Spiritual Urban Legends

You’ve seen the headline: “Using Tupperware in the microwave gives you cancer.” Or the warning to be careful when traveling in South America; you might wake up in your hotel room only to discover you’re missing a kidney. Or the one that says if you put a tooth in a bottle of Coke it will be gone by morning. And the one about Mr. Rodgers; that he was a Navy SEAL and the sweater was to cover up his tattoos.

Sometimes it’s easy to sort out fact from fiction, but some Urban Legends sound so plausible that they spread quickly without being questioned. And once out, they are almost impossible to refute because “everyone” knows they’re true. Except, they’re not.

Did you know that there are Spiritual Urban Legends as well? For example, maybe you’re heard someone say, “Everything happens for a reason.” Or “the safest place to be is in the center of God’s will.” Or this one: “God has a blueprint for your life.” They sound good and contain a bit of truth, but in the end can lead us astray. Some are harmless misunderstandings, but others can lead us into dangerous error that brings spiritual heartache. In some cases, they will lead to disillusionment with God for failing to fulfill a promise he never made; or false guilt God never intended us to feel; or give false hope that simply cannot be supported by what we know of God from the Bible.

In the next few weeks we’re going to tackle seven of these. The hope is not to embarrass but to inform. And frequently the reality is far better than the myth. In the end, there is more peace in knowing what’s real and what’s not.

James - A Good Life

New Sermon Series – The Good Life

When someone today talks about “The Good Life” most likely they are thinking of a loving spouse, obedient kids, a maintenance free dog, a low carbon footprint source of transportation, an abundant supply of tasty organic food, stylish but practical clothing, close friends, a family cabin and enough money to retire early. What surprises many is that the “good life” used to mean something much different. The Ancient Greeks, for example, talked about “A Good Life” (AGL) not “The Good Life (TGL)” and the difference mattered. Instead of the comfort, luxury and wealth of TGL (large houses, exotic cars and extravagant vacations) AGL described an ethical, moral and spiritual existence.

James, the brother of Jesus, had something like this in mind when he wrote a series of short moral essays. He pointed out the benefits that come from faithful endurance, the value of wisdom, the need for the rich use their wealth to benefit the poor and the intentionality it takes to live a righteous life. 

James is a sort of New Testament version of Proverbs. As an author, he is a moralist rather than a theologian. His goal was make Christians into better Christians and he believed that the only way to see if faith is real is by how we behave.