[Propertalk] Gospel quotes for Pentecost - Part 1

[Joe Parrish]

... 75% of Americans give to charities annually at an average of $1800 or 3.5% of their incomes. Totaling it up, one quarter trillion dollars is shared with others, 75% of it coming from private individuals. This private giving could finance the annual gross domestic product (GDP) of either Norway, Sweden or Denmark. (Brooks) The purpose of sharing these numbers is not to give us cause to boast, but to recognize together that many have seen the love of God in Christ Jesus and the worldwide impact of these charitable ministries is significant. Jesus was right when he said in Palestine so long ago, "you haven't seen anything yet." 

http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/predigt.php?id=240&kennung=20070527en

David Zersen
- - - - -
When God wants to give us a greater blessing he does so by letting us feel temporarily forsaken by him. This was how he led the people of Israel into the promised land. He took them through the desert. And in the desert they felt so deserted that they were ready to give up on the entire journey with God. Let's go back to Egypt, they said, back to slavery. At least that was better than being here in the desert. But the way to the promised land went through the desert. The way to the blessing went through them feeling forsaken by God. But they were never forsaken. God was with them all the time. 

http://www.sigurdgrindheim.com/sermons/spirit.html

Sigurd Grindheim
- - - - -

In one series, he has Snoopy, that hound of heaven, thinking and talking about Woodstock, that would-be bird of paradise. Snoopy says, "Someday, Woodstock is going to be a great eagle. He's going to soar 1,000 feet above the earth." About that time, Woodstock takes off, gets about 100 feet above the earth, but then soars down for awhile and begins to twirl around in all sorts of dervish movements. And Snoopy has second thoughts. He says, "Well, maybe just 100 feet above the earth." And about that time, Woodstock plummets to the earth, lies on his back half dazed, and Snoopy concludes, "Maybe he'll just be one of those eagles that walks around on earth.

http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/dunnam_4006.htm

Maxie Dunnam, 1996
- - - - -

I've never known of anybody who could measure up to the works of the Lord. And yet this is what he says, "See what I'm doing. What I'm doing you'll be able to do," and then he adds, "and greater works than these shall ye do because I go unto my Father."
When I asked my pastor about that when I was a young boy he said it's because we don't have enough faith. That didn't quite wash with me because Jesus doesn't say you might do it if you have enough faith. He says, you will do it. I think that the problem is this, that we are so impressed with the power of God that we fail to see that the miracles are not about his power but about his love. What Jesus did he did not so much to demonstrate his power but to express his love. 

http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/campolo_4001.htm

Tony Campolo, 1996
- - - - -

But what is Jesus telling us anyway, when he says that if we ask him for anything in his name, he will do it?
Well, the whole Gospel for today is a pep talk to his followers, for he is going away. He is talking about removing his physical presence from his disciples, after the resurrection, after his work is completed.

How often we might have wanted to walk up to Jesus and ask him what he meant by saying this and other things or why whatever is going on in our lives is happening. We are like St. Philip, the apostle of our Lord. All he wanted was a clear presentation of God, so he could trust Jesus. But even if he or we could see God any clearer than he saw Jesus, we would still have to trust him. We have to place our confidence in him, or in someone, something else.

Placing our confidence in someone or something else is worse than betting on a sports team. You have no idea what is going to happen. A vote of no confidence in the power and presence of Jesus is not stepping onto solid ground but trying to walk on water. As I recall only One person was successful in doing that.

http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-7/050501-3-e.html

Hubert Beck, 2005
- - - - -
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://stsams.org/pipermail/propertalk_stsams.org/attachments/20100522/0183512d/attachment.htm>