Last week Bruce Waltke plunged us into the good news of Psalm 22, almost like we were reading straight out of the Gospels. This week we dive deeper into Hebrews 2, asking: “What are mere mortals, (compared to awesome angels!) and who will rule the new world coming?” Please read Hebrews 2: 5 – 12 and get ready to wrestle with two Old Testament passages Hebrews quotes to help us “pay more closer attention” to God’s Word.
To help us understand what God’s Word is, and how the Bible interrupts our train of thought, listen to Dr. Thomas Long describe the nature of divine revelation:
“In Hebrews, God is pictured not as a silent and distant force, impassively regulating the universe, but as a talker. One who has been speaking, arguing, pleading, wooing, commanding, telling stories, conversing, and generally spinning words across the lines between heaven and earth since the beginning of time.
The concept of divine revelation as speech implies . . .
an active interruption of silence,
a disturbance of the stillness caused by the force of sound waves,
so revelation is an active intrusion by God into our world,
and not a passive process.
In this sense, revelation is far more than mere human discernment of the holy; it is an event, and act of God toward humanity. Revelation is being “spoken to”, it is a holy summons, a disturbance of our peace.
Revelation is not initially what we do to find a name God, but what God does toward us to seek and to save and to restore all creation. Revelation is not human beings bringing ourselves to the place where we can see God hidden in every flower, star, and cloud, but God bringing us to the awareness that the heavens are preaching a word we could not know on our own, and that flowers, stars, and clouds – indeed the whole universe, as well as the entire fabric of human history - are telling a story of God’s glory beyond our imagining.
The speech of God creates its own family of faithful hearers – “ancestors” – not in the biological sense, but in the acoustic sense, a genealogy of those who have been hearers of the Word and thus kinfolk in the faith. The writer of Hebrews, faithful to the narratives of the Old Testament, know that to be the people of God is not primarily to be given secret illumination or mystical enlightenment, but rather to be drawn into a lively and life-changing conversation.” (Long, p.7, Hebrews, 1997)
For the last 3 Sundays, this life-changing conversation which starts in Scripture has been spilling over onto the church grass. As your pastor, I cannot express in words how inspiring this time has been, nor how excited and grateful I am to have your questions and insights help me become “Old School Matt”!
So keep asking: What does God want to teach us about the Bible? How is God’s Word interrupting my thought process – and both pruning and fertilizing my faith?
See you on Sunday,
Pastor Matt
Wenatchee Brethren Baptist Church is celebrating 100 years!
Wenatchee Brethren Baptist Church invites you to join them on Sunday afternoon, October 23, 2022 from 2:00 - 3:00 in the church sanctuary for celebrating the many ways this church fellowship
has been a blessing in our community and in the world.
There will be photo displays, spoken history, sung history and prayer with time for conversation and refreshments following.
One hundred years! That’s a long time! What might God have in store for them next?
Lunch Buddies Program
After three years, the Lunch Buddies Program is back at Columbia Elementary! The Lunch Buddies Program is a once a week commitment that pairs an adult volunteer with students that need just a little bit more adult connection. This year long commitment pairs the adult volunteer with one student for 25 minutes or two students in 45 minutes. There is an opportunity to be with KG/1st, 2nd/3rd, or 4th/5th. All adult volunteers will need to fill out the school districts volunteer form here. Volunteers can also fill out volunteer paperwork at the district office if they are unable to access this form online.
Housing Need
Oleg and Karina and their daughters are looking for an affordable two bedroom place to rent in Wenatchee. They are the Ukrainian family that visit Trinity occasionally and were most recently at our Baptism service. Please reach out to Nate Kellogg (360-999-9712) for more information.
Live Bible Study, One Hour per Month
If you haven't already signed up for a Bible Study (or if you want a once/month one with a Wheaton Prof), we wanted to include Trinity in the amazing once/monthly Bible Study that the Anglican Justice Mission is offering to churches who want to better understand the biblical foundations for justice (and God's "quartet of the vulnerable": widows, orphans, the poor, the stranger). The Hebrew word for justice far predates the social awakening of the past few years, and it is important for Christians to be rooted with one foot firmly planted in the Scriptures, and one in our world. Join us for one hour/month as we have this rare opportunity to sit at the feet of an OT prof in a conversational Bible Study. Dr Carroll Rodas is offering this amidst his heavy teaching schedule and his Biblical commentary writing schedule, because he loves the church and longs for her to look like Jesus. All you need to do is register. First Monday of the month, 5pm PST. Canlises are doing this one with their teens!
Key Info for Church this Fall
Our services are at 8:30am and 9:45am.
- Live stream our 9:45am services HERE - Watch past services on YouTube - Listen to Sermon audio
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