Saint Matthew United Methodist Church

Author: Max Brennan

  • Friday’s Word

    Max Brennan
    Categories:

    I’ve got the Second Coming doctrine on my mind, and I can’t shake it.

    So—let’s talk.

    Most Christians believe it. It is ensconced in Scripture, in the Apostle’s Creed, and in the rubric for Holy Communion.

    Preachers in mainline churches seldom mention it. Some conservative preachers talk of little else. Turn on the TV preachers and count how often you are told we are in the “End Times.” (And be sure to use your money before Jesus comes.)

    So, the doctrine gets at least lip service from preachers afraid to talk about it—and a lot of talk time from preachers who think every earthquake brings us closer to the end.

    But the church in general seems unsure why Jesus is coming back.

    Paul has a rather pleasant picture. He says the Lord will return to take us all home to heaven.

    “We will not all die,” he says, “but we will all be changed… [and] the dead will be raised.”

    Revelation has a grislier picture. Jesus rides in on a white horse and cuts off the heads of his enemies.

    The Revelation author makes sure we get the Messiah people expected in the first place: a military leader who will cast out the ugly Romans and rule the world from Jerusalem.

    This fairly well cancels the Jesus of the Gospels—the man of sacrificial grace who told us to love our enemies.

    Even Paul was wrong. He said, “We will not all die.” He expected Jesus to return in his lifetime.

    Help me here. Why do you think Jesus will return?

    Or did he mean it when he said from the cross, “It is finished”?

    Drop me an e-mail. I’ll share responses next week.

  • Friday’s Word – “Ascension Sunday—Pentecost Next Week”

    Max Brennan
    Categories:

    May I gripe a little?

    There is just so much Christian silliness around.

    I heard David Jeremiah in a sermon on YouTube—you know, big church in California, 10,000 on Sunday mornings. He was talking about how Jesus, at His Second Coming, will bring all the dead back to earth and set up His kingdom here.

    Back to earth?! And all of these people will be reunited with their dead bodies?

    Can you imagine some poor soul saying, “O God—after the joy of heaven, I’ve been shoved back into my old dead body and I’m back in Oklahoma!”

    And it’s not just rich TV preachers pushing this stuff. Respected scholar N. T. Wright says much the same thing.

    Where do they get such a strange, unlikely scenario?

    Where else? The Book of Revelation.

    We’ve got this script for a Star Wars movie tacked on to the end of our Bible.

    Preachers, it’s a problem.

    I know most of you feel like you have to defend Revelation and all its flights of fancy.

    Yes, it’s in the Bible.

    It’s historically important. But—

    It is theological hokum.

    Worse than that, it’s dead weight on the Gospel. If you mix this nonsense with the teachings of Jesus, it pulls the Gospel down with it.

    Stop defending it.

    Stop conflating the Jesus who told us to love our enemies with a Jesus who cuts off the heads of His enemies with a sword.

    Revelation has nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus or the future history of God’s creation.

    It’s time to be honest—both to God and about God.

    Give people Jesus.

    More about this on Sunday.

  • Max’s Corner

    Max Brennan
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    First—and most importantly—we’ll gather this Saturday at 11:00 AM for the memorial service for Dan Mitchell. I know there are food plans, though I admit that’s not my department. But I trust it’s being handled. Our love and prayers go out to Dan’s family.

    My thanks to Winston Dietrick-Kirkpatrick for leading last Sunday’s liturgy in his usual distinguished fashion, and to Rev. Dr. Steve Langford for a truly fine sermon. I know you enjoyed it—I certainly did, watching from home.

    Mary and I were both away last Sunday, but we’re both back this week.

    I attended the closing of First Presbyterian Church in Grand Prairie—the last church I was part of before entering ministry. I worked with the youth there, and it was a joy to see eight or ten of them at the service. The loss of that church is simply sad. They no longer had enough members to sustain.

    Discovering God – Class Resumes

    This Sunday at 9:45, we continue our series on Why We Are Here. Most people go through life unsure of their purpose, but I believe an answer is available. If life has a purpose, then so do we. Join us as we talk about what that might be.

    Breakfast follows at 10:30. It’s a Winston Sunday—feel free to help out. And worshippers, come early and eat!

    This Sunday – Ascension & Communion

    It’s Ascension Sunday, when we remember Jesus being lifted up as His followers watched. Luke says He promised to return. In John’s Gospel, He makes that same promise. This week, I’ll be preaching about the Second Coming—but likely in a way you’ve never heard it before.

    Here are some questions to consider:

    • Does God see this world as a failure?
    • Or does He love it exactly as it is?
    • Does God want to end the world, or use it?
    • And what about you—why are you here?

    Let’s worship together—and expect good things.

    God Bless,

    —MB

  • Friday’s Word – Some Scholars Don’t Know

    Max Brennan
    Categories:

    I believe Jesus is Lord. He was crucified and raised from the dead—His body transformed and the tomb empty.

    I believe Jesus was right about God—and He is the only one who was right in all of ancient history.

    No one else knew that God IS unconditional love.

    I believe all of this.

    I have good reason to believe all of this.

    Everything I believe is supported by the actual experience of God.

    But I do not believe anything we know is not true.

    John Polkinghorne is a smart guy. He is a physicist who became an Anglican priest.

    He says when we die, we cease to exist until the General Resurrection, when God “remembers us” back into existence.

    Say what?!!

    We know that when we die, we move immediately into God’s realm.

    This is what people experience in NDEs.

    N. T. Wright, author of The Resurrection of the Son of God, is considered a great scholar.

    He says when we die, we enter a kind of sleep until we are raised from the dead at the (yet again) General Resurrection.

    At that time, he says, Jesus will bring all of the dead from heaven back to earth to be reunited with their bodies—

    And to live here—on earth. Here? On earth? Forever?!!

    It appears Jesus is going to set up shop in Jerusalem and rule as potentate from there.

    WE KNOW BETTER!

    Everyone who has an NDE tells us heaven is our home. When we at last lay this old body down, we will never need it again.

    Some scholars just don’t know beans.

  • Max’s Corner

    Max Brennan
    Categories:

    Memorial for Dan Mitchell

    Not this Saturday, but the next—May 31 at 11:00 AM.

    Blake will provide the music.

    No Class This Sunday

    I’ll be away this Sunday, attending the final service at the church I served before coming to St. Matthew—First Presbyterian in Grand Prairie, which is closing. Class will resume the following Sunday.

    Breakfast This Sunday

    It’s a “We Bring” Sunday—so pitch in if you can.

    Breakfast at 10:30 AM.

    This Sunday

    I’ll be out, and Mary is still on vacation.

    But you are in for a treat—my good friend, Rev. Dr. Steven Langford, former pastor at First UMC in Arlington, will be preaching. Steve is a fine preacher, and it’s not often we welcome guest voices in our pulpit.

    Be present. Give him your support.

    Give him a warm Saint Matthew welcome.

    Kristi will be back.

    The choir will sing.

    Come be lifted by a fine service.

    Other Notes

    The remarkable Kieth Butterfield, age 97, has been removed from hospice.

    Some of you noticed we left quickly after worship last Sunday. My sister wasn’t feeling well and we went straight from church to the ER. Turns out she hadn’t slept the night before, and that was the issue. She’s fine now.

    God Bless—MB