Corporate Worship
Since our Sunday School youth and teachers set the beautiful stepping stones in our lovely new part behind the church on Rally Day, we’ve been thinking together about the steps we take along the journey of faith. The first step we talked about was Baptism, which is for many people the initial encounter with God’s grace and love. Last week we focused on what is for most of us the next step – learning the story of God and humanity in the pages of the Bible – Holy Scripture – the Book. This week we are going to look at the step we take in faith when we spend time with God’s people in corporate worship.
Listen with me for the Word of God as it comes from the Gospel of Luke.
Luke 2:41-52
You may have looked at the sermon title and thought – “Oh, Pastor Cindy is going to talk about the car show yesterday at the Philo Fall Festival. “Body work” is what we call it when our cars get fixed up after a little run in with a light post, or something.” Or maybe you thought “body work” was going to be about building our spiritual muscles. But the truth of the matter is, Body in this case refers to the church – the Body of Christ. And “Work” refers to what we do when we get together to worship. The service - our prayers, and songs, our responses and our reading of holy scripture – has a theological term – Liturgy. And liturgy means “The work of the People”
Joining in “the work of the people” is one way that young Christians grow in faith. For this reason, I welcome and encourage children’s participation in the worship service. I don’t mind a crying baby. Or a rambunctious toddler. Or a teenager scribbling notes on the bulletin. I think I’ve confessed before that as a teenager, I slept through about 4 years of sermons. And it wasn’t all my fault! But, looking back, I got so much from other parts of the liturgy! Taking a nap during the sermon wasn’t a bad solution.
The work of the people - the language of church, the stories of church, the worldview of those who profess to put Jesus Christ at the head of their lives – this is almost like a foreign language. It’s possible to learn Italian as an adult. But learning a language, absorbing it into your bones and being able to use it – this happens much more easily and naturally when the human mind and heart are young. Worship is like that.
The story of Jesus’ trip to the temple at age twelve reinforces the importance of including young people in worship. But it does more than that. Let’s look at it again:
The first thing the text tells us is that worship and devotion to God are a habit. I have to tell you, I’m indebted to Brian Stoeffergen, whose commentaries I read weekly – for much of what I am about to tell you:
Our text not only tells us about the young Jesus, but also a lot about his parents -- they were very devout in keeping the Jewish Law.
Eight days after Jesus' birth, he is circumcised (2:21).
Five times in the account of the purification of Mary & presentation of Jesus in the temple, we are told that his parents act according to the "law" (2:22, 23, 24, 27, 39).
Our text begins by telling us that "every year" his parents go to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. When Jesus is 12, they go up "as usual" [ethos in Greek -- more on this word later] for the festival.
Luke stresses the fact in this chapter that Mary and Joseph were very devout Jews. We might wonder how much of Jesus' knowledge and self-identity came from the way he was raised in this pious household.
The word ethos is particularly important to notice. The English word "ethics" comes from this word. It refers to "a pattern of behavior that is more or less fixed by tradition and generally sanctioned by the society" [Lowe & Nida]. The word is frequently translated "custom" or "habit."
Of the 12 times this word is used in the NT, 10 of those are in Luke/Acts. The only occurrence of the verbal form (ethizo) is in Luke 2:27, where it indicates that Mary and Joseph do for Jesus what is customary under the law. Even though there is nothing else written about young Jesus in scriptures, we know that he grew up with parents who made it a habit of obeying the Law. I'm certain that young Jesus was encouraged to obey it when it applied to him. Young Jesus was learning some good religious habits from his parents.
The noun is used of Jesus in Luke 22:39 where we are told that it was his custom (or habit) to go to the Mount of Olives. He goes there to pray.
What "customs" or "habits" are being handed down by parents today? Some have made it a habit of attending church every week. Some have made it a habit of attending church on Christmas and Easter. Some encourage their children give an offering every week. Others give almost nothing themselves.
It is interesting to me that the Greek word ethos is never used in scripture to refer to what we would usually consider ethical or moral behaviors -- like "don't tell lies, don't steal, help other people, don't be immoral, don't hurt or kill other people, be generous." When ethos is used in the New Testament, it almost always refers to religious behaviors -- mostly about attending church!
For example: And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Heb 10:25).
Another word with the same meaning [eiotha] is used of Jesus when he goes to the synagogue on the sabbath as was his custom (Lu 4:16); and of Paul (Ac 17:2). Do we need to promote regular church as an "ethic" that believers should practice? When we make lists of ethical behavior, is church attendance or taking time to pray on the lists?
If Jesus made it a habit to attend church (synagogue) and to go off on a mountain to pray, how much more do we need to make it a habit if we are to keep a constant walk with God?
(I want to be completely clear here: I lifted that entire section from Brian Stoeffergen. The whole thing. I didn't preach it in exactly those words but he deserves all the credit for that whole section. I am plagarism-phobic. So I want to make that perfectly clear before I post this thing!!! )
The second thing this passage tells us is that :
The Work of the People is give and take with God
In the passage it says that Jesus was there asking questions and listening. Then the next verse says that he was speaking and giving answers as well. It’s verses like that that make me believe in the inspiration and authority of the Bible. What was he doing? Listening or speaking? What was he doing? Asking questions or giving answers. Thank goodness for the scriptures that tell us that in the house of the God, our Lord was doing both. There is a rhythm to worship. A rhythm like breathing in and breathing out. That was the first song the Praise Band played this morning – “like breathing in and breathing out”. There is a give and take to what we do in worship, too.
We give God praise
We receive a sense of the divine presence.
We give God an accounting of ourselves.
We receive an assurance of his forgiveness.
We give God prayer in the Psalm.
There is plenty of give and take in the Children’s sermon.
We receive God’s Word in scripture – we read scripture and scripture reads us
We respond in faith
We receive the sacraments
We share them with one another
We receive God’s blessing and out we go, to live in faith.
The work of the body is give and take. How fully we can participate in that give and take depends on a lot of things. Age is only one. Our openness, our preparation, our need, our desire. What parts of the worship service are most gratefully received? Which parts are most joyfully offered up to God?
Jesus shows us that the give and take is part of God’s plan and pattern for our lives. In worship we act out that conversational pattern with each other’s help.
Third thing this passage can tell us about corporate worship is discerned by looking at vs. 46-47. At the beginning of the story, Jesus’ parents take him up to the Temple.
At the end of the story, Jesus goes back with them to Nazareth. There’s a real subtle shift in who’s in charge.
Worship is a step toward helping us put Jesus in charge.
Letting him chart our path and decide on our destination. Beginning to trust him with our steps and our lives. Did you ever hear the Christian life likened to a tandem bicycle? I think the original version came out of the 12 step AA program. Lots of good things do. But basically it says becoming a Christian is like riding a bicycle built for two. At first you realize that life is a little bit easier, with Jesus in the back there, helping you pedal. But then, one day, you hear him say, OK. Let’s switch places. And that’s when the fun really begins! Where we tend to take the quickest, most boring and predictable route between two points, Jesus steers us on some incredible, breath taking long cuts. He pilots through tough mountain passes, and down long stretches of twists and turns. Sometimes you travel at breakneck speeds. With Jesus in charge of the itinerary, you meet strange and wonderful people who give priceless gifts of acceptance, and healing and love. And sometimes Jesus brings us you to a place to give those gifts away, to lighten the load. The life of faith is a great adventure. And all you have to do is pedal.
I like that image.
But the scripture gives us one I like even more: It says that Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in divine and human favor. Isn’t that our goal as Christians? Isn’t that why we come to church and participate in worship? In order to grow in wisdom – to understand more clearly the ways of God and the world? To grow in stature – that means to grow physically – and it is a joy to watch some of the young people grow up in front of our eyes. But I think even adults, who won’t grow “up” and try hard not to grow “out” – grow in health, or in strength to handle physical challenges. And to grow in divine and human favor. To grow in close and loving relationships with God and with one another – this is the natural outcome of taking the step of corporate worship, of joining with your brothers and sisters in taking the this important step in the life of faith.
Shall we take the next step – together?
Sunday, September 28, 2008
A sign of the times
Carol, our tech-savvy sometimes accompanist, sent this link to a Garrison Keillor bit that gives a whole new meaning to "LOL". Check it out if you want to LOL. And thanks, Carol!
http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/19970628/970628_MICRO.shtml
http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/19970628/970628_MICRO.shtml
Presbyterian participation in Philo Phest is a success!
Over 100 people visited the art show, which Betty and Bob Lauchner so carefully tended and nurtured. That's great! And we gave away over 100 pens and pencils at the booth downtown. And the youth group got orders that will make over 100 dollars. And more than 100 people came to the interdenominational prayer service this morning. So all that is good! Let's do it again next year, OK?
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Artists' Showcase
Today is our little village's fall festival.
Our church is going to have an information booth downtown. And we're part of the interdenominational prayer service tomorrow.
But the event we are hosting at our chuch is a show of local artists' work. I'm so excited about it!
We have lots of quilts, watercolors, photography, woodworking, oils, acrylics, collages, glass . . .
Yesterday, as more and more people brought in their pieces, the fellowship hall became so lively and bright. Sixteen artists + are represented. (The "+" is because the Sunday School is just counted as one, and of course LOTS of kids contributed to those pieces.) So I'm hoping and praying that lots of folks show up to see these wonderful, creative people's work.
I'll try to have pictures next time I post.
Our church is going to have an information booth downtown. And we're part of the interdenominational prayer service tomorrow.
But the event we are hosting at our chuch is a show of local artists' work. I'm so excited about it!
We have lots of quilts, watercolors, photography, woodworking, oils, acrylics, collages, glass . . .
Yesterday, as more and more people brought in their pieces, the fellowship hall became so lively and bright. Sixteen artists + are represented. (The "+" is because the Sunday School is just counted as one, and of course LOTS of kids contributed to those pieces.) So I'm hoping and praying that lots of folks show up to see these wonderful, creative people's work.
I'll try to have pictures next time I post.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Happy, but not too Smart
So here's a funny thing about the happily married couple pictured below:
Neither of us could remember the date of our anniversary.
I thought yesterday. Wrong.
It is tomorrow.
Neither of us could remember the date of our anniversary.
I thought yesterday. Wrong.
It is tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Sermon, September 21
Stepping Stone #2 – The Book
2 Timothy 3:14 ff.
Since our Sunday School youth and teachers set the beautiful stepping stones in our lovely new part behind the church on Rally Day, we’ve been thinking together about the steps we take along the journey of faith. Last week we talked about Baptism, which is for many people the initial encounter with God’s grace and love. This week we are going to focus on what is for most of us the next step – learning the story of God and humanity in the pages of the Bible – Holy Scripture – the Book
Listen for the Word of God as it comes to us from the 2nd Letter to Timothy, Chapter 3, beginning at verse 14.
14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
This is my Bible. It was given to me by my parents, as a birthday gift the summer I graduated from seminary. My old Bible (the one I got from church when I was in the fourth grade) was all marked up with multicolor highlighters, it had lost it’s cover, gotten caught in the rain more than once, and Ephesians was beginning to fall out. My father and I went to the bookstore and picked it out. We didn’t look at the study bibles, or the fancy paraphrase bibles, or the heavy show Bibles. Daddy said he wanted to get me a “working Bible”. I know he mostly meant a Bible that I could use in my work as a minister. But it is equally true that this is a working Bible because it works on me.
From this Bible I have learned, more than from any commentary or course, what salvation in Jesus Christ means. It is to this Bible that I have looked when days were dark and courage failed me. This is where I am reminded about the hope of the Gospel, and challenged to walk more faithfully with my friend and redeemer, Jesus Christ. And these are the words I wrestle with in an attempt to communicate the promise and the demands of the Christian life.
I want you to know that when I speak to you about the Bible, I do not do so primarily as a person trained in interpretation of ancient texts, or as a church professional, whatever that means. I speak to you as someone whose life has been saved by the person of Jesus Christ I have encountered though this book.
I love this book. Learning to love the Bible is one of the first steps that we take in our Christian walk. It is a step the church tries to encourage, even in our youngest members: Timothy’s letter says, “from childhood you have known the sacred writings”
The stories we learn in Sunday School point us to Jesus. Jesus loves me, this I know. For the BIBLE tells me so.
Maybe in the beginning, our first story is the story of Jesus welcoming the little children and blessing them. But we learn others, too. We learn the Christmas story, and the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, even as very little children. Sometimes worship, sometimes music, teaches us the Biblical witness . . . That’s why I repeat some words in the liturgy every Sunday. “ Friends, believe the good news of the Gospel. In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. . . . All that we have is thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from thee.”
Do we understand all the depth and fullness of these stories as children? No, but then you could argue that we don’t understand the depth and fullness of the Biblical narrative much better when we are 80 than when we are 8. The important thing is that we HEAR and learn these stories, so that they become part of our lives. Scripture is meant for us from childhood and then throughout our lives. Learning how to read and interpret scripture is a life long – in fact longer than life long – engagement. There is not a stage of life to which the scriptures do not speak.
As we get older, we may encounter challenges to reading the Bible in a way that strengthens and challenges our faith. We notice that some stories don’t seem to make sense. Or they don’t match with what we know from other parts of our life or other parts of the Bible. Love your enemies doesn’t exactly fit with stories in which God commands cities to be destroyed and all the inhabitants slain. And we begin to wonder how to make sense of this book.
Timothy says “All scripture is inspired by God.” But what does that mean? Some people decide that the Bible is just
an ancient book of fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by men and women
16%
4%
1%
Very few Presbyterians take that route – only 4% of members, and less than 1% of pastors.
In the Bible Belt, we may meet fellow Christians who insist that the only way to read the Bible with love and respect is to insist that every word of the Bible is literally true. In the 1990s about 30% of US adults held that view. That if Genesis says the world was created in seven days, then God demands that we believe that in the same amount of time we pass from Monday to Sunday, all the universe was brought forth and every earthly creature was created. A much smaller minority of Presbyterians hold that view. But we might secretly think that we should, since that’s what these more vocal denominations and TV evangelists insist upon, and they seem to be serious and devout. 77% of Presbyterian members, and 94% of Presbyterian pastors understand the Bible differently – as the inspired and authoritative Word of God, NOT all of which is to be interpreted literally, word for word. (Presbyterian survey 1990 and 1993)
This is not a “weaker” view of inspiration than the more fundamentalist one. But it is different. Believing as we do, more study, more thought, more engagement with one another as we study together is required. We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, not just inspired in the writing of it, but in the reading and interpretation and application, too. God’s Spirit, moving among us, continues to be involved in bringing the Bible to life for us.
Presbyterian Bible Study tends to be a group activity more than a solitary pursuit. Even when we read the Bible devotionally, we are likely to have other people – in the form of a devotional booklet, or the notes of a study Bible, or some other resource – at hand. We aren’t biblical Lone Rangers.
Maybe some of you have given up on the Bible, because you’ve been trying to go it alone and it’s not working for you. Join a Bible study. Buy a study Bible. Call me up. I’ll come over and have a cup of coffee and puzzle a passage through with you. Or maybe you don’t know where to start to get back into the Bible. Don’t be discouraged! Step back. Take an overview, and get the big picture before you dive in. On your bulletin is the link to a very good, very short “summary” of the Biblical story. It makes plain what can seem sort of confusing if Sunday School was sort of a long time ago.
http://www.pcusa.org/horizons/magazines/2007/hrznmyjn07/bibleabout.pdf
The Bible is our foundational story. It is our guide. It is an important stepping stone in the life of faith. But here’s the take home point – We are not saved by our Bibles. We are not made holy by memorizing scripture. The reason the Bible is so important is because it helps us grow in our understanding, appreciation and love for Jesus Christ, who DOES save us.
Timothy’s letter says, “the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. Scripture doesn’t save us. Jesus does.
We understand scripture as a witness to Jesus Christ. We don’t say it is literally, historically, geologically true. We say it witnesses to the truth of Jesus. Jesus said, “I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life.”
And it is Jesus’ way that we hope the Bible will teach us, correct us and train us to follow. It is so that we may be proficient and equipped to do as Jesus did, in every good work, that we love and study the Bible.
There’s a great story that preachers have been telling since the Civil War, about what makes the Bible such an important stepping stone in the life of faith:
An army chaplain, working the field after a battle, found a wounded man and asked him if he would like to hear a few verses of scripture. The man replied, no, but that he was thirsty. The chaplain gave him a drink from his canteen. Shall I read some scripture now? “No, thank you,” said the soldier. But could you put something under my head?” The chaplain did so and repeated his question once more. “No, sir, not now. But I’m cold. Could you cover me up?” And the chaplain took off his great coat and gently tucked it around the wounded man.
By now, the chaplain had put away his Bible, and prepared to walk away. But the soldier said, “Look, Chaplain, if there’s something in that book of yours that makes a person do what you’ve done for me, then I want to hear it.”
There’s something in this book that moves us one step closer to our Lord and Savior, and through which he equips us to take the next step in faith.
2 Timothy 3:14 ff.
Since our Sunday School youth and teachers set the beautiful stepping stones in our lovely new part behind the church on Rally Day, we’ve been thinking together about the steps we take along the journey of faith. Last week we talked about Baptism, which is for many people the initial encounter with God’s grace and love. This week we are going to focus on what is for most of us the next step – learning the story of God and humanity in the pages of the Bible – Holy Scripture – the Book
Listen for the Word of God as it comes to us from the 2nd Letter to Timothy, Chapter 3, beginning at verse 14.
14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
This is my Bible. It was given to me by my parents, as a birthday gift the summer I graduated from seminary. My old Bible (the one I got from church when I was in the fourth grade) was all marked up with multicolor highlighters, it had lost it’s cover, gotten caught in the rain more than once, and Ephesians was beginning to fall out. My father and I went to the bookstore and picked it out. We didn’t look at the study bibles, or the fancy paraphrase bibles, or the heavy show Bibles. Daddy said he wanted to get me a “working Bible”. I know he mostly meant a Bible that I could use in my work as a minister. But it is equally true that this is a working Bible because it works on me.
From this Bible I have learned, more than from any commentary or course, what salvation in Jesus Christ means. It is to this Bible that I have looked when days were dark and courage failed me. This is where I am reminded about the hope of the Gospel, and challenged to walk more faithfully with my friend and redeemer, Jesus Christ. And these are the words I wrestle with in an attempt to communicate the promise and the demands of the Christian life.
I want you to know that when I speak to you about the Bible, I do not do so primarily as a person trained in interpretation of ancient texts, or as a church professional, whatever that means. I speak to you as someone whose life has been saved by the person of Jesus Christ I have encountered though this book.
I love this book. Learning to love the Bible is one of the first steps that we take in our Christian walk. It is a step the church tries to encourage, even in our youngest members: Timothy’s letter says, “from childhood you have known the sacred writings”
The stories we learn in Sunday School point us to Jesus. Jesus loves me, this I know. For the BIBLE tells me so.
Maybe in the beginning, our first story is the story of Jesus welcoming the little children and blessing them. But we learn others, too. We learn the Christmas story, and the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, even as very little children. Sometimes worship, sometimes music, teaches us the Biblical witness . . . That’s why I repeat some words in the liturgy every Sunday. “ Friends, believe the good news of the Gospel. In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. . . . All that we have is thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from thee.”
Do we understand all the depth and fullness of these stories as children? No, but then you could argue that we don’t understand the depth and fullness of the Biblical narrative much better when we are 80 than when we are 8. The important thing is that we HEAR and learn these stories, so that they become part of our lives. Scripture is meant for us from childhood and then throughout our lives. Learning how to read and interpret scripture is a life long – in fact longer than life long – engagement. There is not a stage of life to which the scriptures do not speak.
As we get older, we may encounter challenges to reading the Bible in a way that strengthens and challenges our faith. We notice that some stories don’t seem to make sense. Or they don’t match with what we know from other parts of our life or other parts of the Bible. Love your enemies doesn’t exactly fit with stories in which God commands cities to be destroyed and all the inhabitants slain. And we begin to wonder how to make sense of this book.
Timothy says “All scripture is inspired by God.” But what does that mean? Some people decide that the Bible is just
an ancient book of fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by men and women
16%
4%
1%
Very few Presbyterians take that route – only 4% of members, and less than 1% of pastors.
In the Bible Belt, we may meet fellow Christians who insist that the only way to read the Bible with love and respect is to insist that every word of the Bible is literally true. In the 1990s about 30% of US adults held that view. That if Genesis says the world was created in seven days, then God demands that we believe that in the same amount of time we pass from Monday to Sunday, all the universe was brought forth and every earthly creature was created. A much smaller minority of Presbyterians hold that view. But we might secretly think that we should, since that’s what these more vocal denominations and TV evangelists insist upon, and they seem to be serious and devout. 77% of Presbyterian members, and 94% of Presbyterian pastors understand the Bible differently – as the inspired and authoritative Word of God, NOT all of which is to be interpreted literally, word for word. (Presbyterian survey 1990 and 1993)
This is not a “weaker” view of inspiration than the more fundamentalist one. But it is different. Believing as we do, more study, more thought, more engagement with one another as we study together is required. We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, not just inspired in the writing of it, but in the reading and interpretation and application, too. God’s Spirit, moving among us, continues to be involved in bringing the Bible to life for us.
Presbyterian Bible Study tends to be a group activity more than a solitary pursuit. Even when we read the Bible devotionally, we are likely to have other people – in the form of a devotional booklet, or the notes of a study Bible, or some other resource – at hand. We aren’t biblical Lone Rangers.
Maybe some of you have given up on the Bible, because you’ve been trying to go it alone and it’s not working for you. Join a Bible study. Buy a study Bible. Call me up. I’ll come over and have a cup of coffee and puzzle a passage through with you. Or maybe you don’t know where to start to get back into the Bible. Don’t be discouraged! Step back. Take an overview, and get the big picture before you dive in. On your bulletin is the link to a very good, very short “summary” of the Biblical story. It makes plain what can seem sort of confusing if Sunday School was sort of a long time ago.
http://www.pcusa.org/horizons/magazines/2007/hrznmyjn07/bibleabout.pdf
The Bible is our foundational story. It is our guide. It is an important stepping stone in the life of faith. But here’s the take home point – We are not saved by our Bibles. We are not made holy by memorizing scripture. The reason the Bible is so important is because it helps us grow in our understanding, appreciation and love for Jesus Christ, who DOES save us.
Timothy’s letter says, “the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. Scripture doesn’t save us. Jesus does.
We understand scripture as a witness to Jesus Christ. We don’t say it is literally, historically, geologically true. We say it witnesses to the truth of Jesus. Jesus said, “I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life.”
And it is Jesus’ way that we hope the Bible will teach us, correct us and train us to follow. It is so that we may be proficient and equipped to do as Jesus did, in every good work, that we love and study the Bible.
There’s a great story that preachers have been telling since the Civil War, about what makes the Bible such an important stepping stone in the life of faith:
An army chaplain, working the field after a battle, found a wounded man and asked him if he would like to hear a few verses of scripture. The man replied, no, but that he was thirsty. The chaplain gave him a drink from his canteen. Shall I read some scripture now? “No, thank you,” said the soldier. But could you put something under my head?” The chaplain did so and repeated his question once more. “No, sir, not now. But I’m cold. Could you cover me up?” And the chaplain took off his great coat and gently tucked it around the wounded man.
By now, the chaplain had put away his Bible, and prepared to walk away. But the soldier said, “Look, Chaplain, if there’s something in that book of yours that makes a person do what you’ve done for me, then I want to hear it.”
There’s something in this book that moves us one step closer to our Lord and Savior, and through which he equips us to take the next step in faith.
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