LAST SUNDAY'S SERMON NOTES
Read Peter's preaching notes....
“An Undivided Heart”
Psalm 86:1-17
9/8/19
Mark 12:28-31: what is the greatest commandment? Love Lord w/ ALL heart/soul/etc
how well do you follow that commandment? love Lord completely, no wavering
every fiber of being focused upon him?
simple test to see if able to love Lord w/ all your mind
5 minutes, think of nothing but Lord
to help, can even use phrase (Lord is shepherd, Praise Lord, Hallowed be name)
if able to do, congrats! not easy at all, no matter how much love Lord
in meditation circles, “monkey brain:” true not only for mind, also heart, soul, strength
would love to live up to James 1:6-8: ask & believe w/out doubt
but often find selves “double minded & unstable”
instead, more like Romans 7: do what we don’t want to do
don’t do what we want to do
even when working on something we enjoy, mind wanders
want a break & step away from
Why? part of it is because of distractions around us, getting worse w/ each generation
each technological advance is an invasion that encroaches into lives
from radio to TV to internet to smart phones
constant checking, texting, photo-taking
answer not to remove all technology & live like Amish
maybe their lives are simpler, but simpler life ≠ better focus on God
Paul didn’t have a cell phone or Facebook account
but still couldn’t remain focused on God and God alone
Another part of problem is plain old human nature
what Paul calls σαρξ: lit “flesh,” often trans “sinful nature”
part of what makes us who we are, at least after Fall
human nature, w/ all its passions, desires & frailties
can think of it as our “lower nature”
Paul talks a lot about σαρξ in Romans: Ch 7 deals w/ how it interferes w/ full devotion
labyrinth walk at Cenacle on 7:20-21: 4 movements w/ each direction:
1.I want to do good
2.evil is right there w/ me
3.it is no longer I who do it
4.it is sin living in me that does it
must acknowledge presence of sin in me
want to think that it is distinct from me: sick one inside of me
Jesus calls us to be different: full obedience: borrow 2 examples from sabb. preachers
Albuquerque wp: dog doesn’t obey “sit” command by partly sitting
Peter Larson on Matt 14:25-31: Peter didn’t stick one foot out of the boat
How do we get there? be able to sit, get out of boat?
wish I could wave magic wand over us all
or tell you that once born again & receive HS, sinful nature cast out
that 2 Cor 5 is like turning on light switch: old gone, new has come
more like process of summer turning to fall
over next couple months, leaves will turn brilliant colors, then drop off
just as over course of life, become aware of sinful nature: HS highlights in bold color
recognize that sin & distraction is part of who we are: awareness 1st step
no longer automatic & thoughtless: become aware of what we are doing
then gradually, as HS continues work in us, it drops away, like leaves in November
never finished in process on this side of glory
while on this earth, continue to strive to love w/ all heart, soul, mind, strength
hopefully, each day, each month, each year, a little better at it
Find hope back in Ro 7: ends w/ v 25: thanks be to God, who delivers through JX Lord
but X gives victory in our struggle w/ σαρξ: monkey brain of our lives that pulls away
deliverance is new every morning, for Xn life is process: HS replacing σαρξ
Psalm 86 is our prayer as we go through process: not a once-off prayer, but continual
begins poor, needy, in distress
not because of adversaries or adversities around us, but w/in us
caught up in the waves of doubt, or whirlwind of distractions that create for self
unable to sit down, or get out of boat completely
but in midst of, keep in mind who God is
one we serve
forgiving & good
“abounding in love to all who call on you:” even if our call is half-hearted
compassionate & gracious
none like him: “you alone are God”
confidence of future: all the nations you have made will come to you, bring glory to you
if all nations will, we’re part of “all nations:” confident that we will too
will eventually be able to do what we want to do, even if can’t do it now
All leads to request at heart of psalm
“Teach me your way, that I may rely on your faithfulness”
key to it all: to learn God’s way, his method of dealing w/ humanity
is to learn that he is faithful: even when our attention wanders like dog/squirrel
“Give me an undivided heart:” remove the divided life of Romans 7
so that external distractions & internal distractibility no longer pull us away from him
As a result, able to fear name, praise w/ “all my heart,” glorify name forever
may not be where you are now, but where we’re all headed
Psalm 86:1-17
9/8/19
Mark 12:28-31: what is the greatest commandment? Love Lord w/ ALL heart/soul/etc
how well do you follow that commandment? love Lord completely, no wavering
every fiber of being focused upon him?
simple test to see if able to love Lord w/ all your mind
5 minutes, think of nothing but Lord
to help, can even use phrase (Lord is shepherd, Praise Lord, Hallowed be name)
if able to do, congrats! not easy at all, no matter how much love Lord
in meditation circles, “monkey brain:” true not only for mind, also heart, soul, strength
would love to live up to James 1:6-8: ask & believe w/out doubt
but often find selves “double minded & unstable”
instead, more like Romans 7: do what we don’t want to do
don’t do what we want to do
even when working on something we enjoy, mind wanders
want a break & step away from
Why? part of it is because of distractions around us, getting worse w/ each generation
each technological advance is an invasion that encroaches into lives
from radio to TV to internet to smart phones
constant checking, texting, photo-taking
answer not to remove all technology & live like Amish
maybe their lives are simpler, but simpler life ≠ better focus on God
Paul didn’t have a cell phone or Facebook account
but still couldn’t remain focused on God and God alone
Another part of problem is plain old human nature
what Paul calls σαρξ: lit “flesh,” often trans “sinful nature”
part of what makes us who we are, at least after Fall
human nature, w/ all its passions, desires & frailties
can think of it as our “lower nature”
Paul talks a lot about σαρξ in Romans: Ch 7 deals w/ how it interferes w/ full devotion
labyrinth walk at Cenacle on 7:20-21: 4 movements w/ each direction:
1.I want to do good
2.evil is right there w/ me
3.it is no longer I who do it
4.it is sin living in me that does it
must acknowledge presence of sin in me
want to think that it is distinct from me: sick one inside of me
Jesus calls us to be different: full obedience: borrow 2 examples from sabb. preachers
Albuquerque wp: dog doesn’t obey “sit” command by partly sitting
Peter Larson on Matt 14:25-31: Peter didn’t stick one foot out of the boat
How do we get there? be able to sit, get out of boat?
wish I could wave magic wand over us all
or tell you that once born again & receive HS, sinful nature cast out
that 2 Cor 5 is like turning on light switch: old gone, new has come
more like process of summer turning to fall
over next couple months, leaves will turn brilliant colors, then drop off
just as over course of life, become aware of sinful nature: HS highlights in bold color
recognize that sin & distraction is part of who we are: awareness 1st step
no longer automatic & thoughtless: become aware of what we are doing
then gradually, as HS continues work in us, it drops away, like leaves in November
never finished in process on this side of glory
while on this earth, continue to strive to love w/ all heart, soul, mind, strength
hopefully, each day, each month, each year, a little better at it
Find hope back in Ro 7: ends w/ v 25: thanks be to God, who delivers through JX Lord
but X gives victory in our struggle w/ σαρξ: monkey brain of our lives that pulls away
deliverance is new every morning, for Xn life is process: HS replacing σαρξ
Psalm 86 is our prayer as we go through process: not a once-off prayer, but continual
begins poor, needy, in distress
not because of adversaries or adversities around us, but w/in us
caught up in the waves of doubt, or whirlwind of distractions that create for self
unable to sit down, or get out of boat completely
but in midst of, keep in mind who God is
one we serve
forgiving & good
“abounding in love to all who call on you:” even if our call is half-hearted
compassionate & gracious
none like him: “you alone are God”
confidence of future: all the nations you have made will come to you, bring glory to you
if all nations will, we’re part of “all nations:” confident that we will too
will eventually be able to do what we want to do, even if can’t do it now
All leads to request at heart of psalm
“Teach me your way, that I may rely on your faithfulness”
key to it all: to learn God’s way, his method of dealing w/ humanity
is to learn that he is faithful: even when our attention wanders like dog/squirrel
“Give me an undivided heart:” remove the divided life of Romans 7
so that external distractions & internal distractibility no longer pull us away from him
As a result, able to fear name, praise w/ “all my heart,” glorify name forever
may not be where you are now, but where we’re all headed
Old Union Presbyterian Church | 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com