Stuff

I'm trying to learn 2000 years of Christian theology in 6 weeks. It's a bit of a challenge! There are so many names that I'm not sure that I'll ever get them straight. Dr. Thorsell has given us 18 potential exam questions, and we'll have to answer 2. I'm really hoping I'll get ones from the Reformation era. Those I can answer! For the rest...well, I'm doing what I can.

Today I introduced my Sunday School class to the idea that the entire Old Testament teaches about Jesus. Then I cautioned them against trying to allegorize everything so that someone in every story stands for Jesus. They understood that pretty well. They were willing to accept that the Old Testament talks about Jesus since they know specific places (in the prophets) and Jesus Himself said that it's all about Him.

One of the best moments.... One student in particular often answers the question "How do you know?" with "It's in the Bible somewhere." Then I ask him where and he rarely knows. (We talk a lot about being able to back up your claims.) He gets a bit frustrated with me sometimes. Today we were reading 1 Peter 1:17-20. We talked about how God planned salvation before the foundation of the world, which is how the Old Testament can talk about it (and Jesus) even though it hadn't happened. I asked if God was surprised when Jesus was killed, and this student said no. I asked how he knows, and he said, "It's in the Bible somewhere and you're going to ask me where and I don't know where!" Two of us pointed out that it's in the passage we had just read!

Pastor Coates is preaching through Galatians. Today he started chapter 4 (and you should go and listen to his sermon). He was talking about being no longer slaves, but sons. He was talking about the Israelites in the desert and how they found freedom scary. My young friend who sits with me did not understand why freedom was scary and I was trying to explain (although entirely in notes back and forth). She finally grasped that as slaves someone is responsible for you, but as free people we are responsible for ourselves. Then I pointed out that as slaves they felt safe, but now they had to go and fight people who were big like giants and they didn't trust God. She didn't understand why, because God can help people fight. I agreed, but told her that they forgot so they were scared. Her response: "That's stupid!" I agreed and let it go for now. One day she will understand being afraid of freedom and forgetting to trust.

Hey...the power went out as I was typing that last paragraph! What's with that? Shoot....I hope it comes back on soon. I have people coming over and I don't have that many candles around!

One of my babies got married yesterday. She was in my Junior Church class back in Thunder Bay many, many years ago. I watched her grow up, and yet I'm still not sure how she's old enough to be married.

Well, I'm going to go and save this as a Word document until the power is back on and the internet is back up so I can publish it! Sigh. I finally get around to blogging and... never mind. The power just came back on. It was only off for about 10 minutes or so.

Here, for your listening enjoyment, one of the hymns we sang today.