NOTHING IS QTE AS ENLIGHT)

EXAMINATION. ANIMALS CANNOT DO THIS, THEIR BHAVLOR IS JU

CERTAIN DRIVES, AND HAVING DONE SOMETHING IT IS DONE, AN 4

ee A) VALUA Ts It, WS AS HUMANS Aj

2/26 Je 7

MING AND ILLUMINATING AS JHE EXPERIENCE OF SELF

—_——-

OT THs PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO
INTIMAL CANNOT LOOK BACK

iS FORT NATE THAT IT IS WITHIN

OUR POWER TO STAND OFF AND TAKE A LOOK AT OURSELVES, AND DECIDE WHETHER WHAT WE SEE

BAD
ine

MEMBERS OF THE DY ER UNION CHURCH AND Al

jas

YOU TO DO THIS THIS MORNING: AND AS YOUR MEASURING STICK U

FROM PAUL'S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS: "NELTHER CIRCUMCISLON 00

CREALICN
UNCIRCUMCISLON, BUT A NEW SamRG."

—

, }
io f

THE QUESTIONS

——

UST ASK AS WE ST4ND OFF AND LOOK AT
TO ANSWER, SOME OF THEM ARE EVEN UNPLESANT T THINK ABOUT,

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE DYER UNION CHURCH? WHAT

S PROFESSSD CHRISTIANS I WANT
SE THE TEXT FOR THIS MORNING

UNTS FOR ANYTHING NOR

DURSELVES AS NOT EASY

iS MY ROL# IN THs CHURCH?

AM I TRULY A CHRISTIAN? LATER MXXMEKE ON IN THIS YEAR OU
—— — zn
Cru RCW WiiwE

R CHURCH IS GOING TO ASK

THESES QUESTIONS TO ITSELF IN A CHMSTIAN ENLISTMENT PROGRAM. ACH OF YOU WILL BE

CALLED ON TO CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS AND TO ANSWER THEM P
id ee —————

YOU TO HEGLN_ THINKING ABOUT THEM, TODAY BEGIN A YEAR OF SH

ERQUNALOY. TQAY I WANT

LF EXAMINATION AND SCRUTINY.

FIRST LET'S STAND OFF AND TAKE A LOOK AT OUR CHURCH.

AS I STAND OFF AND CCRUITNIZE OBJ CTIVELY THIS GROUP OF PHpPLE.

[ FIND IT HARD TO BE PLEASED

FOR ME AS YOUR

2

MINISTER AND FOR YOU AS MEMBERS WHAT WE SEE FROM THE OUTSI

VE LOOKING IN IS NOT A

BIT COMFORTING. THE DYSR UNION CHURCH HAS ON ITS _HOLLS AP

PROXIMAT ELY 89 NAMES,

PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROMIS Ei

BEFORE GOD ANJ THEIR FELLOW CHRIS
jaca piongatest BB dane:

ALL IN THEIR POWSR TO DISOOVIR GOD'S WILL FOR THEIR LIVES |

RESPONSIBLY AND IN’ SLLIGENTLY IN THE GHURCH OF J#SUS_CHRIS
— ——_— — —

HAS CALLED ITSELF THE DYER UNION PROTESTANT CHURCH. AND VJ
—————_$_— ——

ONLY HALF THAT NUMBER FIND IT NSCESSARY TO COME AND WORSHI
Piensa pad TE ees Ss

WND TO DO IT, TO PARTICIPATE

—_—,

{{ WHICH IN THIS INSTANCE

LT ON A SUNDAY MORNING

P THEIR CREATOR, OUR

AVERAGE KEXER ATTENDANCE IS WELL B SLOW HALF OF THE CHURCH HEMSERSHIP., TO AN OUTSID

LOOKING IN THIS IS NOT AT ALL IMPRESSIVE.

IN A GLANCE ONE CAN SHE THAT ALL ASPECTS OF THE CHURGH'S LIFE ARE PLAGUED BY THIS

IVITL

——

LACK OF ENTHUSIASM. I CALL YOUR ATTENTION To THE ACT
— 7—ooo

WED. EVENING FIVE PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN OUR FIRST LENTEN

RIGHTY THOUGHT IT NECESSARY TO SPE AN EXTRA HOUR IN CHU

oo

TIME OF THE YAR. FORTY P&ROONS SAT OUT THERE LAST SUNDAY

TWENTY MINUT#S ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LENTEN SEASON.

——

FORTY, FIVE RESPONDED,

SERVICE. FIVE OUT OF
Md IN THE MOST SACRED

AND HSARD ME PREACH FOR

OF THOSE

ON THURSDAY WE HELD THE FIRST CHOIR REHEARSAL FOR THE

EASTER SEASON—-FOUR LADIES urtanoan fi 7:30 THE SAME EVEN]

NG THE MEN'S FeLLOwSilP
Si

3.

/
HSL DTS DONA LY PeoWlNG, AN) OUT OF ALL THE Man IN THs CHIPACH, ols Al Tal csi J Onin

i

a

iany Sali fir ies. ine . Tore as 5 Hy .
OE AGGHP? pat Pots. wie LU Ji ahd TALA FIRANCG: ind

HOW THAN LAST MORTH./ ITIS NOT A POPULAD
ee

Por ‘AE iit? 8 T ai ae sf) TF mh ST WE * "Tay
[ HOT TH. 4 PAddal Tt s BUT THES ANA TOG S4nYso AG A HDLAsOR a: WEL UE. 5; TH
a
PAR W Bt lb ris AGT YRAn. LEL a SUES!

JOUR CHURCH'S ete iy

we
f AXE WH JOING Hehe? ARIS BU i Ne OUR. RaSPONSISILITTIES 7 1 Win bh VAR
i ‘niccalominaeaes

Ve in “| aw wines rire g any Tera aig = ort : ea hy 4 evar
PA t Wart, PO Fe § wale i CH Sate SE Pak SAN AL Ps Y UNG TORESS * 2 ee ee wid a i bid ds POINT
———————— ~ —

I WOULD) LIKES D KNOW WHETHEA YOU,AS A CHURCH, AlD INDIVIQUALLY, ARS RALLY SuRTOUS
j ; ?

———

es —_—_—_ —————

‘ahd 4

iN THLEAS OF OCUPWARD APPSARANCE/ THEN THE DY UNTON CHUACH To NO MOUS THAN
——S ee _—— ————— inet

VARNTN

SPT OF
Pha hls ob

it Tits
rt ihe dle

THS QUSSTL ON ARIS-S AT THIS POINT AS TO THE NATURE OF TRIS Nev GR.ATION: JUST WaT

BELNG THAT Wi ARS SUPPOSay TO BECOMs HAVING AQCEPT EO
A

- 7,

4.

PAUL WAS CONFRONTED WITH THE SAME: QUESTION. SHORTLY_A

TION OF OUR LORD TWO SEPARATE AND DISTINCT WINGS OF CHRIST|

PIER THE DsATH AND RESURREC*

TANT TY AROSE. THE JEWISH
—

WING WITH ITS HEADQUARTERS IN JERUSALEM WAS LEAD BY PETER AND JAMES THE BROTHERS

—

OF JESUS. THIS GROUP INTERPRETED THE GOSPEL STRICTLY IN T

REMS OF THE OLD_COMMUNITY

OF ISRAEL. THE MESSIAH HAD COME TO THE CHOSEN PEOPLE AS T

—

HEIR RSVESMER AND ANYONE

WHO WANTED TO BE A CHRISTIAN HAD EITHER TO ALREADY BE A JEW OR BECOME AS ASSIMILATED

_

TO JUDAISAM AS POSSIBLE. THIS ISSUE CENTERED IN THE RITE OF CIRCUMCISION. CIRCUMCISION IS T
————— eT. ———_————— —Ks

THE OUTWARD MARK OF ONE OF GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE pal 15 NEW

cy

HAD TO SUBMIT TO THIS AS THE (GaeVIsITE TO HIS AMMISSION

LY INITIATED GENTILE CHRISTIAN

[TO THE COMMUNITY.

IN OPPOSITION TO THIS GROUP CALLED JUDAIZER'S WAS THE WING LED BY PAUL. PAUL

FROM THE BEGINNING SAW THAT THE CHRIST WAS THE SAVIOR OF Al
——— EE ———
THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF THE JEWS. HE CARRIED THE GOSPEL TN
JEWS AND GENTILES ALIKE.
—_—_e os
THE ISSUE WAS VERY CRUCIAL AT THE sn fo WHEN PAUL WH

UNCIRCUMCISION IS IMPORTANT HIS READERS KNEW EXACTLY WHAT
eS pee

PAUL'S INTERPRETATION OF CHRISTIANITY IS ONE WE DO WELIL

L.. MANKIND AND WAS NOT

) PAGANS, RAOMANS, GREKKS_

TS "NEITHSR CIRCUMCISION NOR

HE MEANT.

70 EXAM NE, ER IN ITIS
—_—,

4.

FOR PAUL,C

THE KEY TO AN UNDERSTANDING OUR PROBLEM TODAY. uy

RELIGION TO BE COMPARED AND WEIGHED AGAINST THE OTHER RELI

MATTER OF FACT HIS CONCEPT OF THE THING THAT HAD HAPPENED

Wilds

EVEN BE CALIED RELIGION AT ALL. |

WAY OF THINGS THAT IS ALL sYOONP ASSENG/ BIVELOPING ALLOF &

THE CHURCH AS SUCH WAS IMPORTANT ONLY AS IT SHRED IN

— /

AND J

WAY OF LIFE.

ee

CHRIS TIANITY IS NOT AN END IN ITSELF BUT ONL}

OUT OF WHICH CAN PROCEED A

—_—

[25S,]A NOW WAY OF LIVING.

VIDION WHAT DID IT MATTER,’ WHAT WAS IMPORTANT WAS THAT A P

_—

WHEN THE CHURCH BECOMES ONLY A STAGNANT LIST OF MEMBMRK, J

oo

LIFE OUT OF MANY IT IS NO LONGER THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST

CHRISTIANITY

GuaGH MUST BE A NSW OOMMUNITY, COMPOSED OF PEOPLE WHO ARE

JESUS CHRIST.

HOW, WE ASK DO WE BECOME NEW BELNGS AND PARTICIPATES IN

ANSWER IS CONSISTENT WITH HIS WHOLE SYSTHi. OUT OF THE OLI
—_— ee

THE OLD YOU MUST COME SOMETHING NEW AND STARTLING FRESH, A

—_—

WHERE ALONG THE LINE A METAMORPH§SIS MUST OCCUR, A LIGHT'S

_-

SIONS OF THE DAY.

oF

HRIS TLANITY WAS NOT ANOTHER,

AS A

LN JESUS CHRIST COULD NOT

IT WAS A NEW CR nan P KEW WAY OF LIFE, A NEW

KISTENCE,} A NiW BELNG.

—

‘& PROMOTED THIS NiW

| THE SUPER STRUCTURE

GIRCUMCISI ON OR UNCIRCUM*

BiOON BECOME A NEW PaRSON:

¥ST ONE_PORTION OF

BY ITS NATURE

NEW BEINGS BECAUSE OF

THLS NEW CREATLON? PAUL'S
WAY OF LIVING, OUT OF

SOME*

COMPLETELY NEW BEING.

—

6.

THES RISEN CHRIST MUST LIVE IN THE DEPIHS OF A PIRSONS LIFE

|} THE CHANGE IN PAUL'S

LIFE WAS A CATACLYSMIC AND DRAMATIC INCIDENT AND OUT OF THE OLD/ A STRICT JHi WHOSE

LIFE WAS DEDICATED TO STAMPING OUT THE YOUNG CHRISTIAN MOV
—— —_—_—_—_—_—_—F —

ENTIRELY NEW, A LIS SO FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT AND PRESENC

——F

COULD RIGHTLY SAY, "IT IS NO LONG Jf THAT LIVE, BUT CHRI

EMENT, CAME SOMETHING
E OF HIS LORD THAT PAUL

br WHO LIVES IN ME." MOST

OF US ARE NOT AS FORTUNATE AS PAUL, WE HAVE BEEN BORN INTO

ON IT AND EVENTUALLY TAK EN

ee,

OUR PLACES AS MEMBERS OF A CHUR

a

CHRIS TIANITY, foi»

M. BUT, WESTLL MST

—$—$<=

ENCOUNTER A CHANGE, WE MUST, IN THE COMMON TERMINOLOG Y, 35 BORN AGAIN.

AT THIS POINT THE'E IS MUCH DISPUTE.

OUT OF THE N.T. GQMMAND " YOU MUST BE

BORN

AGAIN® HAS COME THE IDEA THAT ALL OONVEF ION EXPRI9) CsS_A
—<$—$
OCCASIONS...

Re DRAMATIC, ON THE SPOT

VEGELISTS SHOUT AND PQUND THE PULPIT, THEY OBAW VIVID PICTURES OF THE

TORTUE IN ETMRNAL FLAMES, THEY DO ALL IN THEIR POWER TO SCJ
THEN AT THE PROPSR TIME OF FSR THE EXXTE SOLON PAINT NG ]

OF A LIFE IN HEAVENLY MANSIONS, OF ET*RNAL BLISS SPENT BEH]

CAN RESIS ! MANY A CHRISTIAN CAN POINT TD THE VERY DAY, THE
———— Grae

f°RE SAVED, THE THIRD VERSE OF A

)sox & ARE CONVERTED DURING

ARE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN A FIT OF SPASTIC, ORGIS!

RE THEIR LISTENERS AND

FQUALLY VIVID PICTURES

ND PEARLY GAT te
—— ees ——F

=
i")

EXACT MINUTE AT WHICH THEY
SPECI FIC HUMN: OTHERS

rLC EMOTION. A GOOUJ_SVAN*

GELIST, WITH A BAG OF TRICKS AND THE PROP:R KNOWLEDGE OF M(¢

Zee
B PSYCHOLOG?Y CAN ABOUT
es

z.

SLON OF HUNDREDS OF SDULGATA TIME.

_—_——

THE CONV ER IT IS NOT
eet

IS WRONG, CRRTAINLY SOME PHDPLE HAVE BEEN CONVERTED IN A J
BUT THE SCRSAMING, HOWLING EVANGELIST SCARING HIS SINFUL I
pipet EN tea
THE

“MOTIONAL PITCH OF THE SAVING EXPERIENCE SIMPLY DON'T

IN THE N.T. TIME AHD

Mie
Ma

AGAIN CONVERSION IS COMPARED

MY PLACE TO SAY THAT THIS

RAMATIC FLOW OF EVENTS.

ISTENERS TO DEATH, AND

PEE TO FIT PAUL'S CONCSPT

TO BIRTH, YOU hUST BE BORN

——

AGAIN. SO L&TeS USE THE METAPHOR TAT 1S GIVEN. HUMAN BI

SPASTIC AFFAIR! A SEED IS PLANTED AND A NEW LIFES BEGINS,
NOTHING THE EYE CAN SEE.

PERFECTLY AND AT THE PROPSR TIM EMERGES INTO THE WORLD FR

———

cmaon| IS BIRTH ANY LESS DRAMATIC OR MIRACULOUS BRSCAU SI

“

TANEOUS LY?

THS NEW BEING IN CHRIST OCCURS IN THE SAME MANN

A MINISTER,

PERHAPS BY A FRIEND, OR WHEN READING ALONE, 0]

RTH CERTAINLY IS NOT A

BO TLNY THAT FOR MONTHS THERE IS
——<—_ ——s

THE NW PEING IS NOURISHED AND GROWS EVER SO SLOWLY AND

SH AND NEW, A NEW

——

| IT DOESN'T HAPPEN INSTAN*

a

(D IS PLANTED: PERHAPS BY

| BY THE BEAUTY OF NATURE OR

BY THE ULTIMATE REALIZATION THAT THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN DAY TO DAY SXPSRIENCE,

FROM THIS COMES IN {UIRY AND KNOWLEDGE, A PARTICIPATION IN ¥

RESUL IS A NEW

PSRSON ENTIRSLY, A PERSON WHO IS NOW JOYFUI

ORSHIP WITH FELLOW CHHIS asf THE

BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT

LIFS MSANS MORE THAN THE BOREDOM HE HAD EXPERIENCED: A PIRGON WHO LOVES MORE BECAUSE
a,

eS

Q.

KRO has MUGH OF TH GOSPEL MASSAGE.

OUR POPIC FOR Pus By

TH "SISLE AS THo wdiv Ge GQ" BUT SO PAR welys

MAINLY WITH WHAT THs SIBLS IS sor, /AGATN Je? Mi SAY TIS 15 SUMSTHENG

ees a ees a AT TTS om are . By (oR ey Fe i ean * = Tawi io Tair a1 ¢ 7 oe. ay
MANY Ti.23 CUR KIO LEOGE G? A THING IS ENLARGS) BY DISCOVIRING WHAT IT is WOT. iT

~ ee

HOPS YOU ANO Tits RSS? OF THE GONGEG PION WIL. HEAXMR PLAX TO ATS

AHN WE whLi DIS 3S PHS TOPIG wild YOU (PUTT AG FO.TH OPINIGNS ANY QUES'TIO:

fr: OU R&SOURCE WOOK ANU Wit

INDIRY. IT IS THS VSRY BASIS: OF OUR

— ———
— —

NO. TREAT LT 2 UNe iu * Tot. OUR 2

GOn MW wo MUST NU

IP WS ARK TOR AR LN ITs—THe WORD OF GOD.

——

—_

Se

{ OF A RED=EMER AND LORD.

q
i

HE KNOWS. AND HAS FELT THE LOVE

TEP BY STEP A NEW BEING

EVOLVES OUT OF THE hay THIS ANY LESS REAL THAN AN ON

7,

THE SPOT SPASM OF EMOTION? ,

——

JUBSTION WE MUST ASK AND AX
S WS

CHURCH AND OUR SELVES. IS OUR CHURCH THE MANIFESTATION Gd

A COMMUNITY THAT

HAS RESULTED FROM A NEWNEQW® IN EACH ONE:

!

NEW BSINGS BECAUSE OF CHRIST OUR Lorp? IF CHRISTIANITY J

SWER IN EXAMING OUR
A Now CRSATION:, ARE WE

INDIVIDUALLY ARE WE

D YOU MEANS ONLY BEING A

mq
M01

MEMBER OF THIS CHUR

——

THAN YOU ARE NO BETTER OFF THAN PAU

(Made

CIR UMCIS[ON AS THE M@&NS OF A CHRIS

vu CIRCUMCISL ONC

FFER J fi = mJ Mv RTA e a 5 TT a 4 ) 0 ni] Nw
DI FE cain IS OF IMPORTANQDIS THE EXITS TEN( FA V4

L'S OPPONENTS WHO DEMANDED

HURCH MEMD a sieht IS NO

i eu on,(4 NEW WAY

YOUR CHURCH AND FAITH ARS SIMPLY NOT ITEMS IN AN ALRE

ARE NOT TO BE WEIGHED OVER AND AGAINST THE P.T.A. AND THE

CLUB.

—

THEY ARE YOUR ars] BY JOINING THIS CHURCH YOU HA‘
.

“Toye

ania , YOU HAVE CO) “MT TTD YOURSELF TO A NEW LIFE. A Nj

FLOWS ABOVE, BELOW AND THROUGH ALL THAT YOU DO.
eT

THE QUESTION THE TEXT FOR THIS MORNING POSES AND THAT

IS THE DYER UNION CHURCH OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN YOUR LIF

—

OF LIVING, A NEW WAY OF LIVING FOR YOU ORIS IT JUST A SEY

rr |

KXGMSXEKMRX LOCAL SERVICE

& NOT JUST ADJED ANOTHIR

iW WA NG THAT

I NOW ASK YOU, IS THIS.

4 IS CHRISTLANITY A WAY

OF IDEAS THAT EXIST

Z.

ONLY WITHIN THESS FOUR WALLS? DOES THE FACT THAT JESUS CHRIST BXSM HAS LIVED AND
Se —_-_

_

DIED AND RISEN AGAIN MEAN ANYTHING AT ay OR IS IT JUST A

PLT OF SUNDAY SCHOOL ane

I AM NOT PERSONALLY OFFEIDED BY THE LACK OF ENTHUSIASM] SHOWN IN THE PAST. I DON'T WANT
—O
TRXAUKT SES THIS LITTLE CHURCH EXPAND AND BURST ITS SEAMS] JUST TO BULLD MY EGO. IF

THIS WIRE MY AIM, OR ANY MINISTER'S FOR THAT MATT R, WE'D

THLS CHURCH IS NOT OFFERING A FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT TO COM

AND TELEVISION, THE PROGRAM WE ATTEMPT TO PERFORM 1S NOT A

Se

ef IF ITIS NO MORE THAN THAT, IN YOUR BINDS, THAN WE M

h

ytd

DOORS AND @® i

—<<+

OUR PURPOSE IS TO EXTEND THES INVITA TO!
-.

WAY POSSIB ia YOU TO REALIZE TH WN EW pane, /rHe NEW WAY OF

———_——

IN JESUS CHRIST.
PERHAPS WE YRED A HELL FIRE AND BRIMSTONE EVANGELIST T
Yes.
NOT. I ASK ONLY THAT YOU IN TURN ASK YOURSELVES THE QUEST

—

ba

I AM NO EVANG'LIST AND NEVER WELL 5B

——-—

THIS MORNING.

DOWN FRONT OR RAISE YOUR HAND AND DE SAVED. WHAT I ASK IS

eal

AND COMPLEX THAN THAW, AS WE PROGRESS THRDUG! LENT I ASK

ABOUT THs QUESTION "AM I BORN acatnn ? ay IA NEW BsiNG, af

+

OF YOUR HOME I ASX YOU, IN THE FULL
a

OFFER A NEW CREATION TO ALL WHO WILL ACE

Be IN THE WONG BUSINESS.

——

PETE WITH HOLLYWOOD

N ALTERNATIVE FOR YOUR SPARE
—— ee ——

IGHT AS WELL CLOSE THE

eC

AND TO HELP, IN ANY

LIFE THAT CAN BE YOURS

— ——

) GET THIS ACROSS. I HOPE

LOiS THAT HAVE BEEN POSED

AND I BM NOT ASKING YOU TO COME

INFINITELY MORE DIFFICULT

rHAT YOU THINK S RIOUSLY

IN THE QULET AND PHLVACY
— —

(\NOWLEDGE THAT JESUS CRIST DOES LIVE AND _DOKS
—_———— el

Ses

EPT, TO PRAY TO ALHIGHTY GOD TOMAKE YOU A

—_s

4&3

PART OF IT. MAKE THE EFFORT REQUIRED TO PUSH SVERYINING ASIDE MOMENTARILY, AND FACE

———_ — —

YOURSELF WITH THE FACTS OF A DYING LORD, A RISEN CHRIST AND THE QUESTION "AM I BORN

—— ——_ ——

cane = AWM DT PART OF ANEW CREATION 7
AM + FAR!

JA bl{ EMV