Mini Sermons

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

The Journey part 4

I apologize for the delay in this series. I will be posting on Tuesday or Wednesday of every week from now on.  This will be the last in the series although the Journey continues.

As I was trying to explain my take on Romans 1, I decided that this excerpt said it as well as I could.  

This book also has a treasure of information about this subject.  It aims to heal the church, as stated in its title.   Bring people together instead of tear them apart.  That is my aim as well. 

Excerpt taken from “Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality” (explode the myth, heal  the church) by Jack Rogers

"The theme of male gender dominance appears again and again in the texts that may claim deal with homosexuality, including Romans 1.  Both the Hebrew and the Greek cultures were patriarchal.  Men where, and intended to remain dominant over women.  Paul assumes the conventions of these cultures that he is addressing.  He uses terms familiar in the Greek-speaking synagogues such as impurity (1:24) and shameless (1:27), which are part of the Jewish language of purity.  And he was equally familiar with terms that are rooted in Greek Stoic Philosophy, such as “lusts” (1:24) and “Passions” (1:26), which denote erotic passion and uncontrolled desire.
In Romans 1:26, Paul writes: “Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural.”  As Nissinen notes, the phrase “their women” is a clear indication of gender role structure.  But, he contends
“Paul’s understanding of the naturalness of men’s and women’s gender roles is not a matter of genital formation and their functional purpose, which today is considered by many the main criterion for the natural and unnatural.  Rather, in the culture Paul is addressing, a man and a women each had a designated place and role in society, which could not be exchanged, For example, Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:3-6 outlines a strict hierarchical ladder of God-Christ-man-woman.  Strict gender role differences are set out, manifested by different hairstyles.  Paul asks, Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair, it is degrading to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?” (1 cor. 11:14).  In that culture, to violate these roles would be a matter of shame before God.
For Paul, transgressions of gender role boundaries cause “impurity,” a violation of the Jewish purity code (Romans 1:24)  Nissinen explains that it is the woman taking the man’s active role in sex that was seen as “unnatural.”  The text does not say that women had sex with other women.  They could have been condemned for taking the dominant position in the heterosexual intercourse, or for engaging in non-procreative sexual acts with male partners.  The issue is gender dominance, and in that culture women were to be passive and not active in sexual matters.”

As I have studied and searched for the truth I have found extremists on both sides of this issue. I have also found some middle grounders with very valid points on both sides of the issue. I aspire to be a middle grounder.


 I choose to believe, have faith if you will, that God is not condemning me for loving someone of the same sex, that he has assured me I am his child.  It is almost as if sin is in the eye of the beholder.  Sin is not at all inclusive list. Romans 14 NIV explains it very well.  

Until next time

Thursday, January 22, 2015

The Journey part 3

As we delve in to the next couple of passages I would like to reemphasize the importance of interpreting the verse in context.

Both of today’s passages focus on condemning the ungodly, as seen by Paul.    In fact Paul wrote all of the New Testament verses that are used to persuade readers that homosexuality is a sin.   

“Sexual immorality” was included in seven “lists of evil“ in Paul’s writings.  It is pretty safe to say that this was a problem in his society.  It is a problem in our society.  Could it have been the “thorn” in his flesh? 

We do tend to focus on and condemn people based on our sins.    

1 Timothy 1:10 NIV Timothy is urged to stop false teachers.  Paul says that the law commands love and that it is good if one uses it properly.   He goes into a list similar to the one in 1 Corinthians except  it now includes homosexuals.  In my studies the word translated into homosexuals in this text refers to men who used sex as a tool to exploit others.  In fact the King James Version does not even seem to imply homosexuals.  1 Timothy 1 KJV

Jude 5-7  In Jude the list includes sexual immorality and perversion.  These are paired with Sodom and Gomorrah and are implied to refer to homosexuality.   Sexual Immorality can include a whole list of transgressions that even married, monogamous heterosexual couples do together or alone…  But the main thrust of the passage is ungodliness. 

In all of Paul’s lists there are many other “evils” all of which point to a heart issue. 
   
Much of the “heart issue” that we see or perceive in the LGBT community has been brought out by the discrimination we have faced.  Being driven out of churches, communities, and families we don’t feel that we deserve God’s Love.  When a person does not feel they deserve God’s love or that God does not love them they tend to turn away.  It is much easier when we are rejected to pretend that we don’t care and that we are the rejecters.   
When we are the rejecters we act out in ways that are unappealing to society thus giving a bad name to LGBT people in general, much the same way that extremists in other sub-cultures do.


Many people in the LGBT community have reconciled with God.  Have a heart to serve God, to do right, to follow Christ.  Often times we are told that we are wrong. We are told that being gay and Christian is not synonymous.  This always brings back the doubt that we know so well. 

I read a letter to the pastor who stopped a funeral 15 minutes after it was to start and refused to do a service for an open homosexual.  Body, Flowers, and people had to move to a new location.  The letter is very heart felt and has one basic undertone.... put yourself in the shoes of the mourners.  Click to read the letter  Open Letter to Pastor Ray Chavez

If we could all wear each others shoes for a day.... the world would be a better place.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

The Journey part 2

Even the Bible is interpreted by our world view.  It is intended to be that way.  We pull out of it what we need, what God wants us to know at the time. 

 Have you ever read the same exact passage at two different times in your life and been shown a new view? 

Today I will start with the New Testament Bible Verses that talk to Homosexuality; As well as a condensed version of how God revealed them to me during some of my darkest moments.
I will not be able to get them all in one post so I will do one at a time… this will give us time to discuss.

Far too often we pull out the piece of  Scripture that we want to be true, we want to use a weapon, or we want to justify.  

It is always important to take the verses IN context.  Read the entire passage 1 Corinthians 6:1-20

1 Corinthians 6:9 references a list of those who will not receive the Kingdom of Heaven.  It lists “sexually immoral” and “men having sex with men”.  It goes on to explain how sexual immorality affects the body and refers to it as having sex with a prostitute. 

God takes a back seat because of the lust for sex.  

In my studies the reference to “men should not have sex with men” refers to oppression.  In the culture men used sex with other men as a tool of exploitation.  They raped other men in order to be superior to them.

If you take this passage in context you have to go back before the list and read 1 Corinthians 6:1-20   Typically in the Bible the list has something to do with the passage.   All of the items on this list have to do with idolatry, lust, greed, cheating.  Getting what we want at any cost. The Passage speaks to this. 


Tuesday, January 20, 2015

The Journey part 1

A question was asked of me this week by a faithful lady.  I was going to answer her privately but have been lead to share with all since it is a common question.

She wrote:
“It was always "black" and "white" with me concerning homosexuality and the Bible until you and then ____. I knew both of you well enough to know your hearts for the Lord and to know that you genuinely love the Lord. So, that's made me start thinking. I'm not concerned about the O.T. verses on homosexuality because I know there are many things in the O.T. that were having to do with the times and that we don't follow.
But. how do you feel that it's not a sin when the N.T. says it is? How are those verses explained? Like I said, I'm truly interested in what you have to say."

Many people have this question.   I did too.

I have no easy answer.  No short answer, but in the next few posts I will try to explain some things that I have found in my journey.  Things that God has revealed to me as the truth.

I always knew I was different but didn't understand it.  I spent many years trying to find the piece of me that was missing or being deeply hidden.   I acted out sexually with men, I got married and had kids, I got divorced.  In my early 20’s I finally understood what the missing piece was in my life but was told it was wrong, ungodly, that I would go to hell if I lived this way. I got married again thinking that either I, or God, could MAKE it go away.  I couldn't, God didn't!

In 2009, right after my 40th birthday I came to an end of being able to pretend to be someone I wasn't. I spent the last 6 months of my 14 year marriage crying and praying for God to make me what I thought He wanted me to be. What I thought the Church wanted me to be.

Praying, crying and writing it all out in a journal daily, feeling like I had gone crazy.  Begging God to show me the truth and restore my mind back to the point before I was so torn.

So started my journey….

The journey of finding the truth about homosexuality.

1. There is no "Black and White"  Grey is everywhere, in all situations.  We all see things differently, in differing degrees of good and bad.  Every person has their own journey, their own perspective, and their own agenda.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Broken Glases

Writing re-visited.  I wrote this in 2011 and as I read it this morning it resonated with me. Today's edits are in green.

Have you ever tried to look through someone eases prescription glasses?   The world takes on funny shapes, your stomach turns a little, and your feet don't hit the ground exactly where you thought they were going to.  I'm sure you have heard the expression "looking through rose colored glasses", meaning seeing everything in a good and positive light.  We all have our own pair of glasses on some are rose colored, some are the wrong strength, some are so dark we can not see truth.  Some days it seems i am seeing through broken glasses...

The life we have lived, the people we have encountered, our own internal voices, and our current situation all affect the way we see things in our lives.  We don't always realize it because the color or the strength of our glasses change so slowly that it seems normal and we don't realize we are not seeing reality.   We can not change how our lives have been altered in the past by people and situation,  we can not change how we view life.  We also can not change the way others view life because of the glasses they wear.

When glasses get broken we know it immediately...  one little scratch, bend, or smudge can alter our view in an instant.  So it is with life, one little incident can show us immediately that we are not seeing reality.  Sometimes we choose to ignore the broken glasses and continue to look through them, over time we become accustomed to the flaw and don't even notice it.   

Eventually our eyes get tired,  strained, and we decided it is time to do something about the broken glasses we are wearing... so it is with life.  We get tired of doing the same things day after day expecting different results.  

I, my friends,  am tired of the eye strain... I am worn out with all the glasses I wear that don't fit anymore.  Life it to short to live in a vicious circle of making the same mistakes over and over.  Its time for a change!  

Isaiah 55:6-9   "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the evil man his thoughts.  Let him turn to the Lord and he will have mercy on him, and to our God and He will freely pardon.  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord."

Help me to look through the eyes of the Lord.

Life has a funny way of bringing us back around to cleaning our glasses of the smudges put there by time and experience.  Although today my life is much different and the turn it took 3+ years ago was for the positive there will always be a time to see through clear lenses and see through the eyes of the Lord.  

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Christ died for ALL!


Yes I said it and I believe it... Christ died for all. Some would lead us to believe that He only died to save certain denominations, sub-groups, races, etc. but I have it right from the Word of God that he died for all who believe. 
Righteousness Through Faith
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Romans 3:21-28

And more than that... Justification/Salvation are a matter of the heart, not the label we put on ourselves or others.

 Easter is a very important time of the year for Christians. We proclaim that our Lord has been crucified, buried and Risen from the Grave. And we believe that he has endured the Cross to take away our sins, that we may have everlasting life.1 Corinthians 15: 20-22.  

These texts and many more like them have no hint of qualification for being Christian, for gaining eternal life through the death and Resurrection of Christ, apart from belief in Jesus Christ.  A matter of the heart...

A matter of the heart my friends....unfortunately many hearts have been damaged and made to believe that they are unworthy of the Love of Christ.

I am speaking directly to those of us who have been damaged by this judgement when I say You are Loved!  Christ wants you to believe,  He wants to know you.  He wants you to know that your sins are covered and there is nothing you can to that will separate you from the love of Christ.  Read Romans 8:31-39

Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture Romans 8:35 The Message
Happy Easter everyone.  Rejoice in our Savior knowing you are LOVED!




Friday, February 14, 2014

Faith, Freedom, and a Law about Neither


I was going to write a blog today but I think she about says it all!

I am not what I would call a gay rights activist. Maybe more of a civil rights activist. 

She is right when she says where will this end! Freedoms in this country are getting fewer and farther between. You take my rights away to gain your own and soon yours will be gone as well. 

As the Bible says.... None are without sin. Not One. Will there come a day when we can refuse service because we THINK someone is alcoholic? Gluttonous? Lying? They look like they might steal something? Muslim? all in the name of Religious Freedom? 

Read the blog by this wise woman and take her challenge. You don't have to be gay or pro-gay marriage to know that this legislation is wrong. SPEAK OUT TODAY

Gay Cheeseburgers in Kansas: Faith, Freedom, and a Law about neither