February 13, 2013
WHO ARE THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE ON EARTH?
An English newspaper asked its readers this question, “Who are the happiest people on earth?” These were the four prize-winning answers:
*A craftsman or artist whistling over a job well done.
*A little child building sand castles.
*A mother, after a busy day, bathing her baby.
*A doctor who has finished a difficult and dangerous operation and saved a
human life.
No millionaires among these, one notices. No kings or tycoons. Wealth and position, no matter how the world strives for them, are not the things most people in their wisdom consider the essential quality of happiness.
Happiness today is that elusive quality much searched for and not often enjoyed. However, Solomon said it long ago and stressed the simplicity of the answer: “I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That every man may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God.” Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
Ken Dye
(From the Files)
FREE TO STRUGGLE
The Russian philosopher, Nikolai Berdyaev, says in his stellar book, Slavery and Freedom (pg.24), “Personality is activity, opposition, victory over the dragging burden of the world, the triumph of freedom over the world’s slavery. The fear of exertion is harmful to the realization of personality. Personality is effort and conflict, the conquest of self and of the world, victory over slavery, it is emancipation.”
There is a lot in the above quote from Nikolai to take in, especially for a bulletin article, but go back over the quote and try and soak it in with some understanding. What do you think he means? This Russian philosopher is often cited in books about how the apostle Paul understands freedom in the book of Galatians. I thought in light of our sermon series on Galatians we could profit from Nikolai.
You may recall in last week’s sermon on Galatians, we zeroed in on the central theme and the ultimate goal of that theme. The major theme of Galatians is in chapter five and verse one where Paul states, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” The goal of this freedom according to Paul is “a new creation” (6:15). In other words, we are set free from the slavery of sin and death in Jesus Christ to become what God intended us to be before the creation of the world.
Nikolai Berdyaev captures well our being a new creation in the freedom of Christ as the victory of personality “over the dragging burden of the world.” What drags our personalities down is the sin that infects every facet of our world and our lives. As Paul says in Galatians (3:22), “But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin.” We are all slaves to sin whether we acknowledge this truth or not. Sin holds us back from being flourishing personalities who are “transformed into the same image [the glory of Christ] from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor 3:18).
Our Russian philosopher echoes well the Apostle Paul’s tension in Galatians between grace and work. Recall, Berdyaev said, “Personality is effort and conflict, the conquest of self and of the world, victory over slavery, it is emancipation.” Now Paul teaches that we are set free from the power of sin by the work of God the Spirit exercised by faith in the work accomplished in God the Son by the will of God the Father (Gal 3:1ff). In short, we are saved by grace, not by works.
However, we are not set free from struggle. As Berdyaev says, “Personality is effort and conflict.” Paul speaks of this conflict of personality when he says, “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (5:17). Perhaps we would be better to speak of our freedom in Christ as the “freedom to struggle”? Yet as Berdyaev says, we have “the fear of exertion” when it comes to “the realization of personality.” Freedom is struggle, and we often fear and even resent that struggle (Cf., Rom 7:1ff).
What we now have in our struggle that we did not have before Jesus Christ is hope in the midst of the struggle. The forgiveness of sin in Jesus sets us free from resignation and fear of sin. Yet sin still lives within us, and therefore the struggle against sin goes on. We will struggle till we see Christ face to face. Until then, have hope in Jesus free from the fear of sin and its struggle within you.
– Terry
Directory – This SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, WILL BE THE LAST SUNDAY to proof your listing of the directory that is posted in the hallway by the stairs. Please initial if everything is correct or make the necessary corrections or additions. If your name is not listed and you would like to be included in our directory, please add your information on the sheet posted for new names. Also, if you would like to be added to or removed from the Prayer Chain, please check that listing also.
***If your photo was not in our 2012 directory and you would like to be included in our upcoming 2013 directory, please contact Sandra Cummings ASAP. Photos are taken after services on Sunday morning.***
The Youth Snow Trip is scheduled for February 22-24 at Mount Shasta. We will be staying at the Weed Church of Christ in Weed, CA. The cost is $40.00 for food and travel and the lift ticket is $16.00. There is an extra expense for Saturday’s dinner and snacks and drinks at the lodge. Space is limited so contact Brian Pannell ASAP to sign up and to get more information.
Widows’ Luncheon – Our next Widow’s Luncheon is scheduled for Friday, March 1, at 12:30 p.m. at Anna Maria Creekside. Please check-in at the front desk and they will direct you to the luncheon area. If you have any questions, please contact Bill Viera.
Our Mexico Dinner and Auction is scheduled for Saturday, March 2, at 6:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room. Come enjoy a Mexican style dinner and have fun while you support this year’s Mexico Mission project. Donations to be auctioned off at the fundraiser will be greatly appreciated. If you are going to invite merchants and others to contribute to the auction, please pick up an invitation/thank you letter with receipt form from the church office.
Also, if you would like to go on the Mission Trip scheduled for March 30-April 7, please get your registration form from the office or Valda Newton. (Please note the change of date for the mission trip.) You can contact Valda via e-mail if you need further information about the Mexico trip.
Our Annual Daddy/Daughter Dinner Dance will be held on April 19 and 20. We will be having a Dessert/Dance for our young ladies ages 4th grade through high school on April 19th beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room. We will have pictures, partner games and prizes. On Saturday night, April 20, we will have a Dinner/Dance in the Fireside Room beginning at 5:00 p.m. for our girls ages five years old through 3rd grade. Tickets will be priced under $15.00 per couple and will go on sale beginning in March. Please see Marcie Dixon if you need more information.
Coffee Servers are needed for 2013. Please sign up on the sheet posted on the bulletin board by the stairs. All your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Help Needed -- Bob Stapp is in need of volunteers to help with his Campus Life club ministry on Friday nights. He is having about thirty high school kids with only one other volunteer. If you would like to help or get more details, please contact Bob.
Prayer Requests . . . Kathy York requests prayers for her friend, Sue, who went to the hospital with unexplained bleeding. Please pray that the doctors can figure out what is wrong and correct it...The Liles Family wants to praise God that Nick, Danielle and family have found a place in Tacoma and are settled and it’s feeling like home. Pray they will also find a church home. Also, a special “Thank You” to the deliverer of an envelope addressed, “Be Blessed” (you know who you are) that has blessed our home...For Russ and Beth Johnson for their health concerns - Beth is very ill at this time...For Sara Cade who will need further cancer surgeries. Pray that the doctors can remove all the cancer cells...For our President and all of our military men, women and families.
Calendar of Events
March 1: Widows’ Luncheon at Anna Maria Creekside; 12:30 p.m.
March 2: Mexico Dinner and Auction; FSR; 6:00 p.m.
March 30-April 7: Mexico Mission Trip
