Bulletin 11.30.25
"How blessed are the people who are so situated; How blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!" Psalm 144:15
Reflection Before The Service
Reflection Before The Service
Many evangelicals, however, act like they are still living in Jerusalem or Samaria. Consider, for example... taking personal offense at the behavior or language of unbelievers. If I go to see a movie in Babylon, should I not expect the film to reflect Babylonian beliefs and values? As a Christian I may disagree strongly with those beliefs and find the values utterly contrary to God ’s law, but surely that should not be surprising. Nor, if I am living in exile in Babylon, does it make sense to be offended that Babylonians act like the Babylonians, or that they fail to make many films that reflect the beliefs and values of Jerusalem. In fact, I should not be surprised if they make films that deride the beliefs and values of Jerusalem – after all, this is Babylon.
The model of living in exile thus helps clarify why we might want to watch
Babylonian films, even though they do not reflect the beliefs and values of
Jerusalem. The fact that Babylonians make art that reflects their world and life view should be seen as an opportunity. We need windows of insight into the Babylonian culture, and points of contact in order to launch discussion of the big questions of life, and Babylonian art is one place where both can be found. Besides, one need not be a believer to make good films, just as an author need not be a Christian to write fine fiction, full of insight into life in a fallen world.
— Denis Haack; Living in Exile: a Model for Faithfulness (on
RansomFellowship.org—highly recommended)
The Call To Worship
The Call To Worship
Psalm 144.9 -15
I will sing a new song to You, O God;
Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
Who gives salvation to kings,
Who rescues David His servant from the evil sword.
Rescue me and deliver me out of the hand of strangers,
Whose mouth speaks deceit
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants,
And our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace;
Let our garners be full, furnishing every kind of produce,
And our flocks bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
Let our cattle bear
Without mishap and without loss,
Let there be no outcry in our streets!
How blessed are the people who are so situated;
How blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!
(Prayer)
Reflection Before The Service
Many evangelicals, however, act like they are still living in Jerusalem or Samaria. Consider, for example... taking personal offense at the behavior or language of unbelievers. If I go to see a movie in Babylon, should I not expect the film to reflect Babylonian beliefs and values? As a Christian I may disagree strongly with those beliefs and find the values utterly contrary to God ’s law, but surely that should not be surprising. Nor, if I am living in exile in Babylon, does it make sense to be offended that Babylonians act like the Babylonians, or that they fail to make many films that reflect the beliefs and values of Jerusalem. In fact, I should not be surprised if they make films that deride the beliefs and values of Jerusalem – after all, this is Babylon.
The model of living in exile thus helps clarify why we might want to watch
Babylonian films, even though they do not reflect the beliefs and values of
Jerusalem. The fact that Babylonians make art that reflects their world and life view should be seen as an opportunity. We need windows of insight into the Babylonian culture, and points of contact in order to launch discussion of the big questions of life, and Babylonian art is one place where both can be found. Besides, one need not be a believer to make good films, just as an author need not be a Christian to write fine fiction, full of insight into life in a fallen world.
— Denis Haack; Living in Exile: a Model for Faithfulness (on
RansomFellowship.org—highly recommended)
The Call To Worship
Psalm 144.9 -15
I will sing a new song to You, O God;
Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
Who gives salvation to kings,
Who rescues David His servant from the evil sword.
Rescue me and deliver me out of the hand of strangers,
Whose mouth speaks deceit
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants,
And our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace;
Let our garners be full, furnishing every kind of produce,
And our flocks bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
Let our cattle bear
Without mishap and without loss,
Let there be no outcry in our streets!
How blessed are the people who are so situated;
How blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!
(Prayer)
30/11/25