primary relationship is with God, our secondary relationships are with our neighbors, and that each of us is called to a life of discipleship. Within this framework, those Christians who marry are to take their responsibilities seriously at every turn, for their partners becomes their closest neighbors and couples are both expected to serve God as disciples. The way in which marriages do or do not work directly affects the emotional and spiritual health of the entire fellowship. Bruce therefore portrayed Christian husbands and wives as walking the road of life together, encouraged by God, with Christ at their side, and ideally enjoying the support of other believers. Bruce challenged us to build the kind of fellowships which engender honesty, even about marriages and relationships, for both congregations and families are a microcosm of the Kingdom. [JEK] Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday May 20th using your browser's preferred media player and read Bruce's sermon notes and responses to questions (7 page PDF).

Sun. May 6 (Aaron Roberts)

Aaron Roberts spoke from Psalm 137 to give us perspective on this rich passage full of imagery, but with an evil twist at the end. The history of the Babylonian conquest was briefly recounted, with Aaron noting that the deportation of the Jews from Israel & Judah included the artisans, administrators, religious leaders and anybody with an institutional memory of the life of the people, leaving only the farmers and peasants, who had no way other than with an oral history, to pass their traditions and culture along. Aaron noted that without leadership, these people did their best to keep traditions alive, but imperfectly, later becoming the Samaritans, and setting the stage for the separation of the returned Jews from the Samaritans. Meanwhile, the Jews resisted comfort in exile, hanging up their harps in a visible protest, rather than play them, and recalling the words of the Edomites who took joy in the destruction of Jerusalem. The last two violent passages Aaron stated were not there to give glory to violence, but to illustrate that God is prepared to hear all our thoughts, regardless of origin, to recognize that his sovereign word stands, regardless of our feelings and thoughts. Aaron said it was better to let those thoughts out in prayer and Psalms, than try to hide them behind a facade of God’s goodness and mercy. In the question period that followed, the congregation largely agreed. [AP] Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday May 6th using your browser's preferred media player.