Sermon notes: where is God in our environmental crisis?
A question no one is asking. Lots of talk of this crisis in the news. Some want to dismiss this issue. A famous pastor quoted 2 Peter 3:7 reserved for fire.
Another group says this is the central issue of the day. Linking obesity and fertility rates to climate change.
Look at climate change as a follower of Jesus. God's creation is all through the Bible.
Psalm 104 God's role in creation.
V 1-9 an expression of God's creation. Clay accidentally started reading Psalm 105! He quickly realized his error. Clay's prayer: "help us understand our role as stewards of your creation".
Fish are no longer appearing in streams where people fish. John Stott wrote a book about how birds point us to God. People are in poverty around the world due to poor environmental decisions.
Ways God provides for his creation, from John Stott
1. God provides drink. Psalm 104:10-14 especially for God's creatures. Droughts are a normal part of the cycle
2. Food v 14-15.
3. Shelter v 16-18 birds have nests
4. Rhythm v 19-23 a person works during the day and rests at night. The seasons, the fruit of summer
5. Sport v 24-26 Enjoy watching animals having fun. Video of boating tossing a ball to a beluga whale
6. Breath v 27-30 God created the world with His breath. Babies created by God in His image taking their first breath.
Psalm ends with praises to God for His creation. God gave humans responsibility.
Gen 1:26-28 be fruitful , rule over God's creation and subdue it. We are to cooperate with God to subdue the earth.
Look at the birds of the field. They point to God. This fallen world is not what we had before sin. God is restoring humanity to himself, and restoring creation to himself.
The Bible ends with God returning to earth. Until then what do we do? Suggestions…
1. Become aware of the issues. How do we love our neighbor?
2. Avoid idolatry of nature. There's more than just creation. We are not pantheists. Keep God first. Baby stores are closing but pet stores are thriving. Even the Pope Francis mentioned this.
3. Practice accountability and stewardship over God's creation.
4. Reflect on texts
5. Spend time outside
6. Grow something. Science is a way God reveals Himself
7. Reduce waste
8. Consider impact before making new purchases
Final word: don't approach the environment politically but biblically.
ME: Wednesday night I worked past 6:30, then had several additional calls and emails through the night getting a hot part shipped, plated, shipped, and received. Took away from normal duties.
Mexican for supper. I got a bowl and piled everything in together: chips, rice, black beans, ground beef, and cheese. I'll have these leftovers for lunch today.
Wednesday morning I ran three miles. Thursday morning I lifted weights. Worked from home on Thursday so (1) I could join a webinar about "unconscious bias and microaggression", (2) make sure our trash dumpster gets swapped out, (3) be home with Winnie while Ceil was gone all day, and (4) get downtown to our 6 pm bridal shower for Margaret Hurt.
Most times I could care less about job titles. Just sad when its so comparably unfair. Over the years when I've had to order business cards, I've tried to make them as simple as possible, in particular to leave my title off. Just name, number, address, and company name. Another thing – giving people the title of "director" is just laughable to me. They aren't on the board of directors. Like most titles, especially in small companies, it just doesn't mean anything.
People in purchasing call themselves "supply chain". Meanwhile I coordinate: (1) what to buy from the steel mill, (2) getting it slit at a processor, (3) cut into blanks at a different processor, (3) shipped to a stamper to make into parts, (4) shipped to a heat treater, (5) shipped to a painter, shipped incrementally to our vendor management cage inside the customer's plant that's only large enough for a couple of days of parts, and (6) finally given to the customer for use. But that's not supply chain. When the purchasing department has to add a second link in the supply chain to polish stainless steel, they come to me. But what I do isn't "supply chain".
Denison on quiet quitting. Also how attorneys have been busy defending our religious freedoms, with remarkable recent results:
- A judge ruled a Michigan university cannot punish a Christian club for requiring that its leaders be Christian (Wayne State University in Detroit).
- A federal district court held that a photographer cannot be forced to shoot same-sex weddings.
- A federal appeals court ruled the US government cannot require Christian medical groups and providers to perform abortions or gender transition surgeries under the Affordable Care Act.
- An US appeals court has ruled on behalf of licensed counselors who provide voluntary talk therapy to minors seeking help with unwanted sexual identity confusion.
https://www.denisonforum.org/daily-article/the-danger-of-quiet-quitting-and-a-surprising-solution/
The teacher murder in Memphis was similar to Jenny Ewing's murder.
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