> ‘I believe that I cannot believe‘ <
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Many of you have heard this one before. So have I. I just listened to it twice while I handed out candy in front of my house.
If you haven’t heard it before you are in for a real treat (no trick), courtesy of the Holy Spirit and Pastor Mark who boldly underlines that powerful Word.
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Thank you, Pastor Mark.
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And thanks to flickr and amras_de, for the photo.
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Filed under: Luther's explanation of the 3rd article of the Apostle's Creed, Pastor Mark Anderson, Sermon |
The Old Adam Lives! 
I especially liked the point that we are, like Gandalf, exactly where, on our journey, God wishes us to be. We are not late, or ‘behind’ the schedule. We are never therefore ‘outside His will for us’ as some would say. As for being ‘outside the perfect state that He wills for us’ in that sense of glory, yes, that it is totally true of all of us all the time
This sermon is originally entitled ‘I believe that I cannot believe’ which is a brilliant antidote to any ‘theology of glory’ notion that our faith is our ongoing work, even if initiated by God. This title and sermon makes it clear that our intrinsic belief, then but also now, is not even neutral – it is a clear ‘I cannot believe’. God does not just give a gift; He does not even just create ex nihilo (which is part of it); but He first works mightily to kill that ‘cannot’. It is as if the blind man had also said ‘I do not believe; help thou my belief’.
Spot on, Richard.
He is a REAL God!
I too, love that part about being exactly where God has led me to be. It does demolish the theology of glory and ladder-climbing as pathway.