I Don't Do Deja Vu -- November 30, 2012

Have you ever seen the movie "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray and Andie McDowell?

Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is a weather forecaster who is in Punxsutawaney, Pennsylvania to see whether or not a groundhog sees his shadow.  This is Phil's fourth year having to do it and he is bored.

Finally, the day of festivities is over and he goes to bed. 

His radio alarm clock wakes him to Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" and he finds himself reliving the same day once again.  He goes to bed.

His radio alarm clock wakes him to Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" and he finds himself reliving February 2nd again.  He goes to bed.

His radio alarm clock wakes him to Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe"...well, you get the idea.

Phil uses the time to do lots of things; some good, some not so good.  But he keeps trying until he gets it right.

It's a great movie.  It's one of those movies you just have to watch if you turn past it.

Why would I bring up "Groundhog Day"?

Well, we begin a new quarter in our "The Gospel Project" curriculum.  Turns out, our first book was the beta version of the series.  Our new book for the winter quarter takes us on a journey through the Old Testament.

But here's the rub.  The first two lessons in our new book were lessons one and four in our last book.  Different points but the exact same scripture passages.

I don't really feel like teaching about God creating the earth again since I did that in September.  Not much has changed in 90 days.  You probably don't want to hear it again so soon either.

So we are going to look at a central tenant of Christianity:  FAITH.

Here are the Bible passages we will focus on this week:

Hebrews 11:1-2, Hebrews 11:5-7, Hebrews11:32-38, and Hebrews 12:1-2

Remember, the Book of Hebrews is a proverbial "preaching to the choir" kind of book.  It was written for Jews who were either new to the faith or were still kicking the tires.

The audience for Hebrews were those who knew the Old Testament and sought to live out its words.  It reminds me of our class in a way.  You see, most everyone in our class grew up in church.  You've heard the stories; you know the Bible.  Even if you didn't grow up in church, you've been a believer for a while.

Ours is not a class of new Christians.  That's why I believe Hebrews is a good place for us this week.  On Sunday (9:50 a.m. of course), we'll look at faith and what it means.

Make sure you bring your Bible so we can look up these and other passages.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"It is never too late to be what you might have been."  George Eliot

Recharge Your Spiritual Batteries -- November 26, 2012

Why do you come to church?

What do you get from coming to church?

What do you bring to our church?

What is your favorite part of church?

When the Jewish people were taken into captivity in Babylon, most of their knowledge of the Law and customs vanished.  Years later, King Cyrus allowed Nehemiah to take the Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city.  42,360 people went with him.

They gathered together, and Ezra, the chief priest, read from the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament) from daybreak to noon.  Six hours the people stood to hear what God gave them through Moses.

This account came from Nehemiah 8.  Unfortunately, with so many hard-to-pronounce Old Testament names, I didn't want to embarrass anyone who read.  So instead we watched a dramatic interpretation of our scripture.

How many people would show up if we scheduled a 6-hour "Listen to the Bible Being Read" event?

Fast forward 618 years and you'd see a different crowd in Jerusalem.  Now we visit Acts 2.  This is the first recorded sermon after Jesus' ascension into heaven.  Peter preaches a wonderful sermon to the Jewish crowd.  These Jews were from all over the known world and had gathered in Jerusalem.  This is right after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit had filled the believers.  Those believers received the gift of tongues allowing them to speak in other languages.

We didn't read the sermon.  We did something different.  We watched a video of Jim Rohn, a business philosopher, who described the reactions to that sermon.  Remember that what you'll see is part of a business seminar, not a church service.  It's a reminder that it's always possible to incorporate the Gospel into anything you do.

(Go to the 16:14 mark and watch until 19:55)

I hope you see being at church as a blessing instead of a burden.  It's important for you to be here learning about Jesus.  But it's even more important that your kids see that going to church is important to you and your family.

Fellowship time with other believers recharges your spiritual batteries.  It helps you keep going and going and going!

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“Never assume you understand. Ask the questions.”  Brian Tracy

We're All In This Together -- November 23, 2012

I hope you enjoyed eating way too much food yesterday for Thanksgiving.

If you are traveling this weekend, stay safe.  If you will be in town on Sunday, I hope to see you at 9:50 a.m. for a wonderful time together.

The title of our lesson is "Listening Together".  The scripture passages are Nehemiah 8:1-12 and Acts 2:42.

Give it a quick read.  Then you'll be prepared.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it."  Bill Cosby

Keeping it in CONTEXT -- November 19, 2012

We’re going to start with a Bible drill of sorts this morning.

We will look at some verses in scripture to see what the Bible commands us to do.

First up, Matthew 19:21==>  “Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

So that will be your first agenda item tomorrow morning when the banks open.

Now what will you do when April 15^th rolls around and you have no money to pay your taxes because you’ve given your money and possessions to the poor?  Fortunately, Jesus answers that for us.

Look up Matthew 17:27==> “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Anybody want to join me at the lake this afternoon to catch some tax money?

But you know--we always talk about the upside of following God.  But to be fair and balanced, we need to show both sides.  Let’s look at Matthew 4:8-9==>  “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

That sounds like a tempting proposal.  Why don’t preachers tell us about this great deal that Satan has for us?

Now, I don’t want to judge you if you decide to take Satan up on his offer.  Mostly because of Matthew 7:1==>  “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

Each of you needs to make your own choice.  It’s too important for me to try to influence you.  I believe you should choose God.  But if you don’t, I really can’t say that you are wrong.  Why?  Because of John 8:7==>  “When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

I will admit that I’m not perfect; I have sin in my life.  So I can’t recommend you do anything.  You can just figure it out on your own.

I hope you enjoyed that concoction of quotes from scripture.  No verse was harmed in this illustration.  I did not alter any verse.  I hope you got my point, though.  When you pick out bits and pieces, you can really alter what the Word says, can’t you?

The word for the day is "CONTEXT".  The context of any scripture is vitally important to its' proper perspective on our lives.

For instance, in 1 Corinthians 11:6, Paul writes, "If a woman's head is not covered, her hair should be cut off."  Is the application of this text to mean that the women in our church should wear hats to church every week or else shave their heads?  NO!

Then why did Paul say this to the church in Corinth?  Well, in Corinth, the women who publicly displayed their long hair were prostitutes.  So modesty is the truth here, not hair length.  Like other passages in the Bible, Christians are commanded to be different from the world.  This is just another example.

We looked at four different styles of writing (or genres) in the Bible:  Historical Narrative, Wisdom Literature, Prophecy, and Letters.  Each must be filtered through the context of their authorship.

Douglas Moo had a great quote about the Letters of the New Testament:  “As we read the letters of the New Testament, we are hearing one end of the telephone conversation. We have Paul responding to situations or answering questions a church has asked, but often we don’t know what those situations or questions were. We need to read the New Testament letters with an ear open to the questions or historical situations being addressed.” 

I want to introduce you to an organization called "I am Second".  Its purpose is to inspire people to live for God and others.

If you go to their website--www.iamsecond.com--you'll see video testimonies from people like Joe Gibbs, Matt Barkley, Tony Dungy, Scott Hamilton, Kathy Ireland, Josh Turner, and Michael W. Smith.  You can also see a video from one of our own class members.  Just click on "Films" at the top right, or click here.

The movement utilizes small groups of 2 to 8 people to be accountable to each other in studying the Bible and applying it to their lives.

Their meeting format has a great series of questions to ask about any scripture passage you read.  It goes like this:

Read a Bible passage.

Ask:  What did you like?

Ask:  What did you not like or find confusing?

Read the Bible passage again.

Ask:  What does this teach about people?

Ask:  What does this teach about God?

Read the Bible passage one more time.

Ask:  How will I live this out?

Ask:  Who will I tell about what I have learned?

It's a neat way of studying any scripture passage.

Two men were traveling by foot from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They were talking about the crucifixion of Jesus when suddenly Jesus joined them on their journey. As they walked, the conversation turned to Scripture. “Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures” (Luke 24:27). In essence, the great Teacher gave them a proper understanding of how God speaks through His Word.

We don’t have Jesus with us physically to explain the Bible to us.  But if we listen to the Holy Spirit while we are studying scripture, we’ll stay on the right path.

If you are traveling for Thanksgiving, be safe.  Enjoy time with your family and friends.  You have lots to be thankful for.

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.”  Whitney Young Jr.

What Does the bible Mean When It Says... -- November 16, 2012

Great news everyone!

This week we are going to dive into Bible hermeneutics.  I know you are as thrilled as I am.  Can't wait!

What is "hermeneutics"?  Simple.  According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, it's "the study of the methodological principles of biblical interpretation".

Say that four times fast.

Would you like the English translation of what you just read?

This week, we'll look at four different styles of writing in the Bible:  historical narrative, wisdom literature, prophecy, and letters.  Feel better now?

Normally, I send you a link of the scripture passages we'll cover.  Because it's a hodge-podge of verses this week, I'm not going to.

Instead, read pages 112-117 in your study guide.  It will give you a foundation for our discussion Sunday morning (9:50 a.m.).

Each style of writing asks us to understand it differently.  You'll understand Sunday.

By the way, don't forget: the guys need to meet at the church Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. to cover the fellowship hall walls with paper for the Breakfast with Santa coming up in a few weeks.  Bring a ladder if you have one.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“Monotony is the awful reward of the careful." - A. G. Buckham

The Power of a Story -- November 13, 2012

With many funny names in our 2 Kings 22 scripture passage, it was nice to let the professionals perform it for us.

King Josiah had one plan (restoring the Temple) that led to a better plan (finding the lost Book of the Law).  After hearing the Law read to him, he tore his clothes in agony because his people had not been doing what God wanted them to.

We talked about how the Bible is a collection of stories with one overall storyline from beginning to end--God's love for his people.

Many of you commented on the video about the lady who ministered to the needs of the waitress at Subway.  I'd love to send you a link to the video, but it's copyright protected.

I will send you a link to Tim Hawkin's testimony.  Like I said, you'll get extra credit if you can top his version.  Here it is...

Tim Hawkins - What I Believe

God has done great things in your life.  Always be ready to share your story with others.

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." -- Victor Borge

A Different Type of SUBMIT Button -- November 9, 2012

"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

This is the Oath of Enlistment that every new recruit in the U.S. military must take.  Notice that the oath is to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States".  Those that wear the uniform swear to uphold the document that lays out how this nation is governed.

We saw provisions of the Constitution in action this week with the Presidential Election.  Whether or not you liked the outcome, the process worked.

This Sunday, November 11th, is Veterans Day.  It is a day to say "Thank You" to anyone who has been or is currently serving in our military.

Where did Veterans Day come from?  Would you believe it comes from the end of World War I?

The conclusion of World War I came on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 when Germany signed an Armistice (cessation of hostilities) which ended "The War to End All Wars".

The holiday was first celebrated as "Armistice Day" but was officially changed to "Veterans Day" in 1954 to honor not just WWI soldiers but all who had served in World War II and Korea plus those who would come after.

Did you know that Birmingham, Alabama holds the oldest Veterans Day parade in the country?  It's true.

Raymond Weeks, a WWII veteran from Birmingham, led the first Veterans Day parade in the country in 1947 and led it each year until his death in 1985.  This year's parade will be Monday at 1:30 p.m. and goes through downtown Birmingham.

Loved the historical perspective, Darren, but what does it have to do with our lesson this week?

Do you remember the part in the Oath of Enlistment that says "I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me"?

This phrase puts an enlisted member of the military in a willing position of submitting to a higher authority.

Isn't submitting what we as Christians should do to God?  Isn't He the "higher authority"?

This Sunday at 9:50 a.m., we will look at one New Testament passage and one Old Testament story.  It will be Hebrews 4:12-13 and 2 Kings 22:3-20.

We'll see what King Josiah did when a lost Book of the Law was found while rebuilding the Temple.

Who knows?  We may even see a few parallels between what's happening now and what happened then.

And you thought human nature had changed in 26 centuries. 

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“When government accepts responsibility for people, then people no longer take responsibility for themselves.” – George Pataki

Trusting God, No Matter the Cost -- November 5, 2012

I hope you enjoyed playing "American Bible Challenge" to start yesterday.  It's a great app to put on your phone.  Challenge your kids to see what they are learning in their Sunday School classes.

The lesson came from Chapter 7 of the Book of Acts.  We looked at Stephen who was the first Christian killed for his faith.

Our whole lesson revolved around the paragraph on the bottom of page 94 in your "The Gospel Project" book:

"Stephen’s testimony offers us a 3-D Christianity. He shows us that following Jesus Christ involves three dimensions: information, transformation, and proclamation. Stephen believed the good news about Christ (information), loved Christ (transformation), and preached Christ (proclamation). Likewise, we have the opportunity to give our heads, hearts, and lips to the God who creates us and re-creates us."

As Stephen was addressing the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Council, he began by giving a recap of the Old Testament.  He was establishing common ground.  Stephen was able to do this from memory because he knew what the Scriptures say.

You should be the same way.  As a believer, you should have a good working knowledge of what's contained in the Bible.  You don't have to be a world-class theologian, but you should know the building blocks of your faith.

One of the blurbs in your book on page 97 gave one quick snippet of "The Baptist Faith and Message".  This document contains the tenets of what Southern Baptists believe.  If you've never read it, do it now.

The Baptist Faith and Message

Back in high school, I always loved reading the Cliff's Notes for a book (after I did read the assigned book) because it discussed the symbolism, meaning, and historical context.  Wouldn't it be great if the Bible had Cliff's Notes?  Well here they are...

After giving a history lesson, Stephen changed the tone of his sermon.  In verses 52 and 53, he throws down the gauntlet in a big way.  Stephen accuses the Jewish High Council of not keeping the Law.  That's like accusing a BAMA fan of wearing Auburn pajamas.  Them's fightin' words.

The Jewish High Council took exception to this accusation by Stephen.  So much so that they took him out of the city and stoned him to death.

What's the lesson here?  You and I are called to be bold in proclaiming Christ to others no matter what the cost.

We demonstrate our trust in God's Word when we know it, when we believe it, and when we proclaim it boldly.

I challenge you to spend time in the Bible every day.  It's amazing how often your Bible reading will give you wisdom to tackle issues you are going through in life.

That was all the lesson.  But since Tuesday is Election Day, I had to show a video that's a bit political.  I hope you like it...

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm."  Publilius Syrus

For What Would YOU Give Your Life, Your Fortune, Your Sacred Honor? -- November 2, 2012

What would you give up your life for?

For whom would you hand over every dime you have?

Sobering questions, aren't they?

This Sunday at 9:50 a.m., we'll look at Stephen's witness in Acts 6:8-15 and Acts 7.  Stephen was stoned for his beliefs; he was the first Christian martyr.

You'll enjoy the route we take in examining our passage. 

I always try to relate our lesson to things happening today.  It makes the story more vivid.

So what's going on in the world right now?  Is there an election coming up?

Tuesday is Election Day.  It's the day we'll decide who will lead our country for the next four years.

I wanted to step back from all the bile and vitriol that's been spewed from both sides.  (Translation: Let's step out of the political mud for a moment.)

Let's go all the way back to when our country was born.  Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence which severed our ties with Great Britain.

How did that work out for them?  Here's an excerpt from "The Americans Who Risked Everything":

· Francis Lewis, New York delegate saw his home plundered -- and his estates in what is now Harlem -- completely destroyed by British Soldiers. Mrs. Lewis was captured and treated with great brutality. Though she was later exchanged for two British prisoners through the efforts of Congress, she died from the effects of her abuse.

· William Floyd, another New York delegate, was able to escape with his wife and children across Long Island Sound to Connecticut, where they lived as refugees without income for seven years. When they came home they found a devastated ruin.

· Philips Livingstone had all his great holdings in New York confiscated and his family driven out of their home. Livingstone died in 1778 still working in Congress for the cause.

· Louis Morris, the fourth New York delegate, saw all his timber, crops, and livestock taken. For seven years he was barred from his home and family.

· John Hart of Trenton, New Jersey, risked his life to return home to see his dying wife. Hessian soldiers rode after him, and he escaped in the woods. While his wife lay on her deathbed, the soldiers ruined his farm and wrecked his homestead. Hart, 65, slept in caves and woods as he was hunted across the countryside. When at long last, emaciated by hardship, he was able to sneak home, he found his wife had already been buried, and his 13 children taken away. He never saw them again. He died a broken man in 1779, without ever finding his family.

· Dr. John Witherspoon, signer, was president of the College of New Jersey, later called Princeton. The British occupied the town of Princeton, and billeted troops in the college. They trampled and burned the finest college library in the country.

· Judge Richard Stockton, another New Jersey delegate signer, had rushed back to his estate in an effort to evacuate his wife and children. The family found refuge with friends, but a Tory sympathizer betrayed them. Judge Stockton was pulled from bed in the night and brutally beaten by the arresting soldiers. Thrown into a common jail, he was deliberately starved. Congress finally arranged for Stockton's parole, but his health was ruined. The judge was released as an invalid, when he could no longer harm the British cause. He returned home to find his estate looted and did not live to see the triumph of the Revolution. His family was forced to live off charity.

· Robert Morris, merchant prince of Philadelphia, delegate and signer, met Washington's appeals and pleas for money year after year. He made and raised arms and provisions which made it possible for Washington to cross the Delaware at Trenton. In the process he lost 150 ships at sea, bleeding his own fortune and credit almost dry.

· George Clymer, Pennsylvania signer, escaped with his family from their home, but their property was completely destroyed by the British in the Germantown and Brandywine campaigns.

· Dr. Benjamin Rush, also from Pennsylvania, was forced to flee to Maryland. As a heroic surgeon with the army, Rush had several narrow escapes.

· John Martin, a Tory in his views previous to the debate, lived in a strongly loyalist area of Pennsylvania. When he came out for independence, most of his neighbors and even some of his relatives ostracized him. He was a sensitive and troubled man, and many believed this action killed him. When he died in 1777, his last words to his tormentors were: "Tell them that they will live to see the hour when they shall acknowledge it [the signing] to have been the most glorious service that I have ever rendered to my country."

· William Ellery, Rhode Island delegate, saw his property and home burned to the ground.

· Thomas Lynch, Jr., South Carolina delegate, had his health broken from privation and exposures while serving as a company commander in the military. His doctors ordered him to seek a cure in the West Indies and on the voyage, he and his young bride were drowned at sea.

· Edward Rutledge, Arthur Middleton, and Thomas Heyward, Jr., the other three South Carolina signers, were taken by the British in the siege of Charleston. They were carried as prisoners of war to St. Augustine, Florida, where they were singled out for indignities. They were exchanged at the end of the war, the British in the meantime having completely devastated their large landholdings and estates.

· Thomas Nelson, signer of Virginia, was at the front in command of the Virginia military forces. With British General Charles Cornwallis in Yorktown, fire from 70 heavy American guns began to destroy Yorktown piece by piece. Lord Cornwallis and his staff moved their headquarters into Nelson's palatial home. While American cannonballs were making a shambles of the town, the house of Governor Nelson remained untouched. Nelson turned in rage to the American gunners and asked, "Why do you spare my home?" They replied, "Sir, out of respect to you." Nelson cried, "Give me the cannon!" and fired on his magnificent home himself, smashing it to bits. But Nelson's sacrifice was not quite over. He had raised $2 million for the Revolutionary cause by pledging his own estates. When the loans came due, a newer peacetime Congress refused to honor them, and Nelson's property was forfeited. He was never reimbursed. He died, impoverished, a few years later at the age of 50.

Of those 56 who signed the Declaration of Independence, nine died of wounds or hardships during the war. Five were captured and imprisoned, in each case with brutal treatment. Several lost wives, sons or entire families. One lost his 13 children. Two wives were brutally treated. All were at one time or another the victims of manhunts and driven from their homes. Twelve signers had their homes completely burned. Seventeen lost everything they owned. Yet not one defected or went back on his pledged word. Their honor, and the nation they sacrificed so much to create is still intact.

And, finally, there is the New Jersey signer, Abraham Clark.

He gave two sons to the officer corps in the Revolutionary Army. They were captured and sent to that infamous British prison hulk afloat in New York Harbor known as the hell ship Jersey, where 11,000 American captives were to die. The younger Clarks were treated with a special brutality because of their father. One was put in solitary and given no food. With the end almost in sight, with the war almost won, no one could have blamed Abraham Clark for acceding to the British request when they offered him his sons' lives if he would recant and come out for the King and Parliament. The utter despair in this man's heart, the anguish in his very soul, must reach out to each one of us down through 200 years with his answer: "No."

The 56 signers of the Declaration Of Independence proved by their every deed that they made no idle boast when they composed the most magnificent curtain line in history. "And for the support of this Declaration with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." 

There is no more profound sentence than this: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness..."

These are far more than mere poetic words. The underlying ideas that infuse every sentence of this treatise have sustained this nation for more than two centuries. They were forged in the crucible of great sacrifice. They are living words that spring from and satisfy the deepest cries for liberty in the human spirit.

"Sacred honor" isn't a phrase we use much these days, but every American life is touched by the bounty of this, the Founders' legacy. It is freedom, tested by blood, and watered with tears.

This came from a speech given by the father of radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh.  You may like or dislike Rush Limbaugh, but you cannot argue with the sacrifice made by many of the signers of the document which created our great country.

We live in a place that does not require sacrifice on a scale even remotely close to what our founders faced.

Yet, as Christians, God calls us to give everything we have and everything we are to Him.

Are you willing to do that?

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

Speaking about his preaching style:  “I simply set myself on fire and people come to watch me burn.”  - John Wesley