March 9, Fifth Sunday in Lent, Girl Scout Sunday, Daylight Savings Time Begins

Lesson: Ezekiel 37.1-14; John 11:1-6, 17-27, 38-44

Sermon Title: New Life for Old Bones

 (Back to Study Home Page)   (Back to Sermons for 2007-2008)
(Back to Sermons Home Page)   (Back to Shultz Home Page)

INTRODUCTION:

  1. Here we are at week five in our journey of Lent.

    1. Getting ready for the big day.

      1. Wedding

      2. Birth

      3. Anniversary

      1. The big day is Easter Sunday

    1. Looking for all the right moves, motives, and experiences.

  1. Seeking to find life amongst the lifeless.

    1. What strategy will you use?

    2. How successful will it be?

    3. Why don't we ask Oprah Winfrey?

      1. She is one of the influential and powerful people.

      2. This is why she is backing Barack Obama.

      3. She has at least three major teaching programs on at the moment.

        1. The Secret.

        2. A New Earth

        3. A Course in Miracles

(Top)  (Back to Study Home Page)   (Back to Sermons for 2007-2008)
(Back to Sermons Home Page)   (Back to Shultz Home Page)

MAIN BODY

  1. I received an email from our sister-in-law asking about the radio course, "A Course In Miracles," offered by Oprah Winfrey on the radio.

    1. I looked up the course on Oprah.com and this is what I discovered.

    2. This Is Your Year for Miracles!

      1. Ready for a new beginning?

      2. Listen in and take today's lesson from A Course in Miracles with best-selling author Marianne Williamson.

    3. I was once asked to officiate at a wedding where the process of creation was more contentious than usual.

      1. I usually, and with love and compassion, let the couple plan their won wedding and even some of the content of the wedding homily.

      2. In this case the groom's requirement was that the homily consist totally of quotations from A Course In Miracles.

        1. Because of my theology I was not able to do what he asked.

        2. So we negotiated by letter back and forth until we were able to come up with a homily that was at least distasteful and somewhat satisfying for both of us.

    4. A Course in Miracles may be better understood by perusing the web site of Warren Smith ("Oprah and Friends" to teach course on New Age Christ (1) By Warren Smith November 2007) and this is what he had to say:

As a former New Age follower and devoted student of A Course in Miracles, I eventually discovered that the Course in Miracles was--in reality--the truth of the Bible turned upside down. Not having a true understanding of the Bible at the time of my involvement, I was led to believe that A Course in Miracles was "a gift from God" to help everyone understand the "real" meaning of the Bible and to help bring peace to the world. Little did I know that the New Age "Christ" and the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles were everything the real Jesus Christ warned us to watch out for. In Matthew 24 Jesus warned about false teachers, false teachings and the false "Christ's" who would pretend to be He.

When I left the New Age "Christ" to follow the Bible's Jesus Christ, I had come to understand that the "Jesus" of A Course in Miracles was a false "Christ," and that his Course in Miracles was dangerously deceptive. Here are some quotes from the "Jesus" of A Course in Miracles:

      1. "There is no sin. . . " (2) [See note]

      2. A "slain" Christ has no meaning." (3)

      3. "The journey to the cross should be the last useless journey." (4)

      4. "Do not make the pathetic error of 'clinging to the old rugged cross.'" (5)

      5. "The Name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol... It is a symbol that is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to which you pray." (6)

      6. "God is in everything I see." (7)

      7. "The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself." (8)

      8. "The oneness of the Creator and the creation is your wholeness, your sanity and your limitless power." (9)

      9. "The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation." (10)

(Top)  (Back to Study Home Page)   (Back to Sermons for 2007-2008)
(Back to Sermons Home Page)   (Back to Shultz Home Page)

    1. For those who follow Oprah and the course of miracles that's life!

      1. It reminds me of a song sung by Frank Sinatra.

Title :Frank Sinatra - That's Life
This is lyrics from www.lyrics007.com

That's life, that's what all the people say.
You're riding high in April,
Shot down in May
But I know I'm gonna change that tune,
When I'm back on top, back on top in June.

I said that's life, and as funny as it may seem
Some people get their kicks,
Stompin' on a dream
But I don't let it, let it get me down,
'Cause this fine ol' world it keeps spinning around

I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate,
A poet, a pawn and a king.
I've been up and down and over and out
And I know one thing:
Each time I find myself, flat on my face,
I pick myself up and get back in the race.

That's life
I tell ya, I can't deny it,
I thought of quitting baby,
But my heart just ain't gonna buy it.
And if I didn't think it was worth one single try,
I'd jump right on a big bird and then I'd fly

I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate,
A poet, a pawn and a king.
I've been up and down and over and out
And I know one thing:
Each time I find myself laying flat on my face,
I just pick myself up and get back in the race

That's life
That's life and I can't deny it
Many times I thought of cutting out
But my heart won't buy it
But if there's nothing shakin' come this here July
I'm gonna roll myself up in a big ball and die
My, My

  1. Even though it is a great song, it is somewhat depressing.

  1. There is no spiritual dimension.

  2. What dimension there is, is dark.

  1. The reality is that A Course in Miracles is not a source of light but darkness.

Reality (11)

On a tour of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, the guide stopped and addressed the crowd. "Do you want to see what a real cave looks like?" he asked.

Of course, everyone said yes.

Without another word, he shut off all the lights.

    1. This is life with all the lights out.

    2. What we truly desire is to have life with the lights on!

    3. Why ought we to wander around in the dark.

    4. Where are we going to find light?

(Top)  (Back to Study Home Page)   (Back to Sermons for 2007-2008)
(Back to Sermons Home Page)   (Back to Shultz Home Page)

  1. How about a genuine course in miracles?

    1. There is the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

      1. The rich man is speaking with Abraham In Luke 16.27-31

27He said, 'Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house--28for I have five brothers--that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' 29Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' 30He said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead,'" (Luke 16:27-31, NRSVA).

      1. Listen to Moses and the prophets.

        1. Moses and the prophets exclaim that there is life and light.

15But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
    for he will receive me, (Psalm 49:15, NRSVA).

20You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
    will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
    you will bring me up again, (Psalm 71:20, NRSVA).

13But you, go your way, and rest; you shall rise for your reward at the end of the days," (Daniel 12:13, NRSVA).

14Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol?
    Shall I redeem them from Death?
O Death, where are your plagues?
    O Sheol, where is your destruction?
Compassion is hidden from my eyes, (Hosea 13:14, NRSVA).

        1. What does Ezekiel teach us?

12Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act, says the LORD," (Ezekiel 37:12-14, NRSVA).

  1. I am going to open your graves.

  2. I am going to bring you up from your graves.

  3. I shall put my spirit within you and you shall live.

  1. Jesus demonstrated his power to fulfill the vision of Ezekiel in the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

  1. It is a wondrous story.

  2. Here do an exposition of John 11.

    1. There is no question that Lazarus is dead.

    2. Mary and Martha

    3. Jesus love for Lazarus.

    4. Jesus prays: "And Jesus looked upward and said, 'Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me,'" (John 11.41b-42, NRSVA).

    5. He cries with a loud voice, "Lazarus come forth."

    6. Lazarus appears still bound in the grave cloths.

  1. Someone said that if Jesus had not used Lazarus' name all that were in the hearing of his voice would have come forth.

(Top)  (Back to Study Home Page)   (Back to Sermons for 2007-2008)
(Back to Sermons Home Page)   (Back to Shultz Home Page)

CONCLUSION:

  1. Jesus is the life giver.

    1. This is a genuine course in miracles.

    2. It brings light and truth to the individual.

    3. It helps us to understand Lent.

    4. It helps us to prepare for Easter.

  2. Prophecy meets fulfillment.

    1. Ezekiel proceeds Jesus.

    2. Jesus proves that what is lifeless can live.

    3. In Jesus there is life!

    4. Empowered life to be shared, enjoyed, appreciated, and used.

Amen!

1. Retrieved from: http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/007/smith-oprah.htm

2. A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume, (Workbook), p. 183.

3. Ibid.,(Text), p. 425

4. Ibid., p. 52

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid., (Teacher's Manuel), p. 58

7. Ibid., (Workbook), p. 45

8. Ibid., (Text), p. 147.

9. Ibid., p. 125.

10. Ibid., p. 237.

11. Pastor Tim [posts@cybersaltlists.org]

(Top)  (Back to Study Home Page)   (Back to Sermons for 2007-2008)
(Back to Sermons Home Page)   (Back to Shultz Home Page)